The Ninja Apprentice: The Lost Scrolls of Fudo Shin

by Jon F. Merz

  -and felt himself stop abruptly.

  The sudden jolt freed his arm from Hideaki’s grasp. And as Jimmy clung there, dangling in open space over the lip of the precipice, the last image he saw was of Hideaki plummeting through the air down toward the valley floor far below.

  It was done.

  And Jimmy turned back and punched into the ice wall with his other hand and then slowly, inexorably, bit-by-bit made his way back onto the mountain.

  Safe.

  He looked up and saw a bunch of monks tending to Vanessa. She appeared to be in a lot of pain, but Jimmy saw her smile at him and nod. Jimmy tried to grin, but it was just too much.

  Instead, he slumped over on his back in the snow, watching the crystal blue sky overhead. And for a long time, he stayed there.

  Just breathing.

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  Jimmy sat next to Vanessa in one of the cozy rooms deep within the mountain temple drinking a strange-tasting tea that Siben had served him. Jimmy was now in much better spirits realizing that Vanessa was going to survive the gunshot wound.

  If anything, she looked relatively unscathed. The monks had bandaged her and while she'd need medical attention as soon as they could transport her back to Katmandu, she seemed to be out of any immediate danger. For the moment, she reclined on a comfortable bed of pillows, wrapped in a blanket.

  “So they never wanted to kill me after all?” asked Jimmy around a sip of the weird tea.

  Vanessa frowned. “Well, not at first. Kotogawa’s plan seems to have been to use you to get to the scrolls. Once he had those, then yes, I believe he most certainly would have killed you.”

  “And Tak put a homing device in my food. Wonderful.”

  “If it’s any consolation,” said Vanessa. “I don’t think you’ll have that with you for very long.”

  Jimmy looked at her. “Why not-oh, wait. I get it. Because I ate it, that naturally means that I will…”

  “Dispose of it,” said Vanessa. “Yes, yes, I’m sure that will solve the problem without us having to tear open your stomach through surgery and go looking for it.”

  Siben smiled at Jimmy. "Are you enjoying the tea?"

  Jimmy shrugged. "It's a little odd, actually. Nice that it's warm and all, but," his voice trailed off. "I don't know...I don't think it quite agrees with me."

  "It's not supposed to," said Siben.

  Vanessa tried to conceal a chuckle. "You've still got that homing device in you, Jimmy. We can't risk Kotogawa trying to pinpoint our location again."

  What were they talking about? But then Jimmy felt a cramp shoot through his stomach. And then he looked at the tea. "You gave me something..."

  Siben held up a hand. "If it's any consolation, the effects are very temporary."

  Jimmy sighed. "Wonderful." He glanced at Vanessa. "Before I excuse myself to attend to more pressing matters, would you explain how Hideaki infiltrated us?"

  Vanessa sighed. “That’s my fault. I should have checked him out better. I apologize for placing you in jeopardy like that, Jimmy. It shouldn’t have happened and it’s down to me for messing it up.”

  Siben shrugged. “I doubt there was little that could have been done to prevent it. Evil, if nothing else, is forever determined to exact its will on the universe. And unfortunately, most people have a price that bad men like Kotogawa are able to uncover quickly.”

  Jimmy said nothing for a moment as he thought back to the final moments as he clung to life on the cliff. Finally, he took another sip of Siben's tea. “I wonder if his body will be found?”

  “I rather doubt it,” said Vanessa. “That was a terribly long fall and the snow pack below might have held an unseen crevasse. His body might simply end up frozen for the rest of time.”

  Siben bowed his head. “I would agree that recovery seems rather futile.”

  Jimmy peered into his teacup. "I wish I could have saved Merlin."

  Vanessa took his hand and squeezed it. "I know, I feel the same way. But she died in battle, fighting against the evil that Kotogawa spawned. She died with honor and we will do everything to make sure she is never forgotten."

  Jimmy didn't think he'd ever be able to forget her, anyway. He felt his eyes go hot and blinked rapidly, looking to change the subject.

  “How did you guys know where to find me anyway?”

