Samurai Son (54 page)

Chapter One Hundred Three

Akira leaped at Nanashi, swinging the great no-dachi.
 
Nanashi turned around in time to see the sword bearing down upon him and sent a bolt of demon lightning at Akira.
 
Windspirit twisted in Akira’s hands and caught the lightning, absorbing it and vibrating in Akira’s hands but leaving him unharmed.
 
Akira brought the sword crashing down on Nanashi.

The old daimyo was quick, and an invisible shield met the no-dachi’s blow.
 
Akira spun around and slammed Windspirit into Nanashi, but again, the demon lord somehow evaded the blade.
 
Nanashi threw a ball of demon fire directly at Akira.
 
Akira parried it with the no-dachi and swung the sword down.
 
Nanashi disappeared.

Akira looked around and saw the daimyo standing by the demon gate.
 
Nanashi turned to him and smiled.
 
“Who are you, boy, who can defeat my best magic?”

Be careful,
Windspirit warned.

Akira stalked forward carefully, not trusting the warlock.
 
He raised his sword in a defensive position.
 
“I am Takeshi Akira Stormhammer, son of Takeshi Isao and Ikumi Stormdancer, a Tengu.”

Nanashi nodded.
 
“A half-Tengu?
 
That would explain much.”
 
He smiled.
 
“I cannot destroy you with my magic, and you cannot reach me with your sword.
 
I’d say we are at an impasse.”

Akira glanced at the
Kimon.
 
The gate still roiled with its own maelstrom.
 
“Close the gate and I’ll spare your life.”

The warlock laughed.
 
“You think I would trust the word of a Tengu?”

“Perhaps not,” Akira said.
 
“So take the word of a samurai, for that is what I am.”

“Samurai?”
 
Nanashi spit the word in contempt.
 
“Look at your samurai, boy.
 
They are weak and foolish.
 
So weak that my demons can control them.
 
And where is your great samurai lord, Takeshi?
 
Where are his troops?
 
I see nothing but Neko here.”

He’s baiting you.
 
Don’t listen to him,
the sword said.

Akira scowled and raised Windspirit.
 
Nanashi dived into the demon gate and vanished.
 
As he did, another figure coalesced in the
Kimon.
 
An oni stepped through the
Kimon,
and Akira backed up.
 
It was nine feet tall with red skin and ox horns sprouting from a long black
mane
.
 
Fangs jutted from its mouth, and it snarled as it swung a
kanabo
—a spiked iron club—at Akira.
 
Akira dodged.
 
The demon swung again, and Akira brought Windspirit up to parry.
 
Sparks flew from the blade, and the blow jarred Akira’s arm, knocking him to the ground.

Akira heard a roar, and the demon screamed as Kasumi in tiger form pounced on it.
 
She knocked down the demon, grasped its throat in her teeth, and tore out large chunks of flesh.
 
Holding it between her front paws, she raked through the demon’s belly and ripped into the monster’s guts, sending blood and entrails flying.

Close the
Kimon,
Akira-kun!
Kasumi shouted.

“How?”
 
Akira staggered to his feet and looked at the torii.
 
There was no obvious way to close it, unless…

Akira brought Windspirit up and slammed the no-dachi into one of the torii’s upright posts.
 
Lightning flashed around them as the sword’s blade buried itself into the stone supports and sliced straight through.
 
Akira smashed the blade into it again and again.
 
Each time, fire and lightning swirled around him.
 
Then the
Kimon
torii began to topple.

“Come on!” Akira shouted to Kasumi.
 
Kasumi jumped off the dead demon and followed him to the water’s edge.

The torii’s stone flashed with an unearthly light, and the horizontal crosspieces fell with a resounding crash.
 
The maelstrom within the
Kimon
flashed and sent a powerful shock wave through the entire chamber.
 
Nanashi’s samurai and demons turned and fled.

Akira stared at the battle as the Neko warriors and cats chased Nanashi’s army from the cavern.
 
He felt a nudge at his shoulder as Kasumi walked over to the broken body of the Guardian.

Kanayo lay bleeding, her body contorted at an odd angle, suggesting that she had broken her back.
 
Black burn lines crisscrossed her beautiful white pelt, and even as Kasumi approached, Akira could see that the Guardian’s eyes were glazing over.

Kasumi lowered her head, and Akira stroked her fur gently.
 
When she looked back up at him, he could see the pain in her eyes.
 
She’s dead, Akira-kun.
 
She’s really dead.

Movement caught Akira’s eye, and he turned to see a tiger swimming toward them.
 
The tawny tiger stepped out of the water, and to Akira’s surprise, her coat began to change.
 
As her paws touched the sand, white rushed up her legs and soon the orange fur became white.

Keiko-sama.
 
Kasumi bowed her head to the white tiger.
 
Guardian.

Akira stared.
 
“Guardian?
 
Your mother?”

Yes, I am the heir to the Guardian.
 
