Furui Tomadachi 8 and 9

Furui Tomadachi-8

My guards and several soldiers of mine are piled to one another.

"Yame!" I jumped of the ledge and landed softly. All enemies charged at me.

I snatched a sword from a nearest samurai and attacked. All cylinders aimed at me, no choice except to fight. Block then strike, dodge then thrust, block then reverse. A simple kata that defeats any soldier. Then several surviving guards of mine made their way through the company, joining me in a defensive circle. Little by little, my tatakai no kami began growing. At our last stand me and one guardian. Silence as we eyed every soldier.

"Are you ready to die, fellow guardian?" I said.

"In service to you my lord!" he said.

I yelled a battle cry; all of our enemies placed their shields above their heads.

What are they protecting their selves for?

Suddenly, a rain of fire awaited us from the night sky.

My guardian collapsed in fear, I bravely stood and closed my eyes to take the arrows.
"What's wrong, Kazuku? Didn't you like arrows back in the day?" A male voice said.
I opened my eyes, the fire arrows are suspended midair!

That was familiar, it was Sai Kah! He stood behind me with his musket resting over his shoulder.

A woman appeared behind him, "The same old Kazuku of Arin." She laughed. It was Hika Mori, with her fan!

"Sai! Mori! Glad to see you in a pleasant evening!" I forced a smile, somehow it became a grunt.

"Cut the crap, Kazuku! We are lending our assistance." Said Sai.

"Our provinces have been attacked as well. We may have not time to recover, but we have our time to fight!" said Mori.

I saw my guardian, his mouth was wide open of what all happened. I helped him get up and said, "Let's fight together, guardian."

"Yes, my lord!" he said.

"Mori! Deflect all arrows to the unsuspecting enemies, not to my palace, of course!" As I took my stance.

Sai laughed and took an aim.

"Very well, Kazuku." She flipped open her fan and all the suspended arrows burned the enemies.

"Ikinasai!" I cried.

"Hai!" they said and charged.

(Kazunari) After otou-san and I split up, I ran to the garden and found that the garden was full of samurai and ninja. They are lighting fire....
"Oh no! Otou-san would not like this..."

When I was twelve, I lighted a fire using two branches, and then I burned down our ancestor's Sakura tree.

I jumped and said, "Yamero!"

They stared at me and charged without thinking.

"Did I have a plan?" I said to myself.

I stood in defense stance, waiting for someone to strike. A did a thrust to the neck of my first victim then I did random to all the others. Sadly my, or the enemy's katana that I've took was stolen back. One thing was for sure, taijutsu!

I did a Basa Dai for my opening, did several throws and used the enemy as a shield for the swords. I was getting tired. I didn't anticipated a manriki-gusariI's chain caught my neck and slammed me to the ground. Shadows covered my view, a sword was about to pierce my heart, someone struck my killer first.

Someone struck my killer first. Then there was silence.

"You're not pretty good at all, kozu!."

General Kentei just arrived in time. He held me up like he was going to slammed down.

"This no time for rest, kozu. Here take my spear."

The chain was still tight, I can't speak.

"So that's the problem!"

He dropped me and raised his sword to me. I can't say my saigo no kotoba.

He cut the chain for me and rested his sword to his scabbard.

I took the spear and took a stance behind him. Enemies coming from all directions.

"Are you ready, kozu?" He said while warming up his wrists.

"Hai! Ikinasai yo!"

We yelled out our battle cries and confronted the enemy.

Furui Tomdachi-9

NOTE: Kazuku will take a break for narrating; I cover both battles, for now.

Kazuku, Mori and Sai struggled to fight in the courtyard. Even with Mori's magic and Sai's firepower, they still have no chance of survival.

"Mori, can we escape with an illusion?" Kazuku said while disarming a ninja and knocking him to the ground.

Mori dodged a thrust of a sword then the samurai mysteriously flew away with a swipe of Mori's fan, "Yes, but it is hard to blind these many threats."

Sai Kah shoots from his waist, jumps to the shoulders of a samurai then fires a bullet then fires randomly, "Damn it! We're running out of options!"

Meanwhile, in the garden, Kentei and Kazunari were actually enjoying the endless fight.

"Kozu, you should rest ya'know."

Kazunari blocked, "Kozu dewa nai!" Then he stabbed the ninja deep inside the heart. "Boku wa Aka Kazunari! Teme wakaranai?"

He laughed while breaking bones, "You remind me of your father, Kazunari."

Kazunari couldn't take it anymore, so he poured his anger in every strike.

Kentei even managed to glimpse Kazuku and smiled, "Aka bloodline."

A ninja managed to land his ninjato's kissaki to Kentei's armor.
"That felt like a tickle! Show me what you've got more!" his thunderous voice demoralized the ninja.

Odds became worse with every minute passing. Both parties were tired, enemies are still swarming all over the palace. No one to call help for, they die for defending their home.

All of a sudden, all ninja and samurai backed down and are on full retreat.

"Backing down already?" said Sai.

"Impossible, they had us in the corner. Why change plans so fast?" said the puzzled Mori.

"Whatever it is, I am glad that they are retreating, for now." Kazuku walked near the guard, "Count for casualties and report."

He saluted; "Hai!" then went through all over the palace.

NOTE: My shift is over, so it's Kazuku's turn again.

I turned to my friends, "Did you bring any troops?"

"No, if I had it will be only seven." Said Sai.

"How about you Mori?"

"My sisters are recovering on a camp just a mile ahead."

Suddenly I just remembered Kazunari, I ran with all I can toward the garden. I found old Kentei and my son drinking sake, they were laughing at each other.

"Seems Kazunari is having fun." Said Sai.

"I wonder if he is legal to drink sake?"

I just ignored Sai and Mori and ran to Kazuku, I snapped him at his neck.
"What the hell?" He said.

I kicked him that he slammed to the ground.

"Ouch!" Said Sai.

"Merciless!" added Mori while covering her mouth with her fan.

I don't care! Said the thoughts of Kentei.

I grabbed his hair and eyed him seriously, "(umm, due to the offensive content of the sentence, it has been removed to not offend anybody.) Why are you drinking sake after someone attack our castle?" I said angrily.

His eyes were closed, "Ken-te, let's have another round!"

Kentei raised his cup and nodded.

I buried the face of my own son deep on the delicate grass of my garden.

After the quarrel at the garden, I, Mori, Sai and Kentei held a meeting at my dining room. We all sat crossed legs on the zabuton which lay on a tatami mat flooring. My table is a simple but elegant red/black table with our family crest.

"So, do we have any leads?" I said.

"I think that Koto Nai is behind this anomaly, along with our provinces. he is indeed responsible for the attacks." Explained Sai.

"However, Maki is in desperate situations right now. We are struggling to rebuild our homes from the fire attack. Barely our magic couldn't restore it." Said Mori.

"What about you, Kentei?" I asked.

"Well," he yawned, "Seg is well protected from my guardians, I did bring Syo Shina, and she will arrive later this afternoon."

"Do you have any suggestions for the safety of our villagers?" I said.

"Yes, I plan to evacuate my villagers here." Mori said.

"And I plan a civilian militia to be created." Requested Sai.

"I agree." Said Kentei.

"Well, all we need is some rest first. We will proceed as planned later."

"Hai." They all said.

I went to my room and passed through the damaged shoji and lied down my bed.

Where's Nari?

I quickly searched down my bed and found her sleeping soundly.

I smiled and slept comfortably.