Renamed from "The Boy Who Would Be King". This was one of the first ones I wrote.
Memories Last Forever
"In my heart, I dream of all that used to be;
The place that we called 'Memories'
That now, time has taken all from me.
All alone, I wandered down this paradise;
How I used to look in your eyes, kissed your smile,
And treasured all these times…
.
Now I know, I have to walk this road alone;
The road that takes me far from you, from your love,
From the one I call my own.
Leaving you, I never can forget that time;
The time we thought that all was fine,
Suddenly I hope that you are mine…
.
Memories last forever,
Pains that stayed within me.
Dreaming of you, they never come true…
Magic of the moment,
Come and gone forever.
Taking your love, away from my world." – Eternal Memory, Lena Park
.
China
"Genghis Khan, Alexander the Great, and Marco Polo," Jonathan whined. "Why did they all traipse around the globe with the scrolls, anyway?"
"Marco Polo opened one of the first land-trade routes to China," Alex answered.
"He also may have brought the rest of the scrolls here as a gift to the great leader Kublai Khan," Evy added.
"I guess a fruit basket was out of the question," the English man mumbled.
Rick turned toward the small market they had just entered. "So where do we start?"
"The Emperor's palace at the Forbidden City," Evy's eyes lit up at the thought of the chance to examine something with such historical meaning.
"Isn't the Forbidden City off-limits to outsiders? Hence the name?" her brother asked.
"Ooh, salt in the wound," Jena grinned at the enthusiastic archeologist.
"Technically, yes. But I have a plan. Just a few… last details to work out."
"Like… how to get inside?" Rick prodded.
"Precisely."
"Out of the way!" a young Chinese boy Alex' age pushed through the crowd, shoving Jonathan into a basket of wet food that stuck to his white suit. He groaned at the mess, but the rest of the group ignored him as Rick caught the intruder and lifted him easily into the air.
"Let go!" the absconder struggled. "They are after me!"
"Who?"
"Them!" he pointed, and they all saw several guards closing in on them.
"Wait a minute. What's going on?"
"Do not interfere," the head guard commanded, pushing him out of the way and chasing the boy.
"Alex, Jena," Evy turned to the children. "Get him to someplace safe."
Alex nodded, and the three of them ran down the street. As the guards walked under a fabric canopy, Evy knocked out one of its supports and the material fell on top of them.
Down the street, the youths took advantage of the guards' distraction and hid under a table covered with a long cloth.
"I'm Alex, and this is Jena," the redhead grinned.
"Jin-Wu," the runaway grinned back. "Thank you for helping me."
"It's only the price of popularity," Jena said cheerfully, loving this little bit of excitement.
Just at that moment, the head guard lifted the table from above them. On the verge of seizing his target, the three were relieved when Evy appeared and smashed a vase on the man's head, dazing him.
"You will regret that," the other guards closed in, and the O'Connell's group gathered protectively around Jin-Wu.
"Ideas?" Evy asked nervously.
"Do you suppose whining and begging would help?" Jonathan suggested.
"Alex, maybe it's time to test-drive that piece of the scrolls we found," Rick said.
Alex quickly searched for the scrap. "Uh…" he turned to his family only to see Jena holding it out to him. "How did you get that?"
"I may have borrowed it last night and fell asleep before I remembered to give it back."
"You went through my clothes?"
"It's not like you were wearing them at the time!"
"Alex!" his mother scolded.
"Right," he took the piece of the scroll and faced the guards, reading off it. "'To move that which is without, the power lies within'." He read the incantation.
Nothing.
Making a wild noise, he cried, "It should work!"
As the guards moved closer, the group heard an old man cry, "Stop!"
The sentinel moved aside to show a man dressed in fine silks. He bowed and spoke. "Your humble servants are jealous of your absence." The guards also bowed.
"I'm confused – since when are attackers so polite?" Jonathan asked.
"They are not my attackers," Jin-Wu said, walking forward reluctantly. "They are my bodyguards."
"Bodyguards?"
He spoke again, and this time it was bitter. "The Emperor is not allowed to leave the palace."
"Emperor?"
"Okay, now I'm really confused," Jonathan put his hand up to his head.
Jin-Wu walked forward, and one of the guards fell to his hands and knees to act as a step for him, allowing him to climb into the palanquin the old man had brought. The man closed the door, and the travelers saw the young Emperor move his hand to bring the old man closer. They heard whispering, and the servant turned to the O'Connells and bowed deeply.
"His Highness wishes you to accompany him into the Forbidden City."
There was a long pause.
"See?" Evy said triumphantly. "I told you we'd get into the Forbidden City."
Everyone else slapped their foreheads, but climbed into the Emperor's palanquins nonetheless. As they journeyed through the countryside, Jonathan made himself extremely comfortable.
