Chirijiraden - Vanishing Memories Chapter 2
Sale of the Sword
By CD
The first signs of dawn spilled brightly through the castle windows and onto Tue Sho’s face. His eyes remained fixated on the shining rays as he continued to sit on the edge of the bed, the brisk morning breeze chilling his exposed flesh. His mind began to race, filled with every possible situation that may arise as the moment he would face his opponents in battle drew ever closer. Aeris lay sleeping under the warm blankets as he rose to the window, looking skyward, singing silent hymns of hope. He lifted his blade from it‘s stand and ran his hand lightly across it‘s scabbard. “The day has come, Chirijiraden Kazari Tsugari. We go to war on the wings of Azrael.”
Silently Aeris rose out of bed to embrace her fiance, her naked breasts pressing lightly up against his back as he stared off into the horizon. He turned around and held her tight against his skin as he kissed her, as if this would be the last moment they would share in this world. In silence he parted with her and clothed himself in some loose-fitting black cotton trousers. With a last look of parting he opened the large oak door, leaving her to weep on the cold stone floor in solitude.
A solemn look of fearlessness sat on his face. All windows of emotion were sealed, all reflection of humanity cast aside -- the gaze of the samurai. He walked down the lonely corridors, passing statues of ancient heroes and portraits of kings long dead, his naked feet leaving no sound to stir the unearthly silence. His heart was chilled, mercy given way to malice. Today he would live by the blade, or die by the blade.
He came to the end of the hall and pushed open the solid oak double doors. The room was dank and dark with no place for sun to shine through. It was lit by torches and resembled the dungeon several floors below. Inside amongst the gathered were knights of varying status and rank, lancers, and even a few samurai not unlike himself. All were preparing for the coming battle, strapping on layers of heavy armor, sharpening their weapons, or praying to their various gods and goddesses. He walked over to where his armor rested and braided his waist long hair in a single, tight lock before putting on the cotton clothing laid out for him. Slowly he equipped the Genji armor handed down from his grandfather and father, making sure everything was in place so as not to have something go wrong in the midst of a heated conflict. Last to be put on was his helm, in which he sprinkled light drops of setiemson. He closed his eyes and remembered the day before under the Sakura tree. All ready it seemed an eternity away. He strapped on his Chirijiraden blade beside a wakizashi and stood tall and silent before following his comrades down the spiral stone staircase. One by one they made their escape from the darkness into the piercing light of the outdoors.
The sun raked his eyes, still weak from the darkness of the armory. Ready for them was a collection of tall, strong yellow birds. Chocobos. At the head of the growing crowd was a mounted soldier he recognized from training. The general raised his arm and the group fell silent. The gathered soldiers stood tall at attention, giving him their utmost respect.
“Today your nation demands of you your service, your skills, and possibly your lives. From this day forward we are at war. You will shed blood, you will hew flesh, you will stain blades, you will breath the rank stench of brimstone as you battle on through hell itself. After you have done this, only then may you return to peace. Only then will the screams of fallen foes leave your mind. Now onward to victory! For the Holy Empire!”
The cry of soldiers swept the field as warriors raised their blades to the sky and mounted their birds. Over the city flew magnificent airships to whisk them away to a foreign land they knew nothing about. The great behemoths landed a short distance from the gathered just as the support unit arrived filled with mages and marksmen. With one last look to the castle window hoping for a brief glimpse of his loved one Tue Sho boarded the airship Sophnik. The massive vessels lifted off and propelled themselves onward as gunners mounted their turrets, ready to fire upon any breathing creature that posed so much as an empty threat.