The Second Circlet: The Old Places - 14. Segment 14: Honjō Masamune

Shinjuku, Tokyo: one of Japan’s most startlingly bright and bustling places.

To Nommo, such a place couldn’t be more abhorrent! The natural world was born and bred into his very bones, old as they were. He was raised in a place where nature’s peace and sanctity were inviolable. The land of his home country was open and vast! The sky and the stars were all visible to the naked eye for infinity and there, Nommo was taught, was the place of his ancestors! Then there was the quiet! The quiet of his land was perfect! You could hear the warbling wail of the jackal from miles away!

Here in Tokyo, he was completely encaged by all that was artificial and unnatural! The madness of Shinjuku confounded his senses! The closeness! The raging noise of a city filled to bursting with an intense population! The fantastical light-show of garish advertisements on huge LED displays set night into day and blotted out all the stars making of the sky a black roof smothering poor Nommo’s world.

But, dutifully, he trudged on after his compatriots. After what they had confronted in China, Nommo knew that he had to endure any hardship to protect his people in Africa and the rest of the world. But, this Tokyo was, indeed, a daunting challenge for Nommo! It was almost unendurable.

On the other hand, Mughamir might as well have been in Paradise as far as he was concerned. Despite his mother’s admonitions against indulging in anything pop culture, Mughamir had developed a refined taste in anime books and shows. All around him, on glaring view screens, were giant sized versions of the kinds of anime characters that he loved! He had to be goosed along by Hector since Mughamir would often stop just to gawk at the immense displays surrounding him.

Sean and Viviane were side by side as they crossed another great intersection with it’s broadly painted crosswalk that kept the teeming masses moving in an organised manner. Japan was nothing if not organised, Sean thought. There was an orderliness about how the Japanese cooperated with each other while crossing back and forth across the broad boulevards. It belied the cacophony of the advertisements and blindingly bright signs for the shops and restaurants about.

The only two that did not seem somewhat overwhelmed by the sights and sounds surrounding them was Moira and Long Fen. The two lead the group seemingly oblivious to the spectacle surrounding them. Both were deep in conversation that Sean hoped would be about finding this Hiraoka Yoshiyuki chap.

“So, you have an idea where we might find Mr. Yoshiyuki?” Moira queried Long Fen.

“Yes. He is in Asakusa District. He serves as Master in Sensō-Ji Temple - greatest of all Buddhist Temple in Tokyo of Zen discipline. Maybe, hard to find Yoshiyuki. Many monks there. Many more tourist. Big attraction in Tokyo!” Long Fen said calmly.

“Well, it’s a start. I’ve, of course, been to Sensō-Ji before once. It is amazing that we keep finding ourselves in very popular destinations hiding such great treasures! They seem to be hidden in plain sight!” Moira mused.

“Ah, not so, most probably, with Sacred Honjō Masamune. With many years passing, the Great Sword of Japan has been lost! The last World War saw it taken from Japan. Many traditional Japanese feel soul of Japan most decidedly lost also with Great Sword! Yoshiyuki maybe last custodian of Honjō Masamune, but he told me he became monk to atone for its loss since suicide was too easy a satisfaction for his honour!” Long Fen responded sadly.

“How tragic! Yoshiyuki must be quite old to have experienced this. 1946 was a long time ago!” Moira conjectured.

“Yoshiyuki was old when I met him. That was twenty years ago. I must count him having one-hundred years by Western estimation of time.” Long Fen said with his continued implacable calmness.

“….is it possible he might have passed away by now?” Moira asked, somewhat dismayed by Long Fen’s revelation.

“Always possibility. Such a thing we must be prepared for. This treasure of Japan may not be able to be found! But, faith we must have that Karma be with us and dear Yoshiyuki may yet live.” Long Fen said with a comforting certainty.

With that, Moira and Long Fen lead the cohort to Shinjuku Station to board a train to Asakusa.

 

 

~

As they travelled, Hector marvelled at the vastness of Tokyo! The miles upon miles of buildings and lights that lit the night like a second sun! All along their commute, Hector found himself enraptured by the spectacle. Mughamir, napped contentedly on Hector’s shoulder. Hector allowed it as he’d developed a fondness for his younger teammate. Mughamir was all that was open and innocent. His love for adventure had not been stifled by the many dangers they had experienced since his joining them. Mughamir was brave in a way Hector wished he could be! Hector, for all of his seeming valour, was deeply frightened by all that he had witnessed so far. His association with true Gods of Olympus aside, Hector had no way of processing the things that he’d seen and the dangers he had survived! If it was not for Mughamir’s courage, Hector would have ‘failed’ despite his quiver of ‘Fail-Not’ arrows. He was not prepared for any of this and with each passing adventure, Hector became more and more assured that his death was coming. Their confrontation with the Fae Witch in China only helped to confirm his premonitions. Hector would not survive this…perhaps none of them would!

Nommo sat bellicose, continuing to hate the artificiality of the world surrounding him. This part of their trip continued to be a great burden on the old wise man. He continued to wrap himself in memories of his open homeland that was rich in nature and open space, not the confined constraints of this Japan. The crowds, the noise, the metal and plastic everything continued to plague Nommo’s sensibilities. He would count this experience, perhaps, as his greatest sacrifice for his people. Death would be a better fate than having to exist in this artificial Hell that was Tokyo!

Viviane was lost in thought comparing Tokyo to London. It kept her mind from the trauma she had just experienced fighting that Fae creature! Strangely, the two cities were not so dissimilar. Hugely complex places with many ‘prefectures’ connected by a warren of metros. She did remark upon the newness of things, however. Tokyo was a much more ‘modern’ city than London. She supposed that would be because much of Tokyo had to be rebuilt after the Second World War. That war was as much myth to Viviane’s generation as it was history. It was so long ago and entailed such monumentally huge changes to Japan in particular that she found she did not have the imagination to envision what Tokyo might have been like before the war. In London, despite the Blitz, many of the historic buildings had been spared or repaired faithfully to their original designs. London’s sense of history was evident all around her. Here, in Japan, it was like she was looking into a looking glass and seeing the future. The Japanese have always been know for their devotion to tradition, but Tokyo’s existence seemed to bely that devotion! It was the most modern city she’d ever visited and seemed to reflect a people looking more forward than backward. Was this a truth or simply an illusion of truth? Viviane had no answer.

Sean was tired. He was tired in a way he’d never experienced before. It wasn’t, so much, a physical tiredness as it was a tiredness of the soul. His very soul ached to return to Ireland and to return to his precious bar. He hoped that he would get to tend that bar again. He hoped that he’d see his friend Shamus again: the trusted man that, into who's hands, Sean had entrusted his bar. Sean stared out into the sparkling nightscape of Tokyo as the train whizzed along its track. He looked past this strange and alien city and into the memory of his own green land. Soon the train would be replaced by the subway and then even the view of the city would be cut off from Sean, but he would still see the view of his homeland in his heart. Sean supposed he was starting to get homesick. It would be no wonder, this adventure of theirs had been anything but fun. He longed for it to be over so that he could go home and, just possibly, bring Moira along with him. Something dark inside him tempted him to see the truth of things: after what they had just experienced in China, it was more than likely that Sean would never see Ireland again! He might very well have signed his death warrant in joining Moira’s expedition. But, despite this reality, Sean continued to have hope. Hope that the others needed desperately!

Moira was lost in her own thoughts. The confrontation with the Fae Witch had deeply disturbed her. She knew now what Joraan had been trying to warn them about with regards to these Fae. The warriors who had found them in India were one thing, but they had been easily dispatched by Arinjay’s Discus. But, this Fae Sorceress had been on a power level she had not yet seen. She nearly managed to kill them all even with the power of Pridwen shielding them! She had managed to, actually, collapse Pridwen with her power! She also managed to dispel a spiritual guardian of the Purple Cloud Temple - an obviously ancient and formidable being! If it had not been for Long Fen, their defence of the Earth would have been put to a decided end. She was also not Morgana who, Joraan had intimated after he was roused from his unconsciousness after the Witch’s attack, was many times MORE powerful than the creature that they had just faced! Moira had hoped that they might have enough strength to defeat the Fae Queen, but now she was very unsure. Hopefully, with more artefacts of power and persons able to wield them they might still have a chance, but Moira’s hope had been eclipsed by these recent developments. She looked over to Joraan and saw the Sídhe also lost in thought. She wondered what was in his thought and wondered if his wisdom might help them.

