Journey to Wudang

  ‘Go to bed and come back tomorrow,’ Miss Chen said. ‘The sword’s not going anywhere. It’s nearly 3 am and both of you are tired, making it a bad time to be messing around with one of the most powerful destructive forces on the planet. Do it tomorrow, and I’ll come help you.’

  ‘She’s right, Emma,’ Simone said.

  I tapped the sword with frustration and it burned my finger. ‘All right.’

  The next morning I headed straight for the infirmary. Bridget, David and Michael were sitting in the courtyard under the peach trees in the sunshine. All three of them were wearing plain black Mountain uniforms, and Bridget had a pair of crutches leaning on the bench next to her. Michael rose, fell to one knee and saluted me, to David’s and Bridget’s obvious amusement.

  ‘No need, Michael,’ I said as he rose and painfully sat on the bench again. ‘How are you all feeling?’

  ‘Remarkably good, all things considered,’ David said. ‘Thanks so much for looking after us.’

  ‘Don’t thank me. You took a bullet because we were there,’ I said. ‘Bridget, do you mind giving me your hand? I’d like to check you.’

  She hesitated a moment and looked at David. He nodded confirmation, so she held her hand out. I took it, holding her wrist at the pulse point. She gasped as I entered her energy stream to check the wound in her leg.

  ‘Does it hurt?’ David said.

  ‘No,’ Bridget said. ‘It just feels … strange.’

  I moved my energy to the wound in her knee. The bullet had lodged itself in her kneecap, but someone had removed it and done a rough job of half-healing it. The energy healers would have been stretched fixing all three of them, particularly as Michael’s and David’s injuries had been severe. I completed the job, moving my energy over the shattered bone, knitting its structure together and fixing the tendon damage. Bridget shivered as I withdrew my consciousness.

  ‘All fixed,’ I said. ‘Try standing up.’

  She leaned heavily on the bench and gingerly put weight on the leg. Her surprise was obvious as she stood with more confidence and took a few steps around the courtyard. ‘This is amazing.’

  ‘It’s not a hundred per cent yet,’ I said. ‘Don’t do any strenuous exercise on it for a week or so; the bone hasn’t completely healed.’ I turned to David. ‘Hand, please, let me look at you.’

  ‘What about young Michael?’ David said without giving me his hand. ‘He was hurt more than I was.’

  ‘I’m Emma’s bodyguard, it’s my job,’ Michael said. ‘You were innocent bystanders and definitely come first, and I know it.’

  David shrugged and held his hand out.

  ‘You are slightly more difficult, Mr Hawkes,’ I said as I entered his energy stream. ‘This is more than a simple bone and muscle injury, there are multiple layers involved here.’ I boosted the healing process as much as I could, and snapped back.

  ‘Wow, it does feel very strange,’ he said.

  ‘Same for you: take it easy for a week or so, and no heavy lifting,’ I said. ‘Have you called home?’

  ‘Yes, one of your staff gave us a mobile phone,’ Bridget said. ‘We need to get home as soon as we can, the boys need us. Emma …’ Her voice trailed off.

  ‘Hmm?’ I took Michael’s hand. His was the worst injury of all; the bullet had clipped his liver and spleen, and he’d require more than a couple of days to recuperate. I didn’t have enough energy left to help him out. He’d have to wait a day or so before he could be completely healed.

  ‘Are we really in Heaven?’ Bridget said. ‘Your staff tell us we’re definitely not dead and we can go home, but … really? Heaven? And John is a god?’

  ‘Really,’ I said. ‘Chinese Heaven doesn’t work like Western mythology. It’s a higher plane of existence.’

  ‘Is that why you were asking her about Taoist philosophy?’ Bridget asked David.

  ‘Absolutely,’ David said. He spread his hands. ‘Wouldn’t you want this?’

  Bridget took a deep breath. ‘It’s wonderful.’

  ‘Come and take a walk with me, I’ll show you around,’ I said, releasing Michael. ‘Not you, Michael. You stay put, and don’t move around too much for forty-eight hours.’

  ‘I have three classes this afternoon!’ Michael said, protesting.

  ‘No teleporting, no heavy lifting, no energy work, no martial arts for forty-eight hours,’ I said. ‘That’s an order.’

