Midnight Law

by Geanna Culbertson

  I could have sworn the air grew thicker. Crisa was a touchy subject with Daniel. I knew that. I think most of our friends did too. Apparently Kai had not realized that her relationship with Daniel did not earn her a free pass to say whatever she wanted about the topic.

  “If I had to guess . . .” Yunru continued, eyeing the couple curiously, “Crisa left me the note because she knew how much I love fairytales. I was studying film production and classic literature at university when we met. It was my life’s ambition to become a TV show host who connected myth and folklore to reality.”

  “Is university a realm in your dimension?” Mauvrey asked.

  “Goodness, no.” Yunru chuckled. “University is a type of education that comes after the primary years of school. It is where young adults fine-tune themselves and develop the areas of study they are most passionate about in the hopes of becoming better people, and preparing for a career where they can have a sense of purpose.”

  The idea filled me with more warmth than the tea I drank. University seemed like a marvelous notion. I wished I could attend such an institution after graduating from Lady Agnue’s. The role of “queen-in-training” awaited me at home when I finished my schooling less than a year from now, but there was so much more that I wanted to learn before I settled on that path. In the past year I had pushed my mind and spirit to grow enormously and to be honest, I was not ready to relinquish that. Given the strides I had made, and the goals I had identified for myself in the future, I did not want to stop learning just yet and step into the role already picked out for me. It would be cutting myself off in my prime.

  Daniel opened his mouth—to ask about the green flame, I was sure—but Mauvrey spoke first. “Tell us about the statues outside. Mulan and the princess.”

  Daniel gave her a frustrated look and clenched his cup tighter. Nian Zhen did not notice his discontent and took a sip of her tea then smiled. “Mulan’s legend has survived thousands of years through innumerable interpretations in all art forms, from poetry and songs, to plays, films, and television programs. Hers is truly one of the most enduring and inspirational ancient tales of all time.”

  Yunru nodded. “I studied Mulan a great deal in my youth. The story has always been a part of my culture, but it was popularized across Earth around the time you visited, Daniel, when a company called Disney released their version of the story. It does not get everything right and takes its own creative routes. However, the sisters of Mount Aborra take no issue with that. Even before Disney got a hold of the story, there was never a singular version of the heroine. Mulan is a wonderfully varied tradition. Each take on her tale is not meant to insult previous versions, but pay homage to a legend whose strength is not about details, but the feeling it inspires.”

  “Precisely,” Nian Zhen said. “And I can say that from a very personal standpoint, as I am a direct descendent of Princess Xianniang, whose statue watches over us outside. When Mulan disguised herself as a man and enlisted in China’s army to save her elderly father from the draft that would have forced him to fight, one of the generals in Mulan’s assigned battalion was already a woman. That was Xianniang—the daughter of a king and a respected warrior princess. She discovered Mulan’s true identity and the two forged their laotong bond of sisterhood—fighting together until the end of the war ten years later. When the war ended, Xianniang married and Mulan returned home to care for her family.”

  “We studied Mulan in our fairytale history class at school,” I commented. “I do not recall a Princess Xianniang, let alone a female General Xianniang.”

  Nian Zhen shrugged delicately. “I am not surprised. She is not mentioned in most versions of Mulan’s story. But that is all right. Like Chinese culture, Mulan cannot be condensed to a single interpretation. There are many different ways of being Chinese, just as there are many different ways to think of the legends that inspire us. As Yunru noted, we should not condemn those differences, but honor their overall messages and motivations. Mulan’s story inspires us to be selfless, strong, and honorable, to demonstrate filial piety, judge people based on ability not gender, and respect others. Any story that still gets those messages across is noble in intention.”

  “So how did this school come about?” I asked. “You mentioned Mulan and Princess Xianniang were the founders. What is this place exactly and who are all the other women we have seen here?”