Joraan, sensing Moira’s mental touch, looked up at her with those bright incandescent green eyes and she saw that his usually determined expression had been replaced by what looked like deep insecurity. Indeed, Joraan’s thoughts much plagued him. The being they encountered could have been none other than Methenderix herself! Joraan had known of Methenderix during their first war with the Fae. She’d been a High Commander in Morgana’s army of Faeish warriors. Her powers were said to be only second to Morgana’s herself. By the incredible skill of Long Fen and sheer luck, they’d managed to defeat her and, hopefully, destroy her! But, Joraan’s fears paralleled Moira’s in this regard. It had been a very near thing and it was only by some twist of fate that Joraan had escaped his death. Methenderix had trounced Joraan with ridiculous ease - wandless! If not for his friends, she would have been able to retrieve her wand to disintegrate Joraan where he lay unconscious! How would they fare against Morgana who was magnitudes more powerful than Methenderix? Joraan had to remind himself that this gambit of gathering this cohort with these weapons was only given a slim chance of success. It was do this or submit to inevitable destruction. It was a stop-gap measure at best! But, they had to persevere. That slim chance just might be enough, God willing.

Tyrex had been awakened inside of M’yn with the appearance of Methenderix. The growing strength of feeling M’yn had been developing for Joraan must have been some act of bewitchment! Methenderix’s appearance, though, spoke to Tyrex and to the fact that his Mother must have been losing patience with him. More than once, M’yn had not assisted in the death of Joraan and these humans. Instead, he had actively worked to defend them and to defeat emissaries of his own people! It was all supposed to be an act of solidarity with these people before Tyrex could meet out his final treachery. But, instead, his treachery seemed to be aimed more at his Dark Mother than against her enemies. He was turning traitor…and it was the appearance of Myra, more than anything, that had started his turn. Finding that his beloved was still alive after all these many millennia and that she had not been corrupted by his Mother had given Tyrex great pause! The purity of his intent to do his Mother’s dark will was compromised now after meeting Myra again. Her mere existence opened Tyrex up to a long abandoned hope that he could, at last, turn away from war and violence and return to the peaceful ways the Fae had before the Felling of Avalon. Yet, Tyrex carried a great fear of his Mother! No sane being would ever seek to cross her! He remembered her dread treatment of Ser and how she tortured him to death! More than once, Tyrex had felt his Mother’s sublime wrath and, to be frank, he was rightly terrified. He’d already dawdled in his task to prevent this host from acquiring any more strength to hold against Morgana. Now, his dawdling had cost his Mother one of her most powerful servants. Since this would be one of his many crimes against his Mother so far, why not simply commit to ‘M’yn’s’ path and rebel against Morgana? However, her defeat would mean her death! She’d never surrender if, by some slim chance, she was defeated. Could he do it? Could he be a part of his own Mother’s death? Despite how heartless she was to Tyrex, he still considered Morgana as his Mother. Tyrex within M’yn could not yet decide and so he remained as taciturn as always as the conflict grew within him.

As for Arinjay and Long Fen, both holy men had cleared themselves of all thought save for being present in their own skins while their spirits reached to touch things as transcendent as they were ephemeral. Both shared their meditative discipline in their own unique ways, but, somehow the two communed with one another silently. Both sat in the sacred Lotus Position across from each other in perfect silence. Fears and worries were all mere distractions to the fundamental truth of reality. Even the incursions of faery demons and their mighty queen could not upset the balance of the turning wheel of the universe. It was all part of the Great Whole and Arinjay and Long Fen were both aware that this adventure was the path set before them on their quest for ultimate understanding. Fighting they have done and fighting they may yet do, but they would do it without fear and in a meditative way - dispassionately and with the mindfulness that they do only what is necessary as part of the balance.

~

If the Purple Cloud Temple had been bustling when they visited it then Sensō-Ji was absolutely thronging with people by comparison!

Multitudes of worshipers and tourists alike made their way through the amazingly beautiful Kaminarimon or ‘Thunder Gate’ into the Nakamise out-door market that lines the path to Sensō-Ji. Mughamir’s eyes sparkled with amazement at the many bright and fanciful things a person could buy along the strip! The scent of strange delicacies being grilled wafted through the air on thin white clouds of smoke. Before them stood a bright red inner gate with that familiar Japanese style of swooping eaves and a roof of tiles. As they squeezed themselves through the crowd, Mughamir could begin to make out the beauty of a multi-tiered Japanese style pagoda in the same red colouring as the shrine standing next to the temple grounds. Mughamir was used to majestic sites having lived in the shadows of the Pyramids and having seen many other wonders along their journey, but his love of Anime and Japanese culture made this site very special to him. In a way, Mughamir felt that he was in one of his Anime adventures! His current surroundings seemed to capture the vibrance of an Anime television show with all the bright colours, beautiful characters, and sense of mystery around the place. He dearly wished they could stop and look into the many stores, but he sensed the urgency of the others. They were not tourists. They were there on business! Direly serious business.

Long Fen lead the cohort as they wormed their way through the crowd. He made sure to keep his progress slow enough so the others could keep up. Long Fen was capable of passing through crowds as if intangible since he was so practiced at dealing with them. Soon the Nakamise path led them right to the spectacular inner gate called Hōzōmon. They passed through this and were confronted by the Main Hall. All stood before the adorned opening of the hall all a bit awestruck by the amazing details of the place. Long Fen, however, was looking with his sharp eyes for something or someone in particular. His eyes came to rest on a figure in a domed straw hat wearing black and white robes distinctive of a Zen Buddhist monk. He was selling fortunes, or, rather accepting donations for them just outside of the Main Hall.

For the moment, Long Fen ignored his find so that he could pray to the bodhisattva of Sensō-Ji known as Kannon, an enlightened one adored in China as Guanyin. The others, a bit confused, wondered where Long Fen was going, but Moira admonished them, “He needs to pay his respects and make his prayers. This is a Buddhist temple, after all.”

Long Fen invited the others to gather around a large incense burner where a great gathering of faithful could be seen wafting the incense smoke onto themselves. Many made way for Long Fen recognising him as a visiting monk. Some even asked for his blessing, which he gave readily. Long Fen wafted the smoke toward everyone in an act of spiritual cleansing and, even though Sean was rightly confused by all of this, he accepted it. The Good Lord knows that they could use all the blessings and luck they could get.

After their smoky ablution, Long Fen lead the group to the stall where he had seen the Zen Monk. Fortune had it that the monk was still there, occupied with his fortune-telling. In Japanese the monk asked them if they wanted their fortune written to which Long Fen bowed in part out of respect and also to catch the eye of the Zen Monk who traditionally kept his eyes downcast under the broad brim of his straw hat. The Zen Monk raised his eyes and they widened to see a fellow monk standing before him. Standing, the Zen Monk then bowed low and Long Fen returned the bow, palms together as was the fashion of the Shaolin monks. The Zen Monk noticed the Westerners behind him and switched effortlessly from Japanese to English.

“Kannon’s compassion be with you all. I am Tomoya Sunohara, learner of the Path. Have you come to have your destinies read?” Tomoya asked as he bowed again to the gathering. Awkwardly, the group followed Arinjay’s more fluid example and bowed to the monk before them out of respect.

“Not as such, Brother. We have business here with the Abbot. Is it possible for us to have an audience with him? We seek the whereabouts of Hiraoka Yoshiyuki - a priest of this House that I knew a while ago.” Long Fen hoped Tomoya would be able to allow this.

“Alas, no Abbot is in residence here anymore. I wish I could help, but most of we monks that visit here volunteer for the spiritual upkeep of this place while the State manages it as a national shrine. I, however, may know of the one you are seeking.” Tomoya answered with a nod of his head.

“He is very, very old now. He is in residence in a rectory not far from this temple. He is tended to by nurses and fellow volunteers. I do not know him on a personal level, but I can, at least take you to him.” Tomoya bowed again to acknowledge his service.

“That would be splendid, Brother. Your kindness and generosity show your observance of the Path.” Long Fen bowed again and after shutting down his little shop, Tomoya Sunohara lead them to a simple Japanese style house set amongst taller apartment buildings.

