Young Samurai _ The Way Of The Dragon - Chris Bradford [107]
Approaching the main gate, Masamoto called a halt. A Shinto priest greeted them and offered prayers to the war god Hachiman, asking for his divine help in securing victory and protecting the young samurai.
Along with the Shinto priest, several Jesuits and friars stood either side of the entrance, blessing the soldiers with Christian prayers as they passed across the final bridge and on to the plain. Jack was surprised to see Father Bobadillo at the gate. Spotting Masamoto, the priest immediately hurried over and spoke with him.
Jack wondered what the treacherous snake was up to now. Though he’d told Akiko and Yamato about the priest’s dealings with Dragon Eye, there hadn’t been an opportunity to warn his guardian. The problem was he still had no real proof. The fact that Dragon Eye, a master of deception, had told him would be laughed out of court by Father Bobadillo. Besides, Jack’s main concern was to find the rutter.
‘By the will of his lordship Hasegawa Satoshi,’ announced Masamoto, ‘Father Bobadillo is to personally bless the students of the Niten Ichi Ryū before you go into battle. It’s a great honour for the school to have our lord’s own priest perform such a rite. Please kneel.’
The rows of young samurai bent down on one knee and lowered their heads. Father Bobadillo stepped forward and raised the wooden cross that hung round his neck.
‘Lord, grant that these souls are blessed and protected with your love. May you deliver them from harm this day and carry them safely in your arms. Amen.’
He then walked the rows, annointing the heads of each. As he passed Jack, he surreptiously skipped over him, leaving him unblessed. Jack cursed the man. Even in the final moments of war, he could not extend the love of God to a sworn enemy of his country.
The blessing complete, Masamoto mounted his horse, as did Sensei Yosa, carrying her powerful bow in her hand. The other sensei remained on foot. Sensei Nakamura wielded a vicious-looking naginata, Sensei Kano his long white staff, Sensei Hosokawa his two swords, but Sensei Yamada and Sensei Kyuzo were unarmed, Sensei Kyuzo trusting in his hand-to-hand taijutsu skills and Sensei Yamada, resting upon his walking stick, serenely relying on himself.
‘Young samurai!’ bellowed Masamoto, ‘Are you ready to face the enemy?’
Once again, the students roared their commitment. Apart from Yori, who began to quiver within his oversized armour.
‘Stay close to me,’ whispered Jack, ‘and you’ll be fine, I promise.’
He really didn’t believe his own words, though they seemed to comfort Yori, who attempted a brave smile through his menpō.
‘The school maxim is Learn today so that you may live tomorrow,’ Masamoto proclaimed.
He raised his katana aloft, its steel blade glinting in the morning light.
‘Tomorrow is upon us. Long live the Niten Ichi Ryū!’
47
BATTLE OF TENNO-JI
No amount of training could have prepared the young samurai for the chaos of war. Thousands upon thousands of samurai swamped the plain, the two sides clashing like monstrous waves in a seething ocean. Each and every samurai bore upon his back a colourful sashimono. The small rectangular banners, painted with their daimyo’s mon, rippled with the aftershock of each attack.
The sounds of battle assaulted the students’ ears. Explosions of cannon, the crack of arquebus fire, the clash of swords and the screams and shouts of samurai filled the air. The onslaught of two hundred thousand enemy troops determined to fight to the death chilled the young samurai to their bones.
Their unit stood at the rear overlooking the plain. They were part of the reserve force, awaiting the command to join the fight. To their left on a distant rise, Satoshi’s top general issued orders directing the movement of all their troops. The instructions were conveyed to the other