by Ino Lee
Jaguan looked confused.
“Aiying,” Wong clarified. “That’s what they call her. She was wearing a mask . . . it’s not important.”
“Renshu,” Jaguan said. “There is no guarantee Aiying can change anything. You must hear our plan.”
“Wong’s only plan is to save Tangled Root. I beat him. It will work. The Painted Lady will speak.”
“She is sleeping.”
Renshu walked over to the bed. “She will wake.”
“Shhh,” Wong said. “She needs rest.”
“Why must she rest? She was asleep for a year.”
He poked her shoulder.
“Renshu,” Wong scolded.
“It’s okay,” Aiying whispered, stirring.
They all perked up.
“Hand me some water,” Wong said. He pointed to another container on the wall.
“You have baiju,” Renshu commented.
Jaguan retrieved the water and gave it to Aiying.
“How do you feel?” Jaguan said.
“Unsettled. But good to be free.” She stared at Renshu, then looked around. “Where am I?”
“My forest,” Renshu said. “I am Renshu, king of magaus.”
“I remember some.”
“Good,” Wong said. “Do you feel well enough to talk?”
Aiying nodded.
“You don’t have to if you don’t want to.”
“I’m okay,” Aiying said. “How long was I . . .”
“A little more than a year.”
She leaned back and closed her eyes in anguish.
“It will be all right,” Jaguan said. “You have come back to us. You are free. Focus on the present, not what you cannot change.”
“Plus, you didn’t miss anything,” Wong said. “It wasn’t much better on this side. Shaolin’s still a mess, Tanjin’s a mess, and I’ve been hanging out with demonic monkeys all this time. I also got shot in the leg.”
Aiying managed a smile. She recalled letting go of the arrow. “That’s for poking me with the bow when we were young.”
Wong laughed. “Now she’s better.”
She turned to Renshu as memories flooded in and caused tears to flow. “I’m so sorry.” Countless magaus had died at her hand.
“Lady,” Renshu said. “It was not you. Magaus do not grudge. You must listen.” He pointed at the magau mask on the wall. “Once Houzon hunted us. Now he fights for us. You can fight for us, too.”
Aiying nodded. “I will.”
“Do you remember anything about the Koon Gee?” Wong asked. “Anything tactical that could help us win this war? We’re losing badly.”
Aiying was barely audible. “No. It’s hopeless.”
Renshu’s heart sunk, but he fought the feeling. “There is always hope.”
She sat up taller and drank again, then summoned strength to talk more assertively.
“More paths have been carved into Tangled Root. They’re not as close as the main front, but they’re not far.”
“Where?” Wong said.
“I can’t remember exactly. One somewhere north of the mainline. The other completely on the other side.”
“We will find and stop them,” Renshu said.
“They will try again. It’s only a matter of time. They’re already moving back on the path Wong stopped a few days ago.”
“Then we will stop them, too.”
“Once the main force bogs you down and another path creates a new front, the plan is to send in fifty unan.”
“Fifty?” Wong said.
“They’ve been holding back, keeping their masks away from you, waiting for the right time to strike. They know about this place. They know about the mud pool.”
“From Kunchu?”
“They knew before Kunchu. They even know you’ve been scouting the Temple of Masks. And that’s not all. After they destroy you, they will redirect.”
“First remove the threat from your backyard,” Jaguan said. “Then advance on Tanjin?”
“Yes.”
“What’s their end game?” Wong asked.
“Hanai. There was talk of planting a dark seed there, then flooding the city.”
Jaguan and Wong looked at each other.
“Hanai was attacked,” Jaguan said. “But if the Koon Gee mean to send more invasion forces there, it is a poor strategy. They may overtake Tanjin for a small time, but once we regain control, whatever forces are left in Hanai will be cut off.”
“Perhaps the chaos will be worth the sacrifice,” Wong said.
“I was in Tanjin before Tangled Root, disguised as a tonkaija,” Aiying said. “There is a dark energy convergence there. I think the Koon Gee mean to stay there and thrive, and make Hanai the new battleground.”
“Be like the magaus,” Renshu added. “Within one’s backyard.”
“It’s not just about chaos or being a nuisance.” Her voice grew soft again. “It’s expansion.”
They were quiet.
“We cannot let the Koon Gee overtake Tanjin,” Jaguan said. “Hanai cannot be the new battleground. There are too many innocents there. We must keep the battle on this side of the Wall.”
“You see,” Renshu said. “This is what I said. We must stop it here.”
“Did you hear the part about the fifty unan and multiple breach points?” Wong said.
“Tangled Root stands in the way of the Koon Gee’s plans,” Aiying said. “They’ve executed perfectly up until now and haven’t let anything get in their way. They won’t stop until the magaus are destroyed.”
Jaguan placed a hand on the magau’s shoulder. “Renshu, you must face reality. Your people will be slaughtered if you stay. Live to fight another day. Help us hold Tanjin and make a new home for your people.”
Renshu growled, then walked away. He proceeded out the door and jumped, disappearing into the jungle.
