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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

Tiger and Snakehead suddenly appeared, blocking his path. Without warning, Manzo jumped out from a nearby cabin and bundled him inside. Caught in his bear-like grip, Jack was powerless to fight back. Within seconds, he was enveloped by a sack and bound tightly with rope, his wrists and ankles expertly hogtied behind him. Struggling against his bonds, Jack cried out for help.

‘Shut him up!’ hissed Skullface.

The last thing Jack felt was a heavy blow to the back of his head.

46

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Kidnapped

The floor pitched and rolled. For a moment, still bound within the sack, Jack thought his sickly disorientation came from the strike to his head. Then he registered the creak of wood, the splash of waves and the flap of canvas. He was at sea.

Apart from the dull throb at the base of his skull, Jack didn’t think he was otherwise injured. He tried to move, but the ropes held him fast. His throat was dry from the dust within the sack. He considered shouting for help, but it was unlikely anyone would come running to his aid. It was better to remain silent and learn what he could before revealing to his captors that he’d regained consciousness.

He had no idea how long he’d been out for. No light seeped through the coarse sacking, so Jack guessed that he was either in the hold of a ship or else night had fallen.

He heard voices: only four and he recognized all of them – Skullface, Snakehead, Tiger and Manzo. If that was the case, he was probably on a small boat, otherwise there’d need to be more crew.

What had Skullface and his gang planned for him? His sudden abduction didn’t bode well. It would certainly be against the wishes of Tatsumaki. And he’d witnessed the cruel games of torture that these pirates enjoyed playing with their prisoners. Was this the danger the Wind Witch had foreseen? If so, surely she could have given him better warning!

Jack listened as Skullface issued the command to lower the sail. A moment later, the boat bumped against a rock and the deck lurched as someone leapt ashore.

‘Manzo, bring the gaijin,’ said Skullface.

Jack was manhandled off the boat and tossed over the pirate’s shoulder. Manzo’s sandalled feet crunched on loose stones as they trekked away from the shoreline. No one spoke for a while. Then Jack was dumped unceremoniously on the ground. He couldn’t help letting out a cry as he landed upon a jagged outcrop.

‘The gaijin’s awake,’ growled Manzo.

The sacking was roughly pulled off him and Jack was greeted by Skullface’s leering tattooed features.

‘Pleasant journey?’ he mocked.