The Ring Of Earth Part 6

'I don't like it in this forest,' said a man's voice.

'Scared of ghosts?' taunted another.

Through a small gap in the bushes, Jack saw a patrol of four samurai come into view.

'Yes. There are bad spirits in these trees. Shadow warriors. People disappear.'

'There are bandits too,' piped up the smallest of the samurai, glancing around nervously.

'The sooner that gaijin gaijin is caught, the better. What's so special about this one, anyway?' is caught, the better. What's so special about this one, anyway?'

'The Shogun wants him. He's a samurai. Fought for the other side.'

'Don't make me laugh. A gaijin gaijin samurai!' samurai!'

'I wouldn't laugh if I were you. He knows the Two Heavens.'

'If you believe that, then you'll believe anything!'

When the samurai had gone, Miyuki retracted her blade and let Jack go.

'Have you been following me all this time?' he demanded.

'It's not hard,' she replied. 'An elephant leaves a smaller trail than you.'

'But why save me?'

'I didn't. Soke ordered me to bring you back. Alive.'

12.

A FROG IN A W WELL.

'A host doesn't paralyse their guest with Dim Mak Dim Mak!' protested Jack, who once again found himself in Soke's house.

When Miyuki had first tried to escort him back to the village, he'd run. But the ninja girl moved so effortlessly through the forest, she soon caught up. They'd fought hand-to-hand, matched in skill. He'd pulled his knife, but she disarmed him with alarming speed. Jack was convinced only his fatigue allowed Miyuki to beat him. Binding his hands and hobbling his feet, she'd dragged him home like a wild dog.

'My apologies,' Soke replied, offering him some sencha sencha, 'but you left me no option. Now Now we can talk sensibly.' we can talk sensibly.'

Jack took the tea, but didn't drink it. The ninja were masters of dokujutsu dokujutsu, the Art of Poison.

Soke poured himself some tea, returned the kettle to the pot hook and took an appreciative sip. 'Ahhh, a perfect brew! Now, as I was saying, we're your friend, not your enemy.'

'No ninja can ever be a friend of a samurai. And I feel the same,' Jack replied. 'The ninja Dragon Eye murdered my father. Yamato, who was like a brother to me, sacrificed his life because of that a.s.sa.s.sin. Ninja will always always be my enemy.' be my enemy.'

Soke bowed his head low, his eyes full of grief. 'I'm truly sorry for your father and dear friend, and I can understand why you must hate us. But a frog in a well does not know the great sea.'

Jack stared blankly at Soke, bewildered by the man's bizarre choice of words.

'Your understanding of the ninja is misguided. Like the frog, you're judging things from one narrow perspective, that of the samurai. All you know is what they've they've told you and from your own regrettable experience of Dragon Eye. But just as a single tree doesn't make a forest, nor does one ninja represent all told you and from your own regrettable experience of Dragon Eye. But just as a single tree doesn't make a forest, nor does one ninja represent all s.h.i.+n.o.bi s.h.i.+n.o.bi.'

Jack gave a hollow laugh. 'Since meeting you, Soke, I've been hung from a tree, tricked into entering a ninja village, knocked unconscious and now kidnapped. My opinion of ninja has not not changed.' changed.'

'That is one truth, but I see another,' said Soke. 'Good fortune caught you in that tree. Our meeting meant I could guide you to safety. At Shonin's house, I rescued you from yourself, avoiding unnecessary bloodshed. Finally, Miyuki prevented you being captured by the samurai patrols.'

Jack found Soke's words unexpectedly persuasive, but ninja were known for their ability to deceive. 'Why should I believe you? Unlike samurai, ninja have no code of conduct.'

'True, we do not follow the seven virtues of bus.h.i.+do bus.h.i.+do. Instead we cultivate the spirit of ninniku ninniku. A compa.s.sionate heart, one that doesn't harbour grudges and always seeks peace and harmony. The essence of a ninja is a pure heart.'

