The Open Road Read online

  The night was still and silent. Standing in the pitch dark at the edge of the stream, Sura handed Reiju’s companions her long spear and short sword, whispering into their ears.

  “Hold these!”

  Sura changed into her half animal form, slipped out of her breastplate and clothes, and handed them to the priests to be bundled up and stored. She added a fistful of throwing spikes and a pair of pepper-eggs to the bundle of weapons. The priest seemed taken aback, and Sura gave the man an innocent shrug.

  “It’s a fox thing!”

  She slid down to kneel in the cold, shallow water, wincing as the current reached her nethers. Chiri’s clothing and weapons were added to the tub – and then suddenly Chiri scampered up and over Sura in rat form. The little white rat settled happily atop the warm clothing in the tub, peering about herself and twiddling her whiskers.

  Sura looked at the rat, unamused.

  “Comfy?”

  “Oh yes – yes thank you!”

  “Hmmmm…”

  Sura took her spear in one hand, and the tub in the other. Lying down in the cold water, she half crawled and half swam downstream. The two elementals led the way, scouting carefully ahead. Tonbo silently opened up the iron grate, and the four Spirit Hunters slipped through the water and into the darkness.

  Sura gave a low grumble in the gloom.

  “I’m telling you – the Chugōku dragon idea was a winner….”

  She sighed, and slithered uncomfortably on through the stream.

  The rocky little waterway wound between steep banks, splashing down towards the river just upstream of the town. The team had to painfully negotiate slippery rocks, wrestling long weapons and awkward tubs of armour down towards the river banks.

  Dripping wet and cold, Sura, Tonbo and Kuno took cover in reeds beside the river, watching to make certain no one had followed. But the shadows were still – the town seemed absolutely peaceful. Daitanishi and Bifuuko slipped away to search quietly through reeds and weeds, but there were no ninja anywhere to be found.

  Chiri rode in comfort in Sura’s wooden tub, snacking upon a roasted chestnut. She looked up inquiringly as Sura – bedraggled and cold – hoisted her tub up into a small boat that had been lying hidden in the weeds. Sura, Kuno and Tonbo slipped aboard. Tonbo stood and worked the single heavy oar, propelling the little boat upstream and away from the town, slowly leaving the great, dark shape of the sword temple island far behind. The two elementals swept past, one scouting ahead and the other searching the banks – but all seemed safe. The world was fast asleep.

  The scratch on the sword did not quite reach the hamon. Given the orientation of the map, the prize had to be upstream and on the far side of the river. Tonbo took the boat away from town and up into the darkness, finally crossing over to the far bank. The group all splashed and waded ashore in the cover of a stand of rocks, dragging the boat up into cover and hiding it well.

  Chiri nosed about while her clothing was unrolled. She slithered into her attire and changed back into human form. The rat dusted off her clothing, settled her natagamas in her belt, and set Bifuuko in place upon her hair – then looked about to see the others – dripping wet and muddy – all looking at her as they towelled their ice cold flesh.

  Chiri cleared her throat and indicated that she would scout ahead. The rat flitted off to keep guard while Sura, Tonbo and Kuno fought their damp way back into their clothing. Sura helped Tonbo settle his armour – the man wore far, far more protection that Kuno, and all of it was solid iron. She slapped him on one heavy shoulder plate, then handed the man his studded iron tetsubo. They looked about themselves, decided that all was well, and moved on.

  The terrain had grown steep and treacherous: the river banks became high cliffs as the gorge narrowed. The four Spirit Hunters laboured their way up through rocks and great, gnarled pine trees, finally finding a narrow path. They followed the trail upstream to the top of the nearest cliffs, pausing to look around at the great wide world.

  Halted on a high promontory above the river, the Spirit Hunters looked upstream to where the cliffs and meanders could be faintly seen in the starlight. Kuno drew the Blue Serpent sword from his back and the group gathered to look over the hamon pattern and match it to the twists and coves. They were perhaps a tenth of the way into their journey: there were long hours of walking ahead.

