by Ino Lee
“How is the base?”
“In shambles. As long as they keep sending troops and losing more soldiers than us, it serves a purpose.”
“I hope your strategy works.”
Tengfei refocused on his sembu gift and dipped a finger in the bottle for a taste. His face contorted.
“Bad?” Xiong asked.
“The creature secretes this for a reason. If it were to taste good, there wouldn’t be many sembu slugs left.” He pointed at a nearby cup. “Tea with honey. It’s cold now, but I can drink it with that.”
“Ah. Good idea.” Xiong passed the cup.
Tengfei started to mix his concoction. “How was it that you were able to get fresh sembu slime? Is it safe to assume the magaus are well on their way?”
“Jaguan and Wong should already be on horseback as we speak. Carriages are being readied to transport a strike force of their most skilled tree warriors.”
“How many?”
“Two hundred and fifty.”
“I thought you said their most skilled warriors. That is more than half their population.”
“Turns out when you’ve been hunted to near extinction by the Koon Gee, everyone is a skilled warrior.”
“Fair point. But will it be enough to overtake Tiger Nest?”
Xiong shrugged. He peered out the window, his go-to move whenever in deep thought.
“It has to be. Every demon that makes it through Tanjin will cause exponential harm in Hanai. The only sure way to protect the mainland is to secure the island. We must regain Tiger Nest.”
Tengfei sniffed his brew uncertainly. “You avoided my question. Regaining the stronghold is necessary, but can we do it?”
“The dark ninjas use magaus to train in the forest.” He pointed at the trees. “They release one of these creatures, and it takes many dark ninjas to hunt them down. They are better than ninjas in the trees.” He turned back from the window. “They are better than our rangers.”
“So you are confident?”
Xiong laughed. “Not at all. Maybe if we had five hundred magaus. This is why we must continue to siphon troops away from Tiger Nest. This is why I need you well again.”
Tengfei stared into his cup. “Are the rangers prepared for the magaus? Are the magaus prepared?”
“If we take back Tiger Nest, everything will work itself out.”
“How long do I have?”
“We meet at Tiger Nest two days from now.”
Tengfei raised his cup. “To good health then.”
He gulped down the concoction and his eyes welled with tears.
25
THE SMALL SHOP was cluttered with a collection of woven items: mats, baby slings, handbags, hats—all expertly crafted and composed of various textures and colors, hanging on walls and bunched up in pretty displays on the tables. The most notable items were the handbags, which took up the entire side of one wall. Each bag contained a charming knit picture in the center, like that of the sun, a pig, or an owl, giving the merchandise a distinctive element unique to the store.
Zougou held up a handbag with a picture of a black cat sewn in, and compared it to another. This one had a little bird for a centerpiece, but the likeness between the two was unmistakable. The material and pattern of the intricate stitching were the same. He shot Taesuk a knowing look.
“Can I help you?” the storekeeper said.
Taesuk and Zougou gave her their full attention, dressed elegantly in plainclothes rather than their official Biyan uniforms.
Taesuk spoke in an extra friendly voice. “Did you make all these handbags?”
“Yes. They are all mine.”
“Oh my, you are so skilled. We have been looking for this store for days.” He grabbed the handbag from Zougou and showed it to her. “Do you recognize this one?”
The storekeeper nodded. “Yes. I made that one years ago and sold it to a girl, who was here just yesterday looking for a new one. One specifically with a black cat.”
“Really?” Taesuk said. He exchanged glances again with Zougou and tried to contain his excitement. “Did she say why?”
“She said she lost her old one.” A flash of suspicion crossed her face. “Why—do you have it?”
“She didn’t say why?”
“No.”
Taesuk groaned. “You see, that is a difficult thing to explain. My daughter hosted a party and invited this girl. It seems many of her friends admired this handbag, so she took it. I am so ashamed. You know how girls that age are, fighting over such material things.”
“Oh my.”
“She has been punished, I assure you that, but now I must make restitution and I do not have all the details. My daughter’s lip has been tight. She is afraid she will lose all her friends once everyone finds out, and has been crying ever since. Do you know the girl’s name or where I can find her?”
“No. But I think she lives in the neighborhood. She stops by now and then to look at new things.”
“Anything else you can tell me about her? I still don’t know who it is.”
The shopkeeper thought carefully. “She’s come in before with a couple other kids. I see them running around the streets here. A little rough looking. Not very interested in the things here. She kicked them out of the store because they were causing trouble and said not to ruin it for her. She seems like a very nice kid.”
“This girl,” Zougou said. He partially raised a hand. “Was she little like this?” He lifted it higher. “Or more like this?”
“The taller one. Does that help?”
“It does.”
“If you want, I can hold the bag here in case she comes back and just say someone returned it.”
“Thank you,” Taesuk said. “But my daughter must face up to what she’s done. I’d prefer it if you didn’t mention we were here, in fact.”
“Sure . . .” The shopkeeper looked uncertain. Taesuk understood her concern over leaving it up to him to return the lost bag.
He thought fast. “I’d like to buy the bag we were just looking at.”
“The one with the little bird?”
