The Way Of The Sword by Chris Bradford Page B

phobia when they had climbed the Sound of Feathers waterfall at the culmination of the
Taryu-Jiai
contest. The same vertigo was defeating him again.
    ‘Nonsense. If it’s the height that scaring you, simply don’t look,’ instructed Sensei Kano.
    ‘What? Close my eyes!’ exclaimed Yamato, backing away from the chasm.
    ‘Yes. Become blind to your fear.’
    Everyone stared at the sensei, aghast. The thought of crossing the log was unnerving enough, but to cross it with one’s eyes closed. That was sheer lunacy!
    ‘It’s perfectly safe. I’ll even go first,’ said Sensei Kano, slipping off his sandals and threading them on his staff. ‘It would be helpful, though, if someone could show me where the log is.’
    The students exchanged bewildered looks. The log was in plain sight. After a brief pause, several of the students pointed to the makeshift crossing.
    ‘No use pointing,’ said Sensei Kano. ‘I’m blind.’
    Jack, along with the rest of the class, was stunned. Sensei Kano had led them all the way to the gorge without a guide or even a single request for directions. How could he be blind?
    Jack studied his new sensei properly for the first time. Sensei Kano’s sheer size dominated his appearance, being a head taller than most Japanese. Upon closer inspection, though, Jack realized that Sensei Kano’s eyes were not grey by nature, but clouded as if a sea mist had seeped into them.
    ‘Excuse me, Sensei,’ said Akiko, recovering first. ‘The log’s almost in front of you, no more than eight
shaku
ahead and twelve
shaku
to your left.’
    ‘Thank you,’ replied Sensei Kano, striding confidently up to the lip of the ravine.
    His
bō
found the edge and he followed it to his left until it struck the fallen tree. Without a moment’s hesitation, he stepped on to the narrow log. Holding his staff out in front of him for balance, he crossed in several easy strides.
    ‘You have just witnessed your first lesson,’ announced Sensei Kano from the opposite side. ‘If one sees with the eyes of the heart, rather than the eyes of the head, there is nothing to fear.’
    As if in response to his words of wisdom, a shaft of sunlight broke through the forest canopy, suspending a tiny rainbow within the veil of mist that swirled above the void.
    ‘Now it’s your turn.’

16
MUGAN R YŪ

    The roar of the river filled Jack’s ears as he stepped out over the abyss and a sliver of fear took hold.
    He couldn’t see the gorge he knew gaped beneath him like the open mouth of a shark. Yet with each step into the unknown, his confidence grew. Having been a rigging monkey on-board the
Alexandria
, the soles of his feet gripped the slippery surface of the log as if he were back upon the yardarm.
    He was also aware that without his sight he would have to rely upon his other senses, and tried to judge his progress across the log by the changing echoes of the river below.
    Eventually, his feet found the grassy bank on the opposite side and he opened his eyes, amazed he had crossed without looking once.
    Akiko now approached the log. She closed her eyes and nimbly negotiated the gorge in several quick steps, her balance as perfect as a dancer’s, making everyone else’s attempts so far appear awkward and ungainly.
    They waited for Yamato. But he put off his crossing by politely inviting Emi to go first. She was across in no time, so he stepped aside for others in the class. Saburo shuffled along in fits and bursts, then Yori scampered over, followed by Kiku. Nobu ended up groping his way along astride the trunk, while Kazuki strolled across not even bothering to close his eyes.
    Eventually there were no more left for Yamato to invite.
    ‘Don’t worry,’ called Jack. ‘Just keep your eyes closed, walk straight and you’ll be fine.’
    ‘I know!’ said Yamato irritably, but he remained at the end of the log all the same, his staff trembling in his hands.
    ‘Use the eyes of your heart and believe in yourself, then you have