38: THE SOUND OF FEATHERS WATERFALL

38

THE SOUND OF FEATHERS
WATERFALL

The incense gave a last puff of smoke then died.

‘Hajime!’ cried the Imperial Palace official.

Jack sprinted for the door, Yamato hard at his side.

The cheers swelled as they broke free from the Buddha Hall and flew down the stone steps two at a time. The crowd, which had amassed in the courtyard, parted like one immense human wave as Jack and Yamato hurtled towards the main gate.

Outside the Niten Ichi Ryū, Jack and Yamato veered left up the street and the crowd surged out behind, willing them on.

A few students tried to keep up but Jack and Yamato soon broke away.

At the end of the road, Yamato edged ahead and suddenly took a short cut down an alleyway. Jack kept close on his tail, the noise of the crowd fading behind them. He didn’t want to lose Yamato. Not that he was worried about getting lost. Akiko had told him how to get to the Sound of Feathers waterfall. Jack just didn’t want to get too far behind so early on in the race.

In the run-up to the start of the Rite of the Jade Sword, Akiko and Saburo had bustled Jack into the Hall of Lions in a frantic attempt to prepare him. While Jack changed into a fresh kimono and feverishly gulped down food and water, Akiko explained the history of the Jade Sword.

‘The Jade Sword belonged to Emperor Kammu himself, the founding father of Kyoto. It is said that the samurai who wields the Jade Sword can never be defeated. Emperor Kammu therefore commanded that it never leave Kyoto so that his city would always be protected. He presented the Jade Sword to the Buddhist priest Enchin for safekeeping, who placed it at the very top of the Sound of Feathers waterfall in order that it could overlook Kyoto and guard the source of the Kizu River.’

‘So where is this waterfall?’ asked Jack between rushed mouthfuls of rice.

‘It is behind the Kiyomizudera Temple in the mountains. You reach it by the steep path that leads off from the main bridge.’

‘You mean the bridge we entered Kyoto over?’

‘Yes. The path will be on your left. It winds up the mountain and will take you directly to the Nio-mon, the Gate of the Deva Kings. This is the main entrance to the temple. You cannot get lost,’ she said emphatically as she tied Jack’s obi round him.