"I could get used to this," he said as he closed his eyes.
"Wow," Alex gazed out at the scenery and pointed. "Look!"
"The Forbidden City," Evy said. "Home of the Emperors of China for almost 500 years."
Rick looked uncertainly at the arukatasu. "Jena, are you alright?" he asked.
Jena was staring at the landscape with a nostalgic expression. "Yeah," she said absently. "I just get the feeling I've been here before."
"You said before you've never been to China," Alex said. "Maybe it's another place that looks the same."
Her forehead creased, worried despite herself. The country gave her a strange feeling. "Yeah."
As they walked into the palace, Jena scrutinized the architecture intently.
"Recognize anything else?" Alex whispered as they approached the Emperor.
"No," she answered. "These rich buildings aren't familiar."
At the throne, the five of them stopped. Evy and Jena gave a deep waist bow before Rick and then Alex caught on. After a moment Rick pulled Jonathan into the correct position, and when they straightened up, pulled him up again.
"Alex, you and your family were very brave to protect the Emperor," Jin-Wu said expressionlessly. "Here is your reward."
He motioned his hand, and two servants carried in a large chest. When they opened it, Jonathan quickly began ogling the hundreds of glimmering jewels and precious stones inside it.
"Who knew being brave paid so well?" he moved towards the chest, but Rick held him back.
"Thank you, your Majesty, but we cannot accept your generosity."
"You know, this goody-two shoes thing is really getting tiresome," his brother-in-law folded his arms, annoyed.
"There is one thing we would ask his Majesty for," Evy moved forward eagerly. "We're searching for a set of scrolls Marco Polo may have brought with him to the Forbidden City. We'd like your permission to study the royal records."
"Very well," Jin-Wu agreed. "The Emperor grants you access to the Hall of Mental Cultivation. In the meantime, you shall all be the Emperor's guests." He clapped his hands twice, and servants began bringing in exotic food.
"Ooh, what are those? Shrimp?" Jonathan asked eagerly. "Maybe just a few…" He instantly began stuffing his face, and even took the tray off the woman holding it. "You can leave the plate with me."
Jena's face turned red with mortification. Nudging Rick, she asked, "Why on earth do you bring him along? He does nothing but hinder and embarrass you."
"I think you'd better ask his sister," the man answered.
"I notice you disowned her in that moment."
Jin-Wu spoke to her and Alex. "While your parents look through the records, I could give you a tour."
"Great," the redhead grinned excitedly.
In the courtyard they passed several notice-worthy things before they saw one of the Emperor's bodyguards writing on a blackboard in elegant symbols.
"What's he writing?" Alex asked.
"'The Emperor is not allowed to leave'," Jena replied.
The redhead turned to her. "Since when can you read Chinese? You can barely read English!"
"I'm learning," she replied defensively.
Alex turned back to the chalkboard. "But I don't get it – why is he writing that?"
Jin-Wu walked with his back straight and his arms behind him. "The Emperor cannot make mistakes. If I do something wrong, one of them gets punished to make up for it."
Alex was suitably impressed. "Wow. You are the luckiest kid in the world."
"Not really," the young Emperor finally allowed some emotion to enter his face. "I am a prisoner in my own palace. I am not even allowed to see my own country. Nobody respects me. They do what I say because I am the Emperor. But they do not take me seriously because I am young."
"My parents can be the same way," Alex said.
"Since when did they do as you say?" Jena grinned.
Once they had been shown around, Jin-Wu had Alex and Jena rig a trampoline beside the wall surrounding the palace and they were all bouncing on it in attempt to see the village on the other side even for a moment.
"The Emperor is bored," Jun-Wu announced, jumping to the ground. The other two followed.
"Perhaps the Emperor has forgotten it is time for his imperial lesson," Lin Chou came up behind them. "I am sure Master Alex and Miss Jena will join you." He led them through the courtyard. In the middle of the grass, near a small fountain, was where the four of them began practicing "inner harmony".
"Tai Chi is so boring – like everything else around here," Jin-Wu complained a few minutes in to the lesson.
"Perhaps it is difficult to find inner harmony when your Highness's mouth flaps like a flag in a typhoon," Lin Chou commented.
Jena tried to stifle her laughter. Jun-Wu glared at everyone around him and dropped his arms. "The Emperor has had enough inner harmony for today," he said, walking off.
"Wait," Alex said, going after him. The mentor's voice stopped him.
"Focus is the key."
"What?"
"The Manacle around your wrist. It is very powerful, is it not?" the master did not cease his flowing movements.
"How'd you know?" Alex asked.
"I sense its energy," he said simply.
"It's called the Manacle of Osiris."
"You seek to control it?"
"Huh," he sighed. "I've tried. We found this piece of the scrolls which is supposed to tell me how to move things."
