The Gory Pearl of Doom: A Lady Jin and One-eyed Nu novel

by Gary W. Feather

  "Yes. I am Lady Jin. This my friend, One-eyed Nu. We'd heard there was a medium here that might help us."

  "Oh yes. That's me. My name is Zhung." Zhung slapped her dirty hands together. "Come inside and we can talk about it."

  They followed Zhung into her house where Zhung dipped water out of a large bucket with a clay cup. She poured the water into a bowl. She washed her hands. Zhung invited them to use it too. After drying their hands with a towel, Zhung sat on a long rug. She waved them to join her.

  "What are you seeking?"

  "I have been having nightmares where a former lover of mine is trying to warn me about something," Lady Jin explained. "But I can't hear what he is saying. By instinct I knew I was meant to come here to Duan, though I don't know what else he wishes of me. I have sought the help of others able to contact the spirit world. I have been told someone is blocking his warning."

  "What is his name?"

  "Snake-tongue."

  "Let's try," Zhung said. "Give me your hand."

  Lady Jin held out her hand. Palm up. Zhung looked into the palm and pointed with her finger. She didn't comment about it other than a nod. Zhung leaned back and rolled her head. Zhung began to chant and hum. She did this for a long time. Sweat poured down her cheeks. Then the pupils in her eyes flew back into her head.

  "Return," Zhung said. "Return. Return."

  "Snake-tongue?" Lady Jin said. "I have returned to Duan."

  "Su Mao." Zhung said. "Return to Su Mao."

  "What?"

  Zhung flung around the floor, for she was heavy into her trance. Lady Jin had to back up a little to get away from the other woman. "Su Mao. Su Mao's mansion. Return. Return. The Pearl! The Pearl!" Zhung stopped moving. Lady Jin cautiously checked her. She was breathing. Zhung coughed and slowly sat up. She wiped the sweat from her forehead.

  "How was that?" Zhung asked. "Did you hear what you wished to hear?"

  "Yes," Lady Jin said. "Thank you."

  "You're welcome."

  Lady Jin placed some coins in Zhung's palm. Zhung bowed.

  The three women walked out of the house. Zhung shut the door. Lady Jin smiled. It seemed like a good day so far. A large number of men on horses rode up to them. One of them was Black-hand.

  "Still trying to cause trouble, Lady Jin?" Black-hand commented. He glared at her. In his left hand was a war bow.

  "Still trying to stop you and whoever you're working for," Lady Jin said. She chose not to suggest Su Mao. There was no reason for him to learn of the plans she was making in her mind.

  "Maybe I am working for Li Bo." Black-hand laughed. He glared down at her. He reached for an arrow.

  She drew her sword. Lady Jin held it up waiting to knock the arrow aside. Black-hand pulled back and released the arrow. But the arrow didn't go to Lady Jin. It struck Zhung in the heart. Zhung screamed. The power from the war bow flung the woman backwards and knocked open the door. Zhung lay sprawled across the doorway. Black-hand laughed. He handed his war bow to one of his men. He slid off his horse. He pulled out his sword. "Come on, Lady Jin. Don't you want to kill me? Give it a try!" He continued to laugh at her.

  Lady Jin charged him. He blocked her first cut, and her second. Lady Jin retreated for a second. Black-hand lowered his sword. She thrust at his chest. Her blades sank in up to the hilt. He still laughed at her. Lady Jin twisted it as she yanked the sword free. He tumbled backwards, but caught himself.

  "Oh that was a good nasty twist, my dear sweet Lady!" Black-hand laughed. No blood squirted from his wound. The wound slowly healed before Lady Jin's wide eyes.

  "No!" she screamed.

  Black-hand sheathed his sword. He turned his back to her. Black-hand climbed onto his horse. He spit on the ground near her feet. His men laughed as he smiled at her.

  Lady Jin watched the men ride off. She cursed them, but that only made Black-hand and his laughter grow louder. Once they were gone, she put her sword away. Nu was squatting over Zhung's body.

  "I think she's dead."

  Lady Jin squatted and felt for a heartbeat. No pulse. No breathing either. Damn you, Black-hand! Lady Jin held back tears. This is my fault. I shouldn't have come here.

  "What do we do now, mistress?"

  "We don't give up." Lady Jin stood. "The pearl needs to be returned to where we first buried it at Su Mao's mansion. We need to find it."

