Red Phoenix Read online

  John leaned back. ‘Seven Stars is the most destructive weapon ever forged. But it was forged for me. It will not shine for another. Leave it where it is. Only my most trusted lieutenants have access. It is safe.’

  Gold was silent for a moment. Then he spoke softly. ‘I really am most profoundly honoured, my Lord.’

  John waved him down. ‘The forge is undamaged. Gather the forge staff and put them to work. I want them replacing weapons as soon as possible.’

  Gold nodded and scribbled some more. ‘My Lord.’

  ‘Also, go shopping for me. Hunt around the Earthly suppliers. I don’t want anything too poor in quality, it would be a waste of time teaching with rubbish. See what you can turn up.’

  ‘My Lord, I’ll see what I can do. I’ll go to Japan, they have always made quality blades. Don’t expect too much though. The art of crafting a fine weapon that isn’t a firearm is becoming lost.’

  ‘I know. Search out the antique weapons markets as well; there are some excellent old blades that could serve us well. We may even be able to pick up some more Masamunes—anything from that school would be worth having. Don’t worry about the expense, the cost is worth it. If you’re not certain about authenticity, let me see the blade. How is work proceeding in Hennessy Road?’

  ‘Very quickly. The demons work day and night. Only noise restrictions are holding us back.’

  ‘This really is working out very well.’

  Four weeks later we met in the new conference room on the ninth floor of Hennessy Road.

  ‘Happy Valley,’ Gold said without any preliminary meeting nonsense. ‘The residents are complaining about the noise of the renovations. They are cancelling their leases and moving out.’

  ‘Good,’ I said. ‘Offer the remaining residents a reward to leave.’

  ‘I already did,’ Gold said. ‘The building should be ours by September.’

  ‘That fits perfectly,’ I said.

  ‘We need to employ people to look after the units,’ Gold said. ‘Cook, clean, things like that. I thought at first the Disciples could do it themselves—’

  ‘Of course they can’t,’ John said. ‘They’re exhausted at the end of the day. And some of them are studying as well. We can’t expect them to cook and clean for themselves on top of that.’

  ‘The Dark Lord is quite correct,’ Gold said. ‘So we need to hire people to help out.’

  ‘You can’t employ domestic helpers,’ I said. ‘It wouldn’t work.’

  ‘Why not?’ John said.

  ‘Have you seen those women on a Sunday in Central? They all meet there. There must be thousands of them—’

  ‘About eighty thousand, last time I counted,’ Gold said.

  ‘You were there on a quiet day,’ John said.

  I continued, ignoring them. ‘And they’re all discussing their employers. They’d find out in no time flat—’

  ‘About the unusual nature of the residents of Turtle’s Folly,’ John said. ‘And how everybody seems able to speak Tagalog, regardless of where they’re from, because of the language charm Gold put in.’

  Gold and I stared at him, speechless.

  Eventually I found my voice. ‘How the hell did you know I call it that?’

  John took his glasses off and leaned over the table to glare at me. ‘I know everything that happens on my Mountain.’ He leaned back. ‘I think it’s a good name for Bright Mansions. Very bad move, buying it at the top of the market like that. I’m doing a nice piece of calligraphy. Took me a long time to find a correct translation for the word “folly”.’

  ‘You’re not.’

  ‘I am. I’ll have it done in brass and put it over the door.’

  ‘You’re joking,’ I said.

  ‘Deadly serious. I’ll buy a couple of stone tortoises and put them on either side of the entrance as well, just to make the point.’

  Gold’s mouth flopped open.

  ‘The Chinese Disciples will refuse to live there,’ I said.

  ‘They won’t have a choice.’

  ‘Xuan Wu Xuan Tian Shang Di,’ I said very severely, ‘Celestial Highness, Dark Emperor of the Northern Heavens, if you do this stupid thing your shell is in very serious trouble.’ I glared at him. ‘Simone will have to go in there sometimes, and I do not want to have to explain this to her, particularly about how it relates to your true nature.’

  ‘My true nature as the egg of a turtle, or my true nature as a motherless bastard?’

  Gold made a quiet choking sound.

  ‘Both!’

  ‘Oh, all right.’ He leaned back, slipped his glasses on and gave it up. ‘But only for Simone. And I will definitely do it when I come back and she’s old enough to understand.’