~

Hiraoka Yoshiyuki sat in an overstuffed chair looking out a window. He was hooked up to monitors that silently kept watch over the ancient priest’s faltering vitals. An IV pump sat in waiting just in case the elderly man needed quick acting medicines to keep him comfortable. He was now beyond the point where modern medicine could keep him in this current life for much longer.

Long Fen looked upon this sight with compassion, but not pity. Pity was out of place here. The peace he felt radiating from the old master told of a spirit that, if not entirely enlightened, was well on its way to being so. Master Yoshiyuki was in a state of spiritual bliss that very few could achieve in this circle of life. An attainment Long Fen hoped he could achieve in his own lifetime if he was able.

Due to the condition of Master Yoshiyuki, Long Fen was only permitted to allow one other member of the visiting foreigners to enter with him. Naturally, this was their ‘leader’, the beautifully exotic Moira.

Moira observed the little old man resting so very still in his chair. The priest was asleep, she hoped. She’d hate to think that he had passed away before seeing them. So far, he was the only link to this fabled weapon. Moira knew that, after their encounter with the Fae witch, they really did need all of the power they could find in this world to stop what was coming! That aside, Moira was not without human feeling. She did look on the sight of the old man with sympathy. He seemed so very frail and the unused morphine drip in the IV beside him told of suffering. He was dying and that could not help but make Moira feel sad. Natural as it may be, death had always been a fact of life Moira found hard to accept. Even as an anthropologist and archaeologist who’s job it was to divine history from the remains of the dead, death itself always disturbed Moira. Perhaps, that is one reason she fought so hard against the impending disaster to come! It was her way of fighting back against death itself.

Long Fen came to stand before Master Yoshiyuki. Indeed, the old one was fast asleep, but suddenly came awake, sensing the presence of the visitors. His eyes were surprisingly sharp for one so old. Unclouded by cataracts or macular degeneration, they focused on Long Fen with intensity. A wane smile then creased the master’s countenance. Long Fen bowed low before his elder. Creakily and still sitting, Master Yoshiyuki retuned the bow as much as he could.

“Konnichi-wa, Sensei,” Long Fen greeted Master Yoshiyuki.

“O, Konnichi-wa!” Master Yoshiyuki’s responded with his soft gravelly voice.

(In the Japanese: “I am Long Fen and this is Dr. Moira O’Brien. We have come to visit with you, if you would have us.”) Long Fen said in way of introduction.

(“Oh! Of course! I would be honoured, especially by the estimable doctor!”) Master Yoshiyuki tried to stand as he turned to see Moira and bow, but failed in his attempt and collapsed back in his chair panting.

Long Fen knelt and rested his hands on the ancient priest in a gesture of caring restraint, (“Please, Sensei! You do us great honour by visiting with us! Do rest yourself.”) Moira quickly came to stand next to Long Fen so that she could be in the master’s easy field of vision.

Seeing the natural pallor of his Irish guest, Master Yoshiyuki switched effortlessly into English, suspecting that was the language of choice for her.

“I would be greatly pleased by your visit! This old monk does not receive many visitors in these days. I suspect many who once knew me have now been reincarnated to other places. I seem to remain as their witness to this their previous life.” Master Yoshiyuki bowed his head in respect to those who had gone before him on their long journey to Enlightenment.

“Now, Honourable Long Fen and Honourable Moira O’Brien, to what do I owe this most auspicious visit?” Master Yoshiyuki asked with a pleasant semi-toothless smile.

“We thank you for seeing us, Sensei.” Long Fen bowed again in thanks.

“Indeed, we thank you kindly for your time, Master Yoshiyuki. We are on a quest, you see, and we were wondering if we could seek your guidance on something of particular interest to us.” Moira, ever the incisive one, came to the point of the matter.

“Ah! A quest! How exciting! Many are the treasures quests grant. Many opportunities to grow and to discover more of who and what we are.” Master Yoshiyuki interjected with genuine enthusiasm.

“Yes, quite so. In our case, we were seeking information about one such lost treasure. Do you know anything about the Honjō Masamune?” Moira asked.

“Ahhh! But, of course! Nearly every Japanese child knows something about the Sacred Blade, Honjō Masamune! It was our greatest national treasure here in Japan. It was one of many things…lost to us as a result of the Great War. Many Shinto priests feel that the very soul of Japan was lost along with Honjō Masamune. Perhaps they are correct. Japan has lost its way in many respects. The faith and hope of the people, particularly the young, seems to be failing in our land. Much that meant so much to us no longer seems to have meaning anymore.” Master Yoshiyuki replied sadly.

“Can you tell us something of the history of the Honjō Masamune?” Moira asked, hoping that recalling its history might jar the Zen master’s memory as to the fate of the Honjō Masamune.

“Hai! Of course!” Master Yoshiyuki said with surprising gusto.

“Gorō Nyūdō Masamune was the greatest swordsmith in the entirety of the history of Japan. None - not even his fabled litany of students - could equal the Master’s swordcraft! His works began in near forgotten history, but it may have been during the time of the Kamakura Shogunate, many hundreds of years ago. He crafted many heirlooms that became Honour Swords of Shoguns and many houses of high standing within the tradition of Japan. The Honjō Masamune was his greatest work and was the Honour Sword of many Shoguns passed from one to another either by right of conquest or by blood inheritance. It passed through generations of the High Houses of Japan until it was left in the custody of the Americans who demanded all unlicensed katana be remanded to them after the Conquest of Japan after the surrender. It was said to have been accepted by one Sgt. Cody Bitmore for the American military, but the mystery is that there was no such person! That is where the story becomes…interesting.” Old Master Yoshiyuki then started to nod off again.

Moira, a little vexed by this, gestured for Long Fen to awaken the ailing priest. Long Fen, long accustomed to the idiosyncrasies of aging Buddhist masters, bid Moira practice a bit of patience with Master Yoshiyuki knowing that the old Master would soon reawaken to finish his story…hopefully.

Indeed, after a short nap of about fifteen agonising minutes, Master Yoshiyuki reawakened and started exactly where he left off.

“I confess now to knowing a secret that I was sworn to protect on pain of execution. Now, my time is near its end and I would wish for this knowledge to become known. Too long has the Honjō Masamune been in the custody of…unworthy hands! The sword was not given into American custody for ‘liquidation’. It was stolen! Stolen by Shadows. Shadows of our civilisation we know as Yakuza!” Master Yoshiyuki said with a bow of his head with the inflection of sadness.

“A Daimyō of the Shadow World named only Habu…has the blade. He is well protected by the Fangs of Habu. They are Ninja - a disgrace upon the martial arts entirely, but fearsomely trained! I fear, though you may now know of this treasure’s keeper, acquiring the Honjō Masamune will likely be impossible! Habu protects it as his finest treasure!” Master Yoshiyuki warned direly.

“This is why few have attempted to retrieve the great katana from its evil master. Only one dares to challenge Habu on his claim to the honour sword. He works for the Tokyo Municipal Police. He does not accept it of himself, but he is heir to a lineage of Samurai! His name is Kenshin - Kenshin Genjiro. He serves as chief inspector in the Organised Crime Control Bureau at Sakurada Gate. Go there and find him. Tell him that I sent you. Reclaim the Honjō Masamune! Bring it back to a place of honour!” With that, Master Yoshiyuki seemed to fall asleep. Alas, per Long Fen’s examination, it would be the Great Master’s final rest.

~

“You foreigners! You watch too much anime! I have been hunting The Habu for nearly ten years! At no time have we even gotten close to touching him. This and you wish to reclaim the Lost Honour Sword Of Japan? Like I said…manga has spread too far and wide for my liking.” Chief Inspector Kenshin Genjiro responded to Moira and her team derisively.

“But Master Hiraoka Yoshiyuki sent us here! He said you could help us!” Tomoya Sunohara, who had insisted on accompanying the cohort, blurted incredulously!

“That old man has sent me more ‘leads’ than anyone on this case. None of them ever pan out! I am most sorry that he has passed, but I can’t just drop my current cases to entertain this one…again!” Kenshin groused.

“In any case, should we even find The Habu and his Fangs, how would we combat them, hmmm? I do not think the Superintendent will authorise my engagement of an entire battalion of officers to die at the hands of ninja over a sword! It is quite impossible!” Kenshin said, seeking to justify his negative reaction to Moira’s request.

With that Moira gave a silent nod to her companions, and before Kenshin Genjiro appeared the sacred objects of ten ancient traditions from Europe to China. Kenshin’s eyes widened in disbelief!

