The Time Stone Crystal

Chapter 41 - The Fourth of the seven Portals

"Here are the important things I can give it to you, Lady Weng. I hope you will like this jewelry," Lady Aurora told her. It also handed out a box of pieces of jewelry.

"Thank you," she replied.

"May the creator bless you on your journey. May you be successful in any of your missions with Master Kairo."

"Hopefully, Lady Aurora. I hope we can finish this mission because I want Kairo and I wants to settle down quietly and have our own family."

"I want to be the godmother of your soon-to-be child with Master Kairo." Excitement shows on its face.

"Of course!" Then she hugged her.

Lady Aurora and Lady Weng were delighted, and she was relieved since they had lived there for a while. They immediately separated from each other.

"Lady Weng, Lady Aurora, we have also given them food and drinks for their journey."

They glanced at Maria, who was already there in their direction.

"Thank you, Maria."

"Be careful, Maria. Take care of your father. Don't worry, Kristoff will be back here soon," she said.

"Thank you."

"Have you and Kristoff said goodbye to each other?" she asked.

The girl just nodded and seemed even more embarrassed.

"Kristoff is a kind person, Maria. Just trust his words."

"I know that, Lady Weng. I hope one day you will come back here with Master Kairo too."

"Such is the true love, Maria. We have to sacrifice for the sake of our loved ones," said Lady Aurora.

"Have you said goodbye to each other yet?"

They turned who's talking none other than his husband Kairo with Brutus, who was already in their direction. They were in the expansive yard of Brutus' house and were all ready to go. The others are fixing their horses, and Maria is already there on Kristoff's side.

"We already exchange our goodbyes, my love. Here I am, and I am talking to Lady Weng because I want to be a godmother to their future child of Master Kairo," said Lady Aurora.

"That's a good idea! I want to be a godfather too," Brutus replied.

"When my wife gives birth to our first child, I will invite you. You cannot miss that important occasion in our lives," Kairo replied.

Weng's heart filled with joy because of what her husband, Kairo, had said. It still impresses her even with the simple words it utters. He is fattening the heart!

"We can't stay long, Brutus. We have a long way to go."

"Be careful, Master Kairo."

"Thank you, Brutus."

THEY are on a vast plain again, and their horses move, slowing down as they move in the portal's the direction they are going to cross. As before, Weng's husband is behind her again, and they are also far from the civilization they came.

"Honey, what are you thinking? Earlier, I noticed you are silent. Is there a problem?" she asked.

"Nothing," he whispered to her.

"It is impossible not to. So I ask your stone crystal to give me the ability to read what's in your mind."

"Do you really want to know?"

"Of course. I'm your wife, and I deserve to know what's on my husband's mind. Later on, you will have something else on your mind that I don't like."

"I miss you," he whispered to her ears.

Her husband's voice seemed to linger into the depths of her being. "Huh? What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean. Do you want me to whisper it to you too?"

"Kairo! What else is on your mind, and we are on a journey."

"You're the one who wants to know what's keeping me silent, and then I just answered you."

"Do I know that's what you want to tell me, Mister!"

"Aren't you mad at that?"

"Of course not! I'm just saying one more thing, and I hope you said it at least this morning."

"I just want to stare at you when you're getting dressed."

"Ah, that's why you were staring at me earlier. Mister, you have a hidden desire."

He laughed. "Is it wrong to stare at my wife? Also, I've claimed you over and over again, so you can't hide anything from me anymore."

"You're crazy, Mister." She was avoiding, but she seemed to be feeling hot as well. "Maybe I can't help it either, and let's just divert somewhere else." She loves it too.

"You want it too, Mrs." Kairo smiled.

"Sort of. But the next time, we do it when we get to where we are going. Hey, where are we going? I haven't asked that question before, and only right now do I remember."

"You'll be glad where we're going."

"Where?"

"In China, Mrs."

"In China?"

"Yeah. The ancient China where we will go to a close friend and one of the talented human beings in Tai chi. He is the legendary Tai Chi Master."

"Tai Chi? What Dynasty are we going to?"

"Song Dynasty."

"It looks like we're going to ancient times again."

"And I want you to learn Tai Chi so you can defend yourself when I get the necklace from you and Hyperion."

"It seems difficult to learn Tai Chi, but I can do it. I have also wanted to learn martial arts for a long time."

His husband stopped the horse they were riding at the same time as the others stopped. They had earlier opened the portal to another dimensional era as what her husband did before. Kairo still needs the substantial power that comes from the stone crystal, so it always holds her hand, connecting them to Kairo's magical stone power. They also entered the portal first, followed by the others.

