The Way of the Warrior - Chris Bradford [95]
‘Jack, are you all right?’ asked Akiko, alarmed at his muffled grunt of pain.
‘Yes, fine,’ he whispered back. ‘You can come in. I fell over the guard, that’s all. He’s dead.’
The others found him kneeling over the dead body of a samurai.
‘There’s another one behind the door,’ said Jack.
Kiku let out a stifled yelp as she caught sight of the body of the second samurai, headless.
‘It looks like he was killed with his own sword,’ said Yamato, as Akiko drew Kiku to her.
‘Kiku, go back to the others,’ ordered Akiko in a sharp whisper. ‘Raise the alarm with Masamoto and tell him what is happening,’
She nodded mutely before skirting the decapitated samurai to slip out of the door, then ran off towards the Imperial Palace.
‘What now?’ asked Yamato.
‘We find him and we stop him!’ said Jack with ominous finality.
He began to scan the open courtyard for movement.
‘Or we find a guard that’s still alive who can raise the alarm,’ added Akiko, concerned at Jack’s intentions.
‘Too late for that,’ said Jack, pointing to a black shadow barely visible by the battlements. ‘There he is! Next to that wall, on the far side of the courtyard.’
Looking around, Jack spotted the katana of the headless samurai on the floor. Snatching up the bloodied sword, he ran off in the direction of Dragon Eye, leaving Yamato and Akiko staring after him.
‘This is insane!’ said Akiko, ‘He’s going to get himself killed.’
‘Not if I can help it,’ said Yamato, hunting the darkness for the other samurai’s katana.
‘But neither of you have ever used a real sword before!’
‘It doesn’t matter. Once you’ve mastered the bokken, I’m sure it can’t be too hard to wield a katana. Ah, found it,’ said Yamato, discovering the second sword discarded behind the guardhouse. ‘Come on! Jack’s already on the other side.’
‘Perfect! Leave me with the short sword, why don’t you?’ muttered Akiko, unsheathing a wakizashi from the nearest dead samurai, before hurrying after the receding figure of Yamato.
By now, Jack was under the lee of the castle wall and could see Dragon Eye ahead, hiding in the shadows. He was making for the five buildings that formed the central complex of the castle. Jack presumed by their highly decorative design that this was Takatomi’s Palace.
Dragon Eye had not seen Jack yet for he was too occupied with scouting ahead.
This was Jack’s chance.
Jack shifted the katana in his hands, adjusting his grip. The sword felt far weightier than his bokken and he knew he’d have to be careful not to let the kissaki drop and leave himself exposed.
Jack edged closer, Dragon Eye still oblivious to his approach.
As he crept to within ten paces of the ninja, all the pent-up anger and pain Jack felt at his father’s death welled up like molten rock and exploded within him.
Now was the time! Dokugan Ryu would finally pay for his father’s death!
But Jack hesitated.
He couldn’t do it.
‘Never hesitate,’ hissed Dokugan Ryu, his back still turned.
Dragon Eye spun on the spot and a silver shuriken glinted in the darkness.
‘Watch out!’ screamed Yamato, throwing himself in front of Jack.
The shuriken hit Yamato, embedding itself in his chest. He fell to the floor, blood gushing over the stone courtyard.
Jack saw red, his fury boiling over. Screaming at the top of his lungs, he charged Dragon Eye, his sword held high, and brought it down with all his might at his sworn enemy.
Dragon Eye pulled his ninjatō from the saya strapped to his back, smoothly deflecting Jack’s blade at the same time. He then countered, slicing across Jack’s midriff.
Jack predicted the move and blocked it. Immediately, he pressed forward with his own attack, cutting up at Dragon Eye’s face. But the ninja flipped backwards to avoid the rising blade. As he flew through the air, Dragon Eye kicked out and his foot caught Jack’s hands, dislodging the katana. Dragon Eye landed on his feet just as Jack’s sword clattered to the ground, leaving him unarmed and defenceless.
‘You’ve improved, young samurai, for a gaijin!’ he said