[Senkumo Saga: Book of Blossoming]: Kaga Rebellion

Two days after securing an agreement with the Ikko-ikki, the Senkumo army arrived in the Kaga province. Under the command of Taeko and Mayumi, the army of fourteen-thousand set up their camps in the morning and stood ready to be positioned by midday. The Ikko-ikki had an astonishing two-hundred thousand troops at their disposal, all of them waiting for their commander’s signal from the safety of their homes, pitchforks and sickles in hand.

Tsukiakari and Ebina linked up with the army upon their arrival and updated everyone about the Ikko-ikki. With their aid, destroying Masachika’s forces would be an easy task.

The horses of the Otonougi twins slammed upon the sun-beaten soil as they both raced back to the Senkumo camp around the mountain. Arriving within the shade of the colossal mountain, they leaped off of their stallions before the horses even came to a full stop, rushing through the crowds of fellow Senkumo eating, talking, gambling, and preparing their armor for battle. They entered the largest tent in the camp, where Tsukiakari and Taeko sat in wait for them.

"Fresh news from the field,” Chiya shouted with a singing voice. "We spotted Masachika's force marching west towards Kaga."

"He's got quite a thick band of soldiers with him," Yachi followed up. "There are probably around sixty-thousand men with him."

"'Tis a terrible day for a long march in heavy armor, isn't it,” Chiya jokingly asked.

"Terrible indeed, Sis. His troops are probably exhausted trying to haul their way back to Kaga. I would almost think their job is harder than mine if I hadn't sat atop a horse's back for four hours straight."

"So he's here at last," Tsukiakari asked, standing up from her meditative position. “Let's get everyone moving and into position immediately."

“Right," Taeko nodded. “I’ll get the men moving.”

At long last, the Kaga rebellion began.

Maschika Togashi, clad in his vibrant and colorful samurai armor, led his army through one of the mountain passes that would take them to the city. A seemingly never ending army of armored men and horses dutifully marched at the order of their lord, towards the soaring trails of black smoke that dared to smog the heavens. The clear skies and vibrant sunlight that glared off of the leaves of the trees were the only beautiful things about that accursed day.

His bodyguard, riding a horse right beside him, leaned in and spoke through the golden mask that covered his face.

“We should reach the first outpost soon, Masachika,” said the bodyguard. 

“Good. Let’s hurry," Masachika urged. “We must bolster our forces and strike swiftly in order to repel the Ikko-ikki revolt, lest they wreak havoc upon the city again. I just hope shogun Yoshihisa will be all right on his own back in Omin.”

“The shogun is far too young to be out in the field like he is,” the bodyguard lamented. “Should something happen, Yoshimasa won't be able to retire. The younger shogun is far more apt to fall in line with the wishes of the Hosokawa clan, after all.” 

“Yoshihisa may be young, but he’s a fine warrior," Masachika remarked. “He can at least hold on his own until we secure the city. We’ll worry about him later. For now, we continue towards Kaga and smite the Ikki rebels.”

As his ambitious eyes kept scanning the area ahead, the march came to a sudden bump and standstill when the bodyguard's horse wailed and screamed in terror, kicking its hooves skyward as the men around it tried to calm it down. 

“What is going on,” Masachika asked in a panic. 

The blood-spraying corpse of the bodyguard plopped down into the dirt, to the shock and awe of the surrounding soldiers. No one heard or saw a thing, and yet such a gruesome death struck so quickly and effectively, as if an invisible blade had cut him down. But Masachika and his men knew what really struck them. Many of them, including Masachika himself, all participated in the Onīn War. They heard the stories, woefully recited by survivors and witnesses like nightmares. They knew it could only be the war goddess herself –– Tsukiakari Senkumo.

“Fire," Tsukiakari commanded with an explosive scream.

The clear, blue sky was suddenly darkened as a swarm of arrows ripped through the air and eclipsed the view of the heavens. The Senkumo troops, clad in armor and aided by the Ikko-ikki, had been lying in blood-thirsty wait in the thick cover of trees and bushes along the base of the mountains. The symphony of arrows striking through armor, tearing flesh and gouging eyeballs took the army by complete storm. Many of them fell to the ground, wounded or dead before they could even parse what was happening.

“Keep firing," Tsukiakari shouted.

