by Cindy Lin
The Rat Heir stood knee deep in the water at the shore, where he was anchoring several lengths of bamboo in various thicknesses, floating them in place on the lake’s surface. “Want to try running across these poles? I think they’re going to improve everyone’s balance.”
“We saw something in the Mirror of Elsewhere!” Tora blurted. “The Tigress is alive!”
Goru stopped stomping, his mouth agape. Several rocks Rana was moving rolled back into the trench as she turned and stared. Nezu let go of a bamboo pole, which began to drift away.
“What in the name of the Twelve are you talking about?” he demanded. “What were you doing with the Mirror of Elsewhere?”
Usagi shook her head. “That’s not important. What matters is that we both saw the Tigress in it. Tora’s right—Horangi’s not dead.”
Dumbfounded, Nezu stared at them, then at the Tigress’s Nest. He started to speak, then sloshed out of the water, not bothering to dry himself off. Leaving a trail of wet footprints, he hurried to the main part of the shrine compound, followed close behind by Usagi and the others. In the Great Hall, he went straight to the chest of Treasures and yanked out the Mirror of Elsewhere. He gazed into it, his back turned to the rest of them. After an agonizing silence, Usagi heard a tiny sniffle. “Great glorious ghosts,” said Nezu. He rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand. “That really is the Tigress.”
“Does the mirror ever lie?” asked Rana.
Nezu shook his head. “No, the Mirror is a window—it shows what’s happening elsewhere, just as that poem says.” He pointed to the scroll hanging above the chest. “That’s not to say the window always gives a clear view. It’s possible to mistake what you see for something else.” At that, Usagi couldn’t resist a sidelong glance at Tora, but her friend’s gaze was fixed on Nezu.
Frowning, he tugged at his upper lip. “But who else could that be but Horangi? I asked to see her, and there she is. If someone’s dead, the mirror won’t show them alive and moving—no matter how much you wish it.”
“She might be at the Palace of the Clouds still,” Usagi told him. “When I asked where she was, the mirror showed what looked like a prison, and then the palace compound.”
Goru straightened and snapped his fingers. “The Sunburst! It’s the lockup where people are taken when they displease the Dragonlord. He built it in an isolated corner of the palace grounds. I remember coming across it when I was looking for a way out.”
“Sunburst?” said Nezu. “A rather pretty name for a lockup.”
Goru shuddered. “Pretty grim is what it is. It’s named after the shape.”
“That’s what I saw,” Usagi exclaimed. “It looked like a wheel—there were these long buildings that fanned out from a center tower like spokes. Or rays of the sun, I suppose.”
“How did she wind up there?” wondered Rana. “I saw what the Dragonlord did.”
“We all saw it,” said Tora. “He brought his sword down on an old woman.”
Nezu pulled at his lip so hard several whiskers came out. He winced. “I don’t know—some sort of sorcery must be at work here. I knew Druk before he became the Dragonlord. Instead of killing the Tigress, he must have made everyone think he had, in an illusion. When all this time, she’s been his prisoner.”
“But why?” Rana asked.
Tora rubbed the slashing scars on her arm, left there long ago by the Dragonlord’s troops. “I’m sure he has his reasons.”
“This is more important than any Treasure,” said Usagi. “We need to get her out!”
Nezu nodded. “But we’ll need Inu and Saru—we shouldn’t do anything until they get back.”
An idea struck Usagi. “Why don’t we try to Summon them?”
“With the bell?” Rana clapped her hands. “I’ve always wanted to see how that worked!”
“Me too,” said Goru.
Tora nodded, a spark of excitement in her eyes. “We’ve never seen a Summoning, but Usagi’s told us enough. We have reason for one now.”
Flashing a grin, Nezu put the mirror back in the chest. “We haven’t had a Summoning since we lost the Tigress. To think that she might be alive!”
They went across the courtyard to the wooden stand that sheltered the great bronze bell beneath a thatched roof. A small wooden log was suspended from the frame, one end resting against a raised circle of swirling shapes—the symbol of the Twelve. Cast-metal images of the animals of the zodiac marched across the bell’s surface. Nezu glanced up at the sun, still climbing toward the high point of the sky. “Snake hour,” he muttered. “I hope they’ve made progress in finding the Snake Warrior’s flute.”
