The Defenestration of Eidou

A group of cloaked men ran through the night streets of Eidou, early in the morning of June 15th, 1571. Their shadows were marred by the darkness that still enveloped the vast Capital City then, only 4:00 AM in Kyokai. Swiftly, they weaved in formation, all nine of them running as quickly as they could. Between buildings and homes they went, without problems as if their path was pre-determined. Their faces were hidden beneath hoods of black.

Nearing the entrance to "Daiguren Path", the winding road that led to the very top of the mountain, the group halted before walking out into the torchlit area before the gates. There, stood four guards, all armed well and watching for suspicious activities no doubt. One cloaked person grasped a rock from the ground and tossed it sidelong where it hit the side of a building by the gate. All four of the guards seemed to be startled by the sudden sound and turned for a moment to see what it was. The nine cloaked men rushed out from the shadows and assaulted the guards. Flashes of swords and short-blades were illuminated by the moonlight high above.

Ascending the Daiguren Path, the nine would find themselves at the entrance to the Noble Quarter of the city. They were high, very high up upon the mountain. The air, as always, was chilling and cloud vapors cast the entire landscape there into a mist. Advancing through, they followed side streets - all the while they silently took out the guards that they happened upon on their fated journey through the city of Eidou. Standing before the great, Dark Ore gates to the great Eidou Castle that sat upon the highest peak of the Kamizawa Mountain Range that surrounded the Capital. The guards, this time, struck first.

They had been spotted, as one of the cloaks that the men wore whilst hiding in the shadows was caught by the wind and appeared in the orb of torchlight nearby. The guards knew something was wrong when they called out to whomever was there and no answer came. Drawing swords, the guards advanced cautiously. Without a noise, the Nine lunged from the shadows, blades above their heads. Clangs of sword on sword, and shouts pierced the air as the skirmish began. One of the Nine were slain by one of the guards - obviously a Samurai judging by his ornate set of armor and obvious skill with his weapon. He soon slew another of the cloaked men with relative ease.

"KEIHO O AGERU!!" (Raise the alarm!), yelled the guard with all his might just as three blades impaled through his breastplate and he fell to the ground quite dead.

The seven Cloaked men left looked to each other for a moment then opened the gate after finding the dead guard's key from within his robes. Just about halfway up the long, climbing, winding, cobble-stoned road that led to the summit and the entrance of the Castle, yells could be heard back below by the gates. They had been discovered. It would only be a matter of five or so minutes until the alarm was tolled from the Castle or from the central military compound - Inuwashita - the Eagles Talon. Once sounded, the entire city of Eidou would awake, including the 20,000 soldiers stationed throughout.

As they reached the summit of Mount Kamizawa, the seven split apart quickly. Five ran straight for the front gates of the castle, two stood where they were, looking determinedly at the next level of the pagoda structured castle that stood high above them. One of them removed a long rope and grappling hook from a rucksack. Climbing a Sakura tree in the front courtyard, he made it to the top and started to spin the grappling hook at his side. Throwing it as hard as he could, he thrust a palm outward toward the sailing hook. A sudden burst of wind caught it and sent it even farther up and with a clunk, the hook met with the balustrade of the second level's balcony. Making sure the rope was tight, the two started their climb up the side of the castle. A sudden shock below made them stop and looked down to see the large gates burst open and a swarm of Shinsengumi soldiers bellowing war cries as they attacked the besiegers. It wasn't long until the five that attacked the gates lay dead on the ground before the most elite soldiers that the Shogun had to offer.

The two made it to the second level with much haste. As they hopped over the railing of the balcony there, they could hear yells - they found the rope they had climbed. One of the two hastily picked up the grappling hook and tossed it to the ground below before any soldiers could start their pursuit. As they ran into the main hall, upon reaching a corner one of the two screamed in pain and fell to the ground. Buried in his upper thigh was a jagged throwing knife, and running down the hall was the Shinsengumi that threw it. The telltale noise of his katana being drawn was enough to goad the last of the cloaked men into running for the next floor. Glancing behind, he saw the arcing flash of the Shinsengumi's katana as he behead his comrade with ease.

