The Mark (Chi Warriors Book 1) Read online

  “And they eat a lot too. I already learned that.”

  Wong laughed. “You eat a lot. Maybe you are a sumo.”

  “Han put a whole chicken drumstick in his mouth and when he took it out it was just the bone. I can’t do that.”

  “Not yet.”

  “Where are we going? Why are you carrying that sword?”

  “You’ll see.”

  They reached the outskirts of the village a short while later and spotted a man-made creek. They followed the redirected water to a peculiar looking building, complete with a water wheel and a smoldering chimney stack. There was a large wooden sign with a carving of crossed swords out in front.

  “We’re here,” Wong said.

  “We’re here where? What are we doing?”

  “You’ll see.”

  He entered the room.

  “Whoa,” Kai said.

  A multitude of weapons were on display, filling every corner of available space. On the wall nearest him, hand weapons of varying forms lined the shelves: claws, daggers, short blades, sais, and gauntlets. On the far wall, shiny swords hung on racks, differentiated by length and thickness. Axes, maces, and halberds came next. Further in came bows and arrows.

  Wong could have spent an eternity perusing the shop’s well-crafted contents, but knew that the more unusual weapons lay within. He moved toward an open doorway and looked in.

  Sitting at a table was a man fixated on his work. He was an ordinary man rather than a sumo, and looked to be a little older than Wong. The room he sat in was much larger than the first, stocked with a hearth, metalworking and woodworking equipment, chemicals, vials, and almost anything one needed to make weapons.

  “Ko Hang,” Wong called as he leaned in the doorway.

  The man looked up, startled.

  “Wong! Han told me you were coming by but I was not expecting you until much later!”

  He rushed up excitedly and came over to grasp Wong’s hand.

  “Have a present for you,” Wong said. He tilted the sword-axe into view.

  “What’s that you have there? Wah! A zhuk sword?”

  “This one’s not as clumsy as they used to be. It’s a good weapon for its size. The metalwork is superb. You might want to have a look.”

  Ko Hang took the blade and looked it up and down carefully. He touched the edge to gauge its sharpness, and then flicked the metal with his finger and listened to its ring.

  “The metal is folded, like samurai. Not the same quality, but only the zhuk could attempt it with something this big.” He finally took his eye off the weapon. “You don’t want it?”

  “It’s a little cumbersome for where I’m going.”

  The weaponsmith put on a grave face. “I heard. You found the boy.”

  Wong nodded. He called Kai over from the other room, where he was busy being mesmerized by the hand weapons. He entered.

  “This is the little troublemaker,” Wong said to Ko Hang. He nudged Kai forward. “Kai, this is Ko Hang. Ko Hang is a weaponsmith. He helped make some of my weapons you like so much.”

  “Hi,” Kai said bashfully.

  “Hi, little one,” Ko Hang said cheerfully.

  He took his eye off Kai and refocused it on Wong. “What can I do for you then?”

  “I need to borrow your forge.” He removed his broken cutting chain. “Cutting chain needs a new link. I put in a Yaje silk patch for now, but it bothers me.”

  “I thought you said you were going to replace it all with Yaje silk? That’s still your prototype.”

  “Never got around to it. Works fine. Plus, I didn’t have enough silk. I need to get more.”

  “Oh that’s fine. I can repair it for you then. No sense in wasting your time. I’m sure you have other things to do. Give it to me.”

  Ko Hang took the damaged weapon and hastily handed it to an apprentice along with the zhuk sword.

  He turned back to Wong. “What else? What do you need? Anything. Name it.”

  “Well, what do you have?” Wong said brightly.

  “You’ve seen the display room. They are all high quality. Choose something.”

  “What are you working on over there?” He nodded toward something in the workshop.

  “Ah. It’s not ready yet. Just an experiment. Crystal blades. Very lightweight. Translucent. Sharper than steel. Could be an ideal weapon but it’s still too brittle.”

