NINJA

In a hidden kingdom far away from the open cities, where mist covered the high mountains every morning, there lived an orphan named Jadiro Guardwell. His life began with sorrow. His father, Rocks Guardwell, was a strong warrior with fists like stone. But he died two weeks and three days before Jadiro was born. He never saw his son. He never held him. He died and became only a name whispered in the wind. His mother was Hitler Monks Guardwell. She was left alone with a crying baby and no money. She had a small amount of money she kept for emergencies, hidden inside a wooden box under her bed. She used it to cater for Jadiro. She bought him food, water, and small cloths. But money finishes quickly when there is no work. One day she opened the box and it was empty. She looked at Jadiro who was smiling and she started crying because she could not take the burden anymore. It was too heavy for her. So on a cold night with no moon, she wrapped Jadiro in a faded wrapper, carried him on her back, and walked through the dark lonely path to the big orphanage at the edge of the kingdom. Her heart was beating fast like a drum. When she reached the orphanage door, she knocked three times, placed Jadiro gently on the floor in front of the door, kissed his forehead for the last time, and ran away crying into the darkness. She did not look back. The sisters found Jadiro in the morning, cold but alive. He was taken inside. A few days later, Hitler Monks Guardwell married another man named Micheal Jones. She changed her surname to Jones. She forgot about Rocks and Jadiro completely. She lived happily for some time, wearing new clothes and laughing. Until Mr. Jones divorced her and sent her out of his house. After that, she became a beggar on the streets. She begged day and night for the rest of her life with a dirty bowl in her hand, moving from Kumasi market to market. But Jadiro remained in the orphanage. He grew up quiet, strong, and different. Even though Rocks had died long ago, his spirit still dwelt in Jadiro's heart. Jadiro did not know his father, but sometimes at night he felt fire in his chest, a desire to fight and to be great. One cool evening at exactly 5:20 pm, when the sky was orange and children were fetching water outside, the orphanage was attacked by a group of cruel ninjas. They came like silent wind, dressed in black with masks covering their faces. Two of the overseers were killed, six were injured badly, and two were spared to tell the s********e of the children were kidn*pped, tied with ropes, and taken into the deep forest. Among them was Jadiro. He did not cry. He looked at the ninjas with angry eyes. The leader of the g**g was Menome. He was a big bald man with thick beard and eyes like fire. Your brother George drew him perfectly. Menome did not kill the children. He wanted to make them into his weapons. He took them far away to a hidden stone temple in the mountains where no one could find them. Life in the temple was hell. They woke up at 3am every day. They ran barefoot on sharp stones until their feet bled. They carried heavy water up the mountain. They fought each other with wooden swords. Menome trained them to become vigilant and excellent ninjas. Menome had a strict law. All ninjas must shave their hair without leaving a ponytail so that they will be unrecognizable when they go to the market or cities for missions. No hair means no identity. You are no longer a person, you are a weapon. When it was time for the young ninjas, including Menome's own son Shinome, to shave their hair, everybody sat down in a line. Shinome shaved proudly because he wanted to be like his father. When it reached Jadiro's turn, Jadiro stood up and refused. He said his hair was a symbol of his unknown parents, the only thing they gave him. The whole temple became silent. No one had ever disobeyed Menome before. Menome ordered his guards to hold Jadiro down. They forced him. They shaved his hair while he struggled. His hair fell to the ground. Tears came from his eyes, but he made no sound. After all the ninjas had shaved their hair, it was time for the supreme oath. They gathered in a dark hall with only fire torches burning. They cut their palms with a small knife and let their blood drop into one big bowl. Then they all drank from it. They swore, I will never betray the temple. I will kill for the temple. I will die for the temple. Then training continued even harder. Shinome, Menome's son, used to bully Jadiro a lot. Every day he kicked Jadiro's food away, he beat him after training, he insulted him. He hated Jadiro because Jadiro was faster, smarter, and stronger than him. Jealousy made him cruel. One Thursday during sunset, when the clouds were red like blood, Menome started coughing heavily in the middle of training. Blood came from his mouth and fell onto the stone floor. He was very ill. He had hidden his sickness for months. Shinome and the other ninjas ran to him quickly. Menome fell and coughed to death in Shinome's arms. His last words were, make our name feared everywhere. He was buried behind the temple under a lonely tree that night. After Menome died, the ninjas grew stronger in his evil teachings. They went to towns and cities, they killed and assassinated rich men and chiefs, and they made a lot of money. Gold and diamonds. But even though Jadiro was now a ninja, he did not bother to commit any crime or murders. His heart was still clean. When they sent him to kill, he would hide in the forest and return with lies. There was only one ninja who was just like Jadiro. His name was Koro Koroi. He was Jadiro's best friend. They ate together, they trained together, they shared dreams of freedom. Both planned to leave the temple at the right time when it was safe. But Koroi's mindset changed. He became too eager for revenge. He chose to leave before Jadiro and to expose the ninjas hideout to the king. He forgot about Jadiro and all they had shared together. He went to the palace and told the king everything about the hidden temple. The king sent his best guards with Koroi to attack the ninjas. But when they entered the forest near the temple, the ninjas had already set traps. They attacked from the trees, from the shadows, with swords and arrows. All the king's guards were killed, and Koroi was captured alive. They brought Koroi back to the temple and killed him in front of everyone. Jadiro watched his best friend die and could not do anything. He was so sad. That night he went alone to the tree where Menome was buried and promised himself that he would take revenge on the ninjas and destroy the temple. After that, Shinome became the leader of the ninjas. He was crueler than his father. He wanted to test Jadiro's loyalty to him through a deadly mission. He called Jadiro and said, there is a rich man in the open city called Mr. Grid. I want you to kill Mr. Grid and steal all his money. Bring me the money and you will be my right hand. Jadiro looked sorrowful and could not deny. If he refused, Shinome would kill him immediately. So he agreed and left for the city. Mr. Grid was a kind old man with a white beard who lived alone in a small house. Jadiro could not kill him. His heart refused. So he used the old ninja magic that Menome had taught them, the art of ashes and clay. He created a fake corpse that looked exactly like Mr. Grid using clay, ashes, and fake blood. He placed it on the floor to make it look like the job was done. He returned to Shinome without money. Shinome asked him where is the money. Jadiro said someone almost saw him, so he left the money there and ran away quickly. Shinome sensed he was building castles in the air, that he was lying. So he said, take me there and show me. Jadiro had no choice. He took Shinome and two other ninjas to Mr. Grid's house. When they arrived, there was no dead body and no money inside. The house looked empty. Just when they were about to leave in peace, while Jadiro was trying to handle the situation calmly, Shinome searched the inner room and discovered the corpse. But it was no longer a corpse, it was melting into ashes and clay. The magic was fading. Shinome understood everything. He became very angry. He and his men beat Jadiro badly. They punched his face, kicked his stomach, until blood came from his nose and mouth. Jadiro fell to the ground weak and could not stand. Mr. Grid who had been hiding heard the noise and came out to check what was happening. He shouted, who is there in my house. Shinome took out his sharp sword and without thinking, struck straight into Mr. Grid's chest. The kind old man fell down and died instantly. Real blood this time, not clay. Jadiro became furious seeing the innocent man die because of him, but he was too weak to fight with Shinome. The ninjas stole a small part of Grid's money and then ran away quickly, leaving Jadiro behind on the floor next to the dead body. The city guards were coming with torches because they heard screams. Jadiro lay there bleeding, tears mixing with dirt on his face. He looked up at the night sky and cried out with all his remaining strength and soul, I WILL BE BACK FOR VENGEANCE. This was only the beginning of his journey. ---