  Vanessa shook her head. “We didn’t. After you left the temple in Katmandu, Hideaki must have sent a signal to Kotogawa and they stormed the place. Hideaki took us prisoner and Kotogawa dragged us along to find you.”

  “Is Khampa okay?”

  Vanessa frowned. “We never found Khampa. But that young kid was all right. They just left him alone. It was kind of weird. They acted like they couldn’t even see him.”

  Jimmy thought he saw a flash of pride in Siben’s eyes and eyed him. “So, those were your men out there? Talk about a surprise.”

  Siben allowed the briefest hint of a smile to slide across his face before reassuming his stoic expression. “We are, as you may have surmised, somewhat different from other temples. We practice a very old system of martial arts here that is directly linked to the Matsuda-ryu Ninjutsu lineage of which you, Jimmy, are a part.”

  “The snow camouflage thing was wicked cool,” said Jimmy. “Think you could train me how to do that?”

  Siben’s eyes twinkled. “In order to remain completely still in the snow, the practitioner must master the effects of cold on their bodies. This practice is called Tumo and it involves a great deal of training.”

  “I could handle it,” said Jimmy around another cramp that caused him to wince. He wondered if they had toilet paper in the monastery.

  Siben nodded. “I have little doubt that you could. But before you start practicing Tumo, you must train hard in the other aspects of your ninja arts. And I believe that Vanessa will be able to assist you with that…as will your grandfather.”

  “You know Goro-sama?”

  Siben bowed his head. “I know of him. I know his strength and his desire that you embody the full attributes of the lineage.”

  Jimmy looked down at the scrolls that sat beside him in their protective pouch. “I suppose I should return these to the chamber. They’re probably safer here.”

  “Those no longer belong here,” said Siben. “Their place is with you.”

  “Really?”

  Siben held up his hand. “But before you open them, I would caution you to consult with Goro. You will no doubt have many questions upon seeing what those scrolls contain.”

  Vanessa nodded. “I think we can arrange that.” She looked at Jimmy. “We’ll be leaving as soon as you’re ready.”

  Jimmy glanced around the room at the ancient stone walls and the sense of peace that he felt. The temple was as secure a place as any he’d ever known. A brief thought flashed through his mind.

  “That reminds me,” said Jimmy. “How did you guys know that I’d be coming out that way?”

  “There is but one exit out of the scroll chamber,” said Siben.

  “Yeah, but I might have taken the other path. I wasn’t even sure I wanted the scrolls when I went into the tunnel.”

  “Perhaps you were not certain,” said Siben. “But I believed you would choose the scrolls over leaving all of this behind. You have the honor of a fifty generations of mighty warriors flowing through your blood. You would not turn your back on them, even if you thought you might.”

  Jimmy leaned back. “Why is it I sometimes feel like everyone knows me better than I know myself?”

  “Because it’s always easier to gauge others than it is yourself,” said Siben. “But real mastery comes from knowing yourself better than others do. Always be truthful and see reality for what it is, not for what you wish it to be.”

  “Something tells me that’s easier said than done.”

  Siben smiled again. “It is the toughest discipline to attain. And one I still aspire to master some day.”

  “I can’t thank you enough for
all of your help,” said Jimmy. “I don’t know that I could have accomplished what I did without your assistance.”

  “I am happy to have helped,” said Siben. “But I am also confident that you would have been fine even without our help.”

  Jimmy shrugged. “I don’t know about that.”

  Siben went on. “And something tells me that I will be the one thanking you before all of this over with.”

  Jimmy looked at him. “I thought this was finished-?”

  “We should get going,” cut in Vanessa. She looked at Siben. “Thank you for your hospitality, but we must leave as soon as possible.”

  Siben smiled. "Of course. I would not want to delay you any longer than necessary. However..." His voice trailed off and he glanced up as if looking at something.

  Jimmy followed his gaze, but saw nothing. "What-?"

  Siben suddenly smiled as if beholden to some secret. Then he looked at Jimmy and Vanessa. "I did not think you would want to leave until your party was complete."

  "Complete?"

