The three companions rose the next morning feeling refreshed. Saru said nothing about the previous evening and seemed to be in a good mood. They descended back down the slope towards the highway, joking and laughing heartily. When they finally reached the Nagamichi once again, and the cover of the trees overhead opened to cloudless sunlight, they were all at once made silent by what they saw.

In the distance, they could now see the massive conical shape of the famous Mount Daisen, rising above the land and stretching into the sky. For the past few days, it had been concealed by a grey blanket of clouds so that there was no sign of it to forewarn the travelers, but now its gigantic figure dominated their view. Because of this, the vista was especially striking, for they had come close enough to see some of the marvelous details of the iconic mount.

Daisen rose evenly on all sides, giving it its rare, beautiful shape as if it were molded by a potter’s hands. The base was wide and thick, and it tapered in gradually as it extended upwards, giving it its magnificence and gravitas, but also revealing a shade of femininity and elegance as it reached its peak. The summit was so high that it always wore a cover of white, pristine snow, which was like a wedding veil across the face of an ancient bride. Around it swirled wispy clouds like an ethereal halo, gathering around her holy figure.

It was not just a mountain for the people of the Islands, it was the preeminent mountain of the Islands. It nearly doubled any other mountain in stature, and sat alone, unobscured by any other range or peak, giving it an air of importance and majesty. It was the feature of countless old tales and legends, as well as historical accounts and narratives. The most famous of which had said that the Shinjin had once ascended to the summit. From there he looked out upon the Islands, and it was there that he resolved to save the people in bondage to the Akuma. From that point on he gathered his famous army and did exactly what he set out to do. Some said he saw the All-kami upon that mountain. Some said the All-kami was the mountain. In any event, the mountain was a symbol of the hope of mankind, and everyone who laid eyes on it felt captivated by the power it had.

“It’s…” Saru said, trailing off.

“Praise the All-kami,” Nō recited and bowed his head.

Even though Gintaro had seen the great mountain many times before, it never ceased to impress him. He said nothing, for there was nothing quite adequate to say, but just smiled and drank deeply of its splendor.

After some time, they decided it was best to continue. The mountain would not leave them but would remain inland from the road until they reached the New Capital. They were less than a week’s journey away from their destination, and excitement began to fill their hearts. Gin was noticeably anxious, and often dismounted from his horse and ran alongside Nō to encourage him. The boy was surprised, for his teacher appeared to have an unlimited reserve of energy and did not seem to tire no matter how long they ran, or how hot it became. Practices at night and in the mornings were more spirited, and he pushed his pupil harder than ever before. He was more talkative, and would often stay up late with Saru, telling stories and laughing.

This all ended abruptly when they crossed the Nishi Bridge and began the approach into the New Capital. Gintaro then became quiet, almost sullen, as the anticipation of what was to come began to build. The Nishi Bridge was an unofficial boundary of the plain where the New Capital sat, and though they were still a day’s ride from the city proper, they knew that the spacious countryside would soon be transformed into the most important city on the Islands.

There remained a few last checkpoints to cross, and each one grew increasingly robust in terms of size and population. Eventually, the road became filled with merchants, workmen, and officials. As this was mostly flat land, which had once been a swamp, it was difficult to gauge how far they were from the capital. But as each hour passed, the noise and the crowds grew. At last, the gleaming castle of the Shōgun could be seen far in the distance, and they knew that they were finally within reach.

They rested at one of the nearby inns that evening, for there were so many that the prices had dropped substantially. They had their horses tended to, and the party ate a hot, filling meal of grilled pork and noodles.

Since they had set out upon the Nagamichi, Gintaro had been contemplating how they were going to rescue his daughter once they arrived in the New Capital. He had not said much, for the road was long, and he did not want to add to his companions’ anxieties. Now that they were at last near the end of their long journey, it felt like the right time.

“It does not sit well with me that we must be wholly reliant upon an agent of Lord Usagi,” he began, keeping his voice quiet so that it would not pass beyond the thin walls of their room. “This Matsumoto-san, there are too many uncertainties. Will we even be able to find him and if we do will he indeed help us, or will he turn us in? Lord Usagi seems to trust him, but I have seen what life in such a city can do to a man. It can corrupt even the most virtuous and loyal. We have come so far to flounder at the end.”

Saru and Nō appeared to be following his trail of thought and were listening intently.

“There is another problem,” he continued, “Even if this Matsumoto-san did know how to get us into the castle, and helped us to do so, he may not know exactly where my daughter is being held. That we will have to discover on our own. The castle itself will be well patrolled, and there will be sharp eyes everywhere. We will only have one chance to save her.”

