War (Chi Warriors Book 3)

by Ino Lee

  “In case the Blood Ninjas use them?”

  Wong shrugged. “Sure.”

  Riyon disliked how nonchalant he was.

  Wong rummaged through his trunk again and handed Ting a belt for her bolts. “How do the new bolts feel?”

  “Okay. I like the big ones better, though.”

  “Can you aim well enough with them?”

  “Yeah, but I want the big ones.”

  Wong ignored her and looked at the practice board. “Check it out, Riyon.”

  The elder sneered at being given orders.

  “You’re the one going in with her,” Wong said. He rolled his eyes. “Will you please check it out, master elder, sir?”

  Riyon guessed he had a point and stepped closer to examine the gauge marks. He was somewhat surprised by the grouping. “Quite accurate actually. She’s a natural.”

  “Really? Nice job.”

  He gave her a whistle as a reward. Ting blew on it but nothing could be heard.

  “I think it’s broken.”

  Wong ignored her again. “Let’s see. Who else?” he mumbled to himself.

  “How come everyone gets something except for me?” Kai interrupted.

  Ting held out her whistle. “You can have my broken whistle if you want.”

  Hojin slapped his butterfly swords together. “Hey, Kai, come back; we’re not done sparring yet.”

  Wong felt like he was losing control of the situation and yelled out. “Quiet down. Too many voices.”

  “It would help if you explained what you were planning,” Riyon said, still examining the practice board. “Everything seems erratic.”

  “I’ll tell you when I figure it out. The magaus never ask this many questions. They just call me master thief and say thank you.”

  “We’re not magaus,” Ting said. “We’re people.”

  Wong laughed. He relented, realizing he should try to make them feel more like they were part of the plan.

  “Okay everyone. Time for lesson three.”

  “Ooh, what is it?” Kai said.

  “You need to learn the most important aspect of going on a mission—preparation. It’s not just a chore. To me, it’s the most interesting part. I want to make sure you’re all well-equipped before going in.”

  Ting complained. “I don’t feel prepared. How am I supposed to annihilate the Koon Gee when all I have is a doll, these baby bolts, and a broken whistle?”

  Wong laughed again and squeezed her face. “Honey, the whistle can’t be heard within human range, but I can use it to find you. I promise to make your bolts more effective if you just concentrate on accuracy, okay? Accuracy, not power. Got it?”

  Ting nodded.

  He turned to Kai. “Kai, you’re a monk. You don’t need anything from me. All you need is your monk staff. Anything else will make you less effective.”

  “They’ll never let me bring a staff in,” Kai said. “Plus, they’ll know I’m a monk if they see it.”

  “Don’t worry. We’ll disguise it somehow, or I’ll bring it in for you. We need you at your strongest. You’re our secret weapon.”

  “What about you?” Kai said. “What are you bringing?”

  Wong waved at his stash on the floor. “Behold.”

  “That’s all you’re bringing?”

  “I’ll bring my masks. It’s about time for the Koon Gee to know I’m here.” His declaration sounded ominous. He examined the wall carefully. “I miss having so many choices. I’ll bring shuriken. Lots of shuriken. Melee weapons. It depends how much I have to carry and if I have to bring your weapons, too.”

  “How about Panyin?”

  Hojin broke from practice. “He isn’t back yet from making sure the other kids are safe, but he said he can use the staff best. He isn’t really trained, though.”

  “A staff isn’t too intimidating,” Wong said. “Maybe they’d let him carry it through. We can risk him losing a weapon if it won’t be as useful for him.” He turned to Hojin. “How’s it going with those butterfly knives?”

  “I have a lot of experience using them, but I’ve never seen anything like this. I’m still getting used to fighting with them this way.”

  Hojin threw a sword at the target, which hit near center and caused Riyon to flinch back. A long, thin line of Yaje silk extended from the notch on the bottom of the hilt, all the way to a gear box on his wrist, and when he pulled back to retract the sword, the line recoiled into the box. The second butterfly knife contained a similar setup.

