The Ring of Earth.
by Chris Bradford.
THE LETTER.
Japan, 1614.
My dearest Jess, I hope this letter reaches you one day. You must believe I've been lost at sea all these years. But you'll be glad to know that I am alive and in good health.
Father and I reached the Japans in August 1611, but I am sad to tell you he was killed in an attack upon our ship, the Alexandria. I alone survived.
For these past three years, I've been living in the care of a Japanese warrior, Masamoto Takeshi, at his samurai school in Kyoto. He has been very kind to me, but life has not been easy.
An assassin, a ninja known as Dragon Eye, was hired to steal our father's rutter (you no doubt remember how important this navigational logbook was to our father?). The ninja was successful in his mission. However, with the help of my samurai friends, I've managed to get it back.
This same ninja was the one who murdered our father. And while it may not bring you much comfort, I can assure you the assassin is now dead. Justice has been delivered. But the ninja's death doesn't bring back our father I miss him so much and could do with his guidance and protection at this time.
Japan has been split by civil war and foreigners like myself are no longer welcome. I am a fugitive. On the run for my life. I now journey south through this strange and exotic land to the port of Nagasaki in the hope that I may find a ship bound for England.
The Tokaido Road upon which I travel, however, is fraught with danger and I have many enemies on my trail. But do not fear for my safety. Masamoto has trained me as a samurai warrior and I will fight to return home to you.
One day I do hope I can tell you about my adventures in person ...
Until then, dear sister, may God keep you safe.
Your brother, Jack
1.
THE G GAIJIN S SAMURAI.
Japan, summer 1614 'Hey, stranger, you're in my seat!' snarled the samurai warrior.
Jack stopped slurping his noodles. Even though there were plenty of empty benches in the dilapidated inn at Shono, a post station that served those travelling along the Tokaido Road, Jack didn't dare question the samurai. Without looking up from beneath his straw hat, he slid himself across to the next table. Then he returned his attention to the steaming bowl and took another mouthful.
'I said, you're in my my seat,' repeated the man, his hand now resting upon the hilt of his samurai sword in a clear threat. Behind him, two other pairs of sandalled feet appeared. seat,' repeated the man, his hand now resting upon the hilt of his samurai sword in a clear threat. Behind him, two other pairs of sandalled feet appeared.
Jack tried to remain calm. So far on his journey, he'd managed to avoid any serious confrontations. He hoped to keep it that way.
But with Japan in upheaval, he knew it would be difficult. Following daimyo daimyo Kamakura's victory in the civil war, the samurai lord had declared himself Shogun, the supreme ruler of Japan. Many of the samurai who served him were belligerent because of this. Drunk on victory, Kamakura's victory in the civil war, the samurai lord had declared himself Shogun, the supreme ruler of Japan. Many of the samurai who served him were belligerent because of this. Drunk on victory, sake sake and newly acquired power, they bullied the local people and any person of lower status. and newly acquired power, they bullied the local people and any person of lower status.
At first glance, Jack appeared to be no more than a farmer or a wandering pilgrim. He wore an unassuming plain blue kimono, a pair of sandals and a conical straw hat typical of a rice farmer or Buddhist monk. Its wide brim hid his foreign face.
Without protest, Jack moved to another table.
'That's my friend's seat.' my friend's seat.'
There was a snigger of laughter from the other two soldiers. Jack realized he was in a no-win situation. He would have to leave. If they discovered his true identity, he would be in real real trouble. As a foreigner, a trouble. As a foreigner, a gaijin gaijin, he was a target for persecution. The Shogun's first act in office had been to issue a countrywide edict banishing all foreigners and Christians from his land. They were to leave immediately or face punishment. For some zealous samurai, the foreigners weren't departing quickly enough. Even in his short journey from Toba to the Tokaido Road, Jack had already passed one unfortunate Christian priest, his mutilated body hanging from a tree and left to rot in the sun.
'I'll be finished soon and on my way,' replied Jack in perfect Japanese.
Too hungry to leave any behind, he hurriedly gulped down more noodles with his chopsticks. This was the first hot meal he'd had since saying goodbye to his friends four days ago.
'NO! You'll finish now!' ordered the samurai, slamming his fist upon the table.
The bowl clattered to the ground, spilling its contents across the hard-packed earth. A stunned silence filled the little inn. Its few customers began to edge towards the door. A serving girl cowered behind the counter with her father.
Forced to confront his assailant, Jack looked up for the first time.
The samurai, a burly man with a rat of a moustache and bushy black eyebrows, stared in astonishment at Jack's blue eyes and blond hair.
