BooksBarbecue
Back The Ring of Wind Save as PDF
Chapters (71)
  1. CHRIS BRADFORD
  2. Contents
  3. Map: The Japans – 17th Century
  4. The Letter
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. 49
  54. 50
  55. 51
  56. 52
  57. 53
  58. 54
  59. 55
  60. 56
  61. 57
  62. 58
  63. 59
  64. 60
  65. 61
  66. 62
  67. 63
  68. Notes on the Sources
  69. Ninja Pirate Ship Competition
  70. Japanese Glossary
  71. Acknowledgements

‘Load the stern cannon!’ ordered Skullface.

Tiger and Snakehead went below, just as a hail of steel-tipped arrows peppered the deck. The seki-bune had drawn into firing range and the Wind Demons were forced to take cover. Jack had a bird’s-eye view of the Sea Samurai priming muskets and preparing to launch a second volley of arrows. Then a heavy boom resounded from within the shuinsen. It was followed by the splinter and crack of wood and the cries of injured men. But no Sea Samurai on the upper deck were hurt. Tiger and Snakehead’s aim had been purposefully low, the shot destroying the oars along the enemy’s port side. Disabled, the seki-bune rapidly fell behind.

The Wind Demons gave an almighty roar of defiance. Nothing could stop them now. They’d stolen the Shogun’s Red Seal ship! Then Jack caught a flicker of a sail on the horizon. He looked harder and five more sails emerged from behind the shadow of an island, the pale moonlight reflecting off a golden shell on their white canvas.

‘SUIGUN TO THE SOUTH!’ cried Jack, realizing the beacon’s call had been answered.

Dawn broke and the Sea Samurai patrol were closer than ever. Following Jack’s warning, Skullface had grabbed the tiller and immediately altered course west. But a short while later, across the waters, came a deep resonating tone like the call of a primeval bird. Jack, who’d been ordered down from the rigging, shuddered at the unnerving noise.

‘It’s a horagai, a conch-shell trumpet,’ Li Ling had explained, still nursing the unconscious Captain Kurogumo. ‘The seki-bune must be signalling our position to the patrol.’

With the benefit of both sail and oar, it hadn’t taken long for the Sea Samurai to find them.

‘We’ll never escape now,’ growled Tiger, eyeing their relentless pursuers.

The day not yet begun, a chill rose up from the cold sea, but the wind blew warm and moist. Jack had experienced such conditions countless times before and began to search for further signs. He smiled to himself when he spotted the haze on the horizon.

‘Head north,’ said Jack to Skullface.

‘That way lies land,’ replied Skullface, ignoring his suggestion.

‘And sea fog.’

Skullface laughed mockingly. ‘I thought you knew how to navigate, gaijin. We won’t be able to see a thing!’

‘Exactly,’ replied Jack. ‘And nor will the Sea Samurai.’

Skullface instantly understood, but didn’t like the idea one bit. ‘We could run aground or hull ourselves on rocks.’

‘There must be charts in the captain’s cabin,’ said Jack. ‘If you can pinpoint where we are, I can pilot you safely through the fog.’

Skullface glanced back at the ever-advancing samurai fleet and cursed. He turned to Tiger. ‘Get the gaijin what he needs.’

The ninja pirate returned with both chart and compass. Having calculated their position and studied the chart, Jack instructed Skullface to take a bearing north-north-west.