Jack felt his arms being wrenched from their sockets as the wave clawed at him. He had endured storms, breakers, tempests and typhoons in his time on-board the Alexandria Alexandria, but the force of this flood seemed worse than all of them combined. The dam had evidently burst and the lake emptied in a single ma.s.sive rush into the valley, wreaking untold destruction along the way.
The Ring of Water had come to his rescue.
But if he couldn"t hold on it would be his death too.
He spluttered for breath as his grip began to slip from round the pillar. His left arm was simply too weak and the tumultuous wave seemed to have no end.
Then, all of a sudden, it pa.s.sed. The river subsided. Jack gasped in air and desperately looked around for Ronin and Hana. The bridge was decimated. Some sections were missing entirely; other parts of the walkway swayed dangerously on the few remaining pillars. The supporting stilts that had survived stood like a forest of dead trees in the ferocious current of the river.
The wave had washed away all but a few survivors.
And one of them was Kazuki.
Coughing up water, he spotted Jack and immediately struggled to his feet. Staggering across the skewed walkway, he swung his katana katana for Jack"s head. Jack rolled out of the way and scrambled along the edge of the twisted remains of the bridge. for Jack"s head. Jack rolled out of the way and scrambled along the edge of the twisted remains of the bridge.
As Kazuki pursued him, Jack jumped to the next section.
"You won"t escape!" snarled Kazuki, leaping the gap too.
Jack turned on him, katana katana at the ready. "Nor will you!" he shot back. at the ready. "Nor will you!" he shot back.
Their swords met and the duel continued. As they fought, a supporting pillar snapped loose and toppled into the river, s.n.a.t.c.hed away in an instant by the current. The whole walkway listed to one side and Jack sprang to another smaller section. Kazuki dived for an adjacent part just as the walkway collapsed and disappeared beneath the waters.
Yet still they battled.
Jack evaded Kazuki"s thrust to the stomach and attempted an Autumn Leaf strike to disarm him. But Kazuki, recognizing the technique, immediately countered, rolling his blade out of danger.
"Pathetic!" snorted Kazuki. "I was always always better than you at the Two Heavens." better than you at the Two Heavens."
His blade slashed across Jack"s torso and Jack was forced to leap backwards. His tiny section of walkway wobbled precariously under the sudden shift in weight and an ominous splintering was heard.
Kazuki laughed cruelly as the whole structure keeled over.
In desperation, Jack jumped for one of the supporting stilts. He landed on top of the pole, barely enough room for two feet. Cartwheeling his arms, he recovered his balance Ronin"s plum flower pole training yet again a lifesaver.
"Follow me if you dare!" challenged Jack.
Kazuki couldn"t reach Jack from where he stood and his determination to kill his enemy outweighed any concerns for his own safety. Grimacing, he leapt for the opposing bridge stilt. He landed well, but the poles were unstable and swayed sickeningly above the waters.
The two of them now battled to stay upright, fighting each other at the same time.
Jumping between stilts, they slashed and reeled, two warriors at the very edge of their abilities. The rain still came down in stinging sheets. The swords still sliced through the air. Jack knew it was only a matter of time before one of them made a fatal error.
As he went to attack Kazuki, he lost his balance and lurched forward. For that one moment, he was completely defenceless.
Seizing the opportunity, Kazuki jumped to a nearer stilt and brought his sword round to cut off Jack"s head.
Jack, however, was in total control. Having drawn his rival in with his apparent vulnerability, he struck. Ducking the blade, he retaliated with a lightning cut at Kazuki"s legs. Kazuki was forced to leap into the air. But when he tried to land back upon his stilt, he missed and tumbled into the turbulent waters of the Kizu River.
Jack watched him disappear beneath the surface, then pop back up, gasping for air. s.n.a.t.c.hing out for anything he could, Kazuki seized on to the last of the stilts as he was washed by. The current pulled at him mercilessly and, with his right hand crippled, Jack knew Kazuki couldn"t hold on for long.
54.
SECRET BLADE.
"HELP ME!" cried Kazuki.
Jack stood there, watching his rival flounder in the river. He held no love for Kazuki and made no attempt to rescue him. In a matter of moments, all Jack"s problems with the Scorpion Gang would be over. Akiko would be safe from any reprisals.
"Please!" begged Kazuki, his face stretched taut with panic. His right hand slipped and he let out a cry.
But he still managed to cling on with his left.
Jack had witnessed many men drown in the treacherous seas of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. It was the worst fear a sailor faced. He recalled the poor unfortunate Sam, who"d been knocked overboard during the tempest that had shipwrecked the Alexandria Alexandria upon j.a.pan"s sh.o.r.es. Jack could still hear the sailor"s pitiful scream as he was dragged beneath the waves. Drowning was by no means an honourable death. upon j.a.pan"s sh.o.r.es. Jack could still hear the sailor"s pitiful scream as he was dragged beneath the waves. Drowning was by no means an honourable death.
Jack"s indifference to his rival"s plight wavered. He was finding it hard to simply stand by and let another human being drown before his eyes. Whatever his feelings were towards Kazuki, the samurai code of bushido bushido taught rect.i.tude the ability to make the right moral decision and benevolence, the principle of being compa.s.sionate towards all. For Jack, that meant taught rect.i.tude the ability to make the right moral decision and benevolence, the principle of being compa.s.sionate towards all. For Jack, that meant even even his enemies. Coming from a Christian family, his father had read the Bible to him every night and those teachings now returned... his enemies. Coming from a Christian family, his father had read the Bible to him every night and those teachings now returned...
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Was this an opportunity to change Kazuki for the better? A foreigner had unintentionally killed the boy"s mother. Could his prejudice now be reversed if a foreigner rescued his his life? life?
