The Demon Attacks (Wandering Phoenix and Roaming Tiger Episode 2)

by Thaddeus White

  Wandering Phoenix and Roaming Tiger

  Episode 2 – The Demon Attacks

  by Thaddeus White

  Text copyright © 2017 Thaddeus White

  All rights reserved

  Cover artwork © 2017 Jamie Glover

  Smashwords Edition

  This book is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to real-world persons, living or dead, places or events is entirely coincidental.

  Smashwords Edition Licence Notes

  This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  Note on pronunciation, history and measures

  Many of the names have easy and obvious pronunciations but a few can look tricky to Western eyes. Here’s a short pronunciation guide:

  c = ts

  q = ch

  x = sh

  z = dz

  zh = j

  The story is not set in a particular part of China’s past, just a vague and fuzzy mythologised, fictional version.

  A few Chinese measures that may be used here and there:

  li = third of a mile

  catty = one and a third pound

  picul = 133.3lbs

  Part 3 – On the road to Xuzhou, Liu Shanshan faces danger imagined and real

  A dozen li from the encampment, the four escaped prisoners left the forest and walked down the road, ears pricked for the sound of pursuit and ready to return to the trees at a moment’s notice. Ahead of them, they saw a lantern swaying in the wind, illuminating a wagon.

  “Could be one of the farmers,” Liu said, “but why would they travel at night? There could be bandits.”

  Guan Song laughed.

  “We can’t risk being recognised. Let’s return to the forest until they pass,” Guan Shi said.

  Together, the four escaped prisoners hid themselves amongst the trees, stomachs to the ground, flat as snakes. The wagon trundled nearer, and Liu could make out a man in finery atop the wagon, with two tired-looking guards shambling alongside.

  “A tax collector,” Guan Song said, voice raised in excitement. “The gods and Buddhas are looking out for us!”

  Before anyone could stop him, the Jade Lion leapt from the forest and wrenched the tax collector from the wagon. Liu, spear in hand, charged the nearer guard. He took one look at her and the Jade Lion.

  “Aiiii!” the guard cried, throwing down his weapon and running away so fast his feet hit the back of his head.

  The second guard thrust his spear at Liu. She batted it aside and thrust her blade, but Guan Shi caught the spear before it could kill. The guard gaped in shock, and Roaming Tiger’s fist knocked the wits from his head.

  “Don’t kill people unless you absolutely must,” Guan Shi said. “Taking a little coin is one thing, but it’s very difficult to sew a man’s head back on.”

  Liu grunted. “Ximen didn’t show any restraint when he attacked my father.”

  Roaming Tiger raised an eyebrow. “Ximen is not an example to be emulated, but a warning of what happens when vices govern virtues. Come on, time to lighten the wagon’s burden.”

  Sun was already on the wagon. There were countless lockboxes containing tax revenue, as well as food and drink, and silk, damask and satin clothing. The sorceress tossed a garment at Liu, then another at each of the brothers.

  Liu propped her spear against the wagon and put on the silk robe. It was a man’s garment, but finer than anything else she’d ever owned.

  “We’ll get a seamstress to adjust ours in town,” Sun said, donning her own damask robe.

  The Brothers Guan laughed loudly. The women turned and saw Guan Song had tried to put on his own robe, but his muscles had burst its sleeves.

  Guan Shi clambered onto the wagon and tossed a few strings of cash to Liu.

  “There’s a fortune here. Why are we only taking a little?” she asked. “We could take the lot, and live in comfort until we die.”

  Roaming Tiger stroked his moustache. “We could. But if we take the lot, then the farmers and villagers who struggled to pay their taxes the first time would have to pay them a second. Do you really want to live a life in luxury on the back of a thousand people’s suffering? That’d make us no better than the governor, gouging every coin he can from the common folk.”

