Chapter 8: Laoshin's Story

Lian seemed to go into a trance as soon as she was settled in the back seat of the Ford Bronco. She had only spoken once throughout the loading process and departure from the Biltmore. Brett Stevens had said something to her just before she stepped into the vehicle. No one would hear what he said. Her response had been sharp, loud, and to the point.

"I am still a part of this Delegation," Lian had said in a calm, cold voice.

Sean felt like shards of ice were forming in the air from the cold certainty in the woman's voice.

"But," Lian continued. "I am not and have never been under your authority, Mr. Stevens. I will stay where I please, and associate with whom I please. Any interference from you in my exercise of free will, will be considered an act of aggression by your Council against mine. Simply stated, Mr. Stevens, the choices will be war between our Councils, or challenge between you and me. The choice of which will be mine. I will choose challenge. You, Sir, will not survive that challenge. Do you wish to say anything else?"

Sean was impressed with how quickly the American Wizard backed away from the diminutive Asian Wizard. The man's face had paled at the prospect of facing Lian in battle.

Sean was deep in thought while Pappy drove to Casa Cavalla. He seemed to reach a decision as they parked in front of the house and the men got out. Sean looked at Lian curiously as the men disappeared through the front door leaving Sean, Laoshin, and Lian in the back seat.

"What is she doing?" Sean asked inquisitively.

"She is meditating. She often meditates after a battle," Laoshin explained.

"Do you know why?" Sean asked as he unconsciously stroked the hair that was bound by the gold band.

Laoshin was quiet for a moment as she considered how to answer. Finally, she slowly said, "Anger, especially the anger experienced during a life or death struggle, um, it stains the soul. Lian uses meditation to calm the soul. No, that's the wrong word. Maybe, cleanse the soul. Maybe both." She sighed while shaking her head. "I don't know how to explain it right. I don't know the right words. I am sorry, Sean-san."

Sean shook his head and said, "There's nothing to be sorry about. I have that problem all the time. I know what I want to say but don't know how to say it."

"Lian may know how to explain it better," Laoshin said in relief.

"Thank you," Sean said. "I'll ask her, later."

The silence between them stretched for several moments before Laoshin spoke. "Thank you for saving her," Laoshin said timidly. "I, I'm always aware that she could be killed at any time. It is the nature of her life's work. But, I always dread it, too. We have been together for a very long time."

There was quiet in the Bronco as Sean considered how to respond, or if he should respond, to her words. Finally he asked, "How did you meet her?"

Laoshin bowed her head slightly as her mind drifted back.

"Lian saved me. My family was killed," Laoshin said softly as she remembered. Her voice had the staccato rhythm of a person seeing images in their mind they had tried desperately, but unsuccessfully, to forget.

Laoshin remembered the violent shaking of her home. The images of the walls crumbling and ceiling collapsing were seared into her mind. She could still see her father's legs sticking out of a pile of rubble and the blood pooling under him. Her mother had a large beam across her chest and a broken board, dark with her blood, was driven through her. Laoshin had lifted her mother's head to place it in her lap. The bright. red blood bubbling from her mother's lips terrified the young girl. "Live, love, happy," her mother had breathed, gasped out before her eyes glazed and the bubbling blood stopped. Then, the image of Lian Chin striding through the smoke and rubble like an avenging Yokai, Spirit, flashed through Laoshin's mind.

"My family had been killed in an earthquake in Japan. Lian pulled me from the rubble. I was eight at the time." Laoshin took a deep breath and forced herself to breath out slowly before continuing. "The earthquake had been caused by a battle between Lian and a Wo Luo Ke, um, you would call him a Brujo or Warlock. Lian took care of me. She tried to place me with a family so I could lead an, ah, a normal life. I ran away from the family, and returned to Lian. After the third time, she allowed me to stay. She trained me to help her. I will not fail her. I cannot fail her," Laoshin concluded softly.

There was silence in the car as Sean digested this information. Finally, Sean asked, "Are you talented?" He quickly amended his question. "What I mean is, do you have any, power type of talents?"

Laoshin smiled at the boy and his attempt to ask delicate questions without offending her. "Not in the sense that you mean Sean-san," she answered. "I can be an energy reservoir for my lady. I have learned to sense when a person of power is close. My only other skills are in physical skills that I have honed."

"Laoshin, Udit explained that adding san at the end of the name is a show of respect in your country," Sean said. "It's like calling someone Mister in this country is a show of respect. I would be a lot more comfortable if you just call me Sean."

Laoshin nodded and said, "I will try, but, I cannot promise to not use the form I have learned since birth."

"Thanks," Sean said. He hoped it helped put them on a more informal basis and make it easier to communicate. "By physical skills, do you mean the way you can throw those pins like knives?" Sean asked curiously.

"Yes. That and other skills," Laoshin answered with a smile. She was pretty sure what the next question was going to be. She had to control her features to prevent the smile from growing. Laoshin had met many little boys over her years. They always asked some version of the same question. "Can you teach me to fight like you?"

Laoshin had dreamed of a family of her own. She had dreamed of having a little boy of her own, but that path didn't seem to be in her life's destiny. Pappy's image appeared in her mind and she reluctantly, regretfully, pushed it aside. That was friendship, only ... Wasn't it?

Sean's forehead wrinkled as he considered what he wanted to ask next. He nodded and said, "I think I've been making a mistake, Laoshin. I have, ah, responded to needs instead of planning for them ahead of time. Udit's training has taught me to think in the heat of battle which has saved me. It has saved me and my family." Sean took another deep breath as he considered his next words. "Aunt Sheila and Aunt Susan are both due to have a baby in March, on or near the Vernal Equinox. Udit thinks they will be, um, balancing influences for Megan and I. I believe balance is the only path I have to the survival of me or my family."

He paused as he considered his next words.

Laoshin was surprised. This was not the direction she expected this conversation to take. It wasn't even close.

"Will you train them?" Sean asked. He held up one hand as Laoshin started to speak. "I would like for you to train Megan and I too, but they are more important. They must have every chance for survival for Megan's and my survival. Your training would need to mesh with Udit's training, too."

Laoshin sat back and put that inscrutable mask on that many Orientals are so adept at.

Sean waited for her to respond in some way. He was used to Udit's training and waiting for a response didn't make him uncomfortable. He had waited as long as fifteen minutes for Udit to respond to a question while Udit considered his answer. BB had told him of longer waits for the old Shaman to respond, during his own training.

Laoshin was surprised at the baby's patience. She was ready to respond after about thirty seconds. She let the silence stretch for over a minute before she said, "You are surprisingly patient. Why would you want to learn the skills I have?"

Sean smiled and drily said, "Wait until you work with Udit for a while. Patience is a learned survival trait." He paused as he considered her question before saying, "This is a guess, but I would bet, if I were old enough to bet, that Lian is as skilled at the, um, physical arts as you are."

Laoshin smiled back at the little boy. "You would win that bet. She taught me what I know. After sixty years of studying with her, I still cannot best her while sparring."

Nodding, Sean said, "She did say that Magi were required to learn the normal way to do many tasks as well as the ways to accomplish them with power. Judging from my life so far, I believe that I'm going to be leading a dangerous life. I don't want to die because I didn't take advantage of an edge I could have had. I'm pretty sure Megan will feel the same as I do."

"Okay," Laoshin said thoughtfully. "That accounts for the two of you. But, isn't it a little early to be planning training for babies that won't be born for three more months?"