Junichi’s face had gone deathly pale and his breathing was laboured. Focusing on Jack, he spluttered, ‘Young samurai … don’t let Akuma win … save Mother … save the village …’

Then his eyes lost the spark of life and he fell silent.

Consumed with grief, Natsuko stroked her son’s hair, no longer aware of the world around her.

Jack could hear the baleful shouts of the bandits nearby. Sticking his head out to check the bridge was still clear, he hurriedly withdrew it as an arrow thudded into the wooden framework. Akuma’s bandits were almost on top of them. Grabbing Natsuko, he threw the old woman over his shoulder and ran for the bridge.

Natsuko protested at being torn from her son. Then she saw Akuma bearing down on them.

‘You devil!’ she cried, raising her stick in defiance. ‘I’ll see you dead before I die!’

Jack’s heart pounded in his chest. Natsuko wasn’t heavy, but she was enough to slow him down. He risked a glance back. High in her saddle, her black hair streaming out behind, Sayomi was drawing her bow and taking aim. The ghostly woman’s lips parted into a hideous smile as she released the arrow.

In sheer desperation Jack threw himself to the ground, Natsuko protesting at the sudden jolt. She shut up when the arrow missed them by a whisker and drove into the icy deck of the bridge.

Sayomi shrieked in frustration and reached for another arrow.

‘GET UP!’ screamed Miyuki from the village’s eastern defence.

Jack and the old woman were now directly in the path of the bandits’ stampeding horses. Using all his strength, Jack rose to his feet with Natsuko and broke into a staggering run. They were completely exposed as he crossed the bridge. Although Kurochi couldn’t reload while riding, Sayomi would have no problems rearming her bow.

At the boundary to the village, Jack could see Hayato and Miyuki arguing over when to shoot the gunpowder cask. He wasn’t yet across, but behind he heard the leading horses clatter on to the bridge.

‘SHOOT!’ he bawled, running with all his might.

Hayato seemed reluctant to fire. But if he waited any longer, the bandits would breach their primary line of defence.

‘SHOOT!’ ordered Jack.

The flaming arrow hurtled towards him.

Jack made a last-ditch effort as it shot past.

Behind he heard a whoosh, then a huge explosion. He was knocked off his feet by the blast and landed face first in a ditch by the side of the road. Natsuko dropped next to him, stunned by the detonation.