“Where did you get those? How did you get past security with these weapons?” Kenshin shouted his question which caused the other officers and inspectors in the office to reach for firearms.

As quickly as they appeared, the weapons disappeared. Kenshin blinked, not believing his own eyes!

“As you can see, Chief Inspector, we have had some luck in finding and obtaining artefacts similar to the Honjō Masamune. It is our mission and destiny to find as many of these weapons as we can to help us. You see…we are on the verge of a war. A war mankind cannot survive unless we can acquire as many of these ancient mystical weapons as possible. This includes the Honjō Masamune. The Yakuza can’t stand in our way. We’ve fought too long and too hard already in getting what we have now. We can handle some gang members, I think.” Moira told Kenshin confidently to which the Chief Inspector merely chuckled sardonically.

“You may think what you like, Dr. O’Brien is it? But, I must warn you that these so called ‘gang members’ are among the most dangerous people on the planet! I don’t know how you conjured your ‘magical weapons’, but all the magic in the world can’t save you from blowfish poisoned shuriken spun at you from the dark! That’s what you are dealing with! Warriors of the Shadows themselves! You’ll never see them coming until it is too late! I know…I’ve had my run-ins with them on more than one occasion. Each time, someone I called friend died from these ‘gang members’. I nearly died myself more than once!” Kenshin unbuttoned his shirt and loosened his tie so that he could show the rippling scar on his chest from where he had been ‘bitten’ by one of the Fangs of The Habu.

One of the ancient artefacts that remained visible was the gleaming red jewel about Viviane’s neck. It did not need to be hidden since it is hidden in plain sight - an innocuous, if beautiful, necklace and pendant. Viviane reached up to the jewel and touched it hoping that it hadn’t been ‘burnt out’ by the Fae Witch in China. At her touch, much to Viviane’s relief, the jewel began to glow and then scintillate and soon Pridwen’s Shield came about everyone in the office.

All the officers on the floor were stunned by the scintillating red energy that encased them all. Kenshin, though, merely narrowed his eyes incredulously as he gazed about at the light display. He had seen every light trick technology could produce. This display did not impress him.

“Ha! Disco lights are yesterday’s news. I’ve seen more rousing light shows in Kabukichō.” Kenshin scoffed.

“It’s not the light show that is Pridwen’s particular purpose, my dear Chief Inspector. It is what Pridwen can do that fascinates.” Moira said and then nodded to Sean who immediately knew what he had to do to hopefully convince the skeptical police chief.

Sean walked to a part of the office purposefully left unshielded by Pridwen. He then proceeded to pick up a stapler from a desk and toss it full force at the glowing shield. The stapler, as expected, bounced harmlessly off of the shield and clattered its way across the floor. Sean then quickly stepped back under Pridwen’s umbrella unhindered.

Kenshin’s face twisted into a look of suspicious confusion, but, “Impressive, I suppose. However, your tall companion was able to slip right back into this ‘force field’ of yours pretty easily. Ninja will be on you before you know what is happening if they can simply walk through it.”

“Pridwen only permits those through that it recognises. Anyone or anything it does not recognise will not be able to enter.” Viviane explained.

“Then how does it ‘recognise’ a person?” Kenshin persisted skeptically.

“It just knows. It knows us and it knows anyone that we approve of.” Viviane matter-of-factly and, as if on cue, a clerk entered the office only to run right into Pridwen and be knocked back onto his behind.

“See?” Viviane smiled as she was proven out. With that she touched the Pridwen jewel again and the shield winked out of existence.

“As you can see, we have our advantages and this is only what one of our artefacts can do.” Moira tried to say convincingly.

Kenshin looked thoughtful for a minute. He did not trust in much, but perhaps he could chance this. He knew how very dangerous the Fangs Of The Habu were, but he also did not want to pass up a real opportunity to finally capture The Habu and bring him and his lieutenants to justice. The restoration of the Honjō Masamune would be an obvious bonus to such an operation, but not the primary objective. The Habu’s main business was the trafficking and sale of children into ‘service’. Kenshin would risk much to bring down that business and save as many kids as he possibly could. That would be Kenshin’s main objective should he wish to play along with these gaijin and their strange weapons.

“Alright then. If you help me bring The Habu to justice then I’ll see about helping you find the Honjō Masamune. Now, report yourselves to the sergeant at the front desk and you will be properly deputised for this operation.” Chief Inspector Kenshin directed as he stood up from his desk and slung his gun and his shoulder holster on and put his jacket on over them. In Japanese he ordered two plain clothes officers in the unit to join him as he walked out.

~

The Chief Inspector had mentioned Kabukichō in the Shinjuku District during their discussion. Moira did not know she was actually going to experience the place first hand. Though most of the Shinjuku District was a blinking neon and LED bonanza of lights, there was something particularly gaudy and tacky about Kabukichō’s signs and displays. In some cases, the advertisements being offered were downright lewd! She knew about the notorious entertainment district, of course, but had never occasioned to visit.

Sean couldn’t help but blush at some of the things he was seeing. The girls in scantily clad maids outfits enticing passers-by with promises of ‘Good Times’ at whatever bar or brothel they were working for were particularly strange for Sean. Overhead visuals of anime cartoon characters in sultry poses and situations were also a sight to behold for poor Sean. This place was so much different from his home and Sean longed for ‘boring old Ireland’ again and in the worst way. Everything here seemed to be shouting at him, from the kaleidoscopic lights to the continuous racket of raised voices, blaring music, and the cacophony of what Moira described as ‘Pachinko Palaces’. Despite all these distractions, Sean soldiered on with the rest of his group and the Chief Inspector.

Chief Inspector Kenshin Genjiro led them to a fairly unassuming staircase entering into the side of one of the many buildings about. The staircase was sandwiched between two bars brightly lit with neon signage in Japanese. The staircase itself was lit by a strange purple light which Mughamir thought gave it a mysterious yet inviting look.

Kenshin ascended the stairs with his two plain clothes officers with him. They were dressed like ‘salarymen’ in slightly rumpled suits so they looked the part of men going out for a good time after work. Moira’s group waited for a signal from Kenshin to follow him, but had to wait a few minutes before such a signal was given.

“Come along! I have found who I came here looking for.” Kenshin commanded.

Upon entering the establishment, the group was greeted by a dark den lit by the same kind of coloured lights as the stairway. The brightest spot in the room was the bar that was lit by bright blue LED lights behind the bottles of liquor. It is too this bar Kenshin went to meet with a rotund Japanese man sitting on a bar stool.

“This is Kamaboko. He is a ‘friend’ of ours,” Kenshin told Moira in way of introduction.

“Good to meet you.” Moira offered.

Kamaboko merely glared at Moira with narrow eyes for a moment, looking her up and down as if sizing up a pork chop.

“Konbanwa, lovely lady. Are you another one of the good Chief Inspector’s gaijin girlfriends?” Kamaboko replied impertinently.

“Show respect, ‘Fish Cake’! You would not want us to forget our little arrangement with you now would you?” Kenshin snarled quietly.

“Ah, apologies! It was a joke! I meant no offence, lovely lady.” Kamaboko stood and gave a very awkward bow in Moira’s direction. Obviously, he had been drinking quite excessively.

Sean felt the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end. He looked about him and saw several pairs of mean looking eyes staring back. They all had women with them heavily made up, but it was clear they were not regular ‘dates’. These were the kind you pay for though, Sean wondered, did these men actually have to pay for them or were they ‘on the house’, as it were. Slowly it dawned on Sean where they were and who these men were. It became obvious that they were among Yakuza! Sean quietly prepared himself and kept all his senses about him as Moira and the Chief Inspector continued their conversation.

However, Kenshin knew exactly where they were and who they were dealing with. He’d dealt with Kamaboko on any number of occasions and he and his clan of Yakuza were in a special arrangement where they would be left alone (with provisos) if Kamaboko became Kenshin’s informant. Kenshin often marvelled at this arrangement. He wondered how Kamaboko has stayed alive with other Yakuza clans knowing he was a snitch. His protection must be formidable or… Kamaboko was being used to misdirect the Chief Inspector. Certainly, Kenshin never trusted Kamaboko, but a lot of his leads did end in results.

