The Mark (Chi Warriors Book 1)

by Ino Lee

  “All right. No more games,” Wong said.

  He detached the cutting cable from his staff and stowed the recoiled weapon on his side. A blade protruded from the detached end of the Dragon Arm, readying it for battle. He measured up his enemies, and without hesitation, he rushed the nearest lo-shur ninja headfirst.

  The lo-shur split up on either side of him, attacking from both ends of a large tree bough. Wong parried the blows from one ninja, and then turned to parry the blows of the other. Since there was little room to maneuver side to side on the branch, he flipped straight into the air to avoid the next attack. He landed on the other side of the attacking lo-shur, positioning himself so that both enemies were in front, with the tree trunk at his back.

  He engaged the foremost ninja vigorously, pushing it toward the second ninja. When he had it back on its heels, it pinned his staff down, and the second ninja moved in to take over the attack.

  Wong pulled back his weapon and retreated a few steps. He thought to flee through the treetops again so he could catch them in a more vulnerable position, but for the first time his mind shifted to Kai and the others—he wanted to end the battle as quickly as possible to return to them.

  He attacked with several revolutions of the Dragon Arm. The ninja in rear jumped over the first with a flying kick, landing it and sending Wong flying back. The first ninja simultaneously hurled a throwing knife at his head, but he flinched with a forearm to block. The knife lodged in his flesh and drew blood, causing the ninja that kicked him to cackle triumphantly.

  When the ninja took a step forward to pursue, however, it realized something was wrong. A sharp pain shot through the leg used to kick Wong. It looked down and saw a poison dart in its calf. The demon screamed and pulled out the dart, but the knife that was stuck in Wong’s arm flew into its stomach. Giving up while it still had a chance, the lo-shur separated from the dark ninja, which promptly fell dead to the ground.

  The remaining lo-shur rushed past its defeated counterpart. The Weapons Master quickly turned and jumped against the tree trunk, propelling himself off it and back-flipping over the head of the rushing lo-shur. He threw up his staff midway through the flip and reached for his cutting discs, launching both ends of the cable. The metal discs flew on either side of the ninja and pinned it back against the tree, locking it into place by the cable.

  Wong landed and advanced, caught the falling Dragon Arm, and launched it like a spear into the ninja’s chest. The lo-shur pulled away from the dark ninja in a puff of black smoke just as the spear hit, leaving the startled ninja alone to face its death.

  Wong retrieved his weapons and watched the lo-shur apparitions disappear into the forest. He stooped to his knees and hung his head, taking a moment to settle his nerves with the realization that the battle was over and he was still alive.

  He was tired, wounded, and drained of chi.

  He grasped the vial of Shaolin water around his neck and debated its use. It was time, he thought—his reward for taking on multiple lo-shur spirits and a legion of ninjas. The night was still young and he would need his strength before it was over.

  He sprinkled a few drops of the mystic liquid on the gash in his arm and felt the pain disappear. As he drank it, a cooling sensation extended from his core, electrifying him. Energy coursed through his veins.

  “Much better,” he said, rising to his feet.

  He straightened his back and stretched, ready for action, and took off in search of the mark.

  29

  LI RACED THROUGH the forest brush, oblivious to the twigs and leaves that scraped at his body.

  After being flung over the treetops by the fearsome lo-shur zhuk, he crashed through leaf and branch, clawing at every loose limb in an attempt to slow his fall. He finally hit the ground with a thump, and lay there motionless, trying to recover. He wasn’t sure how long he remained there, but he promptly shot up at the first thought of Kai and took off in a panicked run. The beast was too powerful; his companions would not last long without him.

  He slowed as he returned to the battlefield, approaching with caution. The area was quiet, a stark contrast from the roaring zhuks and shrieking demons heard before. The silence, however, did little to comfort him; silence could only mean the battle was over and he already feared it was too late.

  His light orb flared brightly and he sent it forward to investigate.

  Signs of the struggle could clearly be seen. The giant zhuks tore up the terrain—deep hoof marks riddled the ground, chunks of dirt were strewn about from the impact wounds of their massive clubs, and a wide ridge had formed where one of the beasts slapped the earth at him. He moved the orb around to examine all of this, hoping to find a clue to his companions’ fates.

  Shadows danced from the light cast upon the uneven landscape until it fell upon the form of a human hunched up against a tree trunk. It was Zhozang. His body looked ahead without breath, as if to examine the battleground and wonder how things could have gone so terribly wrong.

  Li approached sullenly. A shiny glint of metal caught his eye. He discovered it was the war cleaver, which he retrieved and brought over to Zhozang. He leaned over and closed the warrior’s eyelids, laying the weapon across his lap.

  “Farewell, friend. May your courage and legacy live long after you.”

  He turned and moved on. There was little more he could do for Zhozang and he still needed to find out what had happened to the others.

  He analyzed the ground and followed the tracks of the zhuks. If he was going to find his friends again, dead or alive, he would have to track down the remaining zhuk. Circling the area, he finally spotted what he was looking for—a large set of hoof prints leading away from the battle.

