The Situation

Holding both Kyo and Zexis I walk down the steps as the guards approach us. Two of my most trustworthy comrades quickly make their way to the front of the soldiers. "I got her Lord Ishi you shouldn't have to do that come on." Waibo says as he takes Kyo from my arm and I slowly limp down the steps some more with him by my side. "Lord Ishi that was a hard fought battle it seems, let me take our ally off your hands for now." Karu says as he takes Zexis from my arm and I quickly swipe the holster and flintlock from him wrapping it back around myself knowing Onnajo will want this back immediately. My body feels the heaviest its been for a while now this is a new feeling I could crumble over at any moment but what kind of leader does that in front of his men.

I quickly readjust myself inhaling deeply as I smirk widely making my way through waves of soldiers as they pat my shoulder. "Quickly gang lets occupy this castle and go cut the head off that daimyo and give it a proper burial! I'm leaving Zexis and Kyo in your care I'm gonna go tell the others of the great news and I shall return with a huge celebration!" I scream at the top of my lungs raising the morale of the troops you never know what might occur in my absence. I go up to my mount that was outside the gate and I mount the horse, feeling pain shoot through my entire body as I do. It's taking every ounce of my willpower to not topple off this horse and Its gonna be like this for a few hours while I head back.

I gallop my horse through the woods, traversing the path back retracing our steps making a straight shot for the village by the shores, the village of Miwa Stronghold. This has been a short few weeks but it feels as if its been a lifetime. This is only the first step in my journey at most its been like a month, I've fought two daimyo. The Shinjitai Daimyo I had heard was frightful and dangerous but that man did not seem like much. That Shohide seemed more like the real threat I have a gut feeling this wont be the last time we hear of the Shinjitai, something about it seemed too easy even if I had given into my rage. I will keep an eye out in the future but at least we have the land of Miwa as a foothold and ally.

To look at the situation at hand I may have been a strong daimyo but I was only able to conquer the mainland and the others just agreed with peace because we had the same goal. However that all changed when the civil war occurred, when Kagashi betrayed me. This time I'm afraid of the things I may face we barely made it out alive this time. The decisions I make will impact the route of this life and that makes me afraid as well. So many things to fear but I have at least a cure for one. After we make it back to Owari and recover I will take Zexis and Onnajo with me because these two need to unlock their potential as much as me. If what I think is right I've been able to see these things because of my bloodline my family was chosen for war but by what I still have no clue.

Kyo already grasps the basic understandings of Spiritual Flow and she's been teaching Fumikage which is bringing him up already. It seems like Waibo is already aware of such things and so was my father and Karu as well. We are the three pieces on the board that need improving, and my mother is gonna be the one who will teach us and no doubt she will be delighted to see her son. I turn to look my head up glaring into the sky and all the clouds seem to shift into a image. A image so strong that it shifts a tear down my cheek making me cough and break down almost, It was none other than my father. Whether its my mind playing these tricks on me or the fact I haven't had time to grieve, I have a feeling he's accepting of the route I'm choosing.

We have lost a lot along the way but gained so much as well. We all lost a great daimyo one that demands respect he had his faults I mean after all the gods that built our land had faults as well. No one is perfect not even the deities they even make mistakes. He was human but the kind of person he was he put everything on the line for his men and for his families, he set his allies up for the lives they always dreamed of. Even if he did drink too much and wasn't exactly happy and lived on the battlefield he did everything he could. One day I will surpass him but I will never forget the foundation that was built for me to do so.

All of these thoughts now that I'm alone are starting to make sense I have another chance at life and I need to make the most of it. I will lose some battles, and I will win some and even sometimes a victory will actually be a loss. Thank the gods that this time I didn't lose anybody. The flintlock that Onnajo loaned off to me was pretty handy such a devastating weapon. The Matchlocks are nowhere near as scary because that one is portable hah. Smaller but packs pretty much the same power quite scary indeed. I should be nearing the village I've been on this trail in my thoughts for a while now.

