Max shook his head. “For all the importance the Dragon Kings supposedly have, you’d think there’d be more information on them. They’re mentioned plenty of times, but mostly in passing.”
“The only Dragon King there’s any substantial information on is Ao Kuang. And what’s said about him convinces me we’re doing the right thing,” said Shroud.
“What’s it say?” asked Elisa.
“Pretty much what I told you. Here, have a look.” Shroud passed one of the open tomes to her. Elisa stood as she scanned over the pages.
“Brought droughts and storms…feared by the people…never reported…”
“He’s a tyrant,” said Shroud. “This is who your friend had you working for.”
Elisa snapped her head up. “Uncalled for. Asami was doing what she thought was right.”
“And I maintain you don’t know this woman,” said Shroud. “Elisa, I’ve been at this a long time. Longer than I’d care to admit. And believe me when I tell you that you can’t trust these entities.”
Elisa motioned to Sun Wukong with a jerk of her head. “Tell that to your new friend.”
Shroud sighed. “At the moment, our goals are the same. We’re working together but I’d never trust him. And I’m sure he feels the same.” He raised his voice so the Monkey King could hear. “Am I right?”
“Yup,” said Sun. His staff shrunk down to the size of a needle. He placed it behind his ear and approached the group. “Only reason I’m here is ‘cause of this stupid headband.”
“You’ve fought these guys before, Sun. What can you tell us about them?” asked Elisa.
“They live in crystal palaces, which are pretty well-guarded. Together, they can control the oceans and the weather. And they’re crafty.”
“Why can’t we find out more information about them?” asked Shroud.
“They’re good at covering their tracks. We’re talking about guys who were able to cause trouble under the nose of the Jade Emperor for centuries,” said Sun.
“These palaces, where are they?” asked Elisa.
Sun shrugged.
“How can you not know?” asked Elisa.
“Not like they advertise ‘em. These things shift, their locations change over time. I was able to find Ao Jun because he made it easy. And Ao Qin came directly after us. I doubt Kuang and Ming will do the same and I don’t know where to find ‘em.”
“Maybe you know someone who does,” said Max.
The Monkey King smiled. “Ahh…Nezha.”
“You think we should involve another deity in this?” asked Shroud.
“We may not have a choice,” said Elisa. “If the Dragon Kings are plotting some kind of destruction, we need to know what it is and how to stop them. And since Sun doesn’t have a clear memory and these books aren’t helping us much, that limits our options.”
“I don’t like it,” said Shroud.
“You don’t have to like it, you just have to go along with it,” said Elisa.
“Better be right about this, Hill. Otherwise we could just be opening an even bigger can of worms,” said Shroud.
“Sun, can you summon Nezha?” asked Elisa.
He nodded. “If I can find a temple dedicated to him.”
“There’s one here in Kowloon,” said Shroud. “Built in the late nineteenth century. Would that work?”
“It should. But I gotta warn you, he’s not always big on sharing.”
“Then let's hope circumstances have put him in a sharing mood,” said Elisa.
CHAPTER 13
At the stroke of midnight, residents of Beijing were awoken from their slumber by tremors. For many in Asia, earthquakes of this sort are a relatively common experience. What’s not so common is what came next.
The tremors were felt again and again, in greater frequency and at shorter intervals. Soon, unsecured items fell to the ground from high shelves and crockery began to rattle. It wasn’t long before buildings were shaking and furniture and people were being knocked over.
The tremors continued to grow and then thirty minutes after the first tremor had made its presence known a full-blown earthquake struck Beijing. It was one of the biggest the city had ever experienced. Roads cracked, cars swerved, trains derailed. Glass shattered and ancient structures collapsed as a quake radiated through the entire city, originating from just one single area.
That earthquake was just the beginning.
The seas mounted and a large tidal wave washed over the shores of Shanghai. Massive storms accompanied, and the streets were flooded within an hour. Cars and ships were swept up in the waves as if they were toys in a child’s bathtub.
