The Jewel of Nirune (The Sword of Time Book 1)

by William Smart

  "Wow, are you inviting me to go to your world? Seriously? Wow, that would be so great!"

  "I would be honored, my young friend," Brother Dog said, "If we survive this present adventure, one never knows what might happen."

  Billy was relieved to finally remove the hood he had had to wear for so long. The weather was fine and they walked the last few miles to the city wall. A few people looked at them, but most stepped aside when they saw them. It wasn't wise to stare at strangers. Especially in this time when there were so many killers about.

  “Isn’t this wonderful?” Zhoulin said. “Freedom at last. I want to see the city. It is famous for its beautiful gardens and the smell of flowers. I have heard of it so often, look at all the foreigners.”

  “Yeah,” Billy said.

  The foreigners she referred to, looked like something out of some medieval movie. Huge blond Viking looking guys with unbelievable swords strapped to their backs. He even saw a man in shining armor stomped around having armor fitted at a shop with such things hanging about. It was like on a movie set. There were huge black men, in traditional African garb and some Arab looking people. It was truly an international center of trade. He wondered about it all. He hadn't realized through the poor examples of history he was taught in school. He would never have imagined seeing such people here. It was truly a hub of trade.

  Chengdu was a beautiful city it turned out, with wide boulevards and small alleys with vendors selling everything imaginable. There were trinket shops, jewel shops, even weapons shops which Billy finally stumbled on, after being dragged hither and yon by Zhoulin to every little dress and shoe shop in the market.

  He stepped inside in awe, swords of all types decorated the wall. He saw what had to be a broadsword made for a giant. He tried to lift it but barely got it out of its scabbard. He saw real Samurai swords laid out on their individual racks. Then a flash caught his eye as the shopkeeper drew out one blade that rivaled even Brother Dogs beautiful sword, its blade flashing in the sun.

  Billy stepped closer as the customer left and the shopkeeper was about to put the sword away. “Ah the young master seems enamored with my blade,” the keeper said, as he noticed Billy. “Would the young sir care to hold it?”

  “Can I?” Billy said, almost breathless.

  “Of course,” the man said. “Be careful, it is very, very sharp.”

  It was the most beautiful weapon he had ever held in his hand. Even more so than Brother Dogs sword. There were etchings on the blade in some strange language that he had never seen or maybe it was just a design. They seemed to move as he moved the sword about in the light. There was a small flash of blue light from the blade he assumed was some trick of the light. For a moment the marking seemed to light up. An optical illusion he guessed, but he was drawn to this blade. It felt familiar, like an old friend. The handle was made of some kind of shining stone he had never seen before and on the top of the handle was a Rams head made of what appeared to be bone, the horns of ivory, it was beautiful.

  Geezer, hidden inside his shirt, moved restlessly but made no sound.

  Zhoulin bored already, grabbed him and began dragging him away. He almost dropped the sword and the clerk rescued it from his hands. He tried to protest, but she just pulled him onward. He tried to mark the place in his mind. But this bazaar was huge with shop after shop. Someone bumped into him and he finally protested.

  “What the heck? Did you see that sword?” He said. Digging in his feet, making her stop. “Now I will never find it again!”

  “You haven’t the money for such a sword. And since we are sending you back to your own world or time… or whatever, so you can’t take it with you anyway and you have a perfectly good sword.”

  They didn't see the man who bumped into Billy go into the same shop. He carefully investigated the sword, speaking to the shopkeeper in hushed tones. He seemed surprised at first, fondling the blade, seeming to weigh some unknown situation. Finally, he gave back the blade and a purse jingling with money back to the clerk. He whispered some instructions and disappeared into the crowd.

  It took them a while to get to the inn Uncle had described, and fortunately, it had a small restaurant. Zhoulin warned Billy, Sichuan food was very hot, in the chili pepper sense, but extremely delicious. Billy was sweating so much from the hot afternoon he was unsure if he should try the hot food. There was a round table and the waiter brought thinly sliced vegetables and meats. In the center of the table was a hole in which was set a boiling pot of some dark liquid there was a small fire under the pot that kept it sizzling. The waiters kept saying "la, bu’ la?" To him, and for some reason his little companion wasn't translating. He looked at Zhoulin a little embarrassed "la, bu’ la? What the heck is that?"

