by Shinn A. H.
“What happened to him?” asked Kellie, intrigued.
“He was assigned to teach a young boy hundreds of years ago,” Zurich said, beginning the story. “The boy’s name was Xavier. Hagos spent many years with him, helping him grow into a valiant young man….Hagos grew very fond of him. You see, we, the mystical animals, not only speak, but we also have the same human feelings you have.
“Hagos trained Xavier to fight against the evil ruler, King Javis — Xavier was the most skilled human fighter, any of us had seen — He had become quite popular and the king feared the love his people had for the courageous warrior. So he bribed one of Xavier’s friends with all the gold he could imagine to betray him. The traitor poisoned Xavier’s water, offering it to him in a special container that he gave as an early birthday gift. During a training session with Hagos, Xavier drank the poisoned water and died….Hagos could do nothing to help him. After the tragedy, Hagos went into seclusion for months — He would not speak to any of us — He was filled with nothing but pain and bitterness, and over those months, his pain transformed into fury….Then one day, he did something that was unthinkable to us.”
“What did he do?” Jake asked, captivated by the story, while Jory bit his nails.
“He sought revenge,” Zurich answered. “He went and eliminated all of Xavier’s friends to ensure that the culprit was killed. Ever since that dark day, evil took over Hagos’s heart and soul.”
“That’s horrible,” said Kellie, feeling sorry for him.
“He must be stopped,” said Mulin. She turned to Zurich and they whispered to each other.
“Excuse us,” said Zurich as they turned away.
“What do you know about me?” Kellie suddenly demanded, surprising everyone. She hoped they would voluntarily reveal what they knew about her, but they hadn’t, and her patience wore thin.
“I know you know something about me. Please…”
Jory seemed nervous about Kellie’s outburst, but she knew Zurich and Mulin were nothing like Hagos, and did not fear them.
Jake gently touched her arm. With gloomy eyes, he said, “Kellie, I don’t think —”
“She is right,” said Zurich as he and Mulin faced her.
Kellie tried to control her shaking and took a few quick breaths of Spring Meadows’s vernal air. He was going to tell her! She couldn’t believe it! Was she going to find out why she was left in Shenmi Forest? Were they going to tell her who her parents are?
“You are a chosen one,” he said, matter-of-factly. “You will be our next student who will study under us….You should be honored. Now, excuse us.” He and Mulin turned their backs to her and walked away to have a private conversation.
Kellie felt the blood rush to her face as she stared at them. She felt a firm grasp on her wrist when her mouth dropped open.
“Kellie,” said Jake quietly, “I know that’s not what you wanted to —”
“Wow!” Jory bellowed. “You’re a chosen one! That’s so cool!” His energy erupted like fireworks; perhaps, he still felt the effects of the Healing Fountain.
Kellie heard him mutter something about Black Raven. His excitement infected her and the words “chosen one” hit her like a fist punch.
“Why me?” she mumbled, wondering what it meant to be one.
Jake and Jory huddled around her, waiting as the animals spoke softly to one another.
“What do you think they’re saying?” asked Jake.
“I don’t know,” said Jory, “but it looks serious. What are we going to do next?”
“We just found out Hagos is a kung fu master who went rogue,” said Jake. “Do you think it’s still a good idea to go after the stone?” he asked, tapping Kellie on her newly restored arm.
“Yeah, you’re right,” she said, remembering that this effort wasn’t about her. “Mulin and Zurich know that the necklace holds Anguo. We’ll let them go after Hagos. I can’t go on putting us in danger.”
Mulin and Zurich strode back to them.
“It is best that you three stop the search for the jade stone and return to the monastery,” said Zurich.
“We’ll take over from here,” said Mulin. “Three young humans cannot go up against Hagos. He is our responsibility.”
“We agree,” said Kellie. “We’ll go back.” She wanted to ask more questions, but refrained; it seemed unlikely they were going to reveal anything more. Answers will come to you if you are patient, she reminded herself.
“We will lead you out of Spring Meadows,” said Zurich. “You should be able to make it back before sundown.”
