The Ring Of Earth Part 10

'You blow across the top of the flute like this,' he instructed, placing his lips at right angles to one end of the bamboo. A clear note sang out. 'By changing the angle, you can also change the sound.'

Jack wet his lips, placed them against the flute and exhaled. The instrument squealed like a strangled bird.

'Don't blow so hard,' said Soke, suppressing a grin. 'Gently, as if trying to move a feather.'

Taking another breath, Jack tried again. This time the flute gave out an unsteady but tuneful note.

'Good. I'll teach you a basic honkyoku honkyoku. This song is called "Hifumi hachi gaeshi". It's a favourite of the Komus Komus. They play it when begging for alms.'

Settling himself into a comfortable position upon the cave floor, Soke began a simple beseeching melody. Having performed the whole song, he then repeated the opening phrase several times, showing Jack the finger positions of each note.

'Now you try.'

Jack made a faltering attempt, but soon ran out of breath.

'Focus on breathing from the belly, not the chest,' advised Soke, 'just as in normal meditation. The melody should flow as effortlessly as the air from your lips.'

Jack spent the remainder of the morning practising the introduction to the song. As he played the tune over and over, his breathing extended and became more natural. He began to float with the melody. By the end, his mind was as calm and still as the midsummer day.

'You've made excellent progress,' Soke commended. 'I'll teach you the whole piece over the next few days.'

'Thank you,' replied Jack. 'But what does this have to do with ninjutsu ninjutsu?'

Soke raised his eyebrows, as if to say You tell me You tell me.

Jack thought for a moment. 'The Ring of Wind?'

Soke smiled. 'Exactly. Learning the flute has other advantages besides meditation for a ninja. As you'll have discovered, it helps you control and extend your breathing. Which is what my next lesson is about.'

On cue, the other students began to turn up. They sat in a semi-circle at the entrance to the cave, overlooking the valley.

'There you are!' exclaimed Hanzo, taking his place beside Jack. 'I've been looking for you everywhere.'

Miyuki sat as far from him as possible, on the opposite side of the semi-circle. Next to her, Shiro began to sniff the air and wave his hand in front of his nose. This encouraged a round of sn.i.g.g.e.ring. Rather than ignore it, Jack played along. He sniffed the air too, then pointed at Hanzo and held his nose, grimacing at the supposed stink. This caused more amus.e.m.e.nt. At this point Hanzo farted and the whole cla.s.s erupted into laughter.

Soke, grinning too, held up his hand for silence. 'A good laugh is like manure it doesn't do any good until you spread it around. But we should make a start. Now that Jack's been initiated initiated, I trust you'll all support him in his training.'

The gathered students gave a courteous bow in Jack's direction. His good-natured acceptance of the joke seemed to have won him some support. Miyuki, however, kept her eyes on Jack as she bowed, challenging his presence. She wasn't so willing to accept him.

'This morning we focused on concealment and escape,' Soke continued. 'But hiding isn't only about not being seen, it's about not being heard.'

'Or smelt!' Shiro added.

Soke shot him a disapproving look and the boy offered a half-hearted bow of apology in return. 'On occasion, a ninja must be able to hold their breath for a long time. You might have to conceal yourself close to your target and the sound of your breathing could give you away. Other times you might be forced to stay underwater, or even feign death. Breath control is a subtle but crucial ninja skill.'

Jack listened intently. Having experienced the power of Dragon Breathing, he was eager to learn other ninja tricks.

'In order to hold your breath for a long time, begin by breathing in and out slowly and deeply from the belly,' explained Soke, demonstrating a long drawn-out inhalation and exhalation. 'Clear your lungs completely, then take a large gulp of air and hold it.'

A few of the students copied Soke, Shiro looking as if he was about to explode.

'How many times have I told you?' said the Grandmaster despairingly. 'Don't take in so much that you're straining.'

Shiro let out his breath in one big whoosh.

