by Unknown
"It's a message," she told him. "It gives the code phrase, and says to meet him at the Kalden temple. It's signed Go Choden." Biao Mei frowned.
"Let's go see that temple," he said. Lin Mei nodded.
* * * *
The temple was grand, tall and imposing, with a bell tower in the square beside it. They stopped in the area before the steps. Lin Mei set her lips gazing up at it. Imposing as it was, it was in a barbaric style, meant to impress a less-sophisticated audience. It reminded her they were in the heart of a barbarian empire.
"I thought our contact was the Sage of Sakya," Biao Mei said, gazing around.
"We were to seek out the Sage," she said, "and that would bring us to the attention of the man we would meet. Not necessarily the Sage." Settling her sword and dagger in her sash she led the way up the stairs and through the wide doors. A young monk stood as they approached.
"We bring sad news," Lin Mei said. "Your servant, Go Choden, has been killed in the square by an unknown assailant." The young monk nodded.
"I have heard," he said. "Go Choden was a faithful servant. This is a sad moment."
"Last night we sought the Sage of Sakya," Lin Mei went on. "We were told he had retired and were instructed to return today. Is he available?" The young monk frowned.
"No, he is not," he replied. "Chostimpas from the palace came this morning and arrested him, on orders of Dorje Gyaltso, the Khan's advisor. He is being held captive in the palace."
* * * *
The great temple bell had just rung the hour of the Dog when they met again in their room at the Yu Thog. They had spent the day in town, Biao Mei learning the lay of the land and Lin Mei gathering the gossip in the square and the surrounding areas. It was surprising how little concern was being paid to the killing that morning in the square. Apparently violent death was not uncommon. The arrest of the Sage was another matter.
"The Sage is charged with witchcraft against the Khan," she said. "All the square was filled with gossip of it."
"All of it conflicting?" Biao Mei asked. She nodded wryly.
"So many tales of dark wizardry that he is made out to be the most powerful and evil mage under heaven."
"And the advisor?"
"Very little said," she replied. "That says something." Biao Mei nodded.
"Fear," he said. "People are afraid to say anything bad, but can find nothing good to say." It was her turn to nod.
"And we were asking about him. That bit of gossip will find its way to the wrong ears soon enough. How went your scouting?"
"The palace is strongly built, but against the mountain," he said. "If attackers get above it in numbers, it would fall."
"The Yar Lung are building it mainly for ceremony," she said. "They still pride themselves on their nomad heritage, and spend most of their time in tented camps. At present the Khan is camped just outside the Temple complex of Sera, a few hour's ride from Lhasa. But his advisor, who is supposed to be a powerful sorcerer, is in the palace."
"Odd," Biao Mei mused. "Advisors like to stay close to those they advise."
"Truth," Lin Mei agreed. "Very odd." In the corner the two cats stirred, sparking an idea in her mind. "You said the palace is built against the mountain?" He nodded. "Night scouting," she said, bringing a grin to her brother's face. "But first, food, for all of us."
* * * *
The innkeeper's wife sold bowls of stew for a copper each, and Lin Mei and Biao Mei ate heartily. A bowl of stew in the corner fed the two cats, much to the bewilderment and amusement of the other guests. In truth the two cats were an oddity in their own right, being cream colored with dark faces, paws, and tails. Shadow had grown to the size of the wild cats of the mountains. Twilight was half his size, sleek and slender. Their odd looks had prompted many to call them devil-cats, and Lin and Biao had done little to dissuade such talk, although Lin Mei was cautious not to encourage it. Charges of witchcraft could cause them much trouble.
"What do you mean?" Lin Mei asked around a scrap of tsampa, the barley bread that was the staple of the high mountains. "I thought a Bonpa was a priest of the Old Gods." The old woman went by the name of Rabten, and was, like many others of her age, inclined to talk.
"That, and much more," the old woman said in a low voice. "But he has never been admitted to a temple or monastery for study. He is a Njalyorpa, a mountain wizard, who has learned his art from others like him. But some of them are very powerful because of their association with the spirits and demons of the country."