  She giggled at his discomfiture. “It means hot or not hot.” She laughed. “But I should warn you, hot is really hot.” as she dropped some sliced meat into the hot side, he realized the pot actually had two compartments. One side looked like nothing more than boiling water with some spices tossed in, the other was dark red and bubbling. Every once in a while he could see herbs floating to the top. Not to be outdone, he dropped some meat into the red side.

  “Fair warning.” she chuckled, as she pulled out the already cooked meat moments later from the bubbling mixture.

  He soon understood exactly what she meant. The sauce was some horrific mixture of peppers so hot his lips were burning within seconds, and as his eyes began to water, he grabbed for the nearest container of water and was shocked when it turned out to be hot water. He spat it out immediately.

  “What the heck!?” He said. “Hot water? What the…? Why you giving me hot water??”

  Zhoulin laughed. "Of course hot water. Did you want cold water? No one drinks cold water, it is unhealthy. There is the disease in cold water."

  Zhoulin and others in the little restaurant were all smiling as they watched Billy try to use chopsticks. Still, he was hungry and he managed to plow through the foreign cuisine. Someone brought over some strange liquor, and he almost gagged as it burned its way down his throat.

  "Holly crap!" He sputtered. He had tasted alcohol a couple times on special occasions back home. Like a little wine one time at a wedding. And his grandpa was a famous drunk and he and his brother had sampled some of grandpas Scotch. But this stuff was what they must have meant when they termed the word swill! He spat it out coughing and hacking much to the amusement of the restaurant staff. Everyone laughed and held their cups in the air and yelled “Gungbia!” which it turned out meant bottoms up. He was a little confused that is Geezer wasn't translating like he had in the past. He wondered if it was the strange food and alcohol that was causing this effect.

  Finally, they made their way to their room and lay down on the beds for a nap till the others arrived. It seemed like only moments till Billy awoke to the sounds of laughter. Longstrider was telling a story.

  "Oh Master William is up," he said. "I hear you made a thorough fool of yourself at the local eatery," he said laughing. "Well, we were just discussing what shall occur next in the wonderful adventure."

  “Yes. We shall wait till the morrow to be on our way.” Uncle Xu said “this city is usually very safe. If you wish, it should be safe to go out for a brief time. However, be mindful. Many a soul has been lost to a drunk or a cutthroat for no reason.”

  “But we have no money,” Billy said. His mind still on that sword.

  "Hmm?" Uncle said. "We have a little." he reached into a bag and took out a few pieces of silver. “Try not to spend it all at once.”

  “Huh, you sound like my mother,” Billy said, as he examined the strange coins. They were round with strange lettering and a square hole in the center.

  "Oh." He said as he realized he had seen them before, strung together on people's belts but hadn't realized it was money. "Ok, then I'm out of here," he said. And went out the door before anyone had time to stop him, although they weren't really paying attention. Zhoulin apparently was having a bath some
where. He didn't really want her hanging around just now anyway.

  He headed immediately for the sword shop. A dark figure stepped from the shadows and inadvertently bumped into him. Many apologies later Billy was happily on his way. He didn't see the man making a strange motion with his hand. He was totally unaware as Geezer made an odd chirping sound and closed his eyes. There was a small puncture wound in his gray skin. A tiny hole in the fabric of Billy's shirt betrayed the fact that someone had pricked the little monster. Geezer fell into a deep sleep.

  Billy could only imagine having that sword for his own. He couldn’t wait to get it to show Brother Dog. A sword to match or even better that of his friend. Perhaps there had been some mystic connection between him and the blade because he could think of nothing else. It was all he could do not to break into a run to the shop.

  Getting there was not so easy. Crowds of people blocked his way.

  He slowed down and looked around, there were dragon dancers high up on a bunch of poles he was shocked. The poles were at least eight feet high. And these men in dragon costume were jumping from pole to pole all in some kind of synchronized dance. It was amazing.