'A gaijin gaijin!' he gasped.
Jack stood up. Though only fifteen, he was taller than many Japanese men. 'As I said, I'm leaving.'
The samurai, quickly regaining his wits, barred Jack's way. 'You're not going anywhere,' he said. 'You're a fugitive and enemy of Japan.'
The other two soldiers closed rank. One was thin with a narrow pinched nose and close-set eyes; the other short and fat like a toad. Each of them carried a pair of samurai swords a standard katana katana and a shorter and a shorter wakizashi wakizashi.
'I don't want to cause any trouble,' Jack insisted, his hand grasping his pack in readiness to make a run for it. 'I'm just passing through, on my way to Nagasaki. I'm leaving as ordered by the Shogun.'
'You should never never have arrived in the first place,' sneered the thin samurai, spitting at Jack's feet. 'You're under arrest ' have arrived in the first place,' sneered the thin samurai, spitting at Jack's feet. 'You're under arrest '
Jack tossed his chopsticks into the man's face, momentarily distracting him, and bolted for the door.
'Seize him!' ordered their leader.
The toad-like soldier grabbed Jack's wrist. All of a sudden, the man was on his knees and crying out in pain as Jack executed nikky nikky on him. This wristlock was the first on him. This wristlock was the first taijutsu taijutsu move Jack had ever been taught at the move Jack had ever been taught at the Niten Ichi Ry Niten Ichi Ry, the samurai school in Kyoto where he'd trained for the past three years.
'Help!' whimpered the man.
The leader, unsheathing his sword, now charged forward.
Jack released the lock just short of breaking the man's arm and threw him into the path of the attacking samurai. At the same time, he reached for the katana katana strapped to his pack. As the samurai's lethal blade arced towards his neck, his own steel sword flashed from its strapped to his pack. As the samurai's lethal blade arced towards his neck, his own steel sword flashed from its saya saya.
The two katana katana collided in mid-air. For a brief second, no one moved. collided in mid-air. For a brief second, no one moved.
'A gaijin gaijin samurai!' exclaimed the leader, his eyes wide as saucers. samurai!' exclaimed the leader, his eyes wide as saucers.
'This is the one the one!' The toad-like warrior squealed as he scrambled to his feet. 'The gaijin gaijin our Shogun is seeking!' our Shogun is seeking!'
'And there's a price on his head,' added the thin samurai, drawing his sword too.
All three surrounded Jack, blocking any hope of escape.
He had no choice. He'd have to fight his way out.
2.
AN U UNFAIR F FIGHT.
The serving girl, a slip of a thing with a short bob of black hair, peeked fearfully over the counter. Her eyes never left Jack as he was backed into a corner.
Since it was an inn for commoners, the wooden building was a simple affair constructed mainly of bamboo and cream-coloured washi washi paper walls, with a few wooden pillars for support. The tables were rickety and worn. Beside the counter were a large cask of paper walls, with a few wooden pillars for support. The tables were rickety and worn. Beside the counter were a large cask of sake sake and several stone jars for serving the rice wine. Jack caught a glimpse of the girl's father, hurriedly stowing away the few precious china bowls he owned, and wondered if there was a back way out of the inn. The sliding and several stone jars for serving the rice wine. Jack caught a glimpse of the girl's father, hurriedly stowing away the few precious china bowls he owned, and wondered if there was a back way out of the inn. The sliding shoji shoji door that was his most obvious means of escape stood on the opposite side of the room, with the three samurai in between. door that was his most obvious means of escape stood on the opposite side of the room, with the three samurai in between.
'Must we take him alive?' asked the thin one.
'No, his head will be good enough for the Shogun,' replied the leader.
Jack, realizing he couldn't defeat them all with a single sword, withdrew his wakizashi wakizashi. He raised both weapons and prepared to defend himself. The two magnificent swords with their dark-red woven handles had been given to him by Akiko, his closest and dearest friend. They had been her late father's and highly prized, made by Shizu, the greatest swordsmith to have lived. This would be the first time Jack had used them in combat. But their weight felt good in his hands, the blades perfectly balanced.
The leader hesitated in his attack, taken off-guard by Jack's unusual fighting style. Most samurai only used their katana katana in a duel. in a duel.
'He knows the Two Heavens!' the toad-like warrior exclaimed.
'So what?' spat the leader. 'There are three of us!'
