by li izumi
ver 3.2
June 2002
I kneel down, my forehead gently pressed to the cave floor, with the Masumune, the holy katana, lying sheathed before me. Oneesan, the Destined Warrior, still weak from the Rite of Matsuri, looks down from me to the Masumune, back to me, her expression unreadable, as always. Sensei openly scowls disapprovingly at me; it is obvious that he wants an explanation from me. Still, he says nothing, waiting for Oneesan to make the first move. I wait for her as well. It is her right; it is her sword. I want to move, at least to cough, as the red dust from the battlefield dries my throat. But I cannot even move, until Oneesan makes some indication.
Squirming under her unreadable gaze, I wrack my brain again. I try to find some explanation that might satisfy her. Yet I can say nothing because I do not know myself what happened. Somehow, I lost time, the past day missing from my memory, and I do not even understand how. But how can I explain that to the Destined Warrior? How can I explain to her that I do not remember stealing her sword, the holy sword that has not left her side since it was presented to her by the Emperor? How can I explain? I cannot, so I say nothing.
I think back as far as I can. I remember meditating in the cave as Oneesan rested after the Rite of Matsuri. I had closed my eyes, but when I re-opened them I was no longer in the cave but on a battlefield. I looked around in confusion. Two days ago, this field was fertile farm land. Now, it was truly a wasteland, a place of utter desolation - dusty, red earth; dry, hot air. Dark gray clouds covered the sky, but there was no sign of rain. It was an empty battlefield, littered with dead. These corpses that surrounded me were once men from the army of the Rogue General, the commander of the Shogun's forces. Now, the entire army lay scattered around me. I alone stood. My face and body streaked with the same crimson that ran down the blade in my hand.
Then I noticed what blade was in my hand - the holy blade Masumune, Oneesan's katana that would lead her to become the Destined Warrior. It was Oneesan's destiny, foretold seven centuries prior, to wield the holy blade when the Empire was threatened, and now, with the Shogun marching to the capital, the Empire had never been in such danger since it was established. No one but the Destined Warrior should be able to wield the magical blade once the ritual, the Rite of Matsuri, was completed. That was the way it should be, and has been, since the day the Sun Goddess gave the most holy of all blades, the Masumune, to my ancestor.
My ancestor was hailed as a hero because he wielded the Masumune to protect the empire, just as Oneesan is destined to do. At that time, most of Nippon was joined under the rule of the emperor, but some clans still refused to follow his lead. These clans joined together as one army and threatened the very core of the empire. Despite his common status, my ancestor became a powerful warrior and led the imperial forces with the magical katana Masumune and defeated all that would stand against the Emperor. For his service, he received the hand of a princess, and spent many happy years with his family. But his half-brother, the crown prince, was jealous of him, and betrayed him. With the death of the Destined Warrior, the Masumune split in two. As it is a magical blade, it formed two katanas. The emperor was heart-broken, and named his oldest daughter as his heir. The Masumune was kept as a national treasure, while the second blade was lost for centuries, until it was found by my mother the year I was born.
Okaasama was a warrior of high regard, even in a time when women were not generally allowed to become warriors. Okaasama walked her own path. She never married, but had many lovers. All were considered great warriors, but none matched her skill. Oneesan was her first child, sired by a samurai of high standing. She stayed with him for a couple of years, but even with a young daughter, Okaasama could not stay in one place for long. She eventually left, leaving Oneesan behind.
Rumors abounded that she had taken a ronin as a lover during that time. Three years later, she returned, to the Samurai who had sired her first child, carrying another babe, her second and final child: me. When the sun rose, she was gone, most likely to her death. I was left behind at the Samurai's house, clutching in my tiny hands the second Masumune. Where Okaasama found the lost katana, no one knows.
As I grew, the Samurai and his sons ignored me, as did the servants. My status was undetermined. I could not be an equal to the Samurai, because I was an orphan with an unknown sire. However, since Okaasama was my mother, I was more then a servant. Therefore, I was generally ignored by everyone.
