“Ouch. That’s rude. What did I ever do to you?”
“Huh?” Lady Jin said. “Uh sorry.”
Lady Jin walked away from the talking turtle. It’s a living giant turtle! That can talk. That’s very strange. Lady Jin looked around for people to ask about Snake-tongue. Suddenly she saw a group of villagers harvesting a field of grass or something. They appeared to be a half a mile away. Lady Jin took a step towards them and was beside them in an instance.
“What just happened?” Lady Jin was sure she had only taken one step, but she had reached them. If this is the world of the dead then things didn’t work here like in the living world. Isn’t that what the old stories say?
“Did you say something, ma’am?”
One of the harvesters looked up. She now noticed he and the others were only three feet tall. They all carried long scythes and looked alike, including the two little green horns on their heads.
“Do you know, Snake-tongue?” Lady Jin asked. “He’s a friend of mine that I’m looking for.”
“What?”
“Hey! You’re not supposed to be here!” another one shouted. “You’re alive!”
“Alive?”
“Oh no! She does smell alive!”
“Guards! Somebody get the guards!”
“Shit!” Lady Jin cursed and turned to run, but the little things ran around screaming so loud. The guards appeared out of thin air and grabbed her. She tried to get free, but they were impossibly strong. Lady Jin kicked down at the side of a knee which would have broken on a human being, but it didn’t work on these creatures. Lady Jin slammed her forehead into one creature’s nose, but nothing broke. No blood? This can’t be happening! The guards looked like an evil cross between a human being and a wild boar. Huge savage-looking tusks. “What are these things?”
“The magistrate will want to speak with you,” said one of the guards. The guards pulled on her and the scene changed to that of a room lit by candles.
Lady Jin looked up to see a man in brown and red robes seated behind a desk. He looked down on her and she was relieved that he at least looked human.
“Who are you?” the man asked. “A confession will help your case. You cannot lie to me. I will know the truth.”
“I am Lady Jin, magistrate.”
“Yes. This is true. Why are you here?”
“I came to find my friend Snake-tongue, magistrate.”
“You’re not dead,” he said. “You should not be here. It is against the rules of Heaven and Earth.”
“I come before you to beg for the life of a friend, magistrate.” Lady Jin knelt before the magistrate. “A comrade. A man named Snake-tongue.”
“Yes.” The magistrate sniffed. “A homeless killer much as you are.”
“Yes, magistrate.”
The magistrate nodded with no mercy in his dark eyes. A little purple man, only five inches tall, crawled onto the magistrate’s desk and ran to him. The magistrate leaned his head down for the little man to whisper in his ear. The magistrate nodded. He looked at Lady Jin.
“I have been told that you could be useful,” he said. “I will send you and Snake-tongue on a mission. Do you accept it without question?”
“What mission?”
“Do you accept or not?” the magistrate shouted.
“Yes, magistrate.”
“Snake-tongue! Come forward!” the magistrate commanded.
A man came forward and knelt beside Lady Jin without a glance at her. The man stared at his knees and Lady Jin had to twist and lean a little to see his face. Lady Jin recognized him; it was Snake-tongue.
“Yes, magistrate?”
“You and this woman will return to the living world to seek out the wizard who has escaped us for a thousand years.”
“Yes, magistrate!”
“If you succeed, then you may be alive in the living world. Fail and both of you return to the land of the dead forever!”
“Yes, magistrate.”
“Yes, magistrate,” Lady Jin added.
“Guards, return these two to the pool, the portal to the living world.”
As the guards returned them to the spot where they would return to the living world Lady Jin thought of all the great times they would have ahead. She reached out and hugged Snake-tongue. She kissed him and kissed him. He pushed her away.
“Sorry,” Lady Jin said, “are you mad at me?”
“You don’t understand anything about how it works down here.”
“Well, I guess not. Was I not supposed to kiss you?”
“I will not be the man you knew before. When we return to the surface, I will look different in some way. Only if we succeed will I return in my real body.”
“Oh,” Lady Jin said. “I think we’ll be able to get this wizard. It couldn’t be that hard.”
