Blue Dragon Part 74

'Who's with her?'

'Michael. Ah Yat. Gold. Monica will arrive soon. All of her family are around her.'

'No.' I swallowed. 'All of her family have left her.'

'Well, you are here now, my Lady, and we shall see what happens next,' the King said. 'I'm expecting a very interesting visit soon, because of an oath I made. You should come and watch; this will prove most diverting.'

A huge Chinese-style throne, at least two metres long, was set upon the dais. It was made of elaborately carved rosewood, the back picked out in gold. But the carving wasn't the usual dragons; it was Snake Mothers. A couple of demons stood behind it; one with a horse's head, one with a bull's head. Both of them bowed slightly to me as I approached.

'Please sit and enjoy the show, my Lady,' the King said. 'n.o.body will harm you, I promise.'

I shrugged. What the h.e.l.l. I kicked off my shoes and pulled my feet up to sit cross-legged on the gold silk cus.h.i.+ons next to him on the throne. He glanced admiringly at me, his handsome face lighting up with a kind smile.

'You are an exceptional woman, to do what you have done.' He faced the hall. 'Please watch carefully, my Lady, because I am relying on you.'

'To do what?'

'All will become apparent,' he said. 'Watch.'

The doors flew open. Simon Wong strode in, holding John's head by the hair.

I collapsed over my knees but didn't make a sound.

'Steady, Emma,' the King said softly. 'Remember, it is just a sh.e.l.l.' He made a soft sound of amus.e.m.e.nt. 'The sh.e.l.l of the Turtle.'

'You are such a b.a.s.t.a.r.d,' I said quietly. I swallowed hard. I didn't want them to see me lose it. I took some deep breaths.

'Don't look at it, dear,' he said. 'He's done some rather nasty things to it. My, but he is a piece of work.'

'I will kill that piece of s.h.i.+t one day,' I whispered into my knees.

'You will never get the chance, dear,' he said. 'Now stay quiet and watch. Without looking at the Turtle's head.' He stopped and his voice filled with humour. 'Your English is a remarkable language, you know. You have a word for everything. Even for what he has done to this head. A single, precise syllable, with so many layers of meaning.'

I pulled myself upright. I had to retain my dignity. I didn't look at the head, as much as I wanted one last glimpse of John's face. I knew that it wouldn't be him. And I knew exactly what the King was talking about.

Hundreds of demons appeared in the hall and stood silently watching Wong. They were all in True Form and all different types: humanoids, dogs, worms, bugs, slime, everything. There were some that I didn't even recognise and some that were just creeping horrors.

'I have the head of the Dark Lord,' Wong said loudly, holding the head up and turning around so that all could see it.

He dropped it and kicked it to the base of the dais.

I nearly went for him but the King grabbed my arm. 'Don't waste your time, dear.'

Wong walked to the bottom of the steps. 'Your Most Loathsome Majesty.'

'Hi, Simon,' the King said.

'You vowed that whoever brought you the head of the Dark Lord while he was in this weakened state would be promoted to Number One.'

'That is quite correct, Number One,' the King said.

Wong grinned viciously with satisfaction. He walked carefully up the stairs and stood in front of the King. 'I want to see.'

The King gestured with one hand and a male demon appeared on the dais before us. He appeared to be a Chinese man in his mid-fifties with an intelligent face marred by cruel eyes. Number One. He wore a standard Western-style s.h.i.+rt and tie. His s.h.i.+rtsleeves were rolled up. He fell to one knee and saluted the King. 'You summoned me, Your Most Loathsome Majesty?'

'Made a run for it, did you, Number One?' Wong said. 'Wondered why I didn't see your ugly face in the crowd.'

'There is no running from me, One,' the King said.

'I wasn't running, Dad,' Number One said. 'I was in my quarters, killing all my wives and children.'

'd.a.m.n,' Wong said under his breath.

'Oh, so sorry, I didn't realise,' the King said warmly. 'Want to go back and finish?'

'Nah, Dad,' Number One said. 'All done.'

'Good. You have been replaced. Choose. Demotion or destruction,' the King said.

'Seppuku,' the demon said without rising.

'Oh my,' Wong said. 'This is turning out to be a very fine day indeed.'

'Not in front of the Lady, One,' the King said. 'I do not wish to distress her.'

'You don't know me well at all, King. I want to see this. I know this one. Tell you what,' I leaned forward to speak to the demon kneeling before me, 'how about I act as second for you?'

Wong stiffened but the King clapped his hands with delight. 'Truly remarkable!'

'I want to see him die slowly slowly,' Wong said, his voice almost a whine. 'I want to see him suffer suffer.'

'It is One's choice,' the King said. 'Just shut up and be a good boy, Simon. You'll get your turn.'

Wong scowled but didn't say anything.

The King concentrated and a small knife appeared in his hand. It had no handle, just the metal sticking out of the blade. 'Take the knife, One, and let's get this over with.'

Number One pulled himself gracefully to his feet and stepped forward to accept the blade. He bowed slightly as he took it carefully using both hands. Then he bowed to me. 'I am most honoured. My heart is filled with joy. I am given the opportunity to depart with dignity, seconded by you.'

'Hmph,' Wong said. 'Seconded by a chick chick. Can't see any honour in that.'

'You see no honour in anything, Simon,' the King said. 'You wouldn't know honour if it kicked you in the b.a.l.l.s.' He concentrated again. A katana appeared in his hand.

The j.a.panese sword had a jet-black handle wrapped in black ray skin and a black lacquer scabbard. Gold silk cords bound it at the end and in the middle. It was completely devoid of any decoration; even the guard of the hilt, the tsuba tsuba, was plain.

