by Ino Lee
Before long, they were gone, fully engulfed by the mist.
23
A COHORT OF DAGWAIS assembled at the transport platform of Yaje Zhi. They were busy making preparations to load a final carriage to Yaje Piau—too busy to be watching the expanse.
A lone dagwai stepped out onto the edge of the platform to look down into the abyss. When it looked up again, all it saw was a thick, white mist.
Two small puffs of smoke popped from the haze: one dark and one light. It could have been just the movement of a mountainous cloud—an illusion of shadow and wind—but it moved swiftly, much too swift to be an illusion. The specks had now become fast approaching figures, two creatures running across the wires.
Was its mind playing tricks?
Before the decision could be made or a cry of warning could be given, a shiny silver disc caught its eye. The disc approached it from the right, and before it could react, sharp blades protruded from the weapon and plunged into its brain.
The dagwai fell back, alerting others of the imminent danger. But it was already too late, as Li descended upon them with a war cry and the full fury of his temple blade. Wong’s samurai blade was out, too, and tore through those remaining in the wake of his brother’s attack.
As quickly as the battle had begun, it ended, and all was quiet again. When the last lizard had fallen, they glanced at each other, paused, and took a couple of deep breaths. Without speaking a word, they knew what was on each other’s mind: it was the first battle they had fought alone together in some time. Despite all the time that had passed, they were still in perfect sync, as if they had been practicing together every day.
The brothers looked for more signs of activity but there were none. Wong went back to the first dagwai to retrieve his throwing disc. They secured the area and a little while later, Kai’s carriage arrived.
“Welcoming party?” Zhozang said, referring to the dead lizards. He disengaged the clamp box and the vessel slid into the bay.
Han surveyed the area and looked at the dead dagwais on the ground. He stepped off the carriage.
“Is it safe?”
“For now,” Li said. “But there may be more. It looks quiet but we have not scouted past this point.”
Tae disembarked while Wong lent a hand in support. He picked Kai off the craft and placed him on the ground. Zhozang followed. They took a moment longer to look around and then followed a road leading away from the platform with their weapons drawn.
“I’ve never seen Yaje Zhi this empty,” Zhozang said.
“Neither have I,” Li said. “Keep vigilant.”
They walked into the lifeless town, wondering where all the villagers had gone and if the Koon Gee had scared or killed them off. By all accounts, nothing in the village itself seemed out of place—that is, until they came across a dead body, some unfortunate soul undoubtedly caught in the path of the demon horde. They passed by silently and kept on moving. Li wished they had time to properly dispose of the body.
A cool breeze swept across the earth and sent chills up their spines. There was something odd about the apparent peace of the village coupled with the dead body and the trauma of recent events, adding to the eeriness of their surroundings.
Movement could be detected in some of the homes nearby.
“We’re being watched,” Wong said.
The door to a storefront opened and its inhabitants spilled out. Three men and two women approached, the men carrying swords and makeshift spears.
“Townspeople,” Li said.
Soon after several more doors opened to reveal more townsfolk. They approached the small party cautiously and asked if it was safe to go outside again. Li told them it was secure for now, and in return, learned from them that the Koon Gee had just arrived that morning. The villagers tried mounting a resistance, but were quickly overpowered and driven into the shelter of their homes. Because the dagwais seemed more interested in using the transport than anything else, they hid and waited for the danger to pass. They knew the transport had been shut off from Yaje Piau earlier and there was little chance the lizards could get across, until of course it had been mysteriously turned on later that morning.
“We turned it on,” Han said.
Li asked them if they knew anything more of Koon Gee activity in the region or heard any news from Shaolin, but the villagers had nothing specific to report. They did note, however, that travelers had stopped coming in from the north and the east. Li told them to be on guard and said that it might be a good idea to leave town for a few days. He bid them well and when asked where they were going, he simply replied, “Northeast.”
They approached the outskirts of the village and headed toward the mountain forests again. After finding an easy path, they veered toward the greenery.
Wong sighed at the sight. In retrospect, the eeriness of the village wasn’t that bad.
Han caught up to him.
“You know, perhaps it is not the wisest thing to jump off a suspension carriage hundreds of feet above the Yangtzhu River when there is a prophecy of death hovering over your head.”
“I thought you didn’t believe in the prophecy.”
“Well, I . . . I . . . um—”
“It’s okay,” Wong smiled, letting him off the hook. “Maybe I shouldn’t have, but I can’t let it hold me back. I have to be who I am despite the prophecy. The odds are against us as it is. I can’t fight crippled. Kai is the priority.”
“Fair enough. But that does not mean you should fight recklessly.”
“Blame Li. I took his lead.”
“Just tread lightly, Wong. We do not need to lose any more people.”
“Understood . . . I’m sorry about Genji. I know he was a good friend.”
“You didn’t see much of him in action. You would have been impressed.”
Wong nodded. “I’m sure I would have.”
“Perhaps he made it,” Han said.
