Darkness. That was all Shibata Katsuie could see and feel. He remembered how the combined forces of Shingen, Uesugi, Date, Maeda, Motochika and Mori attacked Azuchi castle, how he and his forces put up a fight, and how in the end, Oda was defeated and killed. He wasn't sure how to feel now. With the man he had rebelled against, lost to, and served as a lowly soldier gone, all Shibata could feel was nothing.

"So this is how my life ends...Fitting I suppose..."

Shibata was closing his eyes, accepting his fate, when he began to hear voices. "Shibata! Shibata! Wake up! You can't die here!" Opening his eyes, he saw the ruins of Azuchi, smoke rising above, and in front of him, the remains of the Oda army. The man in front of him was Ryujin Hayashi, a general of the Oda army and the man who leaded the vanguard he was in.

"Welcome back from the land of the dead Katsuie. Glad to see your still in one piece." Katsuie rubbed his head, taking a breath to confirm he wasn't dreaming. Helping him up, Ryujin patted his shoulder. "General, what has happened? is this all that's left of the army?" Ryujin looked down, disappointment evident on his face. "It is Katsuie. Lord Nobunaga is dead, lady Nohime is gone, we don't know what happened to Ranmaru, and Mitsuhide dead."

Shibata took a moment to let the facts sink in. He already knew Oda was finished, but Nohime, Ranmaru and Mitsuhide gone? That was another deal to take in. One more person came to his mind however. "General, what of lady Oichi? Is she alright? Is she safe?" The question Ryujin was uncertain if he could answer. He felt pity for her after Nagamasa was killed, but he didn't know of her fate. "I'm sorry Katsuie, but I don't know. I was fighting while she was in the castle. I assume she unfortunetly persished in the flames..."

Shibata didn't say anything. His face in fact had nothing on it. Ryujin knew that Shibata had a likng towards Oichi, but didn't know how much. "I'm sorry Katsuie. I truly am." Shibata cupped his face with his hand, trying to hide his emotions as Ryujin went about to organize the remnants, making sure that all survivors are accounted for, and trying to see if he could organize them into a proper fighting force. He knew the chances were slim, as now they were a shadow of their former selves, but he had a job to do and he would be damned if he didn't see it through.

"Alright men listen up! While our lord may be gone, we are still the Demon's army! If we must, we will fight to rise from the ashes, and let the Oda show what is rightfully theirs!" The men cheered as Ryujin rallied and raised their spirits. Shibata stood beside Ryujin. "General, if I may, I have a place we may regroup." Ryujn raised an eyebrow. "Oh? and where commander Katsuie?" Shibata was baffled at first, thinking why Ryujin was calling him commander, before realizing that Ryujin meant what he said. "Well general, we can regroup at Kitanosho castle in Echizen." Shibata's faced remained as it was, though Ryujin was unsure whether he could sense a tiny spark in his tone. Nonetheless, he was glad Katsuie was alive.

"Very well then, lead us there, commander."

Camps were set up as the remnants were settling in. Ryujin was glad that they at least had a place to reorganize and reprepare themselves for future conflicts. He was over seeing some men organize the horses and the rifles. The future was uncertain for them, as when the land of the rising sun learned of them, the possbility of elimination of the remnants seems plausible.

"General, the fortifications are set, guards are patrolling the perimeters, and parties have been organized to gain supplies." Ryuji turned to see Katsuie, now with his reverse blade naginata on his back, in front of him. His expression still the stoic look as it was. "Very good Katsuie." Ryujin took a breath. "Katsuie, as commander, you are the second in command. Despite what lord Nobunaga did to you, you are the most skilled and trustworthy soldier I have now. There is no other I would gladly have." Shibata was a bit surprised by the praise, feeling that he was unworthy of such praise. "Thank you general, but I feel that there are others better suited.." Ryujin raised a hand to silence him.

"Not another word, Katsuie. You deserve the position." Ryujin smiled as work was finishing, seeing the sun rise once more, and hopefully, to a better time for the remants, and perhaps for Katsuie, a better life.

In the ruins of Azuchi castle, the sounds and echos of crying could be heard. The cries that sounds like the wails of the dead, screaming for release from their torment resonated the silent and destroyed halls. In the room where the moonlight shined, revealed a woman wearing pink and black, with long black hair, on her knees crying. The woman was Oichi, in between the boundary between life and death, neither human nor spirit. The darkness around her manifested as large claws, squirming and grasping at whatever they felt.

"Waaah..." Oichi could only feel sorrow for all that has occurred. The death of her beloved Nagamasa Azai, Mitsuhide's betrayal and murder of Nagamasa, being used by her older brother. She felt that all of that was her fault. Her life had been hell on earth after Nagamasa's death, and she cried. The arms of darkness grasped themselves around her, lifting her and moving her around like a puppet, though their movements were gentle and delicate, not wanting to harm her.

"Why...Why did all of this happen? Why...?" Oichi began to feel her memories disappear bit by bit, the pain going away. As this happened, she began to sing. "Wander freely, wander far, off beneath the Devil's star. In the dark, the girl so bright, got up to see the day by night. Her fear in hand, her fear in heart, her fear did tear her soul apart. The white of flesh, the white of bone, the worms will leave your soul alone. Ask you now, and ask you may, the fate of all on this fair day. On and on the road does go, down into the depths below. Off you went to call the king, you wish to hear, the Devil sing..."

The last sentence of her song was uttered darkly, as her eyes changed to the color black. Released from the claws of shadow, Oichi continued to cry, the echoes sounding out throughout the night, and more to come.