Soke, ignoring the boy, continued with his instruction. 'You need to relax every muscle in your body. Combine this with meditation, slowing down your heartbeat, and it's possible to hold your breath for several minutes.'

Jack was astounded by this revelation. When he and Akiko had escaped Osaka Castle by swimming through a well tunnel, he'd barely managed a minute and had almost died drowning. Only Akiko's kiss of life-giving oxygen had saved him.

'To achieve this feat is as much about mastering the mind as the body,' said Soke, tapping a finger to his temple. 'You have to consciously suppress your need to breathe. The best way to do this is to think about something else, something pleasant. I want you all to practise this now.'

As the circle of students began deep breathing in preparation for the task and filled their lungs, an unspoken challenge arose among them. No one wanted to be the first to have to take a breath.

They sat in silence, some with eyes closed, all of them in meditative postures. Jack focused on relaxing his body and slowing his heartbeat. To begin with, the task was easy. But as the first minute approached, the instinct to breathe grew from mild requirement to desperate need. His stomach tightened and his lungs cramped, but he fought the urge.

Remembering Soke's advice, Jack thought of his sister Jess. He imagined returning home to her, seeing her pretty face shining with joy at his long-awaited return. He tried to picture how her appearance would have changed in all the years he'd been away.

This helped him past the initial burn and the challenge became easier. Jack was aware that several students had already given up. But he kept going. He wanted to prove he was as capable as the best of them.

Another minute pa.s.sed. Jack now felt a little light-headed and somewhat detached from his body. The urge to breathe was once again building, like water up against a dam. More students succ.u.mbed, gasping air back into their oxygen-starved lungs.

Miyuki wasn't one of them. She remained calm and focused, her eyes fixed on Jack. He returned her gaze, and a personal battle of wills was taken up.

Jack was determined to beat Miyuki. She seemed unfazed by the task. But a vein pulsed in her neck, the muscles of which twitched under the strain. She was struggling too.

This gave Jack hope as they entered the third minute. Although he'd never attempted a feat like this before, he understood the principles that allowed the body to achieve the seemingly impossible. During the Circle of Three challenges the year before, he'd learnt the only limits were those of the mind. Akiko had proved this when she stood beneath a freezing waterfall for longer than the burning time of three sticks of incense and hadn't gone into thermal shock.

The body can keep going as long as the mind is strong, the Tendai priest had said.

Jack concentrated on his memories of Akiko. Seeing her smiling face before him, remembering their times together beneath the sakura sakura tree, feeding off the strength of their relationship. tree, feeding off the strength of their relationship.

Forever bound to one another.

There were now only three students left Tenzen, Jack and Miyuki.

'Look! His face is red as a Daruma Doll!' exclaimed Shiro.

Jack barely registered the comment, the voices distant and detached. Darkness was seeping into the edge of his vision, but he was too close to winning to give up now. His samurai pride was at stake.

Tenzen submitted and took several relieved breaths. Now only the two of them remained: Miyuki and Jack locked in silent combat.

'Come on, tengu tengu!' encouraged Hanzo, unable to control his excitement.

The other students took up a whispered chant of 'Miyuki! Miyuki! Miyuki!'

Miyuki's whole body was trembling now.

I'm going to beat her, thought Jack. I'm going to beat her. I'm going to beat her.

19.

CONSTANT T THREAT.

'I can't believe you pa.s.sed out!' exclaimed Hanzo, his face creased with laughter. 'I thought you'd died died!'

'Just concentrate on your cutting exercise,' snapped Jack, holding up his shaft of bamboo as a target.

As likeable as the boy was, he could be infuriating at times. Jack was attempting to give him a sword lesson in the yard before dinner, but Hanzo was unable to get over Jack's dramatic defeat in the breathing challenge.

Hanzo lowered his weapon, his brow suddenly furrowing into a worried expression. 'But tengu tengu can't die, can they?' can't die, can they?'

