The Ring of Earth

by Chris Bradford

  Still they waited.

  As dusk fell, Jack noticed it was getting colder in the valley basin and a mist rolled in, settling like dragon’s breath across the plain. Eventually the town disappeared from view and only the castle poked through, a single jagged tooth in the valley’s mouth.

  ‘Kasumiga Jo,’ Tenzen whispered, smiling knowingly at Zenjubo. ‘He’s using Mist Castle’s legendary defence against itself. Now we’ll be no more than phantoms in the night. Not even the sentries in the watchtower will spot us.’

  Jack turned to Zenjubo in awe. He knew Zai gave control over the elements, but he’d never imagined such power. ‘You did this?’

  Zenjubo shook his head. ‘Merely encouraged it.’

  This, Jack realized, was the Ring of Earth in action again.

  ‘Now we go,’ Zenjubo announced.

  The first to depart were Tenzen and Akiko.

  ‘See you in the castle,’ said Akiko, her eyes fixing Jack with the steely determination he knew so well. Kitted out in her armour again, she was eager to find her little brother and, if necessary, fight for his life.

  ‘Good luck!’ whispered Jack as he watched her disappear into the mist.

  All of a sudden, he felt a chill run through his body – a foreboding that things would go terribly wrong. Only now did he question what he’d got Akiko into. What if he was wrong about Hanzo? He’d be risking Akiko’s life for no reason. Jack almost cried out for her to return. But it was too late for that. Whatever course he’d set them both upon, there was no turning back.

  ‘Are you ready?’ asked Miyuki.

  Jack nodded, shaking off his sense of dread. It wouldn’t do any good to share such concerns before the mission.

  Miyuki drew closer. ‘Sorry if I’ve been a little on edge lately,’ she admitted quietly.

  ‘I understand,’ replied Jack. ‘We’re all upset after the attack.’

  ‘It’s not only that,’ she continued. ‘I know that girl’s your friend … but I just can’t like samurai.’

  ‘Akiko’s different, though.’

  ‘Not like you,’ she replied, her eyes catching the moonlight as she met Jack’s gaze.

  ‘Let’s move,’ Zenjubo ordered, coercing the obstinate Shiro to his feet.

  The four of them left the cover of the forest, melting into the mist like ghosts. The final group of Kajiya, Denjo and Kato would stay back until they’d reached the town’s boundary.

  Jack followed the fleeting shadows across the plain. It was eerily quiet, only the sound of their breathing and their feet rushing through the long grass. With no sense of distance in the enveloping mist, Jack felt as if he was running through a dream, no end in sight. He was beginning to think Zenjubo had led them in the wrong direction, when out of the mist loomed a large black cross. Zenjubo immediately cut a diagonal away from the main gate and the town wall materialized before them.

  Not slowing her pace, Miyuki shot ahead, turning to offer the cradle of her hands to boost them over. Zenjubo flew into the air, leaping the wall in a single bound. Shiro followed close behind. As Jack approached, he recalled the devious grin on Miyuki’s face the time she’d thrown him into the manure heap.

  Always look before you leap.

  Heeding that advice, Jack sprang on to the top of the wall, pausing briefly to adjust his landing and avoid an open water barrel. He dropped safely into a deserted alleyway.

  Zenjubo and Shiro were waiting for him in the shadows. The ninja uncoiled the rope of his kaginawa and threw one end back over the wall. A moment later, Miyuki was by their side. The first stage of entry had gone without a hitch.

  Jack just hoped it had been the same for Akiko.

  49

  DRUNKARD

  In town, the mist hadn’t taken hold. Their black shinobi shozoku, however, allowed Jack and the others to pass unseen as Zenjubo guided them through the warren of alleys and passageways, the castle dark and foreboding against the night sky. The side streets were unusually quiet, but ahead Jack could hear the sounds of revelry. As they passed near the central square, he caught glimpses of drunken samurai high on victory.

  ‘What’ve they got to celebrate?’ spat Miyuki.

  At that moment, a samurai burst into their alley.

  Jack was pulled into the shadows by Zenjubo and they all watched as the samurai swayed on his feet, staggered in their direction, then leant against a wall. He’d clearly had one too many saké. A glint of light caught Jack’s eye. Zenjubo held a tantō in readiness. Jack shook his head in silent protest.