  He grinned ruefully and saluted me, shaking his hands in front of his face. ‘Yes, ma’am.’

  ‘Teleporting?’ David said, looking from Michael to me.

  ‘No teleporting, flying, changing shape except to tiger, and no manipulating metal,’ I said, counting them off on my fingers. ‘And you have to stay home from school.’

  ‘But, Mooom …’ Michael whined, then winced as he realised what he’d said.

  I patted him on the shoulder, then turned to Bridget and David. ‘Come on. Let me show you around Celestial Wudangshan.’

  ‘You often hear about buildings being evacuated because of the smell of gas, then the authorities finding nothing there,’ Bridget said as we headed along the path towards the centre of the complex. ‘Is that what happened to us?’

  ‘Yes, it’s a tool the demons use to clear an area,’ I said. ‘It’s a damn nuisance.’

  ‘The police think it’s mass hysteria,’ David said, linking his arm in Bridget’s and looking around with delight as we passed through the gardens.

  ‘The effect is very similar: everybody gets an awful feeling of horror and foreboding and takes off,’ I said. ‘It’s the best option, actually, as you can see.’

  ‘The best option for what?’ Bridget said.

  ‘Emma fights those monsters. She doesn’t want people like us around to get hurt when she does,’ David said.

  ‘And you knew all about this and didn’t tell me?’ Bridget said.

  ‘Guess what Emma Donahoe told me today?’ David said. ‘You know John Chen? He’s a god. And Emma lives in Heaven, and her huge black friend Leo is a Taoist Immortal.’

  Bridget shook her head, smiling. ‘I see your point.’

  We’d arrived at the forecourt of Yuzhengong, in front of Dragon Tiger and Purple Mist halls.

  ‘This reminds me of somewhere,’ Bridget said, studying the layout. She pointed at Golden Temple. ‘I’ve seen that before.’

  ‘You’ve been to Earthly Wudang then,’ I said.

  Her mouth fell open as she realised. ‘But this is three times bigger, and not nearly as run-down.’

  I nodded. ‘Thank you.’

  ‘Master present!’ someone yelled, and a group of students who had come up behind us saluted me, then waited.

  It was a senior weapons class, led by Miss Chen herself. I moved Bridget and David to one side so that the students could go through to the forecourt. Miss Chen saluted me as they passed and I nodded back.

  ‘When are you going to talk to your sword?’ she said.

  ‘When I’ve sent these two home.’

  ‘Don’t start without me, I don’t trust that bastard blade,’ she said. ‘Let me know when you’re going in.’ She turned to the students. ‘Take positions.’

  I went to stand next to Bridget and David and we watched the students move into position on the forecourt.

  ‘Is that the teacher?’ Bridget said.

  ‘That’s the Weapons Master,’ I said. ‘The only one better than her with weapons is John himself.’

  ‘Is she an Immortal too?’ David said with interest.

  I nodded. ‘She’s over seven hundred years old.’

  Bridget raised one hand towards Miss Chen, who began to lead the spear set with elegance and grace despite her short and portly form. ‘Why does she look so ordinary?’

  ‘You’re stuck in the form you were when you were Raised to be Immortal,’ I said. ‘They can change their form, but it takes effort. And frankly, I think she likes being underestimated.’

  The students changed position to work in pai
rs, and Miss Chen moved between them, supervising.

  ‘That looks very dangerous,’ Bridget said. ‘They’re going to take each other’s eyes out.’

  ‘Leo will be furious,’ I said. ‘He loves spear, and never misses a chance to join in. How are you both feeling? You can probably go home now.’

  They shared a look, then turned back to me.

  ‘That would be for the best. We need to reassure the boys, and there’s probably been at least three disasters back at the office,’ David said.

  ‘I’ll arrange for someone to take you back down,’ I said, and guided them towards my office. ‘I’m so sorry this happened.’

  ‘I’m not, I got to see what I’m aiming for,’ David said. ‘And I could share it with Bridget.’

  ‘Yes, I think I may look into this Taoism business a little more myself,’ Bridget said.

  CHAPTER 7

  Later I went into the Celestial Armoury to try again with the Murasame. Meredith, Simone and Miss Chen were all waiting for me inside, leaving little room for the weapons themselves.