"Telekinesis," Lin Chou mused.
"Yeah, but it doesn't work."
"Focus is the key," he repeated his former words. "The power is within you."
"What does that mean?"
"Everything in the universe has a yin and a yang component. The power comes as much from you as it does the Manacle. My master used to say, 'a cup without a handle is a bowl. But a handle without a cup is useless'."
Jena was nodding in agreement, but Alex looked thoroughly confused.
#~#~#
Yue paced the living room in his home restlessly.
His wife entered the room, a worried look on her face. "You've been in here for an hour," she said with concern.
He stopped his pacing.
"Jena is in China," he explained simply.
Chione looked even more worried.
China. The most dangerous place on earth. Even more so, since apparently he was still alive. Yue should have been quicker to prevent his daughter from crossing the border, but he was unsure where it was. And he wasn't sure if he dared to follow her into the country. Jena had yet to activate her first portal, so her presence wasn't likely to be detected – but Yue had passed several tests and had a much stronger aura. To follow her may sign her death warrant.
"Do you really believe the vision the boy had is real?" she asked. "It could have been an illusion caused when Jena touched the Manacle, based on her locked memories. It's likely she's still very connected to its energies."
"Of course I've considered that," Yue replied. "But if she's connected to it, so is he. It's not worth the risk."
"Then shouldn't you go?" Chione said with great hesitation. "I know it's dangerous, but you're much stronger than before. You have the help of several of your agents, now."
Images flashed through his mind, memories of his previous encounter with The Destroyer's Apprentice. Injury, pain… and a death that should not have happened.
"Even that may not be enough. If he's there, and set on killing her…" he trailed off. "There will not be another man to die for our escape. Next time, it will be me."
Taking a deep breath, Yue made up his mind. "I'm going after her."
#~#~#
In the Hall of Mental Cultivation, Rick and Evy were beginning to check the library.
"These records go back nearly 800 years," the woman said eagerly. "Imagine the history!"
"Imagine the eye strain," Rick opposed. "Evy, there are hundreds of volumes here."
"I know," she answered enthusiastically. "Isn't this exciting? We'd better get started."
Picking up a book and sighing, her husband said, "That's what I get for marrying a librarian."
Several hours later, she spoke again.
"I think this is it."
Rick looked the direction his wife's voice was coming from, but failed to see her behind the mound of books and scrolls. She crawled out from the mountain and held out the book. "It says here that Kublai Khan presented Marco Polo's valuable gift to the gods at the Han Dynasty shrine just outside the Forbidden City."
"Finally," Rick dropped the scrolls in his hands and stretched.
"These scrolls must be of great value," Jin-Wu's voice came from the doorway.
"They are to us, your Majesty," Evy agreed. "But there are a few Chinese symbols I don't recognize. Perhaps Lin Chou could help us with the translation."
The Emperor took the book from her and silently glanced at the place she had been reading. Closing it, he said unsmilingly, "I will tell Lin Chou you are looking for him."
Taking the book back, Evy said in a somewhat surprised voice, "Oh. Thank you, your Highness."
It was dusk when Jin-Wu found his new friends in the courtyard, still practicing Tai Chi. Jena was beginning to get bored, having done this before, but Alex was still keen and she stayed with him.
"Alex, Jena," the Emperor approached them. "I have just discovered where the scrolls you seek are located."
"That's great. I'll go get my mom and dad."
"Wait," Jin-Wu stopped him almost anxiously. "We will go and get the Scrolls ourselves. It will be a surprise."
Grinning, Alex said, "Trust me; my parents aren't big on surprises. I'd better tell them."
"If you tell them then I will not take you to the scrolls," the young monarch said in a hard voice.
"Why not?"
"Because this is our chance to prove we are not just children," he folded his arms. "But the choice is up to you."
There was a pause as he considered. "Jena, what do you think?"
Jena, who had been watching the boys' exchange silently, shrugged and said, "I'm always up for some adventure. How hard can it be to go and pick up a few scrolls? It doesn't seem to be proving anything."
"There is supposedly a great dragon guarding the shrine," Jin-Wu explained. "I do not believe this, but there must be something to stop intruders."
"Hmm..." Grinning, the arukatasu turned to her friend, "Sounds like adventure to me."
Sighing, Alex said, "Yeah, I guess."
The three waited until it was completely dark before sneaking through the palace grounds carrying the large trampoline. It was heavy, so Jena and Alex carried it while Jin-Wu kept watch for guards.
"Someone's coming," he whispered frantically. They quietly set the trampoline down and the three of them hid behind it. They all held their breaths as the man's footsteps got louder and louder. Eventually, they passed.
Jena grinned as she and Alex picked up the trampoline again. "This is fun, isn't it?" she asked, bright-eyed.
