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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

Gradually, the distance between the Golden Tiger and the pirate ship began to increase. Jack reckoned if they could maintain their speed, the black spider sail would be no more than a dot on the horizon by dawn.

Jumping on deck, the captain slapped Jack on the back. ‘Fine sailing, gaijin! Get us to Hiroshima in one piece and I’ll forget about the cargo you ditched … and the fact that you’re a foreigner.’

Jack’s gamble had paid off. The crew smiled with relief at their narrow escape and gazed in wonder at the gaijin sailor who’d saved them.

Suddenly a rigging line snapped, the sail slackened and the Golden Tiger lost speed. Behind, the Wind Demons closed in again for the kill.

13

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Sea Dragon

‘Head for that island,’ said the captain urgently, pointing to a dark outline off their starboard bow. ‘There’s a sea cave on the far side of the bluff. I’ve used it once before to hide from these cursed wako.’

Jack adjusted course. If they could make it round the headland, they might have a chance. The darkness of night would help conceal their movements and, with any luck, the pirate ship would pass them by.

‘The Wind Demons are catching up,’ warned Miyuki.

‘I know,’ said Jack as he continued to spill wind from the sail. But he daren’t risk putting any more pressure on the damaged rigging.

The Golden Tiger limped on towards the fortress of rock that thrust up from the sea, its peak capped by a mantle of windswept trees. The shoreline was craggy and treacherous, and Jack had to precisely follow the captain’s instruction to avoid running into submerged rocks – even more so, when a cloud slipped across the moon, muting its pale light.

The pirate ship disappeared from view as they rounded the bluff.

‘There’s the cave!’ said the captain, pointing to a black crevice at the base of a huge cliff. It was hard to make out in the gloom, but that made it an ideal refuge.

Wind bleeding from the sail, Jack allowed the Golden Tiger to drift towards the opening. Their progress seemed excruciatingly slow. At any moment the pirate ship would clear the headland and the Golden Tiger would be in plain sight.

They all silently willed the boat to go faster.

‘We’re almost there,’ breathed Yori, his knuckles having gone white from gripping the guardrail so hard.

Jack stared dead ahead, his focus entirely upon the cave entrance. He wiped a forearm across his eyes. Was that a glimmer of movement inside?

Suddenly a ball of flame burst forth, followed by an almighty roar. In the blinding flash, Jack and the others confronted a terrifying vision – a ferocious dragon with an armoured spine of spikes, a devil-horned head and razor teeth like scythes spat fire at them. A split second later, the Golden Tiger’s mast exploded.