Episode 11
Shadow of the Moon, the Sea of Shadow, Chapter Eleven
Wa
Dad, I don't understand.
What's that, Rokuta?
Lord Hosokawa and Lord Yamana are good people, aren't they?
Why are they burning our village?
Rokuta...
I thought the nobles were supposed to help us.
Five hundred years ago...
...there was a war that burned down the capital in Hourai...
...or so it has been told.
The capital? It must've been Kyoto.
Five hundred years ago...
Is it the Oonin War?
I do not know.
The young Taiho was caught in the midst of the war.
He had lost his home and had nothing to eat.
It was a time when not many young children survived.
He's not strong.
He gets fever just from seeing blood.
I don't think he's going to...
But...
We can't even support ourselves.
Son, you stay here.
I'll be right back, so don't move from here, okay?
Okay, I won't go anywhere.
You're a good boy, Rokuta.
Just wait here.
I'm not going back...
I'm not going to make them sad...
I'll stay here, until the war is over, and everyone is happy again...
And then they'll come back here and pray for me...
I'll wait here until then.
Meanwhile on Mt. Hou, everyone was frantically looking for the Kirin's Ranka...
...which had been lost in a Shoku.
I'm nothing more than skin and bones.
The Taiho thought his Nyokai had come to eat him...
He laughs about it even now.
Koukai
Mt. Hou
Wow...
So is this a Kirin, Lady Shoushun?
How beautiful...
Behave yourself, Teiei.
We Nyosen are here to serve the Kirin.
You must not disturb him.
But how are we supposed to serve him if he remains asleep?
Enki has spent four long years in Hourai.
He needs some time to rest.
Yes, Ma'am...
You should get back to your duties now.
Yes, Ma'am.
We hope you will become an adult Kirin soon, the future of En depends on you.
Enki...
Kirin are raised and treated with great care...
...as the masters of Mt. Hou until they mature.
May he grow strong and healthy...
...and may he return to En before long.
En...
Is that the name of my kingdom?
Yes.
It was such a beautiful place.
I want to see it.
You will, very soon.
When your horn grows longer, you'll become an adult Kirin.
Then you will choose a ruler, and go back to En together.
I want to see the kingdom now.
Is this the Kingdom of En?
Yes...
This is where my village used to be, but it is the same anywhere you go now.
The devastation is called Setsuzan.
It occurs when the trouble becomes so great that...
...even the royal palace at Mt. Ryouun falls to ruin.
The previous king, Kyou-Ou, oppressed the people and ruined the land.
Kyou-Ou fell as a result, however...
...the last Enki was unable to find the next king.
So this is all the king's fault, isn't it?
All I know is Kyou-Ou destroyed my village.
But why?
I would not know...
...but I still remember that day clearly...
...the day my village was burned.
Just like the time my village was burned down...
The only survivors were children...
...and there was not enough food for all of us.
So I came here, the shrine of Oubo, and prayed to Sei-Oubo of Gozan.
I prayed to be taken to Mt. Hou, and become a Sen-nin.
I held onto the fallen pillar and kept praying.
"I'll never let go of the pillar until the day I die, no matter what happens."
After I prayed about a thousand times...
...I was visited by the people of Gozan, and they made me a Sen-nin.
But I never imagined I'd have the honor to look after you, Enki.
You will choose a ruler someday...
...and the new ruler will save the Kingdom of En and the people.
How can you be so sure?
I'm not going to choose anyone.
You will, because that is the Kirin's calling.
Kings don't care about the people.
Wars happen because of kings.
Do you really want a king, even if he's like Hosokawa or Yamana?
I'm not going to choose a ruler.
I'm not going to let any more kids suffer the way you and I did.
Enki...
Please save En...
When the Taiho matured...
...many people of En took a long, dangerous trip to Mt. Hou.
They would travel there to see if they could be the next ruler.
So, what do you think?
I don't sense the Ouki from anybody.
They all look useless to me.
The Heavens will give you the Tenkei when you meet the real ruler.
You will know when you see him.
A Kirin can choose a ruler, no matter how young he is.
Stay back!
Your Majesty, I am En's enforcement officer, Ribi.
Enki senses no Ouki from you, so back off!
Forgive my rudeness, but I am not here to seek the throne.
Then why have you come here to Mt. Hou?
I came to ask Enki...
My duty is to punish criminals, and I have been doing so accordingly, however...
...do I have the right to punish people for doing what they have to do to survive?
How can I punish the parents who had to drown their dear child in a well...
...because they didn't have enough food?
Enki, please give us a ruler...
...so no parents will have to kill their own children...
I can't.
Enki...
Kings are the cause of all the problems...
So I can't...
I won't do it.
Enki?
I won't choose a ruler!
Enki!
Enki...
A Meishoku?
Enki!
The Taiho brought forth a Shoku and headed to Wa.
Did he go to see his parents?
The capital had been burned down, and he could not locate his family.
How awful...
The Taiho wandered around Wa for three years.
During his aimless journey, he met the man who would become our king.
There was a small territory at the bay of Setouchi.
The Komatsu clan that had been ruling there was on the verge of extinction.
Where is the Lord, Young Master?
It was too late, he didn't make it.
We have lost our Lord...
That'll make you our new Lord, Young Master.
Give us the word.
We'll escape to the castle on the island!