But, the question Kenshin wanted answered tonight might require some extra leverage. He suggested Kamaboko should take this into his office for privacy. After a bit of arm twisting, Kenshin achieved this and he invited Moira along as witness. He left his two plain clothes officers with the rest of Moira’s people to prevent any…mishaps.

“Where is The Habu, Kamaboko?” Kenshin asked, coming right to the point.

Kamaboko laughed in Kenshin’s face as an answer.

“If you do not tell me where he is, Kamaboko, then all our arrangements are off! I’ll raid this place and your whole clan will be cleaned out of Tokyo faster than a snakebite.” Kenshin growled irritably.

“That is a very good word to describe what will happen to me if I breathe one word about The Habu. Faster than a snakebite is how long it will take for me to disappear. The Habu’s reach is long. I can give up the petty grunts around here because I’m bigger than them. But, The Habu…? No, Kenshin-san. He is much bigger than I am! You would do well to stay away from him yourself if you value your life and the lives of everyone you hold dear.” Kamaboko warned.

Kenshin hammered his fist on Kamaboko’s finely carved teakwood desk, “Damn you, Kamaboko! You think you have nothing to fear from me? You think you might not one day just ‘disappear’ because I want it so? My reach is pretty long too, I assure you and much closer to you than The Habu’s.”

“Ha! No threat your prosecutors can throw at me can equal the kinds of things The Habu would do if I were ever to cross him. You are a fool to think otherwise, Kenshin.” Kamaboko retorted.

It was then that Kenshin drew his gun and aimed it right between Kamaboko’s narrow eyes.

“You are a fool Chief Inspector. The minute that gun goes off, my men out there will be in here and then you too will be dead along with your gaijin friends here.” Kamaboko warned.

“What does that matter. You’ll be dead before me. So, do you want to test me, garbage?” Kenshin cocked the trigger and Moira looked on in shock. She had to warn the others before the Yakuza men out there could take any action against them. She pulled out her mobile phone and dialled Sean’s number. Kamaboko and Kenshin were too busy with each other to notice.

Sean, feeling the buzzing in his pocket grabbed his phone and answered. Moira spoke one word to him: “Pridwen.” Sean turned and whispered the word to Viviane who looked confused for a second.

“Make it snappy, girl!” Sean’s whisper got a bit harsher and that made the various Yakuza in the room suspicious. They all rose as one and began drawing guns, knives, and other kinds of strange weapons.

Viviane then understood their predicament and quickly touched Pridwen’s jewel and the shield sprang to life. Sean motioned for the group to walk toward the stairs that led to Kamaboko’s office so as to cover any access to it.

The Yakuza men with guns, startled by the shimmering force field, took aim at the foreigners on the other side of the strange phenomenon. Viviane hoped that the shield was bulletproof.

Moira’s cohort revealed their own fabulous weapons which earned them a shot from one of the Yakuza pistols. Much to Viviane’s relief, the bullet ricocheted off of the shield and into the bar shattering a number of bottles of liquor and some of the bright LED lights.

In the office, Kamaboko grinned obscenely at Kenshin as reports from guns could be heard outside the door.

“Guess they started the party without me.” Kamaboko shrugged his shoulders as he chuckled mirthlessly.

However, within seconds there was nothing but silence to be heard outside the door.

Moira spoke into her phone with anxiety in her voice, “Sean? Are ye there, man?”

After an agonising pause, Sean came back, “Yes…I’m here. We’re all clear out here.”

Outside the office door was the scene of a massacre. All the Yakuza men lay dead. Many were pierced by silver arrows, others decapitated, others seemingly put through a shredder as they obviously tried to enter Pridwen’s shield bodily.

Joraan and M’yn stood together, glaive and dagger in hand, dripping with gore. Hector lowered his bow. Arinjay held the bloodied Sudarshana Chakra with a look of sorrow on his face. Viviane and Mughamir stood in a state of shock as Nommo looked on stoically. Long Fen’s face was inscrutably blank, but did show signs of a solemn acceptance while the two plain clothes officers stood dumbfounded at what they had just witnessed.

Sean observed the scene with sad reticence. What had they just done? These men never stood a chance.

Inside the office, Kamaboko’s face had blanched. Any trace of self-satisfaction was entirely gone now. Kenshin kept his cocked gun steadily pointed at the Yakuza boss’s forehead, but did spare a moment to ask Moira, “What the hell just happened out there?”

“We…defended ourselves, Chief Inspector. I believe Kamaboko’s men have been…neutralised.” Moira replied with melancholy.

It was then that Kenshin favoured Kamaboko with a grim smile of his own and said, “Now…The Habu…or you can be ‘neutralised’ along with the rest of your scum. We were only ‘defending’ ourselves after all.”

Kamaboko’s shoulders slumped and an expression of fear cracked his face. Kenshin meant it and Kamaboko knew it.

“Kyoto…his compound is on the outskirts of Kyoto. I’ll show you on the map. What does it matter now? We are all deadmen.” Kamaboko sulked.

~

Shinkansen - the Japanese High Speed Rail system or what Sean would call a ‘bullet train’: this was what they were on at the moment going from Tokyo to Kyoto. He figured most of the passengers around him in First Class were going as tourists since Kyoto was a favourite magnet for Japanese and foreign tourists alike. Sean’s group were posing as tourists, but they certainly were not going to Kyoto to engage in any tourism. From the looks of it, they were going into battle. A battle with an apparently ruthless enemy. One that Chief Inspector Kenshin Genjiro held little hope of winning despite the strange powers of these gaijin warriors.

But, despite his misgivings, this had been the best opportunity Kenshin had ever gotten to actually find The Habu and take him down. At least now there might be a splinter of hope of their success whereas before, there was none at all. The Fangs of the Habu had been very effective at keeping law enforcement at bay for many years. Between his fearsome capabilities and the fact that The Habu had effectively infiltrated both police and government departments all throughout Japan with his agents, this made The Habu nearly untouchable.

…nearly.

Kenshin knew that he was going way outside his jurisdiction to bring down The Habu, but he dared not alert Kyoto Police of his intentions. The Kyoto Police were especially enthralled to The Habu. He lived more like a warlord than a Yakuza daimyo. Like a shogun of old, his power and influence were vast - especially in Kyoto. Kenshin knew all this and knew that entering Kyoto without The Habu knowing would be close to impossible. However, The Habu knew nothing of his foreign companions and certainly of what they were capable. They would be his ‘ace in the hole’ as his American friends would say. Just possibly, that element of surprise would give them an edge.

Two short hours since leaving Tokyo, Kenshin and Moira’s people arrived in Kyoto. Mughamir was still visibly shaken by their bloody experience at Kamaboko’s compound and Moira was very worried that the young man would be too traumatised to go on with them. He was still very young and, although he’d seen combat already and had done his job superbly, he had not had to confront up close and personal the bloody results of battle. In all truth, Moira was quite shocked herself! She’d not really anticipated that she and her friends would have to actually soil themselves with human blood. To destroy the Fae seemed to be one thing, but taking human life - that was still hard for her to deal with. True, they had to fight off human adversaries to liberate Nommo’s Mask, but that fight had not been so…personal. It had not been so up close and gory as what went on at Kamaboko’s place. The true potency of their magical weapons frightened her and yet, it was that very potency that they so desperately needed if they were to save the world from the Fae. She had to steel herself, though. She had to be ready to take more human lives if necessary if what the Chief Inspector said was true about these Fangs of the Habu. From the sounds of things, they would need all their resources to combat these highly trained Yakuza assassins. In their way, they sounded every bit as dangerous as the Fae Witch had been in China - maybe, more so.

~

Kenshin did not, altogether, trust Kamaboko’s map to The Habu’s compound. He considered it a possible lead, but not without deception. Could he accept Kamaboko’s word on this knowing that if it ever got out to The Habu that Kamaboko had betrayed him that Kamaboko would die a most horrible death? Kenshin was sure that Kamaboko would never give up The Habu willingly. Kenshin was certain, though, that Kamaboko would happily lead him into a trap.

With this in mind, Kenshin lead his misfit battalion to the outskirts of Kyoto where the mansions were. For Japan, they were estates surrounded by gardens unmatched in the world. They also had a lot of space and dark hidey-holes for estate guards and ninja to hide.

They used a rental SUV, at exorbitant expense, to travel up to the hallows of ‘upper-crust’ Japan. Kenshin was sure they were not too far from Nara, the once Imperial Capitol and considered the most beautiful part of Japan. Only the most elite could afford accommodations anywhere near Nara.