  Tonbo took the lead, with Daitanishi flitting along to help scout the way. The Spirit Hunters moved off along the path, threading back behind the trees, walking silently onwards. The path emerged out onto promontories and clifftops, then wended down into little coves where streams splashed down into the river. The four friends walked onward through the dark hours past midnight, moving swiftly – taking careful note of their course. Bit by bit they advanced along the route marked on the map. Each waver of the river was faithfully reproduced by the magnificent sword.

  The horizon finally glowed a soft dark grey. The first shadows appeared as the clouds were lit with beige and gold. The river sparkled, and the whole magnificent landscape emerged from darkness and slowly took on its true form.

  The river gorge had become wild and magnificent. High cliffs were upon either side, with occasional small beaches formed by wrack and fallen boulders far below. There were rapids here and there down on the river – foaming white and spectacular to behold. Little waterfalls spilled down from the clifftops, glittering like silver in the morning sun. The air sang fresh and sharp along the gorge, bringing the scent of pine resin, river mist and grass. Sura breathed the perfume of the wind, marvelling at the river far below.

  Kuno brought out the Blue Serpent sword once more. He held the blade carefully, looking from the rough edges of the gorge to the crisp hamon. He flicked his glance from waterfalls to sword and back again, nodding carefully.

  “The waterfall just ahead – that would seem to be the place marked upon the sword.” He carefully sheathed the sword once more. “Hmmm. But should we go to the top of the falls, or the bottom?”

  Chiri drank from her canteen as delicately as she could. She politely passed the drink forward to Kuno. “Let us go to the top, Kuno san. We can then find our way down as we search. It would be easier than climbing up.”

  It was an excellent thought. Sura, Kuno and Tonbo nodded. They all took a last look along the river, then turned to search the path behind for danger. But they seemed to be suspended in a great, bright world all of their own – alone amongst the pines.

  They picked their way forward over rocks and great slanting stones. A wide stream flowed down from the nearby mountains, finally crossing the rocks in a great broad, sheet of water. The waterfall fell as a wide, smooth, powerful silver curtain. It plunged down, down, down – finally crashing into the river two hundred feet below, sending a great haze of mist drifting high into the air.

  The gorge had narrowed at the foot of the falls, forcing the river between tightening banks. The waters flowed deep and fast, glowing a spectacular deep, dark green.

  The Spirit Hunters came to the upper edge of the waterfall. Somewhat dismayed by the drop, Chiri carefully edged to the brink. Lying upon her belly, she peered cautiously over towards the river far below.

  Sura joined her. They lay side by side, gazing down along the smooth, powerful sheet of falling water.

  The fox searched carefully. There was a possible path down to a point fifty or sixty feet below. Sura shifted position carefully, and then touched Chiri’s arm. She pointed to a little ledge half covered up by ferns.

  The ledge seemed to work its way back behind the waterfall itself. And there, hidden in amongst the ferns, there was a pile of little stones: a cairn shaped very vaguely like a man. Sura leaned out as far as she dared, her tail flicking thoughtfully behind her.

  “Hermit’s cave! That looks a good spot.”

  Chiri looked at the steep, treacherous climb that led down to the ledge. She cleared her throat.

  “I – aaah - I believe I shall stay on watch.”

  “Good.
Tonbo – stay with her.” The difficult climb was no place for heavy armour and a tetsubo. “Kuno – with me.”

  Sura put her spear aside, tossing her leather breastplate and her upper robe beside it. Kuno unfastened his armour and left it beside Sura’s spear. He took the Blue Serpent sword and placed it carefully into Chiri’s hands.

  “Please take care of this for me, Chiri san.”

  Sura was already making her way carefully down over the slope. She slithered on her bottom over a rock, and cautiously felt her way down into a narrow crevice. The fox reached up to help Kuno find his way, then moved onwards down the crack, carefully bracing herself against the stones.

  The air danced and sizzled with flecks of water, thrumming to the all-encompassing rhythm of the waterfall. Sura made her way down to the narrow ledge and made space for Kuno to join her. Together they ducked and made their way forward through the mist – on behind the great flat silver curtain of water gushing from above.

