Legacy 203: Dragon Tale
Part 7
Xxx
When Julian woke up, he was staring at the wooden ceiling of the monastery. The last thing he remembered was the Dragon Warlock attacking Payton. He had jumped in between them and felt a sharp sting, after which everything went dark. As he sat up, he noticed that his shirt was gone. He checked for stab wounds but there weren't any, so he had likely been healed. He then realized wasn't alone in the room, the Zen Master was sitting in a chair across from him.
"What happened?" Julian asked. "How did I get back here? Where are my sisters? Sheng Li?"
"Your sisters are safe." The master replied. "Sheng Li was injured in the fight, but he will recover."
"And Rhys?" Julian asked.
"Destroyed." The master said.
"I don't understand." Julian replied. "What happened?"
"That's what we all want to know." A familiar voice said.
Julian turned around and saw Penny, Payton and Noah enter the room. He was relieved to see they were alright, but he noticed there was something wrong. They seemed nervous to be around him. A horrible feeling grew inside Julian as he tried to remember what happened. Had he done something horrible again, just like in Bangkok?
"Something happened when your soul was taken by the blade." The master informed him. "Perhaps it is better if your sister shows you."
Penny nodded and sat down on the bed next to him. She seemed tense as she held out her hands. Julian took her hands in his own, instantly feeling a telepathic connection between them. Thoughts and images appeared in his mind, revealing what had happened during the time his soul was taken. His heart stopped when he saw himself transform into a demonic creature that vanquished the warlock and tried to attack his own sisters. After that, he saw what Penny had seen in his own memories. The party in Bangkok and him covered in blood, surrounded by several dead bodies.
"No!" Julian yelled as he pulled away. "I can't see that again."
"You have to." Penny said. "Because it happened."
"We need to know what's going on, Julian." Payton added. "What happened was scary."
"You must face the darkness that lies within you, Julian." The master reminded him. "It is the only path forward."
"I don't know if I can." Julian replied.
"Just talk to us. What happened in Bangkok?" Noah asked. "Penny said you were with a woman."
"I don't remember her name." Julian replied. "One night, I was drinking at a bar in Bangkok when she came up to me. She was friendly, but I wasn't over Talia yet. Still, she invited me to a party and I stupidly accepted. Once there, I just blacked out and when I woke up…"
"Everyone was dead." Penny said. "I saw it. It was horrible."
"I… think I killed them." Julian admitted. "I don't remember, but I feel it. Something came over me, a darkness inside."
"Your demonic half." The master said. "It took control."
"How is that possible?" Noah asked. "I thought that the only reason his demonic half was able to take over now was because his soul was gone. They can't be two individual beings, right?"
"They are two sides, the same, but different." The master explained. "When Julian started to suppress his demonic side, it grew angrier and stronger. That is the darkness he has been feeling inside. With each good act Julian did, his demonic half grew more frustrated and tried to lash out."
"Until it managed to burst free." Penny noted.
"I killed all those innocent people." Julian said. "I nearly killed you."
"No, you didn't." Payton replied. "It wasn't the good part of you, it was the demon."
"They're the same, Payton." Julian said in frustration.
"No, they're not." Penny countered. "At least not fully. Look, I don't know what happened in Bangkok, but what happened here only happened because your soul was gone. You didn't attack us."
"How can you say that?" Julian asked. "I did something horrible."
"Yeah, you did, but it wasn't the real you." Penny said. "You're our brother. I think it's time that starts to mean something."
"We can help you figure this out." Payton added.
"I'm dangerous." Julian said. "I shouldn't be around anyone."
"Maybe it happened because you were alone." Penny said. "Maybe it's time to try something different. To be with your family."
"What if I hurt you or anyone else?" Julian asked.
"We can set up safety measures." Noah said. "Whatever is going on, Julian, your choice to be on the side of good is still what matters. That's why I was able to heal you."
"Alright." Julian replied. "I'll come home."
"Julian should rest now." The master said. "I am sure he has a lot to think about."
The Zen Master guided the others out of the bedroom. Julian lied back down on the bed. The darkness he was feeling inside was real, it was a demon trying to claw its way out. He had killed innocents because of it, their blood would forever be on his hands. He had been afraid that his family would fear and hate him, but instead they had showed him kindness and understanding. It was a strange feeling. How could they still see the good in him when he couldn't see it himself? He needed to find a way to defeat his inner demon, to prove to his family that he could be good. Perhaps if he did, he would be able to believe it himself again.
Xxx
In the garden of the monastery, Payton found Mei Ling sitting in a small alcove overlooking the valley. She was absentmindedly playing with the Dragon Blade in her hands. Payton joined her and quietly enjoyed the view to clear her own mind. What happened with Julian had upset her. It was scary to think a demon like that lurked inside him, but he was still her brother. It was thanks to Mei Ling that they had been able to restore his soul.