  There was a sudden commotion as several monks rushed into the room. One of them bowed to Siben and then whispered in his ear. Siben said something in reply and then in an instant, Jimmy turned to see two more monks enter the room bearing a stretcher.

  Merlin.

  She lay on the litter, wrapped in a coarse woolen blanket. But her eyes were open and a smile cracked her bloody lips.

  Jimmy caught his breath and felt the tidal surge of emotion come crashing over him. "You're alive?"

  Vanessa stifled a sob and reached out for Merlin's hand.

  Siben bent over her and ran his hands above her body with his eyes closed. After a few tense moments, he nodded and looked up at them all. "She has several broken bones but there is no internal bleeding. She needs to be stabilized before she can make the journey back, but she will survive."

  Jimmy looked at him in wonder. "You can tell all of that just by running your hands over her?"

  Siben nodded. "It is not an easy skill to acquire, but it is a useful one."

  Jimmy looked back at Merlin. "How did you ever survive that fall?"

  Merlin grimaced. "I fell a long way, but not as much as I thought I would."

  "My men located her on a smaller outcropping beneath the cliff," said Siben. "She must have remarkable skill at relaxing her body. Any other person would have tensed up and thereby done more damage to themselves."

  One of the monks tipped a small container of water into Merlin's mouth. She coughed but then swallowed it. She looked at Vanessa. "Is he-?"

  Vanessa nodded. "He's dead. I'm sorry."

  Merlin turned away and Jimmy saw a single tear roll out of her eye and down her bruised face.

  Jimmy frowned. Hideaki had betrayed them all, but he'd hurt Merlin most. Why would she even shed a tear for him after all of that?

  "Hmm," said Siben. "Let us get you tended to so you might rest properly. Judging from the fall you took, it is a wonder you survived. But the gods must have plans for you yet. And I, for one, never like to disappoint them if at all possible."

  Jimmy watched Siben and the monks carry Merlin out of the room. Merlin had closed her eyes and she seemed desperately sad.

  Jimmy took a breath.

  He had killed Hideaki.

  Did Merlin know?

  He wondered if she would ever forgive him when she found out.

  "You okay, Jimmy?"

  He glanced at Vanessa as a more powerful cramp lanced through his stomach. Then he stood and rushed out of the room.

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  The dirt trail that bled off a small country road in western Massachusetts had been carefully constructed to look completely uninteresting. The bushes and trees that covered the entrance had purposely been left to grow as wild as they pleased. As such, their branches formed an almost impenetrable barrier to anyone who might have wanted to trespass.

  There were other security measures, of course, but Jimmy had no idea what these might be and contented himself to enjoy the view as Vanessa drove the car along the bumpy winding trail. Vanessa had one arm still in a sling after the doctors in Katmandu had discovered a bullet fragment had lodged near her elbow.

  "I still say I should have driven," said Jimmy.

  Vanessa shook her head. "I'm not going to risk an unlicensed driver run-in with the police right now, Jimmy. It's too important that we get back here."

  “I don’t get it: how come we didn’t head back to Japan?”

  “Because there are some aspects of Japan that don’t exactly lend themselves to the training that you’re going through. Namely, real estate is horrendously expensive. And purchasing the amount of land we would need would drain the last bit of savings that the family possesses.”

  Jimmy grinned. “So, we’re rich, huh?”

  Vanessa glanced at him and saw that he was playing with her. “You have money. I think that’s enough for you to know right now.”

  “Yeah, but where does it come from?”

  “The Matsuda-ryu is involved with a number of businesses. Nothing overt, of course. Such is the way of the family. But we have a comfortable stream of income from several sources. Provided we don’t do anything stupid, we have enough means to do what is necessary.”

  “And what’s that?”

  “I’ll let him explain it to you.”

  By him, Jimmy suspected she meant Goro. But at that moment, they emerged from the long driveway and Jimmy saw the manor house in front of him. “Holy cow.”

  Vanessa laughed. “We’ll have time for the grand tour later. For right now, we need to get inside. He’s waiting.”

  “He is?”

  I am.