In the shade thrown by the Singing Bamboo, they stood in a circle near the bell. Usagi had never actually seen the Summoning Bell rung either, but she remembered all too well the sound. “Get ready,” she told the Heirlings. “It’s going to be loud.”
Nezu pulled the end of the log hammer away from the bell. He glanced over at Usagi, who nodded. He swung the log forward, striking the mark of the swirling circle. A huge metallic clang erupted on impact, then grew into a reverberating hum that throbbed like a heartbeat, sending powerful vibrations that shook the ground and rattled them to the bone. Usagi clenched her teeth to keep them from chattering and bared them at Tora, Goru, and Rana in a semblance of an encouraging smile. Their faces were scrunched up at the thrumming noise. Then their eyes flew open and their jaws dropped.
Tiny specks of light glimmered in the midst of the circle, like dust motes lit by a sunbeam. They grew till they looked like fireflies, then continued to expand, swelling into balls of light that began to morph and twist as the reverberations from the bell lengthened and faded. A glowing dog took shape, becoming ever larger, until they were gazing directly at its sniffing snout. Its ears were pointed and alert, and a shaggy tail curled over its back. A great shining monkey formed of pale light sat back on its haunches, its long tail swinging back and forth. And a third figure of light emerged. It didn’t glow as strongly as the others, but it was clearly an enormous tiger, sprawled on its side as if it were trying to cool off on a hot day. Its eyes opened, and Usagi saw with a shock that they were green.
“Teacher?” she whispered.
“Teacher!” Nezu shouted.
The tiger raised its enormous head. “Younglings,” it croaked.
“Nezu, Usagi, what’s happening?” cried the luminous monkey. “Why are we seeing two tigers?”
Tora’s eyes grew even wider. “Spirits!”
“Saru, is that who I think it is?” asked the glowing dog. Its ears had flattened back, and the shaggy tail had drooped down, nearly tucked between its legs. “But it—it can’t be . . . Horangi is dead.”
The pale tiger, transparent and glimmering, raised its head a little higher. “Almost, but not quite, young pup.” It gave a dry chuckle that quickly became a hacking cough. The light of the tiger flickered as if it were a sputtering candle.
The circle erupted in a chorus of exclamations, cries of joy and shock, and questions.
“Oh, Teacher!”
“It’s true! It’s really true!”
“How did . . . wh-what happened to you?”
“When did you find out she was alive?”
“Why didn’t anyone tell us about this sooner?”
“Gods be good—it’s the Tigress!”
Nezu motioned for them all to be quiet. “Where are you, Teacher?” he asked. “Usagi said the Mirror of Elsewhere showed you at the palace. Are you in the Sunburst—their lockup?”
“I do not know where I am, exactly,” the tiger rumbled. It closed its eyes. “To be honest, I do not always know who I am. You have found me at a rare moment of clarity.”
The shining monkey reached out to the tiger, as if trying to embrace it. “We all believed you were dead. We’ll come for you straightaway.”
“I will take care of myself,” said the tiger wearily. “I will not have you younglings worrying about an old, retired warrior who has lived long pa
st her fighting days. You must find the Treasures! They cannot fall into Druk’s hands.”
The dog’s ears had perked forward, and its tail wagged slightly. “We’ve just secured the Flute of Dancing Dreams, Teacher.”
“That is good to hear.” The tiger made a satisfied chuffing sound, and its tail flicked. “Continue with the work of recovering the Twelve Treasures, which has been our mission from the start. I did what I could to prevent Druk from restoring power to the Jewels of Land and Sea, and hid the jade bead.”
Nezu started. “I thought you swallowed it, Teacher.”
“Perhaps I did—or perhaps I did not.” The Tigress coughed a chuckle. “What is crucial is that Druk has not yet found the bead. And no matter how angry he gets, I will never reveal its location to him.”
“So where is it?” asked Usagi.
“I am not quite sure myself. When I found myself alive after our duel, hiding the bead was my first priority, and I buried it deep in the earth. But I have lost track of all the holding cells where they have kept me,” said the tiger. It sighed. “If the Mirror of Elsewhere is showing me at the palace, then the Jewel that will restore the necklace is likely somewhere here too.”
