The Ring of Earth

by Chris Bradford

  ‘No,’ she replied in a quiet voice. ‘Shonin says he can’t risk any outsider knowing the location of their final refuge.’

  ‘Then you should play with your brother while you have the chance.’

  As Akiko went and shared her last moments with Hanzo, Shonin and Soke strolled over to Jack.

  ‘I owe you my life, Ninja Jack,’ said Shonin and inclined his head in gratitude. ‘I wish there was more I could do for you, but we have to be gone before the samurai arrive.’

  ‘You’ve done more than enough,’ replied Jack, returning the bow.

  Shonin clapped his hand upon Jack’s good shoulder.

  ‘You know you’ll always have a place in my clan,’ he said, smiling warmly. ‘You just have to find us first!’

  With that, Shonin left Jack and Soke to say their farewells.

  ‘I’ll be sad to leave here,’ admitted the Grandmaster, gazing out across the valley. ‘It was the perfect Ring of Earth.’

  ‘What about the refuge?’ asked Jack.

  ‘The mountains are not kind to the old. I won’t have so many years left up there.’

  Jack went to dispute this, but Soke stopped him, and he could see the weariness and strain of the past few days engrained in the old man’s wrinkled face.

  ‘Why hide from the truth? It always finds you in the end,’ Soke grinned. ‘Life has worn me down like a rock in a river. My time has almost come.’

  ‘Time enough to prepare Hanzo to become the next Grandmaster?’

  Soke raised an eyebrow. ‘He told you? I’ll have to teach that boy discretion first.’

  ‘A frog in a well does not know the great sea,’ reminded Jack.

  ‘How true,’ said Soke, chuckling. ‘Maybe the fact he’s really a samurai will be good for all of us. Hanzo may be the saving of the ninja.’

  ‘Soke!’ called out Momochi, rounding up the clan. ‘Shonin’s keen to leave.’

  The Grandmaster held his hand up, indicating he’d be with them shortly.

  ‘Jack, you’ve come a long way since we first stood on this ridge, but you have a far longer journey ahead. Be guided by the Five Rings, and you will return home.’

  ‘Your teaching has given me the hope that I will,’ said Jack, bowing. ‘You’ve also proved to me that a single tree doesn’t make a forest. I swore the ninja would always be my enemy. Now the ninja will always be my friend.’

  Soke nodded sagely.

  ‘If you ever encounter a ninja, or believe they are one, then use this secret hand sign.’ The Grandmaster clasped both hands together, middle fingers entwined, thumbs and little finger extended in a V shape. ‘It’s the Dragon Seal. A true ninja will recognize this and help you.’

  Soke turned to go. ‘A final piece of advice: to hide is the best defence.’

  57

  A HAPPY FAREWELL

  Akiko and Jack walked slowly back into the deserted village. They passed through paddy fields, most of the crop trampled and unharvested. Thankfully, the clan had stockpiled food from previous years and hidden it beneath the temple. The smoky tang of burnt wood hung in the air, Shonin’s farmhouse still smouldering away after five days. A number of other houses had been set on fire too, but most had just been ransacked for their rice and provisions.

  Fortunately for Jack, Soke’s house had been one of those pillaged but not set on fire. He’d found his pack safe and sound in the secret compartment beneath the floorboards, the rutter untouched within its protective oilskin. Beside it, Soke had left several rations of rice and some essential clothes.

  Jack got changed for the journey, then joined Akiko out in the yard. It was sad to see the once thriving village so bereft of life, and neither he nor Akiko wanted to stay longer than they had to. The samurai could arrive at any moment.

  Akiko hadn’t spoken a word since she’d said goodbye to her brother.

  ‘I’m sorry,’ began Jack. ‘Sorry he had to go.’

  ‘I’m not,’ Akiko replied, her voice subdued but resolute. ‘Kiyoshi … I mean Hanzo is where he rightfully belongs. In the clan, with his friends. They’re his family now.’

  ‘But what about you?’ asked Jack. ‘You’ve spent the last five years looking for him.’

  Akiko nodded. ‘And you found him for me. My kachimushi’s alive and being cared for. That’s all I need to know. It was a happy farewell.’

  She looked at Jack, her expression hopeful.