“Uh . . . yes. I’d also like to buy a handbag for each one of my daughter’s friends so they don’t have to fight over such nonsense anymore.” He looked at Zougou. “How many do you think we need?”
Zougou looked caught off-guard. “Umm . . . nine should do?”
“A dozen, just in case,” Taesuk said.
The shopkeeper’s eyes twinkled.
Taesuk dropped a few gold coins on the table between them.
“I need them to look all the same so they are equal. No more fighting. Is this enough?”
The shopkeeper took them eagerly without further negotiation. “That will do. What picture would you like on them?”
“Whatever you suggest.”
“Girls like butterflies?”
“Perfect. But remember, this is a surprise. If this girl comes back, do not mention we were here. If she needs a new handbag, take it out of my payment but don’t tell her why. Give it to her as a gift. If she finds out what happened with my daughter before we can properly deal with it, I will have to cancel my order. Do you understand?”
“I won’t mention it.”
“She can’t be suspicious, or I will not be happy. I have many other daughters with many other birthdays, but I will not come back if this does not go well. Do you understand?”
“You were never here.”
26
FOUR HORSES TROTTED gracefully across the Great Wall, the clack of their hooves sounding against the stone in a high-pitched rhythmic beat. Occasionally they heard shouts of greeting from soldiers manning the sides of the road or from the windows and terraces of towers as they passed beneath them. Travel was quick and unfettered; they had already switched horses several times to keep
up the pace with fresh legs.
Renshu was especially uncomfortable, having never ridden a horse before. The horses, in turn, were unfamiliar with the scent of magaus, and would have proved unruly if not for Jaguan’s animal skills and calming hand. Though Renshu would have rather joined the other magaus on carriage, he pushed ahead with Jaguan, Wong, and Aiying in order to reach Shandong early; the wonder of the endless brickwork and construction was enough to distract him from his discomfort.
They reached the central bastion of the Great Wall just as the sun was setting. The fortress was the largest structure on the Wall, several floors taller than the Wall itself, with numerous parapets and archery stations. Han stood at the base where it joined the top of the Great Wall and greeted them with a wide grin. He wore shiny samurai armor, which extended his girth and made him seem larger than usual. Wong had not seen the sumo in quite some time and sensed something different about him. It wasn’t just his size or the armor—it was his look and the way he carried himself, something that seemed almost regal. Jaguan mentioned that Han had become Wall Commander and was exceedingly beloved by the soldiers, but he hadn’t processed it till now. Manning the Wall, commanding the soldiers, and holding back the Koon Gee all that time must have had an effect on the sumo.
They dismounted. Renshu breathed a loud sigh of relief and stretched his muscles, even curling his tail and then straightening it. Wong approached Han, his colorful stave at his back and collection of masks at his sides. Han sensed something different about him, too. When he had last seen Wong, he was living outside the Shaolin Temple and appeared as a shadow of himself, distant and broken. He was leaner now, and dirty, but healthy, raw, and—most importantly—he seemed present. The tale of his chi turning fully dark had been told before, but the sumo wasn’t sure what to expect of him now.
“Greetings, old friend,” Han said.
Wong arched a brow and studied his suit. He rapped it with his stave and listened to the ring.
“Did Ko-Hang do this?”
Han nodded. “He said only the best for the Great Wall Commander.”
“Shiny.”
“He said I should be a beacon of hope.”
“You look like a giant ham stewing in a shiny kettle.”
“You look like a dirty woodland creature.”
They laughed and hugged awkwardly.
“You do look kingly, though,” Wong said.
“You seem different, too.”
“Yeah, I’m a demon now.”
“No. When I saw you last you were a demon. Now you seem your old self.”
“Is that better or worse?”
“Pfft,” Renshu interjected. “Worse.”
“Pardon my manners,” Wong said, gesturing at the magau. “But this is Renshu, king of the magaus.” He turned back to Han. “Renshu, this is Han, king of the Great Wall.”
Han bowed. “An honor to have you on the Wall.” He did the same to Jaguan and finally, to Aiying. “Good to have you back. I thought we lost you.”
“As did I,” Aiying said. “Good to be here.”
“Shaolin is eager to see you. Actually, Shaolin is eager to see you all. There have been developments. There is much to discuss.”
The Beacon Chamber was on the top floor of Shandong and contained many open, gated windows. Inside resided a chi pool that was approximately the same size as the one in Yaje Piau and could fit four or five adults at once. Wong decided to sit away, on the staircase to a lower floor where the thick stone floors better shielded him from the pool’s effects; its radiant energy made him dizzy, a by-product of his lo-shur abilities. Renshu seemed largely unaffected, reacting to the passive light energy differently than the spirits, despite being a creature of dark chi.
An old monk and caretaker of the pool stood by with a great white staff. Jaguan approached her.
“Shoukoo,” she said, bowing. “The pool is ready for your command. This has also been awaiting your return from the Koon Kagi.”
She handed him the Monk Staff of Shaolin. Jaguan felt strengthened upon wielding it, having left it behind because the danger of losing it while traveling alone in the Koon Kagi was too great.
“This will serve me well in Tanjin,” Jaguan said. “Thank you.”
