Drew Kim
World Lit.
1/26/07
The Calm Before the Storm
Looking out into the horizon, the sun was just creeping over the edge of the mountains. It was calm much like any other day in western Nagoya, Japan. A crane had just flown into the valley and had perched itself upon the stable. I had awoken just moments ago looked up at the white bird up on its lofty peak. Contained within intense thought, I pondered the easy life of a bird. Oh, how I would like to be a bird, they have true freedom. They can escape the binds of the earth and soar amongst the clouds. They do not have responsibilities to anyone but themselves. At this time I felt a great deal of confusion within myself. I had been trained my entire life to serve one purpose, and now I was faced with serving this duty. However, the mere thought of what I would soon be doing went against everything in my human soul.
At a very young age I had been named the apprentice of the local blacksmith Toyotomi. He was the personal swordsmith for Oda Nobunaga and his clan of Samurai whom lived on the mountain ridge above the valley. Toyotomi had always allowed me to train with wooden swords behind his shop. One day, when Master Toyotomi wasn’t around I saw a Katana that he had just finished. It bore the seal of the Nobunaga clan, and was likely being repaired for one of the samurai. As I had become quite skilled with the practice swords I wanted to practice with a real sword. I carelessly damaged the blade, and being scared I left it there and ran home. The next day when I came to train with Master Toyotomi, his shop had been ransacked, lit on fire, and Master Toyotomi had been left there for dead. I had only guessed that it was my fault due to the damaged Katana blade. Out of a feeling of fear and dishonor I left the village and never returned. It was soon after I left the village that I was desperate for shelter and food. It was then that the Azuma clan of Ninjas approached me. Assassins trained in the ways subtlety and depict. They trained me, honing my already decent combat skills, and gave me the ability to live amongst them. It was not until many years later that I learned that their purpose, was that of an aggressive overthrow. This overthrow was against the very people who had terrorized my people and ruined my life.
Now I had finally been given the opportunity for justice, and to return some honor to my life. Many saw the Nobunaga clan as a morally outstanding group of men who based their lives upon honor. However, I have always known the truth about their ways. They had often taken advantage of the villagers in the valley taking whatever they wished. They had filled my life with such anger that when I had the chance to get even a small amount of revenge I took it. However, by accepting this deal I would become an outlaw and never be able to return to my previous way of living. This did not daunt me as I had lived the life of a rogue ever since I left my village as a young man. I knew that this was my destiny.
Honda soon emerged, already dressed in his dark blue garb with his split toe boots and sword approached me. He told me that we would be moving out within the hour and to meet him and the others soon. I meditated for a few moments before finally preparing my weapons and armor. I thought about the kindness of my former master and how he had been the truest father figure in my life. Soon much of the remorse that I had been feeling left my body, as I felt the thirst for revenge for his death. I felt the guilt once more, as my childish acts had caused his death. I was doing the right thing; I was defending the honor of an innocent man who was slain by absolute vermin. However, I would forever be the one who was seen as the immoral. I had accepted these facts when I had become a Ninja, an assassin. I never would have imagined that I would one day be hired by an opposing Daimyo to take out the Nobunaga clan and its leaders, but when I was offered this job I knew it was meant to be. As I looked up from my deep meditation I saw the crane still perched on the rooftop. With a smooth spread of his wings he was able to rise high above into the sky. At this calm right before the flurry of blades in battle, I was able to find peace. And like the crane soaring into the sky, I was finally able to feel freedom.
Oh, how calm it is,
Before the storm I find peace,
Now my soul is Free
2 comments:
Your concept of revenge is an interesting one. It made me think, "Is the life of one man worth the killing of a whole clan," as the asassins were planning to wipe out the Nobunaga clan. I also loved your metaphor of the white bird and how you began and closed your story with this imagery of the bird. I think the main character had freedom because he was able to make choices regarding who he would side with, and who he would in turn kill. The bird on the other hand, as well as other animals, don't have the ability to make these kind of choices and therefore possess less freedom.
Your complex story is well organized and successfully pulls you in at the beginning with an intgriguing introduction, then holds your attention with the rest of the story. I liked the bird analogy, it lets the reader feel the calm which the subject is feeling, and is nicely brought back at the end for a well written conclusion. You depict the feeling of revenge well, instead of foolishly rushing into a big war of bloodshed where many lives will be lost due to one man, he ponders it first and makes a decision.
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