Requiem III: The Search for The Truth

by Bonnie Eagan & Alisa Joaquin

Part 42: A Sanctuary Unlike Any Other

The Master breathed a sigh of relief as he reentered his private sanctuary, and yet, anger welled in his soul. He had not expected any attack to come from Matthew Caine. The powder should have weakened him to the point of death. Helpless, the old Shaolin would not have been able to stop the Master from his assault, but somehow Matthew Caine had recovered. Was it possible that there were herbs in this world that existed to counteract what he created? He had done research. There should not have been any herbs. What herbs that had been listed were said to be extinct in this earthly plane, but legend had it that they still existed in a place called Shambhala. Could that place really exist?

The Master trembled with rage. No Shaolin, Caine or otherwise, was going to get the best of him. He commanded the spirits of this place. He had the command of their energy. He had discovered that little secret in an ancient book that had been passed to him from the previous Sing Wah leader. It took the Master many years to decipher its secrets. It had been written in a Chinese dialect that was long dead. The symbols had been written in mirror image to confuse the reader if their knowledge had been revealed. The book spoke of harnessing the power of the dead, even if those who died had been gone for many years. It told that the dead had to be bound to a certain place by violence that had been committed there. If the building was intact, the spirits would remain as if they still lived on that earthly plane. Only fire could cleanse the place and send the spirits away from their earthly home.

Learning of that secret, at first the Master was going use the temple in California until he saw how much damage had been done. No spirits were bound to the temple there, having been freed by the fire that cleansed the stones. But what of Zhang Zhou temple? Was it still intact after so many years? The last time he had been there was to collect the bones of the dead, to take their ashes and form the candles to prepare for the day when he would be able to take his revenge. He had not thought about needed the very stones of the building itself. He had only deciphered a portion of the text at that time. By the time he had, Zhang Zhou temple had been bought by another. It had been dismantled brick by brick and brought to America. A few remaining walls and slate stone flooring that barely even formed one room was all that remained of the once great temple that rested in that quiet forested spot. It was only after Tan had been killed by Kwai Chang Caine, did he learn that it was his former prodigy who bought the temple for his own plans of revenge on the Caine line. And how fortunate for the Master, for at that very moment, his enemy waited within the temple's very walls, ready for the Master's revenge.

But Matthew Caine was whole once more, his chi intact and powerful. Kim Luc had not counted on the fact that Matthew Caine would be such a powerful Shaolin, even at his advancing years. The Master lit another black candle. Not many remained. The ashes of the monks of this place had been used to form them and had only yielded about 200 small, tapered candles. He made certain that when he performed the ritual for the binding of each soul, that each time a candle was lit, power would be transferred to him. He had only burned 20 of those candles so far. It was time to burn the rest if he had any chance of succeeding and regaining back his family's honor from the likes of Matthew Caine.

"How is it that we are safe here?" Matthew Caine asked the Ancient.

"Use your senses Matthew Caine, and you will know the truth."

Matthew did as Lo SI requested. "This doorway is not part of the temple. I can feel that the spirits' influence does not go beyond this wall. Yet, how were many of the doors to this place energized with spirit fire to keep them closed?"

"The doors were only effected if we were to touch them with our chi. They were locked by normal means. The Master did not have to energize every door in this building, only those leading from this place, and only if the door was touched by what could be considered an intruder. In that way, no energy was wasted."

"How do you know so much?" Matthew asked.

"I am Ancient," Lo Si smiled. "Come you must touch the carving and concentrate on learning the answer to how Kim Luc has bound our brethren here. We must know the truth if we are to succeed in freeing them."

Matthew knelt beside his son and brushed his fingers along Kwai Chang's cheek. He had thought he had lost his child so long ago. Learning that he had not brought comfort to his aging soul, but that comfort was short-lived when he learned just how badly he had failed as a father. Now he had been given a second chance. He only hoped they would all live so he could get to know this fully grown man that rested beside him.

Kwai Chang opened his eyes when he felt the brush of his father's chi. "Father?" he asked weakly.

"Shh, do not try to talk. You are still weak from the Master's blow. You are safe for now."

"I thought I heard Peter's voice."

"You did. He has gone to try to find what we need to defeat Kim Luc's evil. I must learn the answers to how he has imprisoned our brethren here. You must rest. Lo Si will look after you."

"But Father, you may need my help."

"I shall be fine, my son. We shall need you later. Rest now." Matthew brushed his fingers across Kwai Chang's forehead and the younger priest fell asleep.

"He will be surprised to know that you know that trick."

"There is much my son does not know about me. If time permits, we have a lot of catching up to do. We better get started."

Matthew Caine walked over to the steps, descended to the third level, and sat next to the stone banister. He could see the carving that he had done when Kwai Chang had been just a boy. Memories rushed through his mind on the day he put chisel to stone. He had not expected to see this carving after all these years. Then Matthew took a breath, placed his left hand over the carving, and was transported back into time.

Continues with Part 43