“He is old,” Snake-tongue said. “Others have tried to catch him and failed. You never should have agreed to this without knowing the consequences.”
“I don’t care.”
“I know. That is what I’m worried about.”
Chapter twelve
“Who is she?” asked One-eyed Nu.
The person Lady Jin saw at her side once they climbed out of the pool wasn’t Snake-tongue, but an unfamiliar woman. The woman was dressed in the riding clothes of the Chong nomads of the Gobi Desert. The leather was made from the hide of camels. She carried a Chinese straight sword on her hip.
“I am Golden Eagle of the Chong. I’ve been sent to help you on your quest.”
“Quest?” Nu replied. “What quest?”
Lady Jin guessed that Golden Eagle was Snake-tongue’s disguise. So that’s what he was trying to warn me about. “I’ll tell you later.”
“Okay.” Nu looked nervously at the stranger. “The horses are fine and well rested.”
“I see,” Lady Jin said. “Let’s get the saddles back on them. One of us will have to ride double.”
“No there is a horse waiting for me over there.” Golden Eagle pointed.
Lady Jin saw a saddled horse waiting. “Oh,” Lady Jin said.
“I don’t understand. Where? I don’t remember seeing that horse before.” Nu got the horses saddled and climbed on her horse. “Where are we going, mistress?”
“Back to that wizard’s house to ask him about an even older wizard.” Lady Jin kicked her horse’s flank to start the journey.
Lady Jin led her horse carefully towards the wizard’s house. The hooves crunched unnaturally loud on the strange grass. The last time there had been booby traps and a giant killer frog. Now what would there be in wait for them? Golden Eagle, or rather Snake-tongue in disguise, walked beside her.
Golden Eagle touched Lady Jin’s elbow. “We are being watched.”
“Really?” Lady Jin said. “I don’t sense anything.”
“Neither do I.” Nu said from the rear of their group and Lady Jin recognized the irritation in the girl’s voice.
“I have better senses than either of you,” Golden Eagle said. “It has something to do with me being dead.”
“Dead?” Nu pushed Golden Eagle aside to get beside Lady Jin. “She’s dead? Mistress?”
“Yes.” Lady Jin said. “We don’t have the time to talk about it. Just trust me.”
“I trust you, mistress.” Nu crossed her arms. “Her. I don’t.”
“Fine.” Golden Eagle grunted.
The door to the wizard’s house opened. The wizard stepped out. He waved his hands and spoke in a strange tongue. A yellow road appeared in front of him and lengthened until it reached Lady Jin and her group.
“Leave your horses there and walk on the road to me,” he said. “You’ll be safe.”
After tying up the horses, Lady Jin stepped onto the yellow road. Even though it looked like stone it felt like sand under her feet.
The wizard walked inside and left the door open.
“I don’t like this.” Nu kicked at the road with her heel. It appeared to be solid like stone.
> “Neither do I,” Lady Jin said.
Golden Eagle said nothing. Soon they were safely inside the house, or at least Lady Jin hoped it was safe.
“Good to see you again, Lady Jin,” said the wizard. “Did you find the gateway to the world of the dead or not? Why did you return?”
“It is good to see you as well, Wizard Ban. I hope you are well?” Lady Jin introduced her student Nu and Golden Eagle.
“Thank you, Lady Jin. I am fine today.” The wizard rubbed his crooked nose. “What brings you back to my humble home?”
“I made it to the underworld and found my friend.” Lady Jin coughed and pulled her knees to her chest. Then she dropped her knees back on the floor to sit on them.
“And you returned with one of the dead, I see.” Wizard Ban pointed at Golden Eagle with a bony finger.
Lady Jin exchanged glances with Golden Eagle. “How did you know?”
“The dead person is well disguised, but I am familiar with their kind. Most would be able to tell. I am very skilled in necromancy. What is it you seek from me, Lady Jin?”
The wizard rudely gazed into Lady Jin’s eyes without turning away. She turned away. “I was brought before a magistrate in the underworld. He wanted me to find someone for him, and if I did I could save a friend from death.”
“Who is it you seek?”
“A wizard who is thousands of years old.” Lady Jin looked back at the wizard politely. “I was hoping you might know who it could be.”