“That did not go as expected,” Jaguan said.
“You don’t know him as well as I do,” Wong said. “He’s gone to think. That’s something.”
Renshu perched high in a banyan tree, his favorite spot among a particularly twisted set of branches, and looked out over the Tangled Root Forest as the sun began to set. This was home.
“You know Jini has a similarly nice view,” a voice said.
Renshu flinched and spotted Wong on an upper branch, wearing the mask of Houzon. He grumbled.
“It is dangerous to sneak up on the king.”
Wong jumped down and took off his mask. “There was a time when I could not sneak up on you at all.”
“I am in no mood to argue.”
“I know. I’m not here to.”
“No?”
“You heard what Aiying said. I don’t have to convince you of what you already know.”
Renshu sighed. Birds took off in the distance and raced toward the setting sun.
“Tell me of this Jini.”
“It’s an old growth forest. Well, technically an island. A small part of the Yangtzhu River branches off and separates it from the mainland. It’s where Tanjin is.”
“What are the trees like?”
“Less twisted and lush. Not quite as interesting as Tangled Root, I admit, but taller. More majestic. And you’d have an island of your own, separate from nosy humans except for some rangers.”
Renshu grunted. “To watch us?”
“Not like that. Jaguan bargained it. He used the word autonomy. They need your help to hold Tanjin. It’s not just charity, it’s the opportunity to earn it. It’s the opportunity to ally.”
“Would you accept it, if you were king?”
“Cautiously. I won’t say there won’t be any problems. But it’s a good plan given our circumstances. I’d say we are fortunate.”
“I m
ust discuss with others. They will want to know about this island.”
“Well, that’s progress.”
“I am swayed for one reason.”
“What?”
“You said we and spoke of the humans as they.”
17
TING WANDERED UP and down the streets of the Biyan District, avoiding eye contact with the locals, trying to go unnoticed. She quickly turned a corner, spotting a suspicious patrolman that had seen her previously. She didn’t think he was part of the same group of city guards seen in other parts of Hanai, since he dressed differently, but was more likely part of a private patrol designed by the locals to keep pesky street children off their pristine streets. There were many such patrols, every corner seeming to have one, and now that it was getting late, their activity picked up.
She neared the bakery where she received a freshly discarded bun the day before. Though the store had closed, there was a chance something could be salvaged in back, so she crossed the street to investigate.
Her purpose in Biyan was not only to find food, but to perform covert surveillance and find information on the Blood Ninjas—the job commissioned by members of the Eternal Moon. Panyin had spoken in length about the Poisoned Blood clan the night before, stories which unnerved her and sent chills up her spine. If there was a part of town that made her feel similarly uneasy, it was Biyan.
Little was known about the Poisoned Blood except for the fact that they were cruel and secretive, cultish in their devotion to the clan. The Blood Ninjas specialized in the use of poisons and applied them liberally, making them especially deadly to cross paths with, and widely feared and hated. In fact, whenever a Blood Ninja was on the verge of being captured, they’d inevitably use the very same poisons on themselves, preferring to die rather than be taken alive. In the few occasions where the city guards actually managed to capture a Blood Ninja, they wound up dead in their cells soon after, whether by an external force or somehow of their own accord. Some believed the Poisoned Blood had spies in the government.
After Ting crossed the street, she proceeded to the back of the bakery and found a crate, which she opened. Success. A handful of buns and pastries crowded the bottom, a shameful bounty of discarded treats. The people of Biyan must have been very well-off to have afforded such waste. She reached for a bun and was startled when a hand forcefully grabbed her arm.
“What are you doing?” the officer said. “No vagrants allowed.”
“I was just—”
He pulled her up and away, partially dragging her toward the street.
“I was just hungry,” Ting explained.
He threw her down, then pointed down the street.
“Get out of here. You’re lucky I don’t have you thrown in jail.”
Ting recognized him as the same patrolman she had been avoiding. He was young, with a kind face and thin brows, and seemed like someone who would have been nicer to her under different circumstances. She stood and brushed the dirt off her pants, then walked toward home.
“No! That way! That way!” the man said.
She reversed directions and did as she was told. Her eyes welled up with tears at being so harshly treated. Her feet moved faster and she broke into a run, wanting to escape the patrolman’s view.
She turned the block. The streets were empty and it was dark now, making her feel especially vulnerable. Though the guard had pointed her in the opposite direction, she turned again, wanting to circle back toward home. She quieted her steps and listened carefully, worried that the same patrolman was nearby.
A few blocks passed and she felt safe again, but then had to duck behind a storefront at the sound of voices. She curled up in a ball and tried to remain small, thinking what a terrible decision it was to come to Biyan—there were too many patrols around to sneak away with food or find Blood Ninjas.
The voices came and went. She looked up from her hiding place to make sure the area was clear and noticed movement along the rooftops. Dark figures jumped across the buildings, a scatter of bodies that was difficult to count precisely but numbered more than a dozen. A lone figure stopped and scouted—a ninja wearing a visor—looking briefly in her direction before moving on. Her heart raced and she thought to follow, but they were soon gone. Were they Blood Ninjas? Where had they come from? Where were they going?
