Samurai Son

by M. H. Bonham

  Still, Akira led her up the stairs and into the dark, yawning maw that served as the temple’s entrance. As she followed Akira, she felt a blast of cold air from the temple’s interior. “Akira,” she whispered, hoping the young samurai would hear her.

  He turned his head. “What?”

  “I don’t like this. It feels as though we are walking into a trap.”

  She could tell by the look on Akira’s face that he didn’t disagree, but she could see he was tired and needed rest as well. “Listen,” he said, “I’m not sensing anything, and my sword would tell me if it sensed trouble. But I agree there’s something odd about this place. Still, I’m not sure the okami is friendly. I don’t want to chance it.”

  “Your sword?”

  Akira frowned. “It’s, uh, magic. Trust me.”

  Kasumi bit her lip. She couldn’t explain her reservations to him when she herself didn’t know what they were. She didn’t want to appear like a jumpy, frightened girl in front of him. “I just don’t trust this place.”

  “Nor do I. I think we should keep watch in shifts while the other one sleeps. That way we both get some sleep, but hopefully with one of us on guard, it should give us some advanced notice should something attack.” He paused and studied her carefully. “You look very tired. Get some sleep while I take the first watch.”

  Kasumi was about to object, but Akira raised his hands. “I’ll wake you in three hours; I promise,” he said.

  “All right,” she said reluctantly. She looked around. “I wish we could have a fire.”

  Kasumi pulled out the silk blanket she carried in her pack. Normally she would prefer a thick woven wool blanket, but this was lightweight and kept her reasonably warm except during the coldest months. She laid a rough ground cloth of linen and, using her pack like a pillow, she lay down. Akira sat quietly beside her, leaning his back against the wall and pulling out a small bit of rice cake. Kasumi’s mouth watered but she said nothing. As hungry as she was, she could save her last rice cake for her watch.

  The linen ground cloth provided no cushion against the stone for her injured leg. She almost wanted to change into one of her other forms to have the extra cushion of hair but refrained from it. If Akira needed her help, he might need her in human rather than cat form, so she closed her eyes and fell into an uneasy and troubled sleep.

  Chapter Eighty-Two

  “Little Neko, are you there?”

  Kasumi’s eyes opened. She was still in the darkness of the abandoned temple. Yet as she looked away to the farthest wall, she blinked in surprise. A large wolf strolled into the temple, appearing from what had to be a gate.

  “Okami?” she whispered. She sat up and glanced at Akira, who seemed oblivious of the wolf or the fact that she stood up. “Is this a dream?”

  The wolf shrugged, its massive shoulders rippling with great muscles. “You, of all the Neko, should know the earmarks of a dream.”

  “Why do I feel uneasy here?”

  “There is a curse on the temple,” the wolf said. “Akuma came and destroyed the monks here hundreds of years ago. That is what you feel.”

  “Akuma…” Kasumi shivered in fear. The Akuma was the most dangerous of demons, capable of killing Neko with a broad swipe of its massive flaming claws. “Are the demons truly gone?”

  The wolf lay down in front of her. Kasumi knelt before the great wolf as he licked his paws. “No, not entirely. When the demons attacked, the monks summoned all their powers. They enclosed them here within the walls so they cannot escape. I have come to warn you…”

  #

  Kasumi awoke with a gasp, her body shaking and drenched with sweat. Akira was right beside her.

  “Kasumi! Kasumi-san!” Akira said. “What’s wrong?”

  “Akira-chan,” she whispered, burying her head in his chest, despite herself. Gone was her disdain and anger, replaced by cold fear. She trembled uncontrollably. “We’re in great danger.”

  A roar like a typhoon shook the temple. Akira was on his feet, no-dachi in his hand. Kasumi leaped to her feet as well, but she had changed into her tiger form. The stench of demon filled her nostrils, and she nearly gagged from smelling the foul beasts. She could not talk to Akira with normal speech, but used mindspeak to warn him.

