Young Samurai 06 - The Ring of Fire, page 9
‘Who says it will?’ countered Hayato, pulling an arrow from his quiver and tapping the surface. ‘It sounds pretty thick to me. And Neko just walked on it.’
‘We weaken the ice first,’ said Miyuki condescendingly. ‘It makes the perfect natural deception.’
‘Are you volunteering to go out there and break the ice?’ challenged Hayato.
As the two of them once again locked horns, Yuudai picked up a nearby rock and hurled it high into the air. It landed in the centre of the pond with an almighty crack, smashing through the icy surface and sinking without trace. Tiny fracture lines spidered out from the hole.
‘That should do it,’ said Yuudai, grinning.
Jack laughed. He liked this boy’s attitude. Yuudai took no sides; he simply wanted to get the job done. With the pond’s threat now turned to a defensive advantage and with three angles of attack covered, Jack was beginning to feel more confident about their chances against Akuma.
That was until they entered the forest.
‘This is our greatest weakness,’ declared Hayato, studying the path before them. ‘Lots of cover, little advance warning and countless gullies to bypass any barricade we build.’
Jack and the others fell silent as they all sought a solution. But none was forthcoming. The forest simply provided too many opportunities for an attacking enemy.
‘Leave it to me,’ announced Miyuki.
‘But what exactly do you plan to do?’ demanded Hayato.
‘I have a few ideas.’
Hayato was about to protest, but Jack, wishing to avoid another clash of opinion, interjected first. ‘I trust your judgement, Miyuki.’
‘And I won’t let you down,’ she replied, bowing.
Before anyone could challenge her further, Jack went on. ‘Now we’ve a lot of work to do, so you’re each responsible for an approach. Yuudai, north at the barricade; Hayato, east at the bridge; Saburo, south at the paddy fields; Miyuki, west in the forest. Yori, you’re organizing the smoke beacon and can also act as runner between the four posts. I’ll be in the square coordinating the defences and the building of the watchtower. Any questions?’
Yuudai raised a hand. ‘Our plan’s good, as far as it goes. But we’ll still need an army of men to defend each post.’
Saburo nodded in agreement. ‘But we can’t even get samurai to join us. Where will we find an army?’
To everyone’s shock, Hayato and Miyuki replied in unison, ‘We’ll train one!’
22
DEFENCES
For the next week, the village became a whirlwind of activity. Toge helped rally the farmers and Jack split them into four units of eight men, each with their young samurai commander. Miyuki handpicked just three helpers, including Neko, before offering her remaining men to Jack for the construction of the watchtower. One of them was an able carpenter and Jack left him in charge whenever he went to check on progress of the other defences.
Yuudai proved to be a tireless worker and his barricade soon began to take shape.
‘Good work!’ said Jack, testing one of the spiked tree trunks rammed into the ground.
Dropping another beam into a foundation hole, Yuudai wiped the sweat from his brow. ‘We’re halfway done!’ he announced. ‘But we still need to reinforce these pillars, build a wall between them with thorn bushes and add bamboo spikes to prevent charging.’
‘That should keep Akuma out,’ said Jack, impressed with the scale of his fortifications, and they both grinned.
Noticing four farmers struggle with a felled tree, they hurried over. Between the six of them, they managed to manhandle it to the log pile, where two villagers were cutting and shaping the wood for use. The four farmers then collapsed with exhaustion.
‘Well done!’ Yuudai shouted, clapping them on the backs enthusiastically. ‘But no sleep till bedtime!’
Hauling another spiked tree trunk on to his shoulder, Yuudai headed back to the barricade where two men were digging the next foundation hole. Despite their fatigue, the team of farmers dragged themselves to their feet and obediently followed. Jack noted Yuudai’s work ethic and constant encouragement kept everyone motivated and in good spirits.
‘Do you need anything else?’ Jack called to Yuudai.
The boy thought for a moment, the beam still slung across his shoulder as if it weighed no more than a spear. ‘We could do with some hay bales to hide behind as a secondary defence line.’
‘Good thinking,’ agreed Jack. ‘I’ll put Yori on to it.’
