Vol 4 Chapter 8 (1/2)
Chapter 8: Funeral Procession of the Fireflies
Takaya and the Yasha-shuu had decided to mount an attack on Aoba Castle as soon as they learned that Mogahold there
The ami army would be slow to react Yoshi+hime had been «exorcised» by Naoe, and Kojirou seemed to have disappeared Takeda had attacked the leaderless army and left it in disarray —But however late to deploy, it would certainly enter Sendai by early dawn
It was already past ht
The Mogami army in Sendai had been decia troops in Aoba Castle to await the arrival of the main body of his aring Date to a final battle
The troops of Nanbu and Satake were already close at hand Masaht a decisive battle However—
Takaya was disinclined to repeat the failures of Matsumoto
They had to kill General Mogami Yoshi+aki immediately to prevent a war that would rip Sendai apart
(If we can just take the head of the general—)
The troops would no longer be able to enter into battle—that was Takaya’s evaluation of the situation
He had discussed it with Masamune They could not allow a battle that would harreed, and consented to a raid into Aoba Castle However—
“Even so, neither can we hand over Sendai to those onshou slipping in beneath our very noses If they should attack, we have but one choice: to meet them We must strike”
“Lord Masamune, but that would be”
“Uesugi-dono” Masaly “Why dost thou think we the dead have arisen against the natural order of the world? ’Tis because ish to protect Sendai We live on borrowed time to protect this land of our descendants from all comers”
“—”
“’Twill be enough for those frooku to do battle We will protect Sendai with the last whisper of strength in our souls”
“”
Takaya had no words hich to refute hiht”
Aoba Castle, once the seat of the Date in Sendai, was now occupied by Mogami’s troops
“What a his teeth He was standing in front of the large bridge leading intoAoba Castle Date shi+gezane, leading eighty-odd soldiers, had been commanded by Masa out the castle
Around five hundred troops stood between theht rose from the castle ruins as they approached its vicinity
“But it really is an a castle,” Chiaki murmured in admiration “It’s like this terrain was hold”
The Hirose River flowed in widecurves at the foot of Aoba Hill, on which the castle stood Behind it was the Waterfall’s Mouth Marsh, where a cliff dropped sharply into a valley approximately 80 meters below It made for a natural moat
“Aoba Castle is not so easily breached Appropriate for us Date, is’t not? Those ish to enter es ’Tis likely the reason for their close-held defense,” shi+gezane said, oddly high-spirited Froht “But ’tis a strange feeling,an attack on our own castle I’ve wanted to test its strength Methinks ’twill be a worthy endeavor”
“shi+gezane-dono Where does the defense appear weakest?” Naoe inquired, and shi+gezane grinned
“Worry not We know this castle inside and out We will guide you through You need only follow”
shi+gezane turned to Takaya
“With your poe have i-dono”
Takaya nodded, his eyes alighting
shi+gezane coe—!”
Ooooooooou—!
The Date skeletal warriors rushed the bridge with a fierce roar
They were e Leading the charge, the arezane lay about him with his sword at the head of the Date troops
Thunk
Skeletons dropped with dull thuds The Date soldiers drove straight into Mogareat chaotic melee The Yasha-shuu flew into it
“Outta my way—!”
Skreen
A howling gale ripped into the warriors from the Sword of Bishamonten wielded by Takaya, and those sucked into it disappeared
“Ari nari tonari anaro nabi kunabi!”
Naoe and the other Yasha-shuu followed
“ (bai)!”
Here and there the air warped, and warriors vanished The «choubuku» of the Yasha-shuu sent one after another of those who stood in their way to the next world
“ (bai)!”
“ (bai)!”
Takaya cut down all those blocking his path with the Sword of Bishamonten as he dashed forward At his back, Chiaki exorcised the spirits directly in front of the froht
Their coe in the blink of an eye
“This way, Uesugi-dono!”
“All right!”
Mogaathered his troops as he became aware of their presence Defense of the castle ia avalanche
“Uck!”
A warrior’s swing of the sword grazed Takaya’s chest Chiaki exorcised him
“You okay, Kagetora!”