  ‘This is not a circus sideshow,’ I said.

  ‘You sure you can’t block the pain, Meredith?’ Simone said.

  ‘It’s spiritual damage, not physical,’ Meredith said. ‘She just has to bear it for as long as she can until one of them submits.’

  Simone came to me and put her hand on my arm. ‘We can always have another weapon made for you. You’re still weak. Don’t hurt yourself, it’s not worth it, okay?’ She leaned her cheek on my shoulder. ‘I need you.’

  ‘I’ll listen to Meredith —’ I began.

  ‘Now there’s a first,’ Meredith said with humour.

  ‘I’ll listen to Meredith, and if she tells me to drop it, I will.’

  ‘Are you just going to hold it until it concedes?’ Meredith said.

  ‘She’s going to feed it,’ Miss Chen said grimly.

  ‘That is a very bad idea in your current state, Emma.’

  ‘So watch me carefully. Now move back and give me room. I’ll have to take it out of its scabbard to feed it.’

  I stood in front of the sword and felt its brooding malevolence. Its corner seemed to be darker than the rest of the room; the sword sucked the light out of the air. I took some slow, deep breaths and moved my chi in time with my breathing, clearing my thoughts and quietly revelling in the absence of the demon essence. I planted my feet on the earth and raised my head to the sky and touched the nature of the Celestial: purer, cleaner and more alive than the Earthly.

  I relaxed into it, then made my spirit a well of motionless tranquillity and reached towards the sword. The energy calming didn’t help; the sword’s burn ripped through my hand the minute I touched it. I bit my lip with the effort and took short, gasping breaths to increase my oxygen in the vain hope that it would lessen the pain. I raised the sword off its stand and pulled the black lacquer scabbard off the blade, feeling its bite on my left hand as I let it clatter to the floor.

  I rotated the blade in my right hand, keeping it horizontal so that the sharp side faced up, and moved my left wrist above it, ready to slice the back of my hand.

  John’s voice sounded in my head. What is hurting you, Emma?

  I fought to retain my concentration. The Murasame; it doesn’t recognise me any more.

  I didn’t see John appear in human form next to me, but I felt his presence against my back. He reached around and put his right hand on mine where I held the hilt of the sword. The Murasame leapt beneath our hands, its spirit singing with joy at his presence, its dark essence rising to salute his. The pain stopped.

  ‘It acknowledges you as master,’ I said.

  ‘All weapons acknowledge me as master,’ he said, his voice a low rumble against my back. ‘I am the master of all weapons.’

  ‘Hello, Daddy,’ Simone said.

  ‘We will not talk, we are going to concentrate,’ John said, his hand still on mine holding the quivering sword. ‘If Emma messes this up, the Murasame could eat her alive. Everybody stay quiet.’

  Simone squeaked softly with distress.

  John guided my left hand so that the palm was up, and released it. ‘Lower it gently onto the blade. Don’t stop breathing.’

  I did as he said and lowered my wrist carefully onto the blade. If I dropped my hand even slightly too hard, the sword would take it off with relish. I felt the sting and quickly raised my hand again as the blood spiralled into the sword.

  ‘I’m letting it go. Talk to it,’ John said, and released my hands.

  The contact burned again and I touched consciousness with the sword.

  I am your master.

  The sword laughed, a ringing sound of steel.

  I strengthened my will and made my internal voice stronger.

  Acknowledge me, Destroyer, I am your master! We have shared blood and death and destroyed together, and you are mine!

  The sword was silent and the pain lessened.

  I healed the wound, stopping the feed, and the sword made a metallic squeal inside my head at the withdrawal of the blood. The pain didn’t ease further.

  I. Am. Your. Master. Obey me!

  The sword seemed to think about it for a moment, then the pain ceased. The sword saluted me, the scabbard flew back onto its blade, and it drifted out of my hand and returned to its rack.

  ‘The sword is tamed,’ John said. He leaned over my shoulder to smile into my eyes. ‘Well done.’

  I slipped my hand around the back of his head and kissed him, and he pulled me closer, side-on to me.

  ‘Oh come on, you two! Do you have to be so yucky all the time?’ Simone said. ‘I want to talk to you about my horse, Daddy, and what’s been happening, and my grades at school, and everything!’