  It’s an Akuma! she shouted in his mind. A rumble filled her throat, and she bared her teeth in a snarl. She glanced at Akira, who stood steady. She had to give him credit; he showed no fear despite the legends of one of the most blood-thirsty oni.

  The temple shuddered and the stone walls groaned as though something huge were pushing on them. Kasumi looked up in terror. She doubted there was any way for them to escape before the demon sent the temple crashing down on them.

  “Come on,” Akira said. “We’ve got to get out of here, demon or no.”

  Kasumi agreed. With a bound, she made it to the door just before the demon smashed through the walls. Akira dodged the stone as most of the temple’s ceiling and its walls crumbled around them. By some miracle or stroke of luck, they had made it to the main threshold, only to find the rest of the way blocked. A creature made of flame stood before them, wielding a terrible glowing blade.

  Kasumi’s snarl turned into a roar. The Akuma was an evil fire demon, the bane of many Neko. Nevertheless, there were legends of Neko who had taken on these dangerous demons and lived. Akira, she whispered in mindspeak.

  Akira made no response. Before she could glance his direction, the fire demon leaped on her, wielding its blade. She lashed out at the demon with her claws and pulled back as a shock of pain ran up her legs from her sensitive paw pads. She smelled burned skin and looked down at her scorched paw, blackened from the flame.

  At that moment, she heard laughter, harsh and grating. She glanced at Akira and saw another fire demon attack. Akira blocked the attack, holding his own with his magical no-dachi, but she could see scorch marks along the fine steel. As the fire demon lunged at her, she doubted she could do damage to it with her katana in her human form.

  The demon lashed out at her, but she was too quick, even with her wound, and danced away from the flames. It tried again to slice into her with its flaming sword, but again, she dodged it. The sulfurous smoke overwhelmed her, and she wondered how she could possibly defeat such a terrible creature. The heat blistered her skin painfully, and she wanted to flee, but there was nowhere to go.

  The great demon hunter would be killed in her first oni fight. Kasumi had never felt so helpless in her tiger form before. The demon laughed again and pushed her back toward the wall, bringing its flaming sword down on her. She barely blocked the sword with her claws, and the fire sliced right through her nails.

  She withdrew her paw in pain. She wouldn’t be able to withstand another cut of that flaming sword.

  Fire. The demons were elements of fire. The elements of wind, water, and earth could overcome it if they were powerful enough. She glanced askance at the boy with the no-dachi whom she had discounted. Akira was part Tengu—a kami who controlled the winds. Could Akira summon the wind kami? He might be able to instruct them to defeat the flames. A stiff breeze would feed the demons, but a typhoon would snuff them out.

  Call the wind, Akira! she shouted to him mentally. Between the whirl of darkness and flames, she could see Akira blocking each attack from the demon. She could hear him shout in a language she did not know but knew instinctively was the language of the winds.

  The demon leaped at her, and she screamed in pain and rage as the hot fire lanced through her fur. An ugly weal ran along her side, and she lashed out at the demon, only to have the fire burn her once again. The demon laughed; its voice a roar like that of a firestorm. It bore down on her. Somewhere she heard Akira screaming…

  A huge gust of wind tore through the temple’s ruins, followed by a tremendous torrent of rain. The demons screamed as the rain poured down, smothering their fire. She looked up, bedraggled and wet, to see the wolf standing on the threshold where they had entered.

  Travelers
, she heard mindspeak come from the wolf. This place is cursed. Come with me.

  Kasumi stood up and looked over at Akira. He was lying on his side; his no-dachi lay not far from him. She ran over to him, and if she were in her human form, she would have gasped in horror. The demon had managed to get its fiery blade into Akira’s defenses. The young samurai had a horrendous burned gash running from his shoulder to his hip. It was bloody beneath the blackened skin.

  Okami-san, she thought. Come help me!