  ‘Soke’s promised that Hanzo can visit us in Toba once the clan’s resettled. I know he’s eager to meet his mother.’

  Akiko reached out and touched Jack’s hand. ‘I owe you so much.’

  ‘I’m the one who owes you,’ said Jack, gently taking her hand in his. ‘It’s the least I could do after all you’ve done for me.’

  They gazed into one another’s eyes, the connection between them more powerful than ever. This second farewell was proving even harder than the first. And now Jack knew what life was like without Akiko by his side.

  ‘I should go,’ she said, letting her hand fall away. ‘My mother’s waiting for me in Toba.’

  ‘You could come with me,’ Jack suggested, though he was well aware his journey took him in the opposite direction.

  Akiko sadly shook her head. ‘My mother needs to know about Kiyoshi. And I need to be there for her. It’s a daughter’s duty.’

  ‘I understand,’ said Jack, knowing it had been an impossible request.

  Leaning in close, Akiko kissed him gently on the cheek.

  ‘Forever bound to one another,’ she whispered in his ear. Then she turned and walked away in the direction of the rising sun.

  Jack, speechless, watched her figure recede down the village road, past the devastated square, round the pond and beyond. He realized he felt how Akiko must have done that day in Toba he left her behind. His heart reached out for his friend, begging her to come back.

  Akiko kept walking, not even risking a glance over her shoulder. Maybe she was scared to. Should he call to her? But he didn’t know what he would say. They were both leaves floating away on different streams.

  When she disappeared from view, Jack still stood watching, his hand to the cheek she’d kissed. He dearly hoped to see her just one more time.

  But Akiko was gone.

  Once again, he was on his own. Perhaps better equipped than before for the hazardous journey ahead – but also more alone. He’d lost Akiko a second time. Then Jack reminded himself that, like Akiko, he had a duty to his family first. His love for his sister, Jess, while different, was equally compelling and she was waiting for him in England.

  Gathering his things, Jack ensured the precious rutter was cushioned by the two kimono within the pack. On top was the little inro case containing Yori’s paper crane and Akiko’s pearl, the string of copper coins, and the straw containers of rice. Finally, he added a full gourd of water and Tenzen’s five shuriken. Hanging from the strap was Sensei Yamada’s omamori. Jack rubbed the amulet, praying for its continued protection, then slung the pack over his right shoulder.

  Securing his samurai swords on his hip, Jack felt like a samurai again.

  Picking up the last of his equipment, he felt like a ninja.

  Jack was determined not to be caught out this time. Having adjusted the wicker basket on his head, he raised the shakuhachi to his lips and gently blew. The faltering first notes of ‘Shika no Tone’ echoed across the valley as he resumed his solitary pilgrimage to Nagasaki, each step taking him closer to home.

  NOTES ON THE SOURCES

  The following quote is referenced within Young Samurai: The Ring of Earth (with the page number in square brackets below) and the source is acknowledged here:

  1. [Page 77] ‘The usefulness of a cup is its emptiness’ by Lao Tzu (Philosopher and founder of Taoism, 600–531 BC).

  JAPANESE GLOSSARY

  Bushido

  Bushido, meaning the ‘Way of the Warrior’, is a Japanese code of conduct similar to the concept of chivalry. Samurai warriors were meant to adher
e to the seven moral principles in their martial arts training and in their day-to-day lives.

  Virtue 1: Gi – Rectitude

  Gi is the ability to make the right decision with moral confidence and to be fair and equal towards all people no matter what colour, race, gender or age.

  Virtue 2: Yu – Courage

  Yu is the ability to handle any situation with valour and confidence.

  Virtue 3: Jin – Benevolence

  Jin is a combination of compassion and generosity. This virtue works together with Gi and discourages samurai from using their skills arrogantly or for domination.

  Virtue 4: Rei – Respect

  Rei is a matter of courtesy and proper behaviour towards others. This virtue means to have respect for all.

  Virtue 5: Makoto – Honesty

  Makota is about being honest to oneself as much as to others. It means acting in ways that are morally right and always doing things to the best of your ability.

  Virtue 6: Meiyo – Honour

  Meiyo is sought with a positive attitude in mind, but will only follow with correct behaviour. Success is an honourable goal to strive for.