  They left the wagon, Sun and Guan Shi taking the guards’ spears. Roaming Tiger sawed through the end of his, transforming it into a quarterstaff. Wandering down the road, they returned to the forest before Sacred Stone Village was in sight. The Steel Shadow raised a hand, and they stopped whilst still hidden by forest.

  “If four of us go in they might spot something amiss,” Sun said. “Liu and I will go.”

  The women left the men behind with the weapons, and took the cash into the village. Nobody had raised the alert, and they bought tents, food, clothes and new sandals, wine, paper, a brush and an ink stone. They strolled back to the Brothers Guan, and the four of them enjoyed steaming hot dumplings and lemon bread.

  “I was thinking,” Guan Song began.

  “Sounds dangerous,” Guan Shi said.

  The Jade Lion gave his older brother a friendly punch. “Anyway, I’m going back to Tiangjin. I was alone when I was caught and I want to see if Lin Mei is alright.”

  Roaming Tiger frowned. “If they know you were together, she’s already dead. If they don’t, visiting her brings danger rather than ends it.”

  “I can’t just leave Lin Mei.”

  Guan Shi nodded. “Want me to go with you?”

  Guan Song said, “Thanks, but I should go alone. Less chance of attracting attention. Where are you going to go, Sun? Back to Twin Sapphire Temple?”

  The sorceress put the finishing touch to the strange calligraphy symbol she was drawing before answering. “Yes. Someone has to keep things in order. Assuming the place hasn’t been ransacked. What about you, Liu?”

  Liu Shanshan sighed. “I suppose I’d better go to Xuzhou. Aunt Na’s a nasty old hag, but she’s the only family I’ve got.”

  “Xuzhou’s where Chao Ming lives,” Guan Shi mused, grabbing a dumpling with his chopsticks. “It’d be good to see him again. I’ll go with you, and it’ll be safer on the road with two of us than one. If anyone stops us, we can pretend to be father and daughter.”

  Liu asked the Steel Shadow about the symbols she was putting on the paper, but the sorceress only gave a secret smile.

  “It’s mystic guff,” Guan Song said, stuffing the last of the dumplings in his mouth and swallowing it whole.

  Sun pulled her robe up a little and wrapped the paper around her calf, tying string to keep it in place. Once she had done the same with her other leg, she got to her feet, and gathered her things.

  “I’m glad to have escaped with you, and wish you all luck on your journeys but the time has come for us to part ways. I have my duties, and you have yours. Perhaps our paths will cross and we’ll meet again,” Sun Yang said.

  The three others bade her farewell, and then, in a single moment, she was gone. Only the rustling leaves and swaying branches betrayed the direction the Steel Shadow had run.

  “That’s incredible!” Liu said, marvelling at the sorceress’ speed.

  Guan Shi grinned. “That’s the power of magic. She can run eight hundred li a da
y without so much as a blister.”

  “It’s mystic guff,” Guan Song agreed. The Jade Lion got to his feet and dusted himself off. “Well, I’d better be off too. A journey of a thousand li begins at your feet. I’ll write a letter to you, and we’ll decide what to do once I learn of Lin Mei’s fate.”

  “Farewell, little brother,” Guan Shi said, hugging the Jade Lion.

  “Goodbye, big brother,” Guan Song said. He stepped back and ruffled Liu’s hair. “And you, Liu. Look after big brother. He’s bound to get in trouble without me around to protect him.”

  Liu swatted Guan Song’s hand away. “When we met, he’d got in trouble with you.”

  The Jade Lion waved them farewell and strode away, singing a bawdy tune.

  Liu Shanshan and Guan Shi gathered together their things and wandered down the road. It wasn’t even a day since she had left her father to sell vegetables in the town.

  “How did things get so bad?” she asked.

  Roaming Tiger grunted. “The emperor is a good man, and his heir is too. But the emperor’s old and frail, and scheming courtiers run amok. Corruption flows over the land like rivers with burst banks. When the heir takes the throne, things will improve. Until then, wretches like Ximen get away with their crimes.”