Jack shook his head, though he was thinking, This tengu can! This tengu can!

Determined to beat Miyuki, Jack had stopped breathing until his oxygen-starved brain blacked out. Thankfully, his body instinctively started breathing again and, coming to, he'd been greeted by the Grandmaster's concerned face. 'That was a remarkable first effort,' Soke had said. 'But an unconscious ninja is as good as dead. A lesson for you all: recognize your limits.'

Even though he'd lost to Miyuki, Jack had gained respect from the other ninja who'd been impressed by his astounding willpower.

The rest of the lesson had been devoted to shallow breathing techniques: first controlling the sound of their breathing; then recognizing the difference between someone asleep and someone pretending; and finally learning how to feign death.

'This evasion technique should only be used as a last resort, as it leaves you exposed to your enemy,' Soke had explained. 'But by pretending you're dead, or mortally injured, you can lure an enemy into a vulnerable position for attack.'

They'd all attempted the technique, but it had proved far more difficult to appear dead than anyone had imagined. Many of the younger students burst into fits of giggles, Tenzen sneezed and Jack struggled to maintain a vacant dead stare without blinking. But Hanzo had been disturbingly convincing he hadn't even reacted when the Grandmaster prodded him twice with his cane.

'Dinner's ready,' announced Soke from the doorway of the doma doma.

'Great, I'm starving!' replied Hanzo, bowing hurriedly to Jack and dashing inside.

Jack smiled, wondering how Hanzo had managed to keep still long enough to feign death. The boy was so full of life.

After dinner, Soke suggested Jack should practise his stealth-walking in the paddy fields, Hanzo having gone off to play with his friend Kobei. The evening was pleasantly warm, the sun glinting like liquid gold off the waters. Rolling up his leggings, Jack entered the field behind the house. The mud was soft and yielding beneath his feet. Remembering how he must spear his foot and lift the back one high and clear, Jack began to make his way to the other side.

Each step sent large ripples through the reflected sky. But as he progressed, the disturbances upon the water's surface became less and less. Jack discovered balance was crucial in helping him place his lead foot. With careful adjustment and by pointing his toes, he managed to enter the water almost without sound, the ripples now far less noticeable the only problem being that his progress was slower than a snail's.

Halfway across, Jack couldn't help laughing at the absurdity of what he was doing. Here he was in j.a.pan, ankle deep in a paddy field, a former rigging monkey turned samurai warrior attempting to walk like a ninja! He could just imagine what his friend Saburo would say if he ever found out. Not that he intended to tell any any of his samurai friends. Jack still felt very uncomfortable at the idea of training as a ninja. But it was a matter of necessity if he was to get to Nagasaki safely. Refocusing, he continued with his stealth-walking practice. of his samurai friends. Jack still felt very uncomfortable at the idea of training as a ninja. But it was a matter of necessity if he was to get to Nagasaki safely. Refocusing, he continued with his stealth-walking practice.

The sun was clipping the mountaintops by the time Jack finally returned to his starting point. He was about to clamber back on to the path when he heard two people engaged in a tense discussion.

'I understand you're teaching ninjutsu ninjutsu to our to our guest guest,' said a voice disapprovingly.

'Yes, I believe he has an apt.i.tude for it.'

Silently lifting his feet one by one out of the water, Jack stealth-walked to the back of the house and peeked round the corner. The second-in-command, Momochi, was having tea with Soke under the tree.

'You're disclosing our innermost secrets to him him,' seethed Momochi, his moustache twitching with annoyance.

'Not all, just the ones he needs to survive his journey.'

'But he's a samurai! And And a foreigner! This goes against the doctrine of the scrolls. It must stop.' a foreigner! This goes against the doctrine of the scrolls. It must stop.'

