This the first story about the ninja. Hope you'll enjoy.
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Kenji knew that he must be careful about how he
entered captured, Hon Castle. Even though he was disguised as a merchant from a
distant province that would mean nothing to Lord Katsugami's brutal occupation
troops. They would treat and search him roughly, disgusted at even having to
touch a member of the lower classes. He would have to cower before them and
appear to be submissive. One wrong look, just meeting the eyes of one of the
Samurai, would be taken as an infraction, reflecting great disrespect for the
warrior class. A deadly iai-jitsu draw and cut would follow, aimed at the neck
of such a vile, disrespectful merchant. On top of everything else, most of the
soldiers would be drinking, celebrating their recent victory. After raping and
pillaging an entire province, they would need little excuse to spill the blood
of a defenseless merchant.
The
young Ninja knew that he might suffer great indignities at the hands of the
invaders, but only if they tried to slay him would he be forced to defend
himself and try to escape. But that must not happen; he might escape or he might
be killed, but either way his mission would fail, and it would then be even more
difficult for the next Ninja spy to get in. The enemy would increase their
security.
His
only hope was to slip in and complete his mission while the invaders were still
occupied by sacking the countryside and celebrating their victory. They were not
even aware that in triumph they were vulnerable. Kenji hoped to teach the
invaders a bitter lesson for invading his homeland.
The Ninja Clan to which he belonged was allied with the other side. He was being
sent to gather information. Rumor had it that the invader's finest general, who
had orchestrated the successful siege of Hon Castle, had been seriously wounded
by an arrow during the final battle. If the rumor proved to be true, with late
reinforcements, the defending armies would launch a counterattack, regain the
castle and crush the enemy. Without their finest leader, the invaders would be
routed.
Knowing
that he would be thoroughly searched, Kenji was only lightly armed with the
tanto dagger which most traveling merchants were allowed to carry. He also
carried four flat, superbly balanced throwing knives, which were cleverly
concealed in the sides of a wooden box, which he used to carry some of his
wares. He was selling decorative hand guards for swords. Each of the tsuba were
made by a famous artisan. Along with those items and the clothes on his back,
Kenji carried nothing out of the ordinary for which a merchant would be found.
He prepared himself mentally as he approached the outer gate. His performance
had to be calculated and perfect.
"Dog!"
one of the guards screamed at him, ripping Kenji's pack off his shoulders.
"What garbage have you come to peddle?" The man was half drunk.
Kenji bowed unceasingly as he trembled to his knees. "Mighty warriors, most
honorable lords, I come to you bearing many fine tsuba, fashioned by the
renowned artisan, Mitsunari of Mido. Perhaps you have heard of him? They would
be most worthy of your...
The
back of an armored hand cuffed him. His pack was emptied on top of him, and the
guard began to pick through the merchant's possessions, flinging items to the
laughing soldiers nearby. "There is nothing of value here," the guard
howled. "Only junk. We will throw it away for you and relieve you of the
burden of carrying it."
"Hold it, you fool," an authorative voice said. Out of the corner of
his eye, Kenji saw an older Samurai on horseback, snapping a resplendent fan at
the guards, who sprang to attention as quickly as they could. The rider turned
to Kenji.
"Did
I hear you say Mitsunari of Mido?"
"Yes, mighty lord," Kenji muttered through his tears. He did not dare
look up.
"Guard!" the leader snapped. "Bring one of those." He
pointed at the hand guards which had spilled from the box onto the stones.
Hurriedly the brutal guard picked up one tsuba, bowed, and handed it to the
rider, who examined its workmanship closely.
"Hmmm,
it is indeed the work of that famous artisan; I know his skill well. It is old,
from the days before the peak of his mastery, but good work nevertheless. You
will be given a pass for food and lodging for one night. Seek out the retainers
of my house this evening, where you see my standard. I will examine your
merchandise more closely at that time." The rider turned once more to the
guards. "Do as I have said with this merchant, and see that no harm comes
to him within these walls. Trouble him no more or I shall hear of it. The
artistry he bears is worth more than the lot of you! Now stand your posts. Stop
drinking. The enemy is still in the mountains. They may yet try to regain the
castle."
"Thank you, gracious lord," Kenji said, bowing repeatedly. The rider
spurred his horse and rode into the castle. Kenji was left to gather up his
belongings. What was taken was not returned, and the guards scowled at him when
he took his pass from them. Slinging his pack over his shoulder, he scurried off
onto the castle grounds.
Once
inside, he was directed to the rooms of the lord who had taken interest in his
goods. He made an appointment and took his meal, doing nothing to attract
suspicion. In the evening, he met the lord, and made a fine sale. Appearing
pleased and tired, he was given a place among the servants for the night.
