The Dragon Warrior

by Katie Zhao

  “Eat this!” I leapt forward, toppling the Jade Emperor’s bowl of rice onto the ground and slashing my spear at the demonic creature before me. Two more tails flew through the air, landing on the ground and dissolving with a hiss. Two to go.

  The fox was cornered, and we both knew it. But that seemed to only fuel its anger. It whipped its remaining tails at me. I contorted my body into a painful position to avoid being sliced.

  Two darts sailed above me, each slicing off a tail. With a wail, the hú lì jīng writhed on the floor. Then it shriveled into nothingness. Its soul was whisked away into the air, melting through the roof.

  I spun around to see that my savior stood just inside the entrance—an older woman with long, black hair piled onto her head in a high bun, held back by a white headdress. She wore a long-sleeved white shirt and a floor-length, shimmering pale-blue skirt. White ribbon floated around her, held up by nothing that I could see. And her outline radiated light.

  A deity.

  I sunk to my knees, spluttering, “I—we—you—”

  “Please, rise, child.” The goddess waved her hand through the air and opened a bag strapped to her side. I gawked as the darts zipped inside. She flicked off some dust that had settled on the hem of her glittering blue dress. “You’ll need to be more careful from now on. The power of Fenghuang will attract many enemies—demons and deities alike.”

  “Wh-who are you?”

  “You know me as Ying Er,” the woman said in an ethereal-sounding voice, “but in my true form, I am Guanyin, the goddess of mercy.”

  “Right,” I said, somehow sounding calm even though every inch of my brain was screaming. Warrior gods. Nine-tailed foxes pretending to be Wang’s girlfriend. Just another day in the Jade Society. “You’re … a goddess. Whew. Right. Um. Okay.”

  After I knelt down to the goddess and paid my respects properly, Guanyin helped me to my feet. “I came here to fulfill your prayer and attend the banquet only. But there are some problems I must fix.” The goddess cast a suspicious look around at the ruined altar. “We need to talk.”

  No kidding. “Why are you helping me? Did Erlang Shen send you?”

  “But not now.” Guanyin pointed out of the golden doors. “None of the gods know I’m here, but we’ll discuss that later. Now, we have bigger problems.”

  My eyes followed her gesture. The shouting reached my ears before my eyes processed what was going on. A huge gang of men holding weapons surrounded a house.

  My house.

  My family.

  CHAPTER

  7

  Despite my aching, tired limbs, I could’ve sprinted across the courtyard to kick some major butt. But Guanyin’s plan was a little better. She summoned a cloud under our feet.

  “Whoa!”

  My stomach lurched as we shot out of the temple and into the cool night air, leaving the mess of upended food and broken plates inside the worship hall.

  Within seconds, I tumbled onto the grass in front of the men. Even in the darkness, I could see the dragon tattoos that stretched across their bulging biceps—marking them as members of Mr. Yang’s shady business group. They pointed their shovels and rakes at the house.

  But it wasn’t just Luhao’s father and his men who surrounded my home. The men flanked Mao, who crossed her arms over her shoulders.

  “There’s no use resisting,” said Mao. “We’ve surrounded your home, and my son is already inside. You’re going to give up the maps to the true Heaven Breaker.”

  “Nobody’s giving up anything, ā yí and shū shu.”

  The men whirled around at the sound of my voice. Their jaws dropped as their eyes zeroed in on my spear.

  “Wait,” Mr. Yang said, elbowing Mao. “Isn’t that … Fenghuang?”

  “Nonsense.” Mao’s stunned expression reverted back to disgust. “Fenghuang is black, not gold. Besides, my son, Wang, is the Heaven Breaker—not Faryn.”

  Most of the men murmured and nodded, keeping their shovels and rakes trained on me, although some frowned and lowered their weapons. Forget a spear. I needed a Captain America shield to take on these guys.

  Or maybe a goddess of mercy.

  “Put down those unsightly weapons,” Guanyin snapped, drawing herself up to her full height. And then some. I gawked as she grew almost as tall as the houses in the Society.

  The men threw themselves at the goddess’s feet. “G-guanyin,” they stammered in voices muffled by the grass. I guess even Chinatown gangsters knew where to draw the line.

