Yamada Monogatori: The Emperor in Shadow by Richard Parks Page A

hoped we were wrong, but that was a foolish hope. In an instant the creature abandoned all pretense of humanity. It lifted its muzzle skyward and howled. Its clothing fell away as if it had been shredded, leaving only a pile of torn cloth. Now it stood on four thickly muscled legs, its eyes glowing like coals, and the rumble of its growl made my knees shake.
    Two more men won’t be enough—
    The creature bolted toward the courtyard. Yoshitsune was there and swung a hard blow at the creature’s head, but the blade didn’t bite, and in an instant the beast was on top of him, slavering for his throat. Morofusa and I had both gone after the creature, but we were too slow. The only thing that saved the man from having his throat torn out was Hideki, who struck the creature in the side with his spear. Again the weapon did not cut, but the blow did throw the inugami off balance for a second, and Morofusa, who was a shade faster than I was, leaped on its back and drove his kodachi into the beast’s throat. For a moment I thought his blade had done its work, but then the creature shook itself like a dog shedding water, and Morofusa went flying off to land heavily several feet away.
    “Lord Yamada! Hurry!” Kenji shouted. I managed to reach the creature, and drove my blessed kodachi deep into its side near the shoulder. Howling in pain, the inugami turned its attention to me, knocking me down like a cloth doll and lunging for my throat. I reached out blindly and my left hand closed on the hilt of Morofusa’s blade. I heard Hideki’s spear twice strike the creature without any effect. Holding onto Morofusa’s kodachi with all my strength was the only thing keeping me alive—for the moment.
    “I can’t hold it for long!”
    Fortunately, I did not have to do so. Kenji reached us, and as the creature strained toward my throat, Kenji slapped a ward on the top of its head. The paper clung there as if nailed, and I felt the monster weaken. I took the hilt of Morofusa’s kodachi in both hands and twisted it hard. I was relieved to see the light slowly fade from the creature’s eyes; the battle was over. The inugami ’s body turned into mist and drifted away into the night.
    Yoshitsune helped Morofusa back to his feet, but had to hold him there as Morofusa’s breaths were coming in great gasps, and I realized he’d had the wind knocked out of him. I had a scratch or two and that appeared to be the extent of our injuries.
    We were very lucky.
    “What . . . what was that thing? Did it get away?” Morofusa asked when he could talk again.
    “An inugami ,” Kenji said. “Similar to a shikigami , but much more dangerous . . . to all concerned. It didn’t get away. It was essentially a spirit, not a living creature, and when we destroyed it, there was nothing left.”
    “What do you mean, ‘dangerous to all concerned’? I think those of us here in the temple were the only ones in danger.”
    “The ritual that creates a inugami is a simple one,” I said, “but also vile and despicable. The very nature of that ritual often means the inugami would turn on its creator at the first opportunity. The only exceptions I know are some criminal clans that are known for their expertise in making and using them. Anyone else would have to be either very desperate or very foolish to even consider it.”
    Some people had left the main hall to gather on the south veranda, staring our direction. I heard the murmur of voices. “We’re attracting too much attention. Gentlemen, thank you, but please return to your stations. We’ll see to Morofusa-shōshō.”
    “Yes, Lord Yamada,” they said in unison and left.
    Kenji and I leant our support to Morofusa as we went back through the pavilion. We found him a seat while we examined the clothing the inugami had left behind, but it contained nothing of any interest.
    “From what you’ve told me,” Morofusa said, “it seems likely that the inugami was the tool of an assassin.”
    I