The Mark (Chi Warriors Book 1) Read online

  36

  THE POOL BUBBLED and the air stirred around him. A buzz filled the room and vibrated within its walls. Lo-shur spirits hovered overhead, circling and working some unknown magic.

  Kai was oblivious to it all, locked in a peaceful and dreamlike trance. He retreated within his mind and shut himself from the world. From where he was, there was perfect silence. The faintest glimmer of light filled his eyes. When he first awoke in the mysterious chamber, he was tired and disoriented. Voices filled his head and clouded his thoughts. At times he thought he would black out, but he soon learned to focus within. He would not let the lo-shur enter his mind. The voices were silenced and his mind had cleared, safe behind a mental wall.

  A multitude of soothing thoughts and images comforted him. He thought of his mother and father, warm nights by the fire, and the smell of freshly baked taro buns. He clung to the memory of a good night’s sleep in his bed under the comfort and safety of a simpler time. His mind shifted to more recent events and he found solace there too. Breath-taking views of the Stone Forest danced in his head, outdone only by the sensation of flying across the Yangtzhu River while suspended on strands of silk. He recalled Ko Hang’s workshop and the magnificent vials and instruments used to create his vast array of weaponry. And most importantly, he thought of all the new friends gained along the way, who risked their lives to protect his. They would not let him down.

  He focused on Wong. Where was he now? He had to find him. He stretched out his senses like Wong had once taught him in the forest, pushing his mind beyond the confines of the room to a place beyond.

  A distinct, oncoming presence could be felt, like a tidal wave that was about to hit. He was unsure of what it was, but he could only think of one thing: Wong was on his way.

  The lo-shur whispered strategy, frustrated and confused. They could not breach Kai’s mind and debated on a new course of action. Some suggested they wait it out, that the boy would weaken in time, but others argued his mind grew more resistant instead. Perhaps they could knock him unconscious again and hope for better results a second time. Or perhaps they could deprive him of sleep and wear him out.

  One lo-shur brought up the possibility of using a special poison. It was potent enough to sufficiently weaken him, but was the risk of killing him too great? Perhaps it was better, they reasoned, if the boy was killed and the threat eliminated completely.

  No, not yet, they agreed. The boy, small and alone as he was, did not constitute much of a threat. Their control over him was relatively secure after all; he was held captive in a room full of lo-shur, in a fortress brimming with Koon Gee. Soon they would move him to the homeland, and once there, they would have all the time in the world to experiment on him. They needed to determine the extent of his power and understand what made him so special. If they killed him now, another threat would eventually come along, but if they controlled and harnessed his abilities, they would be able to use his power for decades.

  When all was said and done the question still remained: How could they break the boy?

  A dark ninja entered the room relayed an alarming message—someone approached Kai. The lo-shur were displeased and sent the ninja away, demanding that the intruder be stopped. Plans to possess Kai would have to wait. They decided upon a new plan of action and scattered.

  Kai was not sure how long he remained locked inside his protective trance before he began to come out of it. He was being drawn out by a familiar voice, one that softly called to him over and over again. It spoke in a warm and friendly tone unlike the harsher one used by Han.

  His vision slowly came into focus and he began to see the outlines of the figure that called to him. Long black hair identified her. It was Tae.

  37

  LI TRACKED HAN down a number of passageways while maintaining his distance and trying to remain undetected. The sumo was eager to protect the pool and moved quickly at first, but had now begun to slow. They were probably getting close, causing him to approach more cautiously than before.

  Gradually, the sumo’s footsteps tapered off until they became scattered and inconsistent; he was careful with each step, moving several paces at a time before stopping again. He was undoubtedly suspicious and listening for him, waiting for him to make a sound that would give away his position. Then Han stopped completely.

  Li froze. The short time that passed seemed like an eternity. Still Han did not move.

  The first thing that came to his mind was that Han had reached the radiance pool and was now guarding it, though he knew the demon was too smart to have led him within plain sight. A more likely scenario was that Han had detected him following and waited in ambush. Whatever the reason, he was wasting time deliberating about it. His goal was to find the radiance pool, and Han had pointed him in the right direction. He would avoid him if he could, but knew this was not possible. So he accepted the inevitable and took a step forward. He would face Han again.

  He walked resolutely, without attempting to mask or soften his steps. It was a declaration that he approached unafraid. Han, for his part, remained silent and stood still. When Li finally got close enough to see his eyes, Han, according to protocol, stared back at him blankly.

  Li stopped at a safe distance and surveyed the surroundings. Han stood in the middle of an open area, at the crossroads of two intersecting passageways. This was a problem, because the path to the radiance pool was unclear. It could either be directly ahead or to the left or right on the adjoining passageway.

  Han’s deep voice broke the silence. “What foolish games do you play?”

  “One we’ve played before. Release him!”

  The light orb flared. Li attempted to reach Han’s spirit but could sense little of it. Unlike their first encounter, the demon did not flinch and remained in perfect control. He withdrew the orb without trying harder, already finding what he needed to know. The demon’s control over Han was stronger than ever. This meant that they had indeed moved closer to the radiance pool, and judging by the degree of the demon’s power, they were not far.

