Fiction logo

Dai ichi no tachi

Shifting Winds

By Matthew J. FrommPublished 3 years ago 1 min read
Image by pikisuperstar on Freepik

History changes course.

Calmly, Oda groomed himself as honor dictated.

Before sunset, another conquest would be complete.

He ceremoniously donned his seasoned dueling silks and swords – one short, one long.

Cherry blossoms and rice patties swayed in the gentle breeze.

The enemy's champion stooped silently upon the prearranged spot, insignificant as an ant.

They stood opposed, adhering to the demanded rituals

Deadlier than the divine wind, Oda lunged.

The ant countered, pulling an iron pipe from his silks instead of swords.

Lightening flashed. Thunder cracked. Smoke followed.

Pain tore through his chest.

Dishonor!

Oda’s blade collapsed to the ground.

Shouganai.

AdventureFantasyHistoricalMicrofictionShort Story

About the Creator

Matthew J. Fromm

Full-time nerd, history enthusiast, and proprietor of arcane knowledge.

Here there be dragons, knights, castles, and quests (plus the occasional dose of absurdity).

I can be reached at [email protected]

Reader insights

Be the first to share your insights about this piece.

How does it work?

Add your insights

Comments (2)

Sign in to comment
  • Sarah Danaher2 years ago

    Well written and you can feel the fight despite the limited number of words.

  • Bri Craig2 years ago

    Wow - This was my favorite piece of micro fiction that I've read in a while! Your imagery was wonderful.

Find us on social media

Miscellaneous links

  • Explore
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Support

© 2026 Creatd, Inc. All Rights Reserved.