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1.
Tahomaru sat down on the slope of the riverbank with a huff.
Something was rotten in the state of Daigo, and Tahomaru knew it had to do with his beloved mother and father. He didn't want to think ill of his own parents, but it was clear that they were hiding a dark secret.
However, whenever he tried to explain his theories to Mutsu and Hyogo, they delicately suggested that he focus on other matters. The three of them had grown up together, but ultimately his attendants reported to the leader of the Daigo clan and not him. Aggrieved by the reminder of their competing loyalties and their refusal to acknowledge his worries, Tahomaru decided to lose them in the bustle of the town. He hadn't pulled such a childish move for years, but he couldn't stand feeling stifled by his ever-present companions for another minute.
Tahomaru blamed his frustrated frame of mind for why it took him so long to realize that he was not alone.
His head jerked up as he heard a splash. In front of Tahomaru was a most curious sight.
A swordsman washing his sword of rusted blood was not so unusual. But the swordsman's very own arm served as his weapon! A few feet away was the source of the blood, a recently killed demon.
Even dead, the demon looked ferocious. Tahomaru wouldn't have attempted to take such a creature on without the support of several men, and it seemed like this swordsman had decimated the demon singlehandedly. He must have been uncommonly skilled.
Tahomaru could feel his competitive spirit rising. "Who are you?" he demanded.
The swordsman shifted slightly towards him but did not otherwise respond.
Having been raised as the only son of Kagemitsu Daigo, Tahomaru was accustomed to a certain level of deference. He had certainly never been outright ignored.
"I'm speaking to you!" he spluttered. "It is quite rude of you not to answer."
The swordsman turned to fully face Tahomaru. "You want to know my name?" His voice was hoarse and halting, as if he rarely spoke.
"Do you see anyone else here?" Tahomaru said impatiently.
The swordsman pointed his bladed arm at the freshly killed demon.
Tahomaru could feel the vein in his temple throb. "I don't want to know the damn corpse's name! I want to know who you are!"
The swordsman sheathed his blade with a prosthetic arm. "Hyakkimaru."
Hyakkimaru, meaning "one hundred demons." A fitting name, as it seemed he could take on another ninety-nine with ease.
"How did you kill that demon?" Tahomaru wanted to know.
Hyakkimaru lifted his hands as if to say, with these!
Tahomaru rephrased his question. "I mean, how were you able to kill the demon by yourself? It's an incredible feat."
Hyakkimaru cocked his head in confusion. "It was not so hard."
Not so hard? This man was on an entirely different level! Tahomaru's mouth opened and closed wordlessly.
With no further questions to address, Hyakkimaru nodded and began walking away.
Tahomaru found his words. "Wait! Where are you going?"
"Back to Dororo" was the response, which meant absolutely nothing to him.
Hyakkimaru was like no man Tahomaru had ever met. "How long are you staying in this town?"
"A few days, maybe."
"Come here again tomorrow at noontime," Tahomaru commanded.
"Why."
"Because I want to speak to you again."
"...okay."
2.
Sword at the ready, Tahomaru declared, "Battle me, Hyakkimaru! Let's see who is the superior warrior between the two of us!"
"No," Hyakkimaru said calmly.
Was Tahomaru so beneath him that he wasn't even worth dueling? "Why not?"
"Your soul is not red. I won't fight beings without red souls unless they attack me first," Hyakkimaru explained.
Red soul? What in Buddha's name was that supposed to mean? But Hyakkimaru showed no signs of unsheathing his blade, and Tahomaru eventually lowered his sword. He had enough honor that he wasn't willing to attack an unarmed man.
"Fine," he grumbled, "then, at least let me examine your arms! I've never seen such fine craftsmanship before."
Hyakkimaru held still as Tahomaru felt along the seams of his elbow, between flesh and wood.
"Did you replace your arms with blades after you were injured in battle?" Tahomaru interrogated.
"No. Born without them."