"Depends on your definition," Alex replied grimly. Getting to the wall, they set down their instrument and took a step back.
"Follow me," Jin-Wu said, and took a running jump. Leaping off the trampoline, he turned in a side-ways somersault and landed lightly on the top of the wall, facing them.
"Impressive," Jena approved.
"Uh, ladies first," Alex said.
She flashed him a smile. "Thank you." Following the Emperor's lead, she did exactly the same as him except she turned a full head-over-heels flip when in the air.
"Show-off," Jin-Wu muttered.
Alex took a deep breath and ran at the trampoline. Bouncing off it, he under-estimated its height and went flying over the wall. A tree branch broke his fall, but he groaned and rubbed his head as he said to Jin-Wu, "This is why gates were invented."
Jena laughed quietly and jumped down from the wall, followed by the Emperor.
Inside the palace, Rick and Evy were expectantly waiting for Lin Chou to read the symbols they couldn't understand.
"I'm glad the Emperor was kind enough to ask you to help us," Evy said.
"I am afraid I have not seen his Majesty for hours," the old man replied.
"Really?" after a confused pause she went on to say, "Well, I've found the possible location of the scrolls, but I need help translating this last phrase."
Lin Chou saw the difficult passage. "It says, 'respect the Shinshein, for haste will bring destruction'."
"Okay, I give up," Rick said. "What's a Shinshein?"
"It is a great dragon of incredible power which protects the sacred shrine of the Han Dynasty. If it is disturbed, it will destroy those who woke it from slumber and all who get in its way."
"Isn't there a way to control it?" the American asked.
"Legends speak of one it will hear," Lin Chou answered. "However, none tell of who this person is."
"Perhaps the Manacle will make it listen to Alex," Evy mused.
"But what if it doesn't?" Rick said. "We can't put him in that position."
"You're right. But then what can we do?"
#~#~#
The three children finally reached the shrine, but Alex was getting second thoughts about the whole ordeal.
"I'm not so sure this is such a good idea," he said.
"After all your adventures, I did not expect such cowardice from you," Jin-Wu commented as he walked inside, ignoring the warning symbols surrounding the entrance.
Jena frowned. "Alex is right; I can sense the great energy coming from inside this temple. We should go back to the palace and research the legends properly to try and figure out what we're up against."
"I thought you were always up for adventure?"
"Adventure is one thing, but recklessness is another. Besides…" she let a cloud of fear enter her eyes as she took a step closer to Alex, "I don't like the feel of this place."
"You two can go back, but I am going to get the scrolls," Jin-Wu continued inside.
"Hey, wait!" Alex called after him. Turning to Jena, he said, "We can't let him go in alone."
Nodding, she took a deep breath and slipped her hand into his. Smiling brightly, she said, "Now I feel fine."
Alex laughed awkwardly, blushing slightly, and the two of them entered the shrine after Jin-Wu.
There was a quiet breeze, and Alex shivered. "Did you guys feel that?"
"Yes," Jena said at the same time Jin-Wu replied, "No."
There was a pause filled with deathly-silence. Jena winced, "I don't like this presence. We should really get out of here!"
"Not without the scrolls!" the Emperor sprang forward and began running to the central chamber.
"Jin-Wu, wait!" Suddenly, a flash of dark green sprang from the ground, throwing shattered rocks everywhere, and a mighty dragon was blocking their way. Smoke blazed from its nostrils, and they could hear its heavy breathing.
"Don't move," Jena said, unexpectedly calm and speaking quietly. "Don't make eye contact, and take slow steps backwards. And don't sneeze."
"How do you know – "
"Ask questions later. If we're still alive."
The three of them slowly moved back, but Jin-Wu tripped over a rock that jutted out of the ground and caught his heel. The beast was angered by the sudden movement, and it took a deep breath.
"Now – "
"Run!" she shouted, the two of them turned and sprinted as flames belched towards them.
"There's a statue over there, hide behind it!" Alex pointed, and they ran and took cover not a moment too soon. The fire rushed passed them, making their skin crawl with the heat of it. The young Emperor stepped boldly out of his cover once the momentary danger had gone. Despite his confidence, he was trembling.
"I – I am Jin-Wu, Emperor of China, and I command you to – "
The dragon took another deep breath, and he ducked back into his cover to wait for the fire to pass again. It was hotter than before, and the beast was by no means stupid. It moved forward to trap its targets in their protection.
A cold, horrible laugh rang through the shrine, and Jena's breath hitched painfully as she shrank into Alex' side.