“It will not be easy,” Saru added, considering the bleak scenario. “And getting out may be harder than getting in.”

“That is true,” Gin admitted. “But there is a sliver of hope. Lord Usagi did say that my daughter was serving under the Shōgun’s prime consort when they last had met. If that remains true, she will be close to the Shōgun, but not too close. A consort of the Shōgun is not always with him and is forbidden from certain affairs. And, even if she were the Shōgun’s ward, he could not attend to her at all times. If she is within those walls, as tall as they are, we are closer than we have ever been since the very beginning. That is an encouraging thought.”

The others both nodded in agreement.

“So, I propose that we move carefully. We can set up in a ryokan in a nondescript section of the city, and then proceed to inquire about the affairs of the castle. If there is one thing that I know to be true, it is that in a castle that size, secrets come and go like the bathwater. We can focus on the prime consort first and inquire about her retinue. If that proves fruitless, we can branch out from there. Once we finally locate Yukiana, we strike hard and fast. We will have to use stealth, and if it comes to it, more than that.” His gaze was raw and intense, and both companions felt a tinge of unease.

“What about the Shōgun?” Saru asked after a few moments had passed.

“What about him?”

“He has taken your daughter to draw you to him, or at least to draw you out of hiding. We must not fall into a trap, which is surely his intent.”

Gintaro exhaled heavily. “I do not know the Shōgun’s motives, and thus I cannot anticipate his actions. But you are right, he is not to be taken lightly. From this moment on, we must be incredibly careful. Mashige Hideyo did not come into the Shōgunate by accident but by dreadful cunning and ruthlessness. Be on your guard, for this is his city, his home.”

The three woke early the following morning and were only one checkpoint away from entering the city center. They were now surrounded by the sprawling metropolis, as the Nagamichi had become consumed by multi-storied buildings with sideroads branching off from it every few yards in both directions. The flag of the Hawk was ubiquitous, as were the soldiers of the Shōgun, tasked with keeping order in a city that seemed to have a life of its own. The lofty mountain could still be seen behind them in the distance, and before them, the Shōgun’s immense architectural feat loomed like an imposing threat. It stood tall upon the only raised ground in the region, making it a kind of mirror image of the mountain it was meant to represent. Gin glared at the building with inner loathing, as the last time he had seen the castle it had not been so high or impressive. Now it represented not only the might of the Shōgun but the failure of his enemies. And, somewhere in or around that keep his daughter was imprisoned, waiting for him.

“Soon...” he whispered under his breath.

The final checkpoint was located in the center of the trading hub of the city. To the left stood the castle complex, and to their right was the gaping mouth of the New Capital harbor. To get through the first level of gates to the castle complex, they would need to register at this last checkpoint and receive entry permits.

The building for the last checkpoint was massive and crowded, with barely any room to move. Frustrated officers were yelling directions and urging people to form long, orderly lines. Gintaro and the others were put into an expedited line for being servants of a daimyō, but because this was the New Capital, and all of the daimyō had estates here, it did not help them get through much faster. Gin groaned as time wore on and they crept slowly towards the officer’s table. They finally reached the table around noon, a few hours after they had started.

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The stiff officer greeted them curtly and then inspected their papers. This one was much more thorough than the others they had met, for he fully read the tedious document and asked them if they had anything else.

“It seems a bit odd,” the officer said, his nasal voice complimenting his droopy-eyed appearance. “That the Usagi daimyō would send three of his servants all this way to make sure his pets were eating well.”

“The daimyō highly values his pets,” Saru replied, forcing an official demeanor. “He treats them like any other member of his family.”

The officer rubbed his patchy mustache and looked back down at the page. “I see. Still, it seems odd that there is nothing else of importance. That makes me think that there is some kind of verbal message you were instructed to pass on. Or, perhaps, your mere arrival is a trigger to some elaborate plot against the Shōgun.”

The three looked at each other. “We have received no additional orders,” Gin insisted.

“Of course you would say that,” the guard scoffed, blinking repetitively with annoyance. “In such a situation we usually hold you for a few days to make sure. If you are merely delivering pet care instructions, that can surely wait a few days could it not?”

Gin’s face began to redden. “We are telling the truth!” he seethed.

The man lifted his eyebrows, but Saru pushed forward, batting her eyes flirtingly.

“We would be happy to wait if that is what you decide. Of course, it has been such a long way here, and we were hoping to go out and enjoy ourselves after our letter had been delivered. Do you have any recommendations?”

