The Way of the Warrior - Chris Bradford [83]
On the third attack Jack lasted a fraction longer, before being struck by Raiden’s forearm across the neck.
Jack crumpled to the floor.
‘YAME!’ called the official. ‘Koka to Raiden!’
This time Jack stayed down and the official’s count began.
‘One… two…’
Raiden’s ‘clothesline’ strike had knocked him senseless and Jack lay there wishing it was all over. His head rung with pain, the cheering was a wash of sound in his ears and the idea of giving up now was more inviting than ever. He had no chance in this contest. His only hope was to finish the bout alive and in one piece.
‘three…’
Then he heard a voice above the murmur of the crowd.
‘Seven times down, eight times up!’
Jack shook his head, trying to clear it. The hall came back into focus and the voice gained clarity.
‘four…’
‘Seven times down, eight times up!’
It was Yori. He was shouting at Jack. ‘Seven times down, eight times up!’
‘five…’
Yori was telling him not to give up. All Jack’s lessons suddenly came together as one. He could not accept defeat.
‘six…’
He had to conquer his own doubt and fear. Sensei Yamada’s words rang in his head. ‘In order to be walked upon, you have to be lying down.’
‘seven…’
‘Seven times down, eight times up!’
He could now hear Saburo and Akiko joining in Yori’s chant, along with several of the other students.
‘eight…’
He would not be defeated without a fight.
‘nine…’
Jack forced himself to his feet. The crowd roared, eager to see the gaijin fly again. The count stopped and Jack staggered into line.
‘Hajime!’ said the official without giving Jack any further chance to recover.
Raiden thundered forward.
Jack blocked his first attack.
Raiden lumbered past, turned and charged again. Jack managed to get a strike into Raiden’s side, but Raiden hammer-fisted Jack in the chest and he was projected backwards, landing heavily near Akiko.
‘YAME!’ called the official. ‘Koka to Raiden!’
Akiko looked distraught, but Jack got up and tried again.
‘YAME!’ called the official, as once again Jack was driven to the ground like a rag doll. ‘Koka to Raiden!’
Raiden took advantage of Jack’s weakened state and executed ura mawashi-geri, a hook kick, badly bruising Jack’s ribs.
‘YAME!’ called the official, with a growing concern in his voice. ‘Yoku to Raiden!’
Jack was glad the floor was sprung, although the impact on landing still hurt. He forced himself up again, wobbling slightly, just like the Daruma Doll. Jack was now beginning to appreciate all the times Sensei Kyuzo had made him uke. The experience had toughened him up against such constant battering, exactly as Akiko had said it would.
‘Half a stick of time remaining,’ announced the official. ‘Hajime!’
Raiden was now breathing heavily from the extended fight. He was obviously used to his opponents giving up after one round. His face had gone bright red and he was sweating like a pig.
He was slowing up too, noticed Jack, as he easily blocked Raiden’s mawashi-zuki, roundhouse punch. Then the realization struck him in a blinding flash. Raiden sweating, reddened and tiring was not a pig. He was a demon, the demon from Jack’s vision!
Too tired to even attempt a proper technique, Raiden grabbed Jack and with pure brute strength threw him across the dojo. Jack went skidding across the floor on his back, coming to a halt at Sensei Yamada’s feet.
‘YAME!’ called the official. ‘Koka to Raiden!’
The Yagyu School went wild. In less than half a stick of time, the match would be theirs. There was simply no way on earth Jack could win.
Jack stared up at Sensei Yamada, who leant expectantly over him as if in prayer.
‘Sensei! Raiden’s the demon from my vision!’ spluttered Jack. ‘What does that mean?’
Sensei Yamada simply opened and closed his hands like the wings of a butterfly. The message was clear – Jack had to be the butterfly.
Jack picked himself up and tidied his blue fighting gi. Blue! Jack laughed at how blatant his vision had been. He couldn’t defeat Raiden through strength, but he could win with skill, speed and stamina.
Jack changed tactics.