None could have been more ‘elite’ than The Habu.

They found a secluded spot a mile from the target destination: a large Japanese style ‘castle’. The compound consisted of a large two-story house with a short pagoda adorning it’s back. They had come at night in hopes that it might provide some cover. Kenshin did not hold much credence with this since ninja were trained specifically to hunt by night.

“In your bag of tricks, do you have a means of surveillance? A drone of some kind, perhaps?” Kenshin asked Moria in a whisper.

“Maybe….what do you wish the surveil?” Moira answered with a question of her own.

Kenshin suppressed a long suffering sigh and answered, “The compound. All of it. We need intelligence to know whether or not we have the right place and if so, what resistance can we find. It would help to know where his hired goons are if not his ninja. Those…we won’t see coming.”

Moira turned to Nommo who had been listening with the same stoney expression he always had.

“The Spirits can see and not be seen. So can others among us.” Nommo answered enigmatically as ever. With that he invoked the Mask and covered himself in it. In a macabre dance, silent as the grave, Nommo invoked spirits from around them to assist them in surveilling the compound. To Nommo’s amazement…a legion of spirits came to his aid from the forests about them.

Kenshin was concerned that the African’s movements might attract attention, not to mention the strange green glow emitting from the mask’s eye-holes.

Unsure whether this madness would help, Kenshin asked Moira what ‘other’ Nommo meant.

In answer, before Kenshin one of the ‘kids’ in a hoodie disappeared right before his eyes!

Using Carnwennan, M’yn took his cue and went off in invisible secret to help in Nommo’s reconnaissance. None would see or hear him. Ninja may be the silent stalkers of the night, but none could beat a Sídhe disguised Faery not wanting to be seen or heard.

“Who are these two children and how do they do these things?” Kenshin asked of Moira.

“They are not ‘children’, Chief Inspector. This is all I can tell you.” Moira replied mysteriously.

Nommo’s spirits and M’yn’s quick work soon came back with the intelligence they needed.

“Many inside. Many with guns. Others with strange weapons.” Nommo said with an annoying lack of detail for Kenshin.

“So you say, African. But…how many and WHICH one’s are the ones with these ‘strange weapons’.” Kenshin probed impatiently.

“The regular guards with automatic guns - they patrol the parameter. The ‘ninja’, I guess, are centred inside and around the pagoda like they are protecting something.” M’yn reported while removing his hood and revealing his alien nature to Kenshin.

“…what on earth are you?” Kenshin asked with shock at seeing M’yn’s strangely angular face, huge eyes, and pointed ears.

“The same as me. We are Sídhe. We will not be the first ‘Otherkin’ you will encounter while with our party, Chief Inspector. I am named Joraan. He is M’yn.” Joraan said, revealing his breathtaking beauty belying his seeming alien nature.

“Just so…” Kenshin said in way of wary acceptance looking at the two Sídhe with a side-long glance.

“Ok, then the plan is to penetrate the compound as stealthily as possible without alerting too many of the guards and avoiding electronic surveillance systems. Any guards that we can’t avoid need to be taken out quietly! If we can avoid the ninja for as long as we can then we might make it through this.” Kenshin directed.

Viviane then stepped up to offer a solution to the electronics, “Sean…I’ve been observing the basis of your weapon and it seems to work electromagnetically according to Merlin. Would you mind trying something new with Gungnir?”

“What?” Sean asked in his simple way.

“I’m not sure…try thinking of a big bubble of energy and then strike the bottom of the lance on the ground.” Viviane said with eyes closed as if reciting direction from a whisper in her ear.

Sean cocked his head quizzically and looked to Moira for approval. Moira nodded and gestured for Sean to be quick about it. Viviane and her strange connection to the Spirit of Merlin had not failed them so far.

Sean produced Gungnir and, to Kenshin’s horror, struck the ground with the weapon sending out a gong-like ring. From Gungnir’s base, a flash of golden light erupted and passed like a shockwave through the entire compound and the surroundings. The lights in the compound suddenly shut down and shouts of distress could be heard from the guards surrounding the building.

“Now you’ve done it! They know we’re here and exactly where to attack!” Kenshin whispered angrily.

“Not if we’re not here when they get here. This works to our advantage. The majority of guards will concentrate here and we’ll be able to knock them out with relative ease.” Long Fen said, his tactical mind showing itself for the first time.

“Yes, but so will the ninja! We’re compromised! We are all dead!” Kenshin growled.

“You have so little faith…” Long Fen admonished the Chief Inspector as he lead everyone away from where they had been standing to places hidden from view.

Before long men with flashlights and brandishing guns appeared in the clearing where the Host had just been standing.

“(Look everywhere! We have intruders! Look for footprints!)” One of the guards commanded his cohort.

A large platoon of guards converged on the spot and began to spread out widening their search. Without warning, a number fell dead as silver arrows pierced their hearts. Others were felled with supernatural speed by deftly angled blades held by inhuman hands slicing at the guards from out of the darkness. All of this was done in absolute silence with terrifying alacrity. Still others found themselves weaponless as a spinning blade slowed time and found the guard’s guns unerringly, cutting them to pieces.

Automatic gunshots rang out as the still armed guards attempted to shoot around themselves. Their shots went wild but some did manage to ricochet off of a faintly red glowing space off in a short distance. The guards surged towards the glowing aura, but were quickly dispatched by well aimed bullets from Glock service pistols. Kenshin and his two officers reloaded as Long Fen prepared a diversion.

With the power of the Green Crescent Blade, Long Fen created a fiery display in the sky off in the opposite direction from his friends. The display was that of a great dragon made of green flame! The flames of the dragon started to fall from the sky like an incandescent rain which began catching the surrounding forest on fire.

The guards scattered in fright at the dread manifestation. None seemed brave enough to want to tangle with a raging forest fire caused by a flaming green dragon! They were clearly overmatched by whoever they were fighting.

The guards were not the only ones alarmed by Long Fen’s tactic. Moira was gravely concerned that the out of control forest fire could prove even more deadly to them than the guards or suspected ninja around! She spoke her concerns as Long Fen returned to the shelter of Pridwen’s Shield.

“Good God, Long Fen! That fire’s going to be a worse enemy than the ones we’re here facing! What possessed you man?” Moira chided.

“Peace, Dr. O’Brien. These are no ordinary flames! The Crescent Blade has been speaking its secrets into my mind! Behold…,” and with that Long Fen made some slow convoluted movements in Tai Chi while brandishing the Green Crescent Blade. By the end of his dance, the green flames had extinguished themselves and the raging fire was miraculously snuffed out.

“That was all very spectacular and also killed any hope of our approaching The Habu’s compound in secret! He’ll be ready for us…we might as well abort now.” Kenshin groused angrily.

“We’ve come too far to quit now! He might know we are here, but he won’t know from where or how we’ll come at him.” Moira said, attempting to encourage Kenshin.

“We’ll see about that.” Kenshin answered, unconvinced.

The group reconvened and began pushing through the forest toward The Habu’s darkened compound. Kenshin noticed a faint glow coming from the blinded windows. They were using candles to light the place. A concentration of the candlelight could be seen toward the back of the house. Kenshin figured that was where The Habu was if he was in residence. Either that or that was where his best ninja were waiting for them. It could be a trap.

“We should go toward the darker part of the compound. Where there are not so many candles. That, I suspect, is where we will find The Habu.” Kenshin directed.

“A moment.” Nommo said in his gravelly voice.

“We don’t have a moment! We have to get undercover now!” Kenshin protested.

“A moment…” Nommo said again, stopping and donning the Mask. He did not move this time. There was no need for a special ceremonial dance. The Mask’s eye holes lit with an eerie blue light and suddenly fog began rolling in around The Habu’s compound! Through the thickening fog a corridor formed between where they stood at the edge of the forest to the darkened part of the house.

“Ok…that actually might help! Maybe…” Kenshin said, still trying to wrap his head around what all these strange people could do with these artefacts.

The problem with fog is that while it can conceal you it can also conceal others and these particular ‘others’ were trained to effectively use fog as an advantage. They moved as part of the swirling mist like shadows made of the night’s darkness. Using hearing alone they stalked Moira’s Cohort in perfect silence.

“Ak!” One of Kenshin’s officers suddenly disappeared into the foggy wall of their misty corridor!