  The samurai took a couple more steps towards his doom – then vomited over his own feet.

  ‘Hidori!’ called a slurred voice from the inn. ‘It’s your round!’

  The samurai, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, cursed and tottered back inside. Jack breathed a sigh of relief; their mission had been almost ruined by a drunkard.

  Rapidly moving on, they slipped into a side street and ran upslope towards their intended destination: Mist Castle. Its outer walls rose above them, an insurmountable barrier to most attackers – but not to ninja. The four of them huddled in the corner where the main bailey wall of the rear courtyards met the castle base. Further along, flaming torches flickered beside a fortified gateway.

  Like the entrance to Hell, thought Jack, his concern mounting for Hanzo the closer they came to Gemnan’s garden.

  Two sentries stood dutifully by, oblivious to the assassins. Opening his pack, Zenjubo passed Miyuki, Shiro and Jack a pair of shuko claws and ashiko foot hooks each. Slipping them on, they silently scaled the wall in turn.

  Jack discovered the claws and hooks dug into the smooth plastered wall with little trouble. At last he knew the secret to the extraordinary climbing ability of his old enemy Dragon Eye. Jack too could now scale buildings like a black widow spider – except he wasn’t here to kill; he was here to save his friends.

  Keeping to the corner where it was darkest, Jack pulled himself up. He was making good progress when the plaster under his right foot gave way. Fragments tumbled to the ground. The noise wasn’t much more than a trickling of dust, but it sounded like an avalanche to Jack – and it was loud enough to capture the attention of a guard.

  ‘Did you hear that?’ he asked the other sentry.

  Jack clung to the wall, trying to melt into the shadows. He didn’t move a muscle, not even daring to look round when he heard the scuff of feet approach.

  A bird called out, cawing three times before flapping its wings.

  ‘It’s just a crow,’ said the guard.

  Jack remained where he was, hugging the wall like a limpet. His arms were beginning to tremble when he heard a whisper from below.

  ‘Get moving!’

  Climbing again, Jack joined Zenjubo and Shiro on the small tiled roof that topped the wall. Miyuki was right behind him. They flattened themselves against the slope, becoming one with the roof.

  ‘It’s lucky that bird called,’ said Jack under his breath.

  ‘That was no bird!’ corrected Miyuki.

  Jack stared at Zenjubo in amazement. The ninja’s reserved nature gave little indication of his remarkable and diverse skills.

  ‘Where are they?’ said Miyuki impatiently, looking around for Tenzen and Akiko.

  Her question started Jack worrying too, the ominous sense of dread returning.

  ‘I knew we couldn’t trust that samurai,’ she muttered.

  Before Jack could reply, Zenjubo put a finger to his lips and pointed.

  Akiko was marching up the road, dragging Tenzen behind her. Limping badly, his face bloodied and his arms bound behind his back, Tenzen looked thoroughly beaten.

  Miyuki turned on Jack. ‘What she’s done to him?’

  50

  KACHIMUSHI

  Presenting her captive to the guards, Akiko was let through the gate without question. One of the sentries accompanied them in the direction of Gemnan’s garden.

  ‘She’s leading us into a trap!’ insisted Miyuki.
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  Although Jack trusted Akiko implicitly, he too was shocked by Tenzen’s appalling condition. What’s gone wrong?

  Following from above, the four ninja observed Akiko and her prisoner being led up to a second gate, where they were handed over to a guard of more senior status, a brute of a man with a thick beard and heavy fists. He grabbed Tenzen by the throat, inspecting the gash on his forehead with amusement.

  ‘Might not need a crucifix for this one!’ he laughed, spitting into Tenzen’s face. ‘Looks like a corpse already.’

  Tenzen barely reacted, managing little more than a groan as his head lolled in the samurai’s grip.

  ‘This way! Before he drops dead.’

  Grabbing Tenzen by the shoulder, Akiko roughly shoved him through the gate to the inner courtyards. The four ninja climbed silently over the roof of the guardhouse and darted on ahead to Genman’s garden. By the time the samurai reached it, Zenjubo and Miyuki were already in position, Jack and Shiro acting as lookouts. A jangle of keys preceded the click of the gate being unlocked.

  ‘The pit’s full. We’ll put him in the cage,’ the guard said, leading Akiko and her prisoner towards the far corner.

