The Mark (Chi Warriors Book 1)

by Ino Lee

“Are you going to be okay?” Mae asked.

  Ben grimaced. “I’ll manage.”

  “Don’t move so much,” she chided.

  Yi stirred in the corner, also grimacing from his wound. Mae had a bandage around her arm and shoulder.

  Wong looked at the injured party and felt responsible. The sight of Kai looking up at him only made him feel worse. They were simple villagers and farmers, not fighters as he was. He should have gotten there sooner.

  He took an herbal substance out of his pocket and handed it to them.

  “Bitter root for the pain. Chew on it.”

  Yi tried some and made a face. “Bitter indeed.”

  Ben chewed on it with less reaction.

  “Thank you,” he said after some time. “We wouldn’t have made it without you.”

  Wong nodded but did not feel better.

  “Why is this happening?” Mae asked.

  Wong searched for something meaningful to say, but found nothing. “I don’t know.”

  An awkward silence followed and he began to feel restless. Waiting inside the town hall made him feel claustrophobic. He needed air.

  “I’m going to step outside and look around, to make sure it’s safe,” he said.

  Mae nodded and Wong left.

  She sighed and looked over at Kai, who was examining a piece of the bitter root.

  “Don’t eat that Kai. It’s bitter.”

  She turned away and let her mind wander. How awful the night had turned out, she thought. She felt vulnerable sitting in the town hall, similar to the way she felt the night she saw the lo-shur spirit. Things had gone from bad to worse, and something in the pit of her stomach told her they had not yet reached the bottom.

  Before long, Wong returned through the doorway with Chi-Yun and Seng.

  “I have it,” the elder exclaimed.

  Out of a woven sack, he produced a metal container, a scroll, and a vial of blue powder, just as he had earlier in the week. Dried twigs and leaves were ignited within the container. The oil lamps in the hall were snuffed out, and the elder dropped the blue powder and the scroll of revealing into the fire. A bright blue burst of flame flared in the darkened room. He brought the light over to the wall where Wong indicated and looked it over.

  “Nothing. I see nothing,” Chi-Yun said.

  He moved the light up and down the wall, but could not find any marks. He then slowly moved the light across the room, with those able joining the search. They clumsily examined the walls in the dark, squinting wherever the bluish light touched the surface.

  Even Kai began to search, although he did not know what he was looking for since he had not been there on the night they first discovered the marks. He walked over to the opposite wall instead. On it, he found a scratch mark.

  “Over here!” he yelled.

  Wong shifted his attention away from the wall and turned toward Kai.

  “Yes. I sense it there now,” he said, confused.

  The elder brought his fire over and looked where Kai was pointing.

  “That’s not it. That’s just a scratch in the wall,” Chi-Yun said.

  Wong didn’t understand. He felt the mark unmistakably. Except now it was coming from a different wall. Right where Kai was standing.

  It was then that a fearful clarity came over him. Blood rushed to his face and his breath stopped short. He stooped to his knees and closed his eyes with a pained expression. He could not believe he did not see it earlier. Kai was so young, but it explained everything. Had his reluctance to this day clouded his judgment so thoroughly? He felt afraid and suddenly foolish.

  He spoke softly. “Mae. Tell me about the lo-shur. The night you saw it.”

  Mae looked over, confused, but did as she was asked. She sensed something was wrong and it made her nervous.

  “It was just standing there. I felt a chill. The fish had rotted. It was just standing there over Kai. I screamed and it flew away.”

  Wong moved over to Kai and stooped once again.

  “Kai. Do you remember the lo-shur? Do you remember that night?”

  Kai kept silent and looked frightened.

  “It’s all right,” Mae said. She came over and held him. “Take your time. Just tell us.”

  “I was sleeping. I had a bad dream. It caught me and my arm burned.”

  His eyes watered with tears. Mae held him tighter and wondered why he hadn’t told her that before. Tears welled up in her eyes, too, at the confession. He must have been so afraid, she thought.

  “Tell me,” Wong said. He inched closer to him and held his hands. “Which arm?” he whispered.

  Kai looked down at his right arm and retracted it slightly. “This one,” he said.

  Wong grabbed it gently and pushed up his sleeve.

  There, in the light of revealing, glowed three unmistakable red marks.

  “No. No, no, no,” Mae whimpered.

  A collective gasp in the room could be heard. Mae clutched Kai, tears streaming down her face. She softly rubbed the spot on his skin where the marks appeared, praying they would go away.

  Chi-Yun extinguished the flame, and the lantern lights in the hall were reignited. The marks on Kai’s skin disappeared as if everything was normal again.

  “What must we do now?” Chi-Yun asked.

  “I need to take him to the temple,” Wong said. “Only the masters can help him now.”

  “Why? Why Kai?” Ben said angrily.

  “I’m not sure. There is something to him. He is special and the Koon Gee fear him.”

  “Fear him?” Ben’s anger turned to confusion. “Why would they fear him? He is just a child.”

  Wong turned away. “There’s a prophecy.”

  Ben and Mae looked at each other and then back at Wong.

  “Tell us everything you know,” Mae said.