  He noticed a man at a table blowing strange shapes into some opaque material like a glass blower back home. The old man was blowing through a piece of tubing and somehow maneuvered the material into wonderful shapes. There were dragons and roosters and bears. At first, he thought it was some kind of toy. He had thought was some kind of glass. Then a child came up to the table paid some money picked up a glass dragon and bit its head off. And was chewing away happily. He realized it was some kind of candy.

  Finally, he found the shop just as night began to fall. The torches were lit and the market was so crowded with people he had to shove his way through. He had stumbled about for at least an hour and had been thinking about giving it up and suddenly it was there in front of him. He went in and walked around in awe of the beautiful blades again. He wished he could have them all. He found the one he had looked at before, drew it from the scabbard, and slowly moved it through the air.

  “Sir, truly likes this one?” the now familiar clerk said behind him. He turned and pushed the blade back into the scabbard. Gave a sigh knowing he could never afford such a wonderful blade.

  “How much?”

  “Oh, sir, has chosen wisely. It is priceless, made in Zhejiang province in Long Quan. The Dragon Fountain's waters there are known to make the purest of metals.

  This one my young lord was made by the master Qu Yezi himself. Perhaps the young lordling has heard of him?”

  "Oh," Billy said. Not really listening. "Um, no. I'm not really from here."

  “Of course, of course,” the man laughed. “Your Han Yu is excellent, so one assumed you had been in this place a long time. But the young sire is in luck, we have a discount today for just such a one as you young sir. Only 20 pieces of silver.”

  “Well, I don't think I have that,” Billy said, pulling out the pieces of silver, he had only ten.

  "Wait." he said, "I have this." He dug into his bag and pulled out his wristwatch. He knew it was wrong to do this, but he wanted the blade more than anything. He hadn't been using the watch anyway.

  The man looked at the watch “What is it?” he said

  “Well,” Billy laughed “it's a Timex. Um tells the time.” He briefly explained the concept.

  "Oh my." the man said, "It's a clock?" Billy took the watch and strapped it to his wrist.

  “I have never seen such a thing as this.” The man said in astonishment. The emperor has timepieces imported from far lands, but this my young sir, is worth a small fortune are you sure?”

  He virtually shoving the sword into Billy’s hands as Billy removed the watch and gave it to him. “By all means young sir.” The man took the watch and shoved Billy out the door.

  The man turned and closed up the shop locked it and walked away, not saying a word. Billy was shocked and confused at the behavior, but after a moment he shrugged his shoulders and turned his attention to the beautiful blade.

  He was slowly moving the blade through the air. The red glow of the night torches reflecting off the beautiful instrument occasionally there was a blue flicker that seemed to emanate from the blade itself.

  "A strange artifact," A man's voice said from behind.

  Billy turned. The man was dressed in very fine clothing which had to have been pure silk. Long black robes and a strange black hat. Like a small cowboy hat turned upside down on the man’s head. It had odd strings of beads hanging down over the man’s forehead. Billy would have laughed, but something warned him that would be a bad thing to do. So he said nothing stepping back a pace.

  The man held out his hand and Billy’s watch dangled from his fingers. Billy gasped, it was dripping with blood. The man slowly reached out taking Billy’s hand and placed the bloody watch in his palm, then squeezed Billy’s hand tightly shut.

  Billy looked over to where the salesman had retreated only moments ago. “But, but I gave that in payment for this sword,” he sputtered. “What did you do..?”

  "And well worth it, I am sure." The man said. But there was an ominous tone to his voice and he stepped closer and leaned down to Billy. "But we both know that such an innocent thing as this could bring about such changes in the future as to change the very world.

  “But you didn’t have to kill him!” Billy protested.

  The man glared at him for a moment. "Who said I killed him?" After a moment, though, “Well, I did, but I needed to chop his arm off first to get the watch. Then realized, even at that, I couldn't let him live. I think the young master knows full well the consequences of such knowledge. That which is seen, cannot be unseen. You are the cause of his death and you shall pay for it, I assure you."