  Unamused, Han flaunted his mace and spoke more deliberately.

  “Let us finish this now. I grow weary of this endless chase.”

  “You should not be so eager for your own demise, demon.”

  “And you will give it to me?”

  “I will.”

  Han smirked. “And this body with me?”

  Li smirked back. “Not when I reach the radiance pool and destroy it.”

  Han stopped smiling. Li could tell his words struck a chord, and for a moment, a look of concern flinched across the demon’s normally expressionless face. It happened quickly and was barely noticeable, but Li could not miss it—Han’s head shifted slightly toward the right and then back again. The demon immediately realized its mistake; it had given away the direction of the radiance pool. Before it had a chance complete its thought, Li began charging down the lane.

  “Clever man,” Han grumbled.

  Li sprang onto the side of the wall and propelled off it to gain height and vary the angle of his attack. The Sword of Shaolin seared hot white in the darkness.

  Han barely lifted his war mace in time to block an explosive attack that never came. Instead, Li withdrew his weapon at the last moment and rolled past him and onto the floor. Han pursued with several swipes but it was too late. Li had already jumped away, making for the passageway that his eyes had unintentionally given away.

  The Shoukui ran forward warily, unsure of what to expect next. He heard Han’s footsteps thundering behind him and feared the passage would come to an end. It did not, but instead he was faced with another challenge as the path ahead ended and split perpendicularly. He could either go left or the right on the adjoining passageway and it was doubtful Han would oblige him with another answer.

  The intersecting wall loomed large. He drew close to the end and still could not decide. Several wafts
of air hit the back of his neck as the dark sumo swung his mace in an attempt to dislodge his head.

  An idea emerged.

  Li sped up slightly, drew Han close, and flashed the light orb blindingly behind him. He then cut sharply right as the path ended. A thunderous collision ensued. The blinded sumo’s momentum carried him straight into the wall. Clumps of earth fell from the ceiling, and dirt and debris kicked up around him, shrouding him from view. Li looked back at the devastation and hoped it would buy him some time.

  Nothing could be seen and he distanced himself further. Hopefully, he would run into the radiance pool with enough time to destroy it before Han caught up to him.

  The corridor ahead was devoid of wall lanterns and turned pitch black. Li shed light on it. His heart sank when he realized that the path was not one cloaked in darkness, but one that simply ended. He had no choice but to investigate; he could not turn back and there was no other path he could take.

  Reaching the end, he looked around. The walls were rugged and wide, forming a small nook. It looked as though a room had once been planned there but was abandoned in its early stages. He could hear Han rampaging toward him and saw no way out. The idea of fighting in close quarters was unappealing and he desperately needed a plan.

  Perhaps he could expand upon his previous trick, he decided. He closed his eyes and focused, and the Sword of Shaolin sparked to life. He jumped from wall to wall in the small enclosure and propelled his way to the ceiling. On his way back down, he laid precision cuts through the structure with a series of energy slices. At the bottom, he snuffed out the light orb and waited.

  “I pray this works,” he whispered.

  The sumo stormed closer. Li uneasily held his ground. Standing still while Han charged was more difficult to do than he imagined; he likened the feeling to that of standing at the bottom of a hill while a giant boulder rolled down it.

  Han finally barreled into the nook with Li backed up against the wall, appearing cornered and helpless. The sumo cocked his war mace and lunged, smashing his weapon through rock when Li dodged. The blow caused the walls to crack along the newly laid incisions and the entire structure began to collapse.

  The Shoukui delivered a drop-kick to keep Han under the falling debris and flipped away safely. Han groaned and disappeared under the rubble. The earth settled and no movement could be seen.

  “That should hold you for a while longer,” Li said.

  He turned and ran back the other way, moving past the debris from Han’s earlier collision and continuing on.

  Rough patches of rock and earth smoothed over to modestly manicured stone. The condition of the hallways improved and made Li believe he was headed toward a more integral part of the complex. He came across another perpendicular intersection and turned left, reasoning that choosing right earlier had led him to a dead end.

  A hallway with several doorways appeared. He sighed, wishing that the path to the radiance pool would be more clear-cut. He moved in quickly to investigate.

  He opened the first door. Directly in front of him stood a rack full of weapons; sword blades and ax heads glinted from the hallway lanterns. He flared the light orb.

  Several more racks of weapons were exposed, but those that hung were not of humans. They were blades carried by dagwais and dark ninjas, while the human ones lay in a pile on the floor. Though he was pressed for time, he stepped inside and figured he could spare a moment to pick up something useful. He passed up various swords and spears since his weapon was far superior, but quickly scavenged a throwing knife that was lying atop the human stash. He ignored the ninja daggers that hung openly on the shelves since using a Koon Gee weapon was too unsavory a thought for him.