Tahomaru looked up. At such a close distance, he finally beheld Hyakkimaru's features. His skin was pale and his face was as delicate as any doll's.
With his mother considered one of the exquisite women in the land, Tahomaru was no stranger to beauty. Yet there was something different about Hyakkimaru's allure. Nui was like a flower blooming in spring, delicate and elegant. Hyakkimaru was like a winter's gale, stark and deadly. His mother always had a warm, compassionate gaze, even if she had trouble looking at Tahomaru. Hyakkimaru's eyes were dark and strangely flat.
Tahomaru leaned in closer. The pupils did not track him. "Are you...blind?"
Hyakkimaru nodded.
"You were born that way as well?"
Hyakkimaru nodded again.
Tahomaru could scarcely imagine what that would have been like. Some parents might have considered a mercy to kill such a baby at birth.
But here Hyakkimaru stood, more skilled and more worldly than Tahomaru despite his manifold advantages. Hyakkimaru had made something out of what others would have seen as a wretched life.
It made Tahomaru realize that the world was larger than he knew and he was far from conquering it. It also heightened his admiration for Hyakkimaru to the point which his envy finally quieted.
3.
"Tell me about the monsters you've fought."
Hyakkimaru was a terrible storyteller. He had no sense of dramatic tension or proportion. He would never win any awards for his oration. But with the type of stories he had to tell, it didn't matter.
He spoke of demons who resembled beautiful women, cursed swords, and bird-like monsters.
Tahomaru's recollections of dojo fights and visits to nearby towns were unimpressive in comparison, but Hyakkimaru listened intently nonetheless.
"It's good that you want to be stronger," he said simply.
They had led completely different lives up to this moment, but Tahomaru felt a connection to Hyakkimaru. He might never fully understand him, but he wanted to keep trying. He was simultaneously at ease and electrified in his presence.
"Hyakkimaru," Tahomaru said.
When Hyakkimaru turned his head, Tahomaru leaned over and kissed him.
Hyakkimaru was clearly inexperienced, and after they broke away a moment later, Tahomaru wasn't overly surprised when he asked, "...what was that?"
"A kiss."
"Why."
"It's something you do with a person you like."
"I should kiss Dororo too?"
By now, Tahomaru had pieced together that Dororo was Hyakkimaru's companion and spending time with a friend nearby.
"No, don't kiss Dororo!" Tahomaru said hastily. "Just me. Promise?"
Hyakkimaru thought it over and agreed. "Promise. Again."
And again they kissed.
4.
On Hyakkimaru's last day in town, Tahomaru booked a room at the inn.
Judging by his wondering expression, Hyakkimaru had little experience sleeping on something as soft as a futon. It made Tahomaru wish he could always cosset him in such comfort.
"May I disrobe you?" Tahomaru asked softly.
They never took their clothes off at the riverbank, too wary of an unwanted interruption from passersby. This was the first time he saw Hyakkimaru completely naked. The slight discoloration between his arm sheathes and actual skin was more obvious this way. His left leg appeared to be a prosthetic as well. Both his skin and his wooden coverings were covered in scars and nicks from old battles.
He was beautiful.
"Can I touch you?"
They learned together on the riverbank that Hyakkimaru was inexperienced but very responsive. His pleasure was always tinged with surprise and a sense of discovery.
Tahomaru continued asking questions throughout.
"Does that feel good?"
"Can I kiss you here?"
"Does it hurt?"
If no one had taught Hyakkimaru about sex, they had also never taught him shame. He responded frankly and without self-consciousness to each of Tahomaru's questions.
"Yes."
"Not there, higher."
"More."
After they finished together, Tahomaru was struck by a strange feeling of loss. He had only known Hyakkimaru for a few days, yet he felt as if he had known him his whole life at the same time.
The flush was already fading from Hyakkimaru's face and chest as he pulled on his kimono. He hesitated for a moment before bending down to place a kiss on Tahomaru's lips.
"Goodbye."
5.