  ‘You will be the one to explain it to her then. Which are you anyway? Turtle or tortoise?’

  Gold sounded like he was strangling.

  ‘Same thing, same essence,’ John said without looking up. ‘Turtle in water, tortoise on land. The Tiger is the essence of all the great cats.’

  ‘And the Phoenix is bird essence. I understand. What about the Dragon?’

  ‘Essence of arrogant bastard.’ John gestured with one hand. ‘Gold.’

  Gold flipped frantically through his notes. ‘Where were we?’

  ‘Staff for Turtle’s Folly,’ John said. ‘Emma’s right. Overseas or local domestic helpers are out of the question—they’d find out too much about us. I’ll send some of the Masters out demon-hunting and see what they come up with. Should be okay to put newly tamed low-level demons in there with so many senior Disciples and the Masters to keep an eye on them.’

  ‘Very good, my Lord,’ Gold said, taking notes.

  ‘We need to buy a couple of buses to carry the students between Wan Chai and the Valley,’ I said.

  ‘Easily done, my Lady.’ Gold looked up and shrugged. ‘I have nothing else to do.’

  ‘I’ll talk to the Masters about a demon-hunting expedition,’ John said. ‘And I’ll need to put that calligraphy in a safe place so you won’t find it and destroy it before I come back.’

  ‘The Disciples will be out of the building and back on the Mountain by the time you come back,’ I said. ‘There won’t be any place to put it.’

  John took his glasses off and put them in their case. ‘I’ll find somewhere.’

  CHAPTER FOUR

  About ten o’clock Saturday morning I put the finishing touches to the first draft of my assignment and set it to print in John’s office. I jumped when he spoke into my ear.

  I’m going to call you on your mobile. Ready? I put my hand on the phone and picked it up when it rang. ‘Yeah?’

  ‘Do you have time to come down to Hennessy Road with Leo and Simone? There’s something we all need to do together.’

  ‘Sure. I need a break from this anyway. Give us twenty minutes.’

  ‘You’ll need longer than that, I have the car. Gold will drive it up for you. Leo can bring you down.’

  ‘Okay.’ I hesitated, then changed my mind about mentioning the transport situation. Maybe when Simone started school. ‘See you soon.’

  ‘You forgot to put your hands on the wheel again,’ Leo said as Gold pulled up in the car.

  Gold just grinned and disappeared.

  At Hennessy Road, Leo and I took Simone up to the large training room on the fifth floor. Mirrors covered one of the long walls, and vertical blinds shaded the windows on the short wall. John and Gold were waiting for us.

  The room was prepared for demon training. The Academy’s demon jar sat in the corner, full of large black beads. Black hand towels were stacked neatly on shelves under the windows.

  ‘Simone, go with Gold to the top-floor conference room and wait for us there,’ John said.

  ‘Okay, Daddy.’ Simone took Gold’s hand to leave the room.

  ‘Now.’ John linked his hands behind his back. ‘Have either of you warmed up?’

  Leo and I shared a look, then turned back to John and shook our heads.
r />   ‘Good. You are to do this cold, without any preparation. We’ll start at level ten.’ John pulled a black bead out of the jar and threw it onto the floor under the mirrors. ‘Leo.’

  The demon grew into human form: a Chinese man in his early twenties, wearing jeans and a plain T-shirt.

  Leo moved to the middle of the room, faced the demon and readied himself. He nodded without looking away.

  The demon threw itself at Leo. He ducked under it, turned, twisted, and threw it over his shoulder onto its back. He rammed his fist through its face and it dissipated into feathery black streamers.

  ‘Good,’ John said. ‘Towels on the side.’

  Leo collected a towel from the shelves and wiped his hands. He tossed the towel into the wicker laundry basket next to the shelves, then returned to stand next to me.

  John pulled another demon out. ‘Emma.’ ‘Am I limited to physical?’ I said. ‘If I am, hold off releasing it. I’ll take my ring off.’

  ‘No limit on what you do,’ John said. ‘Energy, physical, anything. Just take it out.’

  I raised my hand and transferred my ring from my finger to the chain around my neck anyway. Then I readied myself in the centre of the room and nodded.

  John threw the demon to the floor and it took the form of an elderly Chinese woman in a bright green cheongsam. She lunged forward to attack me and I took her out with a ball of chi.