Oneesan was the only one to really pay any attention to me, and that was only when I grew old enough to hold a bokken and proved quick enough to be an adequate sparring partner. When we began sparing, I was six, barely taller then the wooden training sword, and so I had a difficult time swinging the bokkan. I remember the day I first sparred with her. She was angry because the Samurai would not yet allow actual sparring between Oneesan and his sons. He felt that they should master the techniques before learning the practical application of the moves. Oneesan felt differently, and the two argued heatedly. I had been secretly observing their training lessons. Watching from the shadows was the only way I could learn anything, since I was not allowed to get in their way. Even though I was hot and uncomfortable, I stayed still so I would not get caught listening to their exchange. After their argument, the training session was ended for the day. Oneesan turned to her half-brothers to see if they were willing to spar with her, but they proved reluctant to go against their father's orders. Then she saw me in the bushes. She asked if I would be willing to spar with her. I felt no obligation to the Samurai, so I agreed to train with her. Until that moment, I felt I generally ignored by everyone, but now, some one actually acknowledged my existence. It felt good. And I wasn’t going to let go of that feeling. I pushed myself to the limits to learn to fight, even though I never learned the proper techniques and stances. I wanted to feel useful to some one, to feel that there was some point to my life. I had to push myself to become a perfect sparring partner so Oneesan would not stop using me to practice.
I succeeded, as even a year or so after Oneesan first came to spar with me when the Samurai felt his pupils knew enough of the basics and allowed Oneesan to spar with her half-brothers, she still turned to me after her official training was done for the day.
Oneesan did not train much longer under the Samurai, for he became gravely ill and could no longer train Oneesan. Therefore, he summoned a great sensei to finish her training. There was much unrest throughout the land, and the need for warriors was high, but with the famous lineage that Oneesan had, it was not difficult to convince the greatest of the Samurai teachers to leave his school behind and privately instruct Oneesan.
The Samurai died soon after, leaving his oldest son as the head of the family, while the other sons went out to make names for themselves in battle. Oneesan was kept at the house, pushed somewhat into the back, alone with her training with Sensei. Though I kept back, and tried to remain as inconspicuous as I could so I would not get in the way, Sensei spotted me a few weeks after he arrived. Upon learning my relation to Okaasama, he insisted upon training me as well.
Mostly I was a sparring partner, but this time I was being given some actual instruction. I never formally learned the basic techniques, but I was quick to learn what I could to help Oneesan with her advanced studies. I developed my own fighting style, rather then the traditional, proper forms.
Sensei had once told us that it had been common belief thirty years ago that Okaasama would be the destined warrior when an ambitious man took over the position of Shogun. For generations, the Shogun, the military leader, was the true power in the empire. The Emperor ruled in name, but it was the Shogun, the leader of all the armies, that held the true power. Okaasama was always prepared to fight the Shogun in the name of the Empire, but he never made a move on the Emperor. However, his replacement, the current Shogun, seemed unsatisfied with just the power in actuality; he wanted the power in name as well. He began to plot against the Emperor. Still, as long as he did not make any moves, Oneesan and I continued to train.
Several years passed when it became apparent that the Shogun was amassing an army. Oneesan was around her twentieth year when we journeyed to the capital. There was much ado as the Emperor presented Oneesan with the true Masumune, rather then the second Masumune which she had used up till that point.
Since the second blade was no longer needed for her, Sensei gave it back to me with dramatically less ceremony.
Oneesan and I were to protect the imperial line, the children of the Sun Goddess by defeating the Shogun. Following the Shogun was a powerful general, known as the Rogue General, who controlled the largest and strongest part of the Shogun's army.
Getting to the Shogun seemed a daunting task. Therefore, we decided to take out the main force by killing the leader. Oneesan and I would sneak into the enemy encampment to fight the Rogue General under the cover of night. With him gone, the army would be thrown into confusion, long enough for Oneesan and I to march north unhindered to the Shogun's capital to confront the Shogun.
Sensei agreed with our plan and consulted the stars to find a night when the moon would be hidden. Under the cloak of night and fog, we snuck into the encampment. But before we could get near the Rogue General's tent, we were spotted and the alarm was raised. Soldiers surrounded us and there was no choice but to fight.