The wizard nodded; his fingers played with his necklace of finger-bones. He laughed. “So they have found another fool to hunt me down. I should have known they would never quit. Like the others, you will die for I am the most powerful wizard in all the land.”
“You’re the wizard?” Lady Jin reached for her knife and threw it. With a loud whirling sound the wizard swung his necklace of finger bones over his head. Black smoke floated down from the necklace to cover the old wizard. Lady Jin couldn’t see him. When the smoke disintegrated the wizard was gone. “Damn!”
“Now what?” Nu said.
“We need to leave this place. Immediately!” Golden Eagle jumped up.
“Why?”
“This place is magical.” Golden Eagle opened the door. “He could drop the roof on top of us if wanted to.” The house began to rattle and shake, and debris from ceiling fell nearby Lady Jin. They fled and once outside the wizard’s home turned into a giant fir tree. Lady Jin looked around for the giant frog to appear, but it didn’t.
“We now know who we are after,” Golden Eagle said.
“Wherever he is,” Nu said.
Chapter thirteen
“I think I may be able to track this wizard.” Golden Eagle put her sword away. “But not here. Elsewhere.”
“You are right, my friend. We should leave this odd place.” Lady Jin waved at Nu and they journeyed west.
Once they were far enough away Lady Jin found a spot to camp. The sun was very low in the sky and would soon disappear for the day. The chilly wind made Lady Jin look for a cloak to wrap around her body, and so did Nu. Nu gathered firewood as Lady Jin worked to start a fire. Golden Eagle pulled a small concave mirror out of her backpack. Golden Eagle borrowed some water from Lady Jin. She sprinkled a little on the mirror and gazed at it without speaking.
Nu returned and glanced at Golden Eagle. Golden Eagle wore no cloak and seemed unconcerned by the cold winds of the night. Lady Jin and Nu eventually got a good campfire going.
“What is she doing, mistress?” Nu asked.
“I’m not sure, Nu. It might be a form of magic,” Lady Jin said. “To find the wizard.”
Golden Eagle left the mirror and walked to the other women. “It will take a while for it to work. We might just as well get some sleep.”
“I’ll take the first watch,” Nu offered.
Golden Eagle lay on her blanket. Lady Jin dropped her blanket nearby, so she could lie by Golden Eagle. To Lady Jin’s nose, Golden Eagle smelled like a woman, as well as looked the part. Even still, Lady Jin couldn’t help thinking the handsome man she loved was still inside. Golden Eagle turned around and the two women stared into each other’s eyes. Golden Eagle looked away and Lady Jin reached out to hold her forearm. Lady Jin whispered, “Snake-tongue?”
“Don’t call me that,” Golden Eagle whispered back and poked her in the ribs.
“Sorry. I can’t help but remember who you really are,” Lady Jin whispered. “Even if I can only see and smell a woman beside me.”
“It doesn’t matter, we cannot allow anyone else to know the truth,” Golden Eagle whispered.
“What would the wizard do to you if he found out?” Lady Jin brushed a hand across the woman’s cheek. Her face. No, his face feels so cold.
“Not the wizard, the magistrate of the Yellow Springs will find out, and then the King of the Yellow Springs would find out. That’s even worse.” Golden Eagle pushed Lady Jin’s hand away.
“King?”
“Yes,” Golden Eagle whispered. “I will be punished. I will receive the worst tortures imaginable within the darkest parts of the Yellow Springs. My very soul will ripped to pieces. Please be quiet about this. I beg you.”
“I will,” Lady Jin whispered. “I still love you.”
Lady Jin turned over and shut her eyes. She felt the lightest touch of a hand brushing her hair. Lady Jin tried to go to sleep. She tried to forget.
The next day, Lady Jin and Nu followed Golden Eagle over another hill covered by trees. Lady Jin was starting to have doubts about the magic mirror as much as Nu already had.
“Where are we going?” Nu complained. “I still don’t think it was a good idea to pick up this strange dead woman, mistress. Who is she?”
“Hush, Nu,” Lady Jin said.
As they reached the top of the hill they could see a giant silver house.
