A week passed by in this cart, I found myself covered in grime I could really use a hot springs about now. We've passed a many of these cherry blossom trees I've lost count of how many. I yawn leaning back into the cart, looking up at the night sky. Out of the corner of my eye I see a castle, over looking a lake and the ocean on separate sides. Its golden and jaded with the dragons sculpted in the corners of the pagoda. The light from the moon reflecting off the gold shining up the whole area. I sigh taking in a solace that at least I'll be able to stretch my legs soon. The cart starts to bump as we come up the hill making me slam into the sides of the cart. The horse's neighing as the force themselves up this hill carrying the weight of the cart. The horse's trudge their way through the mud finally making it to the top and in front of is this large bridge and gate that's closed with guards in front of it and on top of it on the ramparts. On the other side of this castle is a city bustling with people, and lights light up the streets. The sound of it sounds like a thousand daimyo celebrating at one time. The ninjas assigned to deliver me stand in front of the guards and Immediately they pull the cart in closer as the gates are opening. The skirting against the grounds ring in my ears, finding myself growing more agitated being stuck in this cart. I find myself wanting to burst out of this cart and slaughter my way to the top of the pagoda but I should restrain myself because underestimating them could be my downfall. The first time around I wasn't on this path I was still at home enjoying my life while my father battled his hardest. This time isn't any better but at least this time around I can support them from the inside I'll just have to find the way.
Meeting a few bumps, I find myself now inside the gates of the castle. This surely wont be the last time I see this place. "Your right this wont be the last time you see this place." My inner voice answers my thoughts. "The next time you see it, you'll be on top of the pagoda dangling a enemies daimyo head in your hands hahaha" It starts to erupt in laughter after making some aggressive suggestions. Most of the time I choose to ignore him because his ideas wont lead me to where I want to go but for some reason every ounce of my body wants to go with his plan. Deep inside I have to find the restraint. I inhale some air clearing my mind temporarily blocking him out. They open the door and I climb my way out. My hair nappy and my kimono all ragged, the lines in my eyes visible from lack of sleep. My body increasingly sluggish no doubt from malnutrition and exhaustion. Even without shackles my feet drag and my arms dangle without feeling. I look the guards into the eyes as they begin to speak. "This dog looks pretty fucking beat, do you think he will even make it to the cell." the guard says insulting me and clearly underestimating me. However to my surprise the ninja's interject warning the guard "Do not underestimate him, I've never seen Kyo so shaken up. This man is not your average samurai." one of the ninja say before hopping in the cart and quickly leaving the castle. The guards approach me and hook heavier shackles to my hands and feet, I quickly raise a eyebrow giving a small chuckle "So you do take advice from your allies?" I smirk following them into the castle.
The sliding doors were open, along with guards posted on the outside they step aside as I'm escorted in and the guards ahead begin to speak to me as we walk. "First were taking you to the daimyo, he needs to know your here. He hates you and your father both, really shitty to be you, getting the death sentence I suspect just for being related to the man who killed his brother." He says as they lead me up to a flight of stairs they seem to go up the opposite of another flight and converge on some floor in the middle. Inside there is artwork of old samurai tales, and that of spirits and oni. Kind of like my castle back in Owari, but instead of spirits I have gods the almighty creators of our land. If we had any sanity we would curse them for putting us on a land to battle to death just for their entertainment. That's just human greed though we cant blame that anybody but ourselves. However it does feel good to shift the blame but that's for the weak. We keep moving going up another flight of stairs of the same design as the one before as the rooms get smaller with each flight. As we reach the final floor, there is a man sitting with his legs crossed into each other on the floor. Using a cushion for support in front of a kotatsu, he looks up his golden eyes meet mine, he's a bit on the older side his now gray hair mixed in with a tint of plum purple. He's muscular but not built, he has a slim frame giving off the deception of a frail and weak man. In reality he could swing that two handed axe that oaf, Shohei used in the last battle with ease. It's a good thing I used my brain this time around, slaughtering all his guards to get to him including his retainers, no way I would've made it through a battle with him not without my full strength. The guards yank my arms forward kicking the back of my knees forcing me to drop down. The old geezer across me, their daimyo nods his head and the push my skull into the kotatsu table. "Don't you know its rude not to bow to your elders boy? I didn't expect much from Kyo. However I expected more from you, I thought you would carve a bloody path here from what I heard from battle reports." He says looking back at me almost like he's trying to intimidate me.