"Like lumas?" Biao Mei asked, referring to the stone serpent demons of lakes and rivers. The old woman nodded.
"And others. People say that Dorje Gyaltso has captured the demon of the mountain above Lhasa and keeps him in a room in the palace, bound with spells and magical charms."
"That is his name?" Lin Mei asked, wiping up the last of her stew with a scrap of bread. The old woman nodded, her eyes darting about the nearly empty room.
"Yes. He convinced the Khan to build the palace on the hillside. A bad idea, for the demons of the land were not appeased by the proper ceremonies. Instead he used his magic to capture the most powerful one and lock him up!"
"The Khan does not live in it," Biao noted, "preferring his tent city for a court."
"He is still a nomad at heart," the old woman replied. "And the palace is still being built. Dorje Gyaltso stayed behind to oversee the construction. And to ensure the demon does not escape."
"He sounds like a very powerful magician," Lin Mei said, encouraging the old woman to talk.
"He is," she agreed. "And he is distrusted by the Bonpas of the land, who dislike his power over the Khan. He is new to this region. He came suddenly less than two years ago and impressed the Khan with his magic arts and prophecies. Now he rules Lhasa, in the Khan's name."
"We have seen that before," Biao Mei muttered as they left the inn, the two cats scampering along beside them.
"Priests and magicians should be content to rule in the otherworld," Lin Mei agreed, her eyes gauging the darkening sky. A thought formed in her mind.
"Let's go see that young monk before we start," she said.
The temple bell had just rung the last hour of the day when Lin Mei and her brother ascended the stairs of the temple once more. The door opened as they approached, the young monk bowing them in, almost as if they had been anticipated. They entered, Shadow and Twilight slipping in behind them like ghosts as the door closed. The monk ushered them into a side room and motioned them to hard cushions on the floor. He took a small straw mat for himself.
"I am Jongbu Kunchen," he said. "Welcome."
"Biao Mei, and my sister, Lin Mei," Biao said, motioning with his left hand. His right nested comfortably in his lap, near the hilts of his sword and dagger. Shadow settled into a corner, his sister curling up quietly near him. Lin Mei noted that, and their alertness. So they sensed no immediate danger, but they were still not at ease. She took out the scrap of paper and handed it over to the young monk, who quickly glanced at it.
"Did you know of this?" she asked.
"Go Choden took orders from Penchen Rimpoche, the Sage of Sakya," Jongbu replied.
"The talk in town is that he was arrested for plotting witchcraft against the Khan," Biao Mei said.
"A lie," the young monk replied. "Sages do not practice witchcraft, or any other kind of sorcery. That is mostly done by the lower orders of Njalyorpas."
"Why would Dorje Gyaltso have him arrested?" Lin Mei asked. Jongbu frowned.
"He fills the Khan's mind with fears of plots and schemes against his rule," Jongbu said. "Many nobles and Bonpas have been arrested because of this. The Sage spoke out against the advisor's evil influence over the Khan."
"And now he has been arrested," Biao Mei said. The monk nodded gravely.
They thanked the monk and left, Lin Mei dropping a few coppers into the collection box just outside the door.
* * * *
It was now dark, and they took the less-traveled byways to the p
alace. An hour of careful work got them to the rocky hillside above it. Lin Mei noted the lack of sentries. Obviously the Yar Lungs' disdain for danger and attendant precautions was not mere talk. And then, the Khan was away, and the palace was still under construction. Biao Mei motioned to a door on a wall nearby. Lin Mei nodded and settled down into a comfortable position on the ground.
She was not sure how the bond between them and the cats had formed. Two years ago, they had found the young kittens in an abandoned temple near the body of their mother. Soon after adopting them, Lin Mei had started to be disturbed by dreams and visions. With testing and practice, she had learned to see with their eyes and hear with their ears. Biao Mei also had this ability to some extent, but he was content to let her exercise it. Now she reached out with her mind, melding her senses with theirs, and the two cats silently glided forward to listen at the door.