Tahomaru never would have predicted that they would be reunited only two weeks later.
Mutsu and Hyogo had been sticking to him closer than ever since he snuck off without them. They accompanied to him a nearby village where there had been reports of a lake monster eating local fishermen.
Tahomaru underestimated the crab monster. He was paying for his folly now as Hyogo struggled for his life in the monster's maw.
Out of nowhere came their savior. His incredulous "Hyakkimaru?" was lost amidst the loud splashes from the monster's death throes.
By the time Tahomaru collected himself, he had decided it was better that his attendants remain ignorant of their relationship.
"What is your name?" Tahomaru called out, hoping Hyakkimaru would be able to pick up on his attempt at deception.
Hyakkimaru didn't respond. Tahomaru felt an overwhelming sense of déjà vu.
"Hey, aren't you going to thank us?" the small child beside Hyakkimaru agitated. "If it weren't for him, that samurai there would be monster meat by now!"
Dororo, whom Tahomaru had heard so much about but never actually seen, showed no signs of recognition. It seemed Hyakkimaru had kept him a secret too.
"He's beaten monsters left and right across the land!" Dororo boasted. He extolled Hyakkimaru's feats, the like of which Tahomaru had already heard from the man's own mouth, but to his credit, he was the better storyteller.
He also had a better business sense, as he seamlessly transitioned into wheedling Tahomaru for recompense.
Dororo extended an expectant palm. "Pay up!"
They undoubtedly deserved a reward, but Tahomaru also thought that a little extra might buy some additional indulgences for Hyakkimaru. He divested himself of almost every coin he possessed.
Judging by the quickly smothered expression of shock on Dororo's face, it was much more than he expected. The boy tucked the rope of coins away in his shirt before Tahomaru could change his mind. "Thanks! By the way, we heard there was rich province nearby. Know where it is?"
Tahomaru stiffened but answered nonetheless. "It must be our Lord Daigo's land." He pointed towards his home. "You'll reach the city limits in half a day."
"Thanks! Let's go." Dororo beckoned Hyakkimaru to leave.
"Wait! Tell us your name," Mutsu requested.
Hyakkimaru paused, so close that Tahomaru could feel the heat emanating from his body. "Hyakkimaru."
"Hyakkimaru..." Tahomaru whispered.
As the oddly matched duo walked away, Dororo could be heard enthusing, "Lord Daigo's land, huh? I've bet they've got good food. Let's have a bit of fun there before we go to the next town."
6.
He knew Mutsu and Hyogo wouldn't be able to keep quiet about what they saw. Kneeling in front of Lord Daigo, they reported dutifully of the prosthetic-wearing swordsman who wandered the land defeating demon gods.
Tahomaru had never witnessed his father so caught off-guard, nor had he seen such an expression of deep hatred and fear on his face.
Behind him, Nui began to weep into her sleeves.
Later, Tahomaru overheard a heated exchange between his parents.
"Sacrificing the life of an innocent child - we will pay for what we did. We may already be paying for it," Nui warned.
Lord Daigo sneered. "You're saying I should have let my land rot in hell as it was?"
She broke down sobbing. "For that, our son!"
Our son.
It hit Tahomaru, and he suddenly felt as if the tree behind him was the only thing keeping him upright.
Hyakkimaru was his long-lost brother.
And his parents had sacrificed him as a baby to the demons for the prosperity of the Daigo lands.
7.
Tahomaru confronted his parents.
Even disregarding the fact that it was Hyakkimaru who was their child (and his brother), he would have been outraged on anyone's behalf. No one deserved the evil act they had committed.
"You didn't do it for the people. You did for your own ambitions!" Tahomaru spat.
"A lord's ambitions are his people's ambitions!" Lord Daigo shouted. "And for them, I sacrificed none other than my own child. I am not ashamed as a samurai."
"Yet..."
He had always looked up to his father as a strong, righteous leader. But what Lord Daigo was saying struck him as profoundly wrong. His father said that he wasn't ashamed as a samurai. But shouldn't he have been ashamed as a father and a husband? As a human being?