Despite his bravado, Jack noticed the tip of the man's katana katana quivering slightly. The Two Heavens was legendary among samurai a devastating double-sword technique taught only to the best students of the quivering slightly. The Two Heavens was legendary among samurai a devastating double-sword technique taught only to the best students of the Niten Ichi Ry Niten Ichi Ry. It was almost impossible to master, but those warriors who did were considered invincible. Masamoto, the founder of this samurai school and Jack's former guardian, had fought over sixty duels and never lost one.
'He's just pretending. No gaijin gaijin could know such a skill,' said the leader, pushing the fat samurai forward. 'Kill him!' could know such a skill,' said the leader, pushing the fat samurai forward. 'Kill him!'
'Why me?'
'Because I order you to!'
With reluctance, the samurai drew his sword. Jack glanced at the blade. It was clean and unchipped. He guessed the man had never been in a real duel in his life.
'S-s-surrender, gaijin gaijin, or else!' he stuttered.
'Or else what?' Jack challenged, playing for time as he positioned himself behind a table.
'I'll ... cut your head off,' the man replied with little conviction.
'And if I surrender?'
The samurai, stumped for an answer, looked to his leader.
'We'll still still cut your head off,' replied the leader with a sadistic grin. cut your head off,' replied the leader with a sadistic grin.
At that moment, he nodded a signal to the thin samurai.
'ATTACK!'
All three converged on Jack at once.
Jack kicked over the table and the fat one tumbled to the ground, losing grip of his sword. The thin samurai sliced for Jack's neck as the leader thrust for his stomach. Jack ducked beneath the first blade, at the same time deflecting the second attack with his wakizashi wakizashi.
Before either of them could counter, Jack side-kicked the thin samurai in the chest, sending him flying into a pillar. There was a sharp crack as the wood splintered and the building shuddered. Spinning round, Jack now targeted the leader's head with his katana katana. The blade whistled through the air, slicing clean above the samurai.
'You missed!' he cried.
'Did I?' Jack replied as the samurai's topknot of hair slipped off his head and dropped to the ground.
Shocked at the loss of his status symbol, the leader didn't notice the creak and crack of timbers until it was too late. Jack's blade had also cut through the ties holding together a section of the bamboo ceiling. A rock-hard stem fell on to the man's head, knocking him out cold, and he was buried beneath an avalanche of bamboo.
With a scream of outrage, the thin samurai attacked once more, thrusting for the heart. He forced Jack back towards the counter. Jack blocked the barrage of strikes, but the man was lightning fast and managed to get in a vicious slice across the belly.
At the last second, Jack jumped aside. The razor-sharp blade cut through the sake sake cask instead, cleaving the wooden barrel in half. Rice wine gushed out. The fat samurai, still on his knees retrieving his sword, was half-drowned beneath the alcoholic waterfall. An idiotic smile blossomed on his face as he gulped down several involuntary mouthfuls of cask instead, cleaving the wooden barrel in half. Rice wine gushed out. The fat samurai, still on his knees retrieving his sword, was half-drowned beneath the alcoholic waterfall. An idiotic smile blossomed on his face as he gulped down several involuntary mouthfuls of sake sake.
In contrast, the thin samurai's expression was a knot of fury. He raised his sword again, determined to finish Jack off. As he did so, the serving girl appeared from behind the counter and smashed a sake sake jar across the back of his head. The samurai swayed slightly, before collapsing to the floor. jar across the back of his head. The samurai swayed slightly, before collapsing to the floor.
Jack stared in amazement at the girl.
'They simply can't handle their drink,' she said, smiling innocently as the fat samurai struggled in the sludge of mud and wine.
The man pulled himself to his feet, his face dripping with sake sake. Glancing round at his fallen comrades, he staggered away from Jack.
'This isn't a fair fight,' he pleaded, his sword trembling in his hands.
'It never was,' replied Jack, executing an Autumn Leaf strike.
His blade struck the back of the man's sword twice, disarming him of his weapon in an instant.
The samurai held up his hands in surrender, blubbing, 'Please don't kill me!'
In the blink of an eye, Jack sliced across the man's body with both his swords. The samurai screamed, his high-pitched cry fading into a pitiful whimper.
'I don't wish to kill anyone,' replied Jack, sheathing his swords. 'I just want to go home.'
The samurai inspected himself with amazement. He was totally unharmed, but then his obi obi fell apart and dropped from his waist to his ankles, together with the fell apart and dropped from his waist to his ankles, together with the sayas sayas for his swords, his for his swords, his inro inro carrying case and a string of coins attached to the belt. carrying case and a string of coins attached to the belt.