In moments they had ascertained that there was no one on the other side of the door, and Lin Mei motioned with her hand, all the while maintaining her link with the cats. Biao Mei worked a slender dagger from his boot top into the space between the door and the jamb and, after a moment opened the door. Lin Mei stood, following him into the dark entryway. A silent request sent the two feline scouts scampering ahead, their tails raised high like little flags. So they sensed no danger. Yet.
Lin Mei and her brother followed, silent in their felt boots. The corridor was spacious, with garish murals on the walls. It was what she expected in a barbarian palace. It was built to be imposing to a barbarian people, with little knowledge of, or concern for, esthetics.
She stopped for a moment, sending her mind forward with the cats. A vision of a vast canyon opened up, flat bottomed and sheer walled. She was used to a cat's-eye view of thing by now, and she identified a vast hallway, ornately decorated, and devoid of people. She frowned.
"No one ahead," she murmured. "The place is almost empty."
"No guards standing sentry," Biao Mei agreed quietly, "and no servants tending to the place, or enjoying it while the masters are away. Odd." He loosened his sword in the scabbard and led the way forward, Lin Mei following his lead. When it came to danger and battle, she was content to trust his instincts.
At an intersection of the corridor with a hallway they met the two cats waiting for them. Their mood had changed. Now they were tense, wary. Shadow eyed one end of the hallway where a dim light around the distant corner provided vague illumination. Twilight had her eyes on the other end, which ended in a flight of stairs leading down. Lin Mei sensed unease on the part of both cats. Looking into the darkness she felt the hair on the back of her neck prickle.
"The old woman said something about spells and magic," Biao Mei whispered uneasily. Silently he led the way to the stairs, while the cats prowled uneasily behind them.
The stairs led downward, the only light from small butter lamps set into the wall at intervals. The walls were bare down here where no one would have enjoyed murals or adornment.
At the bottom they found a massive wooden door, metal studded, barred with a thick beam. At first Lin Mei thought the marking on the planks were a crude attempt at decoration before she recognized it as the cursive writing of the mountains.
"Spells and magical charms," she whispered. Biao Mei nodded, his eyes taking in the thickness of the beam and planks. A sudden hissing from the cats caused them to turn around in a flash, their hands darting to their swords.
And just as quickly Lin Mei saw that their swords would be useless.
It was a woman, clad only in long, flowing black hair that fell past her waist. She stood on the stairs above them. Tall and slender, almost sinuous, she projected an air of menace and danger. Her eyes were cold and hard, and betrayed a high level of intelligence. And Lin Mei's blood ran cold. She knew exactly what they were facing.
"Lumas," she breathed.
"Yes," the creature replied, in a voice that was almost a hiss. "Why are you here?"
"We seek the Sage of Sakya," Lin Mei replied, in a voice that held only a slight tremor. Considering her true feelings she felt slightly proud of that.
"He is not here," the being hissed. "Inside is Akar Nawang."
"That is the Demon of the Mountain?" Biao Mei asked.
"The Master of the Mountain!" the lumas hissed. "And my Lord!"
"Where is the Sage of Sakya?" Lin Mei asked.
"Above," the lumas hissed, her eyes darting up the stairs. She grimaced and quickly vanished up the stairs in a movement that was simultaneously rapid and graceful. Lin Mei suddenly felt much better, the feeling of dread gone. A look at her brother showed he was relieved also, as were the cats, who had been crouched in a corner. But a memory rose unbidden in her mind. Such a being would not flee ordinary mortals...
"Dorje Gyaltso!" Lin Mei said. In a flash they ran up the stair, the two cats bounding up behind them, and raced down the hallway, silent as ghosts. At the corner they turned down the corridor just in time to avoid being seen by the approaching Njalyorpa and his guards.
In the dark corridor they both dropped to the floor, arms up to hide their faces. Only their eyes showed between their dark sleeves and their black hair. The two cats melted into the shadows.
The wizard passed by, intent on his thoughts, followed by two tall and lean chostimpas, armed with spears and daggers. No one thought to look down the corridor to where Lin Mei and her companions hid. As soon as they had passed she and her three companions slipped out the door and vanished into the night above the palace.
