by Kylie Chan
She sat on the end of the mattress and folded her legs under her silver robe. ‘Enough’s enough, Emma. Stop arguing with me. Go upstairs and go to bed. You’ll catch your death of cold down here in the damp.’
‘Cold and damp don’t make you sick,’ I said, my voice thick with sleep as I pulled myself up to sit.
‘If your immune system is compromised and you let your core temperature drop, they certainly can,’ she said. ‘And I haven’t seen an immune system quite as compromised as what I’m looking at right now. You’re so chilled your lips are blue, and you’re probably anaemic as well. I’ll take over. Go upstairs and have a soak in a hot bath and go to bed.’
I opened my mouth to argue, then realised that a hot bath sounded really, really good. My fingers and toes were freezing and my nose was so cold it hurt.
‘What time is it?’
‘It’s 1 am.’
I collapsed forwards over my knees. He’d been in there for fourteen hours and hadn’t come back to us.
Yue pulled herself gracefully to her feet and held her hand out to me. ‘Come on. Either he’ll return, or he won’t. What happens will happen regardless of whether you’re here or not.’
‘But he might come back for me,’ I said.
‘Tomorrow morning we will all gather here and bring him back together. Until then, go and rest and warm up.’
‘All who?’
‘All of his family who love him.’
She helped me to stand, and I went to the cage and crouched to see him. The outside of the cage was covered in a light layer of frost that formed a delicate tracery of crystals over the surface of the jade. He was asleep inside it, his beak forming a sad smile that was only an illusion of awareness.
‘Come back to me, Xuan Wu,’ I whispered, but the Turtle didn’t move.
‘Go. I have him,’ Yue said. ‘Tomorrow we’ll all come down here and wake him.’
I hugged her, and she embraced me back, resting her cheek on top of my head. She was as tall as her father.
She released me. ‘Go rest.’
I saluted her Western-style. ‘Yes, ma’am. See you in the morning.’
‘I’ll be here.’
It felt wonderful to be warm and clean after the bath, and I snuggled under the silk quilt, already missing John’s comforting presence beside me.
The next morning, Martin and Yue joined Simone and me in the Grotto. We moved the cage onto the floor and sat cross-legged around it.
‘So what are we supposed to do?’ Simone said.
Yue shrugged. ‘Make it up as we go along, I suppose. Just speak to him, Simone, ask him to come back.’
‘Daddy.’ Simone gathered herself and sat straighter. ‘We all need you. I need you. Come back to us, please.’ Her voice broke and she bent to wipe her hand over her eyes.
‘Father,’ Martin said. ‘The Heavens are on the edge. Hell has fallen, and the Earthly will shortly follow. We need your strength, your knowledge … we need you. Return to us.’
‘Ba Ba,’ Yue Gui said, and her voice gained a childlike edge I’d never heard before. ‘Even though you knew what I was, you let me come out with you. I want to stay with you. Come back to me.’
‘John,’ I said, keeping my voice tight and determined not to lose it, ‘I love you with all my heart, and I am lost without you. Your children need you. Come back so we can have a huge overblown wedding that we will both detest.’ I reached and touched the cage, then drew back at the cold. ‘Come back to us, Xuan Wu.’
We waited silently for him to respond.
‘Daddy?’ Simone said.
The Turtle didn’t move.
‘Try again, Emma,’ Yue said.
‘John,’ I said. ‘Please come back to me …’
After an hour and a half of begging, cajoling and reminding him of good times together, it became extremely obvious that he wouldn’t reply, and we gave up. We shared a morose breakfast in the Residence and then went our separate ways. We had to inform the Celestial that the Dark Lord was probably gone for good, and to prepare for the assault on Hell that had a good chance of failing without him.
I hadn’t even been there to give him a final hug when he’d gone into the cage. I’d been in the North with my family and I’d never even said goodbye.
I tried to go back to work. I met Lucy Chen and Moaner at the forge, and we sat on stools around a black ceramic outdoor table with a pile of requisition sheets and a few sample swords on the table in front of us.
Lucy Chen held up one of the sample swords and eyed it appraisingly. ‘How long to make fifty of these?’
‘Twenty days,’ Moaner said.