"Thank you for helping Julian." Payton said.
"I hope I did the right thing." Mei Ling replied. "I know he's your brother, but he is also a powerful demon. If that side gets loose again…"
"It won't." Payton interrupted her. "We'll help him."
"Because he is family." Mei Ling noted with a sad smile. "I wish I still had one."
"You have friends." Payton said as she took her hand.
"I know, thank you." Mei Ling replied with a smile. "And I know the master said I have a family here, but it's not the same."
"Are you going to stay?" Payton asked.
"I haven't decided yet." Mei Ling said. "There isn't much left for me in San Francisco and I can learn a lot here, but it's still difficult to leave behind everything you know."
"I understand." Payton replied. "How is Sheng Li?"
"I haven't gone to see him yet." Mei Ling said.
"Why not?" Payton asked. "You saved him from falling off the roof. I think he'll want to thank you. And I got the sense that there was something between you."
"What?" Mei Ling replied shocked. "No, I just met him. We were just being friendly."
"If you say so." Payton said as she rolled her eyes. "But I think you're just scared to see him because you have a huge crush on him."
"Oh, shut up." Mei Ling remarked as she nudged her shoulder. "Fine, we'll go see him, if only to prove you wrong."
Payton smiled as she extended her hand and Mei Ling accepted it. They got up and walked to the infirmary, where Sheng Li was lying of one of the beds. His shoulder had been bandaged and he seemed to be in pain, though he smiled the moment he noticed Mei Ling entering.
"You're still here." Sheng Li said.
"Of course, I wouldn't just leave without a goodbye." Mei Ling replied.
"Sheng Li, I can ask Noah to heal your shoulder if you want." Payton said.
"No, thanks." Sheng Li replied. "I'm used to getting hurt during training. Besides, it will give me an opportunity to focus my chi into healing."
"You know that gift was lost generations ago." Mei Ling said.
"Yeah, but it never hurts to try." Sheng Li replied with a smile. "Maybe you could do it."
"Yeah, right." Mei Ling remarked.
"I'm serous, you're the most talented disciple here." Sheng Li said. "Just try it."
Using his good arm, Sheng Li took Mei Ling's hand and placed it over the wound on his shoulder. Mei Ling was obviously a little flustered about the sudden physical contact, though she eventually nodded and decided to give it a try. Both disciples closed their eyes and started to breath in synch. Payton noticed that the Dragon Blade started to glow in Mei Ling's hand and a golden glow appeared in her other hand. Sheng Li opened his eyes and stared at her in amazement.
"You're really doing it." Sheng Li said.
"I don't know how." Mei Ling admitted.
"The blade is glowing." Payton said. "Maybe it is the missing piece."
The glowing stopped and Mei Ling pulled back her hand. Sheng Li sat up straight and removed the bandages from his shoulder. Mei Ling blushed as she looked at his bare torso. Once the bandages were removed, they could see the wound had been healed. Payton heard movement and turned to see the Zen Master standing behind her.
"Incredible." The master said. "You reclaimed one of the lost gifts, Mei Ling."
"I don't think it was me." Mei Ling said. "I think it was the blade."
"The blade is merely a tool." The master replied. "It cannot do anything on its own. It merely helped you tap into your true potential. You will make a great Zen Master one day."
"I want to pass this gift to the others." Mei Ling said. "Will you teach me?"
"It would be my honor." The master said.
"Does that mean you're staying?" Sheng Li asked excitedly.
"I will." Mei Ling said determined. "The blade has found its home, so maybe this can be my home as well. Payton, thank you."
"You're welcome." Payton replied with a smile. "Just don't forget to keep in touch."
Mei Ling got up and gave her a hug, which Payton happily returned. Although she would miss her new friend, she was glad that she had found a new hope and purpose.
Xxx
Just outside of the monastery, Penny was sitting in the grass trying to collect her thoughts. She was having trouble getting the horrible things she had seen out of her mind. She kept seeing all those dead bodies and Julian standing over them covered in blood. She had meant it about wanting to be there for him. It was time to be a real family, but there was an annoying little voice in her mind that kept telling her that he was dangerous.
"Want some company?" Noah asked as he sat down next to her.
"I should have known you'd follow me." Penny replied.
"I'm your Whitelighter, I can sense that something is troubling you." Noah said. "And it's not hard to guess what."
"I feel like a horrible sister." Penny admitted. "I want to be there for Julian, but I'm also scared."
"That's a valid emotion, Penny." Noah replied. "Julian is a good person, but there is something very dangerous inside of him. It's not about being scared of him, it's about whether or not you trust him despite that fear."
