Swords of Silence

by Shaun Curry

  ‘I extend our offer of mercy one more time. Apologize for your crimes against these innocent families and ask the Lord for forgiveness.’

  ‘Yes, yes, we apologize!’

  ‘Leave your weapons and be on your way, young men. And may the Lord have mercy on your souls.’

  The remaining guards dashed past the warehouse gates and down the street.

  The village men emerged from the shadows and smashed open the warehouse lock. The gate swung wide, but instead of being joyous, the women hid in the back of the warehouse, ashamed of their disfigurements. The men entered behind Father Joaquim and stood silhouetted against the evening light. Cautiously one, then another, of the women and children emerged from the shadows.

  After hugging their loved ones, the men quickly ushered them out of the dark confines of the sinister structure. But the deplorable condition of their mangled women and children shocked and appalled the men, causing many to weep at the effects of their torture. As families reacquainted themselves, Joaquim counted the women and children, pleased to discover that not a soul was missing.

  Several of the most mangled women approached him timidly.

  ‘Father, we must confess a heavy weight on our hearts,’ said Hatsumi. Then she burst into tears.

  ‘What is it, Hatsumi-chan?’

  ‘Several of us recanted and apostatized in the deputy’s warehouse.’

  Joaquim replied, ‘The Lord knows your heart. Have no fears.’

  ‘What shall we do, Father?’

  ‘Revoke your apostasy, and it shall be no more.’

  Several other women and children gathered around. ‘By the will of our hearts, we revoke our apostasy.’

  ‘And so it is!’ Father Joaquim exclaimed. ‘And let us not forget that all of this is possible because of God Almighty.’

  ‘Amen,’ the crowd agreed.

  He gave thanks to God. ‘Let our joy here today also travel far, and serve as inspiration to all Christians here in Japan and abroad.’

  ‘Amen,’ the crowd responded.

  ‘Come, let us leave now. The Governor will soon learn of our escape. We are not yet out of the darkness.’

  CHAPTER SIXTY-THREE

  20 July 1626

  Fields of Omura, District of Nagasaki

  Animals fled in all directions as a large army prepared for battle on the plain of Omura next to Omura Bay. Governor Kawachi, Deputy-Lieutenant Suetsugu, and Daimyo Shigemasa surveyed their legions of samurai and other warriors, arranged in well-defined units, almost 5,000 men in total. Although Governor Kawachi was the symbolic authority figure and representative of the Shogun’s regime, Shigemasa was the most experienced in battle, so he would lead the forces in crushing the Christians and their ronin allies. The Daimyo had dispersed his army across the long field in 20 detachments of 250 each, to implement his battle plan.

  First, seven heavy cannon and five massive catapults would unleash devastating carnage on the assembled Christians, no doubt sending them into panic. Then, on the front line of each detachment, ashigaru foot soldiers bore arquebus-style muskets. The samurai class considered ashigaru their social inferiors, but to be effective combatants. The Daimyo could not overstate the importance of his ashigaru troops in the grand scheme of his battle plans.

  Behind the ashigaru stood their loaders, who would prepare and load the next rounds of musket balls into spare arquebuses as they fired. The Daimyo had also assembled a specialized group of expert bowmen who would fire on the enemy with unpredictable trajectories.

  Following a devastating volley of lead and arrows, spearmen would advance on the opposing army.

  Yet, despite the overwhelming power of the Daimyo’s opening offensive, the real strength of his army was in the thousands of ruthless samurai forces, who would obliterate any remaining Christians with their razor-sharp swords in close hand-to-hand combat.

  After his victory, Shigemasa pondered, would the Shogun reward him with even more lands? In his mind, the experienced warlord knew he would be victorious in slaughtering any force the Christians could muster. The only unanswered question was when the Christians would arrive. He had sent out multiple spies, but had not yet received word of the enemy’s approach.

  ‘Look!’ the Deputy-Lieutenant shouted at that moment, as he pointed. ‘Our spies.’

  A few minutes later, the informants arrived. ‘Have you spotted them?’ Shigemasa asked.

  ‘We have seen nothing, Lord. We inspected all the surrounding meadows and valleys.’ The spy shrugged. ‘Nothing. No sign of Christian soldiers.’

