The Ring of Earth - Chris Bradford [50]
Soke took a deep breath and began, ‘Dragon Eye, or should I say Yoshiro as he called himself then, came to our village much like yourself – alone, a fugitive of the samurai. He’d been a farmer until his village was ransacked during the Nakasendo War. He’d lost his eye in an arrow attack. Out of compassion we took him in –’
‘Yoshiro wasn’t his name,’ Jack corrected. ‘And he wasn’t a farmer. He was Hattori Tatsuo, a samurai lord. The defeated daimyo of northern Japan. And he pulled the eye out himself.’
Soke blinked, his eyebrows shooting up in surprise. Then he gave a hollow laugh, thumping the ground with his walking stick. ‘That explains a great deal. I had my suspicions the man was more than he claimed to be. He was a master of deception, possibly the most talented student I’ve had the honour of teaching.’
Jack visibly recoiled at the praise the Grandmaster had just heaped on his enemy.
‘Only in respect of his skill,’ Soke added quickly. ‘Dragon Eye never embraced ninniku. He didn’t understand the importance of a pure and honest heart to being a true ninja.’
‘So why teach him at all?’
‘I didn’t realize what a rotten core he had. And he was such a natural at ninjutsu I even contemplated him succeeding me as Grandmaster!’ Soke shook his head in disbelief that he of all people could so easily be deceived.
‘But then I saw his true nature on missions – his cruelty, the pleasure he took in killing. I hoped to change him, guide him back on to the true path. But it was too late; he’d learnt all he needed and left to form his own ninja clan.’
‘You created that devil,’ said Jack, his words more a statement than an accusation. Angry tears welled up in his eyes as he thought of all the pain, the suffering and devastation that Dragon Eye had wreaked upon his life and those of his friends.
‘Most regrettably,’ Soke admitted, his eyes downcast. ‘So I feel responsible for your predicament. As soon as you told me of the fate of your father, I wanted to make amends.’ He gripped Jack’s arm in earnest. ‘I thought if I could teach you the ninja skills you need to get to Nagasaki … in some small way, I’d gain absolution. And maybe you’d find it in your heart to forgive me.’ Soke let his hand fall and bowed his head, like a sinner in prayer.
Jack had never seen the Grandmaster appear so vulnerable. He seemed truly repentant. Even though it was the old man’s teaching that had made Dragon Eye the deadly ninja he became, Jack couldn’t blame Soke for his student’s evil deeds. Dragon Eye himself, along with Father Bobadillo, were the ones truly responsible for his father’s death.
‘It wasn’t your fault,’ insisted Jack. ‘And your teaching has given me hope for the journey ahead.’
Soke raised his head with relief.
‘I just can’t believe Dragon Eye could fool someone like you, a Grandmaster.’
‘Dragon Eye was very cunning,’ said Soke through gritted teeth. ‘Any time I became reluctant to teach him, he’d show signs of ninniku. I saw these as indications of progress. But he was merely tricking me into unlocking more ninja secrets – even Dim Mak. He played me like a shakuhachi!’
The two of them sat there in silence as the setting sun blinked shut behind the mountains. The ghost of Dragon Eye seemed to hang over them in the encroaching darkness.
‘Once I really thought he’d changed,’ said Soke, clearly relieved he could talk through his guilt. ‘The man performed a compassionate, courageous act, something wholly in the spirit of ninniku. He saved a boy.’
‘Who?’
‘Hanzo,’ Soke revealed, smiling happily for the first time that night. He lowered his voice so that Hanzo couldn’t hear them from the doma, where he was preparing dinner. ‘In truth, he’s from another ninja clan. Five years ago, his home was attacked by samurai. Dragon Eye rescued Hanzo from certain death and then asked me to look after him.’
Jack stared, open-mouthed, in astonishment at Soke. ‘Hanzo isn’t your grandson?’
‘No, he’s an orphan. But it made it easier for him to think I was.’
Jack couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
Hanzo had been taken by Dragon Eye. So had Kiyoshi.