  “Really? I thought of that once but couldn’t get it to work. Crystal is ideal for channeling chi. Mind if we show Kai? I want him to learn something.”

  “Of course. I could use your opinion on it in fact.”

  He ushered them over to the table. Kai climbed onto a chair and saw several crystal blades.

  Ko Hang picked one up. “This is our first prototype. We took a piece of rare deep-sea crystal and sharpened it with a whetstone and a chemical solution. It grinds the crystal as much as it dissolves it. The result is an ultra sharp blade.”

  He let them examine his work.

  “Wow. That is sharp,” Wong commented.

  “Yes, but what do you think of its application as a weapon?”

  “Hmm.” He shook the blade. “Too light to throw. Could be interesting as a stealth knife, a quick-strike dagger. What do you think, Kai?”

  “Looks nice.”

  Wong smiled. “How strong is it?”

  “Too brittle for battle but I use it to cut sushi. I sold a pair as such.” Ko Hang’s face lit up and he lifted a new blade. “Next we learned how to grow the crystal along a piece of metal to strengthen it. We are still refining the process but the results are promising.”

  He handed it to Wong.

  “Ingenious,” Wong said. He showed it to Kai. “See how much work is needed to design these weapons? This probably took years to research.”

  Kai nodded.

  Wong played with the weight in his hands.

  “I liked the idea of it being lightweight. Maybe you could create a metal skeleton, like veins in a leaf so it isn’t as heavy?”

  “Ahhh! An interesting idea Wong. See, this is why I need you here. Kai, always remember to use your brain. It is not just about strength and skill.”

  “You’ll have to send me a couple if you get it to work. You never disappoint, each time I see you.”

  Ko Hang waved his hand and shrugged off the compliment.

  “So what about now? You haven’t chosen a weapon. I still owe you for the zhuk sword.”

  “Honestly, I already have what I need. Have to travel light. But maybe I could use . . . some poison darts?”

  “Done!”

  Wong looked at Kai’s eager face.

  “What do you have for a little boy who can’t seem to keep out of trouble?”

  Ko Hang smiled. “What did you have in mind?”

  “Nothing that requires a lot of strength. And something he can use from afar.”

  “Ninja stars? Blow dart? A miniature crossbow?”

  “How about something more . . . adventurous. What did you ever do with that needle-spraying gauntlet we designed a while ago?”

  “I actually sold some. Elite guards of a rich noble. Very expensive. I overcharged.” He laughed. “I have one still.”

  He called out to his apprentice, who climbed a ladder and retrieved the weapon from a high shelf. The weapon appeared to be nothing more than a curiously shaped box.

  Ko Hang blew the dust off the top. He opened a compartment and looked inside. “A little dusty but should work fine.”

  He then secured the device with a thick leather strap around Kai’s forearm and a thinner one around his palm.

  “Minor adjustments needed, but not too bad.”

  Kai shook his arm to test it.

  “Come, follow me,” Ko Hang said.

  He brought them t
o a section of the factory where a wooden wall was constructed. A target was marked on it.

  “This area of the shop is for target practice. Pull out the lever on the side of the weapon, Kai.”

  He did as he was instructed.

  “Now pull back on the lever toward your body.”

  Kai tried a couple times but the lever was too tight. He finally got it with a last, exhaustive effort.

  “I may have to gear it down a bit,” Ko Hang said. “Maybe put in a ratcheting system. Now point at the target on the wall and press the button on the top.”

  Kai carefully lined up the gauntlet with the target on the wall.

  “It’s not built for accuracy,” Wong said. “Just tap it quick.”

  “I want to hit the middle,” Kai protested.

  When he was finally satisfied with his aim, he tapped the button with his fist. A snap could be heard within the box and three needles spewed across the gap. They scattered across the board, with one landing near the center of the target.

  Kai jumped up and down. “I hit it! I hit it!”

  Wong grinned. “Nice shot.”

  Kai smirked in satisfaction.

