The Mourning Mother's Battle

The battlefield was stained with red fluid from both sides of the fight. Each female warrior was fully engaged, battling at least two Samurai at a time, struggling to believe in a future as a united force.

In one corner of the inner gates, Ceres spotted Nue nearby, clawing through a dozen men. Her arms ached from wielding her staff, and she had been separated from Motoko only minutes ago.

"We've been fighting for hours. I can't keep up anymore. Motoko, where are you? I can't see anyone," Ceres whispered.

Placing her fingers in her mouth, she whistled loudly, catching Nue's attention. His head perked up, and his ears flicked at the sound. He jumped onto the wall to avoid the crowd and bolted towards her at full speed.

"They intended to separate us, Nue. We have to get back to Motoko and help her," Ceres yelled. She leaped onto Nue's back and stood to fire arrows, clearing a path for her Yokai companion. Nue strangled Samurai with his slithering snake tail and screeched like a banshee. Together, they tore through the battlefield, passing Hoshiyo as she clashed with her Katana at every turn.

Hoshiyo glanced around and muttered, "Now, where did that commander-looking guy disappear to?"

As she moved through the ranks, Nue's distinct form was easily noticeable amidst the crowd. She saw Ceres with her companions, cornered against a solid wall, facing imminent execution. Rushing to their aid, Hoshiyo yelled, "Yeah, I don't think so."

Despite her lack of recent training, Hoshiyo's skills remained unmatched. She refused to be falsely accused of crimes she and her sisters never considered committing. The warriors at her feet died for no reason, a thought that filled her with rage. Lady Gekkoin's vengeful mourning had led to countless unnecessary deaths.

Screaming with determination, Hoshiyo pushed through the crowd alone. As the Samurai surrounded her, she wondered if she could survive—the possibility of dying for no reason gnawed at her.

Sensing her distress, Nue released Ceres from its muscular back and charged to help Hoshiyo. He carved a path with his powerful jaws and sharp claws, reaching her side just as she faced the enemy. Katanas clanked around her, and Hoshiyo, on the brink of collapse, struggled to keep up.

"It's about time you came," Hoshiyo said, smirking despite barely being able to lift her arms. She closed her eyes, taking deep breaths, listening to the clanking metal and the dying screams. Arrows whistled through the air as Nue fought to give her a moment's rest.

Ceres spotted her with Nue and yelled, "Hoshiyo, are you alright? Are you hurt?"

Hoshiyo opened her eyes to see Ceres and Motoko standing beside her, both covered in cuts and bruises. The onmyoji stood protectively over them as the twins knelt beside Hoshiyo, exhausted from battle.

"I'm alright now," Hoshiyo quietly said. "Thank you for the save."

"What happened? We were suddenly all separated on the field and cornered. The others might be in danger," Ceres said.

"Yes, I agree," Hoshiyo replied. "Thank you for the assist, but now I need you to help the others. Keep Nue close and find the others. Takeko might need the most help, so find her first."

"What will you do?" Motoko asked.

"The man leading these fools to their deaths slipped through my grasp. I need to find him so he can no longer give orders. That way, we could win this fight.

"Will you be okay alone?" Motoko asked, sighing.

"Probably not, but it's our only chance," Hoshiyo replied, offering her brightest smile to ease their worries.

Ceres frowned but nodded. "Okay, but don't you die out there. We will come back for you."

"I am counting on it," Hoshiyo said. She then separated herself from her sisters, searching the yard full of bodies lying on the ground. Her fear of the dead had long since been dulled by memories of watching her mother's childhood friend die and witnessing the forest and villagers burn during the disaster. The piles of bodies did not scare her in the slightest. Soon, the Shogunate's numbers dwindled. The warriors began to retreat in packs, realizing they were unprepared for a beast like Nue to appear and tear through them.

Hoshiyo could spot the leading Samurai dismounted off his horse in the small remaining crowd of warriors and Samurai. The horse may have died during the battle due to Nue's attack. He dragged his injured leg toward her, groaning with rage. Blood dribbled from his lips as he snarled, "This isn't over. You killed Lady Gekkoin and her only daughter. Her son will never stop hunting you until your last breath."

Hoshiyo sighed and retorted, "Stop acting like you were the one married to her. We're immune to such diseases; we couldn't have possibly caused her daughter's death. Besides, what would we gain from it?"

"You have no idea," the Samurai gurgled, seething with rage. "You've caught the attention of the Black Dawn."

Hoshiyo frowned, waving her arms in confusion. "Black Dawn? I don't even know what that is. Who are they?"

"Like I'd ever tell you," the Samurai chuckled, spitting blood onto the dirt.

Hoshiyo scoffed. She aimed her Katana's tip between his eyes. She was done talking. She had enough of his arrogance and wanted to end this battle. "Turn around and get on your knees," she commanded.

The Samurai kept his head down but complied. He slowly lifted his head as rain clouds cloaked the mansion walls. Raindrops began to drizzle across the bloody battlefield, washing away the blood of those who had died that day. His eyes scanned his remaining comrades, now on their knees at gunpoint. Accepting his defeat, he slowly pulled out his knife and placed it neatly in front of him, aligned east to west.

"Any last words?" Hoshiyo asked.