‘How many can you make in ten days?’
Moaner pulled a requisition closer and scribbled on it with a ballpoint. ‘Twenty if we work day and night.’
Lucy put the sword down, carefully minding its edge, and sighed. ‘Better than nothing. Armour?’
‘Twenty swords will take all of our time. Swords or armour — choose,’ Moaner said.
‘Contact the Celestial,’ I said. ‘The Elites wore modern Kevlar body armour. See if they have any surplus.’
‘Good idea,’ Lucy said, writing on the paper in front of her.
My mobile phone rang and I checked the caller: Bridget Hawkes, David’s wife. I answered it. Bridget sounded scared and breathless, and I sat straighter.
She whispered into the phone. ‘Help, Emma, get us out. It’s not him.’
My mind worked furiously. ‘Is it a copy of him?’
‘Yes!’ She gasped with relief. ‘You know! Help us.’ Her voice was tight with desperation. ‘Help us!’
‘Where are you?’
‘In the bathroom at home. The house in Shek O. I’m hiding from him, I’m pretending that I don’t know … but it’s not him, Emma.’
‘Can you and the boys get away to be picked up?’
She sounded terrified. ‘I don’t know!’
‘Listen carefully,’ I said. ‘I’m going to hang up —’
‘Don’t hang up!’
‘And someone will call you back immediately. When they do, keep a normal conversation your side, and they will give you directions on where to go to be picked up —’
There was a splintering crash and she shrieked.
‘Oh dear Lord,’ I said as I heard the phone hit the bathroom floor. They struggled silently for a moment, then she collapsed into terrified sobs.
David’s copy picked up the phone. ‘Why hello there, Emma,’ he said, his voice sly. ‘Were you arranging to rescue her?’
It wasn’t worth pretending that I didn’t know. ‘What do you want in exchange for her?’
‘Nothing. I need her to keep my cover. They didn’t have the resources to make a copy of her too, so I have to use the real one.’ He grunted and she made a soft noise of pain. ‘Now, honey, you’ll do what I tell you when I tell you, and the boys won’t be hurt.’ He returned to the phone. ‘None of them will be hurt provided you stay well away and don’t blow my cover. I need them unharmed for this to work, so keep it quiet and stay out.’ He hung up.
I bent over the table. ‘They’ve already started to replace powerful people in this region.’
‘We knew it would happen,’ Lucy Chen said.
‘I know,’ I said. ‘But it’s happening to my friends.’
Moaner hesitated, then shifted the papers in his hands. ‘If you can find us one or two extra demons we can make you more weapons, and maybe try for some armour as well.’
‘I’ll see what I can do,’ Lucy said. ‘What about spears? Can you make spearheads?’
I didn’t hear his answer because Yi Hao contacted me telepathically. The Emperor of the West is in your office looking at your files. I tried to stop him, ma’am, please come quickly.
I jumped to my feet. ‘The goddamn Tiger’s in my office going through my stuff. I’ll be right back.’
Lucy and Moaner nodded, distracted, both of them looking at the personnel lists and forge schedule.
<
br /> The Tiger was sitting behind my desk, going through my emails. Kenny was in one of the visitors’ chairs watching him with a panicked expression.
‘That was quick, I didn’t even have time to play with your Facebook,’ the Tiger said. He moved around the desk, leaned on the wall and grinned. ‘Don’t worry, Emma, I didn’t hurt anything.’
I sat behind my desk and checked my computer. He’d been in the middle of updating my Facebook status with something coarse and unfunny. I deleted it and turned to Kenny, who still appeared stricken.
‘Are the orphans okay?’
‘The kids are fine. This one,’ the Tiger nodded towards Kenny, ‘asked me to bring him back.’
‘Is something wrong?’ I asked Kenny.
He rose, fell to one knee and saluted me. ‘It’s good to see you still strong after losing so many of your students.’
I studied him carefully. He wasn’t being sarcastic, he really meant it.
‘They died doing what they loved and fighting for what they believed in,’ I said. ‘It would be a disservice to them to sit around here moping when I have a chance to finish what they started. We are determined to win this, in their honour.’