  “Keep practicing,” Wong said. “Try to use them more creatively. I’ll show you later. If you don’t like them, you can take them off.”

  “No, I like them. I didn’t know they were supposed to work like this. They’re pretty amazing.”

  “They were a favorite of mine to use—” He cleared his throat. “—On some of my more covert missions.”

  Hojin didn’t understand until Wong bulged his eyes. He looked down at the swords and realized he was fighting with the Blade Ninja’s own weapons. The wonder showed on his face.

  Riyon observed. “Do you mean covert like when you ran around as the Blade Ninja?”

  Hojin’s mouth dropped. “I didn’t say anything.”

  “I didn’t say anything either,” Ting blurted.

  “How did you know?” Wong said.

  “The Blade Ninja goes missing for years, then suddenly appears to save a squadron of Shaolin warriors and city guards, on the same night that you arrive in Hanai? Did you not think I would know? I am in a position of knowledge. It was not hard to deduce.”

  “You know this means I have to kill you now, don’t you?”

  Riyon grinned. “Consider your secret safe.”

  Wong approached him. “Your word as elder.”

  The elder’s face scrunched. “I don’t know. I’m upset I did not find out about it earlier, and this seems like a good bargaining chip to keep tucked away.”

  “You know the risks of ninja business. Did I ever mention you’re my favorite elder?”

  Riyon grunted. “Fine. My word on one condition.”

  “What?”

  “Let me see this Blade Ninja’s gear for myself.”

  Wong thought about it and then came to a realization. His face lit up.

  “You’re a Blade Ninja fanboy, aren’t you? Just like Hojin. Two of my biggest admirers in the same room, master and apprentice.”

  Riyon sneered. “Please. You were practically an outlaw.”

  Wong decided not to press it further. “I agree to your terms.”

  He revealed his secret door.

  “Heh,” Riyon said as he perused the contents, his bright eyes finding interest. “I can’t believe these were here all this time. What kind of swords are these?”

  Wong removed one from a mount. “Folded metal, but not true katanas. They cut on both sides. Specially balanced handles.” He twirled one effortlessly in a circular orbit. “I’d bring them, but they’re too distinct. They’d know I’m the Blade Ninja. I’m not sure they would be the best choice in tight quarters anyway.”

  Wong held it out. Riyon took it and felt the weight and examined both sides of the blades. Wong knew he appreciated good weapons, being an elder and one of Shaolin’s most notable fighters. He even caught him admiring Hojin’s butterfly swords earlier.

  “So, how about you?” Wong said. “What do you want to bring in? What would it take for you to feel prepared?”

  “Me? I thought I would just use my old man cane.”

  “I don’t doubt your skill with a cane, but couldn’t a fighter such as yourself use something more substantial?”

  “I thought I’d disarm a guard and take his sword. Or perhaps you could hide a blade in my cane?”

  “Perhaps. But why settle for a weapon?” He gestured at the walls. “
When you could have a weapon.”

  Riyon’s curiosity awakened. “What did you have in mind?”

  “You need something concealable, versatile, good in tight quarters, and deadly if handled with skill.” He restocked his ninja sword and closed the door. “Follow me. I keep some of my more interesting weapons upstairs.”

  They proceeded to the staircase on the far side of the wall.

  “What do you mean by interesting?” Riyon said. “I know some of your weapons can be quite complicated and fussy. I like simplicity. No gadgets and gears. I believe a warrior can instill the simplest weapon with the force of an army.”

  “I agree. Often a simple weapon is best. But there are times when a complicated weapon can utilize the skill of an elite warrior to have the effect of two armies.”

  “Now you are making things up just to disagree.”

  Wong laughed and led Riyon to a display containing an assortment of weapons behind a glass window. Prominent in the center was a large metal stick with gears and dials.

  “That’s not what I was thinking,” Riyon said. “What is it?”

  “Oh, that’s my fire stick. Never mind that.”

  The bottom shelves had a couple of trick swords and a fancy mace, but the top shelf displayed a metal three-section staff.