Wong and Number One both took a sudden, deep breath. Every demon in the hall froze and watched silently.

The King rose, holding the blade in front of him. 'Stand up, Emma, let's do this right.'

I rose and we faced each other on the dais. 'Holy s.h.i.+t,' I said quietly, 'that's the Murasame, the Destroyer, isn't it?'

'You are quite correct, my Lady,' the King said. 'I won this from the Turtle himself about two hundred years ago.'

'You are giving the Murasame to the Lady of your most mortal enemy?' Number One said with disbelief.

'Just proving a point, One,' the King said. 'I can give her another blade if you like.'

Number One was silent for a while, then, 'I am really most profoundly honoured, my Lord.'

'Good.' The King held the blade out to me and I took it. 'Emma.' I looked up. The King gazed right into my eyes. 'The Murasame is the only blade that will destroy me.'

I looked down at the sword, then up at the King. I nodded without speaking and turned to Number One. 'Where do you want to do this?'

'What the h.e.l.l are you doing, you stupid c.u.n.t?' Wong shouted. 'Take the b.a.s.t.a.r.d out! This is your chance!'

'You really are quite a piece of work, Simon,' the King said mildly. 'I must say I am most tremendously glad that your Mother is dead.'

I looked Wong in the eye. 'Unlike you, I keep my word. I will make you suffer horribly for what you have done, Simon, that I promise.'

'There aren't enough gold coins in the whole world for you, my Lady,' the King said softly behind me.

Number One stood holding the short blade.

'Where do you want to do this?' I said.

'Here. Now.' Number One faced the gathered demons and knelt in a seiza seiza position. He placed the blade on a lacquer tray that appeared in front of him. 'Wait until the second cut. I will nod.' His voice softened as he wrenched off his tie and tore open his s.h.i.+rt to reveal his bare abdomen. 'I am profoundly honoured. My Lord, my Lady, I thank you both.' position. He placed the blade on a lacquer tray that appeared in front of him. 'Wait until the second cut. I will nod.' His voice softened as he wrenched off his tie and tore open his s.h.i.+rt to reveal his bare abdomen. 'I am profoundly honoured. My Lord, my Lady, I thank you both.'

'It's been fun, One,' the King said. He turned to sit on the throne. 'Come and sit with me, Simon, let's watch the show. I wonder if Emma knows how to do it right?'

'I know how to do it right,' I whispered.

'I'm sure you do,' Number One replied, just as softly. 'Thanks, Emma. I don't deserve this from you.'

'Just do it.'

He leaned forward and picked up the blade. He closed his eyes and his face became a mask of concentration.

I stood behind and to one side, unsheathed the dark blade, and held it ready. The jet-black blade of the Murasame was so cold that condensation appeared on it. It was a blade of pure yin. I wasn't surprised that John had once owned it. I wondered how he had lost it to the King.

Number One plunged the small blade into his abdomen and sliced himself across from left to right, his face not s.h.i.+fting at all as he pulled it viciously upwards at the end of the cut. He jerked the blade free, his face not moving. He plunged the blade into the middle of the lower part of his abdomen and sliced it upwards. His entrails started to slide out of the almost bloodless wound.

He pulled the blade free and opened his eyes to see the crowd. He smiled and nodded slightly without looking away from the ma.s.sed demons.

I swiftly swung the Murasame to take off his head, carefully leaving a flap of skin on his throat so that the head would not be completely severed. Beheading was for criminals. Men of honour did not have their heads taken completely off.

The head fell forward and, to my surprise, blood gushed from his neck. He really was a very senior demon.

The body collapsed forward and there was a concerted sigh from the gathered demons. The body didn't dissolve.

'Give me something to clean the blade,' I said, then saw it. 'No need.'

'The Destroyer absorbs the blood of its victims,' the King said. 'It really is a very bloodthirsty blade indeed.'

I put the sword away, turned and held it out to the King.

'I tell you what, Emma,' the King said with a small smile, 'how about you keep it? A gift from me.' He gestured with one hand. 'The blade is yours. Use it well.'

'Use it on him!' Wong hissed.

'One day I will use it on you,' I said. I moved to stand near them.

The King eyed the body with amus.e.m.e.nt. 'Well, what do you know-he did have guts.' He waved one hand. 'Clean up.'

The horse-headed demon nodded and disappeared, taking the disembowelled body with it.

'What are you going to do with me now?' I said.

'I'm giving you to Simon.'

'The h.e.l.l you are!' I shouted. 'I vowed to stay with you you! You can't do this to me!'

'Do you want her, Simon?' the King said mildly.

'h.e.l.l, yeah,' Wong said.

'What if I made you vow not to harm her?'

'I promise I won't harm her,' Wong said, eyeing me hungrily.

'His word's no good, you know that, King,' I said desperately. 'You can't do this to me!'

'I want a blood oath, Simon.'

Wong stiffened and his eyes widened.

's.h.i.+t,' I said quietly.

'Will you swear not to harm her? In your own blood?' He smiled at me. 'If he breaks the oath he'll be destroyed. Rather good, eh?'

'I vowed to stay with you you.'

'Emma, dear, there is method to my madness. Just stay quiet and watch, please,' the King said kindly.

I couldn't believe this. 's.h.i.+t!'

'What good is she if I can't hurt her?' Wong said petulantly. 'I can't even use her in the lab if I can't hurt her.'

'No suffering, physical or mental. You may have her, but she must remain unharmed and well cared for. I won't expect her to be happy, being where she is, but I will expect her to come out at the end unscathed. Physically sound and mentally intact.'