I raise my head and cant help but laugh "Hahaha!! Maybe your right I could've killed those ninja, I could've battled her myself and I could've wiped out her clan. As for me I see the potential that she has, hell she almost mastered a spiritual flow without a guide. My ninja as well will have a lot to learn from her. I also couldn't resist the temptation to look you in the eyes like this right now." I look up into his eyes with a grin on my face. "This very moment is the reason why I didn't give to my urges so I could tell you personally how much I respect you." I say as I silently use my throat muscles to conjure up a lot of spit and mucus in my mouth. I then spit it into his face traces of blood in my mucus as it lands in his face. "Which isn't very much obviously. hahaha!!!" I begin to laugh again and almost instantly I get grabbed by my collar. Not by the guards no but by the daimyo himself. "Don't you know who I am you insolent brat!! The conqueror of these lands the greatest daimyo to roam these lands. Dosarai Shinjitai is my name, and your death by my hand will be nice and slow. Your father granted my brother a swift death but yours will not be the same! I will torture you slowly until your father arrives and when he loses the will to fight I'll finish you both off." He picks me up seemingly with one hand and slams me through the table after his lecture. What felt like a hammer smashing into my skull was just his foot. Each stomp sending vibration through out my entire body, and I just took it and he picked me up once again while I was restrained by the shackles. He brings his knee to my gut and every time I spit out some splashes of blood, before he throws me into the wall. I slide down and coughing up blood I force out loud chuckles for him to hear it before swallowing my own blood to speak. "hahaha!! I have to admit old geezer you hit like a truck, but no doubt my father hits harder. What's even more funny about this is that you beat up a injured kid, who hasn't slept or eaten. You can have all the achievements you want of a daimyo but deep down your just a fucking coward, and that's why your brothers dead instead of you."
I see his wrists and fists twitch as he tightens and he takes in a deep breathe and turns around speaking up to his guards. "Take him down with the rest of the prisoners, make sure he visits the torture room before giving him food three times a day, I want you to break him." His guards nod and they grab me by arms practically dragging me out of the room and down the multiple flight of stairs. Upon reaching the lower prison with all the cells not a single window in sight. My nostrils get attacked by the scent of shit and death. You could even smell the plague in the air, one guard opens up the cell and they throw me inside. My eyes wander around the cell, I'm not even able to open my mouth I'm so exhausted and badly beaten. In the corner of my eyes I see two people, one is a man with a long silver hair, but he looks young but still a bit older than myself. He's dressed in rags and his facial hair is that of peach fuzz. His eyes are light brown, that's probably the most normal thing about him, his skin is even paler than mine he's almost a ghost. The woman sitting across from his has the same hair color silver and the same eyes, no doubt they are siblings she seems a bit older. Her hair is shorter than the males and it stops at her neck. She's just a littler darker, but she also has more muscle than the other. Her body is covered in irezumi art, she's dressed in rags too but I notice a amulet that sparkles with a blue hue. It resembles that of a eye and I try to lift myself up with every ounce of my strength I fail smacking my jaw on the ground. The woman kneels down to lift me up first and then the male also joins in to help. I feel my back lean against the wall as my ass falls onto the seat and I continue to take deep breathes. I start to cough again getting everything out of my throat. My vision begins to get blurry as I nod my head at them trying to make the words escape my mouth I wince in pain. "Thank you for your kindness you two..." I struggle to say as I slowly move my hand up to my stomach holding as that's where it hurts the most. I slowly start to close my eyes and they say something I cant seem to make out. That damn daimyo, I will make him pay for beating me down like this, he deserves everything that's going to come his way. My body almost sinks down not being able to feel my own body anymore and the darkness covering my mind, everything seems to go blank. that's right this is what happens when you get beat down you begin to lose consciousness.