It is the Silver Serpent.
Youre joking. The swords name is the Serpent?
That is the Serpent? the stone said.
Yes, he said to both of us. Begin recording again.
My Lord, the stone said.
John looked down at his hands. To make Seven Stars resonate, Simone must be able to take a Celestial Form. Then she needs to light all the cauldrons and open all the gates. Do you know what a chakra is, Emma?
I know. But thats an Indian thing, not Chinese at all. You have dan tian, cauldrons and gates, not chakras.
Same thing, John said. Three cauldrons, the three dan tian. Three gates. One Inner Eye. Each corresponds to a chakra, there are seven altogether. There are seven cavities on the sword. One for each star, one for each chakra. She will need to load the sword with her own chakras for it to shine.
That will be an incredibly difficult process to master, the stone said with awe. One wrong step and she could destroy herself.
I am well aware of that, John said. I think she will be able to do it.
Shell be projecting her own dan tian into the sword? I said softly.
Yes. The sword will become perfectly aligned with her. She and the sword will protect each other. Part of her consciousness will enter the sword. His eyes turned inwards and he smiled. The experience is incredibly euphoric when you do it right. The destructive power of the loaded weapon is immeasurable.
Under what circumstances would she need to use it, though? There probably wont be any demons that shell need to fear anyway, once shes all the way there.
You are quite right, Emma, John said. She will only need to use it if faced by an overwhelming force. He leaned back. Now, go and talk to your parents.
How long do we have, Xuan Wu?
His face went rigid. Not long.
CHAPTER TWO
I went back with my tea and sat at the kitchen table. Simone was amusing my parents with stories of Zhu Ques chicks.
The birds talk? my mother said.
Theyre not really birds I began.
Yes, they are, silly Emma, Simone said. Theyre really birds. Not really children at all.
They look like baby emus, I said.
Whats an emu? Simone said.
I should take you to Australia again.
That would be fun, Simone said. Maybe after Daddy has gone, and we dont have to worry about the demons so much. After hes killed One Two Two.
My mother made a small sound and I glanced at her. Her face was unreadable.
I turned back to Simone. Its a deal. Maybe next Christmas. Even if hes still here, well go and take him for a swim in the sea.
What would you like to do today, Mrs Donahoe? Simone said. Where would you like us to take you?
Any suggestions, Emma? my father said through his cornflakes.
Its difficult on a Sunday, I said.
Why, nothing open? my mother said.
Simone giggled at that. My mother looked at her with bewilderment.
Everythingll be open, Mum, thats not the problem, I said. Hong Kong is very densely populated, and for many people Sunday is the only day off. So the shopping centres, the streets, everywhere, will be packed.
You cant move in the middle of Causeway Bay, Simone said, still delighted. The ground floor of Sogo is packed. You cant even get in.
Sogo is a big Japanese department store in Causeway Bay, I said. I dont know why, but everyone agrees to meet at the entrance on a Sunday. Its absolutely packed to the rafters with people.
Want to go yum cha? Simone said. Theres a couple of places that know Daddy, and we dont have to take a number.
Oh no, please, Simone, I moaned, you know I cant eat anything there. Hardly any of its vegetarian.
What? my father said, still through the cornflakes.
I ran my hands through my hair. Im mostly vegetarian now, guys. Sorry.
Its because Emmas becoming Immortal, Simone said with relish. Human Immortals are vegetarian. Like Kwan Yin.
The phone rang. I rose to get it, but John answered it in the study.
Tell us about this Immortal stuff, Emma, my mother said as I sat back down.
I was silent. I didnt want to go into detail about it.
If a human being attains the Tao, then they become Immortal, Simone said, her eyes sparkling. Thats what Emmas doing.
Tao? my father said.
The Way, I said. Its complicated. Id prefer not to talk about it.
You are no fun at all sometimes, Emma, Simone said, sounding much more mature than her six years.
John appeared in the doorway and leaned in to speak to us, one hand on either side of the frame. Emma, we have problems.
My heart sank. Already?
Leo called from the dojo he teaches at on Sundays. Its in Causeway Bay. Michaels there. About fifty low-level demons have turned up at the front door seeking sanctuary.
He stopped and went rigid, his eyes unfocused. Then he snapped back and smiled gently. More have turned up at Turtles Folly. And about a hundred appeared outside the car park of Hennessy Road. Altogether, about two hundred demons, all over Hong Kong, all pleading for protection.
The intercom next to the front door buzzed.
Oh my God, no, I said.
John answered it.
Yes, Barnabas? he said. How many? Okay. Ill be right down.
