by Gene Curtis
“Wise indeed.” He motioned for the crewmen to enter. “Prepare her for the feast. Bring in the next one.”
The arena was cleared and LeOmi was rolled in. Before a crewman could cut her straps, she raised her arms and sat up. She used her utility tool to cut her ankle straps and hopped off the bed.
Xi Gong smiled.
“I have no need to fight you. You are already defeated, however, if I must fight you, I demand a prize should I win.”
“Spunk, I like spunk. Indeed, a prize shall be yours should you defeat me in a contest of fighting skill. You need but name your desire.”
“Should I win, you will do your best to eat me.”
“Ah, so this is your dilemma. True, I must consume the flesh of the female warrior that can beat me in order to become whole again, but how much flesh is unknown.” He held his hand up and wiggled his little finger. “Perhaps it is just a small amount.”
“I tell you what; one of your crewmen here has stolen a small bottle of healing oil from me.” She indicated the size with her fingers. “Have him return it and I will cut off my hand for you to eat. It will grow back if I use the healing oil.”
A crewman stepped to the gate. She recognized him as the one that had taken the healing oil.
Xi Gong looked at him and he said, “I have seen it work. What she says is true.”
He turned back to LeOmi. “A man is remembered for his great deeds. I will be remembered as the man that defeated Rainbow Dragon if I win, and I will have another wife. Should you win, I will be certain which flesh I must consume. If I consume the wrong flesh, I will be condemned to remain in this state forever, with no hope. So, you see, I have no choice.”
“Just so you know; I am a Magi. I command the power of God in the form of His staff named Beauty.” She produced the staff and twirled it over her head, then in front of her before bringing it to rest at her side. She heard several weapons hit the floor. The bright rainbow it trailed caused sounds of awe to resonate from the crew surrounding the cage. “It is the power of God that will defeat you, not me. You may even be utterly destroyed. Are you willing to take that chance?”
“Indeed,” he clapped with glee. “This is exciting! Perhaps I will need a weapon after all.” He produced a bow staff.
“Ah, you have studied the ways of the Magi.”
He bowed his head and said, “Let us begin.”
“My prize?”
“Name it.”
“This ship and all it contains.”
“But the scroll is all you seek.”
“You hold my friends in captivity, and I suspect others as well.”
“I will give you the scroll and release all my prisoners should you prevail.”
“Agreed.” She moved her staff slightly and his staff fell to the floor. “As you see, no weapon may be used against me. This is your last chance to surrender.”
He grinned and produced what looked like an old German, WWII stick grenade and dropped it on the floor between them.
She dove on top of it, remembering to thank Mark for ordering all of his troops to wear Magi body armor, always. The blast lifted her a foot off the floor and felt like a mule had kicked her in the stomach. She wondered if she had internal injuries and decided to make quick work of Xi Gong in case she did. She rolled and caught him by surprise, sweeping her staff at his feet. The contact was solid and he landed on his backside. She rolled to her knees and jabbed him in the forehead. His eyes rolled up and he fell over, unconscious.
She fell forward, her stomach still in agony. She heard the gate open and then felt hands rolling her over. The crewman with the healing oil touched a drop to her forehead.
She was able to mutter, “Xiexie,” Mandarin for thank you, before she lost consciousness.
* * *
The major watched Lo Shon draw the guards away from the elevator entrance. When all of the guards appeared to be focused on him, he said, “Rudy, you’re up.”
He stood and stretched his arms out. Lo Shon had already taught his people about remanifesting. Four grabbed on to each of Rudy’s arms, two in the front, two in the back. He remanifested them to the far side of the little room protruding above the deck.
Five minutes after that, Ray did the same thing, followed five minutes later by the major himself.
They all met where Lo Shon had previously scouted, a large room on the first level down. A few minutes later, he walked in, sopping wet.
“Quick, quick, we must go. It will not take them long to find my trail.” He pointed at his tracks while peeling off his wet shoes and putting on a dry pair.