Leaving Yuudai and his farmers to their work, Jack headed into the village to see how Saburo was getting on. He found his friend sitting beneath a tree overlooking a pile of earth.
‘Put your backs into it!’ he ordered as he sipped from a cup of green tea.
Kunio’s muddy face popped out of the hole. ‘Can’t we take a break yet?’
‘Do you think Akuma takes a break when raiding?’ asked Saburo.
Kunio scratched at his ear. ‘No.’
‘Then we can’t stop either!’
Sighing wearily, Kunio resumed shovelling with the rest of the men.
‘How’s it going?’ asked Jack.
‘Honestly?’ replied Saburo. ‘Pretty slow. The ground’s frozen solid.’
Jack inspected the shallow ditch that ran part-way along the village’s southern boundary. ‘Any chance you’ll finish this before the black moon?’
‘At this rate, unlikely,’ Saburo admitted. ‘We’re using the excess dirt to shore up the bank on this side, but I can’t see us digging all the way round the village.’
‘We need every advantage we can get over Akuma,’ insisted Jack. ‘We must complete this moat. I’ll ask Hayato to put his men on to the task as well. They’ve already finished preparing the fields for flooding.’
‘But what about the bridge?’ asked Saburo.
Although Junichi had been able to provide Miyuki with charcoal and suggest a nearby hot spring for sulphur, the village had no saltpetre and their dunghill was too poorly maintained to produce any. Miyuki’s plan, therefore, had been set aside in favour of Hayato’s strategy, much to his gratification.
‘Junichi insists on access to the mill, and his mother still hasn’t moved out,’ sighed Jack. ‘So we’ll have to take it down nearer the time.’
Saburo raised his eyebrows in concern. ‘Let’s hope Akuma doesn’t decide to attack early then.’
‘Let’s pray he doesn’t attack at all!’
Skirting the village, Jack worked his way up to the forest. Compared to the feverish activity in the village, there was no sign of Miyuki or her team. Apart from a wooden barrier on either side of the main track, she appeared to have done nothing. Jack stepped through the narrow gap in the barrier and went to look for them.
‘Stop!’ came a cry.
Halted in his tracks, Jack looked up to see Miyuki hanging from a tree branch.
‘What are you doing?’ asked Jack.
She smiled teasingly at him. ‘If I told you, it would spoil the surprise.’
Neko appeared out of the bushes. She weaved between the trees, taking a circuitous route to them. Grinning up at Miyuki, she nodded.
‘Good work, Neko!’ said Miyuki, signing to her.
‘You can communicate?’ asked Jack, pleased to see Neko looking so content.
‘Easily,’ Miyuki replied. ‘She has her own signs, but I taught her some of the ninja hand signs we use on missions. I can teach you a few tonight, if you want.’
Miyuki made some more gestures and Neko ran off eagerly into the forest. Working alongside Miyuki, Jack saw she was clearly in her element.
‘Neko would make a perfect ninja,’ agreed Miyuki, reading Jack’s thoughts. ‘She’s silent, quick and, with training, she’d be deadly.’
Jack laughed. ‘Well, let’s survive Black Moon before you recruit her into your clan!’
Hearing footsteps in the snow, Jack turned to see Hayato walking up the track.
‘So while everyone’s slogging their guts out, our ninja is hanging about in the trees!’
Miyuki dropped to the ground. ‘We’re working just as hard as you.’
‘But where are your defences?’ Hayato demanded, inspecting the undisturbed forest.
‘That’s exactly the point!’ Miyuki shot back and turned away from him.
Her blatant show of disrespect maddened Hayato and he went to challenge her. Once again Jack was caught in the middle. He was beginning to think it would be easier to defeat Akuma than keep these two from each other’s throats.
Leading Hayato away, Jack tried to distract him with questions.
‘Saburo needs your help with the ditch. Can you spare some men?’
Seething, Hayato nodded wordlessly.
‘Have you managed to make enough spears?’
‘Almost,’ he grunted. ‘It’d be better if we had real ones, but we’ll have to make do with bamboo.’
‘So when can you start training our army?’
‘This afternoon.’