  Billy gasped as he was grabbed from behind. He looked up and 2 very large men in full armor held him fast. Just then Geezer stuck his head out of Billy's shirt he seems disoriented.

  “Ha, ha. There you are!” The man laughed. “I have heard so much about you! What an interesting little creature.”

  The man reached out a gloved hand, and Geezer struck out with his razor sharp talons, to no avail. His claws skittered off the glove revealing its true nature. The man deftly pulled Geezer from Billy’s shirt and dropped him in a bag. Billy saw the outline of Geezer struggling inside the bag for a short moment then it went silent.

  The man smiled at him, “Magic bag.” It was the last thing he saw as the strange man made an odd gesture Billy collapsed.

  0 0 0

  Zhoulin and Uncle had combed the streets of the city to no avail. She was tired and frustrated, as she came back to the little room. Uncle and the foreigners were waiting. Billy had disappeared or rather had failed to appear at the appointed hour. Even with his little helper, he was in great danger. It was well after midnight now and they had checked every bazaar and rooming house in the general area.

  Uncle Xu had found Longstrider and Will deep in their cups at a small hotel in the city. With Geezer gone, they could no longer understand each other. It fell on Brother Dog to translate for everyone. But of course, he couldn't do it, without giving away his true nature. And of course the sight of Brother Dog, in his dog form, trying to whisper sent the now drunken Longstrider and Will into fits of laughter. It took several minutes before they could convince the two inebriated bowmen to stumble out of the chairs and followed Uncle and Brother Dog to the hotel, giggling like school girls the whole way.

  Zhoulin was waiting and extremely frustrated. She was hesitant to give her the bad news. "I couldn't find him, nor anyone who would admit to seeing him," she said to her friends. "I fear the worst. He has been taken by someone."

  "Aye," Uncle said "I have heard whisperings in the street, someone has taken a foreign boy.

  It can be no other. And the keeper of a sword shop was murdered. Someone cut off his hand apparently, then slit the poor man’s throat. One cannot tell whether one event has to do with the other.”

&nbs
p; “Ah!” Zhoulin Exclaimed. “Today, Billy and I went into such a shop. He was enamored by one of the blades I know where it is! We must go rescue him.”

  They almost tripped over one another as they ran out of the Hotel. Eventually, they reached the spot where the shop had been. Oddly, as Zhoulin turned around on the spot. "It has to be here," she whispered. "I know it was here. There's the little shoe shop and I was looking at the hats in this one. Someone has to know!" She said and turned angrily she spotted a young sales clerk she recognized. “You!” she spat, and the girl fell backward in shock as Zhoulin advanced on her sword drawn “You! You tended to me and my friend this morning. Where is the shop that was here?

  “I don’t know what you are talking about!” The girl said as she cringed away from the threatening sword. “There is no shop there as Madame can see. There has never been a shop there. It is where the suppliers drop their wares. I swear.”

  “I was here with a foreign boy and you tended to me and the boy went into a weapons shop. Don’t lie! I swear I will gut you, where is he?

  “What is going on here?” A voice from the gathering crowd. Several city watchmen stood there.

  "A misunderstanding my lord," Uncle said. As he stepped between Zhoulin and the now shaking girl. "Merely, our friend is missing and we are concerned for his safety."

  “There is no weapons shop here, as all can plainly see!” The guard said with some ranker. “There has never been a shop here, as I have lived here all my life. Which obviously you haven’t or you would have known. There are no weapons shops in the clothing district! So the next question is, who are you and where are you from?”

  Just then, Brother Dog stepped between Zhoulin and the guard, he was in full Brother Dog form.

  “Wait a minute,” the Guard said, a look of realization dawned on his face. “Why has this dog a war harness?” He looked at the group and pointed at each of them. “A girl, a dog that is not a dog, an old wizard, and… a missing foreign boy. It’s them!” He shouted, drawing his sword, it’s the ones the Emperor is looking for!” Brother Dog dived at the man knocking his feet out from under him. “Run!” he yelled. And bounded through the crowd.