Within the first hour of the disasters, the death toll was estimated in the hundreds between two of China’s largest cities. The Chinese government struggled to issue timely relief, and the international community scrambled to dispatch aid as fast as they could, but it was estimated thousands more would die before anyone could provide the slightest bit of help.
The one thing that baffled experts monitoring the situation was the localization of the tragedies. Both seemed to be strangely confined. Such a thing seemed absolutely ridiculous and illogical, yet that was the case.
Around the International Date Line, in the center of the Pacific Ocean, what appeared to be an iceberg pierced the waves. More frozen peaks followed and soon, a massive crystalline structure rose forth, supported by a land mass.
At the apex of the structure was an opening. A man dressed in brown, a devious grin on his face, stood at this opening, staring out over the ocean. This was Ao Kuang and he was quite pleased with himself and his accomplishments. He had sent the message that any who dared cross him would soon meet a grisly end. It wouldn’t be long before the mortal hordes learned once more to fear the wrath of the Dragon Kings.
“I think we’ve gone too far,” suggested a voice that resonated from the interior of the ice palace.
Ao Kuang turned and calmly walked inside the structure. His brother—the only family he had left—stood in a black robe and fixed his gaze on Ao Kuang.
“This is what we’ve wanted for centuries, Ao Ming. It’s taken us so long to reach this point after our last setback. And now that we’re here, on the cusp of victory, you want to give up?”
Ao Ming shook his head. “No, I just wonder whether or not this is right. These are our subjects, and we’re wiping them out.”
“We’ve allowed their belief in us to fade. So that when the time came to strike, they wouldn’t even think we were culpable,” said Ao Kuang.
“Sun Wukong is still out there. He knows we're responsible for this calamity. He can still pose a threat to us,” said Ao Ming.
Ao Kuang scoffed. “The myth hunters have subjugated him with the headband. That will keep him occupied. We don’t have anything to fear.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure of that,” said Ao Ming. “I’ve just received information that they’re onto us.”
“And what information would this be? Who told you?”
Ao Ming stepped aside and turned to the entrance of the large, crystalline room. He called out, “you may enter.”
A fox padded into the room, wearing a necklace composed of pulsating orbs. The animal sat on its hind legs right before Ao Kuang. The Dragon King just frowned.
“Don’t waste my time. Show me your face.”
The fox started to shift, standing upright on its hind legs. Its front legs elongated, transforming into human arms, and its legs became humanoid. The fur retreated, and clothing appeared over pale skin. The fox’s head shifted into a humanoid skull with high cheekbones and long, dark hair as well as haunting, copper eyes.
The fox had transformed into a Japanese woman dressed in a pinstriped suit and wearing a matching fedora hat. Ao Kuang smiled as he looked at the new arrival.
“You were working with the myth hunter, weren’t you?”
“I was working with Ao Jun,” said Asami. “That mortal bitch was just a means to an end. She was a weapon t
o use against the Monkey King.”
“And now?”
“Now they’ve joined forces.”
“Why come to me?” asked Ao Kuang. “Why not stay with her, sabotage her operations?”
“It was becoming dangerous,” said Asami. “She already found one ally who was suspicious of me. And once Wukong joined up, I knew my time was short. I had to get out of there, report what I knew.”
“This means the Monkey King is a threat again,” said Ao Ming.
“Fine,” said Ao Kuang. “Take care of him.”
“Alone?” asked Ao Ming. “Remember what happened when Ao Qin tried that?”
“I’ll do it,” said Asami. “I owe Sun Wukong payback.”
“What sort of payback?” asked Ao Kuang.
“He nearly killed me. Honor demands I take his life or live in shame,” said Asami.
“He defeated you once and he’s killed both Ao Qin and Ao Jun. You think you stand a chance against him?” asked Ao Ming.
“You have to let me try,” said Asami.
Ao Kuang looked at his brother. “You go. Take the Jiufeng.”
This took Ao Ming aback. “Are you sure? Raising the Jiufeng…that could alert the Jade Emperor.”
“We don’t have time to waste, we have to eliminate our enemies quickly, even if it requires overkill,” said Ao Kuang. “Do whatever you have to do.”
