"That was quick thinking back there, Mister Teru." Mister Bando nodded towards Teru.

"Yeah, you saved my life, thank you very much, Big Brother Teru." Shohei said.

"And smart thinking grabbing our packs, Young Zai." Mister Bando said to me. "Now we won't have to survive out in the wild on nothing."

"What do we do now?" Shohei asked.

"In the case that we ever get separated, we are normally supposed to meet at the closest location on our transport route. It should be the same for this route, right Mister Bando?"

"Yes, the others should be waiting for us at Nammoku Village, especially in this weather." Mister Bando agreed. "If we don't show up in a day, then they will probably coming looking for us."

"Is there another way around?"

"Yes, there is a river crossing a little ways away from here. I'll lead the way." Mister Bando said as he steered our horse.

It took about two hours to reach the river crossing, the weather was miserable and didn't let up the whole time. The water looked like it was waist deep in the most shallow area and was about as wide as a highway.

Mister Bando dismounted and said, "It seems the weather has made it harder for us to cross. We'll have to go on foot or the burden on the horses will be too much and they won't make it across."

"Give me the packs." Teru said as he helped Shohei dismount. "I can carry them across."

"Are you sure?" Mister Bando asked.

"I'm sure. Shohei can you take the horse?"

"I got it, Big Brother Teru." The young apprentice said.

After tying up their robes to prevent them from getting soaked too much, Mister Bando led the way across with Shohei right behind him. As they waded through the water, I was about to join them when Teru stopped me.

"Let me show you an advanced application of the trick I taught you." Teru said as he made sure the packs were secure. "Watch closely."

Teru took a running start towards the river before he leapt forward. His right foot hit the water for an instant before he leapt again and did the same with his left foot. I watched with my jaw wide open as he ran across the river, the scene in front of me reminded me of those Chinese martial arts movies.

'He's using short bursts of ki and his forward momentum to launch himself from the water surface, sort of like stone skipping.'

Teru made it to the other side and dropped the packs before running back across.

"So, think you can do it?" He grinned.

"You know I can't. Not yet."

"Hehe, that's why I'm back to pick you up. Hop on." Teru turned around and I climbed on his back.

Shohei watched in amazement as we landed on the other side. I noticed that Mister Bando wasn't at all surprised, he briefly glanced our way before he returned to pacifying the horses.

After a short break, we continued our journey through a forest. The rain had started to lighten by the time we entered a valley about an hour later.

"I see other people." Shohei stated as we broke the tree line. "At that hill."

In the distance, there were some people with large bamboo hats roving about by a large hill.

"Something is wrong." Teru said.

As we closed the distance, I discovered that underneath the large bamboo hats were monks. I saw one group of them digging into the hill and pulling someone who had been buried underneath out.

"That's not a hill." I said.

"Then what..." Shohei words stopped as he realized what happened.

"Let's go lend them a hand." Teru ran ahead of us.

By the time, we caught up with him, Teru was already talking to a monk.

"We'd like to help you."

"Then I thank you for your aid, kind strangers." The monk held up a hand and gave a short bow. "Amida."

Teru dug through his pack for a trowel, one we used to dig potty pits, and gave it to Shohei. Mister Bando and I found our own trowels, we spread out and dug where the monks directed us. The rescue effort lasted the rest of the day, and we found two monks in that time.

I also noticed that some of the monks knew how to use ki, as they we moving dirt and stone effortlessly with their bare hands. When the sun was starting to set, I heard someone shouting that they had found another one. We made it over as they had just dug a younger monk out.

"He didn't make it." One of the monks shook his head regretfully after he checked the pulse.

"May they find peace." The monks began praying.

"He might still be alive."

Everyone turned their heads to me, as I made my way to the young monk and knelt before him.

'How do I do this again.' I thought as I tried to recall CPR lessons from the first aid class I had to take along with food safety to get a certification for work.

'Let's see...15 seconds of chest compressions.'

I put my hands on the young man's chest and began pressing down.

"Child, what are you doing?!" Someone call out from behind me but I ignored it.

I didn't know how much time had passed since he stopped breathing.

"Stop, you are desecrating the dead!"

"Zai wouldn't do that, forgive me monks but please kindly back off." I heard Teru, who had made his way to stand directly behind me.

"Friend, what is the meaning of this?"

'After chest compressions...lift the chin slightly to open the airways, pinch the nose closed so air doesn't escape and give two rescue breathes. Here we go.'

I delivered two mouth-to-mouth breathes, while checking to make sure their chest was rising.

"Immoral!"

I repeated the cycle again to some of the monk's increasing indignation.

"How can you allow this!?"

After another cycle, some of the monks couldn't stand it anymore.

"We must stop this deplorable act!"

"Stop him!" They yelled as they began crowd around me.

I felt someone grab my shoulder when everyone suddenly stopped in their tracks.

*Cough cough cough cough*

"It's a miracle!" Someone gasped.

One of the monks knelt next to me and held the young monk. "Anzan, are you well?"

'It worked.' I let out a sigh of relief.

Teru helped me out of the crowd of monks as they began to nurse the resuscitated young monk.

"Namu Amida Butsu." A few monks bow to me in thanks.

"Good work." Teru gave me a proud smile.

"Pass me the water."

"Sure, here you go." Teru reached into his pack to dig out a bottle of water.

"His breath kind of stinks."

*Clack*

Teru dropped the bottle he was in the process of handing over to me. His mouth hung open slightly with a flabbergasted look on his face.