  “Please,” Ben whispered as he put a hand on Wong’s arm, flinching from the pain from his wound. “This is my son.”

  Wong sighed. “Is today his birthday?”

  Ben and Mae nodded.

  “There is a prophecy,” he said in a grave voice, “of a boy that would be born of great power on the night of the new moon. That boy would grow to deliver the people from the hold of the Koon Gee.”

  They listened quietly in astonishment. Kai did not know what to make of it.

  “Lo-shur are aware of this prophecy. They are in fact the ones who prophesied it. It is the reason they scour the earth in search of this boy.”

  “And when they find him, they mark him?” Mae asked.

  “Yes.”

  “To kill him?”

  “If need be.”

  “But why do they believe Kai is this boy?” Ben asked.

  “They probably don’t know for sure. Perhaps they’ve seen something in him. Lo-shur can see a person’s chi like flames of a fire, if it is powerful enough. Any boy who possesses a strong enough spirit may be considered a threat and marked.”

  “But he is so young. Could they be wrong?”

  “It’s possible.”

  “It’s possible? Has it happened before?”

  “Once. But it’s different this time. The grandmaster of the temple saw in a vision that my fate would be tied to this boy. So my appearance here is no coincidence.”

  Ben and Mae could hardly believe it. It was too much to take in one day. Too much had happened already. They had always felt that something was different about Kai, but what Wong told them was outrageous. Still, they could only believe what he said since there was no other explanation.

  “I must get Kai to the Shaolin Temple as soon as possible,” Wong said.

  “Must he go? Is there no other way to remove the mark without harming the child?” Chi-Yun asked.

  “Only the masters and the waters of the temple can help him
now. His entire body and spirit are infected with the mark, not just his arm. Dealing with a lo-shur mark is no simple task.”

  “Then we will leave at once,” Ben said.

  “And me. I will go too,” Chi-Yun added.

  Wong looked at the injured party skeptically. His thoughts turned back to their encounter in the clearing where he had to protect Ben from the dagwai at the cost of his cutting chain. They were not prepared to face the kind of danger waiting for them on the journey north.

  He clenched his teeth. A difficult decision had to be made.

  “I know he is your son and I am a stranger to you. But you’re in no condition to make this trip. If you all come with me, you will all die. You will be three more people I have to protect and I cannot risk it.”

  “Nonsense! He is my son,” Ben said.

  “You are injured. You can barely move. Even Mae is injured. Enemies ten times more powerful than the ones you have seen tonight will hunt us. It has started already. I have seen it. They are converging on this point as we speak.”

  “Which is why you will need us,” the elder said.

  “Elder, I mean no disrespect. But a mere handful of Koon Gee was too much for you. I’m only thinking of Kai and how to keep him alive.”

  Wong searched for a way to make them understand.

  “We have to move as fast as we can while resistance is weak. You will all slow me down. He’ll only be safe once he gets to the temple, and the longer we take to get there, the less chance he’ll have of making it. I cannot protect you all . . . and you, elder, you . . .”

  “Are too old? Are too slow?” Chi-Yun said meekly.

  “I can keep up,” Mae said. “My arm is not that bad. Someone needs to be with Kai if you are fighting.”

  “If it comes to that and the ninjas are closing in, it won’t matter if you are there or not. I need to be able to pick up Kai and fly through the treetops if necessary. I cannot lift you, too.”

  Mae turned her head down.

  Wong continued. “I do not want to take your child away from you, but if you want him to live, you must trust me. It is his best chance . . . I am his best chance.”

  They remained silent at his words.

  “We leave at first light. I’m sorry.”

  Morning arrived. They spent the night at the elder’s house where he was able to tend to their wounds and provide lodging for Wong. Chi-Yun eagerly welcomed them in, excited at thought of filling his empty house. He and Seng offered to patrol the entire night, letting Wong rest for the long journey ahead. Wong gratefully accepted but made them promise to wake him up at the first sign of trouble. None came and the night passed without incident.

  Mae managed to pack a bag for Kai using her good arm. She placed food, clothes, and several of Kai’s favorite items, including moon cakes, into a pack. She took off a jade necklace that Ben had given her, and placed this around his neck; it would remind him of their love. Kai sat by the bed next to Ben, who was still hurt from battle and lay bandaged. They sat and talked as a family, knowing that they might not see each other for a long time, or perhaps, ever again.

  Several times that morning Ben and Mae had attempted to convince Wong to bring them along, but each time he refused. Something in the manner and tone of his voice made them understand it was not possible.

  Ben told Kai how proud he was of him, and that no matter what happened he would be safe because of how special he was. Mae said to trust Wong, and if they ever got into trouble to run and hide. Kai wept and said he didn’t want to leave them, but Ben assured him they would see each other at the Shaolin Temple. Somewhere in the back of his mind, in a dream, Kai remembered seeing the temple and longing to be there.

  Wong sat at a table in another room and scribbled on a piece of parchment. A candle was lit, as it was still early in the morning and the sun had not yet risen. He wrote another message to the temple:

  To the master of the temple, an urgent message:

  In the small farming village of Dailan on the outskirts of the Jengzhi, I found a boy born on the day of the new moon, in the year of the dragon. I was drawn to him by the mark of a lo-shur. You know of whom I speak. I am bringing him to you.