‘Excellent!’ said Jack, ushering him ahead through the barrier’s gap. He’d put Hayato in charge of organizing the army – not only because he thought Hayato would do the best job, but to show fairness in his dealings between him and Miyuki.
Hayato glanced back in her direction. ‘Do you really trust that ninja?’
‘With my life,’ replied Jack.
Hayato looked at him dubiously. ‘I don’t understand. How can you forgive any ninja after what I hear they did to your father?’
Jack felt his heart constrict at the memory. The sudden and brutal attack on the Alexandria. His first fateful glimpse of the shadow warrior, Dragon Eye. The vindictive pleasure the ninja had shown, thrusting the sword through his father’s chest. The blood that had stained his own hands as he clung desperately to his dying father …
Hayato saw the pain in Jack’s eyes. ‘My father meant the world to me too. I know what it feels like to have those ninja rip the soul from your family.’
Swallowing back his sorrow, Jack repeated the phrase the Grandmaster had told him. ‘A single tree doesn’t make a forest.’
‘That may be true,’ replied Hayato. ‘But they’re all made from the same wood! It’s only because I respect you, Jack, that I’ve agreed to tolerate her presence. But, after we’ve saved these farmers, I can’t promise the forgiveness you’ve shown her kind.’
23
A SAMURAI’S SWORD
‘Line up!’ ordered Hayato.
Chaos reigned in the village square as the farmers shuffled to and fro. Confused about where to stand, many bumped into one another, some clustered with their friends, while others simply stood looking bewildered.
Hayato shook his head in despair and Yuudai stepped forward.
‘STOP!’ he bellowed.
The whole square ground to a halt.
‘My barricade unit in three rows here!’ he commanded, pointing to the left of the veranda upon which he and the other young samurai stood. ‘Digging unit in front. Bridge unit to their right. Forest unit in one line, far right. MOVE!’
The startled farmers ran to their positions, Yuudai’s barricade unit being the first to get in line. The others eventually followed suit.
‘That’s more like it,’ acknowledged Hayato.
He stepped from the veranda to inspect the rabble of farmers before him. Some carried roughly hewn bamboo spears, while others brandished rusting or broken farm tools as makeshift weapons. Walking the line with Jack, Hayato assessed each of the recruits. Although toughened from their working lives in the fields, the past three years of raids had taken their toll and many were malnourished and gaunt. Barely half the men appeared strong enough to fight. The other half of this peasant army consisted of young boys or old men – neither group fit for the bloody battle ahead.
Turning to Jack, Hayato whispered, ‘If this is our army, we’ll need a miracle!’
‘What we’ve got is less than two weeks,’ replied Jack.
Hayato and Jack came to Sora, who was trembling so much he could hardly hold his spear.
‘What are you afraid of?’ asked Hayato.
‘F-f-fighting Akuma,’ said Sora feebly.
Hayato looked at the rest of the men. ‘Is anyone else afraid of Akuma?’
Countless heads bobbed up and down.
‘ME TOO!’ Hayato declared, much to the men’s surprise. ‘But remember this, when the bandits see us next, they’ll also be scared – of us!’
Hearing this, Sora’s shaking subsided – until a farmer from the back shouted, ‘Nothing frightens Akuma!’
Hayato glared at the man. ‘Everyone’s afraid of something.’
‘Not Akuma. He’s evil itself.’
A murmur of nervous agreement rose among the farmers. Keen to stamp out such demoralizing talk, Hayato unslung his bow and fired an arrow directly at the dissenting farmer. The man screamed in panic, terror etching his face at his imminent demise. But the arrow missed him by a whisker and pierced the wooden handle of his scythe instead.
‘Akuma’s a man like any other,’ said Hayato. ‘He’ll fear death, if nothing else.’
His deadly shot silenced the farmer, along with the rest of the peasant army who gazed in awe at the young samurai’s expert archery skills. Hayato continued to work the line, adjusting the men’s grip on their weapons, showing basic techniques and offering advice. Jack had to admire the boy – he had the gift of military command and of making a point!
When they came to the last row, they found Neko standing proudly to attention, one of the few recruits seemingly ready to be a soldier.