I aim my eyes up and sure enough I see the village off in a small distance, I don't have any clue how long I've been thinking to myself but it must have been for a while. The back of the village I can barely see the flags of a ship and the sun is already lowered beyond the horizons the town starts to light up with torches as I ride in. I hitch the horse to the nearest troth and I make my way over to the docks where a group of sailors gather. The villagers looking at my battered body and I nod my head smirking waving at them and they seem almost worried looking for Zexis. The whispers began to pick up and I just make my way to the ship and one of the trust sailors immediately heads towards the captains quarters. Onnajo creeps out of her captains quarters after hearing a knock and she makes her way up the stairs rubbing her eyes looking as if she was just awaking from sleep.

Her face suddenly lights up and she blinks a few time to make sure what she seeing is real. She rushes towards me and I start taking steps back and she picks me up with ease treating me like a child. "Buddy your back, so how was the battle!? Where is everyone how did it go?!" She starts to rapidly shoot out questions and I inhale annoyed by how energetic she can be. "Stop acting like a child and put me down Onnajo!" I yell at her and she nods and puts me down. "We won but barely and I came her to deliver the news personally and so I could also give you this back." I remove the holster handing it to her with the flintlock in it and I shrug a bit.

"How have things been here anyway? Also how is Fumikage and is he still in medical care?" I ask looking up at her and she pouts a bit. "Yeah I'm fine Lord Ishi thanks for asking." She says and I chuckle a bit before sighing. "Yeah obviously I can tell which is why I didn't ask about you so get on with it how's Fumikage?" I ask once more after making fun of her. "Your infuriating you know that you don't know how to treat a lady. He's doing fine he will be able to move good as new in the next couple days." She explains to me and I nod along after laughing at her comment. "I would treat you like a lady if you didn't look like a man, you look like you could beat every one of my soldiers in a arm wrestle." I say laughing and she has a very angry look on her face.

"Get your laughs whatever shittiest daimyo I ever met, so Ishi what's next on the list?" She asks I can hear the frustration in her voice and see the wrinkle on her forehead. "For starters you and Fumikage have earned some time off the ship and we will be taking a trip to the castle for celebrations a lot of drinking and of course Kyokuna can come too. After that we will say our goodbyes to everyone and set sail for Owari. I will also have Zexis on board with me because I'm planning a trip beyond that and you two are invited." I explain and she looks at me questioningly. "The rest I understand but what trip?" She asks.

"We're going to visit my mother and she will teach us everything about Spiritual Flow and we will become even stronger but this is only the first part to be the strongest we have to keep developing. We have a whole country to conquer and your part of it now so I need you to par with the rest of us muscles can take you the whole way." I explain to her and she has so many questions its written on her face but she just nods her head. "Now I need you to go wake up Fumikage and tell him its time to get a move on he can share a horse with you while we head back." I say and she stops me for a moment putting her rough hand on my shoulder.

"We should probably wait for morning Ishi its gonna get dark soon and the hours it takes to get there we will arrive in the morning, I'll have Fumikage send his bird so they know you arrived safely at least." She says interjecting her own opinion in and I just nod allowing it agreeing to stay the night on her ship. "Whenever your ready you know where your room is but I think you might want to talk to Fumikage he's been worried about you and Kyo he probably feels like shit that he couldn't be by your side." She says speaking her own speculation of his thoughts and I sigh a bit already turning to head towards the medical bay. "I'm on it let me talk to him." I reply waving my hand up at her dismissing her.

I make my way down the steps into the medical bay slowly opening the door, to my surprise I see Fumikage fumbling with a kunai seems like he's been quite bored lately. Hearing my footsteps its not a surprise to hear his initial reaction. "Ishi your slow as usual, Your not designed to be sneaky with those heavy movements." He says teasing me as a smile spreads across his face. "Where's Kyo did she arrive with you, I thought maybe you'd have her on bodyguard duty?" I shake my head walking over next to him as he asks for his new best friend. "She's asleep right now you would be proud of her she did well in the last battle but she's still at the castle I came alone and truth is I can barely stand but your the only one I can trust with that knowledge." I say quickly falling onto my ass taking a deserved rest as I say that to him. Before I knew it I couldn't hear what he was saying and everything went black losing my consciousness.