"Intruder!" a guard shouted.
They rushed outside, where Hyakkimaru was perched on the rooftop.
"Hyakkimaru!" Tahomaru exclaimed.
"Why are you alive?" Lord Daigo growled. "You half-born demon child!"
"Come, my men. Shoot!" Mutsu instructed.
But his men were no match for Hyakkimaru who blocked every single arrow and swiftly escaped.
"Son!" Nui screamed.
"Mutsu, Hyogo, halt!" Tahomaru commanded. For a moment, he thought they would continue to pursue Hyakkimaru, but they stopped.
"My lord, are you hurt?" a retainer inquired.
"I'm fine. Don't let him go," Lord Daigo bellowed. "Kill him!"
"My lord!" Nui protested, at the same time Tahomaru said, "Father! That is my brother."
"Tahomaru, will you sacrifice this land for that brother? Will you throw our people back into hell just so you can stay innocent?"
At that moment, Tahomaru didn't have an answer.
8.
In another world, Tahomaru would have eventually been swayed by his father's argument.
In this one, his affection for Hyakkimaru gave him pause.
Could he kill an innocent brother he had never known for the good of his people? It would tax his morality, but he could do it in the end.
However, could he kill a man that he had touched, kissed, and understood? A man who stood stock still in the middle of a busy street to hear a common song. Who smiled at the sensation of soft cotton on his skin. Whose happiness and pleasure came at a surprise to himself, because it had been so rare in his life.
Born without legs or arms, without the ability to see, hear, smell, speak, or feel. Even the worst of sinners would not be punished so cruelly. How could anyone, even a lord, have the right to condemn a person else to that kind of life? And then call it a sacrifice on his part? Because it was his son?
Daigo's prosperity was unnatural and tainted, built on stolen happiness and bewitched minds. It was impossible for the people of the land to reap the benefits without also being cursed for their complicity. They would be punished for benefiting from Hyakkimaru's unwilling sacrifice in the afterlife if not now.
And so Tahomaru openly disobeyed for the first time in his life. "You are wrong, father. Even if he was your child, he was not yours to sacrifice. Hyakkimaru's body and his life are his own. If you wanted to make a sacrifice, you should have offered up yourself."
Lord Daigo was enraged. "How dare you speak to me this way? You are the Daigo heir, you are-!"
He cut him off. "I am my own person. I will make my own mistakes, but I will not repeat yours."
Tahomaru knelt down where Nui was on her knees in agonized supplication. "Mother." Gently, he pried the small dagger from her trembling hands. He also collected the headless Kannon statuette she had spent so many nights with instead of her family.
"Hyakkimaru. Aniki." He smiled at his brother, even knowing that it was unseen. "I apologize for what our clan has done to you. I will spend the rest of my life trying to make it up to you."
Tahomaru took one last lingering glimpse of Hyakkimaru before dashing his own eye with the dagger.
Waving away the worried gasps from his mother and his attendants, he addressed the statuette. "Goddess of mercy, this is my willing sacrifice. Although I cannot take away the suffering in his past, let me share my sight with my brother so that he may see beauty in his future."
Then, Hyakkimaru was crying out in pain, clutching his left eye socket. When he pulled his hand away, there was a glass eye in his palm. In the space where it used to be was Tahomaru's hazel eye.
Hovering nearby, Dororo said excitedly, "Aniki, can you see?"
Blinking, Hyakkimaru concluded, "...cute."
Dororo blushed. "Really? After all this time, that's the first thing you say?"
Next, Hyakkimaru approached the man who gave him sight. "Tahomaru." He used some of his arm bandages to wipe away the blood dripping from Tahomaru's face and smiled. "Thank you."
Even with only one eye left to behold the world, Hyakkimaru's smile was still the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. And this time, Hyakkimaru was looking right at him.
No matter what came next, Tahomaru would not regret his decision.