  Lush green ferns grew from little gaps between the rocks. Sura pushed forward, and found the path growing wider and wider. It opened out into a great wide-mouthed cave, echoing to the endless, flowing water.

  The little cairn had been set just over the threshold, as if marking the limits of the cave. A rough-carved stone head had been set atop the pile. Green moss had colonised the rock, making a bright green wig atop the scowling stone.

  Sura ducked into the cave. Light rippled on the walls, washing back and forth over a huge image of a reclining Buddha that had been cut into the back wall.

  Sura tipped the Buddha a casual salute as she passed. Kuno scowled at her, then bowed to the image with proper respect.

  They searched the cave together. There were a few rocks set about the place here and there, and signs that a few offerings had once been set before the Buddha image. But Sura’s eyes rested with interest upon the stone cairn. She bobbed down to inspect the rock pile, then waved for Kuno to come and join her.

  “Here. Help me shift it.”

  They pushed the entire cairn slowly and carefully aside from its original position. The flooring beneath seemed to be smooth, unbroken stone. But Sura crouched down and ran her hands over the rock, looking carefully along the surface. She hammered at the rock with the hilt of her kodachi, keeping her ear pressed against the stone.

  The fox took one of her throwing spikes, and began probing at the dirt. She soon discovered that the cairn had sat atop a single broad, flat stone that had been set into hard-packed soil. Sura dug busily and uncovered the edges of the stone.

  They levered the rock up, and peered down at the surface beneath.

  A long, slender pot of black-glazed earthenware had been buried beneath the stone. Sura managed to awkwardly wriggle the jar until it loosened, then Kuno helped her slowly lift it from its hiding place and up into the light.

  The lid of the jar was sealed with melted pine resin. Sura frowned, found a rock, and then struck carefully down to shattered the top of the jar.

  Inside was a long, slender package wrapped in oilskin. Kuno reverently removed the package. He untied the cords that held the oilskin shut. Beneath the outer layer was a magnificent brocade robe. It had been wrapped around a sheathed sword.

  Kuno began to draw the sword. Sura stiffened. She leaned forward with a look of absolute wonder in her eyes.

  “It’s alive! There is a kami… A kami in the steel…”

  The samurai slowly drew the sword out of its scabbard. The exquisite blade seemed to shimmer with a weird, unearthly force. As Kuno lifted the weapon, a wind seemed to stir inside the cave. The air snapped and crackled with power.

  Utterly awed, Sura held her open palms above the blade. She felt into the weapon, feeling it coursing and pulsing, feeling the power forged into the countless folds of steel.

  “The Demon Slayer sword!” Sura stared at the weapon in blank amazement. “An Oni’s bane. He managed it! No one has been able to make one in a thousand years!”

  Kuno suddenly turned. Tonbo’s shout came faintly through the sound of the waterfall.

  “Sura! Kuno! Company!”

  Sura shoved her short sword into her sash and immediately raced from the cave. Kuno stayed back, swiftly laying out the sword wrappings. Sura clambered up into the cleft that led to the top of the waterfall. She looked back to see Kuno reappear just below her. He settled his sword in his belt, then slung the brocade-covered sword bundle over his back.

  Sura and Kuno climbed up the rocky cleft, heaving themselves up and away from the cave of the reclining Buddha. They slithered up over the edge of the rocks, keeping carefully hidden amongst the boulders.

  Chiri and Tonbo lay flat behind a rise of rock with the Blue Serpent sword between them and the cliff face at their backs. Sura crawled swiftly up behind them and gratefully took charge of her spear. Kuno slid into place beside her, keeping himself well down in cover.

  “Where?”

  Tonbo motioned subtly with his chin, pointing at the trees nearby.

  “In the tree line, hidden in the shadows. Ninja.”

  Chiri rolled, keeping carefully flat behind the rocks. Bifuuko nodded to her, and the rat turned to her friends.

  “There are also some hidden on the forest path. They hope to ambush us when we leave.”

  Sura was pulling on her breastplate. She tied the lacings tight, looking up and over the rocks towards the forest. “Yep. I’ll fix that.”