For though Kanayo was old, I am her eldest firstborn female descendant, Stormhammer-sama.

Akira shook his head.
 
“I—I don’t deserve that title, Keiko-sama.
 
I…”

Keiko shook her head.
 
But you do, Stormhammer-sama.
 
For you are indeed the storm hammer that all should fear.
 
Keiko met his gaze.
 
The Tengu named you aptly, Akira-sama, for you have done what none other could do—destroy the
Kimon
’s
torii and close the demon gate.

Akira looked down at Windspirit.
 
The sword was oddly quiescent.
 
He sheathed it carefully and bowed.
 
“Thank you for your words, great Guardian, but I only did what I had to do.”

Indeed.
 
She looked at the ruins of the
Kimon
torii.
 
The gate will have to be rebuilt.

Akira cocked his head.
 
“But isn’t the
Kimon
destroyed?
 
There will be no need for a torii or a Guardian.”

Kasumi hissed in warning, but Keiko merely smiled.
 
The
Kimon
still exists, Stormhammer, even though you do not see it.
 
When you destroyed the torii, you closed the
Kimon,
but nothing—not mortal or immortal—can truly destroy the demon gate.
 
Hence, there will always be a need for a Guardian.
 
She turned to Kasumi.
 
Daughter of mine, you have made an ill choice to save yourself, but perhaps that can be forgiven given the outcome of today.
 
Do you love Stormhammer?

Yes, Guardian.

A thrill raced through Akira as she said it, and he gently laid his hand along her back and stroked her fur.
 
“I would do anything to protect her, Guardian.”

So I have noticed.
 
The Guardian swished her tail thoughtfully.
 
Then perhaps you are the one who can save her.
 
She paused.
 
My daughter, you cannot stay here as long as you are marked by the demon, but there are ways of breaking the demon’s curse.
 
One is through love.

Love?

The Guardian smiled, baring her teeth.
 
A demon cannot love.

The world spun around them, and Akira found himself standing beside Kasumi, in human form, dressed in a silver-blue hakama and tunic.
 
They were outside, on the inner wall walk of the castle.
 
A cool breeze danced around them as they stared into the setting sun.
 
Below them in the harbor were twice the ships as before, and the newcomers flew flags that looked oddly familiar.

Akira watched in wonder as warriors marched out of the new ships from the dock.
 
They carried red and gold banners with a hawk rising.
 
He caught his breath.
 
“Kasumi,” he whispered, “those are my father’s ships.”

Epilogue

The wind kami danced playfully around Akira’s hair as he stood at the bow of the ship staring ahead at Tsuitori-jima.
 
The island loomed in front of them, shrouded in mist, and Akira could just make out the tea tree and rice terraces that rose above Yutsui and his father’s estate.
 
Farther away were the Tengu forests where he had trained.
 
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
 
There it was: the faint scent of jasmine flowers.
 
He could almost imagine being home again.

But what was there for him?

The world changes, just as we change,
said Windspirit.
 
Tsuitori will never be the home you once had; you know that.

Akira nodded and looked up as he heard a hawk cry.
 
A russet hawk flew overhead, no doubt lost.
 
It landed on the junk’s rigging and watched him with golden eyes.
 
“No, it will never be how it was,” he murmured.

Just then he felt Kasumi’s warm hand slide into his own.
 
He turned and looked at her, smiling.
 
“How do you feel?” he asked.

“A little better.
 
It must be the demon-sickness,” she said softly.
 
“Either that or I still get seasick.”

“It won’t be long before we’re home,” he said, brushing her tawny hair with his hand.
 
“You didn’t tell me you would take on the colors of a tiger in your hair.”

She shrugged.
 
“Most men find it distressing.”

He shook his head, grinning wryly.
 
“I don’t.”

“Excuse me, Takeshi-sama.”

Akira turned and saw his father’s retainer, Masashige, standing beside them.
 
“Masashige sensei,” Akira nodded his head in greeting.

The old warrior bowed.
 
“We’re only a few hours from landfall.
 
Your father will be there to greet you.
 
You may wish to get ready.”

“I’m ready, Masashige sensei,” he said as Kasumi ran her hand through his unruly hair.
 
“My father will have to accept me for who and what I am.”

Masashige bowed and turned to leave.

“Wait, Sensei,” Akira said.

The old warrior turned around.
 
“Yes, Takeshi-sama?”

“Why did my father send the army after we quarreled?
 
He didn’t believe in the
Kimon.
”

Masashige smiled.
 
“But I did.
 
And so did you.”
 
He paused.
 
“Sometimes the faith of a samurai’s son is enough to change a daimyo’s mind.”

Akira grinned and nodded, wrapping his arm around Kasumi’s waist as he gazed at the island.
 
“Don’t worry, my little Neko,” he whispered.
 
“We shall find a way to nullify your bargain.”

Kasumi smiled and laid her head against his shoulders.
 
“I believe that, Akira-kun.
 
I really do.”

THE END