It did not take long for the battle haze to separate Oneesan and I. This was my first real battle and I was unnerved by the failure of our plan to sneak in unnoticed. I wanted to find Oneesan but I could not spot her in the fog and battle haze. So I kept fighting, instinctively taking it one enemy at a time. As I finished off one enemy, I turned to face my next opponent, but to my surprise there was no one around me. Suddenly, coming through the haze, a tall figure approached me.
I stood at ready, waiting for his next move. As he came closer, just by looking at him, I could tell who he was. I gasped, "The Rogue General!"
He grinned. "The same. Unfortunately, you are not the one I was looking to fight. Ah well, I shall take care of you, then finish off your master."
I interrupted him with a quick attack. Our swords clashed a few times, but it was merely to test the other’s strength. It did not take me long to realize that he far out-skilled me. Yet that did not mean I would give up. One never knew when one's opponent would get careless.
The Rogue General did not seem to be getting careless at all, though. In fact, at one pass he managed to send me sprawling to the ground, my blade several meters away.
The Rogue General casually scooped up my katana.
Immediately I jumped up, demanding, "Return that to me at once!"
His eyes narrowed as he got a closer look at my katana. "Where did you get this blade? How dare you wield this katana!"
I glared back. "I have every right. That blade is my birth right!"
He sneered. "There is only one with the birth right to this blade, and that is the Destined Warrior."
"This blade is meant for me, as the true Masumune is meant for Oneesan! Okaasama left me this katana!"
His eyes narrowed dangerously. "Okaasama? Oneesan?" Then he spoke with understanding. "I see. The Destined Warrior is your sister."
"What of it?"
He ignored me, and to my surprise, tossed the katana back to me. I scooped it up quickly. When I looked up, he was already walking away.
"H... hey!" I shouted to him.
He turned his head to me without fully turning around. "It is out of respect to your mother that I'll let you go for now. But we'll face each other again at the capital."
With that, he was gone, lost in the haze. I stood, stunned for a moment before I heard Oneesan calling my name. I pushed through the haze until I found her.
"Let us leave here while we still can!" She suggested.
We fled the encampment towards the mountains in the north, where Sensei was waiting for us in a small cave. The sun had already risen, which was fortunate since we were far enough away from the enemy's camp that we did not need to fear detection, and it lit our way over the dangerous mountain paths. By the time we reached the cave we were exhausted and dirty, covered in battle grime: dust, sweat, and blood. Sensei was waiting for our arrival, and greeted us with fresh water to drink. I wanted to collapse into sleep, but Oneesan and Sensei needed to talk about what our next course of action would be, so I forced myself to stay awake.
"The Rogue General must be gone by now to warn the Shogun." Oneesan commented. "The army will be traveling northwards towards the capital on the other side of the mountains, a little farther west of here, where the land is flatter."
Sensei agreed. "Therefore, we must prepare ourselves, then we should make haste to the capital."
"Prepare?" I asked.
"The katana-form is not the true form of the Masumune. We must perform the Rite of Matsuri to change the Masumune into their more powerful form." He turned to face us. "You must rest and cleanse yourselves all day to prepare for the ceremony."
As the sun set, we met again and began the ceremony.
In a subdued voice, Sensei explained what we needed to do. I took a moment for a deep breath, then the ceremony began. Oneesan and I faced each other directly, the dual blades of the Masumune between us. First we called out the names of our gods and ancestors to protect us and to lend us their power. Then we began to chant the necessary spells and incantations, drawing energy from our bodies and from all around us.
The Masumune, Oneesan's blade, raised into the air, glowing gold. The hand guard began to shake, then it split into four long ribbons, which weaved amongst themselves down the hilt of the blade. Then the blade slowly sank back to the earth, returning to its normal hue.
We both looked expectantly at my blade. Nothing happened.
"No!" Oneesan exclaimed. "The second Masumune did not change."
"I was afraid of this," Sensei said in dismay.
"What does it mean?"
"Either the blade isn’t ready or," he looked pointedly at me, "or the wielder is nt."
"This is ridiculous," Oneesan stood up and immediately collapsed.
I jumped to her side. "What’s wrong?!"
"She has no energy left. The Rite of Matsuri, the changing of the Masumune, is draining experience," Sensei explained. "She'll need a few days to recover and regain her strength."