* * *
LeOmi listened and heard nothing but breathing before she opened her eyes. She rubbed her belly and felt no pain. On sitting up, she saw that her left foot was missing below the ankle.
“What is it about my feet?”
She looked to her right and saw Samantha and Naomi were still laying on their gurneys, apparently asleep. They didn’t stir at her question.
The door to the small room opened and the crewman with the healing oil entered.
“Ah, good, you are awake. There is one drop left. I wanted to see if your foot would heal before I used it.”
“Why did you cut off my foot?”
“Should I have cut off your hand, or your head?”
She frowned and checked the bed on either side. “Where is my staff!”
“It is the source of your power, yes?”
She didn’t answer.
“It has been confiscated. Xi Gong will want it among his treasures.”
“It will not work for him.”
“Yes, but neither will it work for you.”
“Where is the treasure room?”
“It is guarded by a demon.”
“I am not worried by a demon.”
He held up the bottle of healing oil. “You will want your foot when you go.”
She frowned, nodded and laid back.
* * *
Lo Shon led them into the ship’s food stores, essentially a pantry room as large as a house. He reached into the nearest of his followers’ bag and pulled out the small bottle. “Drink half of this now. It will let you see into the spirit world for a time.” He gave the bottle back and pulled out a bug bomb. “If you see a demon, throw one of these down so it breaks. It will drive the demon away for a while.” He pulled out an oxy-cap. “Put this in your mouth if you need to; it will let you breathe without air.” He pulled out a red paper-covered ball. “This is sleeping gas. Use the breathing pill if you use this and let us know.”
One of his followers asked, “Boss, are we going to win?”
“The story of this battle will be told forever as an impossible deed accomplished. You will be legendary heroes. Your names will be immortal.”
He turned, walked to the door and cracked it open to peer into the hall. He moved into the hall quickly and motioned for them to follow. They followed the corridors around and down many levels until they came to the intersection at the Hall of a Thousand Buddhas. As they were about to enter this intersection, Lo Shon stopped and held his arm out. “Back, back,” he whispered. “Hide, quickly.”
They ducked into the closest room behind them. Lo Shon watched, with the door cracked open, a group of ten guards, dressed in ancient Chinese ceremonial costumes and carrying golden spears, pass through the hall of Buddhas. They continued straight, giving no indication that the team had been noticed.
* * *
When LeOmi awoke, she felt very groggy, which was unusual after waking from healing oil. She realized she was being pushed up an inclined hall in a wheelchair. Two other wheelchairs were being pushed in front of her. She noticed her clothes were different. She was now wearing a poufy red silk outfit and red silk slippers on both feet. She tried to get out of the chair and discovered she was tied in around her waist. A bowl of smoldering incense was mounted on a metal arm in front of her. She tried to push it away and couldn’t. She felt very weak and drained.
&nbs
p; I need an oxy-cap, she thought.
Aaron’s Grasp proved to be almost impossible. She tried and tried, until she finally made it, got an oxy-cap and fumbled it into her mouth.
As they entered the Hall of a Thousand Buddhas, her head began clearing. They continued straight through and into a large dining hall. It was full of people.
She used her utility tool to sever the red silk sash securing her to the chair. They were wheeled onto a platform large enough to hold several people, but too small to be a stage. The crowd stared in silence as the three girls were transferred to golden chairs.
The crowd turned and erupted into cheers; Xi Gong had entered from a side door. He too was dressed in poufy red silk and wearing a royal blue crown-like hat. Six Golden Soldiers marched up and stood in front of the platform holding their spears at the ready.
* * *
Lo Shon watched three wheelchairs pass. When he thought the way was clear, he led the team out. As they approached the hall of Buddhas, a squat demon that looked like a head full of eyes, came into the intersection. It stopped on seeing the team. Lo Shon was about to throw a bug bomb when Mark ran up.
