Ninja by Jon F. Merz

Author:Jon F. Merz
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: fantasy adult, fantasy adventure swords sorcery, fantasy high fantasy fantasy fiction, Fantasy, fantasy world, fantasy magic, fantasy adventure
Publisher: Jon F. Merz
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Four

“Where did you learn swordsmanship like that?”

Ran let his gaze wander the breadth of the reception room. Elegant tapestries unlike the horrid ones he’d seen during his infiltration hung on the wall. Pedestals held golden vases and elaborate sculptures. And before them, a low table dressed with a silken cloth held platters of fresh fruit. Seiryu himself had already plucked several of the dark grapes from a bunch and plopped them into his mouth.

“My father,” said Ran simply. “He served under a master to the far north.”

“Perhaps I would know his name?” asked Seiryu.

“Doubtful,” said Ran. “Nor is it a name I wish to share. My father was a horrible man who beat his family mercilessly.”

“Well, it couldn’t have all been bad if he taught you such skills.”

Ran smiled. “When I was old enough to fully appreciate the teachings, I used the skills he had shown me to kill him with my own blade.”

Seiryu paused in mid-gulp and then smiled wickedly. “An interesting summation of your life thus far. Still, to see such skill in one as young as you are. You cannot be more than twenty-eight summers old.”

“That’s a fair approximation. However, I’ve found that age and skill do not necessarily go hand-in-hand.”

Seiryu nodded. “Granted. And yet you have experience. You must have gotten it from somewhere. Who else have you served under?”

“Matsumune was my first lord. He fell during the battle of Sekigomo. I took my leave and went to serve with Junkoniwa. He died from dysentery after a winter campaign to the north islands. After that, I decided my wallet would be better served if I wandered for a time and found employment to the south. A few days back I was in Nyoha drinking by myself when I chanced to overhear about your recent misfortune. Your name was whispered as if you possessed the might of a thousand suns and I thought that perhaps I would see for myself if I might improve both our fortunes.”

Seiryu smiled at the subtle compliment, but waved his hand around. “I would think that my fortune has been doing well enough as late.”

Ran smiled as well. “One would hardly argue that you have not been most prosperous. But you are not without thieves. I would suggest that with my appointment, theft would never occur within these walls.”

Seiryu clapped his hands and a pair of eunuchs brought tea forth. Ran waited for Seiryu to sip first before he sampled the sweet jasmine tea. After several moments of silence, Seiryu’s eyes narrowed on Ran again. “The might of a thousand suns? Is that truly what you heard?”

“Am I your new captain?”

“It would seem that I have a vacancy in need of filling.”

Ran smiled and bowed. “I may have perhaps embellished the thousand suns part of my tale.”

Seiryu hoisted his cup and Ran did the same. Seiryu smiled. “It was a good embellishment.”

They drank and then Seiryu leaned back on the lounge. “For someone who has traveled far, you don’t have much in the way of possessions.

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