Forged in Honor (1995) (10 page)

Stephen came up to the fire with the saddled ponies. "Stop them? I heard U Wat say there were at least fifteen men."

Bak took the reins of his horse and climbed up into the saddle. "We will stop them. Hand me my rifle and sword and leave the rest. We have much ground to cover before daylight. U Wat, when you are rested go back to the village and have the militia go to the plain. The bandits will have to cross the ford at the twin rocks of the Yak River."

"Take me with you!" the small man begged. "They have my daughter. You need me."

"You will slow us down," Joshua said as he mounted his horse. "But you can help. Go back as fast as you can. We will delay them until you and the others arrive."

Bak spurred his horse forward. "Follow me closely, my students. It will be a hard ride."

"How many do you count?" Bak said, unable to see that far.

Stephen kept his eyes on the distant grass field. "Nineteen men plus the women."

Joshua bit his lip, seeing his mother and the tither women tied together and being led like a mule train. The men before them were spread out as they crossed the open ground. His mother and the young women were stripped from the waist up, and their dresses had been cut off above the knees so that they could walk more quickly.

Bak looked over his shoulder, then back to the field. "The sun will be in their eyes. Take your positions and do what I said. Shoot to kill if they don't follow my instructions." The old Horseman took the rifle from his shoulder and chambered a round. He set his eyes to the front again and stiffened his back. "You have been trained for this day, my students. I have prayed to the gods you would never have to face an enemy, but that day is here. If the plan fails, delay them as long as possible, then fall back across the ford and delay their crossing. They will not be able to get away by the time our militia arrives. We have defeated them." He spurred his horse forward and left the protection of the trees along the riverbank.

The Karen leader saw a movement to his front and held up his hand. The men behind him halted except for a Karen who was second in command. He came forward to his leader, put his hand to his forehead to shield the sun, and asked, "Who is it?"

The leader shook his head. "Too far to see. He is on a pony.... It is not a Wa."

The leader waved his men forward and stepped off to close the distance. He covered a hundred yards before he halted again and turned to his sergeant with a cruel smile. "It is a lone Horseman."

The sergeant shielded his eyes again. "They don't travel alone. There must be-"

Bak stood in his stirrups and bellowed across the field.

"You are dead men if you do not drop your rifles and release the women! Do this and we will let you cross the ford and go your way unharmed!"

The Karen leader chuckled. "He is alone and yet challenges us. He is a fool."

"But he said 'we,' " said the sergeant, searching the distant tree line.

"They would have killed us if there were more. You know the Chindit's law. Shoot him."

"But-"

The leader turned with a scorching stare and hissed, "You have a rifle. Shoot him."

The sergeant stepped forward and raised his rifle to take aim.

Joshua squeezed his rifle trigger. The sergeant never heard the report. His head snapped back and he sank to the ground just as the rifle's report echoed across the field. Another man raised his rifle but he too was flung back, his throat ripped open by Stephen's shot.

Bak hollered, "Those were warning shots! Throw your rifles down now or we kill you all like pye dogs! Drop the guns and walk forward! Leave the women and you can cross the ford without harm! It is the truth, on my Horseman's honor!"

The leader spun around and barked, "Throw your rifles down." He lowered his voice. "But keep your knives." Turning back to Bak, he yelled, "We are following your orders, Horseman! May the gods curse you for eternity if you lie!"

Throwing his short sword down, the leader stepped forward and turned as if checking his men, but he slid his pistol from his belt into his shirt. "Throw them down and follow me." He turned about and strode toward the Horseman with his men following.

Joshua and Stephen waited until the men were twenty paces from their dropped weapons before breaking out of the trees at a full gallop. They flanked the bandit formation and headed for the women who were left behind.

Sarah had already untied the rope around her neck and was helping the younger women when Joshua reined his horse to an abrupt halt beside her. "Mother, gather the girls and run to the other side of the plain."