I helped Oneesan to her bed. When I had made certain she was comfortable, I headed to the mouth of the cave. Sensei pulled me aside and whispered into my ear. "If your blade transforms in the coming battle, you will not be able to stop and rest. You will be killed."
I nodded. So I would die. So be it.
My life was of little concern to me. It only mattered that I could get Oneesan to her battle with the Shogun.
Sensei went back to watch over Oneesan. I watched him go, then turned my attention to the Masumune. I placed the changed-blade in front of me, closed my eyes to meditate on the coming battle.
When I opened my eyes, I stood alone in the red, dry, desolated battlefield, the corpses from the Rogue General's army surrounded me. The Masumune was clutched in my hand. I could not explain how I had gotten into this field, or how I had defeated these men. With nothing else to do, no answers to be had, I made my way back to the cave to apologize for my unexplainable theft.
Oneesan finally sighs, startling me back to the present. My head jerks up slightly at the sound of her voice, but I immediately force myself back into the proper humble position, shifting slightly to ease the tension on my knees. Oneesan continues, "There's nothing to be done about this matter now. She has done us quite a service by destroying the Rogue General's army. Let us just get on our way." She scoops up the Masumune and exits the cave. Sensei snorts at me, then follows. I wait another moment before I move, my legs stiff from kneeling so long. I grab my own katana and follow, several steps behind.
With the Rogue General's army annihilated, the journey to the Shogun's capital was easy and without event. I am nervous, as it is almost too quiet as we make our way to the Shogun's palace. The gates are left open, waiting for us. I am fearful of a trap, so I enter first.
At the steps to the Shogun's palace, stands the Rogue General.
He draws his blade. "To get to the Shogun, you must defeat me."
Without turning to Oneesan, I say to her. "I will fight with him. Oneesan, you go on and face the Shogun. Leave this battle to me."
Oneesan pauses for a moment, looking at me. Then she nods. She sheathes her blade and runs past, leaving the Rogue General and I to face each other.
"I hope you've been practicing, little girl, or this fight will be over too quick!"
We stand in silence for awhile. Seconds or minutes pass, time feeling like an eternity. I shift my clammy grip on my katana, my knuckles white. My actions draw attention to my blade. He notes to me, "Your sister's Masumune has changed forms. Your blade has not."
This strikes a nerve in me how he is so familiar about the katana I wield, as if he knows all about it. My nervousness is quickly replaced by anger. "It matters not! I'm still more then a match for you!"
He grins, "Then you have been practicing!"
"Your army is a testament to my practice. You can ask them. Oh, wait, they're all dead, aren't they?” I am as shocked as he is by my words, but I try to keep my face expressionless. I cannot believe my own brazenness, but the words just seemed to come out.
His eyes narrow, and he speaks dangerously, "So it is due to your efforts that my men were killed? You'll pay for that."
"Enough of this useless prattle," I exclaim, shaking but trying to stand firm. "Let’s fight!"
"Do you really expect to defeat me with such a blade? The Masumune will never work properly if its been stolen."
"What do you mean?" I say icily. He remains silent, so I continue, even more coldly, "What do you mean by stolen? This blade was my birth right!"
"That blade belonged to me, and was stolen by your mother."
"It may be true that at one time you had possession of this Masumune, but it belongs to my family! Therefore, it was returned to me, as I am the proper wielder of this blade! If it is true that Okaasama stole this blade from you, she did so only so she could get it to its proper wielder." I do not realize immediately that I have stopped shaking. The words seem to flow out of me, and I feel the truth and power in them. Thoughts enter my mind that I am truly a warrior in my own right, and not just an exstantion of Oneesan, that I too have a destiny all of my own. I stand tall, stand proud as I state boldly, for the first time realizing, "Like Oneesan, like my great ancestor before her, I am a warrior and I wield the Masumune to protect the Emperor, the descendants of the Sun Goddess. I will defend the honor of Emperor with my life!"
As I speak these words, the Masumune begins to glow gold. The blade flies from my hands as the hand guard splits into glowing ribbons that wrap around the hilt. As Oneesan's blade did before, the second Masumune transforms. Then, the katana returns to my hands.
We both are silent, looking at the blade in amazement.