  Before the guard had taken two steps, Tenzen straightened, the bindings round his arms falling away. As he seized the samurai in a death choke, Zenjubo and Miyuki leapt from the darkness and swiftly despatched the other two guards on duty in the courtyard.

  Tenzen tightened his chokehold. The guard flailed his arms uselessly and was out cold in a matter of seconds, the blood to his brain cut off. Pulling a spiked shuriken hidden in his clothes, Tenzen thrust for the man’s heart.

  ‘No, you promised!’ hissed Akiko, grabbing his arm. ‘No killing unless absolutely necessary.’

  Tenzen relented. ‘Bind him then. But if he stirs, he dies.’

  Akiko expertly tied the samurai, immobilizing and gagging him. Jack, leaving Shiro on lookout duty, dropped down beside her a moment before Miyuki ran over.

  ‘Tenzen, what happened?’ she demanded, shooting Akiko an evil glare.

  ‘I’m fine,’ Tenzen replied. ‘We reopened my cut to look convincing.’

  In the darkness, they heard a moan. But it didn’t come from the comatose guard. Only now was their attention drawn to the figure hanging from the tree.

  Hurrying over, they discovered Momochi, strung up by his arms. Zenjubo cut him down. In the pale moonlight, Jack could see the man had been beaten to a pulp, his face barely recognizable beneath all the cuts and bruises.

  ‘What … are you … doing here?’ he slurred as Tenzen helped him to his feet.

  ‘Rescuing you.’

  ‘Who suggested … such a foolhardy plan?’

  ‘Jack.’

  Momochi turned his swollen eyes upon him. ‘A brave move … or a clever trap …’

  Reeling slightly, he grabbed Zenjubo’s shoulder for support.

  ‘They killed my son … boiled him in the pot …’ he wept.

  Everyone could see the embers still glowing red beneath the cauldron.

  ‘They think I’m Shonin … Tried to get me to talk … But I didn’t …’

  ‘Where is my father?’ asked Tenzen urgently.

  ‘In the pit,’ Momochi groaned as a fresh wave of pain and grief hit him.

  ‘Hanzo and Soke too?’ asked Jack.

  Momochi nodded solemnly.

  Leaving him in the care of Zenjubo, the others dashed over to the pit. Tenzen, Jack and Akiko crouched beside the heavy iron grille and peered into its depths. The moonlight barely reached the pale faces that stared up in disbelief from the stinking black hole below.

  ‘Father!’ whispered Tenzen.

  The other prisoners parted to allow Shonin through. ‘Tenzen, I knew I could rely on you.’

  Then he spotted Akiko.

  ‘Don’t be alarmed,’ said Tenzen. ‘She’s with us.’

  ‘If a samurai is helping us, we must be desperate!’ replied Shonin, smiling good-naturedly at Akiko.

  ‘Hold on,’ said Miyuki, taking the guard’s keys from Tenzen. ‘We’ll have you out in no time.’ She began to work her way through the set.

  ‘Is Jack there?’ croaked Soke from the dark depths of the pit, forced by his injury to sit on the fetid floor.

  ‘I’m here,’ he replied, glad to find Soke still alive. ‘But where’s Hanzo?’

  Shonin lifted the boy upon his shoulders. Hanzo looked exhausted, dark patches beneath his eyes. To Jack’s relief, he seemed relatively unharmed, except for a nasty bruise along his jawline.

  ‘Tengu? I thought you’d died!’ exclaimed Hanzo, tears running in rivulets down his grime-ridden face.

  ‘Tengu can’t die, remember!’ replied Jack. ‘I’ve brought someone to see you.’ He moved aside for Akiko.

  She removed her menpō and stared at the boy’s face for a long time. Hanzo stared back, bemused by this lady in samurai armour.

  ‘Well, is it?’ asked Jack, the moment of truth causing him to hold his breath.

  Akiko didn’t reply.

  ‘Perhaps you need to see the birthmark?’ he whispered.

  Akiko shook her head and broke into a tearful smile. ‘My kachimushi!’

  Hanzo immediately stopped crying. ‘You … you’re like the lady … in my dream.’

