Spider's Bite
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Meng Xupin sat beside the stricken Shaolin. His fever was finally down and the pain that had been etched in his features had smoothed to natural sleep. It had taken several doses over a period of several hours for the herbs to finally do their work. It was touch and go a couple of times, but the poison was finally wiped from the young man's system. All that was needed was to wait for the young man to awaken and for the others to return.
Meng Xupin stared into the darkness of the abandoned church where they had moved the young priest for his own safety. Too much activity at Kermit Griffins apartment would have soon drawn attention of either the order or the police. It was Meng who suggested the old abandoned church just down the street. Meng would come to this place to collect herbs from the garden that was choked with weeds and other wild plants. The rest of the order avoided the place, as if it had a curse. They did not understand why the elder would collect herbs to cure their poisons.
Meng Xupin would shrug his shoulders and simply say, "For those rare occasions when they are needed."
As Meng Xupin sat beside the young priest, he suddenly became aware that someone was in great anguish and pain. It ceased shortly after. Only a lingering sensation of once was remained.
Meng Xupin concentrated and discovered the truth. 'The Mother! She has been destroyed.'
A deep sadness overtook the former member of the Black Widow Order and yet, there were no regrets. He knew it would happen sooner or later. Eventually, the Mother had to be destroyed if the order was to return to the old ways. The old ways of the Black Widow were the ways of healing. Those ways had nearly been lost. If he had not decided to leave the order, he too would probably end up dead and the knowledge that he had would also be lost. It would be up to him to resurrect those old ways and begin again. But would the Shaolin help, or would they remain as enemies.
Meng Xupin scrutinized the face of the young Shaolin in the flickering candlelight. The young man had a boyish quality and an innocence that suggested naivete. He certainly did not look like his grandfather or Chinese. Only around the eyes did they give any hint of his heritage. Meng Xupin sighed with regret. He envied the Shaolin, the older Caine men. Never before had he ever heard of three generations of Shaolin priests in one family.
Each Black Widow nest was made up of one Mother and several fathers over several generations. If a Mother should die, one of the females of the order would be chosen to become the mother of that nest and all male disciples were required to mate with her, but not in human form. Those few that survived the mating would become the chosen leaders. All were brethren or sisters, children of the Mother. It was believed to be the only way for the order to survive, by being born into it and raised in the ways of the Black Widow. It had been that way for over 500 years.
It seemed like a noble history, until Meng Xupin discovered the scrolls that spoke of an older purpose. Potions of healing and understanding were revealed to him as each scroll gave up its secrets. It was through these scrolls that Meng Xupin learned the true purpose of the order and their relationship to the Shaolin. How the Shaolin and Black Widow became bitter enemies had been lost over time. Now it did not seem to matter.
Meng Xupin rose for the floor and began to pace. If only he had studied the martial arts more. He could find some way to calm his raging spirit. It was getting late and the man called Kermit Griffin and the Shaolin, Matthew Caine were expected to return soon to bring him word that everything was all right and that both could finally come out of hiding. Meng was contemplating what their next move would be when an imperceptible sound came to his ears. The young priest was stirring.
"Uuuuugh. Where am I? Why's it so dark?"
"Shhhh. You are safe," Meng Xupin consoled the young man as he would a child. "The Black Widow order cannot harm you any more. I have cleared their poisons from your system."
"Who are you?" Peter asked.
"A healer, like yourself young priest."
Peter studied the face of the older man who seemingly saved his life. "Are you Shaolin? I don't remember you."
The man gave Peter a smile then shook his head slightly, "No, but I have studied the healing arts for many years."
Peter rose up on his elbows to get a better look at his surroundings. "Why are we in a church?"
"It would be best that you have your friend, Kermit Griffin answer those questions."
Suddenly, Peter bolted up right and was trying to climb out of bed.
"Wait, you are still weak."
"I've got to get to my grandfather. The Black Widow Order still has him."
"Your grandfather is safe," Meng Xupin quickly stated.
"You mean he escaped?"
"Yes."
"Where is he?" Peter questioned.
Meng Xupin turned away from the young Shaolin, not wanting to reveal the pain that was in his eyes and walked to the edge of the shadows, trying to find comfort there. "Helping to destroy the nest,' he stated as he tried to pull his right sleeve down over his wrist. The movement did not go unnoticed.
Meng Xupin felt the hand on his shoulder.
"What's wrong. I can feel you're troubled. Tell me."
The older man turned toward the young Shaolin, his eyes downcast. How could he tell him the truth? Suddenly he found himself backing away from the young priest, afraid. He felt the young man grab his right wrist and pulling the sleeve up, revealing the mark that he had been trying to hide since leaving the order.
A puzzled look appeared on the young priest's face. "You're a Black Widow? Why would someone from the Black Widow order help someone who is Shaolin?"
Meng Xupin never answered, but tore his wrist from Peter's grasp and bolted from the Shaolin's presence into the deeper shadows of the church.
"To pay a debt," was all he said before Meng Xupin disappeared.
Continues with Part 39
Alisa Joaquin Copyright@2002.
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.
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