A difficult choice faced Jack Kazuki"s life was in his hands. He could let his rival drown... or save him.
Kazuki"s desperate grip upon the stilt was weakening, his fingers slipping off one by one.
Hoping he wouldn"t regret his decision, Jack sheathed his sword and leapt across to the remaining section of walkway above Kazuki"s head.
"Take my hand!" he said, lying down and reaching for his enemy.
Kazuki stared in disbelief at the gesture.
"You"ll drown otherwise."
The river surged and Kazuki panicked. He clasped on to Jack"s wrist.
But Jack didn"t pull him up.
"Hurry... gaijin gaijin!" spluttered Kazuki as river water rushed into his mouth.
"Promise you"ll leave Akiko alone."
Kazuki didn"t answer.
"Promise!" demanded Jack.
Another wave rolled over Kazuki"s head and he choked.
"Yes! Yes! I"ll not harm her," he shouted, nodding furiously.
"And that you"ll let me get to Nagasaki."
"Whatever you want!"
With an almighty heave, Jack pulled Kazuki out of the river. They stood and faced one another, the cold hard rain falling around them. For a moment, Kazuki glared at Jack. Even having lost his katana katana, he appeared to consider continuing the fight.
But then he bowed his head.
"Arigato gozaimasu," he mumbled by way of thanks.
Jack smiled with relief. It seemed his act of mercy had had changed Kazuki. changed Kazuki.
Then Kazuki clenched his right-gloved hand and a gleaming blade sprang out from his kimono sleeve. Taken completely unawares, Jack had no time to react.
The secret blade drove straight for his heart.
55.
HANA.
Jack was suddenly knocked aside, Kazuki"s blade missing him and sinking deep into his saviour"s chest. Blood smeared the walkway as Ronin fought bitterly, hand to hand, with Kazuki. They slammed against the rail. It gave way and they tumbled over the side.
Running to the rail, Jack spotted Ronin and Kazuki flailing in the waters. The current had pulled them apart and Ronin was struggling to keep his head above the surface. Ensuring his pack was secure over his shoulder and knowing the rutter rutter was safe within its waterproof oilskin, Jack dived into the river after him. was safe within its waterproof oilskin, Jack dived into the river after him.
Fighting for breath in the surge and swell, Jack was tossed like a piece of driftwood in an ocean storm. Catching a glimpse of Ronin through the foamy torrent, Jack swam with all his might. But his weak left arm was slowing him down.
As the rapids and white water swirled around, Jack lost all sight of Ronin. He kept swimming, desperate to save his friend. But he knew the badly wounded Ronin might already have drowned. Kicking hard, he made for the position he"d last seen the samurai. A splintered bridge stilt shot by, almost taking Jack"s head off. Then he spied Ronin on his back, feebly splashing to stay afloat.
Jack made a last-ditch effort and reached Ronin just as he went back under. Seizing the samurai"s arm, Jack pulled him above the surface and began to swim for the bank. But the drag from his pack, swords and an unconscious Ronin meant he made little headway.
The river inextricably drew them downstream, sapping Jack"s strength with every stroke. A wave caught him full in the face and he choked on the waters. Too exhausted to keep going, he felt himself slip below the surface. Jack kicked hard and bobbed up briefly. A section of walkway b.u.mped into them and he clung on to it, a life raft of fading hope.
The riverbank rushed by and Jack kicked desperately in its direction. His legs felt like lead and he was on the point of giving up entirely, when they ran aground. With the last of his strength, Jack dragged the dead weight of Ronin clear of the water and collapsed beside him.
The rain pelted the mud around them and Jack sank his fingers into the earth, not wanting to let go for fear of being pulled back into the raging torrent.
Ronin groaned. Jack forced himself to his knees and examined the samurai.
"You"re bleeding badly," said Jack, pressing a hand to the samurai"s ribs to stem the flow.
Ronin gasped in pain and moaned, "Where"s... Hana?"
Jack shook his head sadly. "I haven"t seen her since the wave struck."
"Must look."
Ronin struggled to sit up.
Through the relentless grey rain, the bridge was no more than a few skeletal stilts, a shipwreck of a crossing. Survivors were few and far between.
"I can"t see her," said Jack, realizing it was beyond hope that a non-swimmer would last long in the raging river.
With trembling fingers, Ronin pulled a tattered paper crane from his kimono.
"Hana... my little Hana," he sobbed.
He tossed the tiny bird upon the waters and they watched it float away.
"We"d best go," urged Jack, putting an arm round Ronin and helping him to his feet. "We need to hide and take care of your injuries."
They stumbled along the bank and towards the forest. Just as they reached the undergrowth there was a shout. They both looked round, fearing the worst.
"JACK! RONIN!" cried Hana above the roar of the river.
She stood upon the opposite bank, jumping up and down, waving her arms madly.
A smile of relief burst on to Ronin"s sorrowful face. "Hana! She"s safe!"
But, further down, Jack spotted another figure crawling out Kazuki.
"RUN!" cried Jack, pointing furiously to the danger.
Hana saw Kazuki rise to his feet and she began to back away. Jack and Ronin watched helplessly, the river dividing them.
Kazuki lurched towards Hana, his gloved hand with its secret blade primed to cut her to shreds.
Then he collapsed in an exhausted heap, the battle and the flood having finally taken their toll.
"GO!" shouted Jack and Ronin as one.
Nodding, Hana waved her farewell. She held up the inro inro to Jack, signalling her plan to head for Toba, before disappearing into the treeline. to Jack, signalling her plan to head for Toba, before disappearing into the treeline.
56.