‘I am too,’ Kenny said. ‘Every Disciple counts, Lady Emma. I want to return and assist in the defence of the Mountain. I know I said I wasn’t a soldier, but this is more important. Will you take me back?’
I sat silently considering him for a long time. He’d been equipped before heading down to the orphan camp and was fully armed. He’d be an extra sword when we were short so many.
‘Please?’ he said.
‘Are the kids sufficiently guarded without him?’ I asked the Tiger.
‘Sufficient,’ the Tiger said. ‘But this one’s full of survivor guilt. He followed his heart in not fighting; he made the choice that was right for him. I’d think twice about letting him rejoin.’
‘I don’t care what it’s called. Guilt or no guilt, I want to protect the Mountain,’ Kenny said.
‘You’ll die,’ the Tiger said.
‘All my friends are dead already,’ Kenny said, still on one knee.
‘The children need you,’ the Tiger said.
‘The Mountain needs me more.’
‘You won’t make any difference,’ the Tiger said. ‘The Mountain army is so short-handed that if the demons make a try for you, it’ll be over in five minutes.’
‘Will it?’ Kenny asked me. ‘Will it make no difference? Tell me the truth.’
I hesitated again.
Kenny rose. ‘I will make a difference! Who do I report to?’
I ran one hand through my hair, which had already started to come out of its tie with all my running around. ‘Report to Lok in Leo’s office.’
Kenny’s expression went strange for a moment.
‘I saw that,’ the Tiger growled. ‘Share.’
‘Suddenly,’ Kenny said with wonder, ‘it was like a big bell, right in the middle of me, rang to say, “This is the right thing to do.”’
‘Go and report to the dog,’ the Tiger said, his voice soft with compassion. ‘Fight with honour, Dark Disciple.’
‘Celestial Highness.’ He saluted the Tiger. ‘Ma’am.’ He went out.
The Tiger flopped to sit in one of the visitors’ chairs. ‘Do you really think he’ll make a difference?’
‘If it comes down to it, it’s possible,’ I said. ‘I was just contacted by the wife of one of my Earthly liaisons, a good friend. They replaced her husband with a demon copy after Hell fell. She’s terrified.’
‘They killed her husband and she’s living with a demon?’
‘Yes. She called me, but the demon discovered her. He said that provided she behaves, she and the kids won’t be hurt.’
‘So stay away.’
‘I am.’
He studied me. ‘And look at you. Happy as a turtle in mud. Thoroughly in your element.’
I stopped for a moment and realised he was right. I wanted this to end, but I hadn’t felt so calm and focused on a task in what seemed like forever.
I shrugged. ‘I think Meredith did something to me. And I’m an adrenaline junkie anyway.’
‘No. You’re being just like him. Totally in his element and revelling in the chaos. When he comes out of the cage, move away from him for a while.’
‘He’s not coming out of the cage, Tiger. He’s been in there more than a day and there’s no sign of sentience. He’s gone.’ I smiled slightly. ‘The demons have one half of the Xuan Wu in a jade cage, and we have the other. The symmetry is delightful.’
‘There you go again: totally inappropriate reactions. Whatever.’ He levered himself out of his seat. ‘Come with me to Ah Wu’s office, there’s something we need to do.’
‘What?’ I said, walking around the desk to join him.
‘You’ll see. Oh, we caught one,’ the Tiger said as we headed for John’s office. ‘We took one of those armoured demons down. And you wouldn’t believe it — those useless fucking laser weapons we developed destroyed it.’
‘That’s excellent news,’ I said. ‘How many lasers can you make before we assault Hell?’
‘Not enough. Best we can probably do is five or six, and a senior child of mine has to run it — it chews up massive amounts of energy. Liaise with my Number Four, he’s in charge of the project. And my Number Two as well. He’ll be doing a great deal of management in the near future until we take Hell back and pull my One and Three out.’
‘Did the blood weapons work?’
‘They work, but they won’t last long at full blast.’ He raised his head as we approached John’s office. ‘Excellent, they’re here.’
The Dragon and Phoenix were waiting outside John’s office. The Winds stopped and held a silent conversation. They all shared a nod and the Dragon spoke to me.
