As I warned, the darts landed all around us, in quick succession bringing an air draught with its tail-end brushing my face.
Sensing another round of danger, I somersaulted backward, landed, and then quickly took a stack of amulets from my left pocket and commanded.
"Soldiers of Four Directions, assembled. Kōgeki" In rapid fashion, the amulet shot out in a straight array towards the direction of the attack.
I was right.
Deftly, Yasu jumped out of a spot in the tall grasses and came right at us like a wolf.
With my sword fingers ready, I went on the offensive. He parried hard and I found an opportunity to kick him in the waist on the left.
"Adam, you have improved over the past few hours."
I felt the caustic tone in Yasu's words. Honestly, fighting him is a strain for me but the pride in me spoke first, and loudly so.
"You won using deceit. On an equal basis, I can beat you any day."
At this moment, I used my hands to execute the Kuji-in Seals and then focused my mind. I felt heat in my hands and soon a ball of electricity brewed between my palms.
On the other hand, Yasu brought on a horse stance and flipped his hands to raise both palms.
"Element of Hi - fire, Fowādo"
"Gradually flames grew from his palms and Yasu confidently played them between the hands like a ball. Then he used his fingers and spinned the fire into revolutions. Instantaneously, he lunged towards each other and our palms extended.
There was a huge force that repelled both of us. I fell and quickly regained my stand.
I dashed towards him with my arms in attack, and he parried it nicely. We fought on, bout after bout.
He was faster but this time I was better prepared.
I locked his arms but he tried to break free with his legs.
Kelly took the opportunity to execute her Kuji-in. She used her pointer finger to immobilize Yasu, hitting him just on his right chest. Instantly, I let go and let him fall.
"Despicable. Two of you against me?"
"It is to repay you for what you have done to us last night!"
I grabbed Ito by his shoulder and dragged him to a side
"Because of you, two policemen have been sacrificed
"That's none of my business."
"Why do you need the Kanij? Where is it now?"
Kelly ran over and began to search him. The move incensed Ito who began to curse aloud.
" Bekana! You silly woman. Do not touch me."
"After a thorough search, Kelly shook her head
"Where is it?" She demanded!
Yasu shook his head "Thanks for letting us have it. It is the reason why I am in Singapore."
Kelly slapped Yasu on his head
"Where is it?Yasu! I can quell evil spirits and I can crush you with a palm!"
"Do it then." Yasu said calmly.
Kelly hesitated as anger boiled on her cheeks.
"My master has asked that I bring it back to Japan." Yasu said calmly
"Why do you need it."
At this moment, I realized something amiss. From the corner of my eye, I realized the man with a white iris was missing. I swung over to reconfirm but a distraction fell right in front of us.
It was a tiny ball of fire!
"Hi - Fire!" I shouted. The next moment, the fire ignited the grassland in front of me.
A draught of air came from my back, and I received a hard knock on my shoulder. The impact caused me to loosen my grip on Yasu.
I had the answer I was searching for, the man with white iris had came from behind and snatched Yasu from my grip. With a leap, the duo disappeared into the canopy of the tall grasses.
I had wanted to give chase but the fires had turned the grass in front of me into a wall of fire, its tongue licking at us with malice.
"I think we better go, Adam." Kelly warned, " It may consume us."
"How can we let him go!"
"Stay rational. We will fight another day." Her words pierced my thirst for action. I remembered the policemen.
"We need to get the two of them out of here," I said and rushed over to the two policemen. I realized Kelly was injured and and walked with difficulty.
"Can you...."
She rolled her eyes "Of course, Adam!" Her sense of irritation made feel silly.
"Let me get the dead police first." She said but I objected. "No!" I cried as I held Kelly's hand.
"Let us carry the injured policeman out first then we come back for the other one."
With much difficulty, we lifted the injured policeman and trudged through the tall grass towards the road. As we struggled, the smoke rose to the skies and behind me a screen of heat threatened to overcome us.
When we finally emerged from the tall grass, I realized there was already a group of police and they hastened to help us.
"There they are," Vishnu cried. With him was another familiar figure, his assistant, Inspector Catherine Ng.
I nodded in acknowledgment but no words were exchange
Visnu seemed to recover from his earlier injury, speaking with some steadiness.
"How did the fire?" What happened?" Visnu asked as he pointed to the tall grass.
"One of our arch-rivals kidnapped Kelly and injured your men. Let's explain after we put out the fire."
I said as I handed over the injured police to the awaiting colleagues.
"Who started the fire?" He asked.
"Unexpected enemies. I wanted to nab him for kidnapping Kelly but he had an accomplice and he sprang an attack and caught us unaware."
"He escaped?"
I nodded.
"Where are you going?" Vishnu asked I raced back towards the tall grass.
"I am going for the other policeman?"
"He is still inside?"
I nodded
"Goodness. Let us go for him." Visnu turned to Catherine and said "Call for the fire brigade. Inform all traffic police to set up stops on roads to stop any civilian cars from coming into the area."
Then he turned to me "You looked after Kelly and please get some water for yourself."
The growing fire set him to pause, but only for a second. Visnu,with one heroic wave of his arm, led his men and ford through the thick grass.
I wanted to join but this time Kelly held my hand
"The more hands, the worse it gets." She said sternly "You are already very tired."
I could not disagree and helped Kelly back to my car. I gave her a bottle of mineral water and she gulped down like a camel.
"Is your friend fine?" It was Catherine who had walked over with a walkie-talkie.
"I think we need the ambulance," I said as I studied Kelly's condition, she had a torn sleeve with a laceration on her right shoulder. It was still bleeding.
There was also a swell on her face, neck and hands. As I observed, I got angry at how she was treated after she was abducted. She must have fought many of them.
"What did he use?" I asked
"Short knife. Japanese." She said blandly. "It was an attack from the back. I struggled to get away and knocked down two of his men. Then he came from behind."
"He is sick. Somehow nothing has changed with these people."
"They are trained to fight like beasts. Remember?"
I leaned closer to study the wound. I reached for my bag and pulled out a sachet of medicine - which is a healer powder. I sprinkled it on the wound as Kelly grimaced "Ah, Adam! You are wicked."
"Bear with it."
"What's that?" Catherine asked.
"We call it Hira. It is an antidote medicine that we developed for wounds. It is very effective."
"You are lucky. He could have stabbed in the back." I observed.
"Yasu has grown stronger." She remarked "I sent him a back kick but he quickly swerved to a side.
I nodded, grudgingly "He planned all these."
"The ambulance is on the way." Catherine added.
"Thank you" I said then I turned to Kelly "You wait here."
"Where are you going?"
"I am worried about VIsnu. I want to get Visnu out."
"You are stubborn as a mule. No! " Kelly protested and held my hand "You may just complicate things. Use your instincts. What if there are more traps in there?"
I paused and reflected.
"If there is a trap, I cannot allow others to die on my behalf."
As we spoke, in the background, I heard the fire engine sirens in the distance.
"Adam, Yasu has targeted us. The police are just collateral damage."
We barely had time to argue when I saw Visnu and his colleagues emerged from the grass. Together they held onto the body of the fallen colleague.
As the inferno grew, the orange illumination fell on our faces. I could tell the fatigue on the faces of everyone present.
At this moment there was a huge explosion which served as a warning for us to leave. The thickening smoke was cannibalizing the the air of oxygen and many were coughing.
The oppressive heat gave a hint of our infallibility. If we do not move soon, we could all be swallowed by the furnace.