  “Although the documented endings to Xianniang’s and Mulan’s stories differ, after the war the women discovered a black hole that led them to Xanadu,” Nian Zhen explained. “Black holes across the entire continent of Asia, which China is a part of, tend to lead here. Xianniang and Mulan decided to start a school on this magical island—a secret, private place where girls of our culture could study the ways of the warrior in terms of body, mind, and spirit without the distractions, typical stations, and stereotypes that men place upon us.”

  “Xanadu moves on the same time zone as Earth,” Yunru continued. “For centuries, hundreds of young women have come to study here. That is another reason why there are so many versions of the Mulan story. In the early ages of our school, alumnae would return to their homes and enlist in the wars plaguing their dynasties. As a sign of respect, many fought under the name Mulan, thus furthering her legend. Over the centuries, our alumnae have fought more and more under their own names as they continue to impact modern Asia, but in different ways. You see, although all Mount Aborra students train in various fighting styles, the purpose of our school is not combat. Combat is an important training tool for developing leaders, as it embodies the principles Xianniang and Mulan believed compose true strength: discipline, resolve, resilience, composure, adaptability, and honor. However, now that great wars are a thing of the past in Asia, our students take these principles back to their homelands and try to make their world a better place in any way that they are able.”

  I sat there for a moment and took it all in. Blue and Crisa would freak out with joy if they knew this place existed. An all-girl school that trained warrior women and was founded by a legendary female protagonist and her warrior princess best friend? I was tempted to ask Nian Zhen if they were accepting applications.

  “So there aren’t any boys here at all?” Daniel asked, taken in by the conversation despite himself.

  Nian Zhen smiled. “You are the first one in many years. There are normal villages throughout Xanadu full of women and men, which our warrior students protect. But out of respect for us, and the protection we provide, no local men come to our domain. The last male visitor was a writer named Samuel Coleridge from Earth. He was quite . . .” Nian Zhen paused to find the right words. “His mind was a tad blurry after he fell through various wormholes and ended up here. He did not remember much. Yunru tells us that eventually he wrote a poem about Xanadu that earned him notoriety called ‘Kubla Khan.’ So, dear boy, given Mr. Coleridge’s vices, we shall say you are the first sober male to visit Mount Aborra in centuries. This is an honor.”

  “Um, thanks,” Daniel said. He sat up straighter. “And on that note, we appreciate the welcome, and the history lesson, but we’re actually on a deadline and I need to get to the point. As you guessed outside, we came to this school in pursuit of the green flame that landed here.”

  “It is a Midnight Law flame, yes?” Yunru said.

  “How did you know?” Daniel asked.

  “When Mount Aborra’s previous In-House Historian retired to Earth six years ago, I was chosen to inherit the role. It combines my love of my homeland, exploring, and research. I periodically take trips to Earth, as well as other Wonderlands, to keep up-to-date on what is happening in our universe and I learned about Midnight Law on a previous journey. When the flame landed on our rooftop, I explained to Nian Zhen that it is one in a set of four that will lead a hero to a missing soul he or she is searching for.”

  “And are you the hero, Daniel?” Nian Zhen said.

  He seemed oddly uncomfortable by the question. “I guess we’ll find out at the end of
this.”

  “And what soul are you in search of?” Nian Zhen asked.

  Daniel glanced at Yunru solemnly. “Our mutual friend.”

  Yunru saddened. “I respect why you would risk so much. Your bond with Crisa was notable. I hope you find her in time.”

  I saw Kai’s fist clench on the table, but Daniel was looking at Nian Zhen.

  “Does that mean you’ll give us the flame?” he asked.

  “Of course,” Nian Zhen replied. She got up. When she did, Yunru also stood. It seemed like a sign of deference, so I rose as well and the rest of my friends mimicked me.

  Nian Zhen reached into the folds of her robe and pulled out the flame. It expanded from button to baked-potato-sized in an instant. Nian Zhen gracefully strode around the table and held it up to Daniel. “It is yours.”

  She passed him the flame. He took out his pocket watch with his free hand and touched the device to the mystical fire. As before, the flame absorbed into the watch. Once it did, the word “Respect” glimmered across the watch’s face.