He came back to the doorway, leaned in and smiled. About twenty downstairs. We have a busy day ahead of us.
Whats going on, Emma? my mother said weakly.
What are we going to do? I said. I wanted to show my parents around.
We can do that at the same time, he said. You finish your breakfast; Ill go downstairs and sort out the demons here. Then well go to the Folly, then the dojo, then to Hennessy Road.
Do the dojo first, I said. It doesnt belong to us. The owner will be upset if the demons dont disappear in a hurry. Does he know who you are?
No, youre quite right. He has no idea who I am, only that Im one of the best there is. He knows I taught Li. Ill do downstairs first, and then we can go to Causeway Bay.
Damn, I said. What the hell will we do with two hundred demons?
I have no idea, John said. All suggestions welcome.
What is this all about, Emma? my father demanded.
Explain while I go downstairs and sort them out, John said.
Cant a Master do this? I wailed.
Nope. Only a Celestial, and Im the only one around today. Oh, his face cleared, what a good idea. Simone.
Yes, Daddy? Simone said through her noodles without turning around.
Want to come and have a lesson in demon taming?
Cool! Simone squealed. She jumped up and threw her chopsticks onto the table.
I wonder if you can do it too, John said, eyeing me appraisingly. Considering what you are. Stone.
The stone didnt reply and I tapped it.
Yes, my Lady?
Have a look at Emma. Do you think she can tame demons directly now?
The stone was silent for a moment. Not right now. On the inside she appears to be a perfectly normal human being.
What about the Serpent?
Damn, I said softly.
Probably, the stone said. But right now its not there.
Okay, John said. Just me and Simone then. Emma, you stay up here and keep your parents company. This will take about half an hour, then well all go down to Causeway Bay. Come on, Simone.
Simone bounced to her father and grabbed his hand. I want a demon servant for myself!
No way! I shouted at their backs. You do your own cleaning up!
I heard the door open. You are no fun at all, Emma, Simone said faintly just as the door closed.
I do not appreciate being ignored like this, my father growled.
Sorry. We just had to organise what to do, I said.
Whats the big problem? my mother said.
Demons have turned up on our doorstep looking for sanctuaryhundreds of them. I ran my hands through my hair. There are different levels of demons, and the low-level ones are usually servantsexcept more like possessionsof the larger ones. When a really big demon gets annoyed, it usually takes it out on the small ones. The demon we saw last night is a really big one, a Prince, and hes particularly cruel to his thralls. Looks like just about every single one of them has tried to escape him and turned to us.
What is John going to do? my mother said.
First he has to check that theyve really turned. Then hell send them somewhere to work for himalthough God knows what well do with two hundred demons. We really dont have the room for them.
Im really beginning to wish that Id never come to this awful place, Emma, my mother said softly. And that youd never come here either.
Youll be fine. I tried to reassure her. When John and Simone come back up, well all go down to Causeway Bay and have a look at the shops while he sorts out the demons at the dojo. Dont worry, well be safe.
I dont know how you can live like this, my father said. You act as if youre totally unafraid. As if its the most natural thing in the world.
I hardly recognise you, my mother whispered. You arent the girl that left Queensland six years ago to work in Hong Kong for a couple of years.
Im still the same person.
Youre a bloody snake! my father cried. If that lady hadnt shown us inside you, I would swear you were a different person. That you arent Emma at all.
I didnt know what to say.
Are you sure well be safe? my mother said.
Absolutely positive. I tried to smile. Come on, you might enjoy yourselves. The shops around Causeway Bay are great fun.
Simone said something about Leos mother hurting his mouth and thats why he has a speech impediment, my father said from the front of the car as John drove us all down to the dojo. What happened?
Not Leos mother, a Snake Mother, Simone said patiently. She was sitting between my mother and me in the back seat. Snake Mothers are big demons.
My parents glanced at me, questioning. I looked out the car window and didnt say anything.
What did the demons do to him, Emma? my mother said.
They cut his tongue in half, John said, without looking away from the road. Right down the middle. We were able to heal it, but hell never speak clearly again.
My parents were silent. I could picture their faces, but I still didnt look.
John made himself appear very old as we neared the Causeway Bay dojo.
Have you been here before, Emma? he said.
Yeah, I said. A couple of times, to pick up Leo.
John eased the car up into the car park and parked it not far from the smaller Mercedes.
Do you need a cover story? I said before we stepped out of the car.
No. Ill just be me, John Chen Wu. The owner of the dojo just knows my name and that Im Leos employer. He grinned at me. Do I look about ninety?