  Virtue 7: Chungi – Loyalty

  Chungi is the foundation of all the virtues; without dedication and loyalty to the task at hand and to one another, one cannot hope to achieve the desired outcome.

  A Short Guide to Pronouncing Japanese Words

  Vowels are pronounced in the following way:

  ‘a’ as the ‘a’ in ‘at’

  ‘e’ as the ‘e’ in ‘bet’

  ‘i’ as the ‘i’ in ‘police

  ‘o’ as the ‘o’ in ‘dot’

  ‘u’ as the ‘u’ in ‘put’

  ‘ai’ as in ‘eye’

  ‘ii’ as in ‘week’

  ‘ō’ as in ‘go’

  ‘ū’ as in ‘blue’

  Consonants are pronounced in the same way as English:

  ‘g’ is hard as in ‘get’

  ‘j’ is soft as in ‘jelly’

  ‘ch’ as in ‘church’

  ‘z’ as in ‘zoo’

  ‘ts’ as in ‘itself’

  Each syllable is pronounced separately:

  A-ki-ko

  Ya-ma-to

  Ma-sa-mo-to

  Ka-zu-ki

  ashiko foot hooks

  bō wooden fighting staff

  bōjutsu the Art of the Bō

  bushido the Way of the Warrior – the samurai code

  daikon long, large white radish

  daimyo feudal lord

  densho the ninja book of secret techniques and principles

  Dim Mak Death Touch

  dokujutsu the Art of Poison

  doma the area within a building with a floor of packed earth

  futon Japanese bed: flat mattress placed directly on tatami flooring, and folded away during the day

  gaijin foreigner, outsider (derogatory term)

  gotonpo the Art of Concealment

  hakama traditional Japanese trousers

  hanbō short staff (90 cm) used in martial arts

  hashi chopsticks

  Hifumi hachi gaeshi alms-begging song, ‘One, two, three, pass the alms bowl’

  hikyaku ‘Flying Feet’ (a courier)

  honkyoku ‘original pieces’ of music for the shakuhachi flute

  ikki goken the ‘five blades in one breath’ technique

  inro little case for holding small objects

  Jin ninja hand sign for reading the thoughts of others

  kachimushi old word for dragonfly, lit. ‘victory bug’

  kaginawa three-pronged grappling hook on a rope

  Kai ninja hand sign for ‘sensing of danger’

  kajutsu the Art of Fire

  kama sickle-shaped weapon

  kami spirits within objects in the Shinto faith

  kanji the Chinese characters used in the Japanese writing system

  kataginu winged, sleeveless jacket of the samurai

  katana long sword

  kenjutsu the Art of the Sword

  kesagiri double diagonal cut

  ki energy flow or life force (Chinese: chi or qi)

  kissaki tip of sword

  koan Buddhist question designed to stimulate intuition

  Komusō Monk of Emptiness

  kuji-in nine syllable seals – a specialized form of Buddhist and ninja meditation

  kusarigama sickle and chain weapon

  kyusho vital or nerve point on a human body

  manriki-gusari chain weapon with two steel weights on the ends

  menpō protective metal mask covering part or all of face

  metsubishi blinding powder, used as ninja defence

  mikan satsuma, orange citrus fruit

  mikkyo secret teachings

  mon family crest

  mushin lit. ‘no-mindedness’

  nagamaki large katana-style blade with an extended shaft.

  nagare flow or roll

  naginata long pole weapon with a curved blade on the end

  nikkyō wristlock move in taijutsu

  ninja Japanese assassin

  ninjatō ninja sword

  ninjutsu the Art of Stealth

  ninniku the philosophy of the ninja, ‘cultivating a pure and compassionate heart’

