He looked around, then spoke silently. Anyone arriving late join the back of the group. He turned and shifted his feet so that he was in position, and we fell into silence as we joined him.
‘Touch the Earth. Touch the sky. Breathe the purity of the chi. Commence,’ John said.
As we performed the first twenty moves of the set, more students arrived, quietly joining the group and catching up with us. They stopped arriving at about the twenty-fifth move, but I didn’t notice; I lost my awareness into the graceful beauty of the set and the joy of completing it with John and Simone together.
Shortly after my awareness disconnected from reality and I lost myself into the set, the air around us began to vibrate with each move we made. The Immortals had generated shen energy and were carrying it on their hands. I kept my chi inside, holding it close to preserve my strength. With each move we made, the air sang: a musical note that rose and fell with our movements, clear and full of the warmth of the chi and shen.
Some exclamations of astonishment came from the students behind us, but as more of them joined the trance state, the singing became louder, filling the court with musical tones that turned the moving meditation of the Tai Chi into a symphony of perfect sounds.
As we completed the set and released the energy, the sounds faded and the air seemed to have become even clearer. John turned, grabbed Simone and me and pulled us into a hug so fierce I thought he would kill us.
The Masters who had joined the set quietly shepherded the students back to their classes, leaving the three of us alone in the forecourt that still resonated with energy.
‘Did that happen because you’re here, Daddy?’ Simone said.
‘Many things will happen when I am fully returned,’ he said. ‘I don’t have much longer.’ He bent to kiss me, then pulled back and gazed into my eyes. ‘My Emma.’ He turned and embraced Simone again, and kissed the top of her head. ‘My little girl, my Simone.’
‘Daddy,’ she said, crushed into his chest, and then he was gone.
Simone wiped her eyes and sighed. ‘I always thought Tai Chi was kind of boring. I think I’ll do it more often now.’
‘Don’t let him hear you say that,’ I said. ‘He’ll say he’s failed as a Master.’
She leaned into me and smiled. ‘He’s back at the bottom of the lake. It won’t be long now, Emma. And then we have to arrange a big fancy wedding.’ She ran away giggling.
I rested on a bench next to a bridge over one of the gorges on the way back to the administrative complex. I was still too weak to handle long distances. The mists had cleared, but the bottom of the gorge wasn’t visible; the Masters often teased the students by claiming, while they were floating over them, that the gorges were bottomless. Chanting from one of the temples, accompanied by a wooden drum, drifted in and out of earshot, adding to the warm buzz of sound that was the Mountain.
I wished I could conjure some tea and retire to one of the pagodas sitting high on the cliffs. Instead, I clumsily pulled myself to my feet and headed towards the offices.
The administrative buildings were terraced into the hillside on the eastern side of the complex, and small by necessity because of the steepness. The larger residential and training buildings were closer to the centre, where there was more available flat land. The buildings were joined together with breezeways that meandered through them, containing stairs that joined the levels. Each breezeway had red columns holding up the traditional bracketed roof, which had scenes of birds and flowers painted on the panels just below it. My office stood on the southern side of the cluster, hard against the side of the mountain. It had been designed as the office for John’s second-in-command and I’d appropriated it as the most suitable place for me — right next to him when he came back.
An ancient cypress tree, twisted with age, stood guard in front of the doorway. I touched its trunk as I passed and it shifted its branches slightly in response. It wasn’t a Shen or sentient as such, but it was aware of the comings and goings around it and seemed to enjoy the times when I performed a Tai Chi set in the small clearing beneath it.
Yi Hao nodded to me as I went past her desk. I stopped when I saw who was in my waiting room.
One of the Tiger’s Horsemen stood against the wall, guarding two of my young nephews. Mark, slender, dark-haired and dark-eyed, was Amanda’s son. Jennifer’s son, Andrew, had an unruly thatch of sandy hair and bright blue eyes similar to my own. They were both fourteen years old, but Andrew was ten centimetres taller than Mark. His father, Leonard, was tall. They both rose as I came in and gave me quick hugs.
‘Both of you here for a visit at the same time? What’s the occasion?’ I said.
