Chapter 1
The Crying Demon
Japan
1183
Genpei War
The two major clans of Japan, Minamoto and Taira, were at war for control of Japan. The Taira Clan had recently begun ruling after a coup d’état. Consequently, some clans opposed their authority. The Minamoto clan, which was wiped out by the Taira 20 years prior in an attempt for power, sought revenge against them, hence the Genpei War. Now—at the height of the war, a skillful and tenacious sister duo has made a name for themselves as great warriors for the Minamoto—some compared them to deities.
“This is a suicide mission, sister!” responded Naku, her voice echoing around the camp, “Is the Shogun trying to lose the war?! To send only 300 samurai to battle against the Taira Clan’s 600 is the decision of a madman!”
Tomoe, predictably, answered calmly, “Naku, we can not defy the Shogun’s orders. That itself would be taking our own life. And besides, I would rather die at the hands of the enemy than the blade of a comrade.”
“Bu-t what if-” Naku began to rebuttal, but was cut off,
“This is war, sister! This is not something that can be negotiated.” Naku’s last sparks were extinguished by Tomoe, “Now alert the men and prepare for battle, there is no time to be standing around.”
“Yes, Commander…” Naku’s voice slowly trailed off after realizing yet another defeat. She started to leisurely walk over to the camps. The salty ocean air flooded her lungs when she opened the creaky door. The sunshine showered her body; Naku then saw growing clouds brewing in the distance. It seems this was only the calm before the storm.
“One day you will be taking my orders,” thought Naku sinisterly.
Since they were little, Naku and Tomoe were always arguing. Tomoe, the older sister by four years, was always calm and stern with people but was generally liked by her peers. However, as the older sister, she made sure Naku was kept in check. Naku was the “little sister”, although at 22 years old not much separated the two physically. She was easily angered and not very personable compared to her sister. Hence, her inability to form friendships or gain any form of popularity. However, this does not mean Naku did not want to be like her sister, who was not just popular but also a fantastic martial artist and swordswoman. So from a young age, Naku chose to chase after her sister’s trail of glory. She has now become her right-hand man, feeling closer than ever to achieving her goal.
“Lieutenant Minamoto and Lieutenant Toyoharu, rally the men in front of the campfire,” Naku barked at the two remaining lieutenants. They had suffered many casualties and the morale throughout the soldiers was grim. Naku continued, “and tell the pigs that we are headed for battle.”
“B-attle?” questioned Lieutenant Toyoharu with fear lingering in his voice.
“On Shogun Minamoto’s command,” replied Naku flatly.
“I guess the senile old man has finally lost his marbles,” added Lieutenant Minamoto.
He was a son of the Shogun Minamoto no Yoritomo but was still a fantastic warrior, due to his father’s belief in not handing out titles. However, this strict ideology left few high-ranking officers, each one was equal, at the lowest, to 20 Taira Clan men, with some Commanders commonly called “one-man armies”.
A wave of footsteps approached the common area. Once they were settled Naku informed the men of the situation, “We have been given orders to engage the Taira Clan one kilometer northwest of here at the Minamiechizen Crossroads. Prepare for combat at once!” a murmur went through the crowd.
Hyuchi was a crucial holding point for the Minamoto Clan due to it neighboring a large port. Additionally, it was the last town in the Ishikawa trading path that led to southern Japan.
A samurai cried out, “Commander Gozen, this is impossible! We have only just gotten out of a bloody battle in which we suffered many casualties!” The soldiers bobbed their heads in agreement.
“THIS IS A TURNING POINT IN THE WAR YOU INSOLENT BULLS!” Naku hastily screamed back, asserting her dominance over them, “IF WE WIN THIS BATTLE, CONTROL OF JAPAN WILL BE CERTAIN FOR THE MINAMOTO CLAN!”
Naku continued to bellow at her underlings, “AND TO ASSUME, that the great warriors that stand before me would be beaten by swordsmen comparable to farmers is a disgrace to our ancestors!” These words stung Naku as she knew herself that this would be many’s final battle. It would be strategically an unattainable victory, even with their superior skill.
“Now prepare for battle and ready any remaining horses,” ordered Naku at the unsure men.
“Those barefaced rats... stupid obscene rats… dumb stupid rats...” muttered Naku crazily as she hurried back to the Commander quarters.
