Author's Games: Samurai

Battle Task Five

The field stretched before Magoichi where he stood beside Ishida. The Mitsunari samurai who fought against the Oda looked like ants from where Magoichi stood. Dark vermillion blood trails stained the grass, extending from dead bodies that continuously fell as the violence ensued.

Up ahead, the Oda castle at Honnoji loomed, towering above the samurai below. Magoichi suddenly felt very small, but he clenched his bow and glared at the gates.

"My men will have our retreating castle built soon. We cannot last much longer against an outright battle facing Oda-san like this," Ishida said.

Magoichi nodded. "I am certain that the clans you sought for aid will help us."

Ishida glanced at Magoichi sideways. "How do you plan to sneak inside the Oda castle? It's far too fortified?"

Perfectly on cue, hundreds of horses rode onto the field. Magoichi read the flag. "Bushido. That's Mitsuhide-kun."

Ishida cursed, clenching his tenzen. "With Mitsuhide-san on the field, my samurai will be cut down. We will lose!"

As they both watched the scene unfold, Mitsuhide's men began to attack the Oda samurai.

Ishida and Magoichi exchanged a look of complete and utter shock.

"Mitsuhide-kun is betraying Oda-san?" Ishida's eyes widened.

Magoichi grinned. "This is my chance. I'm going to kill Nobunaga Oda-san."

***

Battle Task 5:

Other clans have joined in this battle and Ishida needs your help. The only chance he has of winning is to build a quick and temporary castle away from the fort, where he can hide the majority of his troops from Nobunaga's forces.

If you're an attacking clan, you must protect him and his troops as they build the castle, as well as keeping Nobunaga's forces away from them.

If you're a defending clan, you must find where Ishida's troops are building the castle and stop them. This would all happen over the course of several months, so MAKE IT REALISTIC.

Because this is the semi-finals, there are no helping units, but you can still buy soldiers!

Sometime in the middle of the battle, Mitsuhide shows up with all his forces and turns on Nobunaga, attacking the castle where Nobunaga is located, thus helping Ishida against Nobunaga. You find out that Magoichi is with him, planning to assassinate Nobunaga, but ONLY YOU KNOW THIS CRITICAL INFORMATION. YOU CANNOT SAY WHETHER YOU SUCEEDED IN STOPING OR HELPING ISHIDA COMPLETELY, YOU CANNOT SAY HOW THE BATTLE ENDS AND YOUR ENTRY MUST END BEFORE THE BATTLE ITSELF ENDS. YOU ALSO CANNOT SAY WHAT YOU DO WITH THIS INFORMATION ABOUT MAGOICHI PLANNING TO ASSASSINATE NOBUNAGA BUT YOU CAN MENTION WHAT YOU THINK AND FEEL ABOUT IT.  

Yes, you can have other clans part of Oda's main force and can include fight scenes between them but that cannot be the main focus of the task, though it can be part of it. 

Remember to stay focused on the task. If you have a story line, then tweak the task to fit it. Remember your stats. Make this historically accurate. I have to feel like I am inside a Samurai battle. This is the start of the Boss Fight, the beginning of the Climax and I want to feel it. 

Kyou, Naoki, whoever wins this will be in the finals. Whoever loses will die. You can fight each other in the entry, but remember to stay focused on the task and you can fight and hint at hurting each other, but not completely killing. 

Due date: 

December 9, 6pm central. 

Word Count:

4,500. Make it count. 

No penalties or awards or units. 

Good luck. You guys are both amazing writers and I hate to see either of you go. Blow me away and make this your best entry ever. Fight to stay in these Games!

Let Battle Task Five begin!