  All paths to the temple have become dangerous, and I do not know how I will get there. Please send my brother and the Sword of Shaolin to find us. I will pick up help along the way and send word if I can.

  Wong

  He closed the letter and stamped it with his personal seal. Outside he could hear the clatter of horse hooves.

  Chi-Yun walked through the front door.

  “Everything is set,” he said.

  Wong handed Chi-Yun the letter and a list of names and locations he could use to pass the information onto. Though the elder assured Wong that he would see the letter through to the very end, Wong explained that it was unnecessary; the Shaolin network had means of communication that was much more efficient than in his day.

  Chi-Yun again expressed reservations about them traveling alone, but Wong assured him he would eventually find help. Though he would start the journey by himself, he would end it with powerful friends at his side—warriors, not mere farmers. Hopefully. And for at least a little while, he wanted to spend time with Kai alone since there was much to uncover about him. If he was fated to bring an end to the Koon Gee, he would need to learn to face danger.

  Ben and Mae would also make the trip to Shaolin, but not until Ben had more time to heal. Wong gave them the same list as Chi-Yun and handed them a small token with his insignia on it. It was a small flat rock with the same symbol that was on the seal of the letter. With it, they would be able to obtain help if needed.

  After a shared breakfast, the time had come to leave. Ben forced himself to the door to see his son off. Mae helped Kai put on his pack. They exchanged hugs and kisses, said their goodbyes, and promised to see one another again.

  A horse stood just outside. Wong boarded it and hoisted Kai up with him. Mae handed Wong an additional pack. She was still a little wary of giving her son up to a stranger, but he did save their lives, and she knew in her heart it was the right decision.

  “You take care of him,” she said with tear-filled eyes.

  “I promise. I’ll get him back to you.”

  “You better.”

  Wong felt awkward about taking the boy and wondered if he was doing the right thing.

  “I only make promises when I intend to keep them,” he said.

  She wiped a tear from her face.

  “Tell me something—you said this happened once before. What ever happened to that boy? Did he make it?”

  “I am that boy.”

  Wong gave the command and the horse trotted down the path away from the house.

  The sun’s approaching light struggled to be seen, dampened by the morning that was still wet and misty with fog. The horse grew smaller until it disappeared from view.

  Ben and Mae continued to stare silently on, long after the horse was gone.

  5

  WONG AND KAI trotted slowly away from the village at first, but quickly picked up the pace. Wong had first thought to travel back east to the forest town of Tzhiang Doon where the armed rangers could offer them some assistance, but he quickly decided against it. It would bring them too far east when they should be traveling north, and by now the forests were probably covered with the enemy. He did not like the possibility of coming across more mountain zhuks while traveling there, either, especially since he was with Kai and the rangers were too weak to make a difference anyway.

  So it was to the north that he decided to take his chances. The quicker they got to the temple of Shaolin, the better. By day, they would travel the roads on horseback. At night they would take shelter in various towns and villages along the way. If they were fortunate enough, they would reach their first major stop, the province of Guilin and the House of
Han, undisturbed. There, they would find safety and protection, as the people were accustomed to battle and guarded their borders well. Unlike Dailan, loose pockets of Koon Gee would not be found freely roaming the villages. Wong also had friends there—powerful allies that could help.

  His plan did not come without reservations. They would be hunted every second of their journey. By bringing Kai into other small villages, he put everyone there in danger too. They would fare no better than the people of Dailan and he would have to take extra care to prevent their harm. Another concern involved taking shelter inside of the inns themselves; sleeping enclosed within walls would make it hard to tell if anyone was sneaking up on them. Normally he would sleep high up in the trees where he could set traps and hear the enemy approaching, but Kai was too young for this, especially given the long and tedious journey ahead. He should be given proper food and shelter as long as possible since things were bound to get increasingly difficult.

  His plan would have to do, he decided.

  He kicked the sides of the horse, spurring it on.

  The two traveled quickly and quietly for hours, taking occasional breaks to rest the horse and stop for water. At noon, they had lunch under the shade of a tree by the side of the road.

  “Hungry, Kai? Your mom made us lunch.”

  Kai didn’t respond.

  Neatly packed in a small sack was an assortment of dumplings, some bread, and a piece of fish. They were leftovers from his birthday. Wong examined the meal and was fairly pleased. This was much better than the smoked sardines the rangers offered him just days before.

  He broke off a piece of bread and gave it to Kai. After tasting the fish, he raised his eyebrows in approval.

  “Good. Eat some,” he said.

  Kai shook his head and said he wasn’t hungry.

  “Come on. You’ll need it to keep up your strength. It could be a while before we eat this well again.”

  Reluctantly, Kai obliged and took a small bite.

  Wong worried about him. Since leaving Dailan, he had hardly spoken a word. He understood his fear and anxiety and wondered what he could do to make him feel better—but he was trained to fight ninja and zhuk, not console a child.