“But the Jade Emperor…”
“That old fool may already be aware of our plans, but he is doddering and indecisive. By the time he does anything about it, it will be too late,” said Ao Kuang. “Go.”
Ao Ming hesitated but finally bowed and left the room. Asami began to follow but Ao Kuang called to her.
“I don’t recall dismissing you, kitsune.”
Asami defiantly crossed her arms. “I do have a name.”
“I can’t possibly think of a way I could care less,” said Ao Kuang.
“You’re not keeping me from this. I’ve been given a new lease on life and I intend to use it to claim Wukong’s head as my trophy,” said Asami.
“You will stay here. If you’re as good as you claim, I’ll need you by my side. And if you do as I say, I promise you will be handsomely rewarded for your troubles.”
CHAPTER 14
In 1894, an epidemic that killed thousands occurred in Hong Kong. The people there brought in Nezha’s portrait from Huiyang and the epidemic subsided. To commemorate the event, a temple was built in Nezha’s honor in 1898 in Kowloon.
This temple is where Elisa and her allies found themselves standing now. Each of them bore a heavy heart, having watched the events in Beijing and Shanghai unfold through news broadcasts before they left the Masonic library. No one spoke of it, though. They had remained silent during the entire broadcast and, once they located the temple, prepared for departure and traveled without a word.
The temple was of an elaborate architecture, with twin statues guarding the entrance. Colorful dragon sculptures lined the gold terraces of the roofs. Sun Wukong led the way, moving up the stone steps into the entrance.
Normally places like these were filled with tourists, but due to the disasters brought about by the Dragon Kings, the temple was virtually empty. This would suit their purposes just fine.
Once inside the temple, Sun instinctively knew where to go. He led the group through the temple and the entire time, Elisa could sense someone’s eyes on her. She examined the various statues and paintings that lined the corridors with suspicion but could see nothing to justify her feelings.
Her mind grew heavy with the burden of her thoughts. First the disappearance of Asami followed shortly after by the destruction in Beijing and Shanghai. Although she didn’t want to believe it, she couldn’t help but seeing some truth in Shroud’s suspicions of the kitsune.
“You okay?”
The words came from Shroud, walking alongside her. His eyes held concern, which appeared genuine, but she couldn’t be sure of what was going on inside his head.
“I don’t know—just want to find this Nezha and get this over with.”
“We’ll find him and we’ll stop the Dragon Kings. I promise,” said Shroud.
Elisa managed to feign a smile. “No offense Jason, but your guarantees don’t mean jack.”
Shroud appeared surprised. “You called me Jason.”
“Did I?” she asked. He nodded and Elisa shrugged. “Didn’t even realize it.”
“And you’ve made more than a few careless errors, haven’t you?”
Elisa and Shroud both spun on their heels. Behind them stood a young boy, looking up at them with a massive grin on his face.
“Excuse me?” asked Elisa.
The boy’s grin vanished almost instantly. His eyes bore an intensity Elisa had never encountered before. “I think you heard me, myth hunter. You’ve been interfering in affairs which don’t concern you.”
“That’s no kid,” said Shroud, his hand cautiously moving under his jacket. The boy simply sighed.
“Do you really think a gun can stop me?”
“Nezha!”
The boy’s face snapped to the side and the smile returned when he saw the Monkey King approaching. Sun knelt down to bring his eyes on the same level with his old friend. “We need your help. Ao Kuang—”
“What are you doing with these mortals?” asked Nezha.
Sun pointed to the headband and Nezha sighed.
“You idiot.”
“Shut up,” said Sun. “I’m sure you know what’s happened?”
Nezha’s face became solemn. “Yeah…I know.”
“I need to know what the Dragon Kings are planning. And I need to know how I can stop it. But more importantly, I need to know what I can’t remember.”
“You can remember,” said Nezha. “You just haven’t tried hard enough.”
“What are you talking about?” asked Sun.