“Sorry! !”
A warrior attacked Ayako from behind!
“Nee-san!”
“ (bai)!”
Shuyrp!
Naoe’s cry caught the warrior in the nick of time
Like the brutal Yasha, the vengeful Gods for which they were named, they exorcised all attackers indiscriminately
“Outta my way, or I’ll cut you apart—!”
Takaya swung the Sword of Bisha into his eyes and blood-thirst in the ‘aura’ around him
The defenders could no longer keep up with them They could now see the Sendai Museu, but they didn’t have the leisure to ascertain their position
Boom!
The sound of a loud explosion
A «nenpa» smashed the pave Chiaki yelled, shi+elding himself, “That how you wanna play, you assholes!”
Rumble
The ground roared, and Chiaki’s «nenpa» exploded right in thetheir way A few turned into pillars of flah the air In theto escape The blast scythed down the trees as if they were straws!
“Oooooou!”
shi+gezane swung his sword Takaya cut down the warriors attacking hiht
“!”
But one had coht behind him Takaya lost his balance as he ducked the sword-stroke His foot tripped on a shallow stair, and he fell to the asphalt A blade swung down at him!
“Kagetora-sama!”
Bang!
The warrior flew through the air with a violent shower of sparks He had crashed into Naoe’s «goshi+nha» Naoe dashed to Takaya’s side and kneeled, panting heavily
“Are you all right, Kagetora-sama?”
“Yeah This is nothing !”
Another «nenpa» suddenly exploded right next to theoshi+nha» to shi+eld Naoe
“Dammit”
“Kagetora-sama!”
Takaya thrust the sword into the ground and leaned against it
“Right We shouldn’t be trying to deal with these skeletons like this—it’s too inefficient” His eyes glinted as he yelled, swinging the Sword, “Let’s charge straight to the top!”
“What is that uproar!”
Moga platfor the nue for the slowness of his main army when—
“What is that voice! What hath happened!”
“Dono!”
A er had arrived
“The Date battalion we spotted hath broken through the Third Wing and is advancing in this direction!”
“Masamune?!”
“They carry so soldiers disappear before even exchanging blows!”
Yoshi+aki’s eyes narrowed sharply
“What?!”
“ (bai)!”
Skeletal warriors disappeared one after another A greatbetween Mogaezane’s troops and the Uesugi Yasha-shuu
shi+gezane shouted froo, Uesugi-dono!”
Nodding towards shi+gezane’s voice, Takaya shouted to the other three, “Forget about everything else! Our target is Yoshi+aki! Just open the path!”
“At your command!”
Naoe, Chiaki, and Ayakoto Takaya’s orders They cleared the path of the skeletal warriors that stood in their way and charged up the precipitous slope leading to the Main Citadel Explosions ress
Their goal was Mogami Yoshi+aki alone!
“Get back—!”
Takaya’s Sword roared A coed towards them from the cliff
“Go on ahead, Kagetora!” Chiaki yelled, for the mudra of Bishamonten
“ (bai)!”
“We’ll leave things here to you, Chiaki!”
Takaya and the others slipped past the paralyzed warriors Chiaki chanted and shouted, “For this deation, lend me thy power!”
Takaya, Ayako, and Naoe struggled towards the reht of «kouhou-choubuku» flashed Warriors attacked them from the top of the stone stairs Takayascreaesture, shi+elding Takaya
“ (bai)!”
“ (bai)!”
The soldiers guarding the door collapsed They dashed right up and through it Yoshi+aki would be ahead of the else The core of the army would be in the Main Citadel
“Get away, you small-fry!”
Takaya swung the Sword of Bishaht Naoe finished off their pursuers But more warriors coiled about them
“What an annoyance I’ll finish theht here!”
“Haruie!”
“Leave theainst the ground, yelling, “Yoooou—!”
Fire erupted violently froh the warriors
“ (bai)!”
Ayako caught the soldiers in her «gebaku» Her ferocious «power» paralyzed countless warriors
Takaya and Naoe sprinted for the viewing platform
“Neagh!”
Yoshi+aki became aware of his soldiers’ confusion