The temple's protector moved into sight, and the three children saw a man now standing on its back. He stared down at them, grinning evilly. He was dressed in plated armor and wore gloves made of dragon scales. His straight black hair hung down just below his waist, and it had a greenish tinge in the light. His piercing eyes were light brown, but they had a black diagonal stripe over them. His skin was pale – he was clearly Chinese, but perhaps only half. Alex instantly recognized him as the man in the vision he had seen when Jena first touched the Manacle – and the illusion of the faceless man that Jena feared in the palace at Leningrad.
The arukatasu stopped breathing.
"What authority does a child have to command a dragon?" he asked. "When you have lived a century, I will acknowledge you. When you have lived a millennium, I will heed you. When you live as long as I have, I will consider you an equal. Emperor or not, you are nothing against me, child."
Jin-Wu couldn't even speak.
Alex, seeing both his companions were frozen, took a step forward and held his wrist out. "Let us leave," he said, trying to sound confident. "I'm warning you; you have no idea what I'm capable of."
"The Manacle of Osiris," the newcomer smiled, his entire face lighting up. "It's been a while since I've seen that. Give it to me, and I will permit you to leave here alive."
The redhead's eyebrows shot up to his hairline. "Aren't you afraid of what I can do with it?" he asked.
"If you could truly control it, you would have attacked me the second I appeared." Jumping off the dragon's back, he landed in front of the boy. "Now, boy, that bracelet has great sentimental value to me. Hand it over. Or I will have Huõ burn your body and take it from your stinking corpse."
Alex glanced nervously at the Manacle on his wrist. "Sentimental… value? What do you mean?"
He glared, now angry. "I mean that it's mine. It's none of your business. You should respect your elders' privacy." His scaly hand shot out and grasped it, and the shackle glowed as it showed both of them a vision.
The Shinshein's controller and an adult Jena were in each other's embrace and passionately kissing.
"Arg!" Alex broke free and rubbed his eyes fiercely, trying to stop the unwanted image from reaching him. "Gross, gross, gross!"
"Alex, what is it?" Jin-Wu asked.
"Something I did not need to see!" He had stepped away from the man, and as he looked he saw the Shinshein controller staring into space in shock with his hand still outstretched.
"Alex, there is no time to hesitate," the Emperor said.
"You're right," the redhead said, looking at the Manacle. If he could prove to this dragon-tamer that he could use the Manacle, maybe they could all get out alive. "Okay, focus. To move that which is without, the power – "
A blast of fire made him break off in shock. He didn't have time to dodge, but at the last second something hit him and dragged him behind the cover of a statue.
The Shinshein's master approached, another evil smile in place. "Well, if it isn't the brat," he said smoothly. "You and the Manacle, all in the same day. These three thousand years haven't been a waste after all. Although, I am surprised that you're letting someone else wear our relic."
Jena squirmed in fear, and hid behind the statue as she shook in terror. "Jena?" Alex asked worriedly. Her face was filled with panic.
"Shouldn't such an important symbol of our friendship be treated with more care?" the man continued, his words mocking.
The Shinshein took another deep breath.
"Stop," its master commanded calmly, walking up to the trembling girl.
Alex stood between them in her defense. "Don't come any closer," he ordered.
"This dispute is age-old, you have nothing to do with her," he effortlessly shoved him out of the way with a small burst of energy, his gaze never leaving the girl. He knelt in front of her. "You recognize me, don't you?"
Jena moved as far back as she could, nodding.
"Good," pleasure filled his face. "You retain all your memories while still having no knowledge of them. Perfect." Cruelty entered his expression again. "I think I'll shatter that Blank seal on you. This is going to hurt."
He reached out to touch her forehead with two fingers, but as she clenched her eyes shut he stopped when he felt a stone skip off his back. He spun around to the two boys, who were pelting him with as large rocks as they could throw. "Zǐsè-Huõ, kill them and bring me that golden bracelet!"
In his distraction, Jena took the opportunity to run over to and past her accomplices. "Let's go, we have to get away from him!"
Alex and Jin-Wu both ran out of the shrine as fast as they could and through the arch at its entrance, but the frantic girl was nowhere in sight. The Shinshein followed them, but its body wasn't small enough to fit through the arch and it got stuck, sending plate-sized scales everywhere as it struggled for freedom.
"That will not hold it forever," Jin-Wu said.
"I have an idea," Alex said, picking up a dark green scale. "Grab a dragon scale."
The two of them ran to the edge of the cliff. "What about Jena?"
"We don't have time to look for her – anyway, she can handle herself. She's probably escaped already."
They glanced back as the Shinshein broke free of its temporary chain, and then looked at the cliff face again.
"I hope you know what you are doing," the Emperor said worriedly.
"So do I," Alex confided before throwing the scale over the cliff and jumping on top of it, sliding down the rocks.
Rather than follow them, the Shinshein flew into the air and belched fire down on them. The boys skidded down the hill far too quickly and lost their "surfboards" at the bottom. Running beneath trees for protection, they both sprinted in the direction of the palace.
