Chapter 8: The Dragon's Throat
The horses' hooves hit the dirt in a steady rhythm as Ulfat and Wasabi rode toward the Japanese border. The sun was hot, but Wasabi felt a cold shiver down his spine. He kept looking at Ulfat out of the corner of his eye.
Wasabi couldn't stop thinking about what he saw in the tent. He saw the Khan crying like a child, and he saw Ulfat hugging him. But that smile... that terrifying, wide smile Ulfat had on his face while the Khan couldn't see him. It wasn't the smile of a friend. It was the smile of a hunter who had just caught his prey in a trap.
"Ulfat," Wasabi said, his voice low. "Back in the camp... why were you laughing while you hugged the Khan?"
Ulfat didn't look at him. He just kept his eyes on the road ahead. "I wasn't laughing, Wasabi. I was rejoicing. Because for the first time in my life, the man who destroyed my world is completely under my thumb. Don't worry about the Khan. Worry about the Samurai we are about to meet."
The Village of Blades
After hours of riding, they finally arrived at the edge of a Japanese village. It was a beautiful place, hidden between the mountains, but it was heavily guarded. Suddenly, a group of men jumped out from the trees. Their katanas were drawn, and their eyes were full of hate.
"Stop right there!" one man shouted in Japanese. "Go away or we will kill you, Mongols! This land does not belong to the Khan!"
Ulfat raised his hands, looking calm. "I have a message from Uktai Khan himself. We are not here to fight. We are here to talk."
The Samurai didn't trust them. They forced Ulfat and Wasabi to get off their horses. They took away their bows, their daggers, and every hidden weapon they had. Only then did they lead them through the village. Thousands of soldiers were watching them, their hands on their swords, ready to strike if the Mongols made a single wrong move.
They were taken to a large, wooden palace. At the end of the room, sitting on a high throne, was the Emperor of this region: Harasaki Wayano.
Harasaki looked at them with a cold, hard face. He spoke in deep, formal Japanese. "I only speak the language of my people. If there is anyone here who knows Japanese, I can talk to them. If not, you will die where you stand."
Wasabi started to step forward. He was Japanese, after all. But Ulfat put a hand on Wasabi's chest, stopping him.
Ulfat opened his mouth and spoke in perfect, beautiful Japanese. "I have learned your language from the books in the Khan's library, Emperor. My name is Ulfat, the Keshik of the Mongol Empire. We are here to make a peace treaty for Uktai Khan."
Harasaki laughed. It was a dry, angry sound. "Peace? The Khan wants peace now that half his army is dead? No! We will not help our enemies."
Ulfat didn't back down. He explained the logic. He told the Emperor about the Ottoman Empire. He told him that the Ottomans were the real superpower and that they would crush Japan next if the Mongols fell.
"If we win this war against the Ottomans together," Ulfat said, "The Khan will give you half of the Ottoman land and more gold than you can count. We need an ally who is strong."
Harasaki leaned forward. "A strong ally? You look like a weak boy to me. Let's see if you can handle my guards."
The Circle of Steel
Suddenly, 25 elite Samurai guards rushed forward. They didn't just run; they moved in a perfect formation, surrounding Ulfat in a circle of sharp steel. The room felt smaller as they closed in. The sound of their heavy boots on the wooden floor was like thunder. Their katanas reflected the sunlight, blinding anyone who looked too closely.
The guards were huge men, twice the size of Ulfat. They looked like moving mountains of iron and silk. They moved with one soul, closing every exit. Ulfat was unarmed. He had no sword. He stood in the center of the 25 blades, looking small and helpless.
"Ulfat! Take this!" Wasabi shouted. Wasabi had grabbed a heavy stone from a nearby garden pot and hit one of the guards in the head. As the guard fell, Wasabi stole his two katanas. He threw one through the air. It spun like a silver bird toward Ulfat.
Ulfat caught the katana in mid-air with his left hand. He didn't fight the 25 guards. Instead, he moved like a flash of lightning. He stepped through the tiny gaps in their armor, moving faster than any human should be able to. Before the guards could even swing their swords, Ulfat was already gone. He climbed over their shoulders, stepped on their helmets, and before anyone could react, he was standing behind the Emperor on his throne.
Ulfat pointed the sharp tip of the katana right at Harasaki's neck.
The room went silent. The 25 guards stopped moving, their swords frozen in the air. Their King's life was in the hands of a boy. Harasaki felt the cold steel against his skin. He didn't look scared he looked impressed.
"You have courage," Harasaki whispered. "And you have speed. Fine. I accept the offer. We will be your allies against the Ottomans."
The Night of Shadows
Ulfat pulled the sword away and bowed. He and Wasabi walked out of the palace together.
"That was amazing, Ulfat!" Wasabi said, breathing a sigh of relief. "We did it. We saved the village."
Ulfat stopped and looked at Wasabi. "Wasabi, you go back to the camp first. I have another task that the Khan gave me to finish here. I will meet you back there later tonight."
Wasabi nodded, trusting his friend, and rode away toward the Mongol camp.
Back at the Mongol camp, Wasabi walked into the Khan's tent. Uktai Khan looked up, looking worried. "Where is Ulfat? Why is he not with you?"
"He said he had another task from you, Master," Wasabi said. "He said he was finishing a secret order."
The Khan's face went pale. "Another task? I didn't give him any other order! Wasabi, what is he doing?!"
The Real Monster
Meanwhile, back at the Japanese palace, night had fallen. Emperor Harasaki walked into his private bedroom. He felt tired from the day's events. He sat on his bed and sighed, thinking about the new Mongol alliance.
But something was wrong. The air smelled like copper. It smelled like heavy blood.
Harasaki looked down. Slowly, he looked under his bed. His eyes went wide with horror. Piled up under his bed were the bodies of 100 of his best Samurai soldiers. But there was something even scarier. These men didn't have wounds from a Mongol sword. They hadn't been killed by Ulfat's hand. Instead, they were clutching each other's throats. Some had their own daggers in their hearts. Others had their teeth buried in the necks of their friends.
They had killed each other.
"Now, now, now..." a voice said from the shadows.
Harasaki jumped back, his heart hammering against his ribs. Ulfat was sitting on a chair in the corner, leaning against the wall. He looked bored. He was holding a small book in his hand, as if he had been reading while the massacre happened.
Ulfat stood up and walked toward the Emperor, stepping over the blood on the floor.
"Now that we are alone, Emperor," Ulfat said. His voice was cold and calm. "Will you hear my real offer? Not the Khan's offer... but mine."
Harasaki was shaking. He looked at the 100 dead men who had murdered their own brothers. "What... what did you do to them? How did they die like this?"
Ulfat smiled. It was the same smile he gave the Khan while hugging him.
"I didn't touch a single one of them," Ulfat whispered. "I simply told them a story. I told them that you had already sold their families to the Khan. I told them that the man next to them was a spy. I gave them a reason to hate each other... and they did the rest for me. If I can make 100 of your best men kill each other with just a few words... imagine what I can do to your whole kingdom."
Harasaki fell to his knees. He realized he wasn't looking at a boy. He was looking at a monster.
"I am the man who is going to help you kill the Khan," Ulfat whispered. "But first, you are going to do exactly what I tell you."