Mulin and Zurich walked to the area from where they entered. It was as if they could see a door that was invisible to everyone else.
“Follow exactly where we step,” Mulin instructed the two boys.
Zurich and Mulin vanished, one after the other. Jory gasped as Kellie pushed him through the invisible exit and pulled Jake behind her. The next moment, they were in the desert-like area, their feet plunged into gritty sand.
“Walk in that direction,” Mulin said, as she pointed with her paw. “You’ll be back in the Bamboo Forest. You know your way from there.”
Although much was going through Kellie’s mind, she parted her lips and the only word that came out was, “Goodbye.”
They walked in the direction they were instructed for several minutes. Kellie turned her head over her shoulder and saw that the two mystical animals were gone.
Jory kicked up sand they trudged through. “I’m sorry we didn’t find your necklace. I know it was important to you.”
“It was important to all of us. Anyway, you’re the one who discovered it was Anguo.” She saw him smile as he watched the sand fly from his shoe.
Just about at the Bamboo Forest, Jake let out a giggle, then bit his lip. Kellie and Jory waited for a story from him, but Jake kept his thoughts to himself.
He let out another chuckle and quickly covered his mouth.
“Okay…why are you laughing?” Kellie insisted.
“I can’t really say…not appropriate…”
“Please share with us…” Kellie said. “We have a long walk ahead.”
Glancing sympathetically at Jory, he said, “I couldn’t help but think about Jory being carried away by a monkey.” He started laughing again, but this time, hysterically.
Jory frowned at Jake.
“I’m sorry, it’s not funny,” said Jake, lowering his tone, trying his best to sound serious and apologetic.
Jory couldn’t compress his grin. “It’s not…but it is a little,” he said as he started to chortle. Jake and Kellie joined in and doubled over so hard, they clutched at their stomachs.
Kellie abruptly came to a dead stop and asked, “What was that?”
“What was what?” Jake asked, wiping laugh tears from his eyes.
They were now treading the grounds of the destroyed forest, listening for a clue to what it could be.
“I hear it, too,” Jory whispered.
It sounded like the crunching of dried animal bones. They were frantically whipping around their bodies when Jory gasped and pointed. Some of the tigers that chased them earlier made their way out from behind a mound of ashes and bones and they seemed hungrier than ever.
“Not again!” Jory screamed.
“RUN!” Kellie yelled.
The three of them ran as fast as they could, but the tigers ran faster. Jory sprinted ahead (his newly healed body must have given him the velocity). Jake and Kellie were a foot behind.
“Throw food at them!” Kellie shouted. She didn’t have any other ideas and it worked last time, if she didn’t count circling back to where she was. Kellie fished through her backpack as she ran, grabbing whatever felt like food, and threw it behind her. A bun hit one of the tigers in the face, distracting the animal for only a moment; it gobbled up the snack and looked ready for more. Kellie kept chucking whatever she could get her hands on and reached for another small item. She flung it behind her and as soon as she let g
o of the object, she realized what she had thrown. It was the bamboo seeds Dr. Lee had given her. The seeds flew high into the air and dispersed in all directions, some of which smacked a couple of tigers in the face. Blinding them temporarily, they shook the seeds out of their whiskers, scattering them to the ground.
Running beside Kellie, Jake probed through his bag and threw a few apricots that he collected from Spring Meadows. One of the delectable fruits flew into a tiger’s mouth; the sweet taste of the apricot juice must have increased its motivation because the animal’s speed accelerated and closed in on Jake, biting down on the back of his shirt.
“JAKE!” Kellie shouted, panic-stricken.
Jerking away, Jake grabbed his water bottle out, and with his pitching arm, threw it impressively hard, whacking the predator’s nose, causing the animal to recoil and release its grasp. The bottle landed on the ground and busted open, spilling its contents everywhere.
Suddenly, the ground started shaking. Was this an earthquake? Kellie, Jake, Jory, and all the tigers slowed to a halt, unsure of what was happening, trying to keep their balance. Then a huge bamboo shot up from the earth, piercing one of the tigers through the abdomen, killing it instantly.