  At the mention of his name, Liu spat. “But you’re a criminal. You committed murder.”

  Guan Shi laughed. “Four men tried to kill me. I beat three of them, but the fourth fell badly and cracked his skull. The imbecile was Ximen’s nephew. Then posters went up claiming I was some sort of serial killer.”

  Li after li passed beneath their feet, the sun rose and fell, and they paused for a meal. Chunks of meat and chopped vegetables sizzled in the pot, and Liu’s stomach rumbled with impatience.

  “Why are you called Roaming Tiger?” she asked as Guan handed her a bowl.

  “I’m fierce and dangerous as a tiger, and I always travel alone,” Guan Shi answered. He glanced at her. “Well, usually. Men in the gallant fraternity get given such nicknames, and hope it’s good. One windbag got named Grumbling Dumpling!”

  Liu smiled. “Maybe I should have one. I could be Wandering Phoenix, arisen from the ashes of my farm!” Guan laughed, and she threw down her bowl. “What are you laughing for, old man? I know one end of a spear from the other, you know!”

  Roaming Tiger finished his bowl of food and handed hers back to her. “What great deeds have you done? You’re capable, but young, and there’s no achievement to your name. You’re barely a woman! If you got a title now it’d be Stray Sparrow.”

  Liu Shanshan was a woman of spirit, and the moment she had eaten the last of her meal she took her spear and hacked the spearhead off with her dagger. “I’ve had enough of your mockery. Let’s see what you know of staves! If I beat you, you have to call me Wandering Phoenix!”

  Roaming Tiger stretched his arms. “Don’t think I’m going to go easy on you because you’re a girl. Instead of jewels and clothes, I’ll decorate you with bruises!”

  He took up his own spear-made-staff and beckoned for Liu to attack. She lunged at his head one moment, and swept at his ankles the next. Low and high, fast a snake, her staff tried to hit him, but she would have had more luck punching the wind. Everywhere Liu attacked, Guan’s staff was there to deflect the blow. He didn’t even try to hit her.

  Liu got angrier and angrier, her attacks wilder and wilder, until Guan ducked below one attack, wrapped his leg around hers and threw her to the ground. The breath was knocked out of Liu’s body and stars danced above her.

  “Pretty skilful, Stray Sparrow. But still a long way to go.”

  The pair of them packed up and walked on until night fell and it was time to camp. They had a tent each, but when Guan was pitching them he realised one had been badly patched. A cold wind and drizzle was already opening a hole in the tent, and he had no needle or thread to mend it. Liu was off fetching more firewood, so he took the holey tent down.

  I’m no man at all if I take the tent and leave a young girl out in the open, Guan thought to himself. I’ll sleep by the fire, it’s no hardship for a man like me.

  Liu came back with enough firewood to last the night.

  “Well, time for bed,” Guan said, gesturing at the tent.

  Liu frowned. “I thought that was yours.”

  “One of them had a hole in it. So, I thought–”

  “I see! You think because we’re companions on the road we should be in the Land of Pillows and Quilts as well! You’re nothing but a dirty old lecher!”

  “That’s not–” Roaming Tiger began, but she had already run off into the darkness. His head drooped, and he sighed. “Well, this is what happens when you’re not used to travelling with other people. I’d better go find her, or she might end up in trouble.”

  He took up his staff and ran into the darkness.

  Liu had not gone far when her temper faded and she realised she might have gotten the wrong end of the stick. Even if she hadn’t, all the provisions were back at camp, so she resolved to return and see what Guan Shi had to say for himself. If nothing else, at least she’d get a bellyful of food.

  Nearer the camp, she heard Guan shouting. “Liu Shanshan! Stray Sparrow! All I meant was that I’d sleep in the open and you could have the tent!”

  Liu cupped her hands to her mouth to answer. “I’m heading back to camp. Try anything and I’ll set fire to your moustache!”