  The wolf came forward, and Kasumi knew it was no ordinary wolf. She snuffed at it. It did not have the rank stench of a demon. In fact, it had no scent and shimmered as it moved. As it approached, it grew bigger until it was as large as she was in tiger form. She moved aside and let the wolf examine Akira. The okami gently nuzzled the samurai.

  Why? Why did you help us? she asked.

  The wolf looked sidelong at her. You showed great respect and kindness, Neko-san. It is payment for the small morsel you gave me. The goddess has charged the okami with watching over travelers, especially those who follow the goddess’s laws. It honors me to aid travelers who follow the way of the warrior with honor.

  Kasumi paused. Is that why you followed us?

  Yes. I would follow you until the end of my territory to make certain no harm had befallen you. Unfortunately I was not able to pass the threshold of this shrine until you called me in.

  Called you in? Kasumi glanced back at the threshold through the sheets of rain. She could just make out strange glyphs written on the walls. They kept you out? But you visited in a dream.

  Yes, that is the only power I had. That and bringing the wind and rain kami to your aid when the one called Stormhammer called them. Fire demons cannot live long under a torrent of the other elements.

  But the glyphs—both Akira and I were able to pass through into the temple.

  Yes, they would’ve kept you out had you not been part human. The wolf nuzzled Akira, who grunted in pain. The one called Stormhammer has been seriously hurt. I will do what I can, but we must move him. There are others who can heal him. Can you gather your things?

  She nodded, returning to human form. She almost cried out from the pain from her burned fingers and the nasty weal along her body. She bit her lip and staggered forward, naked and vulnerable, but that didn’t matter anymore. Akira had saved them; she would stay conscious as long as she could to make certain that he was safe. She shivered as she pulled on her soaked clothing and tied her obi and swords around her waist. Twice she almost collapsed as the pain became intense. When she had gathered their packs, she staggered back to the okami.

  Place your hand and his on my fur.

  She nodded. She grasped Akira’s hand and pushed it against the wolf’s fur.

  Kasumi felt a shiver go through her as the silver magic of the wolf permeated her very being. Her last thoughts before she fell unconscious were of how warm and comfortable she was.

  Chapter Eighty-Three

  The sun was rising in the east just over the island’s central mountain when Kasumi awoke in a soft bed of fragrant flowers and pine needles, covered with a bedroll of fine silk. She was no longer in pain, and upon examining her hands, side, and even her leg, she found that her wounds had been healed. Her clothing, too, was dry and looked as though someone had washed it. She turned and saw Akira lying a few feet away, his breathing rhythmic in a deep sleep. His ugly wounds were no longer there.

  She smiled wryly for a moment, feeling foolish for misjudging him. She had come to Ninja Island to rescue him, and Akira had rescued her. Akira had saved them both. Perhaps he wasn’t as helpless as she had thought. Stormhammer, she thought. The wind spirits had given him that name.

  The scent of hot tea and warm rice filled her nostrils, and she sat up. Nearby, someone had made a fire and a pot of hot tea. Two bowls of warm rice sat on the stone ring that encompassed the fire.

  For a moment, she stared at the fire before picking up the cup of tea. She heard Akira Stormhammer groan and turned to him. His eyes fluttered open. “Where are we?” he asked in a hoarse voice.

  “The okami must have brought us to the other side of the island.” She handed him the cup of tea and took one for herself.

  “The wolf?” He blinked and took a sip of the tea.

  She nodded, picked up the bowls of rice, and offered him one. “He was a tutelary spirit here; his job was to make certain travelers passed through unharmed. The temple was the only place he couldn’t go—not without a human to break the wards. Monks trapped the Akuma here hundreds of years ago and set wards so that the demons would not escape.”

  “The wards would’ve kept the storm spirits out,” Akira said.

  “But because you called them, they could enter.” She paused. “I guess the wards hid us, though. The wolf was able to lead your storm kami to the temple.”

  Akira nodded slowly. “The rain and wind destroyed the demons.” He took a bite of rice.

  You have destroyed a great evil, Stormhammer, and for this, I am grateful.