  ‘They must be having difficulty coordinating their pathetic rebellion,’ the Governor said. He was growing annoyed. Kawachi could not understand why their spies could not spot the insurgents’ army.

  ‘Perhaps it was a hoax,’ one spy suggested.

  ‘It is not a hoax!’ the governor replied. ‘The priest has escaped the Shogun somehow, gathered men, and captured our guards.’

  ‘A Christian rebellion is overdue,’ Suetsugu added. ‘There have long been whispers of an uprising.’

  ‘Then where are they?’ the daimyo growled.

  The Governor shook his head and huffed. ‘The stupid priest obviously knows nothing of war. Without doubt, he is overwhelmed by our show of force.’

  ‘So what do we do, Lord?’ one spy asked.

  ‘Keep looking.’ Shigemasa spat on the ground from his elevated position in the saddle and continued to wait.

  * * *

  ‘What were you doing up there?’ Tonia asked as Father Joaquim returned after an hour alone on the mountain.

  ‘I was praying. Difficult decisions require quiet, contemplative prayer.’

  ‘And what have you decided?’

  ‘We head to the mountains.’

  ‘I thought we were going to the fields of Omura?’

  ‘No. The Holy Spirit told me we should head to the mountains.’

  ‘Are you sure?’ Noboru asked. ‘Many cannot climb and we could get trapped in the mountains.’

  ‘If your intuition tells you this, Father, you should follow it,’ Master Watanabe interjected. ‘This is how the Creator often speaks to us – with a still voice when your mind is quiet.’

  ‘Will we hide in the mountains?’ Shiro asked.

  ‘I don’t know, Shiro-kun,’ Father Joaquim answered with a soft voice. ‘I don’t have all the answers yet.’

  ‘But how will we escape, Father?’

  ‘The Lord will show us the way. We need only to trust Him.’

  ‘Are you certain, Father?’ Noboru asked. ‘The Governor and Deputy-Lieutenant are evil and strong in number.’

  Father Joaquim stopped and turned to face the villagers and former prisoners before opening his Bible. ‘Listen to this. Take it to heart.’ He read: “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”’ He closed the book. ‘That message God gave Joshua is also for us.’

  ‘Yes, Father,’ Noboru answered. ‘I will try to have courage.’

  ‘You need not try.’ Father Joaquim smiled at him. ‘You already are cour—’

  Before he could finish speaking, a woman near him shrieked and grabbed her shoulder. An arrow protruded from it, and she clutched at it in agony. Another arrow struck a tree beside Father Joaquim’s head. ‘Protect the children!’ Father Joaquim shouted. ‘Get them on the ground! Where are the arquebuses we seized from the guards?’

  After a few moments of confusion, and having spotted two horse-mounted samurai who had fired the arrows, the villagers fired the confiscated arquebuses, striking one rider. The other samurai rode away, with the injured rider’s horse following.

  * * *

  Back on the battlefield, two guards ran past the Daimyo’s army, towards the official flag bearers, where they knew they would find the generals. Moments later, they reached the Deputy-Lieutenant, breathing hard and struggling to speak.

  ‘Why are you not watching my warehouse?’ Suetsugu said.


  ‘The Christian women and children . . .’ – the guard stopped to catch his breath again – ‘. . . have escaped.’

  ‘What do you mean? What happened?’ the Governor shouted.

  ‘The priest and his companions ambushed us, Governor.’

  ‘How is that possible?’ the governor roared. ‘I instructed a dozen guards to stand watch!’

  ‘They pretended to have orders from you that all but three of us should join you in the fight, and we believed them. So when the Christians arrived, they outnumbered us, Governor. The priest cut off the head of our senior guard.’

  ‘So it was a hoax!’ Shigemasa thundered. ‘The priest tricked us, too. This whole war challenge was a diversion to carry out his rescue.’

  Red in the face, Kawachi, Suetsugu, and Shigemasa felt flustered and infuriated amid the confusion.

  ‘Look,’ Suetsugu said as he pointed across the field. ‘More spies are coming.’

  Two horses galloped hard across the plain, only one with a visible rider. A limp body hung across the neck of the other mount.