  It sounded like he was further from the camp than her, so she jogged along, ready to get the supper cooked by the time he arrived. The blazing fire was an easy beacon to guide Liu back, but when she arrived she found three strangers rifling through the camp.

  “An abandoned camp and now a frisky young wench to please us. It’s our lucky day!” the nearest scallywag said.

  “As a matter of fact, I do have a present for you,” Liu said.

  A smile spread all the way across the oaf’s face, and those of his friends. She strutted towards the intruder and smacked him in the face with her quarterstaff. The jackanape collapsed like a house after an earthquake.

  “It’s called my Manners Stick. I use it to teach thugs and brutes how to behave properly. Now, take the fallen fool out of here or I’ll instruct you in etiquette as well!” Liu said, pointing her staff at the two remaining thieves.

  They raised their cudgels and spread apart to attack her from either side, but before they drew close a dangerous predator entered the camp. Guan Shi, staff in hand, strolled out of the darkness.

  “Made some new friends, I see.”

  One of the ruffians attacked Guan Shi, the other went for Liu. In two swipes of his quarterstaff Guan Shi knocked the churl to the ground and hit him so hard he could barely breathe.

  Liu leapt back from a wild swing of the brigand’s cudgel and smacked her quarterstaff against his ribs. He collapsed to the ground and she raised her staff to end him, but Guan placed a hand on her wrist and shook his head.

  “What’s your name?” Roaming Tiger demanded of the gasping bandit.

  “Dong Cheng. Please, master, spare us!”

  Guan grasped him by the neck and dragged him to his feet. “Shut up, you twenty-four carat idiot. Get out of here and mend your ways. If I find you behaving immorally again I’ll give you such a beating even the King of Hell will pity you.”

  Dong Cheng bowed his head then he and his recovering friend grabbed the unconscious thief. The three staggered away from the camp, leaving Liu and Guan alone.

  “Did he really deserve to live?” she asked.

  “Wrong question, Stray Sparrow. The question is did you deserve to kill? The sweat of honest labour washes off a lot more easily than blood.”

  They settled down by the fire and started cooking supper.

  “You really know how to use that thing,” Liu said, nodding at his makeshift staff.

  Guan stirred the pot, and smiled. “Good manners are sufficient to get along with most men, but a few require a whack on the noggin to behave themselves. You wer
en’t bad yourself. For a farm girl.”

  “Teach me how to wield a quarterstaff like you do.”

  Roaming Tiger laughed. “Why would you want a life like mine? Once you’re safe with your aunt, we’ll part ways. Living on the road, the law always after you, is not so great.”

  Will the Tiger and the Sparrow part company in Xuzhou? Read on if you would know.

  Part 4 – Liu discovers family can be worse than strangers, Guan meets an old friend

  Liu awoke before dawn, but Guan was already packing up the camp.

  “Think those scumbags will be back?” she asked.

  Roaming Tiger shook his head. “They’re not very smart, but there’s only so much stupid one body can contain.”

  Soon they were back on the road, and Xuzhou was looming on the horizon.

  “You know, I’ve never got on with my Aunt Na, and she’s never liked me,” Liu said. “I think I’d rather travel with you.”

  “Yesterday you thought I was a dirty old man.”

  Liu blushed. “We all make mistakes. My father taught me how to use weapons, and you could teach me some more. I imagine it’s pretty lonely wandering by yourself.”

  “A man’s never alone when he has his friends in his heart.” Guan sighed. “Look, Liu, you’re a good person. You can still have a happy life here. But for me, it’s not so simple. The law’s always after me, and Ba Renzhong’s a formidable hunter. You can stay with your aunt and keep your head down because you lack notoriety, but Ximen will keep upping the bounty on me, little brother and Sun until we’re captured. I can’t subject you to that.”

  She opened her mouth but he raised a hand to silence her.

  “Not another word. Let’s not part with an argument, but as friends. I’ll buy you a bowl of wine at The Black Turtle.”