‘We are planning an attempt to bring Ah Wu back, Emma, and you can come along provided you vow not to interfere. This is an extremely dangerous procedure, and any wrong move could result in disaster.’
‘Don’t do it then,’ I said.
‘We can’t win without him,’ the Phoenix said. ‘Having you nearby will encourage him to return. Do we have your word? Give us your word and you can be present.’
‘And if I don’t give my word?’
‘We’ll leave you out here and try it without you,’ the Tiger said.
‘You could be the difference between him returning and this procedure failing and costing us a great deal,’ the Phoenix said. ‘Please, Emma.’
‘I vow not to interfere.’
‘You must vow to neither assist nor impede us. Vow to watch without acting.’
‘You have my word. What the hell are you planning?’
‘All right, let’s get it over with,’ the Tiger said.
We proceeded to the Grotto and found Yue sitting on the bench next to John.
‘You cannot help us,’ the Phoenix said to Yue. ‘Return to your duties, Princess, and wish us success.’
Yue rose and bowed to them. ‘Your courage will inspire songs and poems for many millennia.’
‘Fuck that, I can’t stand poetry,’ the Tiger said.
Yue smiled, shared a small embrace with the Tiger, kissed him on the cheek, and headed up the stairs.
The Tiger studied her speculatively as she went up. ‘Maybe I will finally have a chance to see what this turtle fuss is all about. If I do, this whole thing will be thoroughly worth it.’
‘Not on your life, Devil Tiger,’ she said softly and went out.
He chuckled, and the three Winds went to the bench where John’s cage was sitting.
The Tiger crouched to study the cage. ‘May I again remind you, Lady Emma, you have vowed not to interfere. No matter what happens, do not touch any of us.’
‘I promise.’ I dropped my voice. ‘What are the chances of bringing him back?’
‘Absolutely no fucking idea,’ the Tiger said, and stood. ‘Okay, I’m ready. Who does what?’
Th
ey shared a silent moment of telepathic communication, and nodded. The Phoenix summoned a curved red sword with a gold-plated guard and a handle wrapped in red leather, and stood next to the cage. The Dragon positioned himself on the other side, and the Tiger stood directly in front of the cage.
‘We do not perform human sacrifices!’ I said urgently.
‘I’m not human,’ the Tiger said. He glared at me. ‘You gave us your word, Emma.’
‘Stay out of this,’ the Dragon said. ‘On the count of three.’
All three of them nodded in unison, then the Dragon flipped the cage open and the Tiger plunged his hand in and placed it on top of the Turtle. His hand glowed with shen so brilliantly white that it was dazzling, the rays of light shifting as they radiated from the cage.
‘He’s taking it,’ the Tiger said through gritted teeth. ‘On my word.’
‘He’ll absorb you completely,’ I said. ‘Don’t do this, Bai Hu.’
‘Quiet,’ the Dragon said, concentrating.
‘I’m slipping into True From, bring it down,’ the Tiger said, then raised his head and yowled with pain. ‘Down!’
The Dragon quickly lowered the cage onto the floor and the Tiger took True Form, still with his paw on the Turtle’s back.
‘Not yet,’ the Tiger said. He panted. ‘Holy shit, he’s cold. Not yet!’
‘You don’t have much left,’ the Phoenix said, distraught. ‘Don’t risk it. Give the word!’
‘Not yet!’ the Tiger yelled. His True Form became smaller and more slender and grew transparent. ‘More. I need to give him more!’
‘Do it, Ah Que,’ the Dragon said.
‘No!’ the Tiger yelled. ‘I’m not there yet!’
‘Do it!’ the Dragon roared. ‘Before he takes it all. Do it!’
The Phoenix swung the sword and lopped the Tiger’s head off. The body fell sideways and the head rolled a couple of metres until it came to rest next to the lake.
The Dragon leaned on the back of the bench and sagged. ‘So close. So close.’ He shook his head. ‘We nearly lost him, stupid damn cat.’
‘Ah Wu?’ the Phoenix said, touching the Turtle’s back.
‘It didn’t work,’ the Dragon said, putting the lid back and slipping the latches in place. ‘The Tiger is in the demons’ hands for nothing.’