  Riyon instantly knew. “The one on top.”

  “I thought so. It has a few hidden surprises, but nothing outrageous. What do you think?”

  “I think I like lesson three.”

  33

  JAGUAN STOOD ON the banks of the Yangtzhu, breathing in the energy of the moving water, the river sounds settling his mind and focusing his chi. Meditation was his preferred method of preparation before battle, and he relished the brief moment of peace. He tried to sense the tidings of war in the distance, turmoil started by Tengfei’s advance, but whatever energies might be felt were pushed out to sea by the strength of the river. It made no difference, for the signal he was looking for would come from the sky.

  Xiong stood nearby, carrying an unusually large Zhigao bow on his back. He searched the skies and pointed. “There.”

  Jaguan saw it, too—a floating speck moving upriver. He raised a hand and called out to it psychically, which caused the brown carrier hawk to land on his outstretched staff. He retrieved a note tied to its leg and read it.

  Xiong stood by impatiently. “What does it say?”

  “Tengfei’s push is underway. The Koon Gee are heavily engaged.”

  “Do you think they’ve taken the bait?”

  Jaguan raised a brow. “There are active lo-shur.”

  The Shoukui nodded, understanding that the spirits’ presence indicated they had fully committed to the battle. “The plan is a go, then.”

  He motioned and yelled aloud, signaling their forces to deploy. The magaus and a contingent of rangers raced to the river’s edge excitedly, dragging large bamboo rafts capable of carrying a dozen soldiers each. Xiong, Jaguan, Aiying, and Renshu took the forward vessel with a mixed group of soldiers and crashed into the water.

  Xiong looked back at the army’s deployment and was pleasantly surprised. The magaus were efficient and organized, following their instructions precisely. Even the tribe of gorilla-men led by Domu looked nimble boarding the rafts, something he had doubts about given their size. He had never worked with the magaus before and expected more disorganization based on how lackadaisical they were the night before, but realized he should probably not underestimate creatures that had survived so long against countless odds in the Koon Kagi.

  The Yangtzhu’s waters were fast and powerful, and the crew worked diligently to keep the raft under control. They sped rapidly downstream when a smaller branch split off, creating an island of dense trees forming Jini. The crew kept to the left of the isle, while Jaguan sent Zhanzu forward to investigate.

  The magaus came to attention and tried to decipher their feelings for the new land—a mixture of apprehension, admiration, hope, and fear.

  Renshu focused on the hope. “This will be a majestic home.”

  They continued floating alongside the island, focused on studying every detail of the old forest. Renshu marveled at the height of the trees, imagining what it would be like to jump through the canopy.

  “Keep vigilant,” Xiong reminded them. “There is a battle within.”

  He scanned the beaches for a safe landing. They needed to navigate further downstream and into the core of the island without being spotted, vulnerable out in the open atop the defenseless rafts.

  “What do you see?” Xiong asked Jaguan.

  “Open beach toward the back of the island, but defenses are dug in. Zhanzu is already circling back.”

  “We’ll have to dock soon.”

  “Yes. Wait for me.”

  They saw Zhanzu returning through the trees.

  “There.” Jaguan pointed. “That is our best landing point.”

  A rocky slope jutted out into the water, leaving them a small section on which to land.

  “That’s not enough room,” Xiong said hesitantly. “This will be tricky.” He glanced back to measure the distance of the rafts. “Once we hit, pull the raft inland to make room for others. Rangers secure the area. Aiying, can you stay behind to direct the others?”

  Aiying nodded.

  They paddled toward the landing and crashed ashore, sliding halfway up the rock before jumping out and pulling the raft clear. They dragged it into the trees and lay it on the ground before cutting through ropes on the top layer and pulling off prefabricated sections of bamboo flooring, creating a stockpile of lightweight, makeshift shields.

  Aiying directed the next raft ashore and instructed them to follow the same process. There was only space large enough for two rafts to beach at the same time, making the task of coordinating landings difficult.

