Part 17 (1/2)
”They say it is a ruby larger than a chestnut,” the monk said. ”Don't worry about how to find it. If you are the true Musado, then the tidal stone will present itself to you.”
”But what if I'm not?” Taejo asked.
Brother Woojin was quiet. ”Let us just worry about getting to the Diamond Mountains for now.”
Kira bit her bottom lip, considering the foreseeable problems. ”We will need a good plan on how to slip away without notice.”
”Yes, and you'll need to prepare supplies for the trip,” Brother Boyuk said.
”This is insane!” Jaewon interrupted. ”The Diamond Mountains are on the eastern sh.o.r.e of Tongey. The whole southern peninsula is now under enemy control. The battle we're now heading toward lies right between us and the mountains. How by the G.o.ds are we to make it through?”
”By having faith,” Brother Woojin answered. He bowed and raised his clasped hands to the heavens.
”And a huge diversion.” Brother Boyuk grinned. ”What better diversion than an advancing army of a hundred thousand men!”
The plan was to sneak away as Eojin and the Iron Army attacked the port city of Wonsan, where Yamato was waging a full siege. With his focus on his battle plan, Eojin ordered Taejo to stay close to camp with his cousins, guarded by Captain Pak and his men. Brother Boyuk would stay close to Eojin and keep him away.
At night, the element of surprise would be strongest for the attack and for their escape also. Kwan would create a distraction while Jaewon and Seung readied their horses for the long journey.
Inside the tent, Kira and her cousin sat fully clothed and armed, waiting for Kwan to signal for them.
”Do you think we'll see our uncle again?” Taejo asked. ”Will he be angry? Will he forgive me? I mean, he won't think I ran away because I'm afraid, will he?”
”If anything, you are running toward more danger, so it isn't a lack of courage, and he'll know that. And yes, we'll see him again. Besides, you wrote him that long message.”
She'd agreed to let him leave a scroll with Captain Pak, to be delivered in the morning, once they were long gone.
A soft whistle trilled nearby, the slight vibrato indicating Kwan was ready for them. Kira pulled out her knife and slit the back of the tent wall. She slung several bags of provisions and their water sacks over her shoulder and stepped through the slit, Taejo right behind her. They marched quickly along the path, joining up with Kwan.
Once clear of the tents, they headed to the latrines, waiting for the night patrol to pa.s.s before ducking into the dense line of trees behind them. Another low whistle alerted them to the others' presence. They followed the signal to a clearing where Jaewon, Seung, and Brother Woojin stood with their horses. All their weapons had been hidden and loaded earlier. Jindo dashed over, happy to see Taejo.
”Let's go,” Kwan said.
They rode slowly through the forest by the dim light of the moon and stars, Kira in the lead. They traveled southeast, stopping only to rest their horses when the fog became too dense to ride.
Six days later, they glimpsed the glistening peaks of the Diamond Mountains.
Kwan led them out of the forests and onto a rocky trail along the seash.o.r.e. He was cautious, stopping often and keeping careful watch up ahead. They'd already been in numerous run-ins with demons and imps and avoided one close call with a Yamato patrol. Each time, Kira's nose warned them of danger. Since reaching the Diamond Mountains, there'd been no demon sightings at all, as if the mountains themselves were protected.
Kira breathed in the cold, briny air. She gazed at the white-capped sea. Large boulders jutted out of the waters like small islands, stepping stones for the G.o.ds. The wind was harsh, buffeting them with a cold spray from the sea.
Taejo rode next to her, hunkered down as close as he could get to his horse, his breath blowing in white clouds before him. She watched as Jindo ran off onto the beach, chasing the receding waves and racing away from oncoming ones.
The rest of the day, they traveled along the sea road as the peaks and spirals rose and fell to their right. By late afternoon, they reached a bay where a large white-sand beach encircled a portion of the turquoise sea gently lapping at the sh.o.r.e. The water was calm here and gave them a brief respite from the harsh winds of the sea. The road suddenly veered away from the sh.o.r.e and turned west into the mountains.
They crossed a wooden bridge over a fast-flowing creek and found themselves not far from a small but picturesque temple with several larger buildings surrounding it. Numerous statues of small animals lined the corners of the temple roof, like tiny guardians. Next to the temple, a small wooden paG.o.da housed a large bronze bell, while behind it stood a narrow and very pointy seven-story stone paG.o.da.
The bright-red doors of the temple opened at their approach, and several young monks in gray robes with yellow sashes came to greet them. Brother Woojin dismounted first, placing his hands together and bringing them to his forehead. The younger monks responded in kind and invited the party into the temple. Three small boys with the shaved heads and light-gray robes of young disciples rushed over to care for the horses.
Seeing Jindo, one tiny boy shyly approached Taejo and asked to pet his dog. Smiling, Taejo sent Jindo off with the delighted child, who patted the dog and promised him plenty of treats. Kira waited for Taejo to hug Jindo in farewell one last time before following the others into the warmth of the inner temple.
”Welcome, welcome to Singing Temple!” A wiry old monk stood at the temple sanctuary before a large golden statue of San-s.h.i.+n, the mountain G.o.d. Brother Woojin bowed and greeted the head monk while Kira and the others waited with the young monks.
”I wonder why it's called Singing Temple,” Kira mused.
One of the monks heard her question and cleared his throat, motioning her closer.
”We are called the Singing Temple because at certain times of the year, the voices of singing angels surround us from the mountains,” he said.
”Angels?” she asked.
”Yes, angels singing glorious music such as you have never heard before.”
”Have you actually heard the voices yourself?” she asked.
The monk nodded, a dreamy expression on his face. ”It's hard to explain what it sounds like, but now that you are here, perhaps you will experience it for yourselves.”
Kwan interrupted abruptly. ”What I want to know is why the Yamatos didn't come here.”
The monk gazed at Kwan with a puzzled expression. ”But these are holy grounds,” he said. ”No evil can enter the sacred mountains.”
”How could they be stopped?” Kwan asked.
”By the angels,” the monk replied. ”They would not allow an enemy army into their mountains. War does not enter our realm.”
Before Kwan could question him further, Brother Woojin arrived and introduced the temple's head monk, Master Hong, to the group. The old monk peered closely at them, his wrinkled face alive with curiosity.
”Greetings, my children! We welcome you to stay the night at our monastery,” he said in a high-pitched, wavering voice. ”I am aware of your task, and you will need your energy, for we do not know how long you will hike through our sacred mountains to find what you're looking for. After all, there are ten thousand miracles here, and Brother Woojin tells me you have no idea where to start!”
Master Hong chuckled as if this was the most hilarious thing he had ever heard. Kira gazed at the others in alarm. They'd all taken for granted that Brother Woojin knew where they were to go. Did he expect them to wander the mountain cliffs in the dead of winter, blindly seeking something that had been hidden for centuries?
”Do not fear, young ones,” Brother Woojin said. ”The path will find us if we keep our eyes open.”
Kira was troubled by the monk's words. How could they plan what to do without knowing where to go?
”Sunim, are you trying to tell us that you have no idea where to start?” Kira asked.
”That's not entirely true,” Brother Woojin corrected. ”I believe we are to head to Nine Dragons Waterfall and the Eight Jade Fairy Pools. It is the beginning.”
”The beginning of what?” Kira asked.
But the monk didn't answer.