They shared a quick look, then Mark said, ‘Can we talk to you, Aunty Emma?’
‘Sure,’ I said, gesturing towards the office. ‘Come on in.’ I nodded again to Yi Hao. ‘Anything urgent?’
‘Nothing urgent, ma’am,’ she said.
‘Good.’ I took the boys into my office, closed the door and leaned on the desk. ‘Is there a problem, guys? It’s not like you to be up here on the Celestial Plane, Mark. You know your mother prefers you to stay on the Earthly.’
Both of them fell to one knee and saluted me Chinese-style.
I jumped up. ‘None of that, you’re family, get up off your knees right now.’
They didn’t rise. ‘Please permit us to join the Dark Disciples, ma’am,’ Mark said. ‘We want to learn the Arts.’
‘I’m not listening to anything you have to say until you’re back on your feet where you belong,’ I said. ‘There’s absolutely no need to kowtow to me.’
‘We want to,’ Andrew said, but they rose anyway. ‘We want to acknowledge you as Master, learn the Arts, and do some of the stuff your Disciples can do.’
I went around the desk and flopped into my chair, then waved for them to sit. ‘They’re not my Disciples, they’re Xuan Wu’s. And I don’t think this is a good idea.’
‘We want to learn,’ Andrew said, stubborn. He glanced at Mark. ‘Both of us.’
‘Your mothers would kill me. They’d chop me into very small pieces with my own sword.’
‘We want different names,’ Mark said. ‘Our names are so boring compared to the Disciples — Cold Wind, Black Tree, Triumphant Dragon. We want to be part of Wudang.’
Andrew put his elbows on his knees and leaned forward. ‘It’s just so cool.’
‘I can’t, guys,’ I said. ‘It’s not cool. It’s joining the army. Are you ready for military service? Boot camp?’
They both grinned broadly. ‘Yes!’
‘Even if you did want this, even if you were talented enough to be accepted, I can’t do this to your mothers,’ I said. ‘I can’t guarantee any Disciple’s safety, guys. You’d be in danger. We all know the risk, and I can’t do that to them.’
‘What if they gave their permission?’ Mark said eagerly.
‘They won’t do that in a million years,’ I said. ‘Guys, you won’t be safe.’
‘We won’t leave until you let us come here,’ Andrew said.
I rose and leaned on the desk. ‘And I’m saying that we won’t take you. You might as well go now, because it’s not going to happen.’
I went to the door and opened it, then nodded to the Horseman. ‘Take them home, please. We’re done here.’ I turned back to the boys. ‘I’ll see you guys on the weekend.’
The Horseman came in and saluted me. ‘Ma’am.’
‘At least say you’ll think about it!’ Andrew said.
‘I’ll talk to your mothers about it. If they say it’s okay, then I’ll take you,’ I said.
Mark punched the air. ‘Yes!’
The Horseman touched each of the boys and they all disappeared.
I returned to my desk and called my mother.
‘Hello, darling, anything happen?’ she said. ‘You only call me when there’s an emergency.’
‘Mark and Andrew were just in here, wanting to join Wudang,’ I said.
&n
bsp; ‘Oh, that’s nice. Did you let them?’
‘I can’t let them!’ I said. ‘They wouldn’t be safe.’
‘They’d be safe there with you, wouldn’t they? I mean, that Mountain place is called the Stronghold of Heaven. It’s supposed to be the safest place anywhere.’
‘Not until John is back, Mum. And remember what happened eleven years ago? The Demon King broke in here and burned the place to the ground.’
‘But that was just property damage, wasn’t it? None of his students were killed or anything?’
I sighed with feeling. ‘Three hundred human Disciples died. It was covered up. Not one of Heaven’s greatest triumphs.’
She was silent on the other end of the line.
‘We can’t guarantee anyone’s safety, not even with John here,’ I said. ‘Accidents happen. And I won’t put the boys at risk.’
‘I’ll talk to Amanda and Jen,’ she said. ‘I think you should too.’
‘Don’t worry, I will. I just wanted to check with you first, find out where they are.’