Don't leave anyone behind!
Use every single boat!
Don't leave anything to the Murakami clan, especially your lives!
Oh, you came to...
Young Master!
He has come to.
Yokuhi?
The smell of blood must have gotten to you.
It is also affecting our ability to move.
Young Mas...
I mean my Lord, the kid is awake.
Just call me Young Master.
The Lord has found you and brought you here, you should be grateful.
Kid, what happened?
Got separated from your parents?
You aren't from around here, are you?
I don't know if you're in luck or not, since you were picked up by me.
You will know when you meet him.
You are...
My name is Naotaka Saburou Komatsu.
As of last night, I'm the lord of this land.
Young Master.
I told you, he is now our Lord.
We're sorry about your father.
Those Murakami bastards!
I knew it was him right away...
He was the king that would destroy En.
Young Master, we're ready to take up arms.
Are you crazy?
We'll all be in danger if an old fool like you started shooting off arrows.
Then the women will help!
We can row the boats as well as men!
Take it easy.
It'd be a waste to let good looking women like yourselves die.
How about a wrinkled old woman?
Of course, not!
We can't afford to lose our old beauties, either!
I've sent a man to make peace with the Murakami clan.
I'm sure they'll be happy to avoid an unnecessary battle.
If you can't beat them, join them, eh?
It won't be too bad for us to work under the Murakami clan.
If you don't like it, you can go wherever you want.
Maybe I could become their personal servant.
What a coward!
You got that right.
Oh, it's you...
There's nothing to see here.
You might get shot by the Murakami arrows.
So these Murakami guys are the enemy?
You don't know anything about this area, do you?
That is the Murakami fleet.
They rule the islands of Setouchi.
They've been after this land of the Komatsu for some time...
...but, they finally decided to make their move.
Now we're completely surrounded.
You're going to surrender, aren't you?
That was our plan, but they killed our messenger.
The Murakami clan are determined to kill us all.
But why?
My Komatsu clan are sea warriors, just like they are.
They are afraid that if they let any of us live, we will revolt.
You mean everyone is going to be killed?
Tomorrow morning, some of my men and I will bait them with my warship.
You should escape with others while we buy some time.
What about you?
I doubt they'll let me live.
I'll make a perfect decoy.
If a battle breaks out, the smell and sight of blood will also make us weak.
I suggest we take the King now.
You knew the King was here, that is why you came here, is it not?
No.
If we let the King die in the battle, En will lose its new king.
But...
He is fighting a war now.
What if he starts a war in En, too?
Are you telling me to escape?
I don't think so.
What will happen to the Komatsu clan if you die?
We've prepared a double for you.
While he draws the attention of the Murakami, we want you to escape.
Don't be ridiculous!
I'm the lord of this land.
And you're telling me to abandon my people?
But the Komatsu clan needs you, sir.
My people have been pampering me, calling me Young Master.
But what am I, if I abandon them now?
Young Master...
They didn't follow me because of my personality or my skill.
They followed and supported me, because...
...I would be the leader of the Komatsu clan someday.
Now you're telling me to lead the Komatsu clan without them?
That's absurd!
What's a land worth without people?
What am I supposed to do, sitting in a castle all by myself?
Tomorrow, we'll attack the Murakami clan, I'll be leading the vanguard.
Make sure you let the people escape.
Let's see how many lives I can save with my head.
Bring it forward!
Young Master, I'm the last one...
Our job has been done.
Young Master!
You fools, why did you come back?
Young Master!
Stop it!
Am I...
You're the only one I could save.
I'm sorry.
I wasn't able to save my people...
It's not your fault.
Every time they called me Young Master...
...they entrusted me with their hopes.
It built up inside of me every time they called...
They depended on me to protect them, but I wasn't even able to do that...
I will never be able to forgive myself for this...
Do you want a kingdom?
I do.
Even if the kingdom is not wealthy and its land is infertile?
It doesn't matter.
A king is nothing more than a fool without a kingdom.
You could have a kingdom and people...
...but only on one condition.
You have to forget about everything you have here.
There is nothing for me to stay here for now, I have lost everything.
You can never come back to this sea.
If you accept that, I will give you a kingdom.
Do you want to be a king?
Yes, I do.
I bestow the crown by the will of the Heavens.
From this moment on, I will never disobey your orders...
...and I swear never to desert my post before your throne.
Accept my protection and the promise of the Heavens.
You will carry the hope of the people, and I will carry the weight of the kingdom.
I accept.
His Majesty and the Taiho are both indeed Taika.
However, they both belong here in this kingdom.
When there's nothing left like this, I can't do any worse, can I?
Shall we go to this Mt. Hou you told me about?
A mission is waiting for me, right?
Thank you.
I shall not fail.
The shadow of the moon reflects over the Sea of Emptiness.
Let's sleep in the soft silver luster for now.
In my memory, I kept looking for...
...warmth in the lonely rain.
Even if my body dies I will keep running...
...until I reach the rainbow at the end of the world.
Sometimes people choose to commit sins.
People are foolish.
When they are in pain, they become even more foolish.
The Twelve Kingdoms, Episode 12...
Episode 12
Shadow of the Moon, the Sea of Shadow, Chapter Twelve
Shadow of the Moon, The Sea of Shadow, Chapter Twelve.