#~#~#
Evy, Rick, Jonathan and Lin Chao were in the courtyard when one of the guards hurriedly ran up to them and spoke. Lin Chou repeated his message.
"The Emperor is missing, and so are Alex and Jena."
"Oh, no," Evy said anxiously. "Where can they be?" Sniffing tentatively, she added, "And what's that smell?"
Jonathan looked ashamed. "Oops, sorry! Must have been that broccoli Chou Mein."
"Jonathan, please! It smells like…"
"Sulpher and brimstone," Rick completed. Looking at the cloud of smoke coming from the mountain, he asked, "Forest fire?"
Lin Chou looked worried. "I fear much worse." Summoning a couple of palanquins, they quickly went toward the fire source. As they approached it they heard voices and, going through the bushes, came upon Alex and Jin-Wu.
"Mom! Dad!" the redhead cried in obvious relief.
The sight of his servants made the Emperor feel in control again. "Lin Chou, I wish to return to the palace immediately."
As he walked toward the palanquin, Evy asked, "Where's Jena?"
"We thought she went back to the palace. You haven't seen her?"
There was more rustling in the bushes, and suddenly Jena herself appeared. Seeing the group, she instantly burst into tears and ran into Evy's protective embrace. She was trembling violently as she sobbed.
"Are you alright?" Rick asked.
She nodded stiffly. "Just… I need to get away from that place."
They all returned to the Emperor's palace before hearing what had happened.
"And we didn't even get a chance to look for the scrolls," Alex finished the story. "Old fire-breath was on us before we knew what was happening."
"So any ideas on how to deal with Mr. Dragon and its master?" Rick asked his wife.
"I may have the answer right here," she said, opening the book in her hands. "The Scepter of Hsein. It can be used to seal the Shinshein back in the spirit world. According to the palace inventory, it's stored here in the Forbidden City."
The family went to the Emperor to tell him the idea. After bowing, Evy said, "Your Highness, Alex told us what happened and we think we've found a solution."
Jin-Wu waved dismissively. "That will not be necessary."
"It won't?" Evy asked in surprise.
"There is no problem, so there is no need of a solution."
"No problem?" Rick demanded. "What do you call a fire-breathing dragon rampaging around the countryside under the command of someone who's after the Manacle of Osiris?"
"I am the Emperor. My word is the law."
"Even if your word is a lie?" Alex asked.
"How dare you speak to the Emperor in this way!" Jin-Wu leapt to his feet.
"How dare you say nothing happened when that guy could have killed both of us!"
Evy tried to reason. "Give us the Scepter of Hsein, and we'll deal with the Shinshein ourselves."
"Are you threatening to go against the Emperor's wishes? Guards!"
Five minutes later found them in a room with the door locked and manned by two guards.
"Well, it's not the worst jail I've been in," Jonathan commented. "Not that I've been in many jails, mind you."
A gong sounded, and the guards opened the door to allow Lin Chou entrance.
"Your Emperor is very… strong willed," Evy said to him.
"I believe the English phrase is 'spoiled brat'," the adviser commented dryly.
"Then you know he's lying?" Alex asked.
"Yes. The truth is written on his face. But I am bound by my duty to obey the Emperor."
"But why wouldn't he tell the truth about the Shinshein?" Rick wanted to know.
"The Emperor seeks respect," Lin Chou explained. "If he admits the existence of the dragon, then he admits to making a mistake. For the young Emperor, that is not an option."
"Maybe you could bring the Scepter to us," Evy suggested.
"I am afraid the solution is not so easy. For the ritual to be successful it must be performed by all those present when the spirit beast was released. That means Alex, the Emperor and Jena. Even if his Majesty will consent, we still need to persuade your friend."
Jena, who had been sitting facing the wall and hugging her knees since the advisor's entrance, spoke quietly. "It's fine. I'll go."
"But, Jena – "
"No, Alex," she stood and turned to face him. "This isn't about me. That Shinshein is dangerous, and so is he."
Alex walked up to her. "I saw you looking at him. I've never seen you so scared."
"Yes, I was scared and it was for a good reason. But if we can seal the Shinshein, that's one less problem we need to worry about. That is the point."
Before anyone could say anything else, they all heard a roar coming from the courtyard.
"It's coming!" the arukatasu cried as they all ran from the burst of flames that flew through the doors. Outside, servants were screaming as they ran from the beast and its master. The young Emperor came partially out of the palace, fear evident on his face as the ceiling above him crumbled under the intensity of the heat. Lin Chou pushed him out of the way of the falling rocks, but was unable to save himself and was buried.
"No!" Jin-Wu cried, calling to his friend. "Alex, help me!"
