Then a man next to Yuudai suddenly collapsed, an arrow protruding from his back. Jack’s eyes darted to a figure standing on the massive boulder dislodged from the ridge. Through the gap in the flames, Sayomi began to pick off Yuudai’s men one by one with her bow. The farmers dived behind the hay bales as she shot another villager through the neck.

From the eastern entrance, Jack heard cries of panic and the noise of battle. Clearly, not every bandit had been killed by the Ring of Fire.

55 Overrun

55

OVERRUN

Jack and Miyuki dropped down the ladder as fast as they could.

‘You stop Sayomi; I’ll help Hayato and Yori,’ said Jack, drawing his swords.

But no sooner had Miyuki disappeared up the track to the barricade than Hayato’s unit, along with many women and children, came screaming into the square. They ran in all directions, desperate to escape the horror that pursued them. A musket shot rang out, creating even more panic.

Not far behind the villagers, Yori struggled to help a bleeding Hayato, the farmboy Kunio carrying his bow and quiver. Using Yori’s shakujō as a crutch, the three of them staggered into the square.

‘Akuma!’ was all that Yori could gasp.

Rushing over, Jack helped them to the cover of Kunio’s parents’ house beside the pond.

‘Akuma’s armour … protected him … from the flames …’ Hayato wheezed, clasping his stomach as he collapsed against the wall.

A second later, the thunder of horses’ hooves signalled the entrance of Black Moon. He charged through the square upon his armoured steed, his face a savage mask of murder. Chasing down a villager, he drove his trident into her back, the barbs bursting through her ribcage. He wrenched the lethal weapon out and the poor woman dropped lifeless to the ground.

Another four bandits on horseback charged into the square, unleashing more death and destruction. Akuma seemed intent on killing any and everyone in the village.

Without Hayato to command them, his unit of farmers fell into disarray and forgot all their training. They tried to fend off the attackers in small vulnerable groups, but the bandits simply cut a swathe through their feeble defences.

Jack ran into the midst of the chaos.

‘TO ME!’ he cried, attempting to rally the farmers.

But they were lost in their panic.

‘Kill the gaijin!’ roared Akuma, as he hunted down a group of screaming villagers.

A horse galloped towards Jack. Upon it a fearsome bandit wielded a bloodstained katana. Crossing his swords above his head, Jack barely managed to deflect the attack and the force of the blow almost took his right arm off.

The bandit wheeled round to charge again. Jack realized he had little chance against a mounted opponent. The speed and power of the horse, along with the advantage of height, meant Jack would be beheaded before he could land a counterblow.