Through the Eyes of the Dragon

Epilogue

*~Epilogue – The Birth of a New Nation~*

After news of both Akechi and Oda’s fall reached the frontlines, some Azuchians continued to tear away at their enemies, though the unexpected arrival of the Herban army suppressed all hopes of them winning the war. Swiftly, Naoe Kanetsugu had his forces free the RAO soldiers of Akechi’s men, subduing their once allies and calling for a cease-fire.

And alas, the war that ravaged Sengoku for centuries was over. United under the Namikawa banner, the region was finally given time to recover, the people throwing aside their differences for the sake of peace and reconstruction. It did not matter whether a man was nobility or peasantry; all pitched in to bury the dead, rebuild the land, and heal the wounds burned into the soil by the former kingdom boundaries.

The first focus was Aeros. What was left of the Aerosian peoples guided the repair crews, reforming their old villages and towns, though most of their efforts were concentrated on the capitol and the mountains. An entrance was forged into the western and southern edge of the Aerosian Mountains, the earthen resources used to aid in the reconstruction of the region’s cities. The barracks left abandoned by the war were also reformed, as they were to be used to foster Sengoku’s future cavalrymen.

The Dragon’s Pagoda was rebuilt over time, though instead of reusing it as his base of operations, Lord Date Masamune oversaw that it be crafted as a tribute to all the brave men that had dedicated their lives to the eventual unification of their country. Once it was completed, it was later renamed “Naota’s Tower.” He even let some of the local sculptures place a statue of a certain Saitou Tatsuoki up front, a dedication that earned the praise of many of his colleagues.

Next came Azuchi who, thanks to the war, was more or less decimated. Unlike Aeros’s more nature-based materials, Azuchi’s stone basis took some time to fix, though with the removal of solid kingdom borders, the people were able to stay elsewhere until their homes were habitable. The Prisons were dramatically reduced in size, the vacant hence reserved for a future project: the reconstruction of Gaia. Of course, such would not occur for several years.

Implementations were made to institute a new governmental system. The King of Acqua became Emperor, his domain restricted to mainly the southern half of Sengoku, and his powers circulatory around more political issues. Hence, the Militant lord of Aeros was deemed Shogun, whose domain ranged throughout the northern half of Sengoku, and whose powers ruled over any military or social issues.

Though such a split in monarchical power seemed rather risky, the establishment of regional lords in each of the five former kingdoms was pushed forth to act sort of like Date Masamune’s past Council of Elders. Each were hand selected by the Namikawa Dynasts (Date Masamune and Chousokabe Motochika, respectfully), and were responsible for regulating the commerce and overall well being of their domains, as well as executing the will of their leaders. Beneath each would hence be a series of officers who, according to the region’s needs, would be elected by any person, man or woman, over the age of 16.

With time, the scars of war would heal and peace would return to the land. But what of our ‘heroes’?

Several months after the war’s end, a declaration was made announcing a full-fledged week of celebration. The first six days would be dedicated to the glorification of each past kingdom’s culture, the first of which being dedicated to the lost Gaian people. Those of such heritage were able to come out from their hiding, showing to their countrymen all there was to know about their past peoples. Suzuki Magoichi, despite the indirect summons, did not show his face, leaving some to believe him dead.

On the seventh day, a mass wedding was to occur, officially uniting all the region’s lovers. It was a day filled with love, festivities, and happiness, as families were re-united at last. Those once separated by kingdom barriers and deemed ‘forbidden relationships’ were now pure and welcomed, forever benefiting the future generations of the Sengokuan peoples.