Jack looked into the night. ‘Out there. Somewhere. Waiting to strike.’

The long night stretched on. The biting cold made the farmers shiver and fatigue made them yawn. The task of the young samurai commanders was as much to keep the farmers awake and focused as to watch out for Akuma.

Jack stood beside Hayato at the eastern entrance. They both listened hard for the sound of horses’ hooves and the crunch of footfalls in the snow. But apart from the crackling of the sentry fires, the night was as deaf as it was blind.

‘He’s not coming,’ said Toge, crouched behind the hay bales out of the wind.

‘This night’s not over,’ Hayato reminded him.

‘Akuma has always raided us by now.’

‘Maybe our attack on his camp scared him off,’ Sora suggested, a hopeful expression lighting up his face as he tried to warm his hands by the fire.

‘I wouldn’t count on it,’ said Jack. ‘He didn’t look the sort of man to be frightened.’

‘Then he could be trapped, his back route out of the valley blocked by snow too.’

‘Wishful thinking,’ said Hayato. ‘Akuma would find a way – or make one. He’s probably just been delayed by last night’s storm.’

But the farmers preferred the idea that Akuma had failed to show up.

‘I think Toge’s right,’ said another man. ‘It’ll soon be dawn. Black Moon never attacks in the day.’

‘All this training, ditch digging and barricade building has been a complete waste of time,’ complained Toge bitterly.

‘You don’t know Akuma won’t come,’ said Hayato. ‘There’s still time.’

‘But he isn’t here now,’ argued a farmer, beginning to rejoice. ‘And he won’t be. Akuma’s not coming!’

Jack and Hayato glanced anxiously at one another as the false victory spread like wildfire among the gathered farmers.

‘Look!’ cried Sora, pointing to a faint glow in the mountains. ‘The sun’s about to rise.’

But it wasn’t the sun.

The furious clang of the alarm broke the peace of the night as a warning beacon lit up the sky.

43 The Raid

43

THE RAID

‘He’s attacking from the north!’ cried Yori as Jack sprinted into the village square.

‘You stay there,’ shouted Jack. ‘Keep an eye out in case Akuma has split his forces.’

He dashed up the road to the barricade. Yuudai had already rallied his men. They crouched in two rows behind the secondary wall of hay bales, their spears at the ready. The beacon on the hill burnt brightly, but down in the valley it remained pitch black. The thunder of horses’ hooves grew louder and disembodied howls and shouts sent shudders of fear through the farmers. Some began to back away, their overwhelming instinct to flee their posts.

‘Stay in line!’ ordered Yuudai fiercely.