by Ino Lee
Waiting for Shin’ichi to cure was almost unbearable. In the back of his mind, he feared squandering their only chi shard, decades in the making, for little gain. He held onto Grandmaster Gao’s words, clinging to the hope that infusing a weapon with such energy could only serve to strengthen it.
Finally, the sword was taken out of the bath and its handle was reattached, making it whole again.
Youta picked up the weapon nervously and examined its sheen, then held it close to his face, concentrating and listening carefully. This was it—the dawn of a new era for the Shogun and his samurai—the ascension of Shin’ichi.
“How does it feel?” Naruki asked.
Youta activated Shin’ichi’s newfound energy, causing it to buzz.
He grinned.
Takeo checked a few straps and fastenings, then stroked Kasumi’s feathered head.
“Be ready, Kasumi. We travel to the land of demons.”
Kasumi responded with a shrill guttural intonation. Takeo pretended she understood his words, but knew the bird just responded to the stroke of her feathers and the sound of his voice.
“The heavens look heavy,” Youta said, attending to Ryuu. “But at least there will be no sun in our eyes. Where are our Shaolin passengers?”
“I am here,” Tengfei said, walking with Grandmaster Gao and Elder Woo.
He carried Shaolin’s Monk Staff.
“Woah,” Takeo said. “Could you Shaolin folks not bear the competition from Shin’ichi?”
Tengfei smiled. “Am I not lead monk on this mission?”
“And what of the Infinity Pool then?”
“There has been enough progress. We will manage without the Monk Staff, and Kai is more important,” Woo said.
Gao spoke. “The torens are an advantage. We are not so eager to send our most treasured artifact to the Koon Kagi, but you will fly straight to the heart of the danger. An appropriate response must be given if you are to succeed. You wager Shin’ichi, after all.”
Tengfei loaded a few belongings. Tae walked through the temple gates, drawing odd looks.
“Do my eyes deceive me or is that Tae?” Takeo asked.
“I have seen that look before,” Woo said. “It is the attire of the Shunnan Hunters.”
She crossed the courtyard, dressed in full black, her mask down and red war paint surrounding her eyes in menacing form. When she reached them, she pretended like nothing had changed.
“Are we ready to go?”
She looked at Youta, half expecting a remark on the virtues of being a samurai versus a ninja. None came.
“The Koon Gee should be more fearful of you than any of us,” he said.
Takeo laughed as they boarded the toren. “This journey has many surprises.”
Youta tilted his head from the front seat. “You must have your own way, Tae, but remember your Sun sword. That is my gift to you. To fight as a samurai on the inside, only then will you be connected.”
“I understand,” she said. “I fully value the gift you have given me and will not forget your teachings. I will make it my own. I will be the world’s first samurai ninja.”
“Excellent then.”
“And how is Shin’ichi?”
“A force to be reckoned with.”
The magnificent birds stood.
“Go forth with our thoughts,” Gao said. “Find Kai and come back safely. All our hopes are on you, but do not press. Shaolin has lost so much—it cannot bear more.”
The torens lifted off and flew beyond the temple walls, their weathered gray feathers blending in with the clouds as they disappeared.
34
“WALK FASTER,” LAU Gong barked.
Kai’s hands were tied behind his back with strips of cloth torn from the potato sack. A makeshift rope was used as a leash around his neck, fashioned from the same material. Now that they were well into the Koon Kagi, Lafay and Lau Gong made him walk, too exhausted to carry him further. The journey had completely expended their energy and they were noticeably sluggish despite Lau Gong’s demands to go faster. Kai didn’t mind the walk, needing to stretch his legs, but he, too, was weak; his muscles were cramped after days of inactivity and he’d had nothing to eat. Still, he knew the unan were vulnerable and planned to run at the first opportunity, once his legs were strong enough.
Peripheral movement caught him off guard and he realized he should have been scanning for activity. Exhaustion and reliance on the monks’ abilities to make psychic calls made him too passive. If he was going to escape, a more proactive line of thinking was needed.
His heart sank at the sight of dark ninjas. There were only three, but unlike Lafay and Lau Gong, he would not be able to outrun them. His advantage was gone and his mark would only draw more enemies the further they went. He stumbled to his knees and groaned. If he couldn’t get away, then stalling was a good option.
Lau Gong kicked him.
“I haven’t eaten. I need food,” Kai said.
“Oh dear, I had forgotten. Humans need food,” Lafay said.
“He’ll eat when we are done walking,” Lau Gong said.
The ninjas joined them. They were not part of a larger force, but stray soldiers on their way from the encampment outside the Great Wall to the ninja forests in the northwest. They were about to camp and rest for the day, but redirected when they felt the mark.
“Splendid—we need soldiers,” Lau Gong said. “Stay close. There may be Shaolin warriors behind us.”
A ninja spoke. Its voice was thin and raspy. “More will come. This land is barren, but the army south is not far. They will come . . . and the lo-shur.”
“Those damned spirits. Where are they when you need them?” Lao Gong said.