“Keep running!” Kellie screamed. She saw the cavity of the bamboo wall and dashed toward it, as fresh green bamboo trees blasted through the dirt throughout the entire forest, while the rest of the tigers scampered around in confusion. Bamboo continued springing up until the entire area was dense with the mighty trees, slaying every single one of the feral animals, their cries silenced.
Once they were safe inside the opening, the ground became still and the dust began to settle. They peered out of the hole, and what a vision was before them. The Bamboo Forest was revived!
all, bright green bamboo trees with well defined nodes covered the forest. Marveling at the beauty, Kellie, Jory, and Jake only got a glimpse because the bamboo wall began to grow and they had to back out. The hole closed as the damaged wall healed itself with fresh plant. Finding themselves on the other side of the Bamboo Forest, the opening was now completely mended.
“What just — ?” Jake said in astonishment.
“I don’t know,” Kellie muttered.
“How did — ?” Jory mumbled.
“I…uh, threw Dr. Lee’s bamboo seeds at a tiger chasing me,” Kellie said, thinking back. “He gave them to me — said they bring luck…”
“I also threw something at the tiger that tried to eat me…” Jake said, sounding culpable.
“What?” Kellie asked.
“You know the Healing Fountain?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, I filled up my bottle with its water,” said Jake. “I thought it might come in handy…if any of us get hurt again….”
“I really don’t think you should’ve taken water from the Healing Fountain,” said Jory disapprovingly.
“Well, it’s gone,” said Jake.
“Maybe the water healed the forest,” Kellie wondered, “…along with the seeds?”
They all thought about it for a moment, staring at the repaired bamboo wall.
“Well the hole is sealed,” Kellie said. “The Bamboo Forest should be safe again.”
Jory studied the sky. “The sun will be going down in a couple of hours. We need to get going. Do you have the GPS, Jake?”
“And what do you think the GPS is going to tell you?” Jake asked sarcastically. “Turn right at the boulder and left at the big scary tree?”
Jory pulled out his compass instead, and after deciding which direction they should go, he said, “This way.”
“I’m hungry,” Jake complained after they hiked for miles.
Jory checked his compass, looked up at the sky, and then surveyed his surroundings. “Hmmm.” He waved his compass and gave it a good jiggle. “This way,” he commanded.
“You keep saying that, and this really doesn’t look like the way we came,” Jake said bluntly. “It’s almost dark, you know.”
“I-I know!” Jory shot back nervously.
“Okay you two, we need to find shelter,” Kellie said, intervening. “This is a place we don’t want to be at nightfall. Shifu Lau always made sure we were out of the woods before sundown. He said there were unknown dangers that came out in the dark.”
“Thanks Kel,” said Jake. “Way to make us feel better.”
Kellie scanned the area tensely. “I really don’t have any idea where we are. We’re gonna have to find something and wait until sunup. It won’t be safe for us to be wandering through the forest much longer.” She knew the monks were probably going to be frantic with worry when they didn’t return before dusk. She had to shake off the guilt and find somewhere to sleep.
Kellie took over the lead and hastened the search for cover. The sun was going down fast and they were in an area with lots of brush and mud. Their shoes soaked up the moisture and the temperature was dropping.
“There!” shouted Jory. “Over there!”
He ran toward a vine covered wall and pulled the hanging plants aside. What Jory discovered was the entrance to a cave and he found it just in time. The sun vanished and the moon and stars provided some light, but the forest was still dangerously dark.
“I’m not so sure about going in there…” Jake stated uneasily.
“We don’t really have any other options,” said Kellie, rubbing her arms from the cold.
Jory took out his flashlight, shined it into the pitch-black cave, and cautiously proceeded inside.
They walked into what seemed to be a never-ending passageway. The floor was covered with shallow water and their already dampened shoes and socks were now completely soddened.
“Don’t you think we’re going a little too far?” asked Jake.
