THE COURTYARD
As Musashi stood on the royal platform on the left hand side of Lord Tokugawa, his hand embraced the hilt of his sword, knowing what was about to happen and what it would cost him if he failed. Here came Fukushima walking out into the middle of the courtyard with a royal sword in his hands. Ieyasu had been generous and had allowed Fukushima to pick the blade to which would be his end. Just as Fukushima turned to perform Hara-kiri in front of the Lord with a stone cold face, Musashi flew off the platform and charged through the now mucky soil, which had absorbed so much rain. One samurai had his waist separated from his chest, another lost his head and a third lost his arm that bore his sword. Musashi turned and yelled at Fukushima “run you fool!” and with that, Fukushima ran to the gates of the castle, fleeing for his life. He was now a fugitive and a coward, and Musashi a traitor to his Shogun. More loyal yet ignorant and pathetic samurai charged at Musashi. It seemed as though he was swamped. With one final blow Musashi found a gap in the crowd surrounding him and made a break for the gates too. The gates were being closed now, it would be close. Musashi threw his sword at the gates and through an extreme case of luck it managed to wedge between the gates and hold them open. He ran and jumped over the blade just before it snapped and the gates crashed together. “Open the gates you idiots,” screamed Tokugawa. “OPEN THEM NOW!”

Walk Of Silence