Author's Games: Samurai

Task Six (the Finals): 終わり Owari

Hideyoshi arrived just as Mitsuhide and Nobunaga were engaged in an intense fight. "Mitsuhide-kun, why are you doing this?" Hideyoshi cried.

Mitsuhide and Nobunaga both stepped away from each other, waiting to see what the other would do. It was Mitsuhide that answered him. "How can you stand by him after all he has done? His atrocities have become too evil for me to allow!"

Hideyoshi took one step forward and then another, until he was in between his two friends. "He has done evil, yes, but haven't we all? In trying to achieve peace and unite Nihun... Many have been slaughtered. Nobunaga-san does as he believes is right, but any other leader would have done the same or worse. I see good inside him, a man who wants to change Nihun for the better. All of the clans, whether the Mitsunari, or the Asai or the Hojo... All have done things and killed citizens.

Mitsuhide shook his head, bringing his right foot back in an aggressive stance. "Gomen'nasai, my old friend, but I cannot allow Nobunaga to live. Now move."

"Enough!" With that, Nobunaga lunged around Hideyoshi, jabbing toward Mitsuhide's chest, but Mitsuhide blocked.

Just as Hideyoshi unsheathed his yari and darted toward them to stop them both, Magoichi appeared in front of him, blocking him with his bow and arrow. "Don't move, Hideyoshi-kun or I will shoot you."

Hideyoshi's chest clenched to see his best friend, now become his enemy.

Behind him, Mitsuhide had somehow gotten the upper hand and held his blade to Nobunaga's throat.

Yet, he shook.

"Do it." Nobunaga laughed. "I dare you, boy, do it!"

Mitsuhide shook his head, backing up, dropping his katana. "I—I cannot do it," he gasped.

Hideyoshi's silently sighed in relief, knowing that Mitsuhide couldn't kill the man who had trained him.

Nobunaga stood, glaring down at his former pupil.

Suddenly,

Magoichi whirled around, releasing the arrow, not to Hideyoshi, but right into Nobunaga's back.

Nobunaga collapsed onto the ground as Hideyoshi dashed toward him, kneeling beside him. "Nobunaga-san..." Hideyoshi swallowed deeply.

The arrow wound had pierced his lung from behind and Hideyoshi knew it was too late.

"I... just w—wanted to u—unite..." Nobunaga coughed, spilling blood onto his kimono. "...unite Nihun. "Cr—cruelty nec...necessary f—for centuries of... peace to f—follow."

He exhaled, breathing his final breath.

Hideyoshi looked up, meeting the gaze of his best friend who had killed his other friend.

Magoichi lowered his brow, gritting his teeth. "My people are avenged."

Hideyoshi's gaze shifted to Mitsuhide, who's tears dripped onto the floor.

Before Hideyoshi had a chance to react, Mitsuhide clenched his katana and lunged toward Magoichi. None of them had been expecting it, so Mitsuhide's blade pierced its target: deep inside Magoichi's chest.

Mitsuhide collapsed and that's when Hideyoshi noticed a slash wound across his stomach from the earlier fight. His eyes closed as Hideyoshi crawled desperately to Magoichi.

"Akechi, you... lying bastard..." Magoichi-kun coughed and collapsed just as Hideyoshi caught him.

"Magoichi-kun!" He gently held Magoichi's head in his lap and pressed his hands on the stab wound, which was gushing blood..

"I'm...s—sorry...Hid—Hideyoshi-kun..." Magoichi-kun rasped and for a moment he didn't breathe.

"Magoichi hang in there!" Hideyoshi dug his fingers into the wound, frantically trying to stop the continuous bleeding "We were supposed to unite Japan together." His voice was a whisper as tears streamed down his face.

"Looks like... you ...can do it...without me..." Magoichi's eyes widened and glanced from Hideyoshi to the ceiling. His body jerked and twitched as he inhaled once more. It was wet, full of liquid.

"Mag—Magoichi!" Hideyoshi-kun's voice cracked.

Hideyoshi could only stare at his fallen friend, unable to form words for the sorrow that choked him. Breathing was impossible, thinking was impossible... Everything was impossible and nothing existed other than the agony.

Agony and loss. The two heavy emotions that weighed upon Hideyoshi as he lay surrounded by his dead friends.

Mitsuhide killed by Nobunaga.

Nobunaga assassinated by Magoichi.

Magoichi betrayed and murdered by Mitsuhide.

Hideyoshi left alone. 

***

Welcome, Kyou and Kairi, to the finals of Author's Games: Samurai! Here is your task:

You are in your war camp, waiting for news of the battle between Ishida's army and Mitsuhide's army against Nobunaga's forces trapped inside their castle. You're meeting with your generals to discuss your next moves, depending on how the battle ends up, when suddenly, you're assassinated. How and why is up to you, but you must write your own character's death.

Due date:

December 27th, because of the holidays.

Word count:

Unlimited. This is the finals, so I don't want either of you confined. 

No ballots, no awards, no sponsorships, no penalties. Just you and your writing. 

If you have any questions, PLEASE message me! 

Good luck. I can't wait to see what you both do! MAKE ME CRY YOU GUYS.