They gathered around the pool and Jaguan waved the staff over the water, causing the surface to flash white temporarily. Soon the image of Grandmaster Gao and Elder Woo appeared, looking through from the Infinity Pool on the other side.
“It’s good to see you, Jaguan,” Gao said. “I see you have brought—”
Suddenly ripples formed in the water and Gao’s voice became garbled.
“Don’t touch the water,” Jaguan said.
Renshu retracted a curious hand. Wong chuckled from the stairway, remembering that Kai done the same thing the first time he saw chi water imagery.
“Sorry,” Renshu said.
“Magau king,” Gao said. “This is an odd alliance, don’t you think? But let us see one another eye to eye and come to an understanding.”
“And who . . . are you?”
“I am Grandmaster Gao and this is Elder Woo.”
“Think of them as Yimae,” Jaguan whispered.
Elder Woo leaned in and looked closer.
“Odd indeed,” Renshu said.
“I suppose such times call for unusual measures,” Gao said. “As long as we can trust one another.”
“A magau is most trustworthy. I trust Wong. I trust Jaguan. If you keep their word I shall trust you, too.”
“Jaguan’s word carries the weight of the temple. Your agreement will be upheld. Help us secure Tanjin and it will become your sanctuary.”
“A sanctuary free of rule?”
“Yours to defend as you see fit. We would hope that our strategies align, but we will not rule your people. You will not be able to secure the island on your own, so we must work together. And I use the word sanctuary liberally. Make no mistake—it is no safe haven.”
“It will be earned.”
“Good, then. We have an understanding.”
“If I might interrupt, Grandmaster,” Jaguan said. “What is the state of Jini, since we are on topic?”
“Han may have the more up-to-date information.”
“Stable for now,” Han said. “Minor confrontations. Xiong believes the Koon Gee are waiting for this unan push before launching their next major offensive, which may happen soon, now that the magaus have left the Koon Kagi.”
“We will beat them there,” Jaguan said. “They may not yet know that we’ve left and the magaus are already on carriage. The strike force is on schedule to hit Tanjin at noon, the day after next.”
“Regaining control of the island is critical,” Gao said. “For the future of Tanjin and for Hanai. I do not need to convince you of this, but it is more dire than you may believe.”
Jaguan grew worried at his tone. “Grandmaster? Have there been developments?”
“There is one thing that is concerning. It may require the audience of Aiying. Is she there?”
Aiying perked up and stepped to the foreground. She had kept back, afraid that the chi pool would make her dizzy like Wong, since she had been possessed for so long, but the radiant energy did not hurt her.
“Grandmaster,” she said. “I am here.”
“Aiying, dear child. We thought you lost. Never before have we recovered one possessed after such time. Your intel may prove to be the turning point for us in this war.”
“You can thank Wong. He brought me back.”
“Where is he?” Elder Woo asked.
“The chi pool keeps him at bay,” Jaguan said.
Elder Woo felt foolish for forgetting. “Oh, yes.”
“The reason I called you is the hope that you may know more of an alliance between the Koon Gee and a ninja clan embedded in Hanai,�
� Gao said. “One called the Poisoned Blood. They disguise themselves as tonkaijas.”
Wong shifted on the stairs.
Aiying shook her head. “No. I have not heard of such a thing, but there was talk of planting a dark seed there.”
“What more can you tell us?”
“Nothing about this clan. But I know the Tonkai. I was once disguised as a tonkaija and assigned to Tanjin. They are more dangerous and ambitious than you think.”
“What do you mean?”
“There are three factions of power in the Koon Kagi: the lo-shur, unan, and Tonkai. The lo-shur have the Citadel of Spirits and are at the top, but are limited, too reliant on chi water to mobilize on their own. The unan have the Temple of Masks and are content to stay there. But the Tonkai, they have no place except to be used as pawns in Tanjin.”
“Is there discontentment?” Jaguan asked, never having fully understood the social dynamics of the Koon Gee.
“I wouldn’t say that. I was possessed, remember, and it’s unlikely the Tonkai would share those sentiments with a lo-shur. The details are a blur, but I do remember there being ambition. Ambition for power. Ambition to have a place of their own. I do believe they mean to retain Tanjin and turn Hanai into the new battleground, and if it takes an alliance with this Poisoned Blood clan to accomplish this, then they would be overjoyed.”
They were quiet for a while.
“I see why the Tonkai would ally with this clan,” Jaguan said. “But treachery from humans? To what ends?”
Houzon’s head popped up from the stairwell; Wong wore the mask as a barrier to the pool.
“The Poisoned Blood clan is the worst in all of Hanai.”
They turned to him.
“They worship blood and poison and darkness as if it were a religion. I do not know what they would have to gain by betraying humanity, but in retrospect, this union was almost inevitable. I should have thought of this possibility and feared it more.”
“Why?”
“Don’t you see? There is a reason the Koon Gee have pressed so hard to eliminate us from the Koon Kagi. They feared my presence there. They feared a magau alliance with Shaolin because they were doing the very same thing with the Poisoned Blood. This was not sudden. This has been in the works for years.”
