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Chapter Ten
The winter months dragged on before introducing the next season to the village. With the new season of spring, the snow began to melt and the landscape sprang to life once again.
It was evening now, and the village was gathered for a special event to mark the spring: a play.
Part way through this play, Katsumoto himself came out to play a part. The villagers clapped enthusiastically for him, and one samurai yelled out, "Who is this amateur?"
Each time Katsumoto did something, it was for the purpose of humour. After all, the play was a comedy. Also, the village laughed heartily each time he made these jokes, without even saying a word.
At the end of that performance, Katsumoto bowed. When his eyes rose again, his eyes stayed riveted on Miyuki as she smiled and laughed. All he could do was smile as he watched her.
However, everyone heard Algren shout from amongst the crowd, "Katsumoto!"
A second later, the man who had been playing the antagonist fell dead, an arrow protruding from his throat.
All of the villagers sprang into action. The samurai immediately drew their swords. Ujio yelled above the commotion, "Protect Katsumoto! Protect our lord!"
At the same time, the women herded their children into whatever building was closest. Some screamed, but they were few. Other than, one could hear feet trampling the ground, swords being drawn, and arrows whistling through the air.
In the midst of this pandemonium, Miyuki spotted Taka. She was running toward a house with Magojiro and Higan close behind. Quickly, she followed them. Even as she did this, she spotted Nathan. She weaved through the people as they sprinted desperately to their destinations, almost moving toward him. The second she was within an arm's reach of him, she grabbed his arm and started to pull him toward Taka and the children. Not much later, they were huddled within the house.
Two samurai had apparently followed them to the doorstep of the house to defend both them and the house. Seconds after getting there, one fell dead with a shuriken, a throwing star, protruding from his neck.
Outside the house, Ujio and several other samurai were attempting to protect Katsumoto from the ninjas that were now in their midst as well as from the reign of deadly arrows. As they did this, Ujio spotted the open, ninja-free doorway. He urged his Lord to go inside.
Once inside the building, the samurai around Katsumoto killed two ninja that were already in combat with the samurai from the door. From there, he and the samurai with him ran further into the house, swords ready. They halted suddenly at the doorway to the next room. A man with a sword had been running toward him, but he had stopped quite suddenly as well. It was Algren.
In that sudden stillness, they heard the distinct sound of footsteps on the roof. They were headed toward the back of the house. The men quickly sprang into action, running toward the back of the house to fend off the ninjas. Just as they reached the back of the house, the ninjas cut through the house's wall and jumped into the room, attacking ruthlessly.
As Algren fought one, he was forced back into the next room, the room where the family was hiding. The other ninjas followed, but Taka stabbed one before he could hurt her family. Miyuki grabbed the sword from her hands a second later and sliced through another ninja, killing him.
Despite these casualties, the last ninja continued to fight Algren, forcing him into yet another room of the house. The family just stayed in the corner, hoping that no more ninja would come. However, Higan ran from this hiding spot to the other room where there was still fighting. The child's presence was distraction enough for the American. He stabbed the ninja, effectively finishing him off.
Algren merely ran back to the room where Katsumoto was. With his help, they finished off the rest of the ninjas. In the sudden silence caused by the lacking of a melee, Katsumoto and Algren looked to each other. They were both relieved.