'Yet you still still a.s.sa.s.sinate people.' a.s.sa.s.sinate people.'

'Occasionally the ninja are employed for such work by the samurai and their daimyo daimyo. But the single life of a leader can sometimes save thousands of soldiers' lives on the battlefield. Is that not better?'

'That depends upon who you kill.'

'A fair point,' agreed Soke, putting down his tea. 'And that is why a.s.sa.s.sination is not our preferred means. Our true skills lie in espionage and strategy. The information we gather allows an enemy to be defeated, not by direct combat, but by using such intelligence to undermine and weaken our enemy's position. So you see, while the samurai seek open warfare, we, the ninja, seek to avoid conflict through our actions. We only engage in combat as a last resort.'

'But you're mercenaries without honour,' argued Jack.

'That is what the samurai would have you believe. In truth, we are farmers, merely trying to survive and preserve our way of life. The Iga clans have been persecuted by the samurai for generations. Thirty years ago, that warlord Oda n.o.bunaga almost wiped us out. Even though our village survived, it's still a target for daimyo daimyo Akechi. Did you know that Hanzo's parents were murdered by samurai?' Akechi. Did you know that Hanzo's parents were murdered by samurai?'

Jack sadly shook his head.

'The ninja may be as opposite to the samurai as the moon is to the sun,' continued Soke, 'but we're not the devils you think we are. And samurai are not the saints you imagine.'

'That may be your truth,' accepted Jack, 'but it isn't mine.'

'I realize it'll take time to convince you. But tell me, Jack, who is hunting you now ... and who is protecting you?'

They both knew the answer.

'From the beginning, I said it's a matter of trust,' Soke continued. 'I will trust you you now by returning your swords. I know how important they are to a samurai.' now by returning your swords. I know how important they are to a samurai.'

Soke retrieved the katana katana and and wakizas.h.i.+ wakizas.h.i.+ from his room and, bowing, placed them before Jack. from his room and, bowing, placed them before Jack.

'I'm free to go?' queried Jack in surprise.

'By all means, leave,' Soke said, indicating Jack's pack, untouched, by the door. 'But you're clearly of great interest to the Shogun. I'd be surprised if you survive more than a day.'

Jack picked up his swords. 'It's a risk I'm willing to take.'

'You do have another choice,' said Soke as Jack headed to the door.

'And what is that?' Jack asked cautiously.

'Stay here until the samurai move their search elsewhere. You still have a long journey ahead and if you were to learn a few ninja skills, you might just reach your destination alive.'

'Me? Train as a ninja ninja!'

Soke smiled. 'Only by becoming one will you truly comprehend the Way of the Ninja.'

13.

TREE F FIGHT.

Jack walked out.

Shouldering his bag, he strode off towards the one and only road in the village. The old man was out of his mind. How could Soke suggest that he he become a ninja? It'd be going against his father's memory to even contemplate such an idea. The become a ninja? It'd be going against his father's memory to even contemplate such an idea. The s.h.i.+n.o.bi s.h.i.+n.o.bi were dishonourable a.s.sa.s.sins. Murderers. were dishonourable a.s.sa.s.sins. Murderers.

Or were they?

Soke had put a seed of doubt in his mind. A single tree doesn't make a forest. A single tree doesn't make a forest.

As he pa.s.sed through the village, Jack was struck by how normal everything appeared. People bowed at his approach. Farmers tended their fields. Children played in the square. They looked like ordinary families, not killers.

A young girl ran up to him. 'Where are you going, tengu tengu?' she asked.

Jack recognized her as the little girl who'd taken part in sword training the day before. 'Home.'

'Don't you like it here?'

'It's very peaceful,' Jack admitted, 'but I have to return to my sister.'

'What's her name?'

'Jess. She's only ten.'

'Like me!' the girl squealed. 'I'm supposed to give you this, by the way.'

She handed Jack a small orange fruit.

'What is it?'

'A mikan mikan. Try it.'

Jack went to take a bite, before realizing it might be a trick.

