36. Akodo Yumako

Month of the Rooster 16th, 1127

Kiruhage and Ichiro

While Hiruma Tichuki shoots another arrow at Satto it seems Ichiro is there first. He brings Satto to the ground and tells Kiruhage to leave her alone, since she is not herself. Hige also joins them and tells Kiruhage that they will deal with her themselves.

Meanwhile Isawa Aki offers to help with cleansing Satto, but the help is not appreciated. Kanbei positions himself between Satto and Kiruhage.

Doji Ren asks my brother if he always wants to kills people to handle issues, but Kiruhage explains that it's the only way to deal with heretics. On that point I have to agree with my brother.

Kiruhage wants a duel to solve this. If he wins they will burn down the village, and the people in it have to be afraid for their lives. Ichiro steps up and accepts the duel, but if he wins the Lion clan should recognise this village as the first Perfect Land Sect village.

Then judges have to be chosen. I offer myself to be a judge, but Toturi wants to judge this himself, which I understand. Hige also will be a judge and Doji Ren offers herself in name of the Emerald Magistrates.

Another Duel?

Meanwhile they attempt to drag Satto to one of the houses. But Isawa Aki tries to stop them. She wants to make sure Satto is cleansed. But Hige refuses the help and orders his people to drag Satto away. Then Bayushi Kyo, who got tired of this all, steps in with his sword in his hand. He offends Hige and calls Ichiro a heretic Ronin. While I agree with Bayushi Kyo, this is not something you can just say. Even a ronin is still a samurai. Ichiro now challenges Basyushi Kyo to a duel. Kiruhage tells them to wait till after their duel, since those stakes are a lot higher. Bayushi Kyo agrees, and if it will ever come to a duel later, I'll gladly help Bayushi Kyo with the duel, I own him that.

The villagers take Satto with them, and Isawa Aki follows them. She wants to cleanse her as soon as possible. Hiruma Tichuki also joins them to keep guard and help if needed.

The first Duel

After this all happened the preparations for the first duel take place. Bayushi Kyo asks me how I think my brother chances are. I tell him that I expect him to win, but it won't be easy.

Then I take some time to ponder about what is going to happen. If my brother loses that would be a huge shame on him, I doubt that he would even survive that shame. But also the shame to the Lion clan and the Akodo family would be terrible. This is about clan honor! I should step aside from my dispute with my brother, in comparison this is so much bigger.

So I step towards my brother and tell him this. I tell him the importance of this duel and that he should use all the honor and courage he has to come out of this victorious. This is way above our dispute and the honor and glory of our family and clan is at stake! My brother agrees and seems happy about what I did. He also tells me he would like to talk with me at a later point about this all. I nod, and before I leave I tell him not to underestimate Ichiro. It won't be an easy fight, and he has to give it all he has.

Then the duel starts. Kiruhage gets the first strike. But Ichiro doesn't make it him easy. He puts up a really good fight. But in the end it looks like Kiruhage will take the victory.

The Shadowlands!

Just before Kiruhage will give the final blow I hear Isawa Aki and Hiruma Tichuki yelling: "The Shadowlands are attacking from the North!". I draw my Naginata, and run towards the direction they will come from. There I see an Oni, even faster than the previous one we met, together with tens of Goblins. I take a defensive stance. Hiruma Tichuki shoots an arrow, and I take advantage of this distraction and when the Oni is within reach I hit him very hard!

On the left side I see Lion Samurai avoiding the Oni but fighting the Goblins, and on the right side cowardly heretics are being attacked by the Goblins. A great start of the battle!