Tsutomu plopped his big frame down and fumed. His body still ached from the many wounds sustained in the ambush. “What kind of room is this? The walls must be about two feet thick. They drugged me, shaved my head, and brought me here. If I only had my sword.”
“I smell smoke. Why would they be lighting such a big fire in the middle of summer? The crazy eunuchs!” The smell of smoke got stronger and the room warmer. He then heard the crackling sound of burning wood and realized the building was on fire. He heard the screams of men charging and dying. It sounded faintly familiar; like a castle being stormed by an invading army.
“They are being attacked! Someone set the building on fire! This is not the way to die!” He yelled, “Ukon, Ukon, get me out of here you rat.” No one came. He yelled louder. The screams of dying monks got louder too. He banged his fists against the wall.
The smoke started to get intense. He coughed uncontrollably. “Of all the ways to die. Suffocating in a rat hole on some God forsaken mountain.” Suddenly a secret door opened up and Ukon waved him through. “Hurry!”
Tsutomu covered his nose and mouth with a cloth and stumbled through the smoke filled room. He felt something hit his hand. It was his sword. “Use it! Protect me and I will lead you out of this inferno.”
Before he could say yes, a samurai jumped in front of him and tried to slice his head off. He rolled on the ground and dodged the strike. He simultaneously pulled his katana out and with one swipe took out the warrior’s leg. The samurai let out a shrill scream. Blood spurted all over the ground and shoji doors. He then finished him off with a thrust into the throat. He tried to yell, but only the sound of gurgling blood could be heard at the end of his blade.
He instinctively cut off the attackers head and rolled it into the horde of oncoming ashigaru. They stopped in their tracks. It was their chance to make a move. Ukon yelled, “Follow me!”
The corridor was filling with smoke fast. They had no time to waste. The little monk opened a side door next to a cabinet and led him down some steps into a secret grotto behind the temple. The sound of yelling and screams got fainter and fainter as they walked deeper into the garden.
Tsutomu rubbed his eyes and breathed in the fresh air. Ukon vomited into the stream, wiping his mouth with his sleeves . They again heard the wailing of dying men and the barking of orders “Burn this whore house down to the ground!”
Their eyes finally met and Tsutomu without hesitation unsheathed his sword to cut off the little monks head. Ukon cried out, “If you kill me, you will also die. You do not know the secret trails and tunnels that will get you to safety. Oda Nobunaga’s troops have surrounded the whole mountain. They are burning everything in sight. You have no chance without me. ”
“I will take my chances.” With that he lifted his sword at the cowering monk. “Wait! I have gold. It’s buried in Kyoto. If you let me live, I will take you there. Samurai do not kill defenseless monks. How shameful!” He held his sword aloft for a few more seconds and then slowly brought it back down. “You rat! You deserve to die. Keep your gold. I do not want to defile my sword with your blood or my purse with your money. Take me off this hell hole now!”
The monk sheepishly smiled and motioned the samurai to follow him. Just then an arrow zipped by both of their heads and lodged itself into a pine tree. “There they are! Kill them!” Ukon yelled, “Hurry!” Tsutomu hid behind a rock and when three samurai turned the corner, he sliced all three of their throats with one swing. Blood splattered all over the carefully manicured garden. They fell to the ground clutching their throats.
“This will buy us some time. Monk, get us off this hill!”
They ran to the base of a thundering waterfall. “The path is behind this waterfall! We need to dive in.” They both tied their robes around their waist and plunged themselves under the boiling foam of the falls.
The water was icy cold. The force of the falls pushed them to the floor of the pool. They soon made it to the other side and slowly climbed up the mossy rocks. Carved into the walls were carefully sculptured statues of Amidha Buddha.
Ukon walked up to one of the altars and lifted up the statue. In it he found some torches, dried moss, and flint. He hit the rocks. Sparks immediately flicked out onto the dry moss and a flame sputtered into existence. He placed the oil soaked torches near the flame. Soon, the whole cavern filled with light and they saw the pathway that led down the hill.
Ukon handed Tsutomu one of the torches and they both made their way toward the secret passage.
As they climbed down, they could hear the armies of Oda Nobunaga over head. It made Tsutomu uneasy knowing that only a few feet of rock separated him from his enemies. They must have silently walked for about three hours when Ukon abruptly said, “All you samurai are alike. You murder, pillage, and expect us to bow to you.”
“Hey monk, you want to lose your head again?” “Take my head! You scum bag samurai! It’s better to die than to continue to cower to you!”
Tsutomu thought, “This monk has guts! He’s still a rat, but I will let him live. Listening to him rant and rave will humor me while we walk down this monotonous path.”
“Hey monk, why is Nobunaga exterminating your kinsmen?” “He is the devil incarnate!” shouted Ukon. “Yes, he is ruthless, but he must have good reason to march his entire army to Mount Hiezan and exterminate all of you. Maybe you are the demons that need to be exorcised!”
The little monk glared at Tsutomu. He continued to pile on the abuse, “Maybe all your rat dung is stinking up all of Hiezan and Nobunaga just wants to smell fresh air wafting into Kyoto again.”
“Shut up! Shut up! You call yourself a Buddhist! That amulet you rubbed in your hands means nothing to you! It’s just a good luck charm for your own selfish purposes! You have no desire to live an honorable life. You have killed so many.”
“Be quiet Ukon! I hear voices coming up the path.”