The two of them pulled the debris away as quickly as they could until they saw the old adviser shaking as he lay there. He seemed to be having trouble breathing, and his face was cut and his clothes ripped.
The Shinshein's master pointed at something, and the beast ripped a piece of the palace from the foundations before flying into the mountains carrying it.
"Why didn't it finish us off?" Evy asked as everyone tried to help Lin Chou.
"I don't know," Rick answered. "And that's what worries me."
"The Shinshein is a spirit beast," Jena said. "That means its physical power is limited. What it stole… he wants a way to remove those limits so its energy doesn't dissipate over time. He was probably using it as a guard for the temple, or keeping it there until he needed it, but now he's decided he wants it around for longer."
"How can you know that?" Alex asked.
"Lin Chou said it was a spirit beast. The rest is a guess. Once the Shinshein is a permanent part of the physical world, he will come back for me – and for the Manacle." Jena walked into the palace, shivering.
A doctor treated Lin Chou as the rest of the servants worked together to put out the fires the beast had made. There were few casualties, but those that were hurt had been badly burned.
Alex walked up to Jin-Wu, beside the advisor's bed, and asked, "How is he?"
"A few broken bones, some cuts. The doctors say he was quite lucky." The boy looked down. "This was all my fault."
"We all make mistakes. Even the Emperor. It's not too late to set things right."
Lin Chou moaned and opened his eyes.
"Master, I have let you down," Jin-Wu said. "I have lost the respect of the people."
"Then win it back," the advisor replied weakly. "Defeat the dragon."
The two boys exchanged glances and made to leave.
"Alex," Lin Chou said, stopping them. "'The power lies within' is not just an incantation. It is a reminder that the human spirit is the key which unlocks many mysteries."
Outside, helping with the injured, Rick overturned a dragon scale and hailed his wife. "Evy, look. This scale protected the flower beneath it from the fire. Maybe it can do the same for us."
She nodded. "Let's see if there are enough for each of us."
#~#~#
It was dawn by the time the six of them reached the shrine of the Han Dynasty. Jonathan was complaining that his suit was getting dirty, but as they came over the cliff he said, "Either we missed the Easter Egg hunt or – "
His sister interrupted. "Those are Shinshein eggs. If they hatch we'll have flying lizards all over the countryside."
Rick got his binoculars and checked the landscape. "No sign of Mommy dragon. Maybe she's not the maternal type."
Jena spoke.
"Baby dragons raise themselves since they hatch," she explained. "If they can't survive on their own, their lives aren't worth keeping. It makes them really, really vicious."
"Peachy," Jonathan said.
"There, in the center," Jin-Wu pointed at a canister the midst of the eggs. "That is where the scrolls would have been kept."
"Why don't you go ahead without me?" Jonathan said. "I have a massage at two and then – "
Evy interrupted again. "You four work your way around the edge of the nest to perform the ritual. Jonathan and I will look for the scrolls."
"Funny how I can volunteer without even opening my mouth."
The Emperor read from the history book he had brought. "According to the ancient ritual, the three of us must hold the scepter above our heads and say, 'dragon be gone from whence you came' three times."
The siblings stepped cautiously around the large dragon eggs.
"Just imagine," Evy said excitedly. "We could be moments away from finding the Scrolls of Thebes."
"Or moments away from being walking charcoal," Jonathan added.
Lifting the only barrel from in the canister, she opened it and peered into the small hole.
"What's in there? The Scrolls?"
"Not exactly…"
"Then what, exactly?"
Turning the barrel upside down, a thick greenish liquid flowed to the ground. The age it had been there made the smell quite putrid. "Olive oil. It would have been considered quite a treasure in Marco Polo's time."
He wasn't pleased. "No Scrolls? I was nearly baby dragon food for an 800-year old salad dressing?"
"Jonathan, shh! Keep your voice down or you'll wake the babies!"
Too late; a couple of the eggs began to crack.
On top of the rubble where the Shinshein had first appeared, the three children were standing with the scepter.
"Ready?" Jin-Wu asked. All three placed their hands on the rod.
"Dragon be gone from whence you came. Dragon be gone from whence you came. Dragon be – "
"Stop them!" the voice of the Shinshein master rang through the morning air.
The beast swept down out of nowhere, making them all fall apart and drop the scepter. It roared loudly, and more of the eggs cracked and baby dragons hatched, closing in on Jonathan and Evy.
"Is it just me, or do they look hungry?" Jonathan asked nervously.
Rick knelt on the ground and protected himself from the beast's fiery breath with dragon scale. "Get the Scepter. Complete the ritual," he ordered.
"Okay, this is it." Alex took a deep breath and pointed his wrist in the direction the scepter had fallen. Saying the incantation, he willed the Scepter to move with all his strength.