As the young soldiers of the Senkumo and poor peasants of the Ikko-ikki continued with their barrage of arrows, Tsukiakari brought her gloved hands together to perform three hand seals. After the seals were completed, she aimed her palm towards the sky. A sparkling flame flew from her hand like a firework, producing a rapid popping sound that could be heard on the other end of the hill by the cavalry of the Ikko-ikki.

Upon hearing Tsukiakari’s signal, the cavalry descended upon Masachika's army from the side as they fled to avoid the barrage of arrows. The thunder of their charge and the clouds of dirt trailing behind them were the only warnings Masachika had of their arrival.

“Cavalry at our flank,” Masachika screamed. “Counter-charge and fall back! Get away from the hills!”

Tsukiakari watched with excited breath as a section of Masachika's cavalry pulled away to block their charge. Her breathing, almost as if she was drawing pleasure from the sight and sound of battle, caught the worry and attention of Mayumi, who shook her shoulder to snap her out of it.

“Gekko, are you all right," Mayumi asked. 

“Y-yes! I'm all right! Just kind of...happy.”

“Happy," Mayumi repeated in confusion.

“It doesn't matter. Masachika is heading right where we want him now. Let's press the assault," Tsukiakari ordered.

“Right," Mayumi agreed. 

Tsukiakari fired another popper from her hand, configured so the pops went off in consecutive bursts. The pattern of the pops was a perfectly audible code to the Senkumo troops, telling all of their forces to charge the enemy. As the pops rang in their ears, all of them put aside their bows and arrows and took hold of their blades, descending down the mountain like a massive pack of killer animals.

“How did they know we'd take this route?” Masachika shouted. “Did they overtake the outposts too? Spearmen! Go around and flank their cavalry while they're engaged! The rest of you, form a defensive line to our rear, tight formation!”

“Yes, sir!” His troops responded.

“He's going to try and make a stand," Mayumi observed from afar.

“He must expect reinforcements from the other outposts. Hahaha," Tsukiakari mocked. “Too bad Taeko and Ebina took care of them! I'll break their formations!”

Tsukiakari truly looked like a goddess of war. Her sword was mighty and spotless. Her armor was colorful and decorated like that of an distinguished warrior. And when all those below her saw her fly into the air like a wingless angel, she could sense their fear, their awe, and their disbelief.

Amazed, Masachika laughed. “So, the stories were true? An actual war goddess has chosen to fight against us?”

Tsukiakari's blade pulsated with an orange glow, as if it were just taken out of a blacksmith's furnace. Thin, white smoke flowed from the blade itself and dispersed into the air around her, like clouds forming in the clear sky.

Small bursts of electricity formed within the clouds she created as the wind grew restless and violent, masking most of Tsukiakari's face behind her wildly dancing hair. Those small bursts of electricity suddenly exploded into a shower of blue light and spark that rained down upon the Togashi army. The screech and scream of tamed lightning possessed their ears as it took the shape of a massive, serpentine dragon.

“By the gods," Masachika mumbled in awe.

“I...I didn't even know she could do that," Mayumi laughed in amazement.

“Begone,” screamed Tsukiakari.

The mighty, heavenly dragon slammed into Masachika's formation with an explosive, blinding thunderclap that was heard for miles. Soldiers of all forces stood in awe as the strong odor of smoke and severely burnt flesh penetrated their noses. Many of Masachika's forces were left on the ground, completely unrecognizable from the people they were just a moment ago. Many had their bodies partially burnt right down to their skeletons, with only their flaming armor covering them. 

“Fall back! Retreat to the castle,” Masachika stammered. 

Tsukiakari slowly descended back to the ground. Her entire body was soaked in sweat, and blood dripped from her nose. She held her aching head in her hand while Mayumi rushed to her aid.

“Gekko, are you all right," Mayumi frantically questioned.

Tsukkiakari giggled softly. “Hahaha...I’ve wanted to try that one out...”

“Geez, Gekko! You almost gave me a heart attack! Are you sure you're okay?”

“Yeah, I'm fine. Now then...we keep pushing Masachika...all the way back to his castle! We'll box him in, without mercy!”

The city of Kaga was smothered by towering plumed of black smoke. Fires burned through wooden homes around town, the streets were filled with soldiers fighting, wounded, and dead. The Ikko-ikki’s massive army, despite lacking the training and equipment of the Togashi, simply overwhelmed their foes with their numbers. 