  ‘Good,’ John said. ‘Obviously not a challenge for either of you. Let’s try something bigger.’ He shuffled inside the jar. ‘Level twenty.’ He glanced up. ‘Call if you’re not confident.’ He stopped and spoke more fiercely. ‘I mean it. This is not a competition. Call if you’re not confident.’

  ‘Yes, sir,’ Leo and I said in unison.

  ‘Good.’ John threw the bigger demon and it formed under the mirrors. ‘Leo.’

  Leo took it easily. John pulled out another level twenty and I took it just as easily with energy.

  ‘Level thirty.’

  ‘Once we’re higher than this I’ll need a weapon, my Lord,’ Leo said. ‘They’re much faster than me and I need an edge.’

  ‘Emma?’

  ‘Me too. I can’t generate enough energy without the weapon to take them out.’

  ‘I’ve seen you take a level twenty-five bare-handed,’ John said.

  ‘I prefer to use energy. Don’t get my hands dirty.’ ‘Against humanoids?’

  ‘Oh, come on, you know that physical is the only way to go with them.’

  ‘Very well,’ John said. ‘Take the level thirties, and then we’ll move to weapons.’

  ‘Is this a test?’ I said.

  ‘Of course it is. A simulation.’

  Leo and I shared a look, then shrugged. Whatever. He was the boss.

  John tossed the level thirty to the floor under the mirrors. It took True Form: a massive humanoid, seven feet tall, with black scales and tusks.

  ‘Nice one,’ I said.

  Leo hesitated. ‘You want it?’

  ‘Nah, you can have it.’

  Leo stepped forward, readied himself and nodded.

  The demon came alive. It looked at each of us in turn, then quickly saluted John. ‘Dark Lord.’ It nodded to Leo. ‘Black Lion. I am honoured.’ It saw me and stopped. ‘What are you?’

  ‘Perfectly ordinary human female. What, you’ve never seen one before? I find that hard to believe.’

  ‘Not like you.’ The demon turned its three red eyes onto Leo. ‘Lion.’

  ‘A second chance,’ John said.

  The demon threw itself at Leo, clawed hands raised. Leo ducked beneath its hands and sliced at its abdomen as he went through. His hands glanced off.

  The demon stopped and turned. Leo took two steps back, leapt, and ran a jumping high kick straight through its head.

  He landed lightly on his feet and the demon dissipated.

  ‘Leo!’ John shouted.

  Leo didn’t reply. He just turned to face John and held his hands out from his sides.

  ‘How many rules did you break just then?’

  Leo hesitated. ‘I think at least five, my Lord.’

  ‘It is possible that it could have been a higher level disguising its speed. What if it had been a level fifty and you performed a stupid move like that?’

  Leo didn’t reply.

  ‘You know the drill; you teach it! Treat all weapons as if they were sharp. Treat all demons as if they were Mothers. And never take both feet off the floor. When we return you will face five demons of random levels, and if I see you do any more stupid moves like that you will be restricted from weapons for three weeks.’

  ‘My Lord.’ Leo wasn’t fazed. ‘How many more? I need a shower now.’ He gestured towards his slacks, which were covered in black demon stuff. ‘Another pair ruined.’ He grinned at me. ‘I see what you mean.’

  ‘Not much longer,’ John said. ‘If it burns let me know and I’ll dismiss you. You should be fine for a while.’ He turned and threw a bead onto the floor. ‘Emma.’

  The demon took female human form. She came straight for me.

  I quickly bound her, and she stood frozen, her face a mask of loathing.

  ‘Move back, Leo, this is going to be big.’

  Leo backed away.

  I used the chi I had drained from her when I bound her and made it into a huge ball, a good metre across. I threw it at the demon and she exploded.

  ‘That was a foolish thing to do,’ John said. ‘You are pushing your reserves too hard.’

  ‘I can handle it.’

  ‘Not only was that a dangerously large amount of energy to throw at the demon, the energy you received when you destroyed her was an even more dangerous amount.’

  ‘I need a larger reserve. I need to be able to take out much bigger demons with energy. Is there any other way to enlarge my energy reserve?’