“We’re under attack! Quickly! Back to back!” Kenshin exhorted the group.

Viviane acted upon reflex and Pridwen sprang to life around them, pushing some of the fog back. This exposed the black clad Fangs of the Habu! Some were already inside with the group under Pridwen’s umbrella! These attackers wasted no time as they tossed toxin laden throwing stars at the cohort!

It was only Arinjay’s quick thinking and the amazing power of the Sudarshana Chakra that saved them or…sadly just most of them. The Discus of Time’s power to slow time and intersect with the throwing stars managed to shatter most of the spinning blades before they could reach most everybody. However, one of Kenshin’s officers had not been so lucky! The spinning dart found its mark in the man and he collapsed, paralysed onto the ground.

Mughamir was on the man in an instant bringing the Great Ankh to bear on the stricken officer. But, for poor Mughamir he was too late. The poison lacing the throwing star was so toxic that it stopped the officer’s heart almost instantly. The man was dead. Not even the Great Ankh’s power could save him.

While Mughamir attempted his triage, the others retaliated as a unit. Hector managed to hit two out of three ninja with arrows, but the third managed to dodge the young man’s archery with incredible agility. That ninja quickly made to attack Hector to take out what he considered the greatest threat. The ninja produced a pair of sais from under his tunic and leapt at Hector making to impale the young archer with the three-pronged daggers.

Fortunately, for Hector, the flashing blade of Joraan was faster than the ninja assassin. After a short, but incredible fencing match between the ninja and Joraan, Joraan managed to find his mark with his glaive and hewed the ninja’s head from his shoulders in one deft blow. Joraan was left panting and exhausted, though. Never had he fought a human with the level of skill necessary to ward Joraan off for long.

That pause was all the time the last ninja needed to retaliate for his companions death. Stealthily, he slipped into the shadows and readied his wakizashi, a short katana blade favoured by ninja. Joraan’s senses were dulled by his tiredness so he could not sense the assassin creeping up on him from behind. That was until he heard the sharp ‘gak’ the ninja uttered in surprise as he was lanced through the heart by an unseen force far more insidious than he was.

Joraan spun around, brandishing his weapon, only to find the last of their attackers lying dead. At that point M’yn appeared as he sheathed Carnwennan into it’s magical invisible sheath.

“You are slowing in your old age, Joraan, my brother! That assassin had you dead to rights! My saving your sorry butt is becoming an annoying habit!” M’yn said with a smirk.

“For which, again, you have my thanks! Most strange that I couldn’t be feelin’ that ‘ninja’ person! I should have picked up his thoughts immediately!” Joraan mused uncomfortably.

Kenshin stooped over his fallen companions. Both officers were dead, one killed by the poisoned shuriken the other stabbed through the heart.

“Yamaguchi and Takahashi were good men! I will not relish informing their families of their deaths. This foray has just become very costly, Dr. O’Brien! I want you to appreciate that.” Kenshin said direly.

“It is a loss for which I am terribly sorry, Chief Inspector. It was my hope we could get through this without any casualties, but you were right about these ninja. They are incredibly dangerous! We all must be on our guard! We can’t afford any more deaths!” Moira said trying to remain strong for everyone, but having trouble holding back tears over the passing of the two officers.

“Best we be gettin’ done with this latest tangle then, Moira. We’ll have the time to mourn later, I’m thinkin’. I’ll be guessin’ that there are a lot more of those ninja-types around!” Sean admonished with trepidation.

Kenshin nodded in agreement and went to gather a short katana from one of the dead ninja hoping it wasn’t booby-trapped somehow. Fortunately, it wasn’t, but Kenshin was careful not to cut himself with the razor sharp weapon fearing more blowfish toxin. He would need it as his gun was quickly running out of bullets. As it so happened, Kenshin had taken as a hobby Kenjutsu and had been studying the sword art for many years. He knew how to use the blade and he intended to use it on The Habu when and if they ever got to him. The Habu would pay in blood for his two lost companions.

They moved on, this time with Pridwen fully engaged. The element of surprise was no longer with them. It was now something The Habu had. He could send his Fangs at any time and in any way he wished. There only hope was that Pridwen held true and that they could fight their way into the compound before The Habu had a chance to escape.

Kenshin was especially sensitive to this. He feared The Habu was already gone and that he had evacuated at the first sign of trouble. The only thing Kenshin had going for them was that he knew The Habu was a proud man. He’d not so easily relinquish his domain if he had the ability to crush the invaders to his property. He’d already managed to crush two of his men. Would the rest of them follow? But, Kenshin continued on with these surprisingly valiant gaijin who seemed every bit as committed to this mission as he was.

They came to the back of the house without challenge. Joraan’s senses were reaching out as hard as they could. He would hear any enemy coming or sense them if they were near. Joraan at least hoped he’d sense them. He was still disturbed by not sensing the ninja from before. What magic did they possess to be able to screen themselves so well for Joraan’s Sídhe senses? When they came to the locked gate behind the house, Joraan used his magic to undo the lock. At least that still worked!

Carefully, they proceeded into the inner circle of The Habu’s compound. Still they remained unchallenged. The ease of their entry greatly concerned Kenshin. It had to be a trap of some kind. Either that or the remainder of The Habu’s forces had quietly left taking their leader with them. Pride or not, Kenshin also knew that The Habu was a practical man. If he had seen the relative ease by which these foreign powers had dispatched his ninja, he might have availed himself of that quick retreat Kenshin hoped The Habu was adverse to doing.

They crept to a heavy door to the back of the house. Again, Joraan used his power to unlock this door as he had the outer gate. Kenshin had counselled that all but Joraan remain back and away from the door and that Joraan try to work his bizarre ‘whammy’ on the lock while still inside Pridwen’s protection.

It was well that Kenshin suggested this: at Joraan’s mental prompting, the lock unlatched and that is when the bomb went off!

Despite Pridwen’s protection, Joraan was sent flying backwards by the force of the explosion. Sean managed to catch Joraan before he was blown back out of Pridwen’s embrace. Both were knocked on their behinds, but were unharmed. Pridwen held even though the strain of deflecting the explosion could be seen written all over Viviane’s face as she held the burning gem tightly.

“See?” Kenshin asked sardonically yet breathlessly.

The Fangs of the Habu gave the cohort no time to recover from the explosion. They came as the group all at once! Arrows, chained blades, short katanas, and dozens of shuriken struck Pridwen’s shield in unison. Viviane was already weakened by the force of the explosion and now she could almost physically feel every blow laid upon their only protection. Mughamir again came to lend the Great Ankh’s strength to Viviane so that she could endure the prolonged assault. He held her hand as the Ankh’s soothing energies thrummed through Viviane giving her the strength she needed to endure the assault.

From within the shield the cohort with ranged weapons cut loose. Sean blasted out with Gungnir’s lance mowing down ninja in numbers. Hector shot clusters of silver arrows from his bow finding many marks in their enemy. Long Fen let go torrents of green fire as Nommo danced one of his strange dances using the Mask to summon rats to his calling. Rats that ran at and jumped on many ninja, biting ferociously, driving them away. Arinjay let fly his discus hoping only to injure these attackers, but knowing that he might need to kill again, much to his deep sorrow.

Still the fearless ninja came, some literally throwing themselves at Pridwen’s shield. Whoever these men and women were, they were fanatical in their defense of The Habu! Kenshin knew this and that is why he barked, “This way! We need to get indoors! We’ll have more of a chance contained than out here in the open!”

Moira’s cohort obeyed as they managed to file themselves into one of the buildings not damaged by the explosion. The ninja followed them in through the door and through the windows. One managed, finally, to get through Pridwen as Viviane was again weakening from the assault. Joraan fenced this one into position where Kenshin was able to bring his blade down and through the ninja assassin, cutting him from shoulder to groin. Blood slicked the floor as the cohort worked their way deeper into The Habu’s home.

By attrition, the Fangs of the Habu’s numbers began to lessen. A few managed to squeeze in through Pridwen’s spell, but were dealt with by Joraan, Kenshin, M’yn, and surprisingly, Moira herself. Excalibur’s power broke any weapon the ninja could bring to bear and guided Moira’s hands deftly to manage perfect strikes and perries.

After what seemed like hours of this constant onslaught, the defending warriors suddenly found themselves backed into a great hall adorned with armours, katanas, and other fabled weapons of Japan’s past. Also, just as suddenly Pridwen was made to collapse as an almighty blow hit the shield, bringing Viviane to her knees.