"It... it transformed," The Rogue General says in disbelief.
I looked back at him, in equal disbelief. "Yes."
We are silent for another moment before he breaks the silence again, trying to add some logic to the situation. "But it was stolen, even if it was stolen by the descendant from the original wielder, it shouldn't work." He is quiet for a minute, before his eyes widened. "I see. I understand now."
"Then let us fight. With the transformed Masumune, I will have the strength to defeat you!" I say bravely, knowing that I do not, that I cannot have the energy to fight after the transformation of my blade, but refusing to give in.
"Is this how you honor your father?"
"You are not my father!"
"I am quite certain now that I am. Your mother and I were lovers once. If the Masumune would transform for you, despite the fact that it had been stolen, then it must be because you are my daughter, and therefore, doubly entitled to the blade."
"Okaasama would never...! Not with a low-base..."
"Your mother respected great fighters, which I am."
I am quiet. My mind reeling. I do not know what to do, what to think, so I focus back on the only thing that has given me meaning and purpose for the past 9 years: Oneesan. Nothing matters but her becoming the Destined Warrior, and to do that, I would have to defeat the Rogue General, no matter who he was. "So you are my father? It matters not. I owe no allegiance to you. You are my enemy and I must fight you." I do not give him a chance to speak. I swing the Masumune at his head. He blocks easily, and the battle begins.
Though I am far from full strength, I realize to my surprise that I am not nearly as weak as I should be after the Rite of Matsuri. Could it be due to my use of the already-transformed Masumune?
Yet, I am more surprised by my ability to hold my own in this fight. In our last encounter, it was obvious he was far more skilled. But in this encounter, even with my lack of full-strength, I am his equal. Could this be due to the power of the fully-transformed Masumune?
What a blade it is! If I had had a chance to rest, I co...*
I cough up blood as he pulls his blade from my gut. I had gotten careless. Though I am hurt, I am not dead yet. I need a moment, to buy some time to catch my breath. I stand back and speak weakly to him, "The Shogun you serve is evil!"
"The emperor you serve is no better."
"But he was meant to rule. The Sun Goddess chose him!"
"How naive you are! The Shogun's have been the real rulers of Nippon for generations!"
"They may have been ruling, but they are not the emperor! I will never permit the Shogun to assume the title of emperor! The imperial line will not be broken! They are the descendants from the Sun Goddess! One day, there will be an emperor worthy enough and he will take back the rule of the country and Nippon will prosper under him!"
The Rogue General, my father, never saw the final swing of my blade. His eyes widen as he coughs up blood. "I am defeated...?"
I watch in silence as he falls.
I am also dying, but push myself to stand, to walk, to go to Oneesan's side. I cannot die yet.
I find her, struggling in her battle with the Shogun. I know I cannot reach her. I have not the strength. So I gather the last of my energy. "Oneesan!" I call as I throw the Masumune to her.
I fall, the last sight I see is the two Masumunes becoming one. As the glow from the magic fades, I feel myself slipping away. Oneesan is now the destined warrior, and I know she will be triumphant.
I know that as time passes, I will be forgotten, left out of the legends. But it does not matter. I existed not for glory, but to assist Oneesan in becoming the Destined Warrior. With the merging of the two halves of the Masumune, my purpose was fulfilled. I have no other reason to live, that had been the reason for my existence.
Isn't that right, Okaasama? Isn't that why you had me? To aid in every way your daughter?
Okaasama... are you proud of me?
i hope that this story is accessible even to those with absolutely no knowledge of anything Japanese, but if i failed, i have listed here some important terms found in the story.
Oneesan: (elder) sister. (-san is an ending on names that reflects an amount of respect.)
Okaasama: mother. (-sama, an ending like -san, but even greater amount of respect associated with it.)
Sensei: teacher
Shogan: a military leader, for centuries, the real leader of Japan. (13th-19th centuries approximately)
Nippon: a Japanese name for the country of Japan
Katana: a Japanese blade
Bokkan: a wooden training sword, the same size and weight as a katana.
Samurai: a warrior, ruling class in Japan. (13th-19th centuries)
Ronin: a masterless samurai
a note on the imperial family: it was believed that the imperial family are descended directly from the Sun Goddess.