"A prayer"
A man stepped forth from the darkness of woods. He was clearly a Samurai. He wore blue-black armour with golden rims and a large horned helmet with the symbol of his clan on the forehead. His two katana’s, which marked high rank in the clan’s army, were fixed in their inlays on his belt. The arm and leg guards glittered, reflecting early morning red clouds from the East. He now walked on grass, huge greenland spreading before his eyes. His eyes looked toward East, where the early morning sun would bless the morning with a smile. After walking for five minutes, in the middle of the green field, he stopped and bowed toward the East and rising sun.
Then, the Samurai began to unstrap his armour. Calmly, he put his helmet on the grass, then his dark blue chest guard, the leg and arm guards and the soft protecting inside of the armour. Now the Samurai stood with only his under-armour kimono and his most beloved Daito sword strapped on the belt. His Daito slid out, glittering in the first rays of the rising sun.
Miyamoto Musashi impaled his Daito into the ground and kneeled next to it. He froze in that position until the sun showed itself above the hills in the horizon.
Then, the Samurai got up and, holding the sword in his hands, stood in a combat position. His hands began to move in a first strike, from over the head, down on the right shoulder of his imaginary enemy. The enemy parried the blow, attacking from the left. Yamamoto Musashi assaulted his vision with series of hard blows. He moved sometimes to the right, sometimes to the left, attacked his enemy from left, right, above the head and from below. Both enemies - a Samurai and a vision with shining golden armour were locked in a battle, almost like dancing with swords, while blades from time to time struck with a metal sound.
Musashi swung the Daito in a perfectly executed rightward-upward blow, meant to go under the enemy’s defences…
"My lord, I offer you a prayer…"
… but the enemy foresaw this attack, parrying it and returning the blow from right downwards…
"… a prayer for those who died and for those who will soon die…"
… the vision tried to hit with a chopping move from above, but Miyamoto Musashi easily countered that, and slid his Daito towards the enemies heart…
"… for those who will fight and for those who will not…"
… but the enemy attached with a dangerous side blow, which Miyamoto had to stall with his blade, and both swords clashed yet once more…
"… for those who will be killed by our hands…"
… both enemies side-stepped and executed a perfect circle towards the back of the enemy, but there their blades met only each other…
"… and for all others, I wish to pray for peace."
… the golden warrior tried to swipe his sword towards Musashis legs, but Daito met him there and sparkling, two blades fought a battle that no human could see…
“… So many things to live for and so many things to die for. I wish that my people get to live if it is worth living and die if it is not. I pray for a warrior’s death from an enemies sword, or failing that, for a life to cherish the future of my children…”
… but the blades surely fought. The blows of the shining vision became faster. Miyamoto was having hard time stalling or parrying them all. He swung the Daito rightward, aiming at the enemy’s throat…
"… I pray for peace that we all search for, but seldom find…"
… for a heartbeat, the Samurai saw a hole in his enemies defences. He immediately swung his blade toward the right shoulder of his adversary, hoping that it would widen even further…
"… I pray for it in death or in life…"
… The enemy fell for it. His forward swinging ark couldn’t immediately cover the top of his left shoulder. Myamoto Musashi thrust his blade toward it…
"… I pray for life of those who deserve to live, and death of those, who do not…"
… but the vision parried his blow with lightning speed and shocking force. Opportunity lost, Miyamoto swung a downward strike, which the enemy barely countered…
"I pray for those, who will fall defending our homeland."
… The enemy thrust his sword toward Samurai’s chest, but met only his Daito…
"For tomorrow our battle for survival begins."
… As the sun rose from the horizon, when its rays touched the vision, with Miyamoto’s sword laying on the ground, and the visions sword high in the air for a blow, it disappeared. Miyamoto Musashi - the greatest swordmaster in the history of Japan, knew if that blow had landed, he would be dead. But the vision with its golden sword, adorned with golden dragons, and its golden ornate armour, disappeared.
Miyamoto smiled. For fifteen years had he been the best swordfighter in all Japan. For fifteen years hadn’t he been defeated in a duel, but…
"I thank you, my lord, for your blessing."
… but you can not so easily defeat the God of sun…
[quote]"… I pray for peace that we all search for, but seldom find…"
[/quote]
He fights for the same reason I believe 
impressive… 
He fights for the same reason I believe
[/quote]
You didn’t understand. He doesn’t fight for peace as not a war. Remember how ghe prays for a warrior’s death and only after that for a life with his children? He is praying for what we call - internal peace. To be at peace with himself. He is a warrior. He undersdands that war is something that is going to stay.
Thanks 
You didn’t understand. He doesn’t fight for peace as not a war. Remember how ghe prays for a warrior’s death and only after that for a life with his children? He is praying for what we call - internal peace. To be at peace with himself. He is a warrior. He undersdands that war is something that is going to stay.
[/quote]
Please explain me: what does "internal peace" mean for warrior. I know what it is for cammon human being.
Thank you, that you write
Please explain me: what does "internal peace" mean for warrior. I know what it is for cammon human being.
[/quote]
Well, as I am not a warrior, I can not say what it is for him. But I think that it’s not so different from ordinary people. You saw what he prayed for.
Yer wellcome 
I would pray that noone will die 
.
It is a battle. Someone will die. That’s life.
This your story is optimistic, it’s warm if compare to others. I feel quite good after reading. Especialy dark wood, first ray of sun… And samurai is human not a killing machine
Samurai’s were not killing mashines. They were deeply spiritual and honourable warriors.
JESUS… You finally post an English story in the EF, I congratulate you 
Thanks. And how was it?
To tell the truth I heven’t read it yet
The story is absolutely beautiful.
Thanks
Why did you changed your nickname