Oda!

The day was hot under the blistering sun and the man climbing up the steps stopped momentarily - but not from the heat. Goose bumps stood out on both his arms. The journey to Japan had been long in the planning. At last, he was nearing the final destination. As if approaching a hurricane, the gusts of feelings grew stronger with every step. With such torrents swimming in his head, time and space grew faint...

Azuchi castle. Destroyed over 400 years ago but still alive in him. In passing the countryside, tears had swelled in his eyes. This precious land so long removed from him. The smells, the vibes, the ancient echoes of deeds now forgotten rushed back into his veins. His composure crumbled under the storm of emotions and he spent several days just wandering the footpaths and staring into the sky, haunted by dreams of old.


The land took him back; remembering his footsteps of yore, it welcomed him home. "Ah so ka, I'm Japanese once more." They named it differently now but to him it would always be Owari, the place where it all began. A small, inconsequential province rising up to conquer all of Japan. The fear and excitement filled his nostrils from across the centuries. Oda Nobunaga lives!

"Nobunaga was a fireball who was cunning and highly intelligent (his mercurial personality was his downfall as he was later assassinated by one of own his own generals who feared he had fallen into disfavor with his ruthless liege lord). The Sengoku era was a battle of wits as much as a military one. When the reins of power were handed over to Nobunaga as a teenager, he feigned the role of a spoiled child who did nothing but use his military men for hunting parties.

In reality, the ‘hunting parties’ were used to secretly practice maneuvers. Appearing to be no threat to the surrounding domains, he was thus able to buy time to strengthen himself before revealing his true face. Fearlessly, his first battle was that of his 2,500 men against an army of 20,000. The larger army stormed through the Oda territory taking castles and laughing at the ease of their conquest. Resting and reveling in victory, storm clouds brought a driving rain as the invaders prepared for lunch. But out of the rain came the Oda army, attacking the invaders’ headquarters and cutting off the head of their lord, causing such confusion that the entire 20,000 fled."

The decision to fight had been glorious. No other man could have done it. No other man had his destiny. But drinking from the cup of glory had blinded him. He had to do more than just honor the sword. He knew that - he just wouldn't admit that. After conquering half of Japan and primed to conquer the rest, Oda was cut down. But this was Owari, recalling times of the more innocent beginning...

The more steps he climbed, the more aware he became. The trees and wind and sky were timeless now. Time itself ceased as a dimension. Ecstasy and heartbreak mingled in equal proportions. His precious castle gone; no monument to his magnificent achievements. He could have had it all: ruler of Japan and a dynasty for the ages.


"Oda-a-a-a-a-a-a-a!" The wail was bone chilling. "You fucked up!"