“Maybe. Maybe he’s the lucky one. Maybe he’s the only one of us that survives this.”
Li led them into the backwoods and in the general direction of the temple. The rest haphazardly followed behind, though Wong stayed close to Kai. The forest growth was sparse enough that sunlight filtered through the canopy.
Wong gazed into the distance, looking past the trunks of trees for signs of movement. He closed his eyes and listened for the rustle of leaves or the crack of twigs from afar, but heard nothing. Still, something about the woods spooked him.
“I should scout ahead. It feels as if this forest is crawling with Koon Gee.”
“Then all the more reason we should stick together,” Tae said.
“I would think the immediate strength of the enemy was concentrated at Yaje Zhi. That would allow us some peace for the morning at least,” Li said.
Wong thought about it and then let the subject drop. He did not feel like venturing ahead into battle anyway. Sticking together seemed the right thing to do, especially after the loss of Genji. There was also comfort in their travel together—companionship he missed during his solitary travels. He enjoyed seeing his brother and Han again and his bond with Tae and Kai continue to grow. Zhozang was even turning out to be a decent guy. And since Han brought up the subject, there was also the matter of his prophetic death. He promised Han he would be less reckless. It would be tragic for him to scout alone yet never return.
“All right. I guess you’ll be stuck with me for a while then.”
“Good,” Li replied.
They carried on in silence and trudged on methodically. Worry could be seen in their faces and the way they carried themselves. Though they did not talk about it, their experience on the silk bridge hung over them like a dark cloud. If their first battle as a team resulted in such tragedy, how would they fair the rest of the way?
Wong sensed their unease and wished he was in the right m
indset to cheer them up.
Finally Zhozang spoke. “It’s quiet. Not the mayhem and bloodshed I was expecting.”
“Pleasant, actually,” Han said.
“Don’t be fooled,” Tae warned. “The last time I thought that, we were chased by four zhuks.”
“I think we can handle four zhuks,” Wong said.
“Confident so soon?”
“Solid ground.”
Tae put on a good face. “Do you think we made the right decision—to take the transport?”
“We couldn’t afford an extra day of traveling. Not with Kai. I still think it was the right decision. We need to reach Jaguan and the Shaolin army as soon as possible. That’s the only way.”
Tae nodded.
Wong fumbled for words. “I’ve fallen from much further, you know. There’s a good chance Genji’s drying off somewhere upstream.”
She didn’t respond. Wong didn’t think so, either.
Hours passed. The sunlight strengthened and the enemy still had yet to appear. The air thinned out and the humidity dropped, making travel increasingly comfortable. Trees glistened in the sunlight and swayed with the wind. Birds could be heard calling to one another.
As the cloud of tension began to dissipate, light conversation ensued. It started with a few unrelated words here and there about random topics and then escalated to chatter, with a sprinkle of laughter. Though they kept vigilant, they were able to put behind them the events of the morning.
They sat together for a late lunch and their mood improved. Han surprised them by opening a parchment bag full of Szechuan dumplings.
“We’re off to battle and you packed Szechuan dumplings?” Zhozang said dryly.
“Spicy food will keep us alert,” Han said. “You don’t have to eat any.”
Zhozang changed his tune quickly. “No sumo, I need to be alert.”
Han made him squirm some more before handing him one.
Zhozang popped it in his mouth and gulped it down. “So tell me about this plan again. Why aren’t we on horseback to meet this monk of yours?”
“There are only two horse-worthy roads leading away from Yaje Zhi. One leads southeast and potentially into the enemy, the other northwest, delaying where we need to go.”
“So why not ride northwest, around this godforsaken country, and then back east again? It couldn’t take us much longer to go around this terrain than to cut through it on foot.”
“It was a thought, but the main roads are more easily traveled by Koon Gee armies too. And watched.”
“The faster we get to Jaguan, the better,” Wong added. “And I don’t know of another place we could hole up for the night either.”
“Are you referring to this cave of yours? Are you sure it will be safe?”
“It’s a deep quor mine. Quor is very dense rock, so it should protect us a bit. It’s on the way and better than sleeping out in the open, at least.”
“I see . . . but I still retain my right to complain about it. Can I have another dumpling?”
Han was in them middle of passing a second to Kai.
“Not enough.”
“Why does he get another?”
“When you are prophesied to destroy the Koon Gee, come back to me and you may have another.”
The crowd laughed. Zhozang grumbled.
They reached the quor mine late in the day. Wong was ahead and signaled the rest to stop. Sounds of men could be heard in the distance.
“What is it?” Li asked.
“Miners. Six at least, probably more in the mine.”
“Miners? Now?”
“It is a bit late for mining.”
“And in such treacherous times. These men are either very brave or very stupid.”
“My vote’s on stupid, but let’s find out.”
They approached a gruff looking crowd, full of men with hardened faces. Perhaps that was the toll of such an unforgiving profession, though this crowd seemed more disconcerting than most. They carried pick axes, sledgehammers, and shovels. A few wore swords. A cart full of broken fragments of rock was being loaded, with four purple oxen at its head.