‘Jen’s on a shopping trip down on the Earthly, and Amanda’s at home,’ my mother said. ‘She’s going to be so cross when she finds out Mark went up to visit you! They’re supposed to be living normal lives.’
‘She’s doubly going to kill him then.’
‘I think you’re right.’
Mid-afternoon Yi Hao came into my office with a cup of fresh coffee for me. She put the mug on my desk and stood on the other side of it, fidgeting.
‘What?’ I said.
‘That man is here again.’
‘Show him in!’
She opened the door and stood next to it without speaking.
‘Come on in,’ I called to Er Lang, who was waiting outside.
As soon as Er Lang was in my office, Yi Hao made a snorting sound of disgust, went out and slammed the door behind her.
Er Lang fell to one knee. ‘My Lady First Heavenly General.’
‘My Lord Er Lang. Please rise.’
He remained on one knee, head bowed.
‘Oh no, here we go again,’ I moaned, and took a sip of the coffee. ‘The answer is no. The answer will always be no. Now get the hell up off the floor and you’d better have something worthwhile to bother me about.’
He didn’t get up, he just stayed on one knee. ‘This humble servant respectfully requests of you, most Honoured One, that he be permitted to take his own life and spend a protracted time in the Hell of Trees Full of Swords.’
I made my voice more brisk. ‘Up off the floor now, and get into one of these chairs and talk to me.’
He rose sheepishly and sat, carefully keeping his eyes down in a show of humility.
‘All right, be like that,’ I said. ‘For the last time: no, you can’t go off and kill yourself. I need you to help me out in the Celestial Palace.’
He shook his hands in front of his face. ‘I deserve to suffer.’
I rose and walked around the desk. ‘Stone, are any of the pagodas free?’
‘All of them are free.’
I gestured impatiently to Er Lang. ‘Come with me.’
I went out of the office and told Yi Hao: ‘I’m taking Er Lang up to one of the pagodas for a talk. If anyone needs me, tell them to talk to the stone.’
‘Ma’am,’ Yi Hao said, glaring at Er Lang.
Outside the office, I put my hand out. ‘You’ll have to carry me. I’ll show you the way.’
He lifted me without a word and, as we flew, I guided him to one of the pagodas that sat just below the top of the highest peaks on Wudang Mountain. We landed gently at the edge of the steep drop and sat at the table inside.
‘Tea, my Lady?’ he said, and I nodded. A pot of Sow Mei appeared with a pair of cups.
I turned to view the Wudang complex spread a hundred metres below us. Its black roofs shone in the Celestial sunlight, and the black wall around the entire complex was clearly visible. The central area, with its huge paved court, was a mass of movement: a class was being held there. The halls on either side were visible higher on the mountainside, as well as the glowing Golden Temple above. The rest of the buildings clung in the folds between the peaks. The sound of drums and the shouts of the disciples echoed through the mountain tops.
I turned back to Er Lang. His young-looking face was full of misery.
‘Please allow me to be punished in the Hell of Trees Full of Swords,’ he said.
‘For the last time, no.’
‘Why not?’
‘It wouldn’t achieve anything!’ I snapped, and he jumped.
‘Don’t you want to have your vengeance on me?’
‘No!’ I poured the tea, sloshing it into my cup. ‘Revenge is the most pointless thing ever. I don’t want to see you suffer. What I want is to work alongside you to protect the Celestial Plane.’
‘You are too merciful.’
‘No, I’m not.’ I raised my teacup and waved it at him. ‘You want to go to Hell and suffer horribly because that will make you feel a whole lot better — like you’ve atoned. Well, I won’t let you. You stay here, and you help me out. I don’t want to see you hurt, Er Lang, I just want to work with you. Let’s get past this and move on already!’
‘The Jade Emperor refuses to punish me as well,’ he said, miserable.
‘You know as well as I do that something’s coming. There’s a threat hanging over our heads, and the Dark Lord is still incapacitated. We need to be at full strength to face this — and I need you to liaise with the Celestial. Now for fuck’s sake will you get the hell over yourself, stop feeling sorry for yourself — which is priceless since I’m the one that got barbecued — and do your goddamn job?’