  "So where do we go?"

  "Su Mao's mansion," Lady Jin said. "Come on. We should tell someone about Zhung's death."

  "Maybe back at the inn?"

  "Yes. That will do."

  Chapter thirty-four

  After they informed the innkeeper of Zhung's death by Black-hand, he nodded sadly and said he would handle the funeral.

  Lady Jin and One-eyed Nu went to their room. Lady Jin sat down against a wall and hung her head into her knees. She cried in defeat.

  "Mistress?"

  Lady Jin looked up. She wiped her eyes. "Sorry. I needed that, Nu."

  "Yes, mistress." Nu sat beside her teacher and hugged her.

  "I'm not giving up, Nu." Lady Jin patted the girl's back. "We need to go to Su Mao's mansion. We'll need to change into riding clothes."

  Nu nodded with a faint smile. Su Mao's mansion was several miles outside of Duan.

  "Shouldn't we get something to eat?" Nu said.

  "Yes. We will get some food at the market to take with us." Lady Jin nodded.

  Lady Jin and One-eyed Nu rode to the old mansion, which belonged to a demon named Su Mao. The sun was very low in the sky. It would soon be gone for the night. Lady Jin rode through the open gates of the mansion with her sword in her hand. Her eyes darted around for danger as her eyes listened. The grass in the courtyard had grown up and gone wild. No one had lived here for several years, but someone had been here recently. The signs of several men on horses were around.

  "Someone's been here," Lady Jin commented.

  "Yes, mistress." Nu nodded.

  "I believe the tree should be over there." Lady Jin sheathed her sword. Nu followed her example.

  "I don't see it, mistress."

  "It's there. It's been cut down."

  Lady Jin led Nu the spot where the tree had been planted. The stump was pulled up by its roots. "They must have used their horses to haul out the stump. You can see how they dug up the pearl I buried under the tree."

  "Yes, mistress," Nu said. "Didn't you chant something over it?"

  "Yes, Nu. It wasn't enough to stop whoever did this. I suppose it was Black-hand."

  "Did I hear someone say my name?"

  Lady Jin drew her sword before she spun around. Black-hand and his men rode through the gates of the mansion.

  "Bastard!"

  "Lady Jin. How good to see you." Black-hand waved his hand. His other held the reins of his horse. "I hear a friend of yours died recently. I give you my sympathies."

  "What do you want?"

  "Merely to answer question that you might still have about why I am still alive." Black-hand slid from his saddle. He bowed politely.

  "Really?"

  "Yes." He bowed again. "Just ask."

  "Where is the pearl I buried?" Lady Jin pointed at the spot where the tree once stood.

  Black-hand reached into his shirt to pull out the necklace. Hanging from it was a large pearl. "Is this what you mean?"

  "Yes."

  "Was it yours?"

  "No."

  "Who?"

  "You know, Black-hand." Lady Jin adjusted her feet. Her body felt covered in sweat as if she had just exercised hard. Calm down, woman. She knew what was making her sweat. Fear. I am afraid of that bastard. I can't kill him.

  "Su Mao gave me my power," Black-hand said. "He plans to come back to the living world and I will help him do it. He wants me to kill you. I will, but first I want to have fun with you."

  Black-hand handed the reins of his horse to one of his men. He walked toward Lady Jin with his bare hands in the air. "Look I am not holding a sword." Black-hand laughed. "Atta
ck me!"

  "Bastard." Lady Jin felt her sword hand shaking. Calm down. Please.

  Nu ran forward. She stabbed Black-hand in the side.

  Black-hand smiled at her. "I almost forgot about you, little one." He didn't bleed out of the wound. Instead it healed as Lady Jin and Nu watched. "See! I am immortal! You can't kill me. But if you wish to live, One-eyed Nu, you will please me!" Black-hand clutched his crotch. His men laughed.

  Nu blushed. She backed away terrified.

  Lady Jin fought back tears and uncontrollable rage. I must stay calm. Lady Jin blocked a sword cut from Black-hand. She stabbed. A miss. A second thrust was blocked by his left hand. Black-hand cut at her legs. She hopped to avoid his blade. Their fight continued with her constantly attacking him and he mostly blocking or dodging. All the while he smiled or laughed at her with more arrogance that he should have. But what can I do to hurt a man who is immortal?