  Looking quite merciless, the goddess of mercy glowered down at the men, then lifted her head to address them. “So this is how greed has corrupted the once-noble Jade Society.”

  Mao’s face turned as white as the lily she’d tucked into her hair.

  “Not only have you treated my human form, Ying Er, with ultimate disrespect,” Guanyin reprimanded, “but you failed to recognize a hú lì jīng, Wendi, in your midst.”

  Mao’s head flew up. “Wendi? It can’t be. She had perfect test scores.”

  “Furthermore, you have shown shocking prejudice toward your own members. And over what? A silly grudge against their parents?”

  A couple of the men murmured to each other and threw Mao mistrustful looks.

  “Those two brats are not warriors,” Mao snapped. “Their father decided their fate when he chose to wed that horrible woman over his betrothed.”

  Guanyin smiled coldly. “You mean, over you.”

  My jaw dropped. I’d never heard that Mao had been betrothed to my father. No wonder he’d hightailed it out of here as fast as he could.

  Mao’s pale face flushed with anger. “How dare you—”

  Guanyin’s eyes flashed. “How dare you talk back to me, mortal. Have you lost your mind?” Mao cowered before her. Guanyin winked at me and jerked her head toward the house. “A warrior is raised, not born. What you hooligans need is a refresher on the concept of loyalty …”

  The realization sunk in. Guanyin was buying me time to get into the house and rescue my brother and grandfather. Keeping an eye on the kneeling men, I ducked around the side—only to see someone streak past me, sprinting away from my home. Wang.

  I was about to take off after him, but my brother’s scream from inside stopped me in my tracks.

  “Ye Ye! Wake up. Please wake up.”

  I raced into the apartment. Ye Ye was lying down in his bed, where Alex was fussing over him.

  My brother looked up, tears streaming down his face. “Whoa … what’s that?”

  The golden spear. I’d almost forgotten I had it.

  “Wait. That isn’t …,” Alex whispered.

  “Fenghuang, in its proper form.” My brother fell back in his seat, silent and disbelieving. I couldn’t blame him. “I-I think I m-might be … the Heaven Breaker.”

  “The what?” Alex froze with tears still streaming down his cheeks. “That’s gotta be a mistake. How—?”

  Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence, little bro. “I’ll explain later.”

  Letting Fenghuang clatter to the ground, I rushed over to my grandfather’s side and felt his wrist for a pulse. It was there, but faint. His face had turned ashy.

  My heart squeezed in fear when I looked up at Alex. “What was Wang doing in here? Did he hurt Ye Ye?”

  Swiping at his red-rimmed eyes, my brother raised a piece of fabric that looked like it had been ripped off someone’s shirt. “Th-they surrounded the house. O-ordered us to give up wh-what Wang needs. I couldn’t do anything, and then Wang came in here and s-stole Ba’s notebook.”

  “What?” They’d gone too far. “Then why’s Ye Ye like this?”

  “Ever since the b-banquet, Ye Ye has been—I think he … he’s—”

  “He isn’t dying,” I snapped.

  My grandfather’s eyes flickered open. He groaned and reached for something under his cot. His hand emerged clutching a sword, its sharp point digging into the ground. Ye Ye’s eyes widened at the sight of Alex and me.


  “You’re not well,” I said. “I’ll get the medicine—”

  “No medicine.”

  “You’re right. You need proper medical attention. I’ll call a doc—”

  My grandfather held up a hand. “No doctors, either.”

  “What?” Alex spluttered.

  “It is … my time.” Tears shone in my grandfather’s eyes. He lifted the blade. His hands caressed the gleaming silver surface. “And, Falun and Ah Li … Erlang Shen’s visit has proven … it is your time … to … honor the gods. And in turn … restore our family honor.”

  The tears fell, though I fought to hold them back. “Please, we can’t do that without you—”

  Ye Ye stopped me by holding up his hand. He turned to Alex, pushing the sword into my brother’s chest. “I gave your father … this sword … forged of the finest iron. Decades ago … when he set out … on his first demon hunt. I now hand it to you, sūn zi.”

  “Me?” Alex shook his head frantically. “But I … I’m no good with combat, Ye Ye. You should give it to Faryn.”