‘This is the courage we’re looking for!’ said Hayato.
‘I think we’ve found our seventh samurai,’ exclaimed Jack with a smile, pointing to the katana on Neko’s hip.
Hayato’s expression turned from approval to quiet outrage.
‘Hand it over,’ he said, gesturing to the weapon.
Neko wrinkled her brow, unwilling to relinquish her prize possession. But Hayato was insistent and took the sword from her. ‘You can carry a spear like the others.’
Miyuki came over, a thunderous expression on her face. ‘Why can’t she have it?’
‘She’s not a samurai,’ said Hayato matter-of-factly.
‘What difference does that make?’
Hayato held up the sword. ‘This is the weapon of a samurai. She’s a farmer.’
‘Of course,’ said Miyuki, her voice dripping with sarcasm. ‘There must be a clear hierarchy. We can’t have the samurai losing their only authority over the masses.’
‘Farmers don’t have the right to carry a sword.’
‘Neko has the right to defend herself!’
‘I don’t make the laws. I only uphold them,’ countered Hayato. ‘And that’s why we samurai are here – to fight for the farmers.’
Yuudai now stepped to Neko’s defence. ‘Hayato, you can’t deny she has the spirit of a warrior.’
‘And the stealth of a ninja,’ added Miyuki quickly.
‘I have to agree,’ said Yori, joining the debate as he noticed the disagreement drawing the attention of the other villagers and causing a stir. ‘Neko has proven her worth on a number of occasions. Perhaps we can make a temporary exception in her case?’
Yori bowed respectfully to Hayato. ‘If you agree, of course.’
Finding himself in the minority, Hayato reluctantly handed back the weapon.
Neko grinned as she took the sword and attempted to slip it into her obi.
Hayato rolled his eyes at her fumbling. ‘Someone teach her how to use it, at least before she cuts off her fingers!’
24
A DARK SECRET
The afternoon was filled with displays of out-of-step marching, clattering weapon drills and shambolic defence formations. Despite the aid of Yuudai’s booming voice, Hayato’s attempt to transform the rabble into an organized military battalion was proving an impossible task.
The farmers weren’t used to the discipline and coordination required to be an effective soldier. They often forgot which unit they were in. Multiple commands confused them. The weapons in their hands were wielded with little or no skill, the spears being twice their height and cumbersome. And the mere idea of fighting and killing someone daunted many of them.
At one point, the Digging unit charged the Bridge unit and there was a near-fatal collision of sides, the tragedy only averted by the quick-thinking Yori. By then, dusk was approaching and Hayato decided to call it a day. Demoralized and exhausted, the farmers trudged back to their homes. Equally dispirited, the young samurai returned to Sora’s farmhouse for much-needed food and rest.
‘That was a nightmare!’ sighed Miyuki, as they slumped round the hearth and waited for Neko to cook their rice.
‘It is only their first day,’ reminded Yori with forced optimism.
‘It was anarchy,’ said Saburo, holding his head in his hands. His unit had been the hardest to control and he’d almost been trampled by them during a marching exercise.
‘Remember, the Way of the Warrior is unfamiliar to the farmers.’
‘Well, it certainly doesn’t come naturally to them!’ Saburo exclaimed. ‘That Kunio boy had his spear upside-down!’
Jack was dismayed with the training session too. He tried to convince himself the farmers had made some progress. But if they continued at their present rate, their army would be little more than a chaotic mob. And with the black moon fast approaching, they didn’t have time for individual tuition.
‘What do you think we should do, Hayato?’ he asked, aware the boy had been unusually quiet since their return.
Hayato didn’t reply, his brow knitted, deep in thought.
Then, glancing round at the others, he said, ‘Neko’s sword is bothering me.’
‘We’ve already discussed this,’ said Miyuki wearily.
‘I’m not disputing the decision,’ replied Hayato, glaring at her. ‘I’m simply wondering whose sword it is.’
‘Well, it’s not mine.’
‘And my nodachi’s on the bed,’ said Yuudai, pointing to the massive blade lying across his straw mattress.
