Kondo knew that the ninja would not relent in their pursuit of him and Doctor Mori. He had to find a way to disappear, and quickly. This would not prove easy, for the network of information that the ninja had in this city was obviously well established. They knew of Mori’s meeting at the temple within an hour of their entering the Old Capital. Whether they hid out in a small inn or in a guarded mansion, it mattered little. Kondo briefly thought of Kaya, but then swiftly dismissed the idea. He knew that anyone he stayed with would be in great danger. They would have to leave the city’s environs to have a chance, and even that would not be easy.
He pushed the horse to a gallop for as long as he could, and when the brave steed finally began to slow down, he began to weave through the grid-like streets of the Old Capital at a gentle trot. It was still very dark, but morning was not far away. It was at this idle hour that the city seemed least busy, and the vacant streets gave off an eerie, ethereal quality. A mist seemed to settle upon the roads like an opaque blanket. The swordsman’s eyes roved all about, trying to anticipate any action against him. He kept his path sporadic and random, trying to confuse any would-be pursuers. He did have a destination in mind, and once the horse was ready once again, he would make a final dash for the western gate.
After some time, they at last came to the desired location, and there Kondo could espy the near side of the famous wooden western bridge that crossed the river Ichikawa. The gate of the city was wide open, and there appeared to be no one about.
“This is it,” he said to himself. “Almost through.”
Kondo kicked Mori’s horse and sped him off in the direction of the western gate. At nearly the same time, three other horses appeared, emerging from the dark alleyways like spiders lurching from their fell lairs. Kondo bent forward and clutched at Mori tightly, trying to make a smaller target if the ninja bore bow and arrow. But no missiles were fired at them, perhaps to preserve the bounty on the old doctor. Yet the horses of the ninja were faster and stronger, and they soon caught up to the two fugitives, just as they reached the bridge.
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As the ninja pulled up alongside Kondo, they attempted to reach for his horse’s reins, but Kondo was as skilled on horseback as he was upon land, and he maneuvered at the right moment so that their hands grasped only air. This jockeying of horses continued for some time, until one of the ninjas, in desperation, stabbed with his sword at Mori’s horse’s hind leg, and the horse, struck by sudden pain, reared up and cast its riders onto the wooden bridge.
Kondo managed to grasp Mori and avoid a great collision by rolling, but they still hit the bridge hard and nearly went into the black waters of the Ichikawa. Instantly, Kondo looked up. Already the ninja had dismounted and were circling them, like a pack of wild dogs sensing an easy meal. Kondo glanced down at Mori, who appeared to be sleeping, but was more likely unconscious. He was still breathing, which meant that he was still alive.
“Enough!” Kondo hissed and pushed himself up from the wooden bridge and rose to his full height. He still had one of the ninja’s swords, which he had stolen from the hideout, and so he drew it forth and stood between the ninja and their prey. He was already taller than any of his adversaries, but there at the crest of the bridge, he seemed even larger. The sun had finally begun to rise, and the sky took on a soft pink color. In that moment, it seemed as though Kondo was gaining power, while the spirit of the ninja waned.
The ninja hesitated, for though they had him surrounded, they by no means had him defeated, and they knew all too well the stories of the dread Captain of the Shin-Shadowhand.
“Come on!” Kondo cried, and they obeyed. One, two, three. These were all the strokes needed to smite his enemies. They quickly fell and then lay upon the center of the bridge and moved no longer. All that remained was the gentle splashing of water around the wooden supports that held up the peerless bride over Ishi-kawa.
Kondo let the ninja sword fall from his hand, and he walked over to check on Mori once again. Then, as if lifting a child, he picked him up in his arms and walked over to where Mori’s horse now stood. The beast had calmed down, and the wound was not so deep. It would bear them, at least for now. Kondo mounted the horse with the doctor once again and rode off into the west, just as the sun rose and warmed his back.