  “Nonsense. You have … unlimited potential. You need to get your head … out of those video games.” Ye Ye coughed again, covering his mouth with his hand. When he pulled it away, it was shiny with blood.

  Alex fell onto his knees, looking crushed. “But—but I love video games, Ye Ye.”

  “Take Ba’s sword,” I urged Alex. He hesitated for a moment before obeying, grasping the hilt with trembling hands.

  “Oh no. Am I too late?”

  The three of us turned at the sound of the sad voice. Guanyin wiped godly sweat off her brow. She filled up the whole doorway with her glow.

  Ye Ye inclined his head with a great effort. “Guanyin.”

  “Liu Jian.” The goddess appeared at my side. “It is time.”

  “It is.”

  “No, it isn’t,” I protested.

  Guanyin gave me a patient look, which only fueled my anger. “We gods have taken note of Liu Jian’s loyalty over the years. When his soul departs this world, there’s a chance he’ll join the ranks of the deities in Heaven. If that’s the case, you can see him as much as you’d like through your prayers.”

  Alex gripped Ye Ye’s hand, the silent tears streaming down his face faster than before.

  “Your grandfather has been in pain for a long time,” the goddess said. “In Heaven, he’ll be treated with the greatest honor.”

  “What if he doesn’t go to Heaven?” Alex whispered.

  I bit my lip. Only the most virtuous souls would undergo deification and rise to Heaven. The majority had to pass through the ten courts of Diyu and atone for their misdeeds in life. That was a miserably long time to spend in court. Even worse, in Diyu demons and human souls alike were trapped together.

  “Even if he doesn’t go to Heaven, at least he’ll no longer be in pain.”

  Our grandfather took one of my hands and one of Alex’s into each of his. “You … must be brave. As brave as you were when … you slayed the nián, Falun.”

  Alex’s eyes snapped to mine. “You did what?”

  I gaped at my grandfather’s proud expression. “How did you know?”

  His weathered fingers traced a tear that fell onto my cheek, and he smiled. “You are your … father’s daughter. Liu Bo’s bravery … runs through … your veins. As soon as I heard … Erlang Shen’s proclamation … I knew.”

  The sound of cheers ripped through the quiet of the apartment. I turned toward the window and peered into the darkness. A noisy crowd of people gathered outside the temple. The courtyard lit up with firecrackers, which illuminated a large brown chariot sitting in front of the temple stairs. Wang and Luhao were squeezed inside it.

  When the next round of firecrackers went off, the chariot no longer sat on the ground. I rubbed my eyes to make sure I wasn’t hallucinating. The chariot rose up into the air, pulled by two horses.

  Alex gaped. “Are those horses flying?”

  I fought the urge to let out a manic laugh. Sure, if ancient demons were running around Chinatown now, why shouldn’t horses fly?

  “The other gods are answering the warriors’ prayers,” Guanyin said in a frosty voice. “They’ve given those boys a magical chariot. They are … challenging you.”

  “Challenging me? T-to do what? Go where?” I stammered.

  Alex smacked his forehead. “The island. They’re leaving for the island! We have to go after them—now.”

  “What? Now?”

  “Now,” echoed Guanyin.

  “Don’t you see? If we don’t leave, the gods are gonna turn Wang into the Heaven Breaker.” Alex shuddered. “We can’t let that happen. That guy can’t even beat me at Mario Kart!”

  Though my brother grabbed my arm and pulled me toward the door, I remained rooted to the spot. I cast a look at our grandfather, who lay there with a serene smile on his face. The rise and fall of his chest slowed.

  “But Ye Ye,” I choked.

  “I care about Ye Ye, too.” Tears streamed down Alex’s cheeks, but his eyes reflected determination. “But you’re the Heaven Breaker, right?”

  “I … y-yes,” I said uncertainly.

  “So stop them before Wang steals Ba’s work and goes to Peng Lai Island!”

  Still, I couldn’t move. Muffled applause traveled through the glass window. Elders, aunties and uncles, and little kids watched as the chariot rose high into the sky, accompanied by a shower of red-and-yellow light. The chariot soon disappeared among the stars.

  “This isn’t fair!” Alex yelled.

  I couldn’t believe that Wang was setting off in a blaze of glory that should have been mine and my brother’s.