“We need to track down that bead before the Blue Dragon does,” said Nezu. “We can’t let him possess the necklace’s powers—or the powers of any of the Treasures.”
“Yes. That is all I ask.” The glimmering beast laid its head down, its light beginning to fade. “Save the Treasures—and save Midaga.”
“Wait!” cried Usagi, as the giant tiger’s light grew faint, its shape beginning to dissolve. “Are they hurting you? How will we find you? We have to free you!” Though the Tigress had appeared in the Summoning, she seemed terribly weak, as if she could barely hold on to consciousness to allow her spirit form to talk to them.
“Do not worry about me—and do not try to contact me again,” the tiger grunted. “It is unsafe.” She fixed her green gaze on them. “Have heart and be brave, younglings. Remember what I said. You have an important job to do.” The glowing twin orbs were the last part of the tiger to fade away.
Chapter 8
An Unexpected Dance
STUNNED, THEY ALL STOOD IN silence in the shadows cast by the Singing Bamboo. No one moved. Even the spirit forms of Saru and Inu were left mute and still, glimmering as if they were actual lanterns like the ones standing guard in the grove. Finally, the monkey spoke.
“My stars—I can hardly believe it. The Tigress, alive!” it said. “Finding the Flute of Dancing Dreams was already a miracle.”
Nezu flashed a grin. “The spirits of the Twelve have blessed us twice.”
A frantic huffing sounded as the cloud leopard came racing across the courtyard to their Summoning circle, tail held high. Kumo’s long whiskers bristled, and his eyes were intently searching as he sniffed the air. He stalked all around them, then stopped. His ears flattened and his tail lashed in confusion.
“Poor Kumo,” Tora crooned. “You heard the Tigress’s voice, didn’t you? I’m sorry, big fellow. She couldn’t stay.”
With a mournful moan, the cloud leopard stalked off. Nezu’s expression turned sympathetic as he watched the big cat slink behind the Great Hall. “What should we do about the Tigress? We can’t just leave her, wherever she may be.”
“No, we certainly can’t.” The glowing dog cocked its head. “But I think we’d best follow her wishes and find the remaining Treasures before we attempt a rescue.”
The image of the Tigress in the mirror, crumpled and helpless with her hands bound, was lodged in Usagi’s mind. “You saw her just now—she barely had the strength to be visible. But I saw her in the Mirror of Elsewhere—she’s not well. We can’t wait. There’s no time.”
Tora nodded. “In the mirror she looked even worse.”
“We have to save her,” Usagi said, her voice rising.
“No one’s saying that we won’t,” replied the shining monkey. “But the Tigress has had us on a mission to recover the Treasures since before we met you, Usagi. We need to complete that task—for her.”
“And what good will that do if she dies?” demanded Usagi. “Isn’t her life more important than a bunch of . . . things?”
The glowing dog flared a little. “Of course her life is important. Her wishes are important too. Have you forgotten that a good warrior follows their leader’s orders? She’s right about the Blue Dragon—we have to get to the other Treasures before he does. Recovering these mere things may save this kingdom and everyone in it.”
Nezu put a hand on Usagi’s arm. “We will find the Tigress, I promise. Let’s figure it out when Inu and Saru return with the flute. Arguing will only delay them.”
“Fine.” Usagi gave a reluctant nod. Her anxious fingers rubbed at her rabbit pendant.
“Where are you now?” Goru asked the dog and monkey loudly.
Rana nudged him, her dark eyes full of amusement. “I don’t think you have to shout.”
“Yes, we can hear you fine,” said the shining monkey.
The giant boy smiled sheepishly. “Sorry. It’s my first Summoning.”
The monkey bared its glittering teeth, then leaned forward. “We left the Dancing Dunes this morning. We’re still in the province of Pearl Sands. Going at spirit speed, we expect to be back at the shrine by the end of the week.”
“Travel safely, you two,” said Nezu. “We’ll see you here soon.”
The glowing dog’s tail wagged. “Guard the shrine well. A new Treasure is coming.”