The Manacle glowed. The rod shuddered, and then flew into his waiting hand.
"Wow," he said, staring at it. "I just focused… and it…"
"Maybe there is something to that Tai Chi after all," Jin-Wu approved.
"Enough talking; let's do this!" Jena said, running over to the rocks again. They all grasped the Scepter and finished the incantation.
"Dragon be gone from whence you came!"
The beast's controller ground his teeth, and his eyes were wide with ire. He looked utterly livid.
A mighty gale flew from the table in the center, and the baby dragons attacking Evy and Jonathan were sucked in. The Shinshein resisted, and in attempt to break free it swiped at the boys. Jena pushed them out of the way, and its claw closed around her waist as it pulled her into the vortex with it.
"Jena!" Alex called anxiously.
"Jena…" a look of fear entered the Shinshein master's eyes, and the diagonal black marks vanished from them.
"Come on, Manacle," the redhead pleaded. "One more time." He picked up a small statue and hurled it at the beast. It crumbled against its flank, but the Shinshein did not release its prisoner.
"Come on, that had to hurt!"
Suddenly it screamed in pain, and its severed arm flew into the vortex. In its agony, it stopped resisting and was completely sucked in, vanishing once again.
Silence.
"What just happened?"
The beast's master dropped to the ground, Jena trembling in his arms. She was clinging to him tightly, her eyes shut, and didn't let go when he stood there – even though the danger had passed.
"Jena!" Alex called and ran towards her.
Her savior set her on her feet, but still she wouldn't let go of him. "It's alright," he said softly. "You're safe now."
He straightened his back and turned away as she eventually released him. The group heard him cringe, and he spun around again. Cruelty had entered his expression again. "There will be pain."
Before she could blink, he was holding her captive and his fingers reached out to touch her forehead. At first she shut her eyes, then they snapped wide open and she screamed louder than anyone present had ever heard anyone scream. It seemed to last forever until a burst of flames threw everyone off balance, and the Shinshein controller was forced backwards against the wall of the shrine.
Yue was standing in front of his daughter protectively. When he turned to her she stopped screaming and fell into unconsciousness. He caught her and set her on the ground gently before turning back to her attacker.
"So," he said, his words dripping with hatred and rage. "You're alive after all."
"Captain Alister," the man greeted as if an old friend. He looked pleased. "It's been a while, hasn't it? I suppose you used the Whirl of Time. I found it after a few hundred years, but with nothing to go on it was useless to me. Though I must give you credit for your use of my own Cloud seal to hide its presence."
"What did you do to her?"
"Nothing she won't welcome. When she wakes up she'll remember everything. I know my loyalty has been debatable, but I haven't changed since you first knew me."
Yue spat a foreign word that didn't sound like a compliment.
"My, my," the beast's master laughed. "It looks like you have the aid of quite a few agents of power. But… I don't think you've passed all the tests just yet?"
In response, Yue sent a scorching inferno towards him. The fire cleared, and he was gone.
"We'll meet again," came his voice, echoing from nowhere. "Make sure she knows that."
Yue turned and picked up his daughter, spreading his wings.
"Wait!" Alex called after him. "Will she be alright?"
Without answering, the arukatasu flew away.
The five remaining gathered together.
"Yue will know what to do, Alex," Evy said comfortingly. "He knows everything."
"I know," he said. Cheering up, he turned and spoke excitedly. "But did you see? I meant to do that! I can control the Manacle!"
Suddenly the said bracelet glowed, and the barrel of olive oil flew towards them. Everyone ducked, and it crashed against the wall, soaking them all in oil.
"Of course I might need a little more practice, but that's a minor detail – right?"
#~#~#
Jin-Wu supported Lin Chou as they walked out to say farewell to their guests.
"I am sorry your trip here was for nothing," the Emperor said.
"I wouldn't say that," Alex replied. "Master Chou says, 'when learning to ride a bicycle, the knowledge gained falling off is as important as being able to stay on'."
Jin-Wu grinned, and helped his master back inside. "If you will excuse me, the Emperor has much to learn."
As the doors to the Forbidden City closed, Jonathan gave a gasp that sounded suspiciously like a sob.
"Jonathan," Evy said in surprise. "It's not like you to be so sentimental."
"Not like you at all," Rick added.
"I can't help it. I have feelings, too." His sister and nephew patted his back in comfort. "That was the best vacation I ever had! They waited on me hand and foot! I miss them already!"
"There, there. You still have us."
"So… you'll massage my feet with exotic oils?"
"You're on your own for that one, pal."
As they walked back to the Zephyr, Alex said, "Hey, Mom. Do you think we'll ever see Jena again? I mean, her reason for traveling was to remember."
"I'm sure we will," Evy replied. "She had a strong interest in the Manacle. I don't think she'll leave that behind."