Soke shook his head. 'It's my my decision as Grandmaster who can or cannot be taught our Art. By all means, take it up with Shonin. But I think we owe it to the boy to help him, considering all he's been through with Dragon Eye ' decision as Grandmaster who can or cannot be taught our Art. By all means, take it up with Shonin. But I think we owe it to the boy to help him, considering all he's been through with Dragon Eye '

'I won't see our village risked for the sake of some misplaced guilt,' Momochi interrupted, his anger bubbling to the surface. 'The boy's a constant threat to our village. Samurai patrols are on the increase. I can soon arrange to hand him over to daimyo daimyo Akechi, then our village would be safe.' Akechi, then our village would be safe.'

'I've already told you, there's no no bargaining with that lord,' said Soke firmly. 'Akechi is bent upon wiping the bargaining with that lord,' said Soke firmly. 'Akechi is bent upon wiping the shin.o.bi shin.o.bi out, just as General n.o.bunaga almost did. Delivering the boy will only strengthen his influence with the Shogun. I don't want Akechi persuading him that ninja are a threat in times of peace. With the Shogun backing him, we wouldn't stand a chance.' out, just as General n.o.bunaga almost did. Delivering the boy will only strengthen his influence with the Shogun. I don't want Akechi persuading him that ninja are a threat in times of peace. With the Shogun backing him, we wouldn't stand a chance.'

'But our outposts report that Akechi is preparing for an offensive with or without the Shogun's support. I've got word he's planning to raise a second battalion at his castle in Maruyama.'

'All the more reason to keep a low profile.'

'All the more reason to hand over the samurai boy. We don't know where his loyalties lie. He could betray us for his own freedom.' the more reason to hand over the samurai boy. We don't know where his loyalties lie. He could betray us for his own freedom.'

'I doubt that,' Soke replied, putting down his teacup. 'Jack may be samurai, but he is honourable and has a pure heart worthy of a ninja.'

'You place too much faith in this gaijin gaijin, Soke. I will will speak with Shonin. Maybe he can make you see some sense.' speak with Shonin. Maybe he can make you see some sense.'

Bowing curtly, Momochi strode off in the direction of the farmhouse.

Jack waited for the Grandmaster to go back inside.

Why did Soke feel so compelled to help him?

Jack got the sense the old man somehow blamed himself for his predicament. Or perhaps Soke knew about the rutter rutter, and was trying to work his way into Jack's trust so he could acquire the code. But isolated by choice within this valley, Soke and his clan could have no connection with Dragon Eye or the political ambitions of the man who'd hired him, Father Bobadillo.

Soke had said, A single tree doesn't make a forest A single tree doesn't make a forest. In the short time he'd been living and training with the ninja, Jack was starting to appreciate that. And whatever the Grandmaster was up to, he was just glad the man was willing to teach him their skills they'd be vital to his survival on the journey ahead.

Though he had no reason to trust any any ninja, he had some sympathy for their situation. The samurai lord sounded a tyrant and Jack certainly didn't want to attract further trouble to the village by staying. At the same time, if he left now, he'd be caught and do just that. He was trapped by circ.u.mstances. As agreed with Soke, it would be best to wait until the samurai gave up their search. ninja, he had some sympathy for their situation. The samurai lord sounded a tyrant and Jack certainly didn't want to attract further trouble to the village by staying. At the same time, if he left now, he'd be caught and do just that. He was trapped by circ.u.mstances. As agreed with Soke, it would be best to wait until the samurai gave up their search.

In the meantime, he'd have to be very wary of Momochi. Without doubt, that that ninja would sacrifice him at the first opportunity. ninja would sacrifice him at the first opportunity.

20.

SIXTEEN S SECRET F FISTS.

Jack grimaced in agony. Miyuki had him on his knees, pain paralysing him. All she was holding was his thumb and she was compressing it into an excruciating lock. To add insult to injury, the young ninja was standing on his toes.

'That's how you do the technique, samurai,' she said, releasing him. how you do the technique, samurai,' she said, releasing him.