  The fox hauled herself to her feet. She stood with her spear planted beside her, looking wild, carefree and full of contempt. She called raucously off towards the trees.

  “Oi, scar face! You over there! Do you think you’re being clever?”

  The female ninja resentfully emerged from weeds a few dozen yards away, decidedly annoyed at being discovered. She dusted at her clothing – all earthy tones of grey and brown, and pulled away the cloth mask that screened her face. She looked at Sura in absolute dislike.

  “Priestess – your group is better than we thought.” The woman gestured with her sword. “Give us the Demon Slayer sword, and your lives will be spared!”

  Sura crowed in triumph, brandishing her spear.

  “I have whipped your arse, kicked your arse, and even bitten your arse... What makes you think that this time I won’t stick this where the sun don’t shine and make my day complete?”

  The ninja woman whistled. Eight ninja dressed in garments of dull brown and grey materialised from amongst the trees behind her. Yet more men appeared on the mountain path, and at the far flank. There were almost twenty ninja gathered at the gorge cliffs. The ninja woman stood with the wind pulling at the trees behind her. Her eyes were dark and cold.

  “This time, there will be no mistakes.”

  Chiri and Tonbo arose, weapons at the ready. They stood with Sura, protecting her. Before them, the ninja stirred, shifting forward, eager to attack.

  Kuno climbed up atop the rocks at the cliff’s edge. He drew the Blue Serpent sword and threw the sheath aside.

  Kuno’s stern voice echoed out over the ridge.

  “This is the sword ‘Blue Serpent’. It was forged by a master, and given in friendship. That friendship left the Demon Slayer sword as its monument.”

  Kuno looked coldly at the ninja warriors.

  “I will not allow you to disgrace that friendship by laying your hands upon the Demon Slayer.”

  The ninja woman waved to her men.

  “We are the Akai-Nami ninja! We warn fools only once.”

  The ninja raged forward into the attack.

  The stream protected the Spirit Hunter’s right flank, and the sheer cliffs were at their back. Tonbo, Kuno and Sura rose and moved onto the open rocks. They moved slowly and calculatingly forward, then all three suddenly streaked forward and slammed into the ninja an instant before their enemies attacked.

  Sura spun her spear around in a great sweeping, glittering arc. Her target dodged the downwards cut, but was caught by a lightning–swift upswing. Sura blocked a strike from a man
that tried to leap past the fallen body. She caught the man’s wrist in the crossblades of her spear, slicing it before running him through the throat. The fox threw a pepper-egg into the faces of the next charge, sending a man staggering back, blinded and coughing. Tonbo atomised the man with one horrific blow as Sura charged away to ram her spear into the next wave of assassins.

  She hooked the ankle out from behind one man and ran him through as he fell, then rammed the butt of her spear into the stomach of another that tried to leap in and cut her down. The fox sliced down through the recoiling ninja with her spear, then lunged past him, flashing the weapon forward its entire astonishing length to run through the man beyond. Ninja who had been trying to surround Kuno sped away to try and flank the fox. Sura flung a throwing spike and struck one man in the eye. She held six attackers at bay in a great fan to her front, sweeping vicious, powerful cuts with her spear.

  Tonbo seized hold of a boulder and hurtled it down at the knot of men that had been driving Sura back. One man fell, while another was caught clean in the chest and smashed off the edge of the cliff. Sura made a lunge past the leg of the third man, hooked his ankle with the sharp side-blades of her spear and stabbed him as he fell.

  Kuno and Tonbo fought side by side. Tonbo strode forwards, suddenly moving with astonishing speed to crash the long tetsubo into his targets. The ninja were all unarmoured, and armed with short swords, kama and chains. They dared not close with Tonbo, but still the man drove them back and trapped them against the rocks, smashing men down. He exposed his back as he clubbed men down, whipping about with his tetsubo to shatter those who saw the false opening and tried to attack.

  Kuno fought with the Blue Serpent sword in hand, the waterfall crashing and shining at his back. He moved amongst the grandeur, his armour gleaming – his long sword glittering like ice.