  ‘Lord Shigemasa,’ the spy said, ‘we spotted the enemy on the edge of Nagasaki.’

  ‘Are they coming here?’

  ‘No, Lord. They are heading towards the mountains.’

  ‘How many men are they?’

  ‘I do not know, Governor. Their force was hidden.’

  ‘What happened to this samurai?’ Shigemasa asked, nodding towards the dead man tied to his horse.

  ‘They shot him.’

  ‘So they have weapons.’ Shigemasa felt pleased that armed conflict would finally proceed, and that his clan would have the opportunity and honour to annihilate the Christian sect once and for all.

  ‘What do we do?’ Suetsugu asked.

  ‘We send our army into the mountains after them and finish this.’

  ‘Our entire army?’

  ‘Yes. This ends today,’ said the Governor. ‘It’s time to kill this troublesome priest – and all the remaining Christians with him.’

  CHAPTER SIXTY-FOUR

  20 July 1626

  Tara Mountains, District of Nagasaki

  Shigemasa divided his forces into two units. By midday, the first unit, smaller and on horseback, had arrived at the location where the spies had spotted the fleeing Christians. The second unit was made up of samurai foot soldiers and other ground troops, along with those responsible for transporting the heavy cannons and catapults via oxen. For a large and bulky unit, they moved quickly.

  ‘There they are,’ the spy leading the first unit called back from the brow of a hill. The horsemen watched the Christians below make slow progress across the narrow valley. They were a bedraggled group struggling their way forward, most appearing to be in a weak and debilitated state, others hobbling at the rear, unable to walk unassisted.

  ‘Where are the rest of them?’ one of the horseman asked. ‘I count fewer than fifty.’

  ‘Maybe we should just take them,’ another suggested.

  ‘No,’ their leader said. ‘The Daimyo ordered that we only track and spot them, and then report their location back to him right away.’

  ‘I don’t understand. Why stop here?’ said his companion.

  ‘These Christians are deceptive. They could be a decoy, meant to lure us into a trap. We will not disobey the Daimyo’s orders.’

  * * *

  ‘Look.’ Noboru pointed to the samurai scouts sitting on their horses on the brow of a hill far behind them. ‘Samurai. We’re moving too slowly. They’re going to catch us.’

  ‘He’s right, Father,’ Master Watanabe agreed. ‘We’re too slow.’

  ‘I know,’ Joaquim replied, carrying Akihiko on his shoulders. ‘But what can we do?’

  ‘Leave me,’ Akihiko answered. ‘Leave me behind and save yourselves.’

  ‘We will not leave you.’ Joaquim adamantly shook his head.

  ‘I can take Akihiko-san,’ Master Watanabe offered. ‘I know of a small cave nearby. It has just enough space for the two of us to hide.’

  ‘I don’t know, Master Watanabe.’ Joaquim rubbed the back of his neck. ‘You have given us so much help on this journey. We need your assistance.’

  ‘No, you don’t need me. Remember, Father, I told you, I’m only a guide.’

  ‘But I can’t perform miracles like you do.’

  ‘What do you mean? I only guided and observed you, Father. You don’t need me. You should not depend on me. The same spirit that lives in Jesus also lives in you. You have the same powers.’ Master Watanabe paused. ‘Believe and know that you can move mountains, and you will.’

  Joaquim clutched his hands as he observed the legions of samurai approaching from a distance. As they advanced, their numbers appeared to swell. And as the army closed in on them, Joaquim noticed the increased nervousness of his village.

  There was an awkward silence as Father Joaquim and Master Watanabe acknowledged it was time to go their separate ways.

  ‘Thank you, my friend, for everything you’ve done for us.’

  ‘You’re most welcome. I wish you well on the rest of your journey.’

  ‘Thank you, Master Watanabe,’ Tonia added, her eyes brimming with tears. ‘We will miss you.’

  All the refugees bowed to honour him. Then Master Watanabe picked up Akihiko, placed him over his shoulders, and walked away.

  ‘We will meet again,’ Master Watanabe promised as he left. ‘Now go, and remember – the Creator walks with you.’

  CHAPTER SIXTY-FIVE

  Without Akihiko, the villagers moved faster, and their quicker pace brought them to a spot known to many in the village.