  The next room was a large storage room that contained supplies used in the upkeep of the stronghold. Shovels, digging tools, ropes, barrels, and crates were scattered about. The corner of the room contained a stockpile of torch and lantern supplies that drew his interest; a bladder of lantern oil seemed like it could come in handy—it even contained a convenient carrying strap. Li grabbed it and moved on.

  He opened a third door, growing slightly impatient. The room was lined with cots. Something stirred in the one nearest him and he instinctively pulled the door back to limit the light that entered. He held his breath with the realization that he had stumbled upon soldiers’ quarters filled with dark ninjas. The soldiers were probably sleeping there until their next shift arrived.

  He closed the door and wondered how many more ninjas slept in each of the remaining rooms. He quietly moved down the hallway, deciding not to open any more doors.

  Ahead he found another dead-end. He stopped to think. Something didn’t feel right about the location. It didn’t make sense for the radiance pool to be hidden in a room next to sleeping soldiers and tunnel supplies. Though he wasn’t sure of what he was looking for, he did expect something more significant. He headed back the other way, deciding not to waste any more time.

  The hall began to widen and several exposed rooms appeared on either side of him, but no radiance pool could be seen. Still, he felt better about his choice of direction. He glanced behind for signs of Han.

  Stairways ahead presented him with another decision. One set of stairs led upward, while the other led down below. Judging by the current of fresh air that wafted down the staircase, he believed the upward staircase opened to the surface.

  His first instinct was to take the stairs downwards, into a deeper, darker place where the pool would be better protected and harder to find. But after some consideration, he reasoned that the effects of the pool would have been too contained underneath a mountain of rock, similar to what they experienced with the quor mine on Kai. Nearer to the surface, its supernatural effects would extend much further, something desirable to the lo-shur so far outside the Koon Kagi. So he made his decision and took the staircase leading up.

  The stairs were large and wide enough to fit at least four people standing side by side. The first set of steps brought him to a landing that turned left onto another set of stairs. That set of stairs turned left again and onto another landing that led to even more stairs. Curious, he moved to the edge and peered up the main shaft of the staircase, seeing that it corkscrewed him upward in such a fashion for some time.

  He climbed it with increasing trepidation and began to sense something ominous. The old wooden planks creaked beneath each footstep, announcing his approach to whatever listened at the top. On his final set of stairs, he slowed his pace to a crawl, partly to regain his breath, and partly to maintain caution. He raised his sword.

  The sky opened up before him. Moonlight hit his face and fresh air filled his lungs. He climbed out of the caverns and into a giant crater on top of the mountain.

  Rock walls lined the hollow twenty feet high. A scattering of trees could be seen on the perimeter while the center was cleared away. The previous occupants probably used the space for outdoor training, ceremonies, and morning meditations, but what stood out the most to Li was the radiance pool that glowed on the far side of it.

  38

  MORTAR AND ROCK came together, forming a circular well several feet above the ground. Somewhere on the bottom of the radiance pool would be a mark, much like the mark on Kai’s arm in that it would have been placed there by a lo-shur, but unlike Kai’s in that it was visible to the naked eye. Water from the heart of the Koon Kagi would be used to fill it and give it power. While the water allowed lo-shur to bind to their hosts, the mark radiated its effects. Together they worked hand in hand; one could not function without the other.

  All Li had to do to nullify the radiance pool’s effects was to smash the container and drain it, or disturb the mark on the bottom. He could also purify it by submerging his sword in long enough, but destroying it seemed the easier task.

  Standing in his way was Han, who blocked the path to the pool and silently watched with the same expressionless l
ook Li had become all too familiar with. Behind him and offset to either side knelt the silhouettes of two figures—one small and the other many times larger. Though it was difficult to see by the moonlight and the purplish glow of the radiance pool, Li could tell they were the outlines of a zhuk kwai and a dark ninja. He could not tell if they had been mutated with black spirit, but instinct told him they were.

  Han spoke. “Is this what you seek, Shoukui?”

  “It is.” He tore off his black ninja garb to expose his white temple clothing.

  Han laughed loudly. “You dress for your funeral.”

  He held up his hand and his comrades rose from their positions. Li examined their outlines and then glanced around them, taking in the field of battle. This would be his toughest battle yet, and he wasn’t sure he could win it even if his brother was still at his side.

  “This sword has recently charred lo-shur flesh,” Li said. He pointed his weapon. “Yours can be next.”

  “Kill him!” Han shouted, motioning his comrades forward.

  The silhouettes raced toward him. The zhuk moved out in front while the ninja jumped onto its shoulder from behind, attacking him as a single unit.

  Li raised his sword defensively, unsure of what to do in the face of such an onslaught. He knew he was no match for them. His best chance would be to evade them until he could reach the pool.

  A buzzing sound warned him of danger. He ducked and flipped to the side as ninja stars flew by, raising his blade to deflect two more. He fled toward the trees on the outskirts of the crater for cover. Though sparse, they would offer him better protection than an open field.

  As he ran, he turned and held out his hand. The light orb flickered and dissipated quickly, shedding light on his pursuers’ faces. From the brief flash, Li confirmed his suspicions. Their eyes were pitch black.