Young Samurai 06 - The Ring of Fire (27 page)

Nodding reluctantly, Hayato conceded, ‘There’s no doubt it was effective. Four bandits were caught in the explosion. That leaves Akuma with a force of less than thirty men.’

‘The odds are improving,’ said Miyuki with a grin.

Jack’s expression remained serious. ‘True, but we don’t have long before Akuma attacks again. We need to remain vigilant. Miyuki, you’d best return to the forest. Hayato, we need every spare man on the southern defence. We must convince Akuma there’s an army waiting to greet him.’

The farmers assembled along the edge of the moat, their forest of spears pointed to the sky. Every eye was turned towards the horizon, nervously awaiting the arrival of Akuma. Beyond the thorn-filled ditch, the patchwork of snow and ice that covered the paddy fields seemed scant defence against such a ruthless enemy. However, having successfully repelled Akuma twice, the farmers now had faith in Jack’s strategy.

Jack too was more confident in his role as samurai leader. Tactical planning seemed more instinctive and he positioned the Sword unit to engage any bandits who broke through the line of farmers. He then walked the length of the southern defences with Hayato and Saburo, offering words of encouragement and advice to the most anxious villagers. They listened attentively, assured by the proven capability of their young protectors.

One boy, not much older than Jack, was quivering with fear at the prospect of the coming battle.

‘A wise man once told me,
In order to be walked on, you have to be lying down
,’
said Jack, recalling Sensei Yamada’s very first life lesson to him. ‘Are you lying down?’

The young farmer shook his head, somewhat confused at the question.

‘Then Akuma can’t walk over you, can he?’

‘No!’ replied the boy, standing a little taller and grasping his spear tighter as he understood the lesson.

Then for the third time that day, the alarm rang out.

‘Bandits to the south!’ cried Yori.

Like an approaching storm, Akuma and his men came into view, galloping up the southern track. When they reached the first of the paddy fields, he raised a fist and the bandits came to a halt. Akuma wasn’t taking any chances this time. Noticing the land had been flooded, he ordered one of his men to dismount and test the way ahead. The bandit hesitantly stepped on to the frozen paddy field.

Jack watched with bated breath as the man made his way across the ice. The surface held his weight and continued to do so. When he reached the middle, Akuma ordered the man to jump up and down.

The ice held.

‘I was afraid of that,’ said Jack, sharing an uneasy look with Hayato and Saburo.

‘Akuma’s got a clear run at us,’ Hayato replied gravely. ‘That means we’ve only the farmers’ fighting spirit to rely upon to win this battle.’

Then the bandit slipped and landed hard on his rear. The spectacular fall caused riotous amusement among the farmers, as well as Akuma’s bandits who laughed at their floundering comrade.

‘Well, that’s raised everyone’s spirits!’ grinned Saburo.

‘It’ll certainly dissuade Akuma from charging at speed,’ said Jack, glad that despite the freezing their defence had some effect.

As the humiliated man scrambled to find his feet, Hayato took the opportunity to carefully aim his bow. He released an arrow just as the bandit got to his hands and knees. It soared through the air and struck the man directly in his behind. He howled in pain and hobbled in retreat back to the edge of the paddy field.

‘Just helping him off the ice,’ said Hayato with a smirk.

47

A DEAL

The bandits spread themselves out in preparation to attack. They glared at the army of ragtag farmers with derision, unfazed by their display of resistance. On Akuma’s command, they rattled their weapons and bellowed a bloodthirsty battle cry, whooping and hollering abuse.

The farmers instinctively backed away from this ferocious display.

‘Hold your lines!’ ordered Jack. ‘Akuma’s just trying to frighten you.’

‘He’s doing a good job of it!’ exclaimed Kunio, trembling so much he was barely able to stand.

‘You wanted to play at being samurai,’ said Hayato sternly. ‘This is your chance. Show some backbone.’

Suddenly Yori appeared at Jack’s side.

‘I ordered you to stay in the watchtower,’ said Jack.

‘You need
every
samurai to fight this battle,’ replied Yori, striding determinedly forward to stand upon the ridge of the moat. Planting his
shakujō
in the earth, he drew in a deep breath and yelled back at the bandits, ‘KIAAAI!’

Realizing the guts it would have taken his friend to perform such a bold act, Jack raised his
katana
and bellowed at the top of his lungs too, urging the farmers to do likewise. Taking courage from Yori’s spirited cry, the farmers clattered their spears and roared their defiance.

‘KIAAAI!’

As the farmers’ battle cry faded, a scornful laugh was heard echoing across the fields.

‘Farmers pretending to be samurai!’ shouted Akuma. ‘I’ve never seen anything so pathetic.’

He rode forward with Sayomi and Nakamura to the border of the next paddy field. Decked out in jet-black armour, the steel plate of his red
hachimaki
glinting in the morning sun, Akuma was a fearsome sight. He held a barbed trident in one hand and upon his hip were two black-handled swords. Beside him in her blood-red armour, Sayomi had stowed her bow in favour of her lethal double-edged
naginata
. On his other side, Nakamura brandished his terrifying battleaxe, its blade chipped and worn from use. He was still recognizable by his red scar, but now half his beard was missing, his skin scorched red with burns.

‘If you resist further, you’ll
all
be slaughtered!’ declared Akuma. ‘Surrender now or face the consequences.’

When the villagers didn’t respond, Akuma continued, ‘Everyone knows that farmers don’t possess the courage or skills to fight. You’d be better off putting a sword in the hand of a child! This is your last –’

‘They
have
!’ interrupted Nakamura, suddenly spotting Jack among the ranks and pointing furiously. ‘That’s the
gaijin
boy who attacked our camp.’

