Samurai in the Time Rift 6.0

Part 6

The Rebellion

6.1

There was an annual event which was celebrated by all the Nihonzaru every hundred sunrise, as a tribute to their idol of worship; the Great Chimera, the name of their first Lord who ruled the kingdom and gave the Nihonzaru a name for their kind. All of the Nihonzaru believed they are the descendants of the Chimera creature. On that day, the current Lord of the Nihonzaru, Setra was in not in the mood. He was in his stronghold fortress; Chimera city, a forest of century old trees over a mile in radius with structures build over it like a opened top dome over the trees. Each tree covered a wide area with its long roots and wide canopied leaves with the massive trunks holding the entity upright. There are two thousand trees within the dome, and each one was interconnected by the wooden structure that linked the dwelling quarters for the Nihonzaru people while the slaves lived on the ground.

Within the Grand Hall of Chimera, Lord Setra shrieked out in pain before facing the five trusted aides of his. They are the last of fie among the twelve who attend the discussion with him.

"Seven leaders? All seven of them plot against me?" Lord Setra asked of his loyal Nihonzaru, Leader Carin; they fought together for over two thousand sunrises, but the one he considered as his own blood., Keo have shown him blood link does not matter in power.

Leader Carin was built like the other Nihonzaru but the furs around the face have shown gray hairs, but this old warrior was still a formidable fighter who trained daily.

"How about Leno?" Another of his blood kin, but we reported missing.

"It was told that Leno was tossed into the river." Leader Carin advised the Lord. "The death of Leno would be avenged."

"Have my other blood kin being advised on the situation?" Lord Setra asked of his own blood kin, Jedi; who commands another thousand of his warriors at the far border. It would be a week march to get back here.

"Jedi have been sent the messenger, but it would take time for them to return."

"What of our rebel slaves? The one with the heavy armor?" Lord Setra asked of the old foe. They had fought and it had lost several times. Since then it had held respect for the foe.

"Its quiet with them. Our scouts reported of a small group joining them but no other news." They had the samurai monitored but no one was to harass them.

"If they are getting new slaves then its also time to worry." Lord Setra muttered out before it retreated back the inner Hall for its rest. Its bones are weary and the current issue plagued its mind. Leader Carin bowed to the departing Lord and then addressed the others.

"Keo must not go unpunished. Strengthen the City with the others. Fight to the death." Leader Carin hollered out for all to hear, including the one who had departed inside. Leader Carin was putting on a show of courage in the time of adversity, but little was known that the real leader of the coup was itself.

The other six leaders all trailed out of the Hall, leaving Leader Carin alone. It was not long then another Nihonzaru appeared. It approached the leader and spoke out.

"Keo arrived at the valley of Saha, and awaits your order." The valley of Saha was near to the city, and there are adequate cover and food there for the invading party. Now that Keo have been reinforced with three hundred of its best warriors; there were little to concerned on them. Senior Leader Tut worked to the time that once this coup was done, they would return to overthrow theirs with Micten among the first to be removed. The young leader was a fool to believed that Tut supports the rebellion for a new Lord when itself wants to be Lord. The temporary alliance was to ride with Micten forces which would be sacrificed in battles.

So would be for Keo; young fools are all of these younger generations.

"Leader Carin, the rebel slaves are on the move." That was an unexpected news. "They are in numbers and the armor traveled with them."

Taisa Mori had the Nihonzaru laid on the flooring of the treehouse, while the healers attended to the creature. Its lower limb was mangled off at the right knee but the there was the concern on the other wounds which lined the body. It was from the pieces of armor which Lord Noriake identified of the Nihonzaru.

"That's the personal marks of the Lord. This one looks familiar." Lord Noriake muttered to himself as he tended the dying Nihonzaru. It was one of this samurai who told him the identity of the dying creature.

"Its Leno of the Blood Kins of the Lord. Its personal emblem on the armor shows that." Lord Noriake saw that and exclaimed loudly.

"A fine hostage to bargain for more released of slaves." Lord Noriake stood up and smiled with the news. "That one is named Leno as I recalled now. It stands besides the Lord next to Keo. They are both favored kins."

"Unlike Keo, this one had shown compassion before." Lord Noriake looked back at the dying creature. "It would lived. This bastards are resilient in life."

Taisa Mori was standing by the Lord asked of the nature of his next action. He knew that hostage exchanges are common among them but this was a different land.

"What is the value of this creature that you think can be used as a hostage?" Taisa Mori asked.

"Leno was one of the two to succeed the current Lord. This was told to me by the slaves which we had rescued. If Leno and Keo are in battle, then the whole tribe of Nihonzaru must be divided. This invasion may be more of a coup and we need to seize the opportunity." Lord Noriake commented in excitement.

"Opportunity? My Lord..." Taisa Mori choose to object.

"Yes, we would side one that can win and win them all. After all, even our Lords fight regularly and why not us?"

"What do you planned to do?" Taisa Mori asked.

"We would approached the Lord with the hostage. And then we would get more of our warriors or slaves for us to trained. Or we would offered our services as mercenaries." Lord Noriake declared his intention.

Soon, Taisa Mori saw his own people and shared with them the news. It was Edo who protested on joining in.

"We have just scrapped through one war and not get into another." Edo was very much against the idea. "We can leave this place ane be on our search."

"We would continue on but Iza needed medication care now. With Lord Noriake' treatment, he had recovered much. His fever broken and now he is eating." Taisa Mori explained. "But that is not my concern. If we leave the camp, we may be hunted not only by the Nihonzaru but by Lord Noriake. I can see the man is getting demented. We have to play by his rules for now. Later we would act."

"Who would act for those who may die in this coming war? You? Me? Or them? We can all die." Edo complained again.

"I want a choice to be made by us. We done it before. Let us do it again." Edo asked of Taisa Mori. They agreed and almost all agreed with Taisa Mori except for Edo and Teishin Buke.

"I can see the side of argument from Edo-san." Teishin Buke replied. It was Gunso who jumped up and wanted to hit the Teishin but Taisa Mori stopped him.

"The two of you may sit out this war. I would tell the Lord that you need to care for Iza." Taisa Mori gave his word. "The rest followed me."

Lord Noriake was a smart leader; he brought only the samurais warriors alongside his daughters with the new comers. He also had his armor carried on the pallenquin so that it could conserved its energy pack. They had carried along the wounded Nihonzaru.