  Suddenly Lady Jin disarmed him with a surprising move. Black-hand laughed and clapped his hands. "Very impressive move, Lady Jin. That was great!" He looked back at his men. "Don't you think?" His men applauded and laughed.

  Lady Jin screamed in rage. She shoved her blade into his throat from below. The blade went up towards his brain. No blood came out of the wound. She pulled her sword free.

  Black-hand stumbled backwards. He stopped. He laughed. "Another fine move, my dear Lady Jin." Black-hand walked over to where his sword had fallen. He put it back in his sheath. "That was fun. I'm truly sad that one day I will have to kill you. But not today. Today I let you live. I even let your pretty girl live too." Black-hand climbed onto his horse. He laughed as he led his men out the gateway.

  Lady Jin raised her sword and screamed at them. Nu touched Lady Jin's arm. Lady Jin stopped screaming. She looked at her student with tears in her eyes. She shook with rage and fear.

  Once the men were long gone, Lady Jin put away her sword. Lady Jin and Nu rode out of the mansion.

  "Let's go back to the inn, Nu."

  "Yes, mistress."

  Chapter thirty-five

  Lady Jin woke up screaming from a nightmare. She remembered Snake-tongue attacking her.

  "Mistress!" Nu hugged her. Lady Jin hugged her back.

  "I remember something, Nu," Lady Jin said. "In the...dream Snake-tongue told me to search for an old man who lives in a tree."

  "An old man who lives in a tree?" Nu replied. "There can't be too many of them. Right?"

  "Yes." Lady Jin raised the window cover to look outside. There was no glass window just a square opening with a wooden cover that could be tied down to keep out the rain. "Still dark outside. We'll go looking for him in the morning. Go back to sleep, Nu."

  "Yes, mistress.

  The next morning after sword practice with One-eyed Nu, Lady Jin asked the innkeeper about an old man who lives in the tree.

  "I never heard of such a man." The innkeeper laughed. "I've heard of a number of eccentrics in this town, but not him."

  Lady Jin and Nu bathed in the women's bathroom within the inn. They bought some fruit to eat from the innkeeper's wife and went to the market. His wife never heard of the old man either.

  They went to the market to ask about the old man who lived in a tree. At first, all they got was laughter or a plain no. Until they came to a man selling rugs.

  "Oh yes. A nice man. Kind of odd, but still a nice old man." The rug seller nodded.

  "You've met him?" Lady Jin felt relieved to finally find someone who neither laughed nor gave a blank stare.

  "Yes. I am Lo,” the rug seller said. "Did you say you are Lady Jin?"

  "Correct. You've heard of me."

  "The innkeeper told me you found my aunt's body," Lo said. "Her name was Zhung. My father's younger sister."

  "Yes. I am sorry for your loss." Lady Jin bowed. Nu bowed.

  "Thank you." Lo bowed. "The old man you seek knew my aunt and doesn't live too far from her house. He lives in a tree nearby."

  "Oh! Thank you, Lo! Thank you." Lady Jin bowed.

  "Now we know where to search for him," Lady Jin said to Nu after they had walked away from Lo. "We should change into our riding clothes."

  Lady Jin decided to buy some food to take with them for she wasn't sure how long they would be.

  Lady Jin and Nu left the market. They returned to their room to change into their riding clothes. They saddled their horses in the inn's stables, and stuck the food they had got at market into their saddlebags. They also filled their water bags.

  Lady Jin and Nu rode by Zhung's house. The dead woman's garden didn't look any different from the last time they had been there. Lady Jin got off her horse.

  "I see her garden is full of various herbs, and not just vegetables," Lady Jin commented. She walked towards the garden. "The last time she worked in her garden she must have gotten all the weeds pulled up. I don't recognize all these herbs. Many are for healing, but a few are for magic."

  Lady Jin looked back at the house, but didn't enter. She got back on her horse. Nu followed as she rode away from the house. Lady Jin stopped. She looked to the east as several horse riders rushed towards them. A few shot arrows at them, but none of the arrows hit the swordswomen or their horses.

  "Black-hand!" Lady Jin spoke his name as a curse.

  "Lady Jin?" Black-hand smiled. "You came back to the witch's house for some reason. Guilt? Maybe. Since I wouldn't have killed her if you hadn't come here for information about me."

  "Guilt?" Lady Jin snapped. "It was your fault, not mine. You murdered her. For no reason."