“We can’t camp here,” said Jory. “It’s too wet. Let’s just go a little bit farther.”
From the echo of their voices, they seemed to be making their way through a narrow tunnel. As they ventured in deeper, the space expanded and the ground was dry. Jory waved the small light beam all around and they could tell they were in the heart of an enormous cavern.
“I hope hungry killer bears don’t live in here,” Jake whispered.
“I don’t think so,” said Jory. “I didn’t see any animal droppings — Let’s camp over there,” he said, pointing toward a large rock.
They dropped their backpacks on the floor, exhausted from the grueling, eventful day. They sat down and leaned against the boulder. Kellie passed out a few candies she had left in the small pocket of her bag and offered her friends her water bottle before taking a long sip.
The temperature continued to drop at a rapid rate; they zipped up their jackets and took off their wet shoes. After wringing the excessive fluid from their socks, they laid them out to dry. Huddling around the flashlight with a blanket thrown over them, they shivered, unable to sleep.
“Maybe we should take turns keeping watch,” mentioned Jory.
“Good idea,” said Kellie, worrying about whose dwelling they were trespassing in.
None of them were able to fall asleep. The combination of being on a cold, hard ground and the recollections of all the harrowing experiences they endured kept them awake.
After fiddling around with the flashlight, Jake broke the silence. “Did you really learn kung fu from Mulin and Zurich?”
“Yeah…I always thought we mimicked natural animal defenses and offenses, but all this time, it was the animals that showed us how to fight. They said they are the original kung fu masters.”
“Wow!” said Jake. “That’s incredible…and they chose to train you!”
“I know…” said Kellie, her mind engrossed with what the mystical animals said about the chosen one. She didn’t understand what it meant to be one. Who was the evil she was supposed to fight? Hagos? There was no way she could take on an original kung fu master.
“Did you hear that?” asked Jory, disrupting Kellie’s thoughts.
“Now you’re just paranoid,” rep
lied Jake. “You go to sleep. I’ll keep watch first.”
Slow breathing and dragging sounds came from the back of the cave and this time, they all heard it.
“We’re going to die!” said Jake, scooting in next to Kellie. “What if it’s Hagos?”
Motionless as the rock they were leaning on, the timorous three listened keenly: a whimpering accompanied shallow breaths.
“I don’t think it’s Hagos,” whispered Kellie. She listened hard, concentrating on the noise. “Sounds like an animal might be hurt.” She tossed the blanket off her and snatched the flashlight. “I’m gonna go see what it is.”
“Are you crazy?” Jake shouted in a loud whisper.
Kellie treaded lightly on her bare feet on the smooth floor and Jory eagerly followed.
“Wait for me,” said Jake, clutching the blanket around him.
The vast emptiness was evident as they tiptoed across to the far end of the cave. The dragging sound got louder when they hit a wall. Feeling around the flat surface, they fell into a crack. Pointing the flashlight at all angles into the darkness, they saw a horse tied up!
Rope bound its four legs and it lay on its side with a sack over its head. The frustrated animal wiggled to get loose, as it bellowed in a muffled plea.
Kellie handed the flashlight to Jory and knelt down by the animal. “Who did this to you?” she asked, as she petted its neck soothingly. She lifted the sack off its head carefully, and when the cover came off, a bright glow lit up the place.
“It’s a unicorn,” Jory beamed, “…with two horns!”
His wee light source was shamed by the emission coming from the animal’s pointy horns.
Jory ran out and came back with his switchblade. He and Jake removed the tightly knotted rope above its hooves, while Kellie unwrapped the bindings around its mouth. As soon as the animal was free, it sprang up, standing upright with grandeur, neighing and nickering with exuberance.
Kellie, Jake, and Jory stood far back at a secure distance, admiring the marvel in front of them. Its coat was black as midnight, eyes blue as topaz, and the two long horns, white as a blinding light. The unicorn shook its long mane, and as it flung its head around, waves of fiery light streaked in the pathway of the horns. Heat also emanated from the illuminating spikes.