  Niten Ichi Ryū the ‘One School of Two Heavens’

  nunchaku a weapon comprising two sticks connected at the ends by a short chain or rope

  obi belt

  ofuro bath

  omamori Buddhist amulet to grant protection

  origami the art of folding paper

  Rin to meet or to face, but interpreted as strength for ninjutsu purposes

  saké rice wine

  sakura cherry-blossom tree

  samurai Japanese warrior

  sarugaku form of popular entertainment, similar to the modern-day circus,

  saya scabbard

  sayonara goodbye

  sencha green tea

  sensei teacher

  Sha ninja hand sign, interpreted as healing for ninjutsu purposes

  shakuhachi Japanese bamboo flute

  Shichi Hō De the ‘seven ways of going’ (disguises)

  shikoro-ken sword with a saw-like edge, also known as the ‘Sword of Destruction’

  shinobi another name for ninja, literally ‘stealer in’

  shinobi aruki stealth, or silent, walking

  shinobi shozoku the clothing of a ninja

  shoji Japanese sliding door

  shuko climbing claws

  shuriken metal throwing stars

  shuriken-jutsu the Art of the Shuriken

  sohei warrior monks

  soke title meaning ‘head of the family’ or grandmaster

  sui-ren water training

  suizen ‘blowing Zen’, practice of playing flute for self-enlightenment

  tabi traditional Japanese socks

  taijutsu the Art of the Body (hand-to-hand combat)

  Ta-no-kami god of the rice fields

  tantō knife

  Taryu-Jiai inter-school martial arts competition

  tatami floor matting

  tengu a mythical Japanese devil bird or demon

  tetsu-bishi small sharp iron spike

  ukemi break falls

  uki-ashi floating feet technique

  wakizashi side-arm short sword

  washi Japanese paper

  yakitori grilled chicken on a stick

  yamabushi Lit. ‘one who hides in the mountains’; Buddhist hermits who live in the mountains

  Yama-no-kami god of the mountains

  yukata summer kimono

  Zai ninja hand sign for sky or elements control

  zazen seated meditation

  Japanese names usually consist of a family name (surname) followed by a given name, unlike in the Western world where the given name comes before the surname. In feudal Japan, names reflected a person’s social status and spiritual beliefs. Also, when addressing someone, san is add
ed to that person’s surname (or given names in less formal situations) as a sign of courtesy, in the same way that we use Mr or Mrs in English, and for higher-status people sama is used. In Japan, sensei is usually added after a person’s name if they are a teacher, although in the Young Samurai books a traditional English order has been retained. Boys and girls are usually addressed using kun and chan, respectively.

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  This fourth book in the Young Samurai series presents a new chapter in Jack’s adventures. But the team behind it remains very much the same – only more dedicated than ever. My thanks go to all of them: Charlie Viney, my Loyal agent; Shannon Park, my Honourable editor at Puffin; Wendy Tse, my Honest copy-editor; Vanessa Godden, Lisa Hayden, Tania Vian-Smith and all the Courageous Puffin team; Francesca Dow, the daimyo of Puffin Books; Tessa Girvan, Franca Bernatavicius and Nicki Kennedy, my Benevolent overseas agents at ILA; Trevor, Paul and Jenny, my Respectful booking agents at Authors Abroad. You’re all true samurai upholding the code of bushido!

  There are so many other people I’d like to thank, but I would need a whole book for that. So I’ll just mention these few in this edition: all the independent bookstores who have supported me from the start, including Mark at Mostly Books, Abingdon; David and Gill at The Mint House, Hurstpierpoint; and Vanessa and Julie at The Book Nook, Brighton; David Ansell Sensei of the Shin Ichi Do dojo (www.shinichido.org) for all his samurai sword training; Sensei Peter Brown at the Shinobi Kai dojo (www.shinobi-kai.net) for all his ninja knowledge; the exceptionally dedicated Sensei Mary Stevens and Sensei Rob King at the Oxford School of Martial Arts (www.schoolofmartialarts.com) and, of course, Team Taurus – the real Young Samurai behind the book!; Rob Rose for your feedback and reviews (and for looking after Karen so well!); as promised, a mention to the Butcher Boys for all their sausages, steak and banter; and most importantly to my loving and supportive family, the Moles – Simon, Sue, Steve and Sam, and all the cousins – and especially my mum, dad and Sarah, I couldn’t do it without you.

  Lastly, I once again offer a bow of respect to all the librarians and teachers who have supported the series and to all the Young Samurai readers out there – thank you for your loyalty to the series. You can keep in touch with me and the progress of the Young Samurai series on my Facebook page, or via the website at www.youngsamurai.com