  “Try not to aim at targets much further than that wall,” Wong said. “That’s a good range for accuracy.” He smiled at Ko Hang. “I think he likes it.”

  “It’s fitted with standard issue needles, like the ones in blow darts, so refilling should not be an issue.” He briefly opened a compartment on top that housed the ammunition. “It can hold about forty needles at a time. He should be able to get off a dozen shots no problem. Do you want me to fit it with poison needles?”

  Kai managed to pump the lever and get off another shot. He screamed again in adulation.

  Wong furrowed his eyebrows. “That’s probably not a good idea.”

  The weaponsmith frowned. “Regular needles won’t do much to slow a dagwai though.”

  “It will if he shoots it in the face. Got any better ideas?”

  Ko Hang thought for a second. “Yes, I have just the thing. Follow me.”

  He walked towards a door to an adjoining room. Wong told Kai to stop fidgeting with his gauntlet and follow along.

  They entered an area with plants and animals. A large sliding door opened to the outdoors. In the corner nearest them, a set of cages rested on a table. In one cage slithered a pair of poisonous vipers, in another crawled a spiny-tailed lizard, and in a third hopped numerous bright orange frogs.

  Kai looked wide-eyed at the lizard and frogs, but was frightened by the vipers. Wong’s attention focused on the frogs.

  “Zhi-Do frogs,” he said. “Handy to have around.”

  “The slime on their skin causes temporary paralysis when it enters the bloodstream. We have concentrated it to weapons-grade.”

  “Perfect.” Wong shook his head in approval. “How effective is it?”

  “It depends on how much you use and what you hit. But a single needle in the face will usually knock you out fifteen minutes.”

  “Is it deadly?”

  “If you use enough needles. Very hard to kill someone by accident.”

  “Great idea. We’ll take it. Is that possible?”

  “Of course it’s possible. What else?”

  “The needle gauntlet is plenty.”

  “Nothing more? Then how about a tour of the shop for Kai?”

  “That would be great. Lead the way.”

  After Ko Hang gave them a tour of his facility, he sat with Wong for a cup of tea to catch up on things while the shop’s apprentice taught Kai how to operate and reload the needle gauntlet. Kai eagerly accepted the lesson, thrilled at the weapon’s complexity. His new device seemed as unique as any of Wong’s.

  Ko Hang filled Wong’s cup with a kettle taken from the hearth of his weapons forge.

  “This is a special brew. Yenchi leaves. No one else can make it that hot.”

  “Aren’t Yenchi leaves toxic?”

  “Not when brewed this hot!”

  Wong took a sip apprehensively and found the flavor unique, but decided it was one of those things where the concept was more impressive than the actual results. Only Ko Hang would think of brewing Yenchi leaves inside a super-heated kettle.

  “Interesting.”

  “So what is your plan from here?” Ko Hang asked.

  “I’m not sure yet. Probably fight our way to the temple.”

  “Things are bad, aren’t they?”

  “Yeah.”

  After a brief pause, Ko Hang spoke again in a somewhat apprehensive voice.

  “You know, I can use some of my weapons pretty good now . . . I could come along with you.”

  Wong considered it thoughtfully. “When your father took me in many years ago to teach me weaponsmithing, he was like a father to me too. I will not disgrace his memory by needlessly killing his son.”

  “You would do the same for me, why should I not do the same for you?”

  “You’re not a warrior, Ko Hang, and that’s what I like about you. With you, it was never about the Shaolin Temple, the Koon Gee, or prophecies. It was just about making weapons, having fun, and living a simple life.”

  “It’s funny you think making weapons means a fun and simple life. Not many would agree.”

  Wong smiled. “Not many are as enlightened.”

  Ko Hang laughed.

  Han entered the room.

  “Aha! I thought I’d find you here,” he said. “Sorry to disturb you.” He greeted Ko Hang and readdressed Wong. “You are needed at the manor. We have a visitor.”

