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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

Ravenous and parched from their ordeal on the raft, the four friends tucked into the simple feast. The jug of water disappeared in a few shared gulps, the food going down almost as quickly.

Cheng waited by the cage as they ate.

‘Can you help us escape?’ Jack asked quietly in between mouthfuls.

‘I’d like to, but I can’t,’ replied Cheng under his breath. ‘They’re watching my every move. If you escape, the captain says he’ll flay me alive.’

Jack nodded his understanding. ‘Where are we being taken?’

‘Pirate Island – the Wind Demons’ lair.’

‘Is that where Tatsumaki is?’

Cheng nodded.

‘Have you met this Tatsumaki?’ asked Miyuki.

Cheng shook his head. ‘I have never been to the Pirate Island before. Its location is a closely guarded secret.’ He looked at them all with a grave expression. ‘But I’ve heard that no one sees Tatsumaki and lives.’

30

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Kamikaze

Dawn broke like a bleeding wound, the distant scudding clouds turned crimson by the sun’s fiery rays. The southerly breeze was insistent, but the Seto Sea remained unnaturally calm.

Red sky in the morning, sailor’s warning, thought Jack absently as he rubbed the stiffness from his aching muscles.

The night had been cold and uncomfortable on the rough wooden deck. He and his friends had huddled together, with one of them always on watch in case there was a chance of escape … or the pirates tried to surprise them.

Standing up to stretch, Jack was greeted by a breathtaking sight. A magnificent fire-red torii floated in the middle of the sea. So large was the structure, the Black Spider could have passed through, if its masts were lowered. With four supporting pillars and a curving green-tiled roof, the towering gateway marked the entrance to the harbour of a small forested island. Within the natural shelter of the bay, a large temple also floated on the waters. Daubed in the same fire-red colour, the main hall faced out to sea, its walkways and windows open to the elements, its roofline reflected in the rippling waves. Beyond the temple, a forested mountain rose into the sky, its peak wreathed in a ring of mist like a gateway to the heavens.

‘Is that Pirate Island?’ Saburo gasped, clambering to his feet.

Wiping the sleep from his eyes, Yori shook his head. ‘No, this has to be Miyajima – the legendary Shrine Island.’

‘It’s so serene,’ breathed Miyuki in awe.

‘Why is the temple on the sea?’ asked Jack.

‘The island is sacred,’ Yori explained in a reverential tone. ‘Commoners must not set foot on Miyajima. So the shrine was built as a pier above the water. By separating it from the land, the shrine exists in a limbo between the pure spirit world and our impure world.’

‘But why is the gate so far out?’