Trembling, Sarah began to speak, but Joshua yelled, "Hurry, Mother," and spun his horse around. He kicked the animal's flanks to join Stephen, who had positioned himself behind the formation of bandits to cover them.

Bak had remained in the same spot and spui7ed his pony into a trot only when he saw that the women were running back across the field to safety. He came to a halt twenty paces from the Karen leader. "I have made a promise to you, pye dog, but I will remember your face. You will see me again one day, and you will die for your insult to the Chindit."

The leader gave the Horseman a cold glare. "You are an old goat and I spit on your threat. Two riders and one old goat are no threat to us. I will come looking for you and cut your heart out."

Bak kicked his horse forward, holding his rifle in the ready position. He passed the leader and spat toward his feet. "That is my vow to kill you. Keep walking and remember, I, the Master Horseman, will be coming."

The leader ignored the old man and kept walking. He took five more steps and spun around with his pistol in his hand.

He fired.

Bak was thrown forward in the saddle by the impact of the bullet that hit him in the upper back. Spooked by the report, Bak's horse leaped forward, galloping toward Joshua. Still in the saddle, Bak righted himself just as the leader fired again but missed.

"No!" screamed Stephen as he kicked his horse's flanks. Joshua had already raised his rifle, but Bak was heading toward him, blocking his view of the bandit leader. Stephen closed the distance in seconds, firing his rifle from the hip.

The leader smirked as he raised his pistol and fired.

Stephen's horse's front legs buckled, and it tumbled headfirst, throwing its rider to the ground. The dead horse's body continued its forward roll and slammed onto Stephen's back, pinning him to the ground.

The leader ran forward, yelling at his men. "Kill them!

There are only two left!" The bandits pulled their knives and ran screaming, joining their leader, who was sprinting toward Joshua and Bak.

Joshua yelled in defiance and kicked his horse forward to meet the attack, but Bak blocked him with his pony and commanded, "Protect the women!"

The old man spun his horse around and reined the animal hard right and back. The animal collapsed to its front knees and rolled on its side. Bak lifted his rifle but the bandit leader fired first. The bullet tore through Bak's side, throwing him back. He tried to lift the rifle again but the pain was too much, and he fell to his knees. Joshua spun his horse around and galloped forward. He jumped off, pulled his pistol, and took up a position in front of his Teacher to make his stand.

The leader stopped running and fired at the young rider. He saw the rider's head jerk back, but the man didn't fall. Seeing he had only grazed the rider's cheek, he lifted the pistol again but saw something that froze his blood. The white rider's strange, penetrating eyes were locked on him, as he raised an old revolver.

Joshua blocked out the other screaming men who were running headlong toward him. He saw only the leader as he gently squeezed the trigger to seek revenge for Stephen and the old Horseman. The pistol kicked with the recoil and the Karen leader's arms wind milled as he fell back with a bullet between the eyes.

Joshua aligned his sights on the next running man. He was dark-skinned and wild-eyed, and his neck veins stood out like blue cords as he screamed. Joshua fired and the dark-skinned bandit's words abruptly ended as he spun and fell, tripping two others. Moving only a fraction, Joshua brought his sights to bear on the next man, who was only ten feet away and coming fast. Like the last man, his face was contorted in desperation, mouth open and teeth bared. Like pye dogs, thought Joshua as he squeezed the trigger. They were attacking knowing some would die, but still they followed their lust for blood and the kill. The pistol jerked with the recoil and the man's head snapped back.

The rest of the bandits were almost on top of him, so Joshua no longer even had to aim. He thumbed back the hammer and killed a man only three feet away and spun, shooting another in the face with his last bullet. Dropping to one knee he grabbed Bak's rifle, knowing what was to come, but determined to make them pay until the end came. He could feel the warm morning sun on his face and windblown grass stalks caressing his legs. The/smell of the river was distinct, as was the sweet fragrance of the dew laden grass. It would be a good place to die, he thought.

Stephen and the Master Horseman would be with him on their journey to the clouds.

