Every last okisaru had changed into a tall, muscled, powerful horse. They spread out across the yard like the full cavalry of King Arthur, lined up and ready for battle. Some were brown, some were black, and others were white. But they all were strong, and their eyes looked ahead at the Shadow Ka with a fierceness that even Rayna couldn't match. Tanaka had never been able to take a full count of how many of these magical creatures were at his command, but we knew there were at least a thousand.

He chose one, the biggest I could see, and climbed up onto its back. Rayna and Miyoko did the same. Then Joseph. Hood walked back to a large tree near the house, his part in our plan not needing a horse. I gave Baka a nudge and he trotted up to the front of the herd of horses. The other four followed, and soon we were lined up, five horses standing side by side, a thousand more behind us.

“Do we need to go through it again?” I asked.

“It's not that complicated,” said Miyoko. “You have the hardest part.”

“I know, but I'm just worried. You guys don't have the Shield to protect you.”

“You think too much,” said Joseph. “We ain't a bunch of pansies. Let's get it on!”

“Jimmy,” Rayna said, giving Joseph a disapproving look. “We can't spend the rest of eternity hiding behind your Gifts. Forget about it. Today we fight, and we will fight to the death. Just do your part, and we'll do ours.”

It wasn't that easy. Every molecule in my body was worried. “Tanaka, are you sure the okisaru…”

“YES!” he yelled. “You quit worry and we go already!”

“Okay, you're right. I just wish I could sit back and watch when they change.” I took a deep breath and blew out a big sigh. “Then I guess we're good to go.”

I nudged Baka gently with my right foot, and he stepped forward. The next thing I did, I'd been dying to do since we'd first begun formulating the attack.

I held my right arm up into the air, and called on the Ice. A quick swirl of white whipped around my hand and the air above it, forming a long flat object with sharp edges, coming to a point at the end.

A sword of Ice.

My fingers curled around its handle, and I lowered the sword until its tip pointed ahead to the pack of Shadow Ka.

“Let's ride.”