  I couldn’t believe that, while my grandfather was dying, the New Year’s celebrations continued. The world should have been in mourning. The Jade Emperor should be putting off the Lantern Festival.

  I’d prayed to the gods every day for as long as I could remember. How could they still be so cruel?

  “Those warriors will get their comeuppance.” Guanyin’s voice had lost its warmth. “It’s time you both left as well.”

  “How?” Alex demanded. “We don’t have a flying chariot. We don’t even have our father’s notebook anymore.”

  I couldn’t care less about islands or banquets. I ran back to Ye Ye’s side and clutched his hand in mine. Alex took the other.

  “Never forget,” Ye Ye rasped. “The most … important thing … a warrior can do … is to put others … before himself … or herself.”

  “We’ll remember,” Alex said.

  “Stay with us,” I pleaded.

  My grandfather’s eyes were fixed on the window. The colorful fireworks were reflected in his black pupils, as though he was seeing something far beyond Alex and me. “Your children are … finally walking in your footsteps … ér zi. They are … warriors.”

  Ye Ye’s hand stilled in mine. His eyes stared blankly, reflecting the fireworks far above.

  CHAPTER

  8

  I waited for the shock of Ye Ye’s death to set in, but it never did. Not when Guanyin pressed a white cloth over my grandfather’s face. Not when she reached into her sleeve, pulled out an object that looked like the bottom half of a mop, and swept it over Ye Ye’s body. When she backed away, his body vanished.

  “What did you do?” Pain ripped through me as I sank to my knees. Seeing the empty space where my grandfather had lain only seconds ago felt like losing him all over again.

  The Lunar New Year was supposed to be a celebration of family. Yet fate had wrenched my grandfather from me. The hollow numbness in my chest convinced me I’d never feel again.

  Besides Alex and me, my wise, wonderful Ye Ye had no one to mourn his death or honor his memory. Our grandmother, Nai Nai, had died before he immigrated with his son to America. The Chinese side of my family all lived an ocean away. I’d never spoken to nor seen them, and neither had my grandfather since he’d left.

  “Your grandfather’s soul has passed on into the Unde
rworld,” Guanyin said. “It’s cycling through Diyu, under King Yama’s judgement. If Heaven’s will is true, you will see him again as a deity, warriors. Now, dry your eyes. You have a quest to fulfill.”

  I gazed at the spot my grandfather had vanished from. I would never move again.

  Alex, shivering, recovered before I could. He slowly pushed himself to his feet and turned to face the world map. He pressed his trembling palm against the small picture of our smiling mother. Then he banged his fist against the map, causing the wall to shake.

  “Forget this,” Alex bellowed. He whirled around with angry tears still in his eyes. “We have to leave.”

  I blinked, stunned. “Our grandfather just died, and you still want to go off to the island?”

  “Somehow, the gods think you’re the Heaven Breaker. And for whatever reason, they’ve decided to help you. You have to stop Wang and go to the island. Besides, didn’t you hear Ye Ye’s last wish? He wants us to go.”

  “But … but I can’t.” My head clouded with panic. “There’s no way I’m the Heaven Breaker.” I swallowed. “Help me, Alex. I can’t do it. I’m not even a warrior.”

  Alex paced across the floor. I felt sicker by the moment.

  “Here’s what we’ll do,” he said at last. “We’ll get that notebook back, and then we’ll use it to fulfill this quest. We’ll find Ba. He’s the greatest warrior in ages. He’ll know what to do, and how to train you.”

  “But what if Ba isn’t—?”

  “He’s alive, Faryn,” Alex snapped. Then his eyes softened. “He has to be.”

  Alex was right. Yet I was frozen. Numb. Disbelieving.

  We were interrupted by frantic pounding and shouting at the door.

  “You’ll want to answer that,” said Guanyin.

  Cautiously, I picked Fenghuang off the ground and inched open the door. A girl stormed into the house, her long, high ponytail whipping me in the face as she burst past. Moli.

  “I’m sorry, this is an annoying-person-free zone—” I said.

  “Where’s Longma?” Moli interrupted. She barely registered the ten-foot golden spear in my hand, which told me the girl was definitely out of her right mind. “You took my horse somewhere.”