  He sighed with resignation. ‘No. I understand. But please be careful; we need you.’ He gestured towards the weapons rack. ‘Your weapons are there; collect them and we’ll move up to level forty. And that means no more stupid grandstanding from either of you.’

  ‘Can you take one that high, Emma?’ Leo said as he selected John’s sword, Dark Heavens, from the rack.

  ‘With the sword, yes,’ I said as I collected my own. ‘Bare-handed, probably another year and I’ll have it.’

  ‘Sooner than that if you continue to work this hard with the energy,’ John said. He shuffled in the jar. ‘Damn, not many that high a level. Wait.’ He closed his eyes and held his hand over the jar.

  ‘No!’ Leo shouted.

  ‘You are in serious trouble!’ I yelled.

  Two beads slid to the top and flew into his hand. He opened his eyes. ‘There are only about ten left.’

  ‘For heaven’s sake will you guard your energy, John.’

  ‘If Ms Kwan saw you do that she’d have your shell for breakfast,’ Leo growled.

  ‘Too late.’ John threw one of the beads onto the floor. The level forty took human form, a tiny ancient Chinese man. ‘Who wants it?’

  Leo stepped forward. ‘I remember this little bastard. I was there when you took him. He’s mine.’

  He readied himself and nodded.

  The demon didn’t move but something changed in its eyes. It scowled. ‘I will not face something as worthless as you,’ it said, and spat on the floor at Leo’s feet. It looked at me then. ‘Disgusting,’ it sneered. ‘A lowly female.’ It turned to John and gestured angrily towards us. ‘Is this what you held me for? A gay-lo nigger and a little girl? I will not face women,’ it said, glaring at Leo.

  ‘I see what you mean, Leo,’ I said softly. ‘Please, my friend, take your time with this one.’

  ‘Do you like the taste of turtle, gay-lo?’ the demon said viciously.

  Both John and Leo stiffened.

  ‘Do you like the taste of turtle egg?’

  John’s face went rigid and his eyes burned. ‘Take this one out before it speaks again, Leo, or I may be forced to do it
myself.’

  Leo gestured a come-on to the demon. ‘With a great deal of pleasure, my Lord.’

  The demon didn’t move.

  ‘Come and get me.’

  The demon smiled slightly and shook its head.

  ‘To hell with it,’ Leo said, and swung the sword at the demon’s head.

  The demon backed, avoiding the blade, but didn’t fight back. When Leo swung at it again, it backed again. Eventually it reached the wall and turned away from Leo.

  Leo lunged after it and it jumped back out of his reach. ‘You will need to do better than that, gay-lo. You have not even touched me.’

  Leo’s face went rigid and he lunged to run the demon through before it could escape. It looked down at the sword piercing it with surprise, then smiled up at Leo and exploded.

  ‘Enough, Leo,’ John said. ‘I can see the level you are at. Shower, change, meet us in the top-floor conference room. Dismissed.’

  Leo went to the weapons rack and collected Dark Heavens’ scabbard. He stopped at the doorway and saluted both John and me. ‘My Lord. My Lady.’ Then went out.

  ‘Your turn, my Lady,’ John said. He threw the level forty onto the floor.

  It took True Form: a greyish-green humanoid with tufts of red hair and two bulging eyes.

  I moved to the centre of the room, readied my sword and nodded. Physical was the way to go with this one.

  The demon was unbound and studied me curiously. ‘What are you?’

  ‘Why do you things keep asking me that? Haven’t you seen a perfectly ordinary human woman before?’

  ‘Not like you. You are different.’ The demon turned and saluted John. ‘Dark Lord.’ It saluted me. ‘Lady.’ It threw itself at me.

  I ducked under its outstretched arms and spun around it, hitting it on the back of the head with the pommel of my sword as it went through; I couldn’t move my arm around quickly enough to use the blade. It was knocked down by the blow, but turned a neat somersault and landed on its feet facing me, arms outstretched.

  ‘Nice move,’ I said.

  ‘Thank you.’

  It went for me again, this time throwing a swinging fist at my face. I ducked under the fist and swung at its abdomen with my sword, but it wasn’t there. It had pivoted on our mutual axis and was beside me. It swung at my head but I ducked under the blow, flipped over forwards, rolled, and jumped up facing it. I didn’t lose momentum as it tried to keep up with me; I swung the sword straight at its neck.