  “Makes sense,” I commented. The others looked at me and I explained. “Each of these flames represents a core aspect of a good relationship. Respect is definitely key to one, and what better place for this flame to land. Mount Aborra seems to be an institution founded on respect.”

  When the word on the watch faded, half of the clock remained filled with green light. However, like last time, the portal did not show itself immediately. We had gathered the flame of respect but had not passed its challenge.

  Daniel frowned. “Whatever we are supposed to do here is not complete. One or more of us still needs to pass some kind of test”

  He looked over at Yunru, but she shrugged and shook her head. “I am sorry, but I do not know how to help you. I suppose the test will reveal itself in time.”

  “We don’t have time,” Daniel complained. He glanced at his clock’s extra hands. “I need to find Crisa in less than nineteen Book hours.”

  “Steady yourself, Daniel,” Nian Zhen said sternly. “Destiny does not run according to any clock.”

  “And you have time for the challenge to present itself,” Yunru assured. “As I said, Xanadu runs on the same time zone as Earth. Which means twenty hours here is equivalent to one hour in your realm. You will not lose much Book time if you stay for a little longer than you anticipated. In the meantime, you may remain at Mount Aborra until your test reveals itself.”

  Daniel looked miserable, and I could tell he desperately wanted to argue. But with no way around this, he nodded and sighed. “I hope your school won’t be put off by the fact that I’m not a girl.”

  Yunru smiled and put a hand on his arm. “We will try not to hold it against you.”

  here were definitely less scenic places to kill time. Like Daniel, I did not like the idea of idling about while Crisa was out there and needed us. Though since we had no idea when the Midnight Law test would present itself, we had to appreciate that our waiting area was rather tranquil.

  My friends and I spent the day wandering Mount Aborra with our hostesses’ permission. I had a walk around the property first. Then eventually I settled in a lush garden full of resting tortoises, where I pulled out my potions book from my sack and worked on some formulas. When my legs fell asleep, I continued exploring. I spotted a golden roofed building hidden farther in the jungle. On my way to it, I passed a group of over a dozen women training with spears, following an instructor’s lead. Their intensity was magnificent and intimidating. I had not seen such concentration and synchronous movement like this before. Subconsciously, I reached for my slingshot—it was my familiar kind of strength.

  I arrived at the tall brick building that supported the gilded roof. The structure’s iron door had been forged with a design of metallic bats and butterflies, and the door handle was a massive gold cricket. I grasped the metal insect around its torso, pulled, then entered the building. I left the door open behind me, letting the light stream in as I walked to the center of the room, where another larger beam of light entered through a circular skylight. A dragon sculpture wrapped its tail around the skylight and dangled down, its open mouth hanging over my head.

  What a fantastic place.

  Huge tapestries hung on the walls. Glistening helmets and pieces of armor rested on podiums. Well-polished weapons were mounted on display. This was a museum. I smiled because that made me think of Blue. She adored history and would love everything about this school, this building in particular.

  Blue.

  Worry fluttered my stomach. I hoped my friend was safe. Blue’s bold personality and confidence that bordered on cockiness made most people think she was invincible. For years I certainly thought she was. But as we grew closer and experienced real tests of character, I had seen past that veil and learned two things. First, it was easy to see a person’s strengths; real friendship was seeing weaknesses and caring about the person even more so because of them. Second, while it was a natural default to define people by a label, real friendship was realizing that the person you care for is human, and therefore too complex to ever be labeled.

  Beneath Blue’s boldness and bravery was a girl who felt self-conscious about her older sister’s image, got nervous around boys she thought were cute, and felt insecurity about her future. I was glad I knew those things about her now; it made me like her more. However, it also made me fret about her more. When you label someone as a hero, it becomes easy to forget they can get still get hurt. I had thought of Crisa that way, and as a result, had convinced myself she was unbreakable. She very clearly was not.

  I was staring up at a tapestry of a woman in a regal headdress with a huge army behind her when Yunru appeared by my side. She nodded at the tapestry.

