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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

‘No … not if you know the waters,’ replied Jack, regaining his composure. ‘Of course, there’s always a risk. But I suppose the captain’s trying to avoid pirates.’

‘Possibly, or …’ Miyuki lowered her voice, glancing round to check none of the crew was nearby, ‘… because he’s an illegal trader.’

‘What makes you say that?’ asked Jack.

‘In the hold, hidden beneath the crates of pottery, I discovered bundles of the finest silk cloth. He must be trying to avoid paying port taxes. And that might cause us problems.’

Jack considered this. ‘Why? Isn’t the fact that he’s avoiding the authorities good for us?’

‘Perhaps,’ Miyuki conceded. ‘On the other hand, his criminal activities could attract the sort of interest we don’t want.’

Jack nodded in agreement. ‘Let’s discuss this with the others in the morning –’

All of a sudden, there was a shriek. One of the crew was pointing port side with a trembling hand.

‘Fuma!’ he cried, his face drawn back in horror. ‘Wind Demons!’

12

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Close-Hauled

Out of the darkness materialized a white sail upon which a huge black spider had been painted. The ship, twice their size and with a second foresail for speed, was cutting through the waves towards them. The crew began to panic, cowering beneath the cargo in a futile attempt to hide. As the apparition bore down on their boat, the captain stood rooted to the deck, gawping with a combination of fear and disbelief.

Jack grabbed the nearest crewmember. ‘What are Wind Demons?’

‘N-n-ninja pirates,’ spluttered the man, his face pale as a ghost’s in the moonlight. ‘Wind Demons capture and eat their victims alive!’

Ignoring the man’s ravings, Jack turned back to Miyuki. ‘If they’re ninja, we’ve nothing to worry about. We just need to show them the Dragon Seal.’

Jack formed the secret hand sign the Grandmaster had taught him, the one that ensured a bond of friendship between any true ninja.

Miyuki gravely shook her head. ‘Not with the Fuma clan. They’re more pirate than ninja.’ She stared darkly at the approaching vessel. ‘After the samurai, the Fuma are a ninja’s worst enemy.’

The pirate ship was gaining on them fast. If the captain didn’t take evasive action soon, they would be rammed and boarded.

‘What are we going to do?’ asked Yori, joining them at the guardrail with a sickly Saburo.

‘We have to outrun them,’ replied Jack.

‘In this piece of junk?’ groaned Saburo. ‘We haven’t got a chance!’

‘Handled right, she’ll go faster than the wind,’ said Jack. If her battered hull and wrecked rigging can hold out long enough, he thought. But he didn’t admit this to his friends. ‘The three of you start throwing crates and the bamboo overboard. We need to lighten the load.’

‘NO!’ cried the captain. ‘Those are my goods.’