14

URBAN MYTHS

I followed a dark tunnel beyond the doorway to a sudden twenty foot drop. I peered down. I took a deep breath. What the hell, I thought to myself. Then I leaped in to the hole. I felt air whoosh past me as I fell to the ground. I landed (surprisingly) on my feet. As soon as I did a wave of boiling heat overcame me.

I glanced around to see that I was in a large chamber-like room standing on a raised platform, around and below it was boiling bubbling magma. The floors where made of a type of brown stone in the center was a black stone disc. Around the edges of the chamber was a chain like railing. It was almost like some sort of arena like in Mortal Kombat.

"Ah, Nicholas Kang Wilson," Spoke a reedy voice behind me, then there was a slight chuckle.

I swung around.

There behind me was a small staircase leading to a large throne-like chair of Chinese antiquity made of dark wood and on either side of the head of the chair was large like wooden horns made of the same dark wood. On either side of this throne was a two yard long platform made of some sort of white marble, it's ends where decorated with the same dark wooden horns. Behind it sat a large dragon disc, similar to the one I saw above the door

On either platform was a small stool, on either stool sat a pretty Chinese woman. Both looked alike, twins I guessed. But there was something… supernatural to them. Each had an odd golden glow to them, along with a bracelets that looked like flames, hair up in a bun, and a tight dragon skin-like jumpsuit that almost would of passed for skin.

But what truly caught my attention, wasn't the girls or the throne, but the person who sat on the throne. An elderly Chinese man, who looked around eighty but had to of been older than that. His head was bald, but he had a gray mustache and a short fine beard, his eyes where so dark they looked black, he wore a traditional, black, Chinese ceremonial pien-fu, a long shirt that had to of extended past his ankles, traditional red buttons down the center and red and gold dragons crawling up his chest to his shoulders. His fingernails so long and black that they where more claw-like than fingernails.

"So we meet at last," Spoke the old man, a slight smile on his face.

I knew who the man was. I had been born in LA and had heard the stories.

"Ancient Wu," I called to him walking to his throne.

Chains, kept me from going to Wu but I only needed to be a few yards away from him to do what I came for.

"You're looking well," I remarked. "For a godaver."

"Oh, come on Nicholas," Wu said, that smile even wider on his thin face. "I'm only three hundred and forty two years old."

I eyed him, his concubines, and his throne.

"Well, three centuries of crime will do that to a man," I said.

"But fear not, the end is near."

I pointed one of my Desert Eagles at him, right between his eyes. One pull of the trigger then, it would been the end of the rich, mysterious, and oldest criminal LA's ever had.

"Messing with my brother is the last mistake you'll ever make!" I yelled at him.

To my surprise, Wu just smiled at my threat.

"The Yin must balance the Yang, Nicholas," Ancient Wu said wisely.

He waved his hands, and suddenly the ground started shaking. I could hear strange noises behind me, and a deep rumbling.

I swung around to see a spectral, three of them, made of (what looked like anyway) fire and orange light.

"What the-?"

Each looked almost like a human head, each had one eye, and a horn on either side of it's head. The demons each had a skin of fiery reddish orange.

I had lived in China and heard the stories. These where (believe me or not, it's up to you) demons.

"Man," I said looking to a smiling Ancient Wu. "I'm getting too old for this."

The demons circled me in a deadly game of follow-the-leader. I shot at them three, four, five, six times. I, at first, thought nothing was happening, that the bullets where not doing anything, until they turn to face me ominously.

Damn it!

The demons dove down at me, luckily I got down rolled to the side. Quickly I got up and started shooting at the demons

Come on, come on, COME ON!

Suddenly the 'leader' of them vanished in a small explosion of fire and a blood curdling shriek.

YES! TAKE THAT!

One down, two to go.

I ran shooting until the demons turned to me. I quickly jumped out of the way as the demons sped at me. Barely being able to miss them

The same continued for the next demon.

The there was, suddenly, another rumble and not three, but six of those demon appeared. I took at deep breath and started shooting as they circled me, still playing follow-the-leader it looked like. Every time they dived I had to roll out of the way.

Suddenly another six demons appeared. Yeah, I found myself shooting, changing clips, and rolling out of the way. It was starting to become a routine, for me anyway.

They turned to me, only two left now, preparing to dive, I precision aimed at the 'leader' demon's one eye and fired. Suddenly the demon exploded with the same shriek, and small explosion of fire.

Whoa! I thought.

I had found the main weakness of those demons! But I had no time to celebrate.

I shot at it as much as I could. And as soon as the last demon turned to me. I aimed and fired.

Yes!

Suddenly there was a violent rumbling. I swung around.

Oh Shit!

It was another demon. But it was a lot bigger then the other demons.

It's horns on either side of it's head where curved, not one, not two, but three eyes peered down at me. The head was about as tall as I was.