They once again traveled towards the fourth portal as she rode a horse with his husband and faced danger again. It never left her mind to worry anyway because every time they go, their world gets more congested in search of Hyperion, or better to say, searching for Kairo's half-stone.

IT WAS A GREAT MORNING when they arrived in a temple mountain. It is Wudang Mountain. The Wudang consist of a small mountain range in the northwestern part of Hubei, China, just south of Shiyan. They are home to a famous complex of Taoist temples and monasteries associated with the god Xuanwu. The Wudang Mountains are renowned for Tai chi and Taoism as the Taoist counterpart to the Shaolin Monastery, which affiliates with Chinese Chán Buddhism. The Wudang Mountains are one of the "Four Sacred Mountains of Taoism" in China, an essential destination for Taoist pilgrimages.

They are in front of a temple with an ancient design. Weng also noticed the environment wrapped in green nature, and it was still stunning. The air is fresh, there are lots of birds, the atmosphere is clean, and it is on the edge of the mountains.

Sometime later, the big gate opened, and a man came out with two monks. She knew little about Chinese monks, but she was interested in learning about their culture and traditions. A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism by monastic living, either alone or with any number of other monks. A monk may be a person who decides to dedicate his life to serving all other living beings or to be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live his or her life in prayer and contemplation. The concept is ancient and can see in many religions and philosophies.

They disembarked from their horses.

"We are glad to see you again here in the temple, Master Kairo. Master Zhang is waiting for you inside," said the man.

"Master Yuo, I am also glad to see you again. Good and my letter arrived," Kairo replied.

"Come inside," said Master You.

They followed with them.

As soon as Weng entered, she was even more impressed with the structures inside. It was very peaceful, eye-catching, and one of those who caught her attention was the Shaolin, who practiced not far from their trail. They are very good at it. Amazing! I remember Jackie Chan and Jet Li again. I have to learn its Kung Fu.

Kairo laughed a little at her, then she spoke to it in his mind.

"Is there a problem, Mister?"

"What are you thinking about, Mrs."

"I'm just happy because I also saw them training in Kung Fu with my bare eyes."

"You'll also learn that in a while, and don't complain if that training is hard."

"I can handle that. You will teach me, won't you?"

"I'm sorry, Mrs. You can't learn from me if I teach you."

"Why? That's a better fight, Mister."

"I want another fight."

"Mister!"

Everyone turned to the two of them because they talked with their minds, and she's saying like she's shocked.

"Ah... It's nothing! S-Sorry!" She even signed peace in his fingers.

"We thought there's something happened to you, Lady Weng. And it is forbidden to make noise in this temple," Jigger said.

"Is it forbidden?" she asked.

"Yes, especially talkative people like you," Kristoff joked.

"I'm not talkative!. I just kept quiet."

"Leave them alone, Miss Weng. These men are just teasing you," Thiara replied.

"I haven't spoken since earlier."

"We heard what you and Master Kairo are talking about earlier," Jigger said again.

"What?" she wondered.

"Talk about the couple missing each other!"

Everyone smiled at the same time as her husband.

"Huh? Which one?" she asked in her mind. Kairo, what are they referring to?

"That was before we crossed here," Kairo replied in her mind.

"Huh? Did they hear that?" Her cheek immediately blushed.

"Yes, my wife."

"Oh, crap! It's embarrassing!" she grabbed Kairo's arm and squeezed there. You're embarrassing, Mister!

Kairo smiled at her in response. 

THEY ARE now facing the people inside, including the one Kairo refers to as Master Zhang. He was old and had a long, unshaven white beard. It is pure Chinese based on its narrow eyes and pale complexion. She also noticed their strange costumes and the culture they followed in the temple.

 "How are you, Master Kairo? We meet again. I thought it would be a long time before you could come back here," said Master Zhang.

"It's okay, Master Zhang. There are definite chances that destiny will meet us, so we are here," Kairo replied.

"You can stay in the temple, use the facilities, and so on. But noise is strictly forbidden here. It is a sacred temple, so please respect our tradition and culture."

"No problem, Master Zhang."

"Is she your wife?" It referred to her.

"Yes, Master Zhang. She is Lady Weng, and my companions are Thiara, Hander, Jigger, and Kristoff."

"It is a pleasure for you all to meet you especially, Lady Weng. Right only now, I see someone from the future but in a strange persona. And don't be surprised if I know because it mentions in Master Kairo's letter for me."