The demon yanked on Kai’s leash and set them moving again. Throughout the afternoon, a trickle of dagwais trailed in, first two, then one, then four. The rocky land and canyons were more indigenous to lizardmen than ninjas, explaining the makeup of the new recruits. Though dagwais could be found in most environments, canyons and plains were preferable to them. Kai tried several times along the way to stall and cry hunger, but the unan would have none of it.
When six more dagwais arrived with a zhuk, the unan finally decided to stop and rest, especially since the latest batch of lizards had a camp nearby. The influx of bodies also made the unan feel secure enough to send the ninjas away to scout for Shaolin activity.
Kai became more distressed at each addition to their party, but soon realized that as their numbers grew, he received less individual attention. And now that they had stopped, it was his first opportunity to rest and devise a plan.
They redirected to the dagwai camp, which was simply a fire that had been stoked and rekindled, highlighted by a pot of bubbling stew. Kai was given a portion, which he was grateful for even though didn’t know what was in it. He guessed rodents by the look of the floating tails. The taste wasn’t awful, so he ate what he could to quell his hunger, glad to have been offered something cooked in the first place, since dagwais often ate meat raw.
His hands were retied behind his back upon finishing his meal and he was bound to a tree away from the fire. The unan didn’t want Kai anywhere near the flame as they rested, sitting perfectly still and lifeless, absorbing the natural chi around them.
Kai squirmed but could not get loose of the bindings. Though it was made out of weak strips of cloth, it was tied close to the skin with numerous lashings, making it difficult to slip or break free. He closed his eyes and tried to channel chi energy into his muscles, something he was not very adept at, but a quick burst of strength was all he needed to tear free. Moments passed and his face grew red from the effort. Still the bindings would not budge.
He concentrated and called out to Shian, but no one answered. What other options were there? He could not rely on help to save him, so he would have to figure a way to
escape on his own. The time had come to grow up. He wondered what Wong would do and carefully studied the campgrounds.
The dagwais fought boisterously over the remaining scraps of food since the meal was stretched to feed more than twice the amount it was made for. The zhuk rested quietly and the unan still hadn’t budged. If he didn’t escape soon, they would move again.
Across the way, a tiny ground squirrel skittered nervously under the cover of rock and a few stray weeds, most likely drawn out by the scent of food. Kai wondered if the rodent knew its relatives were simmering in the pot, and felt somewhat guilty for eating them.
He sat up quickly after realizing the opportunity and gazed intently at it, hoping to draw its attention. His mind raced to teachings at the temple and the many hours spent connecting with the minds of animals. Fortunately, he was especially good with monk skills related to sensory perception and psychic links, making him a natural fit for animal control. Jaguan had praised his ability from the very start.
He hunched low and caught its eye, his own flashing with chi as a mental link developed. Rodents were tricky and unfamiliar, as he spent most of his time working with birds, but at least the animal was small, since mind control was often more difficult the larger and more complex the animal became.
They stared at each other for a few more seconds before the squirrel was entranced and moved toward him and behind his back, where it started to chew on the bindings. Kai saw in his mind the squirrel’s view of the lashings break free, one after another, almost detecting the scent and taste of potato. When his hands were loose, he thought to send the squirrel away, but instead moved it across the campsite, through a dagwai’s legs, and into a thicket. The dagwais stirred excitedly and chased it, eager to add to their meager bounty.
Kai crawled away from the tree he had been tied to, then ran, a feeling of guilt lingering for using his furry friend as a distraction and putting it in danger. His legs burned from the effort, and he wondered if he should move more covertly. The unan sensed energy more than they sensed movement and sound, the dagwais weren’t paying attention, and the zhuk was too stupid to worry about, so he kept his pace, deciding distance was more important than stealth. They would realize he was gone sooner than later anyway. Fortunately, the ninjas had been sent away, though he would keep an eye out for them since he was headed their way.
He quickly found his bearings and picked a direction. Getting back to the tunnel was the priority and where help was most likely to come.
The land was a patchwork of open earth, rocky outcrops, canyons, and clusters of trees. Kai stayed away from the trees since that’s where the ninjas would most likely be, and instead chose to navigate the border between open earth and mountain. Every battlefield decision was the culmination of a series of calculated risks and assessments, he remembered Riyon once lecturing back in Shaolin. He chose to stay near the mountain because it might shield some of his mark, but could not stick to it completely since it was too difficult to navigate. If it were sunny, he would run in the open ground to avoid the ninjas, but it looked like a storm was brewing.
He concentrated and sent out a mental blast. “Shian! Shian!”
Nothing in return. He had to reach them soon. It would be many hours before he got to the tunnel and his mark would draw Koon Gee faster and more directly than anyone looking for tracks. He moved to a higher elevation where his call for help might be better heard.
“Shian!”
He stretched out his senses for any hint of pursuit. Unan were difficult to detect, but a horde of dagwais and a zhuk was easy, making him certain his captors were not yet on his tail.
“Shian!” he called again after running for a spell, and then another.
An echo was finally detected, but something more alarming overshadowed it. A ninja popped up beside him. Kai saw its eager face, and dropped to lower ground. The ninja was too fast in a flat race and he would have to find more difficult terrain to escape. He hopped a rock, cut sharply down a trail, and zigzagged as the ninja closed in, suddenly feeling like his squirrel friend and wondering if karmic balance was taking place.