I went at it shooting but as soon as I did it swung at me, and stared at me. It's intent obvious. I was in mid-dive when the demon hit me or a part of me anyway.

It was a stinging, burning blow across my shoulder blade. Damn, it hurt!

I leapt up firing off several rounds before it went at me, once again. This time I knew better. I got the hell out of the way then I swung around and started shooting.

The demon dived again. I jumped out of the way shooting. I was barely able to get my breath when the big-ass demon swung around. I groaned and swung around shooting.

Suddenly, there was a loud shriek and a bright fiery flash, and the big demon was gone.

Now that's what I'm talkin' about.

-

I turned to Ancient Wu. Stepping to where I could look him, square in the eye.

"Now, let's get to business, wrinkle bag," I said in an insistent tone. "Why team up with the Russkie's, Wu? I dealt with your crap for awhile I know it's not your usual criminal style."

Ancient Wu thought on my question for a moment. Then he spoke.

"Lao Tzi had once said, 'If you do not know the competitor's plans then you cannot make informed alliances'."

"Yeah," I added, knowing the saying all two well. " 'And you have to know the competitor's plans before you can crush them'."

Ancient Wu nodded.

"That is what Big Chong convinced me of, in his greed," Ancient Wu said. "Alliance's where made with the wrong people, Nicholas. The Russian has no honor."

Ancient Wu sighed weary and said, "But, sadly, a deal is a deal. And I must honor my end of the bargain."

"Too late for regrets, pal," I scoffed. "People are getting killed. Innocent people."

I pointed both of my Desert Eagles at him.

"Now tell me about this Rocky and I may let you live."

Ancient Wu shook his head disapprovingly, making clicking noises with his tongue.

"You think you are this good, huh?" He asked me. A wide grin coming on his face before I could answer.

"Well, let's see about that."

Ancient Wu waved his hands and, suddenly, my Desert Eagles where ripped out of my grasp. My guns flew in to Ancient Wu's waiting hands. And as soon as they did his concubines stood up. Both flipped foreword 'til where before me, and got in to cat stances. Their eye's hard.

"Damn," I remarked at their quickness to take me on. Getting into a fighting stance myself. "Why do I always have this affect on women?"

The concubine on the right attacked first with a switch-roundhouse kick. I blocked it and went at her with a few punches, and snap kicks.

The concubine blocked each with startling quickness. I drove her back, and back. As I did that strange golden glow seemed to grow brighter and brighter until I couldn't see her features.

I swung around with a reverse-crescent kick when she, well, disappeared!

There wasn't any smoke, any corny lights or mirrors she was just gone!

"What the hell-?" I said when suddenly I felt several pounds in the back and before I knew it I was on the my back, on the ground.

I looked over to see both of Ancient Wu's concubines giving my a satisfied smile.

"That didn't hurt. I just tripped." I said getting up.

I don't know if I said that to convince myself or to the concubines, but at the point I didn't really care.

This time the concubine to the left stepped forward. She waved her hand, beckoning me.

"Come to me," She spoke in a seductive voice.

"Ladies First," I said grinning at her.

She smiled and ran at me with a right hook. I was just able to dodge it and then I dodged the left hook she had swung at my head.

This time when she swung I got down and gave her a punch in the side.

She stumbled back, starting to glow a brighter gold.

Quickly, I went at her with a jump-snap kick and a few punches. Surprisingly all of them landed on their target. Each punch made her glow brighter although it made her a little punch drunk. She then stumbled back, glowing as brightly as the concubine did before.

"If I wanted a kiss," I told her. "I would of called your mom."

Then I got down and gave her a 'tiger sweep' to the floor. Quickly before she could disappear on me I gave her a body slam in the stomach (Yeah, I watch too much WWE, you don't have to tell me, I know).

As soon as I rolled off of her (man, that sounded kinky) she disappeared.

I glanced around for her, but only Wu's other concubine stood alone. She looked at me with a hard look, a murderous rage in her eye.

"I'm not doing well," I said, just to piss her off. "I guess you girls just suck."

Well, I did piss her off.

She ran at me with a never-ending combo of punches and fancy kicks. I was just able to block then thinking, Where did that come from?

Suddenly she pulled a move the knocked me to the ground, I quickly roll out of the way as she was trying to give me one of those ground kicks that would of flattened my ass if I had stayed in one spot.

I leapt up and gave her a punch. She blocked it. She punched. I blocked. Then I lashed out with a reverse roundhouse kick at her leg.

She hadn't expected that. As she winced I gave her switch roundhouse kick. But before I could finish she disappeared.

Damn!

I swung around just in time to block a kick from Wu's concubine from the side. I went at her with a few thrust, and crescent kicks. She blocked each then she lashed out with a kick that I caught in my ribs.

I stumbled back and quickly before she could hit me with her roundhouse punch.