'It's very tasty!' she insisted, producing one of her own. 'But Soke said you need to peel back the skin to discover the real fruit.'

The girl skipped off towards the square, happily devouring hers.

Jack examined his mikan mikan. What was Soke up to now? The gift looked innocent enough and didn't appear to have been tampered with. Carefully removing the skin, he found a fleshy, segmented fruit inside. He tentatively popped a slice into his mouth. Its intense sweetness brought a smile to his face and Jack thought he understood Soke's message. Having had to figure out so many of Sensei Yamada's koans koans and riddles while at the and riddles while at the Niten Ichi Ry Niten Ichi Ry, Jack was used to such obtuse teachings. He presumed the mikan mikan was meant to represent his view of the ninja, the skin being his false impression and the edible fruit inside the truth. was meant to represent his view of the ninja, the skin being his false impression and the edible fruit inside the truth.

Then again it could be just a piece of fruit.

But Soke had got him thinking. Maybe he was being too rash in his judgement. Perhaps the ninja were were trying to help him, after all. The question was, why? They might share a common enemy, but there had to be another reason. And he would never know unless he stayed. trying to help him, after all. The question was, why? They might share a common enemy, but there had to be another reason. And he would never know unless he stayed.

Then there were the problems of negotiating the mountains, avoiding the samurai patrols and getting past every checkpoint thereafter along the road to Nagasaki. The idea of acquiring some ninja skills was appealing. Miyuki had moved through the forest as silent as a shadow. Dragon Eye had stolen in and out of guarded castles with the ease of a ghost. The ninja were masters of the Art of Stealth. With those same skills, Jack could elude the samurai rather than have to fight them.

But it seemed disloyal to his guardian Masamoto to contemplate learning such dark arts. The swordsman had brought him up to be a true and n.o.ble samurai. The man had fought against ninja all his life. But then hadn't Akiko trained as a ninja under the explicit instruction of Masamoto himself?

In order to know your enemy, you must become your enemy.

Perhaps this is what he should do. Jack still found it hard to justify training with the ninja. Then the Lord's Prayer came into his head ... Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. As a Christian, he'd always been taught to forgive. But how could he forgive those responsible for his father's death? As a Christian, he'd always been taught to forgive. But how could he forgive those responsible for his father's death?

A realization hit him. Dragon Eye hadn't been a ninja to begin with. He'd been born a samurai. Circ.u.mstance of war and a twisted poisoned mind had turned him towards the ninja. Although it was those skills that made him the terror he became, Dragon Eye's heart had never never been pure. been pure.

If Jack was to stay true to his own samurai teachings, he must follow the first virtue of bus.h.i.+do bus.h.i.+do, Rect.i.tude, to be fair and equal to all people. This demanded that he give the ninja a chance to prove themselves, before judging them all to be like Dragon Eye.

It wouldn't delay me greatly to stay a few days, thought Jack. And I might learn a few things to my advantage. And I might learn a few things to my advantage.

But should he decide to stay, he'd have to be on his guard at all times.

Lost in thought, Jack found himself wandering beside the edge of the pond. As he neared a large maple tree, he heard Hanzo shouting.

'Tengu! Up here!' Up here!'

Jack saw the boy hanging from a branch high above the water.

'What are you doing?'

'Training,' he replied, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

'For what?'

'Holding on. You need to be strong to climb walls. Sometimes you might have to hold on for hours before you can escape. I bet you can't hang on as long as I can!'

Jack smiled. There was something compelling about the boy's enthusiasm, and also something very familiar. Hanzo reminded him a little of his good friend Yori. Deciding he'd had enough of thinking, Jack put down his swords and pack, and climbed the tree. s.h.i.+mmying along the branch, Jack dropped down beside Hanzo and clung on with his fingers.

'So how long do we do this?'

Hanzo grinned. 'Until one of us falls in.'

As they both dangled over the pond, Miyuki appeared.

'You've decided to hang around then?' she smirked.