Sunday, July 3, 2005

A band of soldiers ride along a road in the moonlight. Their leader turns to his lieutenant and says, “Well Tetsubou, if we keep this pace we shall reach the castle by day break.” Tetsubou says, “Indeed m’lord, and with most welcome news. Thanks to your gallantry, the bandits shall no longer prey upon the villages of lord Todo’s domain. Truly you m’lord, lord Yarimaru Todo, are lord Todo’s most trusted worthy warrior.” Yarimaru says, “Come now my friend, there is credit for all in our company…look there.” he points to a man standing in the roadway, blocking their path. “Ho! Greeting traveler, have you business in the domain of the Todo clan or are you on your way elsewhere?” The man wears no armor, but his two finely crafted swords declare him a samurai. He says, “My name is Yuukanmaru, and I have no quarrel with you. However…” he raises his hand to his sword hilt, “…by my masters orders I must kill you.” “You dare! Impudent fool…” Yarimaru cuts off his vassal’s outburst. He says, “You did not choose this battle, and we who live by the sword must also die thereby. I shall fight you; but first, I must know the name of he who has decreed my death.” Yuukanmaru says, “You do not understand. I am to kill, not only you, but your entire company. As for my master’s name, he is known as Naraku…”

No Surrender: Tragic swordsman, Yuukanmaru
*episode 1*

“Looks like a battle.” Inuyasha says. He is standing beside Kagome and Kagura on a deserted road strewn with dead humans. The wounds all seem to have been made by human weapons, just another pointless bloodbath in the warring states era. “Something’s not right.” Kagura says. Kagome says, “All of these soldiers have the same markings. Was this a civil war?” Inuyasha pauses in thought. “Now that you mention it,” he says, “They’re all facing the same way.” Answering Kagome’s questioning look, he says, “It’s as if this were one side and the other one just left. I never seen a battle between humans where only one side left bodies.” Turning to a noise, Kagura says, “We have a live one.” Kagome rushes to the man’s side. Inuyasha says, “You’re waste’en your time Kagome; that one’s too far gone.” The man’s armor is sliced open; his insides revealed. Kagome focuses on his face and extremities; stretching him out, trying to make him more comfortable. She reaches to her bag to get a water bottle, but the man grabs her hand. He says, “all this…one warrior…a demon…a human…samurai…Nar…ak…u…” His chest collapses a final time; he is dead. While his life failed to capture the half-demon’s attention, his dieing words have Inuyasha’s undivided attention. Kagome stands up, looking very sad. Kagura says, “If this was Naraku’s work; then that means that either he or one of his minions is near by. That makes it all the more important that we find the monk; and soon.” The others nod in agreement.
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