  “Princess Zhao of Pingyang,” Yunru said. “She was thrust into the role of general and went from motivating a small band of rebels to raising 70,000 soldiers to form the legendary Army of the Lady. This army was famous for its discipline and principles of not pillaging or harming peasants in the places they conquered. Her leadership and strength allowed her to help her father overthrow the current ruler and form the Tang dynasty, which elevated her to the rank of princess. She is one of my favorite graduates of this school.”

  I smiled. “You remind me of my good friend Blue. She adores reading and research. I bet you know the story behind every artifact in here.”

  “I try to,” Yunru said humbly. She looked up at the tapestries. “There are so many incredible, powerful women who have come before us hundreds, even thousands of years ago. If I am to honor what it means to be a strong woman today, I cannot walk in ignorance of the strength that came before me. Females in many cultures have not always been shown equal respect, but despite that they have fought, defended, and triumphed. They have risen to the challenge. When I think of their stories and share them with others, it is like spreading a kind of magic that can inspire more people to rise up in the same way. We always have the potential to overcome challenges, even if others try to convince us otherwise. Even if we try to convince ourselves otherwise.”

  “You are very wise, Yunru,” I said.

  She turned toward me, a slight grin on her face. “Would you like to see my favorite artifact at Mount Aborra?”

  Our footsteps echoed across the floor as Yunru guided me to a set of stairs that led to a curtained-off area. She pushed aside one of the thick red curtains to reveal a magnificent straight sword sheath gleaming atop a pedestal. An intricate design of tiny golden leaves wrapped tightly around the sheath like vines over an ancient pergola.

  “Mulan’s ancestral straight sword,” Yunru said, walking around the podium proudly. “In times of great trial, worthy sisters have been chosen to wield it to defend Xanadu.”

  “Defend Xanadu from what?”

  “SJ? Are you in here?”

  Mauvrey’s voice drifted up from the main part of the museum. I gave Yunru an apologetic glance before returning there. I pushed past the curtain and trotted down the stair
s. Mauvrey stood just inside the main door, hands clasped hesitantly. “One of the warriors said you came in here,” she said. “Can we talk? In private?”

  “Of course.” I bowed slightly to Yunru, who had come down the steps behind me. “Thank you for sharing with me.”

  Yunru returned the bow. “You are welcome. I must return to work as well.” She pivoted and bowed to Mauvrey before walking to another part of the museum.

  Mauvrey gestured for me to follow her. Outside, I was startled to find two large creatures lounging on the grass next to the museum entrance. They were fully-grown, surprisingly plump and fluffy lions with majestic angel wings. One creature had a large horn growing from its forehead like a unicorn, and the other had two horns.

  My gasp caused the one-horned animal to lift his head. He blinked at me with his green eyes and opened his mouth. An enormous pink tongue lolled out and fell to the ground. I stood frozen. The creature lost interest in me after a beat and lowered his head.

  “They are wonderful, are they not?” Mauvrey said, smiling. “One of the warriors told me these are the ancient, immortal guardians of Mount Aborra. They are protectors and symbols of this school. The female creature with the two horns is called a Bixie—a dispeller of evil. The male creature with a single horn is called a Tianlu—a protector of the heavens. They are both magical, spiritual creatures from the beyond.”

  “Beyond what?” I asked

  “I am not sure,” Mauvrey said. “But the women here put their faith in these creatures completely. Apparently the warriors do not go on a single quest or make a big decision without consulting them.”

  “Is this what you wanted to speak with me about?” I asked, confused.

  Mauvrey’s face darkened. “No.” She gestured to a bench and the two of us sat down. “As Merlin anticipated, music has been key to my memory recovery. Though I still do not know where Paige hid the genies, her past has been flooding back to me a great deal more with every passing day, not just when I play music, but when I hear it too . . .” She swallowed nervously. “When we neared Mount Aborra and heard that music through the ice tunnel, a new memory was triggered, but it was not one of Paige’s. It was one of my own. That is why I experienced the sudden head pain. I had to lie about it at the time.”