  "Maybe it is time I finally end this." Black-hand frowned. He slid off his horse. He yanked out his sword before his feet reached the ground. He gave the reins to one of his men. He walked calmly up to her as she sat on her horse. Black-hand now had a smile on his face again.

  Should I run? I feel like I should run. But I also don't want to. I want to face him and carve that arrogant smile off his face. Damn you, Black-hand! You should be dead!

  Lady Jin pulled out her sword. She jumped from her horse. She brought her sword down with a scream. Black-hand blocked aside the attack.

  "Come one, Lady Jin." Black-hand retreated with his arms raised. "Come and get me, my love."

  "I will kill you!" Lady Jin attacked him frantically. She swung her sword with both hands holding the one-handed sword. He dodged and dodged. Black-hand smacked her bottom with the flat of his blade. His men laughed. Lady Jin attacked. He dodged and laughed. Black-hand smacked her bottom again. She attacked in a mad fashion again. He dodged. Lady Jin blocked his sword as he tried to smack her bottom. His men laughed. She grabbed his wrist. She twisted the wrist and spun around. Black-hand was tossed through the air. He got back up. He wasn't laughing. He'd dropped his sword somewhere. Suddenly he flew at Lady Jin. Both of his feet slammed into her chest. She was flung backwards. The pain brought tears to her eyes. The air. I can't breathe. I-I…

  "I'm sorry, my love." Black-hand said, coldly. He picked up his sword. "But I really have to kill you."

  "Leave her alone!!!"

  Everyone's head turned towards the powerful voice. It came from a frail-looking old man.

  "Who are you, old man!" Black-hand shouted. "Go away before I kill you have your guts turned into bow string!"

  "No!" the old man said. "I want you to leave here with honor, or I will make you run away like beaten children."

  Black-hand and his men laughed. "I guess I will have to kill you anyway, old man. But first I will kill Lady Jin."

  The frail-looking old man screamed and floated into the air. Green light beams flew out of his eyes toward Black-hand and his men. They threw up their hands to cover their eyes. But the light still burned into their eyes. Their horse screamed and bucked. A few riders were knocked off their horses, but most stayed on.

  "Retreat!" Black-hand shouted. "Retreat!"

  "Black-hand jumped on his horse. They ran away. Lady Jin stood by her horse, while Nu was still seated on her horse. Neither of the women nor
their horses were bothered by the green light.

  Chapter thirty-six

  The old man landed on the ground. "Well that worked better than I thought it would. He laughed.

  "Thank you, sir." Lady Jin said once she had gotten over her shock. "I am Lady Jin and this is my student One-eyed Nu.

  "Greetings, ladies." He bowed. "I am Green Dove. Blue Dove told me you were coming. Come you can rest at my home. It is a tree house."

  "Blue Dove?" Lady Jin said. "Is he here?"

  "No. He is in Guanxibo," Green Dove said. "We talked in the spirit world."

  Green Dove led Lady Jin and Nu to the largest tree that either of the women had ever seen. There was a rope ladder hanging by the tree. Lady Jin looked up and saw that the rope ladder went way up in the tree. Maybe a mile or so. She wasn't sure. She did see that the rope ladder was attacked to a house that sat on two large tree branches. Each branch was the circumference of a regular large tree.

  "Leave your horse and follow me." Green Dove climbed the rope ladder. Up he went like a man a third his age.

  "We're going up there?" Nu frowned at Lady Jin.

  "Tie your horse to a tree and follow me." Lady Jin tied her horse's reins to a tree and climbed up the rope ladder. She searched for where the crazy old man was and kept going. Crazy old fart. I hope this is what Snake-tongue wanted me to do. This better be worth it.

  Lady Jin pulled herself onto the house's porch. She helped Nu get on it. Green Dove stood holding the door to his house open.

  "Come on in, ladies." Green Dove waved. "There's much we need to talk about."

  Lady Jin and Nu followed the old man inside. He sat on a green pillow and waved them to an orange pillow and a silver pillow. Green Dove clapped his hands and a monkey carried over a steaming pot of tea. The monkey set the pot between them and left. It later returned with three cups. Green Dove patted the monkey on the head. He waved it away. He poured the tea pot for his guests then filled his cup. He raised his cup. He smiled at them. "Please drink."

  Lady Jin lifted her tea cup. She bowed to Green Dove before tasting the tea. A charming mixture of bitter and sweetness.