  Jimmy blinked. Something told him he might never get used to Goro's voice in his head.

  Vanessa parked the car outside and they went into the manor house, passing through a number of rooms that felt so huge, Jimmy was pretty sure the orphanage could have fit inside a few times over.

  Down a long hallway, a single door beckoned them. Vanessa opened it and they went inside. A blazing fire burned in the hearth and Jimmy appreciated the warmth of the room. He felt like he’d been traveling non-stop for the past few days. He slumped into a comfy chair and breathed out.

  “This feels good.”

  “Jimmy.”

  The voice. But it wasn’t in his head. Jimmy sat up and saw Goro sitting in a chair across from him. “How do you do that?”

  Goro smiled. “It would take too long to answer that completely.” His eyes softened. “It swells my heart with pride knowing that you succeeded as well as you did.”

  Jimmy bowed his head. “I had help.”

  “And humble, too. An admirable trait to be sure. But there’s nothing wrong with being proud of yourself for the work you did and the trials you surpassed." He paused. "And you have truly exceeded all of my expectations.”

  Jimmy reached into his jacket and withdrew the bundle of scrolls. The red ribbon still bound them in place. Jimmy looked at them and then passed them over to Goro.

  “I think these belong to you.”

  Goro eyed the scrolls and then held up his hand. “Actually, Jimmy, they belong to you now.”

  “Me?”

  “Indeed. Have you opened them yet?”

  Vanessa cleared her throat. “We thought it best to wait until we spoke with you.”

  Goro smiled. “Why don’t you open them, Jimmy?”

  Jimmy found his fingers fumbling with the ribbon, but then it finally slid off. He took the first scroll and unfurled it. The aged paper had yellowed with time, but still seemed remarkably in good condition.

  But there was nothing written on the paper.

  Jimmy frowned and then held it up to the light.

  Nothing.

  He checked the other two scrolls. But they were as blank as the first one. He put them down in his lap and looked at Goro. “Is this some sort of joke?”

  “It is anything but a joke,” said Goro. “You have uncov
ered the secret of the Scrolls of Fudo Shin.”

  “Yeah, but there’s nothing here.”

  “Exactly.”

  Jimmy frowned. “I’m sorry but I don’t get it.”

  Goro smiled again. “Do you know what ‘Fudo Shin’ means?”

  “No.”

  “Immovable spirit. It refers to the concept that one must develop an indomitable attitude toward achieving a goal; that regardless of the challenges or obstacles, nothing will deter you from achieving that goal. That is fudo shin. And that is what those scrolls represent.”

  “Yeah, but-“

  “Jimmy,” said Goro, “in this case, the relic was not what mattered most. It was the development of the concept of fudo shin within yourself that was most important."

  "But why would Kotogawa care about the scrolls then if they were blank all along?"

  Goro grinned. "Kotogawa has no idea what the scrolls contain. Nor would he understand their true essence."

  "Which is what?"

  "In reality, the recovery of the scrolls was but a test to determine if the seeker is qualified to take on the next mission. Without the recovery of these - the first relic - there would be no hope of ever recovering the other relics that were stolen from us centuries back.”

  “And you want me to recover them?”

  “What I want,” said Goro, “is for you to assume your rightful place in this family. You are the last of our kind. You are the inheritor of our entire lineage. The mantle of Matsuda-ryu Ninjutsu rests with you, provided you want it.”

  "I want it," said Jimmy. He paused. “So, is that it? Now, I’m the head of the Matsuda-ryu?”

  Vanessa grinned. “Not bloody yet you’re not. You’ve still got training to go through, bugger. And a damned lot of it.”

  “But one day you will be,” said Goro. “The path is long. And it is difficult. Like nothing you have ever experienced before. There will be much danger." His eyes softened. "Heartache, even."

  Jimmy thought of Merlin. She was recuperating in a private medical facility in upstate New York. He hadn't seen her since she'd been flown back to America after the doctors in Katmandu had pronounced her fit for travel. She'd looked less bruised by that time. But she still held a sadness in her eyes. And Jimmy wondered if she'd ever be able to let it go.