Kuroba Asashin's Arc

Chapter 24 of 44

They buried Kenji at first light. Kuroba stood over the grave with the old staff in his hand and felt the ground for the two men who had walked off into the trees. He closed his eyes and pushed his chi out along the dirt the way the monks had taught him. It came back with a shape. Two men, moving east and south, slowing near a black wall of stone. Kuroba opened his eyes. "I know where they are." He told Ona to stay. She started to argue and stopped. "Watch the dojo," he said. "If anything comes down that slope, you burn the back rooms first. That was the plan." She nodded once and touched the knife on her hip. Tish stood in the doorway with a bowl in her hands and did not speak. Kuroba turned to Bobby and Jackie. "You two are with me. Kazrik is mine to finish, but I can't fight both." They rode two days. The palace rose out of flat ground like a tooth, black stone laid over what had once been a monastery, gold hammered into every seam. Kuroba left the horses in a dry wash. They went up on foot. A side door stood open. Rin was waiting in the main hall with his hands folded. Kazrik stood behind him in the crown helmet, lava blade already lit. "A guest who brings his own knives," Rin said. "The house sets an extra plate." Kuroba drew the odachi. "Bobby. Jackie. The helmet. Leave the small one." Bobby cracked his knuckles once and moved. Jackie's mechanical eye clicked. They split wide and came at Kazrik from both sides. Kazrik was faster than either of them alone. The lava blade caught Bobby across the forearm and Bobby did not stop, took the hit and closed the distance, boxing him back a step. Jackie slid low, cut behind the knee, opened a line down the armor. Kazrik turned and hit Jackie in the chest with the pommel and Jackie went down and got up. They kept him moving. They could not put him down. They kept him from Kuroba. Rin fought without a weapon. He moved like water pulled sideways. He hit Kuroba in the ribs and Kuroba felt something crack. He hit Kuroba in the thigh where the lava blade had cut him weeks ago and the old wound opened. Kuroba tried the footwork Kenji had drilled into him and Rin was already inside it. Blood came into Kuroba's mouth. He went to one knee. He put the odachi in the marble to hold himself up. Rin walked a slow circle. "The stone that leans learns which way is down." He raised his hand for the last strike. Kuroba caught his wrist and did not let go. He was still on one knee. He was still alive. Behind him Bobby and Jackie were still standing, still keeping Kazrik off him. The gate had not closed.