“You were a Buddha, Sun Wukong. But this quest for revenge, it’s been blinding you to the truth this whole time. This can’t be about revenge, it has to be about standing for what’s right,” said Nezha.
“We don’t have time for spiritual journeys,” said Shroud. “We need to know what’s going on now.”
“And you think you can stop it?” asked Nezha. “You? A mortal?”
“Please,” said Max. “You must know something that can help us.”
“I know everything that’s happened,” said Nezha. “Centuries ago, the Jade Emperor grew distraught. Belief was fading and he grew lazy and complacent. Ao Kuang thought he could take this opportunity for himself. He and his brothers conspired to take the Jade Emperor’s power for themselves. But the Jade Emperor had a guardian.”
Nezha’s eyes drifted to Sun Wukong. “You stood up to the Dragon Kings. You and me together. We forced them back and brought this matter to the Jade Emperor’s attention. Unfortunately, the Dragon Kings were able to convince him that this was all your doing—that you’d gone back to your old ways. And so you were imprisoned.”
“Why did you wait so long to release him?” asked Elisa.
“The Dragon Kings weren’t giving up their plans. They needed more time to pass, more belief to fade. The Emperor’s power is dependent on belief,” said Nezha. “They were biding their time and so I had to do the same. And when the time was right, I freed Sun Wukong from his prison.”
Nezha turned an accusing stare on Elisa. “But then you had to muck things up! Your interference in this has allowed the Dragon Kings to amass more power!”
“Wait, we helped Sun kill Ao Qin!” said Shroud.
“Ao Qin’s not the problem, Ao Kuang is,” said Nezha. “Kuang has always been the leader among his brothers. And he’s always been the most ruthless and power-hungry. These attacks on China show that he’s moving into the final stage of his plan.”
“What about the Dragon Kings’ connection to the ocean?” asked Elisa. “Jun said if they were to die, all of Asia could be swallowed up by the sea”
Nezha chuckled. �
��They have no connection. The increased activity was all due to their own power.”
“But with power like that, how can we stand up to Kuang?” asked Elisa.
“Because you have a weapon on your side—the Ruyi Jingu Bang,” said Nezha. “Isn’t that right, Sun?”
“Of course, but what do you mean?” asked Sun.
Nezha sighed. “That, I can’t tell you. But you’ll need to discover the truth for yourself. And soon. You’ll need the staff and you’ll need to go to Kuang’s palace.”
“Where’s that?” asked Elisa.
“An island that rises only when Kuang wishes it to—the island of Fusang,” said Nezha. “But even if you can undo what Kuang has done, you won’t be able to stop him from trying again.”
“How can we stop him?” asked Max.
“You need to make an appeal to the Jade Emperor,” said Nezha.
“Why can’t you do that?” asked Shroud.
“Because that’s not how it works. My reputation with him is hardly stellar,” said Nezha. “But a mortal risking to present himself to the Jade Emperor? That would make an impact. No mortal has dared go against the Dragon Kings in history.”
“It’ll have to be one of us,” said Elisa, looking at Shroud. “I’ll go with Sun to Fusang, you go to the Jade Emperor.”
“No, it’s too dangerous. You heard what Sun said, Kuang’s got an army guarding that place. You can’t go yourself.”
“I’ll go,” said Max.
“Max, no. This is too big for you,” said Elisa.
Max grinned. “Too big for me? I’ll have you know, young lady, I was going up against mythical creatures when you were in diapers.”
“Yeah exactly, you’re not equipped—”
“All the more reason for me to go to the Jade Emperor and leave the fighting on the ground to you,” said Max. “I might be able to appeal to him.”
“He won’t be alone, I’ll accompany him,” said Nezha. “He’ll need me just to get past the gates of heaven.”
A wailing screech at an ear-splitting decibel interrupted their planning. The mortals covered their ears and cringed in pain. Only Sun Wukong and Nezha appeared unaffected by the sound. It was like nine unique cries, all sounding in unison. And Nezha and Sun both exchanged looks of worry with each other.
Dragon Kings of the Orient (The Myth Hunter Book 2) Page 9