He was lifting the rifle to ward off an attacker when he heard a sound that made the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. It was the metallic singing sound of a sword being drawn.

On his feet, Bak screamed as he staggered forward and swung his blade. "AYEEE!" The blade flashed, biting through flesh and bone. The stunned attackers frantically jabbed with their knives, trying to stop his attack, but the blade sang its death song again as it slashed through the air and struck more flesh.

Joshua fired the rifle point-blank into a young bandit's chest and viciously swung the butt up to strike another in the face. "AYEEE!" he screamed as he stepped forward to hit another man, but the attackers were backing up, wide-eyed.

They broke into a run toward the river. Then Joshua heard a sound like thunder. He turned and saw the Chindit and the Horsemen barreling toward him, their swords held high, glistening in the sun. "AYEEE! AYEEE!" they screamed as they rode past, led by Xu Kang, whose blade slashed downward and nearly severed a running bandit's head.

When Joshua saw Bak was still standing, he leaped over the dead and dying to Stephen, who lay still beneath his dead horse.

Unable to move the heavy animal's body, he frantically began digging with his hands. A Horseman reined to a halt beside him, jumped off his mount, and dug with him. More joined and in a minute they were able to pull Stephen's body free.

Joshua brushed the dirt from Stephen's face and saw his friend's eyelids flutter; a second later he groaned.

Xu Kang rode up and dismounted. Seeing his son was moving, he raised his chin and commanded to the Horsemen behind him, "Collect the women and bring them hem." He turned and strode toward Bak, who was being attended by Horseman Lante. The Horseman gently laid the old man down on his side and looked into the Chindit's eyes, shaking his head.

Xu Kang knelt and placed the sword hilt back into the old man's hand. "You have honored our ancestors this day, old friend."

Bak smiled through his pain, raised his hand to his Sawbaw. "Bring Joshua to me," he said in a raspy whisper.

Xu Kang turned, but Joshua was already kneeling down.

Seeing his Teacher's injuries were worse than he had thought, he tore at Bak's shirt to find the wounds, but Xu Kang reached out and touched his hand. "They are calling for him," he said softly.

Bak lifted a trembling hand and took hold of Joshua's shirt. "This ... this day and forever ... you ... you and Stephen are Horsemen." His eyes floated to Xu Kang. "Old friend ... bestow on this student my band...." Gasping, he looked back at Joshua as if in desperation. "I ... I have lov-" His eyes stayed locked on Joshua, but the light of life began to fade.

Joshua grabbed the old man's hand, which remained wrapped around his sword hilt, and whispered, "I have loved you, too. The ancestors are rejoicing...." He hugged the Horseman to his breast. "No, please God, no!"

Xu Kang removed the silver bracelet from the old warrior's wrist and stood. Backing up a step, he lifted his eyes to the sky. "The gods are smiling, for they have in their presence the Master Horseman. Every campfire will speak his name-he will live forever!"

The mounted Horsemen raised their sword points skyward.

Xu Kang wiped tears from his eyes and bent over to lift Joshua to his feet. "I and my Horsemen saw you fighting.

You gave your heart to the Ri this day. Joshua Hawkins, you will wear the Master Horseman's band. No man deserves this honor more. You and this band have truly been forged in honor."

Xu Kang lifted Joshua's arm and placed the silver bracelet on his wrist.

"Joshua!" Sarah cried out. Jumping down from a Horseman's pony she ran toward him, but Joshua motioned to Stephen, lying behind the dead pony.

"I'm okay, Mom, but check Stephen. He still hasn't come to."

Xu Kang and Joshua watched Sarah as she checked Stephen's vital signs. She lowered his eyelids after inspecting his pupils and relaxed her tense shoulders. "He's unconscious but he'll recover. Thank God he . .." She stopped in midsentence, seeing the Horsemen lift Bak's body. "No!"

Joshua put his arm around his mother's shoulders and gave her a gentle squeeze. "He is with his ancestors, Mother ... he will live forever."