Chapter 45: Jack and the Three Blind Archers:
Jack's POV:
Jill, Peter, and I heard about a legend of a well that can grant wishes.
"...but the Well of King Osric is being guarded by a trio of archers," says Richard Waterson, "they won't let anyone get near that thing and I have the arrows on my butt to prove it. Now I'll never get a magic wand!"
. . .
We journeyed to that well.
"Well, well, well," says Peter.
"Please tell me you did not just say that," says Jill.
We saw the tower where the well was hidden. "Those must be the archers," I said.
As we moved, the archers fired their arrows at us. We were forced to dodge.
"We should've known it would not be that easy," says Peter.
. . .
Bugs Bunny: We interrupt this chapter with this little tribute. Daffy?
Daffy Duck (Singing): Oh, the world should sing of a perfect king
A thousand years from now
But instead, we got a guy with so many flaws
Hey, we're stuck with him now
He's the guy who chose himself to lead
And he rules from now on
And now we have to slave away
Aku's the topic of this song!
Incredible as he is inept
Whenever the history books are kept
They'll call him the lousy King of the World
A pox on the lousy King of the World!
He sits alone on a giant throne
Pretendin' he's the king
A little tyke who's rather like
A puppet on a string
And he throws an angry tantrum
If he cannot have his way...
And then he calls for his Mum
While he's suckin' his thumb
You see, he doesn't want to play
Too late to be known as Aku the First
He's sure to be known as Aku the Worst
A pox on the lousy King of the World!
While he taxes us to pieces
And he robs us of our bread
The Resistance takes his forces down
And shrink down Aku's big head
And there is always someone
To help Samurai Jack
They're going to make Aku pay
And get everyone's money back
A minute before he knows they're there...
Jack will be slicing Aku everywhere
The breezy and uneasy King of the World
The snivellin' grovellin',
Measly weasly,
Blabberin' jabberin',
Gibberin' jabberin',
Blunderin' plunderin',
Wheelin' dealin'
Aku, that lousy King of the World!
Daffy Duck (Talking): Thank you.
Bugs Bunny: Now, back to our show.
. . .
We were still trying to get past the archers.
"They are good for people who lack eyes," says Peter.
"Maybe we can try reasoning with them," suggests Jill.
"This way," I said.
. . .
I found a spot where I figured they could not find us, but they did. They started firing arrows at us.
. . .
We were hiding.
"How do we get past these people," asks Jill.
I then thought of something. "Peter, what was it you pointed out about them," I asked.
"I said they were good for people who lack eyes," says Peter.
I then remembered something.
Jack's Flashback:
My friends and I were learning how to fight blind by Grand Master Chu. We were having difficulty.
"I think I punched you, Brother."
"It is alright, Sister."
"It's useless," I said, "no one can fight like this!"
Jack's POV: Present:
"The Archers are blind," I said, "so we must fight like them."
"Jack, we were terrible at fighting blindfolded," says Jill.
"Jill and I punched each other so often, we bruised each other's faces," says Peter.
"Well, now is our chance to learn," I said.
. . .
We had the blindfolds on and now we are ready. We then moved. I could not see what Jill and Peter were doing, but I can tell that like me, they were dodging the arrows. Our senses are more improved. We can hear the arrows coming. We managed to sneak into the tower.
"Are you both here," asks Jill.
"It depends on where here is," says Peter.
"We are in the tower," I said, "now, follow the sound of my footsteps."
We then went up the stairs.
. . .
We arrived, but then the archers grabbed Peter and Jill. They then tried to fire arrows at me, but I dodged and the archers hit each other, destroying the darkness and turning them into ordinary men.
"I can see," one man says.
"If there's anything we can do for you," says another man.
"We would like the well," says Peter.
"Very well, but I should warn you," says the third man, "it comes at a terrible price."
"We used it to become the greatest warriors," says the first man, "it turned us to its mindless guards."
I then realized the well was evil. If we made a wish, it could send us to the time of the dinosaurs or send us to a worst fate. "Evil Well," I said, "I wish you destroyed!"
I then stabbed the well with my sword, ending it.
. . .
"As the Resistance say," says Jill, "back to Square One."
"Let's go," I said.
XLV
In the next chapter, a strange dog tries to tell Jill and Peter something.