He shot an orb in the ninja’s face, but it just shielded its eyes.
“You cannot hurt me with such tricks,” the demon rasped, pulling out a dagger.
The orb went out, but a rock took its place, bulleted at its forehead. There was a loud crack and the ninja went down, just as the other two ninja materialized over the crest of an embankment. Kai ran and the ninjas chased.
“Shian!” he screamed with his lungs, foregoing silent projection since the ninjas were already on his tail.
He picked up another rock and wondered if he should have stopped to retrieve the fallen ninja’s dagger, but it was too late. The foremost ninja caught up and lunged, forcing Kai to make the most of his weapon by delivering a stone to its gut.
He scrambled. The ninjas were too fast and too many. He ducked and rolled to avoid the other ninja’s grab, but could not evade them forever. His legs felt like mush and he was still weak despite his paltry meal.
A ninja tripped him. He tumbled to the ground and the demon pinned him as he screamed in an attempt to unleash chi fire. Instead, there was a whistle and crunch as an arrow shot through the dark ninja’s chest. Kai rolled away to avoid the falling body and saw Li, Xiong, and Shian rushing his way.
The second ninja was still behind him, so he grabbed a handful of dirt and threw it at its face. It was a cheap tactic, but so were three ninjas chasing a kid. Li moved in quick with his sword to down the blinded foe.
Shian rushed to Kai and helped him up.
“Kai, I can’t believe it! How did you escape? Are you okay?”
She hugged him.
“I sure am tired of calling your name,” he said.
“Quite a relief to see you, but where are Lafay and Lau Gong?” Xiong asked, relaxing his bow grip.
“Not far. I think they were sleeping. There’s thirteen dagwais and a zhuk now too. The ninjas were looking for you.”
“Only two ninjas?”
“Three. I knocked one out with a rock. Where’s Hojin? What happened to him?”
“He is safe,” Shian said. “Lafay and Lau Gong used him as a diversion.”
“He is safe for real?”
“Yes.”
Li finished his surveillance and turned back to them, placing a hand on Kai’s head.
“Miraculous to have you back, Kai. Astounding. I don’t know how it’s possible you have come to us out of nowhere, but the story of your escape will have to wait until we are out of this. Are there any other Koon Gee chasing you?”
“No.”
“What now then?” Xiong said. “The tunnel or the Great Wall? They are equal distance.”
“We have been in this land much too long. I fear there is no good choice and enemies will be drawn in from all sides,” Li said.
“Shaolin warriors will be mobilized near the Great Wall, but there will also be Koon Gee encampments between us. We may be able to regroup with the warriors nearer the tunnel, but I hate to retrace our steps. We don’t know what has pulled in from the north.”
“I think the tunnel is the better option. What is your choice?”
“Agreed. The tunnel.”
They looked at Shian.
“Let us regroup with the warriors,” she said. “They are a known quantity.”
Li took out his canteen. “Kai, can you run?”
“Yes—I’m tired though. My legs feel like mush.”
“Have a taste. There is chi water in it. It will liven you.”
Kai took a gulp and licked his lips. “Good. I wish I still had my vial.”
“Let’s move.”
“Wait,” Kai said. He stooped and took a knife and some cutting stars from the ninja. “I’m not making the same mistake twice.”
Storms brewed on the ho
rizon.
“Great,” Xiong said, looking at the hidden patch of a choked sun. “Stuck in the Koon Kagi in both the dark and the rain.”
“There are still a few hours of day left,” Li said. “Let us move quickly while it is dry.”
They ran at length, following their own markings as they double-backed on their trail, eager to be rejoined with their Shaolin friends. But if rain came, much of their handiwork could be washed away.
“Wait, something’s here,” Kai said. He concentrated. “It’s Zedong.”
He flared an orb in the sky. Li was about to protest when Zedong’s orb answered his call.
Tofu’s big head appeared around a boulder, followed by more Shaolin warriors. He rushed to them and lifted Kai.
“Kai, you’re all right! Shoukui, you did it.”
Li looked over the party with concern. “Is that all? Where are the others?”
Tofu put down Kai. “Koon Gee got to us. They’ve been picking us off.”
“How many are you?”
Tofu was unsure and turned to count.
Zedong interrupted. “Sixteen.”
“Sixteen?” Li said. “Thirty-eight were on the mountain.”
“Seven did not make it to the tunnel, either scattered or burned by the dragons. Five more fell to the powder, and one was left to watch them. Two were sent to the Great Wall. And seven more have been taken by the Koon Kagi since then. That leaves sixteen.”
Li sighed. “I see. At least they have not all perished. What is this force that hunts you? How many are there?”
“Unan. And more dagwais and ninjas than I can count.”
Tofu spoke. “They came from the north. We think they were guarding the Dragon Pass.”
“So it is a substantial force.”
“Yeah.”
Li gritted his teeth.
“A defensive guard,” Xiong said. “They must have been put in place to prevent retaliation from Shaolin. The Dragon Pass was a likely path, but now they are drawn out by Kai.”
