Daisho
25 November 2005
by Nate Hansen

Nikana flicked his blade, spraying most of the blood on the ground in front of him. He gave one last look at the dead samurai next to him before pulling out a small rag. He wiped his blade carefully before sheathing it once more. Nikana made his way quickly down the hill heading straight towards Doji Shiju's body. Nikana looked down at his still corpse and the blood spattered road. Nikana bent down carefully and removed Shiju's daisho. He held the sheathed katana up before his face.

"I could have been the one to have spilled Doji Shiju-sama's blood," reminisced Nikana, his thoughts taking him back to the day before.

Shiju's blade was well balanced in his hand as he held it up, unsheathed this time, both hands getting a good grip. Nikana's eyes locked with Doji Shiju's.

"Well, Nikana-san, if you think I've broken the Impiral Law and am now on a course of action you find dishonorble then kill me," Doji Shiju invited, his stare unwavering.

Nikana's grip tightened and he raised the blade straight in the air, poised to make a killing cut.

"Decide which I should kill you for, you have certainly broken the Imperial Law," Nikana said challengingly.

"So you don't find my current course of action dishonorable?"

"I disagree with you about the gaijin, Shiju-sama, however it is the Emperor's place to decide how to deal with them now that contact has been made. Not mine and not yours. The course you are on will bring it to him, so I am satisfied," Nikana said handing the sword back to Kerai.

Nikana looked around, his eyes sliding past the bodies of Shiju's dead guards sprawled around him until he found the gaijin. The monk one was lying on the ground being attended to by the Captain. Sliding Shiju's daisho into his belt his hands found his own katana. Nikana fingered the hilt as he watched the gaijin.

"Once again, I could end it," Nikana thought to himself. "But I would only be serving the treachery of the Mantis clan..." Nikana's thoughts continued as he made his way away from the road and the gaijin. "The attack by the Mantis only underscores the importance of this reaching the Emperor and not being decided by the disparate actions of the Clans. That is the only way to avoid more clandestine meetings with the gaijin and indecisive responses to contact with them – a clear example must be made. A decision must be made that all the Clans will recognize, I only hope the Crane Champion will see the wisdom in this..."

Tension entered Kakita Katai's face and stance with Nikana standing before him, possessing the daisho of his daimyo.

"I suppose these belong with you now, Kakita Katai-san. Your daimyo is slain," Nikana said somberly, handing over the daisho.