Young Samurai _ The Way Of The Dragon - Chris Bradford [99]
‘Not at all, you misunderstand…’ insisted Jack, realizing now that Takuan was not only an honourable person, but a samurai of great integrity. ‘It’s not like you think. We’re just friends.’
‘Just friends,’ said Takuan, arching his eyebrows. ‘All she ever does is talk about you.’
‘Really?’ Despite himself, Jack felt his heart lift.
‘I think I should leave you to deliver your haik-k-k–’
Takuan appeared to be choking. He collapsed into Jack’s arms.
Piercing his neck was a small poison dart.
42
NIGHT ATTACK
‘Akiko!’ cried Jack, struggling to drag Takuan behind a tree for cover.
His eyes hunted the darkness for ninja, but if there were any, their black shinobi shozoku concealed them.
A moment later, Akiko was by his side.
‘What happened?’ she gasped as she helped Jack lower Takuan to the ground.
‘Blow dart,’ replied Jack, pulling the poisoned tip from Takuan’s neck.
Akiko glanced around. ‘Up there!’
A shadow flitted like a ghost on top of the castle wall.
Hearing a twig snap upon the path, Jack and Akiko spun round.
‘Takuan, we’re all waiting for you… TAKUAN!’ Emi screamed, seeing him slumped in Jack’s arms.
She rushed to his side. ‘Are you all right?’
Takuan tried to focus on her face. His breathing was shallow and his lips had turned blue. He attempted to speak, but his voice was barely a croak. Emi leant in closer and Takuan graced her cheek with a kiss.
Then his eyes closed and his head lolled sideways.
Emi took hold of his hand. ‘Stay with me…’ she sobbed.
But Takuan had stopped breathing.
‘Akiko, you must warn the others,’ said Jack, gently resting Takuan’s head upon the ground. In the distance, the sound of musket fire could be heard and Jack realized daimyo Takatomi’s suspicions were right. ‘Daimyo Kamakura has returned with ninja!’
She nodded and ran back through the trees.
Jack heard Masamoto shout, ‘We’re under attack! Samurai of the Niten Ichi Ryū, guard the inner gate!’
This was followed by further shouts of ‘Protect his lordship! All daimyo to the keep!’
Feet pounded across the wooden bridges and samurai were called to arms. Jack heard daimyo Takatomi’s voice above the clamour. ‘Emi-chan? Where are you?’
‘There’s nothing we can do for Takuan now,’ said Jack, pulling the weeping Emi away from his lifeless form. ‘You must go to your father.’
Jack urged her towards the garden, then ran in the opposite direction.
‘Where are you going?’ she called.
‘To find Takuan’s killer!’ Jack replied, heading for the stone staircase that led up to the inner castle walls.
Jack took the stairs two at a time. As he emerged on to the walkway of the ramparts, he drew his katana.
The wall was eerily deserted. Where had all the guards gone?
Suddenly there was a thunderous explosion to the east of the castle, followed by a second volley as if a hundred guns had been fired all at once. All over the castle compounds, lights were doused.
Hurrying to the parapet, Jack stumbled over something in the darkness. A dead samurai lay slumped on the floor, his throat slit open. At least he now knew where all the guards had gone.
From his position on top of the inner bailey wall, Jack could see endless lines of flaming torches advancing upon the great outer gate.
Daimyo Kamakura’s army had returned in full force.
The attack had begun.
Thousands of Satoshi’s troops converged on the main gate to man the battlements and defend the barricades. But they didn’t realize the enemy was already within the castle compounds.
A three-pronged grappling hook sailed through the air and the kaginawa caught upon the edge of the parapet where Jack stood. Jack cut down with his katana, severing the climbing rope. The grappling hook clattered to the stone floor as the rope slithered away into darkness.
Looking over the edge, Jack could barely make out a thing. Then he realized this was exactly what the enemy wanted. The gunfire had been a diversion, not only to draw