With Tsukiakari taking care of Masachika’s army in the field, the Togashi forces stationed in the city were left without the help of their lord. Every inch of the city sung with war cries and clanging steel. Among all of that bloody chaos and carnage, Taeko and Ebina, clad in leather armor plates, stood back to back in the corpse-riddled street in the center of town. Blood covered their swords, hands, and stained their faces.

“Ebina, are you all right,” Taeko panted.

“Well, I’m alive," she responded with short breath.

“Come on, we should push up with the Ikko-ikki," Taeko suggested, wiping the blood off her face.

“Lead the way.”

The Ikko-ikki, partly led by Taeko and Ebina, pushed deeper into the city, slowly inching their way towards Masachika's castle. Those who dared not participate in the fighting had already left town, leaving the city to be used as a rules-free battleground. Though Taeko urged everyone not to destroy property, the Togashi samurai blocked off the streets that would’ve given the Ikko-ikki a straight shot to the castle with wooden pavises. Spearmen backed the pavises in tight formations, forming walls of wood, armor, and steel to block the enemy.

“Damn it,” Taeko cursed, “I'm starting to regret my policy about the property…” 

Togashi archers stood up on the roofs of the houses and shops on the street, ambushing the swarm of Ikko-ikki below them. Their arrows were wrapped with flaming straw and other flammable material. The girls didn't notice what was going on until they saw several of the Ikko-ikki suddenly catch fire. The soldiers screamed and dropped to the ground, unable to move as the flames burned through their muscles.

“Flaming arrows," Ebina shouted in horror.

“Get down, Ebina," Taeko urged. 

Ebina suddenly felt herself yanked into an alleyway by Taeko, watching in horror as those who ran past the narrow opening of the alley were set ablaze like walking bonfires. Several other troops had the same idea and hid among the alleys with them and across from them.

“Taeko, thank you," Ebina sighed with a racing heart.

“Don't worry about it. What kind of big sister would I be if I let you die here? Regardless, we have to take out those…”

The ground violently shook beneath their feet, and their ears were invaded by the deafening sound of something extremely heavy crashing into the Togashi fortifications ahead. Splintered wood, armor, and human limbs rained down on the street.

“What is that," Ebina asked aloud.

“Trebuchets!” shouted one of the Ikki rebels from across the street. “The noble families are firing onto their positions to break up the Togashi lines!”

“Why the hell would they fire while they have infantry in the middle of the city?! I swear, you idiots have the worst training," Taeko chided with steaming ears.

“Though I agree, I think it's working..," Ebina bitterly conceded.

A distant voice from the alley called out in a victorious yell. “The Togashi are falling back! Press the charge!” 

Taeko cursed beneath her breath. “Well, I'll be damned...” 

As the troops all emerged from the alleys, Taeko kept Ebina right by her side when the charge forward began. The Togashi's defenses were simply not built for the sheer volume of manpower the Ikko-ikki had. But something awful caught Taeko’s ears, like the sound of a massive sheet of paper ripping in half. She turned her head and stopped, catching the sight of Ebina falling to the ground, her long, white hair covering her face. 

Metal fragments of her fauld armor flew all around her as an arrow completely shattered the hip piece. Ebina was hit. Taeko couldn't wrap her mind around how an arrow could've possibly struck Ebina with such brutal force and accuracy. A well placed arrow should only pierce armor, not shatter it into pieces. 

“Ebina," Taeko screamed, almost tearing her throat apart.

Ebina pressed her hands around her bleeding hip, breathing heavily as the agonizing pain of the arrow's impact settled into her nerves. Taeko dropped her sword and slid on her knees towards Ebina's side, examining the arrow and the wound with frantic, sweaty haste.

“Oh my god...who...who could've done this? We cleared out the area behind us," Taeko shouted, looking around for the archer.

No one was there. No one in the alleys, on the roofs, or in the houses. Taeko suddenly felt the hurtful grip of Ebina's hand around her arm, bringing her eyes right back to her.

“Hang on, Ebina! I'll get you someplace safe so we can get it out! Just hang on!”

Tsukiakari had spoken of this fear that her friends would suffer greatly from the war. She suppressed it, believing that their assurances alone could conjure miracles. In Kaga, everyone would learn that miracles did not exist, and flowers cannot blossom in blood.