  Xiong, Jaguan, and Renshu fanned out with the rangers to secure the area and take up positions behind the forest’s trunks. Zhanzu patrolled above. Renshu wanted to take to the treetops, but Xiong preferred to keep them low so they wouldn’t be seen.

  The rafts piled up behind them. Three came in too close while attempting to land, causing one of them to bounce off and threaten to drift astray, but Aiying hurled a kasurigama into the boat’s bamboo floor. She pulled on the chain to keep the raft close and secured it to a tree to prevent it from floating away. When the last raft landed, they moved into the forest where Xiong was already organizing troops into a neat, five-column formation.

  They started a quick trot.

  Renshu tried to take in the sights and sounds to get accustomed to the terrain, and noted how different everything was from Tangled Root. There, he could smell the earth, rain, and the sweet scent of lush green leaves, but here everything seemed subdued. Even the amount of light that reached the forest floor seemed muted, despite the fact that it was noon. It reminded him more of the gray forests of the dark ninjas, though not all of his impressions were bad. There were redeeming qualities that he had trouble fully quantifying. He thought about how Wong described the forest as majestic and could understand why; the forest trunks were unlike anything he had seen before and almost seemed to shoot up into the sky itself. That probably explained the low lighting, and things might be starkly different when viewed from up high . . . if only he could get into the trees.

  Jaguan and the magaus could sense war in the distance, and at one point thought they could hear faint war cries. They curved into Tiger Nest further in from Tengfei’s battlefront, eager to avoid the bulk of the resistance, yet anxious to join the battle. On the ground, the magaus felt awkward and exposed, running in neat little columns between neat rows of tree trunks, the great gnarled roots of Tangled Root no longer there to conceal and protect them. Still, they made good progress and traveled deep into enemy territory.

  Every step made in advance without resistance felt like an unearne
d gift, the feeling further intensified by their circuitous route. Xiong had expected to face Koon Gee defenders by now and was glad for the reprieve, but knew their peace would not last long after crossing into Tiger Nest’s circle of death.

  Zhanzu spotted a crow. The raptor would have little difficulty catching and snapping the black bird’s neck, but its sheer presence signified the beginnings of a guarded perimeter.

  Another crow was spotted, and then another. The silhouette of a dark ninja rose from an upper branch and sounded a horn. The game was on. Xiong broke into a forceful run.

  A small guard station above came into view. Arrows dropped into the space ahead of them while a collection of troops mobilized at the station’s base.

  Xiong signaled to Renshu. “Now’s your time.”

  The magau king acknowledged, finally glad to have his freedom. He lifted his staff and cawed, then moved vertically up the nearest tree, followed by his cohort of magaus, who took to the heights as easily as a great heard of mahzings storming across the open plains. Xiong was wholly impressed by the speed with which the army disappeared behind him and reappeared through the branches. He had been assured of their skill in the trees before, but it was hard to believe even while witnessing it with his own eyes.

  He unsheathed the Sword of Shaolin, which rang and flashed in the air, inciting a rallying cry from the rangers. Arrows came at him and were sliced in two. The ground force wound back and forth between the tree trunks, while the magaus moved higher in the trees, above the plane of the guard station.

  The invaders closed within striking range. Dagwais and zhuks clashed on the ground, but were no match for the Sword and Domu’s charge, whose gorilla-men came up behind the Shoukui. The zhuks, which normally appeared as giants descending upon their armies, seemed suddenly tamed when swarmed upon by the gorillas. Never before had Xiong seen so many zhuks brought down by hand.

  Jaguan hung back from the frontline, patiently awaiting his cue when Renshu’s war cry sounded from the treetops. He instantly awakened the Monk Staff, the mystic waters within the weapon’s gemstone coming to life and churning with an ominous buzz. Three rapid bursts of energy exploded across the brow of the tree fortification in rapid succession, dazing the archers with blinding light. The magaus had already leapt high across the canopy, bridging the gap where the trees had been cut away, holding their bamboo shields out in front to block the threat of both light and arrows.