A man with a scar on his face saw them approach as he tossed rock into the cart.
“What’s this?”
Heads shot up in their direction. The miners froze.
Li stepped forward with his hands out. “No cause for alarm. Just travelers.”
The man looked Li over. “Shaolin, heh? Why have you come here? What’s your purpose?”
“We are passing north. The forest has become dangerous of late and we were hoping to shelter here for the night.”
The man considered it for a moment and exchanged nervous glances with the others.
“This is not so great a place to stay. We are very, very busy. It’s best you keep moving through.”
“Armies of the Koon Gee have come. Do you not see? You would risk your lives collecting rocks and turn us away?”
Another man, holding a pick axe, spoke. “We see well enough. It is a good time for quor in such times.”
“So it’s best you move along,” the first man said again, in a less friendly tone.
Wong examined them. Something seemed off. He noted the way they carried their tools and the clumsiness with which they loaded the cart. He looked at each man’s build and the muscle definition of his arms.
“I get it,” Wong finally said. “You are not miners. This is not your mine.”
“Looters,” Han said.
The look on the miners’ faces could not hide their guilt. Several of them stirred nervously. The man with the scar put a hand on the hilt of his blade.
“Ah, ah, ah,” Wong said. “Think carefully before you raise your sword against Shaolin.”
He could tell they weren’t experienced fighters. More likely they were men down on their luck. Most didn’t even have real weapons and it would be foolish to charge a crowd such as theirs with mining tools. He doubted they would fight, but couldn’t be sure.
The man let go. “Fine—it’s time to go, anyway. We’ll leave but we’re taking this load. We’ve worked hard for it.”
“Where would you go?”
“East. There is just this dirt path.”
“Your oxen would make a fine meal for the Koon Gee. I would not suggest it.”
“We’ve come this far.”
A silent moment passed. “Go then. Now.”
The men looked at him uncertainly.
“Now,” Wong snapped again.
The looters quickly gathered their belongings. They said little as they worked and Wong almost felt bad for them. Mining quor was difficult work without much payoff. Before long, they were off and the purple oxen trudged slowly down the road east.
Li looked on after them. “I do not like letting them go. Looting in times of war is reprehensible.”
“That rock won’t be missed. There’s a whole mine. Now we don’t have to worry about them coming back or leading the Koon Gee to us. Maybe they’ll even draw them away.”
“They are all dead men,” Han said.
“Why would they risk it?” Tae asked.
“Money will make men do most things.”
Tae nodded. “At least we have the mine to ourselves now.”
Han gazed uncertainly at the tunnel entrance. “What’s the plan?”
“Well, it’s ours for the night,” Wong said. “Might as well look around and get comfy.”
24
WONG AWOKE BEFORE sunrise, though there was no way for him to tell. All he saw was a jagged wall of stone. He was curled up in the confines of a small wall crevice with soft leaves underneath. A dim lantern was alight in the mine tunnel beyond. Somewhere he thought he could hear water dripping.
He gathered himself. The others were probably up alrea
dy. He followed the light and saw Kai meditating by the lantern with his legs folded.
“How’s it going?” Wong said. “Did you get it to flicker?”
“No not yet. I don’t think it works down here.”
“It takes time. How long have you been trying?”
“A couple hours.”
Wong was impressed. He gave Kai chi lessons the night before so he wouldn’t feel trapped underground, but didn’t expect him to continue on his own. He would probably take well to monk lessons at Shaolin.
“A couple hours is just the beginning.”
“I know. Can I come up now?”
“Is anyone left down here?”
“No. Zhozang woke up and left a little while ago.”
“Good. Time to go then. Get your things.”
He had shared the last patrol with Zhozang before coming down to sleep, swapping places with Tae and Li. The nook he slept in was previously Tae’s, which was the right size for her but a little too cramped for him. Han slept intermittently by the entrance all night, deciding that the mine was too claustrophobic for his liking. They were probably all awake and waiting for them now.
As far as he could tell, their plan to stay in the mine was a success. Sleeping deep below the earth and under a mountain of dense quor worked well to dampen Kai’s mark. He estimated that the draw was only half as strong at the surface, which kept them hidden through the night. They could not stay there forever though; eventually a patrol would come within range and find them.
“I’m ready,” Kai said, carrying the lantern with his needle gauntlet fastened.
They started up a walkway. The passage was narrow and crooked, climbing unevenly toward the surface. Kai thought that their journey out of the mine seemed much shorter than the one in. They reached the tunnel entrance almost expecting sunlight, but were met with predawn gloom.
Han leaned back against a wall with his arms folded and eyes closed. Tae and Zhozang were resting similarly just beyond him.
“Morning,” Wong said.
“Morning,” Han echoed, yawning. He stretched his arms. “We were going to wake you soon.”
“Where’s Li?”