  They both turned to see the okami standing in the sun. They could just make out the translucent wolf’s form in the sunlight, shimmering like a dissipating mist.

  Akira stood up and bowed to the wolf. “I am honored by your presence and your aid, great okami. We thank you for your hospitality.”

  The wolf dipped its head in what Kasumi could only guess was a bow. Follow the trail to the east. Two hours’ walk will bring you to a small village where you can gain transport from this island. With that, the okami’s body shimmered and disappeared.

  Thank you, okami, Kasumi said in mindspeak, hoping the wolf could still hear her. She turned back to Akira and smiled.

  #

  Akira went back to eating his rice, silent in his thoughts. He had come very close to using his Tengu magic when he called up the winds. He had spoken not much more than a simple summons; the winds had done his bidding because of who he was. Had been, he corrected himself. He was no longer a Tengu, and he could not think in their fashion.

  Yet weeks—or was it months?—of training with the Tengu had left an indelible mark on him. He could pretend he was human, but he felt more comfortable talking with the wind kami than with Kasumi. She thought he was useless when it came to fighting against demons.

  I think she has a different opinion of you now, Windspirit spoke in his mind.

  She doesn’t really like me, Akira replied. She acted nice because she was afraid of the Akuma.

  That may be but the winds came to you when you called them.

  That was too close to using Tengu magic, Akira remarked.

  Windspirit remained silent. Akira half wondered if the Tengu would come and take him back or, worse, kill him. He looked up from the lukewarm tea and saw a red hawk sitting on the branch looking at him.

  “Do you think we should go to the village the okami suggested?” Kasumi asked.

  Akira said nothing, staring at the hawk. He tried to discern if it was a Tengu who had seen him call the winds.

  “Did you hear me?”

  “What? Oh, the village? I don’t know,” Akira said, frowning as the hawk flew away.

  “Were you even listening?” Kasumi put her hands on her hips.

  “Not really. I’m worried about the hawk.”

  Kasumi snorted. “I don’t see a hawk.”

  “It flew away.” Akira saw that Kasumi was looking askance at him and he shrugged. How could he explain his fears?

  There’s nothing to explain, said Windspirit. She’s a distraction, you know.

  Akira ignored the sword. He turned to Kasumi. “Come on. Let’s go.”

  #

  They started walking toward the village the okami had directed them to. Kasumi was silent, wondering how they would possibly find passage off Shinobi-jima. Everyone here was ninja—not just those who lived in the compound. She suspected that Shigeko had sent orders to all the ninja in the outside villages to capture or kill them.

  She sighed and caught
a quizzical look from Akira. She was still chagrined that Akira had killed Shinobi, but she knew it couldn’t have been helped. The Shinobi intended to keep Akira there on the island, and there was no way they would’ve escaped without a fight. Chances were good that the ninja didn’t know she could change forms and they might just assume the tiger to be some other kami.

  As they walked, she saw Akira as someone caught between worlds, much like herself. Only she didn’t have to choose. She wondered what it would be like for her to never shape change again or never see anyone of the Neko clan. But in some ways, she had been exiled as surely as Akira had been exiled from the Tengu. She had not seen her people for years since her mother was forced to stay in an apartment in the imperial city while her father served at court. She sighed. Her mother wasn’t even a first wife.

  A waft of oni stench tickled her nostrils, and jerked her out of her reverie. She halted and looked around in earnest. Akira stopped and looked askance at her. She trembled as she saw the dark shadow sliding through the forest.

  “What’s wrong?” Akira asked, his hand on the no-dachi’s pommel and his voice low.

  “Oni,” she whispered. “I can smell it.” She pointed to the shadows, which now swayed with the breeze and naught else.

  Akira frowned. She could tell he didn’t see what she had seen and certainly couldn’t smell it. Still, despite his doubts, he nodded. “What do we do?”

  Kasumi was about to answer when she heard a scream above them. Looking up, she could see the shadow of a dragon circling.

  Chapter Eighty-Four