Amessage from Lady Asaji.
She says: If Miki will not open the gate,
His Lordship's corpse will open it.
Open the gate!
His Lordship has returned.
This is Washizu. I am here with His Lordship's coffin.
How is Her Ladyship?
She killed herself.
She did not want to live to see an enemy take the castle.
That spirit in the forest did indeed see the future clearly.
Now that His Lordship is dead, Inui will very probably attack.
Only the strongest can protect this castle.
I will say this at council and recommend you as the successor.
We will speak of this later.
Where is the North Castle?
There, beside the hill.
It looks so small down there.
We have climbed high with Lord Washizu.
Our luck would be complete if only he had an heir.
Are you still of the same mind?
Do you insist upon giving this castle to Miki's son?
Without his father's recommendations, this castle would not now be mine.
I owe everything to Miki and his friendship.
I must pay my debts.
You need not, my lord.
Friendship did not enter into Miki's recommendation.
You know that very well.
Enough!
Miki is a brave man. And he is also a wise one.
He is both worst enemy and best friend.
By making his son my heir,
I make certain his eternal loyalty.
I will announce my decision at the banquet.
Be kind to Miki and his son tonight.
I did not stain my hands with blood
to forward Yoshiteru, Miki's son.
My reign ends with me.
Miki's son then rules.
That is what the spirit said. There is no changing it.
I will change it.
How? We have no heir.
Must we adopt someone?
I am with child.
Your horse has never before been like this.
He will not let us saddle him.
This is an evil omen. Let us stay here, Father.
We are guests of honor. We must go.
Father...
as I have said, I much appreciate your thinking of me, but...
Are you complaining?
I am not.
Only I cannot believe this...
this prophecy.
You cannot?
I heard it with my own ears.
For Washizu it has all come true.
Why not for us?
You speak thus because you are bewitched.
Believing some poor forest hag and acting on her words,
then thinking they have come true.
This is lunacy.
Then disbelieve if you must.
It is no lunacy to believe that Washizu will make you his heir.
Think...
Forest Castle could be yours...
without a drop of blood being shed.
That possessed horse! I could not go to the castle because of him.
And so you missed the free wine.
Our master's horse!
What could be keeping Miki?
Our lord too is wondering. It is not like Miki to be late.
All of you wicked, listen while
I tell of a man, vain
Guileful, vile
Who though ambitious, insolent
Could not escape his punishment
Stop the dance!
It is Miki!
How dare you!
Go away!
Calm yourself.
He has had too much wine.
Sometimes when he has drunk too much, he acts like this.
I think His Lordship's death still hangs heavy on his mind.
I am drunk.
What is the matter?
Why do you not celebrate?
Go on! Drink!
Captain Miki is very late.
It is said that enemy spies are in our province.
I am worried.
He is here again.
You who hate me, why not draw your sword?
Pay no attention.
He will become himself when he is sober.
This happy occasion is spoiled.
Please accept my apologies.
Go!
Admirable, my lord!
You who would rule the entire nation
allow a ghost to frighten you.
I have brought Miki's head.
Leave me.
You may go.
My lord!
There is something more you must know.
What about his son?
I wounded him...
but he escaped.
My apologies, sir.
What a wind!
The whole castle is shaking.
And no wonder.
The foundations have long been rotting.
Many captains and generals used to come to pay homage to our lord,
but no more.
The further away from him, the safer.
Already his suspicions have forced two commanders to kill themselves.
Miki is said to have been killed by Inui's men. Who knows?
It is rumored that Yoshiteru, Miki's son, is staying with Inui.
And he would not be if Inui killed his father.
Both Noriyasu and Master Kunimaru are also said to be staying there.
What will come of it?
I cannot believe that this castle is as strong as it was.
I heard something, too.
The rats have begun to leave.
It is said that rats leave the house just before it burns.
How is she?
Is she all right?
Tell me!
Say something!
I... I do not know what to say, sir.
The child was stillborn.
It had been dead within her.
The lady, my lord, is near death.
Fool!
Amessenger from Fort One, sir.
Inui's men have crossed the border and surrounded the fort.
Noriyasu is the leader. He says he will avenge the late lord.
Fort Two is also besieged.
Miki's son is attacking.
Forts One and Two have turned against us...
have joined forces to attack Fort Three.
Cowards!
In council for two hours, yet no one has a useable plan.
I will ask no more, nor waste more time with you.
Get my horse!
Come out!
Evil spirit!
Come out, evil spirit!
Honorable master of Forest Castle.
Is it true that Miki's son will succeed to the castle?
So, you have reached your goal.
I congratulate you.
Answer me!
Come! Tell my future if you can!
Rest assured, my lord.
You will never lose a single battle...
unless the very forest begins to move...
and approaches the castle.
How can a forest move?
Impossible!
Then I will never lose a single battle!
If you choose ambition, lord...
then choose it honestly, with cruelty.
I will kill them all... Noriyasu, Kunimaru, and Miki's son, too!
If you would make a mountain of the dead,
pile it so it reaches the sky.
I build anew atop these skeletons.
If you would shed blood, then let it run as a river.
I will! I will paint the entire forest!
You, Noriyasu!
Join Inui if you will, and let others join you.
Let all my forts turn against me.
Let even your thousands attack my castle!
Listen, men.
This forest is a natural labyrinth.
If you follow the trails.
Avoid them.
Once within the forest, go straight ahead. Do not let the trails deceive you.
Our men have abandoned the forest?
You fool!
You let your men yield our best defense without shooting a single arrow?
The enemy is lead by Noriyasu. He knows the forest well.
There is no need for alarm.
Listen, men!
The victory belongs to those who win the final battle.
Courage, men!
Trust me.
I will not, cannot, lose a single battle.
If you do not believe me, I will tell you.
It was when I was in command of Fort One.
On my way here, having crushed both revolt and Inui,
I met a woman in the forest.
She told me
I would be the master of North Castle
and then this one.
Here I am.
Her prophecy has proved true in every detail.
Today...
I went again to the forest.
I commanded her to tell me my future.
Whatever may happen,
I will not lose a single battle.
The woman said
that unless this forest begins to move, comes to this castle,
I shall not be defeated.
Men, do you think this forest would ever move?
If you trust me, raise your weapons!
I can see nothing at all.
They have not made even a fire. What are they doing?
Listen! What is that?
Perhaps they are making fences, expecting us to attack first.
Noriyasu may be wise,
but he cannot defeat the man who planned this castle.
They cannot see us here inside,
while we can see them all.
Wait until they come closer, then let them learn the taste of our arrows.
An evil omen!
What cowardly remark is that?
Afortunate omen.
It means the enemy is trapped.
My lady!
Will it never be gone?
The blood.
I wash and wash,
yet the blood remains...
and the smell!
Will my hands never again be clean?
Asaji!
There is still blood.
My hands. Why do they not become clean?
I wash...
and wash...
still they smell of blood.
Fools!
This is no time to run.
Sir! The forest! Look at the forest!
The forest has begun to move toward us!
It is impossible! How can a forest move?
What are you doing? Do not leave your posts!
Go back to your posts!
Cowards!
You who would give my head to the enemy, and then beg to surrender.
Traitors! Dogs! This is high treason!
Who killed His Lordship?
They can see us from the castle.
Use the supply carts.
Push them before you.
Use the trees, branches, anything. Do not let them see you.
Behold, within this now desolated place
There once stood a mighty fortress
There once lived a proud warrior
Who was murdered by ambition
Still his spirit walks His fame is known
For what once was, so now still is true
Murderous ambition will pursue
Beyond the grave to give its due
THE END