  He released me to gaze into my eyes, then shrugged and grinned. He turned to Simone. ‘Let’s walk around the gardens and you can tell me. I want to see the rebuilt Mountain.’

  ‘Come on, Emma,’ Simone said, gesturing with her head as I hesitated. ‘Come and have a walk and talk Daddy’s ears off.’ She linked her arm in his. ‘Are you here for good? Please say you are.’

  ‘No,’ he said. ‘Not yet. I remember being nearby though?’

  ‘You’ve been at the bottom of the lake for nearly a whole day now,’ I said.

  ‘No wonder I feel so good, that’s like plugging me into a battery charger.’ He walked without difficulty through the bars, then closed his eyes and concentrated for a moment. ‘My Serpent is here!’ He turned back to us, grinning broadly, then his face fell. ‘I’m sure I sensed it right here.’

  ‘Can you rejoin now? If we find it?’ Simone said.

  He waved the others through the bars. ‘Come on, Lucy, Meredith, you can talk to me too, I’m sure you all have a lot to share.’ He turned back to Simone. ‘If we find the Serpent, I can rejoin with it and be more powerful than either of you have ever seen me.’ He shook out his shoulders. ‘Looking forward to that. The demon horde won’t know what hit it. Now.’ He put one arm around each of our shoulders. ‘Come and show me my Mountain. Why aren’t you at the Peak any more? I went there looking for you and the flat was empty. It ripped my heart out.’

  ‘We still use the flat,’ I said, ‘but we had to move out for a while because Simone’s horse piddled on the carpet in her room and we had to take all the carpet out.’

  He glared at her. ‘Simone! You should know better.’

  She hung her head. ‘Sorry, Daddy.’

  He pulled her in and squeezed her. ‘Are you based here now?’

  ‘We use the Peak as an Earthly base, but spend most of our time here,’ she said.

  He stopped and turned to face us, holding one of our hands in each of his. ‘Do you like being here? Living here? We don’t have to live here if you don’t want it.’

  ‘I love it,’ I said. ‘I don’t want to live anywhere else.’

  ‘Let me decide when I’ve graduated,’ Simone said, thoughtful. ‘I may choose the Palace in the Northern Heavens. I
don’t think I want to go back to the Earthly — humans can be a real pain to deal with sometimes. Right now though, I want to be here with you and Emma and Leo.’

  We went out of the Armoury. John held our hands as we walked through the breezeway towards the central plaza. We passed a small courtyard where a group of students were sitting under the pavilion beneath the trees, working on some academic notes. They stared at us, and a few of them asked each other if that was really John.

  ‘Salute your Master!’ Miss Chen barked, and they all dropped to one knee.

  John turned and grinned at her. ‘Don’t scare them like that. It will take them a while to become accustomed to having me back.’

  After we’d passed, the students rose and took off running, obviously to tell their friends and bring them to see.

  ‘We’ll be mobbed,’ Miss Chen said.

  ‘If we are, I’ll demote you,’ John said.

  ‘If we are, I’ll deserve it.’

  We’d arrived at the central area, and the path widened to lead the fifty-metre distance to the terrace in front of True Way. John’s face was alight with joy and he released our hands and turned on the spot, taking it all in.

  ‘Go up and take a look from above,’ Simone said.

  He took her hand and raised it. ‘Can you come up with me?’

  She nodded.

  He turned to me. ‘Can you?’

  ‘I can’t fly, John, I’m just an ordinary human.’

  He touched me on the cheek with his free hand. ‘Absolutely nothing ordinary about you.’ He took my hand as well and we shot fifty metres straight up, then hovered above the complex.

  Simone released his hand and turned in the air, her hair floating in the Celestial breeze. ‘That way’s the Northern Heavens; Emma’s knocked down the Serpent Concubine Pavilion and built a new Hall of Serene Meditation. The barracks are over there, and the training halls are on this side, there.’ She turned towards the higher peaks and pointed. ‘Golden Temple’s all fixed up.’

  John released my hand to turn and see, and I concentrated to slow my fall, but I didn’t move. He was still holding me up.

  ‘It looks wonderful,’ he said.

  He took my hand and kissed it, and we drifted back down to land on the forecourt at the bottom of the stairs up to Purple Mist.