  ‘I know these mountains.’ Noboru studied the area, his face registering increased concern. ‘There is no exit along this path. We have trapped ourselves.’

  ‘Should we go back, Father?’ Tonia asked.

  ‘No.’ Joaquim shook his head, resolute. ‘We will not go back.’

  ‘Why not?’ Noboru challenged the Jesuit. ‘The mountains are too steep ahead. We can’t get through.’

  ‘The Lord tells me we must move forward.’

  ‘How do you know that?’

  ‘Because my intuition tells me so.’

  ‘If you are wrong, we will all die,’ Noboru declared, waving his hand towards the women and children.

  An older villager added to the fear: ‘Noboru is right. It’s impossible. I know these mountains too.’

  ‘It’s impossible.’ A growing murmur of dissent permeated the group.

  ‘Nothing is impossible for the Lord!’ Father Joaquim roared. His uncharacteristic fierceness quieted the crowd. Exasperated, the priest appeared finally fed up with the villagers’ defeatism, observing hopelessness and futility in their body language. Once they were all silent, he jumped onto a rock to address them.

  ‘Long ago a large group of God’s people was held captive by harsh and cruel overlords. Through many powerful miracles, God convinced those overlords to release His people. But soon the overlords and their armies chased after the fleeing people, until the people came to a great sea. If they turned back they would encounter their pursuers. If they went forward they would drown. They protested to their leader, saying, “Did you lead us into the wilderness just to die?”’

  ‘Does that sound familiar?’ Father Joaquim saw signs of understanding emerge on the weary faces before him. Hope flared within him that his message would convince them that this path was possible, that they could overcome this obstacle, despite their weakness and injuries.

  Noboru pursed his lips and placed his hands on his hips. He said, ‘It’s the story of the children of Israel fleeing Egypt. But that is not the same as our problem.’

  ‘How is it different?’ Joaquim challenged.

  ‘You are not Moses.’

  Joaquim spoke in a voice loud enough for all to hear. ‘You are correct, Noboru. I am not Moses, nor do I pretend to be. But the same Spirit who spoke to Moses speaks to me. And you will hear Him speak to you, too, if you
truly listen.’

  ‘But how do we know for sure?’ Noboru asked.

  ‘Let me tell you another story.’ Father Joaquim saw that he had their attention. ‘A prophet was bold enough to speak out against an evil king and queen. As a result, the queen swore to have the prophet killed, so he ran into the wilderness, and sat under a tree, waiting for death. Then an angel came to him and told him he was not alone, and to go up on the mountain – much like this mountain. And when he was on the mountain, a great wind passed by, but the Lord was not in the wind. Then came an earthquake and a huge fire. But the Lord was not in the earthquake or the fire. But after the fire came a still, small voice that told the prophet what to do. He obeyed the still, small voice, and everything happened just as the still, small voice had told him. Do you know this story?’

  The villagers looked puzzled until young Shiro spoke up. ‘It is the story of the prophet Elijah fleeing from Queen Jezebel.’

  ‘That’s right, Shiro-kun. And how did the Lord speak to Elijah when his life was in danger?’

  ‘Through the still, small voice!’ Shiro shouted, with a wide grin and eyes that sparkled.

  Joaquim jumped down from the rock and lifted Shiro into the air. ‘That’s correct, Shiro-kun. And the still, small voice – my intuition – is telling me we must go on, just as it told Moses the Israelites must walk into the sea. God parted the sea for them, and He will make a way for us.’

  ‘Are you certain, Father?’ Noboru asked, his expression betraying his doubt.

  Joaquim hesitated for a moment, then said, ‘I believe that God is walking with us. Have faith, and trust the Lord.’

  ‘But in these mountains, there is no room for error. If your intuition is wrong, they will slaughter us.’

  ‘Going ahead shows we trust in God. Where man is weak, God is strong. We were never meant to be alone and do everything on our own. Remember, man’s extremity is God’s greatest opportunity.’

  ‘Yes, Father,’ more villagers answered. In front of him, the people seemed to gather new hope. Tired limbs appeared to find new energy, and the villagers stretched and prepared themselves to march again. The priest and the villagers exchanged smiles. They offered support to one another.