Dragon Island (25 page)

The Toho and I look on, frozen with terror, as Zodon swoops down and lands in front of us, shaking the earth.

The shadow dragon roars in victory. The forest shudders with the sound.

It’s in this moment that I realize we are all doomed to share
Gryphina’s
fate.

Often, when taxed to the limit and weary beyond belief from past labors, the demigods of old would find themselves facing their most difficult challenge of all. It was at this crossroads, this moment of terrible decision and looming purpose, that they would find out what kind of heroes they truly were...

—Excerpt from
We Are Legend: The Truth Behind Heroes and Demigods of the World
, by Carl Davidson (1975)

T
he Toho wail and cry among the trees surrounding us, knowing just as I do that our time on Earth has come to an end.

Maybe if the village elder Bakeneko hadn’t betrayed her own people and slain the shobijin, things might be different right now.

Maybe the dragon Gryphina would’ve won the fight against the monster Zodon and rid us of Ningai Ura’s evil forever.

Maybe this. Maybe that.

But the fact is, Gryphina and her priestesses are gone, and the giant, three-headed dragon Zodon is about to have the rest of us for dessert!

These thoughts are racing through my mind when suddenly Zodon winces in pain. The dragon’s menacing roar changes into an agonized moan.

It appears Gryphina did more damage to the dark daikaiju than it first appeared!

The storm clouds overhead breakup and Zodon begins to shrink before our eyes. The beast’s massive heads, long, scaly necks, and leathery wings shrivel and blow away like dust in the wind until, at last, it’s only Ningai Ura standing before us. He holds the sword Kusanagi in a dangling, limp hand. The sword is covered in the blood trickling down from the multiple wounds lining the body of its wielder.

Ura raises his other hand, the act appearing to take every ounce of his strength, and the saucer-ship sitting among the rumble of the Toho village springs to life in a swirl of lights and sound. The ship’s hull opens and the twin of the flying disc Ura rode down on zooms out, making a beeline for its master. He staggers aboard and then both disc and rider rise to hover in the air.

“I’ve beaten the mighty Gryphina,” he calls to the whimpering Toho, “your precious guardian daikaiju. You, my ex-clansmen, are now mine to kill or enslave at my leisure.

Ningai Ura’s eye fixes on me and I cower further behind my tree-trunk hiding place, thankful at least it and the river running along the defunct village’s edge stand between the mad Xenomian and myself.

“As are you, boy.

“The bear dragon Kumagor can no longer save you.”

Ura lurches and grimaces in pain. The disc beneath him wavers for a moment, then rights itself.

“To think,” he mumbles through bloody, clenched teeth, “I would have made you my herald.”

“No matter.

“Zodon needs no priest. No shobijin. For with Kusanagi, I’m both.

“And neither.”

Ningai Ura peers up into the night sky, his face ablaze with euphoria.

“For now, I am the lightning and the thunder!

“I am the coming storm that walks as both dragon and man!”

Forgetting his pain, Ningai thrusts Kusanagi into the air.

“I am Zodon himself!”

The sword flashes and thunder rumbles in the distance, threatening a new storm.

“I need no herald, for I am now my own.”

Ningai Ura levels his gaze on the Toho.

“Your small clan here at the labyrinth’s edge amounts to less than nothing.

“An entire world awaits my coming.

“It and others beyond!”

Suddenly, Ningai’s body spasms so hard with pain that he almost loses his grip on Kusanagi.

Oh, if only!

Ura rights himself and shakes his head, clearing it. The disc begins to drift in the direction of the now rotating saucer-ship.

“But wait a little longer yet, the world must,” Ura mumbles. “For even gods must sometimes heal.”

The disc picks up speed and Ningai Ura retreats inside the whirling, luminous craft.

Lightning explodes from the ship’s hull in all directions. Then the spinning craft is gone. Wind rushes past us to refill the vacuum created in the flying saucer’s wake.

I bend over and place hands on my knees as my dinner leaves the same way it came in.

I feel a supportive hand on my shoulder and look up to see Tanuki beside me. Seeing Kitsune’s father causes me to realize I haven’t laid eyes on her since I was dragged out of the house by the Toho warriors.

I wipe my mouth with the back of my hand.

“Kitsune,” I pant, “Where is—?”

“My daughter fled into the mountains when Ningai Ura first arrived,” Tanuki answers. “For once, she did as commanded. Though not without protest.”

I exhale in relief.

“Bakeneko killed them,” I say. “She killed the shobijin!”

I stand up and peer at Tanuki, mystified.

“Why?”

“Revenge,” Mujina answers. He approaches us through the trees, leading a group of men holding two limp, shrouded figures in their arms. Only then do I register the absence of the fallen shobijin among the village ruins.

“Revenge for what?” I ask.

Tanuki’s already grim face darkens.

“For casting out her son.”

My jaw falls to my chest.

“You don’t mean...Ningai Ura is Bakeneko’s son?”

Tanuki nods.

Mujina gazes off at the place among the trees where Bakeneko disappeared.

“She kept her true feelings hidden all these years while she sat back and waited for the right opportunity to come along.

“Such patience,” Mujina says, admiration in his voice.

Then his tone changes.

“Such hate.”

“Father.”

Ishiro appears from behind a tree, several other warriors trailing after him. Ishiro gestures toward the shattered remains of the Toho village.

“We cannot fight Zodon. Not without Gryphina and the shobijin. What will we do?”

Good question, I think. One that doesn’t have an answer. It looks to me like the Toho are out of—

“What are you guys looking at?”

