Page 95 of Son of Shadows

More appeared and assembled behind him, forming a huge line. Still dressed in their armor, some looked like regular humans, but others were in various stages of decay.

“You wanted an army. Now you have one.” Shima waved his hand toward a regiment that kept growing and growing.

Masaru didn’t appear nearly as impressed as Ryuichi was. “Is anyone else thinking that they might not be the best warriors for our cause? Aren’t these the incompetents who died in battle?”

But dead or alive, it didn’t matter to Ryuichi. Their numbers were increasing by the score. Now they had a real chance of winning!

“I can’t thank you enough,” Ryuichi said, bowing in respect. Then he headed for his horse. Their dead samurai army also came with a cavalry. He glanced over to his father, who’d just mounted his own. “What’s our strategy?”

“Attack.” And with that, Ryukage kicked his horse forward and headed toward Orochi’s army at lightning speed.

Masaru smirked. “Simplicity. I like it.”

“In case we don’t make it, fighting with you all has been an honor,” Koichi said. Then he turned and pulled himself up on the horse that stood behind him. Rolling his shoulders, he smiled. “Ready, warriors?”

Haruki walked over to Koichi and grabbed his hand. “Be careful out there. And don’t do anything stupid.”

“I can’t make any guarantees,” he replied, and kissed her hand. “Stay out of sight, okay?” Then he whispered and handed her a cloth pouch. “Here, hold on to this. And if you get your powers back, come save the rest of us.”

“I will,” Haruki said.

For some reason, her and Koichi’s new relationship comforted Ryuichi.

He wasn’t alone. He was part of a clan . . .

A family.

He would die to protect them and his mother’s honor.

Completing this mission was what he’d been born to do.

Kicking his horse forward, Ryuichi went to join his father, who paused in a clearing to wait for the enemy forces.

When Ryuichi pulled alongside Ryukage, he looked over at him with pride in his eyes.

“If we survive today, maybe we could start over,” Ryukage said.

Wow. He never imagined his father speaking those words.

“Yes. I’d like that,” he replied.

Ryukage smiled. “Good. So, whatever you do, don’t die.”

Then his father let out a deafening war cry and rode off straight toward Orochi’s army.

Another cry sounded from above. Ryuichi looked up to see all kinds of yōkai flying over their heads. Hundreds of them. They got into a battle formation and then began to dive one by one at Ryukage. Then a huge four-armed oni materialized before him with a giant club in each hand. Ryuichi pulled out his sword. When the oni took multiple swings at once, he barely avoided being hit.

This was the first time he was in an actual battle without Masaru as his spirit guide. It was strange. To be totally on his own.

The oni charged him again. Ryuichi felt a flash of terror. He wanted to kick his horse and gallop away. But he remembered that the dead samurai had stood their ground. He would not dishonor himself with cowardice.

His horse reared. Ryuichi held his saddle as he sliced at the big red oni. His blade made contact, but it didn’t faze his opponent at all.

In fact, it only made him angry.

Another oni sprang up beside him. All around, yōkai were attacking their undead army. Utter chaos prevailed.

You’re just a boy. You shouldn’t be here.