He sliced the sword from the staff over the demon’s top, and the thing disappeared. He turned to Lo Shon, “I have the scroll. Come on, we need to get out of here.”
“LeOmi, Naomi and Samantha have been captured. I also need to defeat Xi Gong.”
“Revenge is never good.”
“Xi Gong is a threat to others. He must be defeated.”
“In that case, lead the way.”
Lo Shon’s crew entered the intersection at the hall of Buddhas to join Mark. He looked around, “Where are the guards? There used to be guards here.”
“Xi Gong plans to marry the girls. Everyone is in the great hall for the feast.”
“Follow me; we can get in through the back.”
He led them to a small room a few doors behind them, through a secret panel, through a narrow passage and to the door that Xi Gong had used. He used Spirit Sight to make sure the way was clear. He saw Xi Gong walk onto the platform.
He went back to his body and whispered, “Wait for my signal,” as he slowly opened the door and stepped through.
Storm of Energies walked onto the platform and handed Xi Gong three small parchments, rolled and tied with red ribbons.
Xi Gong opened one, smiled and said, “Naomi, I accept your vow and offer you my own.” He produced a similar rolled parchment and handed it to his first mate.
Mark shouted, “I object! She is already married.”
The six Golden Soldiers turned as a unit and stomped their feet twice. They brought their spear tips down and began running toward him.
He produced the sword from the staff.
The soldiers stopped with their spear tips a yard from his chest.
The first mate called, “What is your authority?”
“She is my charge by authority of the king of the Nazarites in Ethiopia, her grandfather.”
Storm asked Naomi, “Is this true?”
She nodded.
Mark called, “I also object to the other two. Samantha is my servant and I have not given my consent. LeOmi is my captain and she wishes to marry me, not him.”
The first mate looked at Xi Gong.
He nodded his head.
“Xi Gong accepts your challenge. Battle will begin in the arena in one hour.”
With a flick of his wrist, Mark sliced the tips of the spears off. “Battle begins now!”
After a moment of surprise, the Golden Soldiers started to use the spear shafts as fighting staves.
Mark spun and sliced the staves in half as Lo Shon led the others into the room.
Storm of Energies produced a handgun and started firing at Lo Shon.
Everything began moving in slow motion and Mark knocked the bullets down as they approached. He hopped onto the stage and cut Storm’s hand off at the wrist. Next, he produced LeOmi’s staff and put it into her hand.
Things began moving normally again and he turned to Xi Gong.
The severed hand hit the platform. Xi Gong’s gaze went straight to LeOmi’s staff. Mark brought his sword to Xi Gong’s neck.
“Like I said, I object.”
Before Xi Gong could answer, Lo Shon threw his dagger. It struck Xi Gong in the side. Green fire spread quickly engulfing him. His mouth and eyes opened wide. A moment later, he collapsed into a pile of ash.
The Golden Soldiers turned to see their boss’ fate. They collapsed into ash too, as did Storm of Energies. The remaining four golden guards in the back of the room collapsed to ash.
The audience gasped.
Mark looked around, pointing his sword at the crowd and asked, “Does anyone have any objection to us leaving?”
The crowd was silent.
LeOmi, a bit confused, asked, “How’d I get my staff back?”
Mark chuckled, “That’s how I found the real treasure room. He has a large dream-stone that kept me from getting in several rooms using Spirit Sight. I just followed the guy that was taking it there.” He pointed to his crew uniform.
* * *
Back at Lo Shon’s restaurant, Mark rested his head on the large table.
LeOmi, sitting next to him, asked, “How long has it been since you slept?”
“I’m okay. I’ve been in Spirit Sight most of the time here, but I am tired.”
Waiters entered Lo Shon’s dining room carrying many trays of food and set them on the table, along with a stack of bowls.
Lo Shon stroked his long, thin moustache and said, “My life’s work is done. I think I need a vacation. Where will I go? What will I do?”
Mark lifted his head, “I could always use another instructor.”