For a moment, the man seemed to come alive. Then he said, “No,” dryly.

He made a motion to stamp their documents with a big red ‘X’ when another officer came over, bent down, and whispered in the man’s ear.

“Oh,” the droopy-eyed officer said. “It seems our holding station is full. You may go.”

He grabbed a different stamp and marked three pages with an ‘O’ before handing them over. Enjoy the New Capital, the City of the Shōgun.”

They filtered out into the busy square once again, each breathing a sigh of relief.

“That was a close one,” Saru whispered, looking back over her shoulder. “I should have told him I was a princess. That always seems to work.”

“Only half the time,” Gin reminded her. “Anyways, we should all be careful. We are now in the adder’s den. One false move could get us all thrown in jail or worse.”

Despite his severe warning, the city did not appear as sinister as their leader made it sound. All around them, people were talking, laughing, haggling, calling one another from afar, and busying themselves with the minutiae of their daily lives. Various wares were being bought and sold, rickshaws zoomed by carrying their patrons from place to place, and fresh signs were being painted with black-tipped ink brushes. Food stalls had filled the square with the overwhelming aroma of culinary specialties that were worthy of such an esteemed, and expensive location.

Saru’s stomach growled loudly. “Standing in line for a few hours sure grows an appetite,” she said, her face reddening with embarrassment.

Gintaro softened a bit. “I agree. Let’s get something to eat, then we can worry about finding an inn.”

Nō clenched his fists enthusiastically. “Yes!” he cried.

The three split up in the square, each hoping to satisfy their particular tastes. Saru had been craving some of her home province’s cuisine, so she headed over to a stall selling a rice bowl topped with a colorful variety of seafood, which included fish roe, sea urchin, salmon, scallops, and crab. Nō, who had grown up on vegetarian cuisine demanded by the Truists, decided to test his stomach by eating grilled and skewered cow intestines. Gin was looking for something that reminded him of his daughter, so he bought a large orange that had been imported from Minami-shima.

After everything was bought and paid for, Gin walked back to the center of the wide square where they were supposed to meet. He knew that his simple meal did not take nearly as long as the others and was contented to wait for them. It was mid-afternoon, and the square had become so crowded that people seemed to brush by him constantly, and he could not see from one stall to the other. Several minutes passed, and he grew restless and began to peel and eat his orange, despite it being poor manners.

After half an hour passed, he began to worry. He walked over towards the seafood bowl shop first, as it had been the most popular, and inspected the line. Saru was nowhere to be seen. He then pushed his way through to the old man working at the stall.

“Did you serve an Akaii woman earlier?” he asked.

“Akaii?” the old man guffawed, barely removing his eyes from his work. “I haven't seen one of them since I learned this recipe after being shipwrecked up north. But that was well on thirty years ago.”

“Thank you,” returned Gin, hastily retreating from the line. His eyes flashed from side to side, and his hand lowered to his sword’s hilt. Something was amiss. He returned to the meeting spot, but once he saw that it was empty, he decided to go to the meat stall just to be thorough. Nō was not there either.

At that moment he began to panic. His eyes bounced back and forth from face to face in the mass of people that moved through the square. Everyone appeared to be disinterested, but he could feel that there were eyes on him. This was a sense he had developed over the years, and he did not seem to have lost it in his long retirement.

Suddenly, he saw a flash of movement from the corner of his eye. He saw someone turn and run back into an alleyway coming off the main square. He hurried over to investigate. When he arrived, he caught another glimpse of the same person further down the narrow alley. The mysterious man took a sharp left as soon as he saw him. Gin began to chase after this stranger, pushing past people who were standing or walking in the way.

He sped down the alleyway and took the sharp left which led to an even narrower street. He gradually began to gain on the person, who he remembered as being the same soldier that whispered into the officer’s ear at the last checkpoint. He was fast but was weighed down by his standard-issue armor and arms. Gin zigzagged through the tiny streets, jumping over spilled trash, and ducking below wooden beams that connected the tightly packed buildings. Every moment that passed he grew nearer and nearer and could hear the metallic clank of the soldier’s armor reverberate throughout the closed space.

At last, the soldier turned the corner just as Gintaro was about to grab him. He backpedaled quickly and turned down the small alleyway which smelled of rotten fish. Here there were no other passersby or onlookers. It was all quiet except for the meowing of a hungry cat. The running soldier stood several yards away, holding out his sword. Behind him stood Nō and another soldier, this one thick and tall like an oak, holding a knife to the young boy’s throat. Behind them was a group of six other soldiers, armed with spears and bows.