Once
night fell, Kenji's real work began. He turned his clothing inside-out and
changed from his merchant disguise into his black Ninja uniform. For weapons he
had the merchant dagger in his belt and the four throwing knives from the wooden
box. He had caught sight of the standard of the enemy's top general earlier in
the day. Cautiously he made his way through the shadows of the captured castle
toward the general's quarters in order to spy on the general's condition.
Upon
reaching the general's quarters, he found them as he had expected them to
be-heavily guarded. Kenji was forced to make his way silently up onto the roof
and cautiously down into the rafters above the general's room. Once there, the
young Ninja listened for a great while, detecting the sounds of two people
sleeping. He could tell from the way that they were breathing that they were
deep in slumber. Kenji could not see much from his vantage point, despite the
dim moonlight bathing the chamber. He had to climb down into the chamber.
Silently he lowered himself slowly into the chamber by means of a thin strong
rope.
Immediately
he caught sight of two guards sitting by the door. As soon as his feet touched
the floor, he drew two of his throwing knives, retreated, and crouched in the
shadows of the room. But neither of the guards moved; it was they who were
sleeping.
Quickly he made his way to the general's bed. The general lay in the bed, but he
was stone dead. It was a ruse to fool spies. The general's body had even been
embalmed and covered with a thin layer of wax. For proof, Kenji took the
general's ring. Quickly but carefully, he made his way back to his quarters and
gathered his things. He had the information for which he had come, and he would
leave that very night to inform his clients.
Strangely enough, the same drunken Samurai guards who had bullied him were at
the gate when he went to leave. Kenji was on his guard. He had his knives
concealed on him still.
"Well,
merchant," the leader of the guards said, "did you do well?"
"Yes, great warrior, your lord was most gracious. I am on my way to board a
ship now. I have passage to leave."
"Very
well then. But there are brigands and ronin about, waiting to cut the throats of
fortunate merchants. Our lord gave us charge to see that no harm befell you
within the gates. Let us escort you beyond them as well. You are only armed with
that puny dagger, a pitiful weapon against an enemy.
"You
are most kind," Kenji said. The leader and two other Samurai lead him out
of the city and down the road. After they had traveled far away from the castle,
the three bushi stopped.
"Here we must leave you," the leader said. That must have been the
signal. Instantly the other two Samurai whipped out their swords.
"Pig! Dog!" the second Samurai raged. "You caused us to lose face
before our lord. Honor requires your life!"
"Give
us your money and your goods," said the third, "and perhaps we shall
let you live. And do not attempt to touch your dagger. Our skilled swords will
cut you down before you can draw it."
Kenji fell to the ground, trembling and begging for forgiveness. Slowly he
reached into his pack, gripping the handle of one of his throwing knives
concealed there. In one swift motion, he flung the heavy pack into the leader,
knocking him to the ground. Diving and rolling beneath the swords of the other
two Samurai, he ripped upwards with his dagger, slashing the second man
viciously in the groin. The Samurai groaned and fell.
Springing
to his feet, Kenji saw the third guard charging at him, while the leader drew
his own sword and maneuvered behind the Ninja. Without hesitation, Kenji threw
his dagger underhand style into the charging man's right thigh and stepped
aside. The dagger buried itself deeply in the guard's leg, causing him to howl
and topple forward, impaling himself on the thrusting sword of the leader. Kenji
charged them unexpectedly and shoved them to the ground. Drawing his second
throwing knife by the blade, and snapping the thread that suspended it behind
his neck, Kenji threw it at the second guard who had been wounded in the groin.
The man was struggling to rise as Kenji's knife pierced his throat, dropping him
instantly. Kenji drew his final two throwing knives from the wrappings around
his ankles, as the leader disentangled himself from the corpse of the third man.
He rose and faced Kenji warily.
"You
have killed two of my men," the leader said, "good men as well. Only a
Ninja could do what you have done. But the element of surprise upon which you
rely is gone. And I
have my sword, while you only have three knives. Are you ready to die,
Ninja?"
"It
is you who shall die, Samurai. I was trained as a child in Tanto-jitsu. I can
hit a flying sparrow at thirty paces with my blades, and bring it to the ground
alive. ~~
"We
shall see," the leader said. "But this much is certain. One of us
shall not survive." With that he charged. Kenji threw his third knife, and
the Samurai swatted it away. But the fourth knife followed quickly, spinning in
the moonlight to strike the man in the chest. Kenji drew the dagger from his
waist.
The
Samurai halted and laughed boldly, pulling the dagger from his chest and hurling
it away into the darkness. "I have you now, Ninja. You only have one knife
left, and your last blade did not cause a serious wound. Surrender your life and
I shall make the end quick. I will not stop until I kill you."
"That
you shall never do," Kenji said. He circled around the Samurai, who put his
back to a tree. "For you see, Samurai, my blades are poisoned. Even now you
feel the sharp fingers of its grip, which will soon crush your heart. Even if I
let you go, and you ran as fast as you can-you would not make it back to the
castle. And there is no antidote."