With that, the light of the dog and monkey blazed brighter, then disappeared. Usagi blinked till she could see clearly again. Tora, Goru, and Rana stood dazed, their mouths agape and their eyes wide. Nezu grinned at the sight.
“Come on,” he said. “We have work to do.”
Over the next few days, they continued to practice stealth skills and strength exercises, now with a newly sharpened sense of purpose. They also honed their abilities by building out the obstacle course by the lake, creating a new training ground. As they worked to install a target range in the course, the five of them discussed the remaining two lost Treasures, debating where they might be hidden.
“We know that the Ring of Obscurity was worn by Pom, the 46th Tiger Warrior,” said Nezu. “He was one of the Tigress’s favorite successors. He and his Heir were trapped in battle with a horde of Wayani soldiers down on the eastern side of the island. They never made it to the Palace of the Clouds to help defend the king.”
“And the Conjurer was carried by Yagi, the 48th Ram Warrior,” said Usagi. “Tupa was his Heir.”
Goru dropped two bales of straw with a thump. “If Tupa was the Ram Heir, then he must know where the Conjurer is. Shouldn’t he have recovered the hammer by now?”
“I doubt it. Right after the war, we went with him to retrieve it,” said Nezu. “Tupa swore on the Twelve that he’d helped his master hide the hammer near the Eastern Mines. But our search turned up nothing. He’d lost track of it somehow. Tupa was devastated.” He gestured to Goru to move the bales. “A little more to the right. Perfect. I’m sure you remember all the chaos of the invasion. And after the war, a lot had changed. Some parts of the landscape were altered by fighting, and the Blue Dragon soon started expanding the Eastern Mines. So even if a Treasure was carried by one of our masters, we still had to hunt around to find it—and we weren’t always successful.”
He leaned over the trench that Rana had been working on. It had become a little moat around a small island, the moat surrounded by ramparts of earth that Goru had tamped down. “It looks great, Snake Girl.”
“Thanks!” said Rana. “I think it’s ready to be filled with water. Would you mind using your water gift?”
With a flashing grin, Nezu pointed to several handle-less jugs. “Use those to fill it the regular way,” he told her. “It’ll help strengthen your hands.”
As Rana groaned, Usagi gave her a sympathetic smile. “I had to use these too. They really do work, though.
Your grip will become like iron.” Rana sighed, then took a jug in each hand and trudged off to the lake.
Tora laughed and grabbed a jug, fitting her hand over its narrow mouth and lifting with her fingertips. “I’ll help you, Snake Girl.”
As she and Rana sloshed back and forth between the lake and the new feature in the obstacle course, Usagi joined Nezu and Goru in hanging an archery target from a tree. She sprang onto Goru’s shoulders and stood on tiptoe, trying to fasten a rope to a high branch. “It’s a little too high,” she grunted. Usagi touched her fingertips to the branch. With her wood gift, she got the tree to sway and bend toward her with a creak, lowering the branch to where she needed it. As she finished tying a firm knot, her ears perked.
“They’re here!” she exclaimed, and leaped down from Goru’s back. “Inu and Saru—they’ve come home!”
Dropping their tools and all thoughts of their lakeside project, they ran back to the shrine, dashing through the trees on white gravel paths. Usagi’s heart raced. She couldn’t wait to see what the two Heirs had brought back.
They got to the main courtyard just as Saru and Inu did, looking tired. The Dog Heir smiled at the sight of them. “Well, aren’t you happy to see us!”
“It’s just the Treasure we’re excited about,” Usagi teased. “But really, welcome back!” She gave Saru a hug. The Monkey Heir smelled of dust and sweat, and her clothes and hair glimmered strangely. When Usagi looked closely, she saw that it was grains of pale sand, so white they appeared almost like salt crystals, lodged in Saru’s hair, the creases of her ears, the folds of her tunic and the crevices of her backbundle. “You’re covered in sand!”
Saru sighed ruefully. “Still?” She brushed at her sleeves to no avail. “We got caught in sandstorms every day.”
“Here, let me!” Rana piped up. She furrowed her brow and waved her hands over Saru and Inu. With the force of her earth gift, the sand rolled off them in shimmering ripples to the ground, where it collected in a pile. The two Heirs smiled in relief, exclaiming at the amount of sand.