He sat for a while, looking at his teacup, then looked back up at me. ‘I’ve been a complete ass, haven’t I?’
‘Yes!’
He sighed and put his cup down. ‘I just wish the Celestial would demote me. I’m not fit for this. Look at you — ordinary human, female, not even Immortal, and you’re running rings around me. First a monkey, now a woman —’
‘You sexist bastard.’ I slammed my teacup on the table. ‘One on one, down on the forecourt. You, me, staves.’ I glared at him. ‘Come on, show me what you’ve got.’
He hesitated for a moment, watching me, then shot to his feet and held his hand out. I grabbed it and we were on the forecourt in front of Dragon Tiger.
Liu was teaching a group of advanced students Shaolin long sword; they all stopped.
‘Clear the area, bring us two suitable staves, and stand back,’ I called to Liu without looking away from Er Lang. I grinned. ‘No holds barred. No mercy, no quarter, no rules except that you’re not allowed to kill me. Got it?’
Er Lang saluted me with a grim smile.
Liu threw a staff to me and one to Er Lang. The students moved back, discussing the match under their breath.
‘Silence!’ Liu barked, and they went quiet.
I saluted Er Lang, holding my staff, and he saluted back. We moved into position. I held my staff in front of me, guarding, just as I had when I’d kicked Leo’s ass all that time ago. This time, however, my opponent was going to give me a lesson I wouldn’t forget, and I knew it.
We remained motionless for nearly twenty seconds. As the challenger, I had to make a move after that time or the match would be forfeit.
I swung the staff above me in a move that was more show than substance and kept it rotating as a strike towards Er Lang’s head. He blocked it easily, swung it down in the direction it was already moving and locked it onto the ground. He held it there without effort; I was stuck already.
I pulled the staff straight along its length and it slid out. I swung it and tried to take his feet out with the other end; he blocked me. He jammed my staff against the ground again; he was being purely defensive without attacking. I pulled the staff out of the lock and swung it directly up at his face, hoping to hit him under the chin, and he blocked me again, pushed my staff sideways, and used the other end t
o tap me on the ankle. He hit me right on the nerve point at the protruding bone and I yelped and hopped back, then lifted the foot as the pain eased. A couple of students squeaked with me, feeling my pain.
He followed the advantage, swinging at my staff so fast that I was barely able to block it. He continued to press me back, hitting my staff relentlessly. The worst part was that he wasn’t hitting it very hard, just tapping it, but he was so fast I had trouble keeping up. He raised the speed and I couldn’t stop him: his blow passed my staff and hit me on the abdomen. He finished it with a flick to take my feet out from under me and I hit the ground hard, my muscles soft after so many months of enforced rest.
I lay on my back, trying to get my breath back, and he stood over me.
‘I yield,’ I managed to wheeze out. ‘You’ve beaten me fairly.’
He held his hand out to me and I took it. He pulled me easily to my feet and we stood with our hands clasped for a long moment while he gazed into my eyes.
‘You were holding back,’ he said. ‘You’re much better than that, I know it.’
‘That was the best I can do at the moment,’ I said. ‘I didn’t hold back.’
He released my hand but continued to examine me. ‘But I’ve heard stories about you. You took down some huge Mothers. You turned one into a cat. You fought off One Two Two single-handed. You defeated the Demon King in single combat.’
‘Really?’ I couldn’t help myself: I grinned like an idiot. ‘Who’s spreading these ridiculous stories, and where can I sign them up to write my memoirs? Most of that’s pure fabrication.’
‘Is it?’
‘Hell, yeah. I may have taken down a couple of medium-sized Mothers and done the cat thing, but that was probably when I was possessed by the Xuan Wu’s Serpent. Without any supernatural help I’m about as good as a really good human.’
He studied me with his face rigid.
‘Do it. Go ahead,’ I said, and braced for the impact.
He snapped his Third Eye open in the middle of his forehead. His intense gaze swept right through me like a blast of brilliant light, burning my flesh from my bones and shredding my essence. The light blinked out and I bent over, gasping.