Mujina bows and answers me.

“The heir of Kintaro.”

The Toho bow in unison. When they rise, every face fixes upon mine. It’s just like the day I sang my first solo all over again with the hot, bright lights in my face and an auditorium full of expectant, judging gazes.

But this time it’s worse! This time, it’s not just a meaningless talent show where I’m to sing some stupid song and do what I’m already the best at doing.

These people want me to risk my neck. Again!

They want a savior! Well, you know what? I’m through playing hero!

My eyes drop to the ground. “No,” I whisper.

Mujina steps forward. “What, Momotaro-sai? Did you say some—?”

I raise my head and ball my hands into fists.

“I said, ‘NO!’”

Several Toho, Mujina and Ishiro among them, rock back in surprise.

“I’ve already saved you people once!” I yell, my temper out of control. “I climbed the castle walls, didn’t I? Faced Yamanba? Brought back your stupid flower? I’ve done enough!

“I’m finished!

“Done!”

“But, Momotaro—!” Ishiro begins, but I cut him off.

“Oh, don’t Momotaro me! My name is Raymond! I’m from the
United States of America
! I go to high school! I live in a house with my mother and my dog, Bear!

“I don’t fight monsters or face down giant dragons!”

Tears begin to leak from my eyes.

“The only heir I am is that of a jerk who only pays me attention when he is telling me how bad I suck, or worse, when he is slapping me around!”

“But you wielded Kusanagi!” Mujina barks in protest. “Saved Kitsune from the kappa! Secured the flower from Yamanba! Called Kumagor himself!

“You are a hero!”

I shake my head and laugh hysterically.

“Aren’t you listening to me?

“Okay, maybe I’m not making myself clear. But then I haven’t been straight with you. Even here and now.

“Well, here’s the truth: I didn’t dive into that pool after the kappa to save Kitsune.

“I fainted!”

I turn my gaze to Ishiro.

“Ishiro, I didn’t storm Yamanba’s castle to rescue you and Kitsune. I came back because I had no choice. Zodon was blocking my escape!”

Gasps erupt from the Toho.

“And Kumagor? He had nothing to do with me. That was sheer luck, plain and simple.”

The Toho gaze at me in shock and disappointment. It’s the same look I always get from Dad.

It only serves to make me angrier.

“That’s right!” I yell. “Get it through your thick heads!

“I’m not a hero! I’m just a boy! One who is the biggest coward you’ve ever met!”

I collapse to the ground and shove my face into my hands.

“You people are not my responsibility!

“Can’t you realize I just want to go home?”

After what seems like a very long time, but in reality could’ve been only a few seconds, I hear Tanuki sigh behind me.

“Very well, Raymond-sai.

“Indeed, it is not right for us to place this heavy burden upon your young, outlander shoulders.

“We still have boats docked by the river outside the valley. In the morning, Ishiro will take you downstream to the island’s edge where we have sea-worthy vessels equipped and ready to set sail. He can carry you out to sea to a place where the people of your homeland will be likely to find you.”

“Do,” I stutter, elation building within me, “do you mean it?”

Tanuki nods.

I glance through the trees at the Toho’s trampled village.

“What about you? What about the Toho?”

Tanuki’s eyes narrow as though he was bringing me into focus. “As you pointed out, how we get on is not your concern.

“But as it is, Ningai Ura obviously needs time to lick his wounds. Furthermore, he has made his point with us, and now appears to be concerned with what he believes to be larger conquests.

“We Toho are relatively safe.

“For the moment.”

I cross my arms and stare at the ground, telling myself the guilt and shame I’m feeling is absurd and undeserved.

I’ve done enough, dang it! I have!

What do the Toho expect me to do, anyway? Challenge Zodon to a wrestling match? Please!

One by one, the Toho turn and walk away, leaving me in the peace I’ve wanted since I crash-landed here on
Dragon
Island
.

It’s not as enjoyable as I’d hoped.

Do right because it’s right, not because you’re compelled to.

—James Warren, Principal of South Pittsburg (TN) High School 1971-1988

T
rue to Tanuki’s word, Ishiro awakens me just before dawn so that we may get a head start on the day and my journey for home. Along with his bow and quiver of arrows, he carries a bundle of provisions on his back. He tosses a second bundle at my feet.

“Scavenged from the ruins of our village.”

Ishiro looks at me, his gaze indifferent.

“Meet me at the river.”

He adjusts his samurai sword where it rides in the sash at his hip, then turns and strides away.

I sit up and wipe the night from my eyes. I survey the clansmen still sleeping around me. After Zodon’s destruction of the Toho village, we were forced to take shelter in the forest caves lining the valley.

Ha.

If you could call this place shelter!

I nodded off around midnight only to be awakened by the howls of an attacking pack of kaiju. They were horrible creatures, half wolf and half lizard.

Sleep came in short supply after that!

Ishiro and several other warriors were able to rout them, but not before the creatures claimed two clansmen and maimed a third.

Now that the Toho are without Gryphina’s protection, I imagine the kaiju-wolves will be back tomorrow night, bringing who knows what other monsters along with them. If they keep picking off the warriors a few at a time, the Toho won’t last very long.

All the more reason to get the heck out of here, ASAP!

I take the necklace given to me by the tengu from its resting place on the ground and slip it around my neck. I stand up and heave the bundle of food and supplies onto my shoulders. I look around, hoping to see Kitsune’s face in the predawn light spilling into the cave.