Akuma fixed his gaze upon the blond-haired blue-eyed warrior, who stood sword in hand beside a small warrior monk, a samurai in full-body armour and another
ronin
with a bow. His expression grew dark and murderous.

‘I demand to speak to your leader
now
,’ snarled Akuma, addressing the farmers.

With Junichi dead, the villagers glanced at one another in confusion. There had been no time to consider who would be his replacement. Then slowly, like a change in the direction of the wind, all eyes turned to Jack.

Saburo patted him on the shoulder. ‘It appears
you
have the honour.’

Jack stepped forward, doing his best to appear as poised and confident as his opponent.

‘
You’re
their leader?’ spat Akuma, incredulous. ‘What mad man put the infamous
gaijin
samurai in charge – and a mere boy at that?’

‘You did,’ shouted Jack. ‘When you killed Junichi, the head of their village.’

Akuma now reassessed Hayato, Saburo and Yori. ‘You’re
all
children!’

He turned to his brigade of bandits and said mockingly, ‘They’ve hired
young
samurai.’

Astounded, the bandits howled with laughter. The farmers shifted uncomfortably, their confidence wavering in the face of such ridicule.

‘You farmers must be desperate,’ said Akuma, letting out a cruel laugh.

‘They’ve beaten you twice!’ shouted Sora, stepping forward from the ranks. ‘And they’ll defeat you again!’

Akuma stopped laughing. ‘Not
this
time,’ he replied, furious. He eyed the extensive moat surrounding the village, noting the spiky thorn bushes. ‘A ditch won’t save you. But … I’m not a merciless man. Hand over your rice now and we’ll spare you and your families.’

Jack almost laughed at the suggestion. He’d witnessed the sort of mercy Akuma gave out – it involved torture and death.

‘Leave this village alone and we’ll spare
you
!’

Akuma looked outraged. ‘Beware,
gaijin
, you’re delivering this village a death sentence.’

Sayomi leant over from her horse and spoke softly to her leader. Akuma’s expression transformed from thunderous to triumphant. He addressed the farmers again. ‘I have a better deal for you. Hand over the
gaijin
samurai and I promise –
on my honour
– to leave you and the rice untouched.’

Pulling on his reins, Akuma retreated to his line of bandits and rammed his trident into the snow. Holding up his hands, he cried, ‘As you can see, my intentions are honest.’

Jack heard an argument break out among the ranks of farmers.

‘We should do it,’ urged the elderly farmer who’d led the vote against Jack before. ‘He just wants the reward.’

‘You believe that devil?’ said Yuto, standing up to the old man yet again. ‘Once he has Jack, he’ll destroy us all. Jack’s our saviour!’

‘But if we fight Akuma, who knows how many of us will die? This could be our last chance to save the village.’

‘NO!’ Yoshi the elder overruled, leaning heavily on his walking-stick as he tottered to the front line. ‘We must reap what we have sown. We agreed when Junichi was alive and we must respect his memory. There’s no going back now.’

Yoshi stepped on to the moat beside Jack and bowed to him. Then turning to Akuma, he called, ‘We know your game, Akuma. We no longer bow to you. No deal!’

Akuma glared in disbelief at the outrageous defiance of the villagers.

‘Know this,’ he thundered. ‘YOU’VE JUST DECLARED WAR!’

48

SCARED

Seeing Akuma snatch up his trident, Saburo pulled out his
katana
in preparation for battle. The polished blade shone like quicksilver in the sun.

‘Time to make use of my father’s gift,’ he said, offering Jack a grim smile.

‘You’ll make him proud,’ Jack replied. ‘And Kiku’s father.’

Saburo forced a laugh. ‘I only wish I was able to write
haiku
. Poetry is a far less dangerous way of impressing a girl.’

‘But no easier,’ said Jack, remembering the
haiku
he’d written for Akiko. It had taken him months to compose, even with Yori’s help.

Determined to keep the farmers focused on fighting rather than fear – as well as demonstrate to Akuma their military capability – Jack gave the signal to begin defensive formations. On Hayato’s command, the farmers lowered their spears and advanced to the front line, ready to fend off the invading bandits. A fearful tension hung in the air as they waited for Akuma to make his move.

But Akuma didn’t give the order to attack. In fact, the bandits appeared in little rush to go anywhere, satisfied merely to intimidate their victims.

‘Why’s he not attacking?’ asked Saburo.

Jack looked along the line. Only now did he notice Kurochi the Snake wasn’t among them. He did a quick count. The bandits numbered just twenty-three.

‘Hayato, take command,’ said Jack urgently.

‘Where are you going?’

‘Akuma’s tricked us,’ cried Jack, beckoning three men from the Sword unit to follow him. ‘I must warn Miyuki.’ And he ran off towards the forest.

As Jack flew along the path, he heard the distinctive blast of a musket shot. Turning the corner of the last house, he found the small group of defending farmers cowering behind their wooden barrier. On the ground lay a body.

Neko knelt beside the dying victim, trying to stem the bleeding. No match for the power of a lead bullet, the barrier hadn’t provided much protection and the musket shot had gone straight through. Fearing the worst, Jack rushed over just as the unfortunate farmer gave a guttural groan and fell still.

Neko continued to hold the wound closed, silently imploring the man to come back round. But there was little hope of that. Jack respectfully closed the dead farmer’s eyes and pulled Neko away.