Samurai in the Time Rift 8.2

8.2

Taisa stood there and stared into the great void before him; his legs wobbling and needed to be supported by the katana he used as a stand. It was not a deep crevasse or valley he was looking at the end of the world. It was nothing beyond there, but deep dark skies with the moon seen in its full radiance through the sunlight.

"We are truly on Yomi, Taisa Mori." Edo spoke out as he stood by the Taisa to marveled at the sight before them. "I have once heard that the world was flat by the Gaijin, and then disputed by the later ones. But here I am beginning to believe we are truly on a flat world. That is the edge of it."

All in the group had stepped up and watched the sight; some with fear, while some with anxiety, and only one was elated. It was Teishin Buke who in the disillusioned mind frame rushed forth and stood by the very edge.

"Ai, its the way out of Yomi." Teishin did that once at the river and now again here. "Joined me and leap for the world we were in."

This time, Gunso was upset at the Teishin who had overdone his patience. The Hohei leader rushed forth with his yari and that scared the Teishin who stepped back without realizing that his position was already near the edge.

"Come any closer and I would fight you. I feared not you or even Taisa Mori." Teishin Buke hands was on his katana, but he had backed up too far to the edge. Just as he felt the lost of balance, the Teishin lost his footing to fall off the edge. Taisa tried to reached for him, but he was gone into the dark void below below the water.

"Taisa..." Gunso sounded out in despair as the trusted aide had gone on this knees to grabbed his leader by the legs to prevent him falling over. He closed his eyes to the sight of the void and utter his prayers for salvation.

"The Teishin gone!" Taisa Mori shouted out as he retracted his body from the edge. He looked at Gunso who was still on his knees. 

"No, Gunso. It was not your fault." Taisa replied as he crawled back from the edge. "Teishin Buke had gone mad. That could had been his way of ending his misery."

"Or he was right.." One of the freed slaves shouted and rushed to jumped over the edge. He was soon followed by another before the samurais have drawn their katana to ward the rest off.

"Stop it!" Taisa Mori shouted out. "Teishin Buke was mad. That is not the way. The amulet would had glowed if it was."

The amulet worn on the Taisa' chest still remained dull in its shade. It then glowed for a while before flickering off its radiance.

"The amulet speaks." Bento indicated to the Taisa who placed the amulet in his hand. He moved his body to to seek the direction that the amulet was trying to tell him to go. He soon find the amulet glowed louder when he pointed it to the dry acrid land in front.

"We are going back to the Hibagon land."

Leader Keo of the Nihonzaru looked at the departing Hibagon; the solitary leader who fought hard and fierce, had reached the boat and left it to float on the river current. Twenty Hibagon laid there on the river banks; death or wounded against his own of fifty four in which thirty three would never rise again.

"Throw the Hibagon into the river." Leader Keo commanded the others. Its looked at the floating boat and saw the Hibagon there moved. So they would fight another day.

Leader Intai; wounded but still breathing, crawled its huge frame to sit up on the boat. It used its large upper limbs as the paddle to move the boat. As it paddled, Leader Intai was upset at the humiliation by the Nihonzaru and would appealed to the Lord to sent over a bigger force to teach them a lesson.

Taisa Mori had Gunso and Edo to confer on their next plan. They are back in Hibagon land; acrid and rocky, with little forest covers, or even shrubs.

"The amulet still glows and it looked like we are heading for the hills again. It could be the caverns, and whats inside we are familiar with." Taisa Mori explained. "The issue would be it be the right way or are we doomed to explore until we all die."

"We now know that this land is a flat one with a deadly edge. Rini the Nihonzaru once told me that they are forbidden to travel more than fifty sunrise on their land. Maybe their forefathers knew then, that there would be the edge." Gunso recounted his days with the Nihonzaru.

"So we have two warring sides now, separated by a river and numerous predators in between. Lord Noriake added in this." Taisa Mori pointed to the amulet on his chest. "It was supposed to be the key to the gate that would opened for us back to our time. His tale of the samurai from the future and with its unique earthquake feared me but if those are seen by us, then this could be also true."

"But why back to here? This land is no better than the one which we just left." Edo grumbled. "I hate the caverns. And those serpents."

"Have we any choices?" Taisa looked to the two who are considered his peers. "We have none. We can only wandered till we find it or die doing it."

They nodded to the Taisa comment. Then they planned on their defense against the Hibagon. Gunso produced the container containing the poison which the Hibagon feared. He then told the Taisa that Bento and Sun are making new arrows. Bento have also taught Lady Noki on the bow art; and have given her the Mongol bow. Edo-san said he was making more wooden long spears for the farmers and freed slaves. They would laced the sharp ends with the poison. He even suggested that they made nettings with sharp ends on it to trapped these creatures.

Across the river, Lord Jedi made his war plans to fight the Hibagon. He was told by Keo that the Hibagon have crossed over.

"Their invasion would be avenged. Prepared the warriors to be returned from the borders. I want our full force to battle the Hibagon." Lord Jedi commanded. He then looked at Keo who was in restraint by the warriors on the order of the Lord.

"Keo, you have shamed us more than twice. Your service would not be needed anymore." Lord Jedi gave the order for the execution of the leader, Keo. "Tie him in the forest and let the predators take their feed of him."

"I would lead this expedition to invade the Hibagon." Lord Jedi expressed his next command. "Assemble in eight sunrise."

Then the Lord remembered the other Hibagon who was still on his land. He looked to his warriors.

"What happened to the other Hibagon? The one who had a following of six, was it?" Lord Jedi asked. "If he is still on our land, removed him like Keo."

Near to the river bank, Leader Tut saw the slaves leaving the land, on the river again. It would probably sailed to the land of the Hibagon. It was upset that despite the chase, these slaves were elusive. Now it was time to find a boat that will let them pursue the slaves.

They finally found it after a search of five sunrise; a discarded boat, near wrecked but floatable. They sailed across and resumed the chase for the slaves.