She moved cautiously away and watched for more activity. The rooflines were flat and nothing stood out except for a watchtower a block over. Men approached from a side street—another patrol. Was this better or worse? She wondered if she should tell them about the rooftop ninjas, but figured they wouldn’t be happy about her being there in the first place, as evidenced by their loud screaming.
“You there, stop!” someone yelled.
Ting took off. Fortunately, Sparrow ran like the wind. The patrolmen scampered behind, but she cut into a narrow alley and wove back and forth between obstacles, making it difficult to follow. The faint ring of a bell could be heard. She slowed and listened after several blocks, but didn’t hear any sounds of pursuit. A boy much younger than her pointed through a window as she crept through the back-alleys, causing her to take off again.
She soon emerged into an open street and felt vulnerable again. The streets looked different now, indicating her exit from Biyan. Her stomach grumbled and she wondered if a similar basket of baked goods could be found nearby. Suddenly, a pair of hands jumped out and grabbed her.
“Sparrow. I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”
Ting was startled and dazed.
“It’s okay. It’s me, Shadow.” She placed a hand around her. “Frog told me you went to Biyan.”
“Guys were chasing me.”
Shadow shifted and looked beyond. “Who?”
“Some guards.”
“Oh. Biyan security? They always give us trouble. I think you lost them. They usually never chase far from Biyan, anyway, but let’s go.”
She led her by hand.
“Someone came to the house,” Shadow said. “He said he was your brother.”
Ting squeezed Shadow’s hand tighter. “Really? Was it Hojin?”
“I don’t know for sure, but that’s who he said he was. Panyin is checking it out. I came to look for you when you didn’t show. What are you doing here so late? I told you not to come here.”
“I was looking for Blood Ninjas.”
Shadow laughed.
“I don’t think you’ll find them here.”
“No. I think I saw them.”
Shadow stopped. “Are you serious?”
“I saw ninjas on top of the houses. Lots of them.”
“Where?”
“Near a tower.”
Shadow stared high in its direction. “Biyan security headquarters? Why do you think they were Poisoned Blood?”
“They didn’t look like the ones from yesterday.”
A silhouette peered out from a rooftop, causing Shadow to pull Ting behind cover.
“Someone’s still up there.”
They waited a moment longer when a ninja jumped to street-level. Another followed. Shadow’s attention was drawn to the red blotches near their shoulders, which identified them as members of the Poisoned Blood. The ninjas looked around and spotted them. Shadow didn’t understand what they wanted, but it was clear they were searching for them.
The closest ninja unsheathed a sword, pointed it, and started walking their way.
Shadow backed away and whispered. “Ting, what happened with the ninjas before?”
“Nothing.”
“Something must have happened.”
“I just saw them. That’s it.”
“What do you want?” Shadow called out. “We’re not here for trouble.”
“Oh, but trouble has come for you,” the ninja said.
They backed away as fast as the ninjas approache
d. At any moment a chase would break out, but the ninjas didn’t seem to be in a hurry, and Shadow wasn’t eager to tempt them. The longer they waited, the greater the possibility that someone would pass by, though it was past curfew and the streets were empty.
The foremost ninja made a high-pitched yelp and waved a hand. Shadow began to understand their patience. More ninjas were on the rooftops, undoubtedly trying to get past them.
“Run, Sparrow!”
They screamed for help and made it a block before arrows clanked off the road ahead, halting them. Shadow shielded Ting with her body.
“What do you want?”
The ninja kept up a sword without stopping. Shadow pulled out a knife and dropped her handbag.
The ninja laughed. “Don’t make this difficult.”
Another ninja suddenly appeared behind them and grabbed a clump of Ting’s hair, holding a sword across her neck.
“Drop the knife,” the ninja said.
Shadow let her knife drop, dejected.
“What do you want? We don’t have any money.”
The ninja ignored her. His comrade circled around. They kept them at a standstill without saying anything.
“Help us!” Shadow finally screamed, her voice ringing down the street.
“Shut up!” The ninja thrust out a leg and pummeled her. “No one’s coming to save you. No one dares cross the Poisoned Blood.”
Soon another Blood Ninja came trotting down the street, out of breath.
The ninja holding Ting by the hair angled her face toward the newcomer. “Is this the one?”
The ninja nodded. Ting recognized his thin brows.
Shadow tried to understand what it meant. The ninja who kicked her sheathed his sword, then pulled a long needle out of his belt.
“No,” Shadow said. “What are you doing? She’s only a child!”
“You’re both children,” the ninja said, dipping the needle into a vial. “And what makes you think this is only for her?”
Another Blood Ninja locked Shadow’s arms behind her.
“Don’t worry. This will be quick,” the voice whispered.
Shadow screamed and struggled. “Help! Someone help us!”
“Please stop!” Ting yelled.
The needle approached.