SAMURAI

Chapter 5; Price Had to Be Paid

    Metal clinking collided woke my sleep. My eyes narrowed for a moment, after getting used to the surroundings, I recognized four prison guards who had been roaming in front of the cell. One guard brought bread, jam, and milk. The best food for European aristocrats.

    "Eat quickly. Everyone's waiting."

    The guard half throws the tray, with a hint of envy at the special food served. If he wanted to replace my neck, I'm willing to give him all the food and drink along with bonus gems.

    I didn't heed his orders. I slowly enjoyed the food that was served. The four guards are impatient. They took turns beating the prison bars with their swords and spears. After eating the last bite, fresh cow's milk quenched thirst. Goro is cruel, I shouted to myself. The young samurai hoped that the deliciousness of the food would change my mind. He gave me one last pleasure before chopping my neck.

    Four guards escorted me out of prison with my hands shackled by iron chains. Two spear-carrying guards at the front, two with swords at the back. Passing through a dark alley full of sewage rats, the smell of urine plus the rotting human excrement made the dungeon look very disgusting. It turns out I'm not alone in this basement. 

    I covered my nose as I passed five stuffy cells piled with criminals. Groans and foul odors hit my nose. For reasons I don't understand, they purposely separated me from the other prisoners. Still, moans of pain and screams of pain often came to my cell at night.

    Exiting the dungeon room, I lifted my two handcuffed hands to protect my two eyes from the scorching sun. Days immersed in the underground cavity without a trace of light, made my eyes have to get used to.

    I was greeted with screams of scorn, curses of men, women, and children. A stage measuring approximately three by five meters is available in the middle of the field. Ten meters from the stage, the samurai clan families sat on the stage of honor. The roof made of tassel protects them from the scorching sun. 

    The Sashi Clan, So Sukekuni, and the Fujiwara Clan sat on the back steps. The front row is filled by Iki's ruler, Taira no Kagetaka, along with Goro and Saburo. The Sashi and So Sukekuni Clans excitedly screamed with scorn as I stepped closer to the scene of death.

    Goro, Saburo has a flat face. Fujiwara and Taira look concerned. These two wise samurai have won my heart. If only I could help this country from the attacks of the Ilkhanat forces, then the families of these two samurai would be my top priority.

    On the stage of death, four other prisoners were waiting. Two bodyguards behind me pushed my back up. The stage stands one meter high. Thousands of masses turned up, screaming curses and waving their fists. My execution was carried out in front of a large public. Children make viewing the head off of the body an interesting entertainment.

    The four male villains knelt. Two soldiers carrying spears forced me to kneel following the prisoners. From the mouths of the four prisoners, there was a moan of mercy. Tears flowed freely. Late regret. Two men in their forties, two in their twenties. If they weren't rice thieves, maybe horse thieves. The crime of theft has a heavier penalty than other crimes. Class with traitors Country.

    The leader of the procession is the ruler of the island Iki, Taira no Kagetaka. From the stage of honor, he stood, raised his hand to calm the masses. As if magic leaked out of the raised palm, the mass gradually fell silent.

    "Today, justice must be upheld. Two rice thieves and two horse thieves must pay the price for their actions. The court has found them guilty. No element relieves the convict!"

    Like an orchestra singer, after Taira no Kagetaka finished his remarks for the four criminals, the curses echoed. Kagetaka raised her right hand again. The magical power from the palm of his hand came back into effect. The audience was silent without a single sound. Unlike for the other four inmates, the voice that had been excited shouting their mistakes turned into a tone of concern.

    “This foreigner has also been found guilty. The crime he committed was not cooperating with our nation. Hiding the secrets that can save our country."

    Shouts and curses blared again. They don't care what kind of crime has been committed. The head of the criminal leaving his body is a form of popular entertainment that cannot be enjoyed every day.

    "Executioner! Do your job! " orders Taira no Kagetaka.

    The death attendant was a tall, muscular man. His hand was gripping a large ax. His face was covered with black cloth. But I'm sure, he was my tormentor Five logs with longitudinal human head-width loops. My heart was a little relieved. Each of us had our wood. I didn’t want to share wood marks with other prisoners. Even if the sword was not worthy of me, at least the wooden placemats were new, not used to chop off the heads of previous criminals.

    The four execution officers laid us on our stomachs. Both of our hands were handcuffed behind our backs. The neck snaps into the available holes. No head covering. We would hear, see and share with every head that rolled. Because of my last turn, I felt like I was going to die five times.

    "One!" shouted Kagetaka breaking the silence.

    Sounded the flesh and the neck cut. Blood streaked forward. The crowd at the very front shouted, as fast as lightning retreated backward afraid of being sprayed with blood. One man in his forties met his end. The boy next to him started to struggle. He whines for mercy. His tears were heartbreaking.

    "Two!" Again, Kagetaka's voice was like an angel of death counting its victims.

    The metallic flash of the ax in the sunlight moved swiftly from top to bottom. The sound of flesh and neck bones cut off the sound of crying. The head rolled towards me. His eyes were wide with tears. His tongue stuck out a little. In tears, he met the Creator.

    The two youths were stronger than the previous two men. No whining, no crying. They accepted their fate together with the screams of Kagetaka's count. As with the previous two executions, the two heads rolled without a dramatic scene. Just let go of his body.

    My turn came.

    Every time the count began, flashes of childhood flashed through my head. Mother's love, the harsh education of my father, my sister who I rarely met, combined with the beauty of the times in the tent. Running on the savanna, riding horses with Mongol children regardless of race and nationality. The jokes of the seven loyal warriors under my command intertwined with the painful faces of the woman I killed, then merged with the lewd young girl's pleading for mercy.

    Today I made up for it all with my life. Not dying as a knight at the end of the sword, but picking up death with an ax s***h like a horse thief. Karma behaved strangely. I strengthened my heart. If this karma could atone for my sins, I would accept it with an open heart.

    "Five!"

    I said hello to the world. The Rosary that had been taught during my early education as a Templar knight returned to my ears. I will face my Lord. Sed nomini tuo da gloriam, to Your Name Lord, gave me glory!

    The eve of death moved from top to bottom. The shadow reflected by the sunlight showed the bald executioner lifting his large ax, plunging it down quickly. Just as the ax was split by a second from the neck, I closed my eyelids. There is no point in seeing the world. 

    The beautiful face of the goddess Afro-Thena flashed through my mind.