  Something moved in the trees near him.

  Tae burst into the clearing with her sword before her. She ran to him, breathing heavily.

  “I saw your light.”

  “Good to see you,” he said with relief. “Are you injured?”

  “I’m okay. I was knocked out when the zhuk hit me. When I awoke everyone was gone. What happened? Where’s Kai?”

  “I don’t know. I was—” He paused, not quite knowing how to explain being tossed over the treetops. “—hit also. I believe the zhuk took that path,” he said, pointing at the tracks.

  He started off after them. “Come now—they can’t be far.”

  Tae followed. “Where’s Han? Where’s Zhozang?”

  “Zhozang’s dead. I don’t know where Han is.”

  Tae did not respond but took what he said to heart. She heard anxiety in his voice and could tell he knew as little as she did. She blocked out what he said about Zhozang.

  Li lit the way and held the light orb close to the ground to illuminate the tracks. Next to them, another set of tracks could be seen, though these tracks belonged to that of a rather large human.

  “These tracks are fresh,” Li said.

  Tae focused more on the human prints. “Those prints, they are Han’s.”

  “I think so. They’re far apart . . . he’s moving quickly. He could be running from the zhuk and toward the temple.”

  “There’s a little blood on the ground,” Tae said. “It’s next to the zhuk’s tracks.”

  “Yes, we injured it.”

  Li stopped and hunched low to the ground. He analyzed the soil and lightly touched one of the smaller tracks.

  “Kai. These are Kai’s prints.”

  His spirits picked up.

  “Then we must catch up,” Tae said.

  They moved quickly again, Li still analyzing the earth.

  “Han’s footsteps overlays Kai’s.”

  “And here, the zhuk’s overlays Han’s.”

  They curved around a tree and found their prints again. Tae spoke after deciphering the tracks and postulating, understanding that one footprint on top of another meant that the o
ne on the bottom came first. Her training in the Stone Forest involved constant tracking.

  “So Kai is in front, with Han behind, and the zhuk chasing. If they were together, Kai would be in Han’s pack and there would be no tracks.”

  “You’re right. Kai’s steps veer differently. He is alone.”

  Before long, Li began to slow until he finally stopped and retraced his steps several yards. Tae understood what was happening. Kai’s footsteps were gone.

  “Kai’s footprints disappear here,” he said.

  “And here, Han’s footsteps take over. He is clearly in the lead now. He’s caught up to Kai and put him in his pack.”

  There was excitement in her voice.

  “But the zhuk still follows,” Li cautioned.

  They ran with renewed hope. The path was easy to follow; footsteps ahead of them could be clearly seen when hit with the light of the orb, while cracked and bent branches also pointed the way. If there was one thing that the zhuk and Han had in common, it was their uncanny ability to leave a path of destruction behind them wherever they went.

  As he followed, Li wondered what he would do when he caught up with the zhuk. After all, his first encounter with the beast did not end well. His best option would be to sneak up on it from behind and cripple it. But would he be able to get close enough without it sensing him? Perhaps a well-placed arrow or dagger to the back of the knee from a distance would do the trick. He shook his head and decided he would have to determine the best course of action when the time came. Over-thinking the situation was pointless. First, he had to find them.

  They hurried for several miles when the forest began to clear out. Ahead of them lay a rocky and mountainous terrain, the final barrier before the Tibi Plains. Scattered across the area was an assortment of small and uninhabitable shelters, worn away by weather and years of neglect.

  “What is this place?” Tae asked.

  “An old outpost. Long ago these mountains served as a line against the Koon Gee, before the Great Wall was built. On the eastern side of this ridge, there were defensive trenches and retaining walls.”

  They slowed to a walk and ventured a little further. The tracks had become harder to read on the increasingly rocky surface.

  Tae looked around her and observed the outlines of the old outpost remains. She wondered what they looked like long ago, with soldiers scampering back and forth across the trenches.

  Ahead, Li sensed movement. The light orb snuffed out in an instant, and the two ducked behind the fragments of a tattered wooden shelter. They waited silently for what seemed like an eternity, though in reality only several minutes passed. When nothing happened and it seemed like it was safe to move again, they cautiously continued in the general direction of the tracks, though Li dared not illuminate them.

  The snarl of a dagwai could be heard.

  Tae and Li stealthily approached and took cover behind the trunk of a gnarled, barren tree. Peering out, they spotted an encampment of lizards sitting at leisure.

  At least a dozen had gathered around a small fire in front of a cavern entrance. Large gates with heavy metal doors jutted out of the rock and swung open for easy access. Inside, torches lined the walls. Shadows of dagwais flickered about in the passageway as the creatures freely roamed the corridors. And from somewhere within, came a low, guttural bellow, like one made from the belly of a zhuk kwai.

  “Something’s wrong,” Tae whispered. “Han and Kai could not have passed through here unnoticed.”

  “No. And the dagwais would be chasing them if they were still on the move. Instead, they sit and they camp.”

  “They must be guarding that cavern. If they’re captured . . . we have to get into that cave.”

  Li frowned. “Our enemies have been here for a while. They look almost at ease.”