Jeez, this bitch was not going down easy.

I then went at her with a few more quick kicks and a copal lunge punches.

Yeah!

As she stumbled back, she started to glow brighter than before.

"OH NO YOU DON'T!" I yelled.

I went at her with a few punches. She stumbled back, almost drunkenly.

I swung around and finished the job with a 'dragon fist'. That move pushed her back making her disappear.

I swung around, expectantly. But no one was there.

"It appears you had show your worth," Ancient Wu spoke behind me.

Damn right I have.

-

I swung around to face Ancient Wu.

"Okay where's Rocky, you dried up piece of Dim Sum!" I demanded. "I've got a bullet with his name on it."

Ancient Wu shook his head.

"You kill Rocky and you will never be released from your torment," He said, dramatically pointing at me.

Despite this, I just shrugged my shoulders.

"Which one?" I asked curiously. " I've got lot's of issues, old man."

Ancient Wu leaned forward, his black eyes looking at me intently, not blinking and said only three words that made my mind race.

"Your father's fate."

What! Rocky knows what-! Rocky knows how-! He knows-!

"What about my father?" I demanded.

Was Wu telling me that the questions about what really happened to my dad that I've had for all these years could be answered by Rocky?

Wu leaned back into his seat, a smile playing on my face. He somehow knew the questions that where playing in my head, and he also knew he had my full attention.

"Thirty years ago, The Soviets sent one of their top KGB agents to the City of Angles," Said Ancient Wu. "He, quickly, lost loyalty to Mother Russia and pursued the life of crime. Along his path he was aided by many who could not resist easy money. You know of whom I speak."

"Rafferty," I breathed. "But, what does my father have to do with any of this! YOU'RE TESTING MY PATIENCE MAN!"

"Testing?" Ancient Wu repeated putting a clawed hand to his chin as if he was thinking then he looked to me and smiled. "Ah, yes. I've saved the best test for last."

Ancient Wu waved his hands and my Desert Eagles flew back in to my hands. Suddenly he and his throne disappeared. There was a deep rumbling.

I swung around.

Earthquake? I thought.

Suddenly there was a noise, like something massive was coming from the lava From behind me. I swung around.

At first I couldn't believe my eyes. I had to do a double take to make sure I wasn't seeing things. I wasn't.

There before me was a twenty five foot long blood red and gold scaled Chinese Dragon!

Yes, you hear me right, a Chinese Dragon! Like in all those Chinese paintings and pictures.

The beast bent down and roared an ear splitting roar in my face that was like a chorus of lions roaring.

"HEY!" I called, my eardrums ringing with the sound. "SOMEBODY CALL ANIMAL CONTROL!"

I watched the beast fly over my head into the lava that surrounded the arena. It then started to play now-ya-see-me-now-ya-don't it seemed with me. Diving in and out of the lava, like a kid a swimming pool. I shot at it every time it came up. Suddenly it dived down in to the lava, out of sight. I swung around.

Where'd it go? I wondered.

There was a strange noise behind me. I swung around.

The Dragon was taking a deep breath, steam coming out of it's nostrils. Suddenly I knew what it was going to do next.

HOLY SHIT!

I dived out of the way a thick line of fire came at me. I raced to the side trying to avoid the line of fire drawing closer and closer. Suddenly the line of fire disappeared and the Dragon dived into the lava and out of sight once again. I swung around.

"Here lizard, lizard, lizard," I said glancing around expectantly (I've always wanted to say that).

Suddenly, the was that strange noise again. I swung around to see the dragon start diving in and out of the lava once again (I had a feeling that this was a game to that overgrown lizard). I went back to shooting every time it came up. Suddenly it dove once again out of sight.

"Come out, come out where ever you are," I called to the Dragon.

Suddenly there was that noise again I swung around to see that it was playing peek-a-boo again with me. I went at it, shooting.

At this point in time I was wondering if it was doing anything to the Dragon. It almost felt like the bullets where bouncing off or something. Almost.

The Dragon dived into the lava.

I swung around, alert and tense.

Suddenly it appeared right in front of me, taking another deep breath. I shot at it hoping it would work. No luck.

The Dragon exhaled another thick line of fire. I once again found my self running from the flaming death just several feet from my ass. Once the Dragon ran out of air it dived again in to the lava.

I swung around. There was another strange noise behind me. It was that Dragon again, inhaling deeply. But this time I was ready, well, sort of.

I aimed at the Dragon's mouth and fired.

The Dragon suddenly started to exhale fire, not at me but every where. It was like a explosion then the Dragon sailed into the air and then went crashing down.

"Mess with the best," I said. "Then bleed with the rest."

I heard a loud cackling. I swung around to see Ancient Wu and his throne.

I looked at him.

What was he laughing about?

"You have passed my tests," Ancient Wu said. "Congratulations Nicholas, congratulations…"