  Jack could barely believe it. His instincts had been right. Bewildered looks were exchanged between the prisoners crowded in the pit. Weeping with joy, Akiko reached through the bars and gently stroked Hanzo’s face. ‘My kachimushi, what have they done to you?’

  ‘I kicked a samurai warrior,’ said Hanzo proudly. ‘He tried to kill Grandfather.’

  ‘Young samurai!’ said Shonin, getting Akiko’s attention. ‘I don’t know who you are or what this is about, but now isn’t the time for explanations. We need to get out of here.’

  Akiko immediately refocused on the task in hand, and turned to Miyuki. ‘What’s taking you so long?’

  ‘None of the keys work!’ Miyuki replied in annoyance. ‘I’ve tried them all twice.’

  Akiko snatched the keys from her, but she didn’t have any luck either. In frustration she grabbed the bars, pulling futilely at them.

  ‘I could pick the lock,’ Jack suggested. ‘Tenzen, have you got a needle shuriken?’

  Tenzen handed him the thinnest one he had. But the lock proved more resistant than the one on the cage. The tip jammed and he almost broke it off.

  ‘It’s no use,’ said Jack after his fifth attempt.

  Akiko gripped the bars again in desperation, the torment of being so close yet so far from her little brother almost too much to bear.

  ‘Who would hold the key?’ asked Shonin calmly.

  With cold certainty, Jack knew.

  ‘Gemnan.’

  51

  SLEEPING SAMURAI

  ‘Time is not on our side,’ Tenzen cautioned as Jack and Miyuki prepared for their mission to find the key. ‘There could be a change of guard at any moment.’ ‘Are you certain you know where his room is?’ asked Miyuki.

  ‘It’s on the second floor,’ Jack replied, praying his memory served him right. ‘After my meeting with daimyo Akechi, I was dragged out by the guards. But we briefly stopped on the stairs halfway down, while Gemnan went to his room. He’d joked he had to get the key to my lodgings!’

  ‘Jack, please get the key,’ implored Akiko, still kneeling beside the pit. ‘I want my Kiyoshi out of this hellhole and home where he belongs.’

  ‘Leave no trace and stay invisible,’ said Zenjubo, handing Jack his kaginawa climbing rope.

  Like Momochi, he was unhappy about sending Jack, but he was the only one with personal knowledge of the keep’s layout. Miyuki had volunteered to go with him as her exceptional shinobi aruki skills would be required.

  ‘Jack,’ called Soke from the pit. ‘I have faith in you, but remember the rice paper. A tear is a tear.’

  ‘It’ll be like stealing a pillow from under your head,’ replied Jack, though in truth they both knew this wasn
’t the case. This time the lives and future of the clan were at stake.

  ‘May the Five Rings guide you,’ said Shonin as the two of them set off.

  Miyuki led the way, vaulting on top of the wall and darting along its length. Jack followed close behind, leaping from wall to wall and roof to roof in the direction of the keep. They reached it without resistance, only encountering a samurai patrol in the last courtyard. Once the guards had turned the corner, the two of them jumped down and ran over to its base. The keep presented greater challenges than the castle wall had. The first-floor shutters were closed and the lower roof jutted out. Somehow they’d have to negotiate the overhanging eaves to reach the second floor.

  Miyuki took the kaginawa, spinning its grappling hook in one hand, and threw it high into the air. The rope wrapped round a gargoyle of a tiger-headed fish that projected from the curved roof two storeys up. She gave the kaginawa a tug, checking it was secure, before climbing the rope. Jack held it steady as she hauled herself up. As soon as she had negotiated the eaves and got a footing on the roof, she beckoned him to follow.

  Jack grabbed hold of the kaginawa and shot up the rope with practised ease. For one brief moment, he even imagined he was in the rigging of the Alexandria, the wind blowing in his face and the waves crashing far below. He was snapped out of his reverie by Miyuki urgently gesturing to him. Jack wondered why she was being so impatient.

  Then he heard the voices. The patrol was coming back.

  His muscles straining, one hand after the next, he shimmied up the kaginawa as if the rope was burning like a fuse behind him. The voices were getting louder, the footsteps closer. He leapt for the roof and Miyuki snapped up the rope seconds before the patrol rounded the corner. Breathing hard, Jack and Miyuki crouched in the shadows while the samurai passed beneath them.

  Jack whispered, ‘That was too close –’