"The Generations, what a ridiculous name. Death will always follow you," the Samurai spat. He coughed up blood before continuing, "And when it does, it will be in the most painful way possible. You will never know true peace."

Hoshiyo gritted her teeth and scoffed at him. She watched as he picked up his knife and began to stab himself in the stomach, attempting to gut himself like a fish. With a swift motion, Hoshiyo relieved him of his head.

The remaining Samurai met the same fate. They preferred death over the humiliation of capture by the enemy. Ceres stepped forward, striking her staff on the gravel. "I can't believe we won. How was that possible?"

With Nue standing beside her, Motoko petted him with a broad smile. She giggled and replied, "We made it out alive thanks to Nue and our masters, who worked so hard to train us in such a short time."

Hoshiyo nodded. "Our weapons were forged by the power of those who did not possess the abilities of a Kami, but at least they were strong enough to withstand the attack. I was expecting a bow or two to snap."

Ceres glanced up at the roof of the house and frowned. "Speaking of which, I wonder where those Kami ran off to. Why didn't they join our fight?"

"It wasn't their fight to join," Hoshiyo argued. "Do not speak ill of those who gave us life. It wasn't their fault we got ourselves into this mess."

"You mean the mess you put us in," Ceres retorted, quietly scoffing as she walked toward the house alone. Her twin reached out and followed her inside to help her calm down. The pink twin always seemed to be the more reasonable of the two.

Hoshiyo clutched her left thigh, noticing a stab wound. The pain brought her down to one knee as she watched blood ooze from the injury. "When did this happen?" she muttered.

Takeko, out of breath, climbed over the bodies to reach her. She gently held Hoshiyo's bleeding thigh and said, "We don't know what was on that knife. We need to get you medical attention immediately."

"I will be fine," Hoshiyo whispered.

"I'm not taking that chance right now," Takeko replied firmly. She waved over Nue and helped Hoshiyo climb onto the beast's blood-covered back. At this rate, she could pass out at any moment. "Thank you for the help, Nue. We appreciate everything you've done for us. We owe you big time for this. Take her to Rei and Kuzunoha so she can get the treatment she needs to survive. Good luck."

Nue accepted a few more head rubs from Takeko before releasing a mighty roar to those nearby. He bolted toward the house, leaping over the roof. Hoshiyo laid her head on his fur, feeling lightheaded from her injuries. She hoped it would help with the nausea as well. Before closing her eyes, she spotted her old home in the distance, not far from where they stood on the roof. She smiled, recalling all the memories that belonged to her mother, and closed her eyes.

Nue roared as he landed in the house's backyard beside a few makeshift tents made of bamboo and straw. He gently lowered Hoshiyo to the ground and returned to find Takeko on the other side of the house, seeking further orders from the remaining female warriors on the battlefield.

Rei emerged from the tent, suddenly feeling a gust of wind from outside. She spotted Hoshiyo on the ground and quickly ran to her aid. She yelled out to her, but her voice did not reach her. Kuzunoha lifted Hoshiyo's legs and commanded, "Hurry, pick her up. She needs medical attention right away."

Rei nodded and supported Hoshiyo's arm, helping carry her inside the tent as quickly as possible. They laid her on a bed beside others who had narrowly escaped death at the hands of the Shogunate. However, their primary focus was on Hoshiyo, who might have injuries in multiple places. Kuzunoha braced herself for the long work hours ahead to help her heal.

As Hoshiyo lay on the table, her mind drifted to a new scene rather than an old memory. She was in a cloudy haze within her mother's miraculously intact home. The house had two tatami beds on the floor, an old-fashioned kitchen, scattered children's toys, and plenty of scientific equipment on the countertops.

"Why am I here? This doesn't make any sense," Hoshiyo questioned aloud.

The sound of singing birds outside caught her attention. She turned towards the door as the sweet melodies became louder and more erratic. The music transformed into piercing screams, becoming increasingly audible.

"What now?" Hoshiyo whimpered.

Approaching the doorway, the bright sunlight blinded her momentarily, accompanied by the constant sound of cicadas. As her eyes adjusted, she saw beyond the grassy field. Instead of a distant village, a massive ocean wave was heading straight for her. She stood frozen in horror, unable to comprehend the colossal wave rushing toward her. Birds above the wave swooped down, flying directly at her.

Hoshiyo crossed her forearms over her face, screaming as the birds struck her head. Unable to withstand it any longer, she fell backward, her face covered in cuts and bruises. Instead of hitting the ground, she awoke in a soft tatami bed on a bed of straw. Her heart raced in her chest, and her breathing grew labored. She sighed and whispered, "I knew it was only a dream, but why is my heart racing so hard?"

Staring at the ceiling, Hoshiyo felt the pain in her leg again. She lifted her torso slightly and raised the sheets to see the white bandages covering her wound. A slight oozing of blood indicated that her friends had sewn her up. The blankets covered the bandages on her body, but she felt uncomfortably exposed beneath the thin layers. Relieved to be okay but vulnerable, Hoshiyo lay back down, accepting her fate. Hoshiyo sighed dramatically and whispered, "I'll be stuck here for awhile, I guess. No thanks to that asshole. I should have been more careful. How come I never noticed the stab wound on my thigh? Unbelievable..."