Soulmates Beyond Time
Mai Chi dreamed. It was the time of the first temple, 1500 years ago. Two strangers came to the village. She greets them. One is older than the other. The younger carries a sword. She knows him and yet she does not. The older assists her grandfather, the Apothecary, to cure the sickness that is destroying their village. The well has been poisoned. She and the young man are attacked. The young man defends her and her grandfather without a weapon; a style of fighting never seen before. Teach us, she demands. The young man and his father demonstrate their art. The crane defeats the tiger. Lessons continue and finally, the taking of the brands begins. They speak alone. She is older and yet their hearts are one. She wishes to go with him but he cannot take her where he goes. Time and duty will not allow it. The warlord, Lai Tzu demands tribute, the Shaolin refuse and a battle commences. Many die but the Shaolin are victorious. Deep sadness, she is injured. He sits by her side waiting for her to awaken but he cannot stay. When she does, she looks for him but does not find him. Her heart is heavy, only the first can comfort her. Will they meet again? Only time will tell.
Suddenly Mai Chi awakens, she is in a strange place. An old man sits mixing herbs.
"Grandfather?"
"You honor me."
Fully awake, Mai Chi remembers all.
"Where is this place?"
"You are in my home. Do you not remember leaving Caine's rooms and coming with me?"
Mai Chi blinks in surprise. Everything seemed so strange at first. Then memory of her mission and the Emperor came flooding back. Of course, the mission.
"Where is Master Caine?"
"He will be here shortly. I believe he is making arrangements."
"Please, I have a question."
"You wish to know why I look so much like a certain apothecary, Mai Chi."
"How did you . . ."
"I am Ancient. I know much."
"How is that possible?"
"Ancient I may be but not that ancient. At least, I do not think so."
"I have another question. Is Master Caine the same one?"
"I do not know what you mean?" Lo Si turned away to avoid the woman's gaze.
"I must know. I dreamed of the past."
"Tell me this dream."
"In the dream, I was the woman whose name I bear. I met a young man, Peter. That is, the woman meets Peter. I see it through her eyes. I see all that transpires. The teaching of the Shaolin. The battle with the warlord. The woman, myself injured. Peter no longer there. It is strange. When I came here seeking Kwai Chang Caine and found . . . "
"Go on. Tell me more."
"I seem to know him and yet, I do not know how I know this. Then I have this dream. I see Peter in my dream in the past. Then I see him here. He has not changed. His eyes and face are the same. Is he the same? My heart tells me that this is so but my mind is confused. What is also confusing is that you were also in that dream. You look like my . . . her grandfather."
"Many things are possible. Perhaps you carry her essence. She is part of you. You are part of her. You are Mai Chi, born again to seek what you have lost and to begin anew."
Mai Chi listened as the old one spoke. It seemed to make sense, yet she was not ready to accept it. There had to be more. If this Peter were the same, would he not know also? And if he weren't, what would be his reaction? Would he disappear as before? Where did that thought come from? Certainly not only from her but also from the other whose name she bore. Was she this other Mai Chi? Was the dream a distant memory? Mai Chi could not think. Fear and confusion of not knowing who she really was and where these thoughts came from threatened to take her sanity. She must concentrate on other matters beside herself. Her Emperor was counting on her help. Maybe afterward, when Sing Ling was safe, she would be able to explore this part of herself. Maybe she and Peter could explore the mystery of themselves together.
*****
"He is getting weaker. I hope they return soon."
"We must prepare if he dies."
"He will not die. He cannot die. All of China needs him more than ever. They will return."
"I hope you are right."
Sing Ling struggled within. The fog has not lifted. Sing Ling wandered through the fog searching for a way to communicate but there is no way. Soon Sing Ling came upon a hallway filled with many doors; each leading to a portion of his life. Opening one, Sing Ling saw himself as an infant. He recognized the old man holding him. It was his grandfather. It was the last time they would be together. Sing Ling closed the door and opened another. Here he saw himself as a boy about 5. He watched as the boy grew angry because he cannot leave the royal apartment and go outside to play. Sing Ling continued to look at his life as he opened each door. Some doors revealed good memories while others revealed the uglier side of his nature. It was these doors that were the hardest to open and yet he had to in order to go on. What would he find at the end of this corridor of doors, life or death?
Compelled to go on, Sing Ling opened the next door and saw himself as the young man before he became Emperor. It was the day he met Peter. In this room he faced himself and saw that Peter was right. He had been a spoiled brat. He did not know any other way. Sing Ling lingered here. He saw the events of that day and how Peter helped him to see that being an emperor was more than just ordering people around. It was trusting others, having compassion, and even making friends. Peter had been more than just a bojaya. Peter had really been his first real friend. Sadness came over Sing Ling at the thought of not ever seeing this friend again. Sing Ling closed the door and continued. The next door he opened showed the day he had to leave his safe house to find Peter and that the Ancient had been captured. He had always regretted that. The Ancient had been injured, but things had turned out right in the end.
Then he noticed that the corridor was nearly at an end. What could it mean? There were two doors left. He tried the one at the very end but it was locked, as if it awaited the right key to open it. The other door revealed his current situation and more. He saw himself lying very still upon his bed. Attendants were around him. They were doing all they could to help him. Sing Ling could tell that his body was still alive but barely breathing. Then something caught his eye. Two people were playing what looked like a game of chess but the board contained only four figures. Two of the figures were in the center while the other two were being moved around. Sing Ling concentrated on this new development in his life. Somehow this was important and he needed to know more. Sing Ling concentrated and tried to bring the images closer in his mind. The first two were dressed alike but one carried a flute and wore a hat. One stood in the center while the other stood just outside. The other two figures were each different from each other. One was a woman, a whip was at her side. The other figure stood straight with his hands folded across his chest. The eyes were closed. Somehow, Sing Ling knew that this figure was he. Sing Ling watched as the two men played the game. The figure of the woman seemed to move closer to the center of the figure with the flute while the others remained still. It was as if the other three pieces were part of the game and yet they were not.
Suddenly someone moved the piece that was Sing Ling and laid the figure down. Sing Ling could suddenly feel his chi become more isolated from his body. At that moment Sing Ling knew the truth. The game was somehow responsible and Sing Ling knew, if the game was to continue, he would no longer exist. Sing Ling tried to back away from the door but was compelled to watch. Soon it became clear what each of the pieces represented. The woman was the huntress, seeking her prey. And in the game, she sought the figure with the flute. The figure with the flute and hat had to be Caine. It was dressed in much the same way that Caine would dress. Sing Ling looked at the other dressed the same way, minus the flute and hat. Could this be Peter? Surely the figure was smaller and had much of the same characteristics but it was different in it's own way. The figure had no hat and carried no flute. The smaller image was dressed like the larger and carried a pouch like the other. This figure had been place between the figure that represented the emperor and the huntress. What could it mean? It was as if the figure had to choose between the two. Sing Ling did not like it. To place this figure in such a predicament must also mean that Peter would have to choose which person to pursue. Suddenly, a third person entered the room. The two men were not aware of him. He wore dark robes and a mask. He carried a fifth figure. The figure was crouched and holding a weapon. This figure was placed by the smaller of the two Shaolin facing the huntress. The game had been joined. Sing Ling wanted to remain and watch the outcome of the game, but then the final door opened spreading it's light into the hall and beckoned Sing Ling to enter.
End of part 6
Alisa Joaquin Copyright@2000.
This story cannot be reprinted or sold in any other form without strict permission from
the author. It is being distributed here solely for your enjoyment.
Synopsis/Next Part
Back to Temple Tales Contact
Alisa