“See I found his house again.” Golden Eagle pointed back at Nu with an angry glance and a snort. “Now let’s find him and end this thing.”
They rode down the hill; the trees on that side of the hill were scarce and shorter. The three riders passed through them easily to where the silver house stood. No lake was nearby, nor was there a giant frog guarding it. Lady Jin was the first to drop off her horse and the others followed her lead. They hobbled the horses and entered the house. The inside of the house looked the same as the one by the lake. It also had the old wizard waiting for them with a yellow path leading to his door.
“I warned you again and again to stay away from me!” He waved a staff with a head on it. “I will no longer hold back my powers. The fought is yours if you continue to chase me. You have been warned!”
The eye sockets of the staff’s skull glowed bright like a morning sun, and beams of light shot out of them to strike Nu in the chest. The girl dropped her sword and fell to the ground. The wizard and his skull-staff vanished.
“Nu!” Lady Jin ran to where her student had fallen. She cautiously touched Nu’s cheek. It was cold as death, almost like Golden Eagle. She held her hand under the girl’s nose and felt her breath flow across her fingers. Lady Jin also found the girl’s heart beating. “She’s alive.”
“He’s gone,” Golden Eagle said. “But I think I can still track him.”
“Good.”
“She’s still alive, Lady Jin. Maybe I can find some herbs to make a cure, or at least make her feel better.”
“I will kill that damn wizard!” Lady Jin shook with anger. “I will send him to darkest parts of the Yellow Springs. I’ll drag him there with my bare hands if I have to.”
Chapter fourteen
“It hurts,” Nu whined as she rode along on her horse. Lady Jin rode beside on her horse, while Golden Eagle rode ahead of them with her magic mirror in her hand.
“I know, girl,” Lady Jin said. “Golden Eagle says were getting closer to that bastard.”
Nu mumbled something. The girl floated in and out of consciousness as they rode along. Even though they had tied her to her
horse’s saddle to keep her on, Lady Jin still watched Nu closely in case the rope came undone. They were now riding across flat tundra. It had gotten colder. Lady Jin could see the breath coming out of Nu’s mouth, but at least the wind wasn’t blowing hard like before.
“We’re getting near,” Golden Eagle shouted back at them.
Lady Jin looked up ahead and saw the low clouds in the distance run across the tundra. An old building appeared in the distance. This one wasn’t made of silver, but stone. And this stone building was in ruins; a number of its walls had crumbled to the ground.
“Is he there?”
“I think so, Lady Jin.” Golden Eagle stopped her horse to focus on her magic mirror. The horse snorted and started sniffing for grass on the ground. It found none, but the horse kicked up the dirt to sniff again. Lady Jin walked hers and Nu’s horses up beside Golden Eagle and glanced at the magic mirror. She looked up at Golden Eagle. “Yes, that’s it.”
They found nothing around the old ruins, and hobbled the horses near the entrance. They left Nu tied on her horse. “We’ll be back for you later. We won’t leave you, Nu.”
“What?” Nu mumbled with her eyes open. Then her eyes shut again. The girl didn’t say anymore.
Lady Jin patted Nu’s thigh. She drew her sword. “Shall we go in?”
“Sounds like a plan to me.” Golden Eagle drew her sword.
The two women shoved open the large door with their shoulders. Dust fell on them and Lady Jin rolled her aching shoulder. Inside was a wide hall that could be seen, thanks to the many parts of the walls that had fallen, thus letting in the sun. There were no other rooms. Lady Jin saw no other doors within, but as they walked around. Golden Eagle found a door in the floor.
“I suspect the wizard is waiting for us down there.” Golden Eagle pointed.
Lady Jin squatted and grabbed the handle. It wouldn’t give. “Help me.”
Golden Eagle grabbed the handle as well and, on the count of three they pulled. The door blasted up with horrible crash and dust flew around. “I think they know we’re coming, Lady Jin.”
Lady Jin coughed. “I agree.” She laughed and Golden Eagle joined her. Lady Jin reached for a kiss and Golden Eagle pushed her away. “Sorry.”
The Gory Pearl of Doom: A Lady Jin and One-eyed Nu novel Page 4