It was near dawn as they made their way back to the inn. They circled past the main square, avoiding parties of chostimpas patrolling the area. In the shadows a puzzled frown passed over Lin Mei's face. Setting her puzzlement aside for the moment she followed her brother back to the inn, the two cats scampering ahead as advance scouts.
Rabten was already up, starting the day's work. She nodded as they returned, apparently not concerned or curious about their night's activities.
"There's stew already," she said, setting out bowls and tsampa for them. Another bowl was set out for the cats. Lin Mei handed over a copper and thanked her.
"There are chostimpas prowling about," Lin Mei commented around a mouthful of tsampa. "I thought the Yar Lung disdained precautions."
"They do," the old woman agreed with a grin, "but Dorje Gyaltso does not! He is no fool. He knows he is disliked, and he fears attack. Also, I hear they are searching for someone." She gave them a sidelong glance before turning back to her pots.
"Who are the chostimpas?" Lin Mei asked. "They all look like a type."
"Most are from Kham, the land in the northeast," Rabten replied. "Like Dorje Gyaltso. He chooses men he can trust."
* * * *
Alone in their room after their meal Lin Mei checked the door before turning to her brother. The two cats were already asleep on their blanket.
"All the nomads we have met have been short and bow-legged," she said. Understanding crossed Biao Mei's face.
"The killer was not," he breathed. "Tall, lean, and hard looking. Like the chostimpas."
"And Dorje Gyaltso is their master," she said.
"And he holds the Sage captive, along with the Demon, Akar Nawang. No wonder he prefers the palace to the tent city of the Khan. He has more to guard here." He yawned suddenly, and Lin Mei realized they were both very tired. Their young lives had been active and filled with danger. They were fit and trained, but the high altitude of the Tifun Empire took some getting used to.
"This will take thought, as well as action," Lin Mei said. "Let us follow the cats' example and get some sleep. Then we can plan our moves with a clear mind." Biao Mei agreed, and they went to sleep, taking care to set their swords and daggers within easy reach.
It was past noon when they awoke, Lin Mei stretching as she stood. Biao Mei was doing his morning exercises and Lin Mei joined him. Then they went out to the common room of the inn. Rabten was there, with more bowls of soup.
"The day is begun," she said, "and
most people are out and about."
"It is a busy city," Lin Mei said. "Many people come here."
"Many people," Rabten agreed, smiling. "The Hind Empire is to the south, ancient and powerful. The Tang are to the northeast, and the Turks are to the north. This land has many names, one of them is the Navel of the World."
Lin Mei laughed at that. "Many gods and demons frequent it," she said. "The magicians and sorcerers must have much work here."
"They do," Rabten agreed. "It is a big part of their work. Many of them are very powerful because of the demons they capture and enslave."
"In the Tang empire we have come across demons and devils also," Lin Mei said. "Some are from the mountains. In Kendar we met a lumas who lived in a stone."
"They sometimes do," Rabten said. "If you want to know about them, ask a monk, or a Njalyorpa. But be careful! Not all speak truth!"
Lin Mei and her brother eyed each other at that. Thanking her for the meal they left the inn, the two cats strolling alongside.
"Let's talk to that young monk again," Lin Mei said, "and see if he speaks truth."
The circled the city, avoiding the more trafficked areas in the center and the chostimpas that stood watch there. Soon they were at the temple. Fortunately the area was clear of the prowling guards. The monks were at their afternoon devotions, so they waited in the shadows for the chants to finish. Lin Mei's mind went back to a nighttime meeting several months before in Kendar.
* * * *
"There is talk of a new advisor to the Khan of Tifun," Ro Min was saying. Lin Mei and her brother were in a side room of the main building of the compound owned by Wang Liu, a wealthy merchant, and their sometime employer. With them were Ro Min and Kin Shin, expert archers, bodyguards to the merchant's young wife, and agents of the Tang Imperial Agency, the secretive spy service of the Empire. "He counsels the Khan and supposedly wants to foment a new war with the Empire."
"And we are to spy out the truth?" Biao Mei asked. Lin Mei and the two women suppressed smiles. Both Imperial agents were attractive women, and Biao Mei had a young man's infatuation with Ro Min.