The Devils Of Azuchi

Chapter 9

"What the hell happened?" Lien let out as he saw their manor up in flames. "Sakura!" Izanami looked up frantically as an equally frantic Sakura jumped off of a tree. "I need you both to search around the perimeter. Find any survivor you can and if you happen to find the culprit..make their death painful" her franticness had become rage. Her bloodlust was released and suddenly both Lien and Sakura began to feel a little dizzy. Shaking it off the three went their separate ways.

Sakura rounded the perimeter of the fire but with each passing second the fire grew bigger. "At this rate the fire will have consumed the entire forest before it dies down" staring at the fire trying to decide what to do he noticed something at the gates. Running towards the lump he bent down over the soldier. "Hey are you alright?" he was barely breathing, most likely due to the smoke no doubt.

"A Sakura?" The soldier looked up his near dead eyes glimmering with hope. "Let's get you out of here" helping him up he began to walk forward. "No please, you have to save the other's from Lord Mars" his eyes showed the horrors he had seen. Sakura looked back and only now that he was closer did he see the massacre before him.

"We need to get you to safety first" he mumbled under his breath and then disappeared. Izanami was holding a cloth to her face as she checked the bodies for any possible survivors. "Who could have done this much damage to the Yamanoi?" her question answered by a shrill scream heard from above.

A body fell out of one of the windows on the third floor. The uniform she was wearing belonged to the servants. Her body fell with a disturbing splat. Looking up she caught a face looking down at the body before it disappeared. "No.." she let out and her hysteria made her brain click. "Amaterasu!" looking around the manor for an entrance she found none.

"Izanami! Stop that" Lien grabbed her before she could run into the fiery entrance. "Let me go! Amaterasu is in there, he will kill her!" kicking and shoving Izanami tried hard to get away. "Amaterasu is on her way to Azuchi she's not in there-" they both looked up as the building began to fall in on each other.

"We have to get out of here" wincing at the pain in his lungs from simply breathing he began to carry Izanami. "You're wrong! She felt ill, she didn't leave...Amaterasu" Izanami looked up at her room tears streaming her eyes. Out of the fire Lien finally put her down. "Sakura!" Lien called out and after a few seconds he appeared with a solemn look.

"My Lady I was able to find a survivor. I'm afraid I was too late to save him, however he told me something before he died. The one that attacked them was Lord-" "Mars" Izanami looked down her gaze burning a hole in the ground. "How did you know?" Sakura looked at her. "I saw him...After 5 years you'd think he'd stop by for tea" she let out a dry laugh her whole body shaking.
~

"After that we waited a few hours before the fire finally died. As soon as it grew smaller Lady Izanami raced back in hopes to find you alive. All she found were charred remains and a manor that was nothing but wood and cinder. Amongst the dead we found Lord Mars with a short sword in his stomach. We assume he committed seppuku at the last moment." Sakura said.

"So then the one behind the fire...was big brother" Amaterasu's eyes went wide. "But he-" memories of him consoling her and patiently teaching her flooded back. "He didn't know you were there Lady Amaterasu. The only one who knew you were ill was Lady Izanami and your father" trying to keep her shock to a minimum he consoled her. "Why..? He was such a happy person. He loved us, I know it" Sakura frowned as he saw the same thing he saw many years ago. The face of denial and confusion.

"Father-" Izanami let out her voice a bit shaken. "He found out about Father. He had been involved with the child trafficking services. He found out that mom had been one of those children. We assume he waited till both of us were out of the manor before he proceeded with his plan. He must not have counted on me coming home early or you being there." disgust crossed both their faces.

"Mother was one of the children?" her doubt was clear but it explained how she died so quickly in child birth. Mars was only their half brother, his mother dying during birth as well. None of the three had ever seen them, not even a painting and whenever they would ask anyone they were met by silence. "I had it confirmed" she nodded.

"Mars" she whimpered curling up. "I killed so many..." she looked at her shaking hands. "I almost killed you" her dread became more apparent as she looked at her sister. "It's okay" Izanami pulled her into a hug. Her movements awkward as always but it soothed them both.

Nobunaga lowered his pistol an unreadable expression on his face. Sakura looked at him as he turned and began to walk away. Frowning he followed him silently. Walking a ways away from them he settled next to the river. "That was the first time I ever heard about the incident" Nobunaga said with a sigh.

"You knew I was here?" Sakura asked appearing from the shadows. "I've learned to sense your presence" he shrugged. "Sit" he motioned next to him. Reluctantly he did, "I know that you love her" Sakura's eye twitched. "I do" he said calmly, "but that does not matter. I will always be a Sakura. Besides I know I could never make her as happy as you make her" he sighed leaning back.

"True" Nobunaga said a bit haughty but his grin betrayed him. "Thank you..for coming, I don't think Izanami would have told her sister what she knew otherwise. She was prepared to die" his eyes lowered into slits. "Don't hold it against her. She pushed all of her feelings and memories of that day in a little box and cast it aside. That was her way of accepting the situation. She never gave herself a moment to grieve. I feared that one day I might lose her as well, but then we met you again. I thought about killing you, but I could tell she needed you" Sakura looked away, saying his thoughts aloud had been stranger than he had expected.

"Why didn't she tell me?" Nobunaga let his head drop into his hands. Sakura felt an awkward tension in his heart as he reached out and gave a pat on his shoulder. Sensing a new presence he turned to see Izanami. "Why don't you ask her yourself?" getting up he left them alone.