  Something in Han’s voice hinted at urgency, so Wong put down his cup of tea, half-glad he didn’t have to drink it all.

  “I guess our afternoon tea will have to be cut short.”

  “It’s fine, it’s fine,” Ko Hang said. “Shaolin duties. Very important.”

  Wong thanked Ko Hang for his help, who in turn gave him a set of poison darts. He also vowed to have the cutting chain fixed and the needle gauntlet altered for Kai by the next morning, even if it meant working through the night.

  “I can come with you if you want,” Ko Hang offered again.

  “Don’t worry,” Wong said, “I have beefy here to watch my back.”

  Han grunted.

  “Thanks for coming by,” Ko Hang said.

  Wong nodded. “I had to. You’re the only real friend I have left to say goodbye to.”

  Ko Hang watched them walk away. Fully aware of the prophecy and the danger they were in, he wished he could do more. If he were a warrior like Wong, he would fight alongside them, but as fate would have it, he made the weapons instead of fighting with them.

  He turned back into his workshop, setting out to do what he did best.

  17

  TAE WOKE UP from a long slumber with an uneasy feeling. Her heart was beating fast for fear that she had slept too deeply, but looking around at the elegant room, the feeling of smooth silk sheets against her skin, her heart rate began to subside. She remembered now. She was no longer on a lake surrounded by Koon Gee. She was safe in the house of Han, within the protected borders of Guilin.

  Outside it was dark and raining. An occasional rumble of thunder could be heard in the distance, with each new boom drawing progressively close. Tae wondered how long she had been asleep; it was sunny that morning and cloudy just before going to bed. She guessed it was early evening, but couldn’t be sure because of the heavy cloud cover. While she wanted to get out of bed, she remained still and listened to the calming patter of the rain. How fortunate they were that the rain didn’t come a day earlier, when they were still walking through the forest.

  Rolling over, she let her mind wander. Worry filled her thoughts as she wondered about what was happening back home. What kind of trouble were they in? Had more villages been sacked since they left? Or ha
d the danger passed and followed them to Guilin as Wong suggested? She could go back and find out. After all, she had only promised to help get Kai to Guilin and that had been accomplished. They didn’t need her anymore, especially with an entire army at their disposal. What difference would she make now?

  Something gnawed at her still. She thought about all that had been said at their last meal. More was going on than she knew about. She read it in the words and faces of Wong and Han. There was something cryptic about the way they talked to each other, something that made her feel like they were hiding something terrible.

  What more could there be?

  The more she thought about it, the more she felt like she would be turning her back on them if she left. If entire armies of Koon Gee hunted Kai, how could she leave him now? Wong probably didn’t think twice about risking his life to save the boy. The entire world was being turned upside down and there was more at stake than the safety and comfort of Shunnan. It all revolved around Kai and the thought of it saddened her.

  A sharp crackle of thunder boomed overhead and snapped her out of her pensive state. A heavy downpour ensued. The storm front that brought the precipitation had approached abnormally fast, even for the swift moving fronts that were customary that time of year—an ominous sign for the times ahead.

  Tae reluctantly crawled out of bed, dressed, and left the room.

  The house was unusually quiet except for the sound of rain hitting the roof. There was no one in sight. She walked down a main corridor and caught the eye of a busy attendant as he hurried about his daily chores. After inquiring about Han and Wong’s whereabouts, she was directed toward the back of the manor and out the door.

  Han stood on the porch, sheltered from the rain by the cover of an overhang. On the yard in front of him, two men fought. Although the rain and mud made it hard to see clearly, she could tell one of them was Wong. His fighting style was unique—from quick and sharp attacks to the occasional exaggerated movement—she recognized it all.

  “Just a friendly spar,” Han said.

  Tae approached the sumo, took a place by his side, and watched. She noted that Wong’s opponent was extremely skilled, being slightly taller with the ability to fight him to a standstill. They were both soaked from head to toe.