"I do trust him." Penny said. "I know he would never harm us intentionally."
"Then all we can do is help him conquer his demons." Noah said.
"What about the Elders?" Penny asked. "Will they still allow you to be his Whitelighter once they find out what happened?"
"I don't know." Noah admitted. "So maybe it's best that they don't find out."
"Can you really keep this a secret from them?" Penny asked.
"I'm not really fond of the bureaucracy of the Elders." Noah noted. "Besides, my first loyalty is always to my charges."
"Then we both know what we have to do." Penny replied as she let her head rest on his shoulder. "We got this covered."
Xxx
After leaving the monastery, Julian decided to return to the Turner Mansion for the time being while Noah and his sisters figured out their next step. However, as he tried to flame into the mansion, he instead appeared outside of the front gate. With a frown, he touched the gate and sensed there was some kind of barrier that prevented him from teleporting in. Foreseeing trouble, Julian used his telekinesis to fling the gate open and entered the old-fashioned way, through the front door.
The moment he entered the mansion, he noticed things were different. It had been cleaned and redecorated, while several of the art pieces and paintings in the hall had been replaced. Someone had taken up residence in the mansion.
"I knew you would turn up sooner or later." A voice said. "Are you done with your little trip around the world?"
Julian looked to the stairs and saw a young woman walking toward him, dressed in a red jacket and black skirt with high leather boots underneath. She seemed in her late teens or early twenties and had curly black hair and brown eyes. Although Julian had never seen her before, there was something uncannily familiar about her.
"Who are you and what are you doing in my house?" Julian asked.
"I hate to break it to you, but the mansion is mine." The stranger said. "By birthright."
"That's impossible." Julian replied. "I'm the last living heir."
"Think again." The stranger said. "My name is Ivy Turner, daughter of Elizabeth Turner."
"What?" Julian asked shocked.
"I know it must be shocking, but we both know Elizabeth kept a lot of secrets." Ivy replied. "I didn't find out about you until after you vanquished her. Thanks for that, by the way."
"So we're related." Julian said.
"Technically, I'm your aunt." Ivy replied. "Unless you want to count that creepy surrogacy thing she did, which makes us… more complicated."
"She's not my mother." Julian said determined.
"Good, that clears things up." Ivy noted. "Now I know I might look younger than you, thanks to Elizabeth's manipulations, but I'm actually older. That makes the mansion mine."
"I don't care about the mansion." Julian replied. "Are you here to hurt my family?"
"I have no interest in your family." Ivy said. "And honestly, I'm not interested in you either, so let's just stay out of each other's ways. Bye."
Before Julian could respond, Ivy whispered a quick spell and Julian was thrown out of the mansion by an invisible force. As he landed on the street, the gate closed and a red force field became visible around the mansion for a brief moment. Julian could barely believe what had just happened. If Ivy really was the daughter of Elizabeth, she would be trouble sooner or later. On top of that, he also realized that he was homeless now.
Xxx
On top of a large building in the middle of San Francisco, Selene was staring into the night sky. Her old prison rags had been replaced by a leather jacket and a black dress, while her long brown hair had been cut to shoulder-length. She was slowly getting used to the modern world after millennia of imprisonment. Sensing an arrival, Selene turned around and saw Bryce appear through black orbs. He was carrying a glowing white sphere, which Selene recognized as a soul.
"Where did you get that?" Selene asked.
"A soul collector named Charon owed me a favor." Bryce replied. "Does it matter, though? You need power and I have brought it. This soul belonged to a powerful soothsayer."
"Very well, hand it over." Selene said.
Bryce handed over the sphere and Selene accepted it with both hands. White streams of energy were absorbed into her skin, which filled her with power and delight. Once she was done, the sphere crumbled to dust. Using her newfound energy, she closed her eyes and focused her attention on finding Amun, as she needed him to take on the Heavens.
"Any luck?" Bryce asked.
"Silence." Selene ordered as she increased her efforts. "I am sensing something far away. The prison, I can almost see it… There."
"You found it?" Bryce asked.
Selene did not answer, instead she opened her eyes and turned to Bryce. By placing a hand on his shoulder, she transported them to their destination though grey orbs. The moment they materialized, Selene felt warm desert wind on her skin. She looked around and saw the great Sphinx of Giza in the distance. She should have known Amun was hidden here, as it seemed poetic.
"Now what?" Bryce asked.
"We dig." Selene replied.
Selene held out her hands and shadows grew from her fingers like tentacles of pure darkness. They slithered over the sands and started digging for the prison hidden underneath them. It wouldn't be long before the second member of the Trinity was free.
Xxx
The End