“At The Seventh Mountain?”
“No, I’m building a new headquarters. Our last one was there and it got blown up.”
“Danger, adventure, fighting great evils, what more could anyone want?”
Mark chuckled, “Your restaurant is very good, and not meaning any disrespect, we have some of the best chefs in the world.”
“I will become fat.”
Samantha said, “One thing we do not have is a Japanese tea shop. I sure wish we did.”
Lo Shon called, “Lee.”
The waiter they had originally met there entered from the sliding panel. “Yes, boss.”
“You have been like a faithful son. You are boss now. I am leaving and I give you all my businesses.”
Lee grinned and was obviously excited. He bowed his head and said, “I will continue your work with honor.”
Chapter 9
It was early the next morning when they remanifested back to The Seventh Mountain. Mark and LeOmi walked up onto the stage in The Oasis. Mrs. Shadowitz smiled and motioned for them to sit at her table.
She dabbed her lips with her napkin and said, “I can’t express how happy I am to see you.”
Jeremy came running up to the foot of the stage, “Welcome home! Can I get you guys some breakfast?”
Mark said, “Thanks, it’s good to be here. I’ll have steak and eggs from North Carolina, coffee and milk.”
LeOmi said, “It’s good to see you too. I’ll have a breakfast po’ boy, hold the bacon, from New Orleans, milk and un-sweet tea.”
Jeremy grinned and nodded as he jotted the order on his pad. “I’ll be back in a jiffy.”
Mrs. Shadowitz said as she lowered her cup to the table, “I think I will relish the pleasure of a hot meal for the rest of my life. I will always remember you every time I eat and thank God for the gift of your abilities.”
“You did the same for me the first year I was here and I would have done the same had our roles been reversed. I pray for the fortitude to do what God wishes. It isn’t always easy.”
LeOmi said, “I thank God for you every day.”
“Listen, it’s not about me. It’s about minimizing the damage he’s going to do. It’s about letting people know what the truth really is. It’s ab
out keeping him from winning. And it is going to get harder and harder. Don’t give thanks for me; pray that I’ll continue to be able to hold up when the time comes.”
Mrs. Shadowitz held her fork up with a piece of pancake on it. “I give thanks for all things... both small and great, failure and success, ignorance and knowledge, because all things... all things, converge on destiny’s path.”
Jeremy returned with their orders and set them on the table. “You really recovered the scroll? Has it been analyzed yet?”
“Why would it need to be analyzed?”
“It could be a fake, or a partial copy.”
“I’m pretty sure it’s the real deal, but I’ll have Cap’n Ben take a look at it.”
“Do you have it with you?”
He produced the scroll and placed it on the table. The black, wooden case was inlaid with mother of pearl, with gold filigree on the end caps. The handles looked like jade.
Jeremy put a drawing on the table and compared it to the scroll. “The filigree pattern is difficult to match exactly with a copy.” He rolled the cylinder slowly while still making observations. “Well, it looks like Mr. McGraw is going to be pleased. The pattern is a match.”
Mark said, “He can be as pleased as he likes, or not. After it is authenticated, I plan to destroy it. I can’t take the chance of it falling into Benrah’s hands. If it’s a fake, I need to find the real one.” He placed it back into Aaron’s Grasp.
Mrs. Shadowitz said, “I agree with Mark. That information must be kept out of his hands. If Mr. McGraw wishes to debate this, tell him to see me.”
Mark said, “He’ll get the case, not the scroll, not even a copy.”
Jeremy said, “I’ll tell him. He’s not going to be happy.” He turned and left.
A few minutes later, Mr. Young and Mr. Diefenderfer walked out from backstage. Mark motioned them to join them.
As they sat, a waiter he had never seen before walked to the base of the stage.
Mr. Diefenderfer looked at Mark, smiled, and said, “Mint hot chocolate.” He looked at LeOmi, “Is that a po’ boy?”