When Nō saw his teacher, his eyes opened wide, but he could not get out more than a muffled gurgle, for the knife was held right against his voice box.

Gin quickly studied the situation. It did not look good. These men were terrified, and terrified men do irrational things. “Easy,” he said to the lead soldier, whose sword was trembling despite the fact that he held it out with two hands. Gin lifted his own hands to try and diffuse the tension.

“We will cut him!” the man in the front shouted. “I swear we will!”

“What do you want of me?” Gintaro asked calmly.

“We know who you are!” the man cried. “The Shōgun told us not to try and capture you ourselves. He said to go for one of your companions.”

Gin winced. “The Shōgun is a clever man,” he admitted. His eyes flashed upwards. Saru’s spear tip was nowhere to be seen. He had hoped that she might have followed the guard as well, perhaps stalking him from above.

“I will not do anything rash,” Gin insisted. “It is clear you have my companion in a precarious situation.”

The lead soldier reached behind his back and tossed over a pair of iron handcuffs. They landed at his feet.

“Disarm yourself! Put those on and come with us!” he shouted.

Gin looked down. This all felt too familiar. He remembered what had happened in Kagiminato. He was not going to be taken prisoner again.

“The Shōgun himself wishes to speak with you!” the man pressed on. “He wants you alive!”

At this, Gin’s eyes flashed wide for a split second. “You will take me to him?” he asked, trying to filter the emotion from his voice.

The lead guard nodded.

“This could be a trap,” Gin thought to himself, studying the man’s face. “They could have me disarm and entrap myself and then skewer me right here and now.” Yet a part of him doubted this. “Why would the Shōgun bring me all the way here just to kill me? He could have killed me long ago, or at any time while I laid in bed in Kokoro. I had not used the sword in so long. I was weak then; I was a different man. I would have stood no chance. Why would he want me dead now? No, he must need me alive. He captured my daughter to make me come to him. If he went through all this trouble, then I will indulge him.”

He bent down and picked up the iron cuffs. “I will go with you to face the Shōgun,” he said sternly. “But you must release my companion. If any harm comes to him, I swear, you will all die here where you stand.”

The soldier shook his head. “Not until you are cuffed, and your sword is on the ground.”

Gin carefully removed his black sword and laid it on the ground. He looked over at his pupil, who was held as if in a vice. He once again glanced upwards. There was still no sign of Saru. He suddenly felt a pang of fear. He was surprised at how much he had come to depend on her.

“All right,” he said with a tranquil smile. “I will do it.” With that, he snapped the cuffs around his wrists.

“Step away from your sword,” the soldier beckoned, who seemed amazed. He had clearly not imagined that it would be this easy.

“Lower the knife,” Gin demanded.

The lead soldier waved to his immense subordinate, who lowered the knife but put his hand over Nō’s mouth, covering his muffled cries.

“Let him go!” Gintaro commanded, taking a step forward. “I have done what you asked!”

The soldier raised his hand again but paused. “Take a few more steps towards me.”

Gin did as he was told and took three deliberate steps forward. He glanced upwards one last time in vain.

In a flash, the group of soldiers moved past Nō towards Gin. Nō was let free and was thrown backward. He scrambled to his knees and cried out for his teacher.

“Sensei! Don’t do it! Sensei!”

It was too late, for the guards had grabbed him and thrust him to the ground. The lead soldier had picked up his black sword and was holding it aloft, staring at it as if it were made of gold. “We did it!” he cried with exultation. “We captured the false Raijin!”

Gin exhaled slowly, waiting for some treachery to come. “Will they do it?” he asked himself. “Will they cut me down now? Was my gambit all for nothing?”

“Get him to his feet and inspect him thoroughly,” the lead soldier commanded, eyeing him suspiciously. “The Shōgun will want to see him as soon as possible, and I don't want any mistakes.”

“The Shōgun...” Gin thought, almost bursting with excitement. “So, it is true! He may let me see my daughter. He must let me see her!”

Gintaro must have worn a satisfied expression for one of the guards said to him, “That is not good news for you, filth. No one is called before the Shōgun and is let off easy, and I hear you have quite the litany of crimes over your head.”

Gintaro said nothing in response and attempted to appear sullen. He managed to look over at Nō, who was beside himself, and give him a quick smile and a wink. The boy stopped sobbing but held his mouth agape with confusion.

“This may have worked out for the best after all,” he thought. “This way, both Nō and Saru are out of harm's way.” He rose and began to follow the soldiers who yanked on his chains. He felt no fear, only the terrible weight of destiny upon him. “From here on out, it's up to me.”