The remaining ninja inexplicably stopped their assault, bowed and backed out of the hall.

“(Welcome, fools, to your deaths!)” a gravelly voice growled in Japanese from behind them.

They all turned to see a large man in what looked like Samurai armour standing on a dais before them. In a classic attack posture, The Habu held out a long gleaming katana that seemed to flash in the surrounding candlelight unnaturally. With a slash of the weapon, a vase clear across the room sliced itself in two as if cut in half by an invisible force!

“Your heads are next, gaijin scum! How dare you attack me here…in my own HOME!” The Habu yelled furiously! Another slash, and one of the ninja outside the door to the hall fell dead…headless!

The cohort became frozen in sudden fear! What kind of power does this Habu wield that he can behead a man across the room with that weapon! Moira realised that the armoured man must be wielding the Honjō Masamune itself! This was its power then and now they were likely all going to die by it!

“Your quarrel is not with them so much as it is with me, Habu! I’ve come to put an end to you and your vicious little empire or die in the trying!” Kenshin came to stand before his allies.

“I challenge you Habu! You and me! A duel to the death! In the name of honour you cannot refuse! Your men will desert you if you do! You know this!” Kenshin brandished his short sword bravely in a classic challengers stance.

But, if the Habu had any honour, it was alone in itself, “Very well then Kenshin Genjiro. You will be the first to die. You have been a thorn in my side for long enough!” The Habu first readied his blade in answer stance to Kenshin’s challenge, he then sliced down through the air with it expecting the Honjō’s power to make short work of the fool inspector.

With a lightning-swift movement, Kenshin made to perry as if The Habu’s blade was right before him. With an inexplicable ring, Kenshin’s blade actually blocked the invisible touch of the Honjō!

The Habu blinked incredulously at this! Never had his little trick been countered by anyone! This was why he remained unchallenged as the Prime Daimyo of all the Yakuza! None could survive his use of the Honjō Masamune! All he had to do was strike forth with it and anyone within his sight were made instantly dead!

The Habu snarled and slashed the powerful katana in a complex pattern of slices in the air. Kenshin parried each invisible blow, somehow getting the fact that he was duelling with the sword as if he was standing right in front of the Habu.

The Habu snarled even louder and came at Kenshin to deal a death blow personally with his weapon. This time Kenshin was unable to perry The Habu as with one deft slice, Kenshin’s snarling opponent was able to cut right through Kenshin’s blade, breaking it in half!

Instantly, The Habu sent forth a backhanded slash meant to decapitate Kenshin where he stood, but, inexplicably, the blade passed right through Kenshin’s neck without so much as leaving a mark!

Incredulous, The Habu stared at his betraying blade unable to account for its failure in killing his hated opponent. That moment was all Kenshin needed to place a well aimed karate kick to The Habu’s ample midsection. This sent the defeated crime lord onto his back sprawling and dropping the fabled Honjō Masamune to the floor.

Picking up the lustrous blade, Kenshin directed it threateningly to The Habu’s throat.

“You are under arrest ‘Habu’. With luck, you’ll be put away for along time for your crimes!” Kenshin said victoriously!

“Fool that you are, what makes you think that blade could harm me any more than it could harm you! I am it’s TRUE master after all!” The Habu growled as he quickly reached behind him and pulled his gun out to shoot Kenshin.

Without hesitation, Kenshin flicked the mighty katana slicing The Habu’s gun-hand clean from its wrist. The Habu howled in anguish as his gore gushed from the amputated stump onto the polished wooden floor.

“I guess that answers that question. The one with the Ankh thing: help this pathetic idiot before he bleeds out. I don’t want him dead…I want him suffering behind bars!” Kenshin directed Mughamir with a snarl of his own.

As for the ninja, after seeing their associate beheaded by their master, they scattered, leaving The Habu to his fate. So much for loyalty. All but one. This one climbed into the rafters of the large hall unseen by Kenshin or by Moira’s people.

With the swiftness of a cobra strike the ninja managed to deftly aim a throwing star right at The Habu’s throat. Before anyone could react the shuriken had found its mark and The Habu died instantly!

The ninja then disappeared into the shadows soundlessly and none of the cohort could see him to bring him down.

So ended the reign of The Habu.

~

Kenshin listened carefully to Moira’s explanation of why she needed not only the Honjō Masamune but Kenshin himself to wield it. It had been confirmed by his duel with The Habu that the sword had chosen it’s wielder and that would be Kenshin. Fate or Masamune himself seemed to have done the choosing and Kenshin recognised this, but he was stuck between his duty to Japan or going off with this strange cohort to combat something he could barely understand, much less believe in.

“The sword should be returned to Japan as its national treasure and I should return to Tokyo where I am needed. When the news of The Habu’s death gets around there’s going to be a war within the Yakuza! It could send Tokyo into a state of chaos the city has not seen in decades.” Kenshin said.

“That may be, but none of that will matter if the Fae attack Japan killing everyone, Yakuza and civilians alike!” Moira argued.

“Please, we need all the help we can possibly get! Doing this with us will be doing your duty, sir! What is more, the Honjō Masamune will be doing what it was made to do…to defend Japan from what would seek to destroy it.” Moira continued her plea as Kenshin rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

Kenshin’s mind was suddenly filled with visions of darkly winged beings slaughtering people by their thousands! He shook his head and rubbed his eyes seeking to shake the strange and horrible vision, but it continued to play out in his mind. He saw white fire dissolving villages and people being reduced to ashes, women and children as well as the men! Then he saw things that he’d seen on the television news. The strange stone patterns forming in Ireland, the geyser of water in India that showed five dark beings fly into the sky from it. Then he saw Long Fen cleaving through a dark woman with huge moth-like wings wielding what looked like a magic wand tipped with phosphorescent fire. Kenshin looked up to see Joraan staring intensely at him and Kenshin realised that it was from this strange little person that these visions were coming.

“I don’t know what you are doing, but you’ll knock it off if you know what’s good for you, little man!” Kenshin said with a mix of fear and anger.

“Not until you be understandin’ the truth of what Moira’s trying to tell ye. What I’ve shown you is what the Fae have done in the past and the fact that they are infiltrating the world again even now! Soon, they’ll be strong enough to be breakin’ through the Veil that separates us from them! When that happens, if we aren’t there to stop them, humanity will end, Mr. Chief Inspector! You are needed with us! Sorely so! Japan needs you especially. This place throbs with magic and Japan will be one of the first places the Fae will come to gather their strength!” Joraan warned direly in his strange half-timbered voice.

Despite himself, Kenshin, through Joraan’s telepathy, could sense the truth of the Sídhe’s words. The feeling harrowed him! Though he had no immediate family, Kenshin felt he had a responsibility to those he called friends and partners. He felt strongly the needs of his community and had fought all his adult life to keep it safe. If what Joraan was showing him was true then Kenshin had no choice but to leave his post and join this band of misfits.

Later, with great reluctance, he asked his department head for leave to take care of ‘personal business’. The lead granted it readily since he’d been trying to get Kenshin to take some time off for years. The lead also felt Kenshin had earned any reward he could think of for the taking down of The Habu finally.

So it was that Kenshin joined Moira’s cohort and added the incredible power of the Honjō Masamune to their growing arsenal. Kenshin would wield the great sword with honour and then restore it to Japan when his work was through.

“Where are we going next, if I might ask?” Kenshin asked of Moira.

“We have yet to tap America for it’s resources. It is possible, that there might be legends of an artefact of considerable power among the peoples of the First Nations. We’ll need time to research this. I hope we have such time.” Moira remarked as she looked over at Joraan.

“I feel time grows very short, Moira. But, then again, we need powers representing everywhere in the world, I’m thinkin’. I have never been to America, but of all the places where parts of Avalon may be left in this world it is there. From what I’ve gathered over my many centuries, there are old powers still at work within those old forests. Powers that can only be known by those that once depended on those powers for their lives. When we get there, I might be able to sense upwellings of this power, but I need to step onto the land to feel it.” Joraan said.

“Then I guess it’s off to America with us! Yankee Doodle Dandy…” Sean said derisively.

Kenshin looked out of the window of his flat where they had all come to gather after returning to Tokyo. He looked out at the spectacular display of his city at night and wondered, truly, if he’d ever see those lights again.