  “Then they won’t be expecting us.”

  “We can’t go in directly. If we’re spotted, we will incur the wrath of the entire legion. This is where the Koon Gee have set up camp. There must be a radiance pool inside.”

  “So what then?”

  Li gave it more thought. “This outpost is enormous. There were supply tunnels and passageways for troops underground. They spanned this entire area. Perhaps we can find another entrance.”

  “Let’s go then. I’m afraid we’ll be caught if we stay here too long.”

  They silently crept to their feet and slowly moved away from the dagwai camp. After gaining distance, they felt free enough to quicken their pace.

  “We’ll head east,” Li said, “toward the side of the mountain where the defenses were built. We’ll most likely find a supply tunnel there.”

  They ran through a bit of forest when the ground began to slope downhill. Soon, the grade of the earth forced them to slow and step carefully. They walked awkwardly until Li finally stopped. Ahead of them they saw the broken outline of a defensive wall.

  “There. The last line of defense,” he said, pointing. “The supply tunnels were behind the defense.” He turned and looked back up the hill, gesturing. “Somewhere up there.”

  Tae peered into the darkness. “This would be a lot easier if it were day.” She sighed.

  “If only we had the time.”

  He started off again, walking perpendicularly from their original direction. Tae squinted to examine the terrain, hoping to find some hint of a man-made structure indicating an entrance. All was quiet, except for the sound of the earth crackling underfoot. They searched at a slow, but deliberate pace.

  In the quiet, Tae reflected on recent events. From the time she had been knocked out by the zhuk until now, everything had been a blur: her wake from unconsciousness, the frantic search for her companions, and their current search for Kai. But now her mind settled and her thoughts became less reactionary. What could be happening to Kai and Han? Were they okay? Her face hardened. Was Wong alive?

  Li weighed the risk of using a light orb to aid their search versus that of getting spotted. Without it, progress was frustratingly slow. He decided the territory was too dangerous for it in the end—too many dagwais and dark ninjas lurked about. His brother’s ability to use his chi to see in the dark would have been helpful now. How differently their powers had evolved, he thought. His powers brought light to dissipate the darkness; Wong’s allowed him to remain in it. He guessed it was a manifestation of their personalities and wondered briefly if Wong had survived the lo-shur attack.

  They stopped. The light of a small campfire could be seen ahead. He surveyed the landscape and found that there were more. Further down the hill, more fires burned.

  “They are not merely guarding an entrance this time. This is a small army of Koon Gee,” he said.

  “What now?”

  “Let’s get a better look.”

  They crept up to the edge of the enemy encampment. Even more fires appeared. The enemy’s numbers were much larger than originally thought.

  “There are a lot of them,” Tae whispered.

  Li nodded. “We have several options: go back the other way and hope to find an unguarded tunnel entrance; go back to the first entrance, fight our way past the dagwais, and eliminate them before they can alert the others; or keep on going through the encampment to find another tunnel entrance ahead.”

  “Through that?”

  Li nodded again. “Yes, through that.”

  “Why do I get the feeling that’s what you want to do?”

  “It is the best option of the three. I do not believe an entrance will be left unguarded behind us. And it is too great a risk to storm the first entrance directly. That leaves us the last option.”

  Tae thought about it and looked ahead.

  “It may not be as bad as it appears,” Li added. “Here, the Koon Gee are at leisure. They will be even less vigilant than the first dagwai camp. They are at rest, and their numbers will give them comfort—c
omfort we will be able to exploit.”

  “It does make some sense,” Tae responded. “They won’t be guarding the entrances as carefully in the middle of their encampment. They won’t think they need to.”

  “And there are bound to be several supply tunnels feeding this encampment. It’s the only thing that makes sense—otherwise they would have chosen a different location.”

  Tae nodded.

  “So it is decided then?” Li asked.

  “Okay.”

  “Let us go then. And be cautious. There are most likely dark ninjas about. Don’t let them see you.”

  Tae made a face. “I am not worried about them seeing me,” she said, looking down at his white clothes.

  “Oh yes,” he replied glumly, examining his garb. “I am not accustomed to sneaking.”

  “Then we’ll have to make adjustments.”

  She looked around and spotted a position by the remains of a defensive wall that ran along a path into the forest.

  “Head for that wall. Come on.”

  They crept down the hill closer to the enemy campfires. When they reached the location picked out from above, they stopped and crouched.

  “What now?” Li said.

  “We wait for new clothes.”

  Li looked uncertain about their plan. “I hope this does not take too long. Time is essential.”

  Tae ignored him. They waited several minutes and grew anxious. At first they saw movement in the distance and heard dagwais conversing with each another, but dagwais were not what they were interested in. Minutes later they got what they wanted when shadows slipped out of the forest.

  “There,” she said. Three dark ninjas could be seen. “We only need one, but we’ll have to take out all three quickly.”

  They quietly stalked them using the broken defensive walls as cover. They were on a course to intercept when the ninjas veered away in the general direction of the campfires.

  “Good—their backs are toward us now,” Tae said.