The thump thump thump of his numerous pursuers' footsteps pushed the cloaked man to his limit. His adrenaline kicked in and he flew up two more flights of stairs in succession. Upon making it to the last floor, the large open hall was before him, and the large oak doors with the embossed, silver and gold emblem of the Rising Sun loomed just ahead. Drawing his own katana, he started toward the doors, which to his surprised were not guarded. He wondered why, fleetingly, but decided they must have been ordered to find him a floor below. That must be it. Pushing open the doors, which were not locked, he walked into the room and shut them back again. Finding a coat tree by the side, he emptied the hooks at the top and placed it as a bar across the doors - the only way he could lock he and his target inside.

Turning, he looked around. The bed, he noticed, was unmade. The Shogun had been sleeping there, and it looked like it was only recently vacated. Just as he took a step deeper into the Shogun's Chamber, a deep voice called out to him.

"You're here to slay me, are you not?" The voice asked, a cold expressionless tone.

"Yes. You cannot fight back, your guards are locked out. Do not dishonor your wretched house by hiding in the shadows any longer, Ieyasu Torunaga." The man said, his voice sneering and filled with merciless passion.

"Hiding in the shadows? Isn't that your avenue, Ishin-shishi boy?" Torunaga asked, somewhere in the room.

"Show yourself! I will rest your head from your shoulders, Lord Shogun! It is the Emperor's time to unify this land!" The cloaked person said.

"I'm afraid my head must stay firmly upon my body. You see, I must keep it so I can continue to lead Kyokai - something that your group, and the Emperor, are quite unfit to do." Torunaga said.

"You..."

"And also, I am not hiding, Assassin. I'm right here in plain sight. Is it normal for one so brave to have the eyesight of a mole?"

The Assassin turned with shock as he saw, there sitting in a chair behind him, was Torunaga. He sat calmly, a sheathed katana upon his lap. Standing, he looked the cloaked man dead in the eyes. The Assassin seemed to shudder for a moment before lifting his blade and giving a wild cry of "Revere the Emperor!". With great speed, Torunaga drew his own katana. A black, flashing blade appeared and blocked the Assassin's own. With skill not shown for many years, the Shogun twirled his wrist and disarmed the Assassin with a single cut. The assailant's blade fell to the ground with a clatter. Bringing his katana straight behind him, the blade poised for a horizontal thrust, the Shogun plunged his blade straight into the Assassin's lower abdomen. Sliding the blade out, slick red with blood, he cleaned the end with a white cloth. The man stumbled backward, remaining on his feet and gasping for air - he held his wound with both hands and looked to the Shogun with shock.

"I'm sorry, Assassin. I cannot fall today, the Shogunate is the only institution this land needs." Torunaga said as he sheathed his katana at his side.

The Assassin, making a last-ditch effort to attack the Shogun, was met by surprisingly strong hands. Torunaga gave a bellow as he pushed his would-be-assailant to his open balcony. With a kick to the chest, he sent the man hurtling from the top of Eidou Castle along with a piece of the railing from his balcony. His screams could be heard as he fell hundreds of feet down the mountain before he hit the cliff and then fell into the raging waters of the Bay of Kyokai.


A day later, local newspapers captured the entire story, an an artist from Kyokai drew his own rendition of the Defenestration of Eidou as the Shogun was told to recollect what happened that morning of June 15th, 1571. The news of this incident would not only reach the enraged Emperor at Tenken and the whole of the Ishin-shishi to the North, but to every nation on the globe. Torunaga's ambition of making Kyokai one of the top nations in the land was seen directly through his actions that day. His last words, recorded by the newspaper, were simple and easy to understand - Kyokai will never back down.

Sent Per Will of President Antony Lassale of the Republic of Capua;
To Be Received by His Excellency the Shogun, Lord Torunaga of Kyokai.
Dated 20 June 1571.
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Greetings and congratulations, Your Excellency!

The events of 15 June have been reported to this office by the Capuan embassy that has recently begun its operations in Eidou. It is with great relief that we hear of your continued life and good health despite the machinations of your Imperialist enemies. This office and this Republic wish that your good fortune may continue perpetually.

We must also congratulate you on your quick thinking and martial prowess; our Ambassador witnessed the assassin's defenestration and fall personally and has made it known in no uncertain terms that your actions would, if performed in the Republic under similar circumstances, go down in legend as one of the most incredible bootings of all time. Of all time.

With this, we shall celebrate your success with the finest Dwarven ale. Though it is too much to ask that you join us in person, you may join us in spirit. Arriving with this letter should be a few kegs of what my office could scrounge up. I believe the ale contained within shall be most appropriate.

SIGNED,
Antony Lassale
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC