The Second Circlet: The Old Places - 13. The Green Dragon Crescent Blade

Surrounding them on all sides, the emerald splendour of the Wudang Mountains rose about them calling to mind the silk-screen paintings of old Chinese masters.

To Moira’s eye, she’d never tire of this particularly beautiful scene. She’d not been blessed with many trips to China in the past and most of those trips were spent in vast cities, teeming with people, possessed of concrete and steel canyons so unlike the natural depths and heights of the Chinese hinterlands.

As the tour guide buzzed along in English with her light Mandarin accent, Moira wondered where this latest adventure would take them. They’d obtained tourist visas to China and were ostensibly a tourist group wanting nothing more than to visit the Wudang Taoist Complex along with hundreds of other Western tourists. The home of Tai Chi was a well known and a well loved tourist attraction in China. From those wanting to have a true ‘Kung Fu’ experience to those serious about the intricacies of Tai Chi and the other Martial Arts associated with the Wudang School, Wudang hosted a vast assortment of interested parties.

This was unlike their other adventures where their party was largely alone in its endeavours. This time they would be ensconced within a highly organised and supervised contingent of other Westerners approved to visit the Wudang Taoist temples. The Chinese Authorities closely monitor visitors and this was a concern for Moira since they were seeking to borrow one of China’s cultural treasures…The Green Dragon Crescent Blade of Guan Yu!

They were there without a definitive contact and with little more than a consensus of divination between both Viviane and Nommo that the cohort’s next target was a legendary Chinese pole-arm of remarkable potency deriving its power from the Qi Force. Moira’s knowledge of artefacts led her to the conclusion that this mysterious weapon could be none other than the Green Dragon Crescent Blade: a national treasure to the Chinese and a religious icon of veneration to Taoists and Chinese Buddhists alike.

The location of the blade is well known as it is on active display in the Purple Cloud Temple on Zhanqi Peak in the Wudang mountain range. Moira could certainly go and visit the thing, but to take it… Could she and the others convince the Government of China to put the legendary blade back into the service of protecting China from the Feyish onslaught to come? She highly doubted it. What’s more…she couldn’t even be sure that the blade on display was, in fact, the true Green Dragon Crescent Blade or simply a replica.

She’d voiced her concerns to the group and almost everyone agreed that taking the blade might not be possible. Unlike all their other magical artefacts, this one was publicly known and extracting it would have to be an act of national trust. Stealing it was not an option. Moira was resolved on this. All they needed was the Chinese Authorities to label them as criminals. The cohort had enough to worry about with Feyish assassins now leaking into the world to find and destroy them. They didn’t need Chinese security forces hunting them down as well. So, there lay the quandary. How could they convince the Chinese Authorities to lend them the use of the Green Dragon Crescent Blade? Another question: who would they find to wield it?

Moira pondered these important considerations as Sean stared absently out of their bus’s windows at the unbelievable scenery he was seeing. At last they were somewhere green again! It seemed like forever since Sean had seen the colour green in any landscape they had traversed. Sean never considered how barren much of the world really was. So much of it seemed to be desert or at least the parts he’d gotten to see. From Egypt to Mali and then to Northern India, everywhere they’d been seemed to be desolate. Here, at last in China, Sean was able to see a version of the emerald green of his homeland. Perhaps, it would be better to call it a jade green in honour of his Chinese hosts.

Sean did not seem to have the concerns Moira did about obtaining this Green Crescent blade thing. So far, by strange ways and stranger paths, they’d managed to accumulate quite the arsenal of magical weapons. He had no doubt that the way to this latest one would reveal itself to their motley crew of erstwhile heroes. Sean’s real question was: did they really need any more than they had? They seemed to have enough power on their side now to defeat any foe. But, for Moira and for the others, especially Joraan, they could never have enough weapons to fight what they were anticipating was coming! That gave Sean great pause. He’d now experienced the Fey firsthand. They had sneaked up on them while they were vulnerable. If not for the group’s timely arrival back from that Indian netherworld and Arinjay’s quick use of the Sudarshana Chakra, they’d all be dead now! Perhaps Moira and Joraan had cause for their determination to get as many weapons to fight the enemy as possible. Sean would have liked to have heard more about these Fey and why Joraan considered them so very dangerous, but the time for that never seemed to present itself. They had gone from one adventure to another finding these weapons not sparing time for thinking of much else.

Sean determined then to make the time for that conversation. Seemingly, so long ago in that cottage back home, Joraan had briefed Sean on Morgana and her Fae, but it was not in much detail. Joraan’s ghostly father had appeared and sent them on their mission before Sean could ask too many questions. Sean committed himself for Moira’s sake and thought little more of it than that. But, now he thought it was time to get the whole story of the Fae and the danger they represent. It was obvious to Sean that the Fae meant their deaths. The Fae assassins in India bore testimony to this. But, what of this Morgana? Joraan had mentioned her with dread and Sean knew little about her from what he’d been able to gather.

At one point, the crowd of mostly Chinese sightseers let out of the transport to visit the main shrines in Wudang. This afforded Sean the opportunity to move from his place at Moira’s side to sit across from the napping Leprechauns. Joraan and M’yn were propped up against one another, cuddled together looking just like the children they were trying to represent. Their hooded heads leaned into each other and Joraan was snoring lightly.

Sean hated to wake them, but he didn’t know when he’d get the opportunity to talk about the Fae again. With trepidation, Sean reached out to touch Joraan’s knee, but before he could, Joraan asked, “Questions have ye, Seanney?” Sean was startled because he thought for sure that Joraan had been in deep sleep! Sean thought he’d have to ward away a very annoyed little Leprechaun and his brother beside him!

“Och, I didn’t mean to be wakin’ ya, Joraan, but . . .” Sean said with some contrition.

“. . . but ye’ve got questions. I know! They’ve been screamin’ from your mind now since our last encounter with the Fae.” Joraan’s hypnotically bright green eyes opened and fixed on Sean as did M’yn’s mesmerising blue ones. Sean fought the urge to go into a stupor gazing into those otherworldly eyes.

“Uh, yeah. Mainly, what kind of danger are we lookin’ at here? I mean, what are we up against?” Sean had many questions, but this was the most pressing for him. What could they expect as resistance and what would they really be fighting against? How strong is their enemy and what hope do they have against them, being the small strange band of adventurers that they were?

Joraan heard the question and telepathically caught the gist of all the other one’s Sean hadn’t verbalised.

“Suffice it to say, Seanney, these Fae are the worst enemy Mankind will ever likely face. Beyond all the many wars that have ravaged the world of men by other men, beyond even the Promethean might of the atom bomb, Mankind has never faced an enemy akin to the Fae.” Joraan’s liltingly strange voice said dourly.

“How so, though? What makes them so tough. So…powerful?” Sean dug a bit more deeply.

“Morgana. Twisted and evil as she is, she still holds some of the power of Creation itself. She has a diadem upon her brow supporting a star-bright jewel. The jewel was once called Avlon’i Ger’Andris - The Star of Avalon. It once had the power to regrow and renew the Forests of Avalon, to foster new life in its gardens, and to seed Avalon across the world spawning new forests within the Creation. It contained the Light of The Maker and was the source for Avalon’s enchanted nature.” Joraan explained.

“Her beloved husband, Oberon, once wielded the Star in his sceptre, but upon his unnatural death, Morgana assumed the Star unto herself. Over time, Morgana’s unquenchable grief over her husband’s death drove her mad. The madness corrupted her soul and the Star of Avalon with it. The Jewel of Creation became a jewel of destruction. It began to ‘bleed’, you see. It bled Star Fire, the hottest substance to exist in our world. With this Star Fire Morgana was able to burn anything away. She could destroy anything she wished. She could have scourged the entire world with its power if not for whatever was left of the good in Morgana’s dark soul. Her restraint resulted in a more…controlled way of meting out her destructive ends toward humanity. She turned her Fae subjects into her personal soldiers and used the Star of Avalon to outfit them with armour and weapons powered by its Star Blood. With her Army she could strike more surgically than if she simply unleashed the Star’s power upon the Earth. Her soldiers were able to kill humans without doing as much harm to the environment. Morgana’s desire was to save Avalon’s Forests from mankind’s consumption by destroying all of mankind from existence,” Joraan continued.

M’yn fidgeted in his seat as if he was somehow uncomfortable with Joraan’s explanations.

“Mary, Mother of God!” was all that Sean could mutter as he stared aghast at Joraan.

After a minute of shocked silence Sean asked, “Against such power, what chance do we have? What chance do any of us have?”

“Our hope grows with each new artefact of power we find in the world, Seanney. The Maker Of All Things must be smiling down on us indeed to have given us this much time to gather what weapons we can. Mankind might stand a chance if we can bear these Weapons of Power to bear against Morgana’s army and finally against the Fairy Queen herself.” Joraan answered with a sense of quiet hope.

“There’s…one more thing that might help us.” M’yn chimed in suddenly…hesitantly.

“Oh? What might that be?” Joraan turned to M’yn with a little astonishment.

“The Fae abhor iron. Anything with iron in it is naturally poisonous to the Fae. Don’t ask me how I know…I just…remembered that from something my father said long ago.” M’yn almost sighed his response as if he was letting go some terrible secret.

Joraan’s brow furrowed under his hood as he stared thoughtfully at M’yn. It was a fact of the Fae Joraan didn’t know! Where did M’yn come by this information? It was unknown at the time of the first war with the Fae, though, it made sense in retrospect. The Fae were mortally afraid of Sídhe weapons and the Sídhe regularly used ferrous materials to make them. It was supposed that it was the Magic imbued within Sídhe weapons that the Fae feared, but, perhaps, it was the steel instead? Joraan was skeptical, though.

“Well, if’n that’s the case then this coming fight with the Fae should be a piece of cake! A simple machine gun with steel jacketed bullets should mow down these Fae where they stand!” Sean said with some exuberance.

“Somehow…I don’t think it will be so easy. The Fae have had, literally, millennia to devise countermeasures to steel weapons. That body armour they wear…I don’t think it is just for decoration. True, my glaive and Arinjay’s discus were able to destroy the Fae we encountered fairly easily, but these are Divine weapons! I have a feeling the more conventional variety will be far less effective.” Joraan added soberingly.

Sean didn’t get much of a chance to actually see the Fae assassins that had attacked them. They dissolved so quickly from Arinjay’s counter-attack that Sean didn’t get to make out details. All he remembered seeing were tall black ‘mothlike’ people with nasty looking barbed swords! He remembered the swords better than the actual wielders since that had been the focus of his mightiest attentions at the time.

But, Joraan had faced one and had actually been injured by it before he was able to destroy the Fae Warrior who was attacking Moira back at her cottage. At least, according to the tale told to Sean by both Joraan and Moira of that night. If Joraan remembered armour on that being then armour there must have been.

“But, an aversion to iron levels the playing field a bit, I’ll be figurin’. No armour is foolproof and with enough bullets flying it might at least slow down the Fae when they attack!” Moira interjected suddenly.

“Perhaps, although, I shouldn’t figure that Morgana would begin an all out invasion of the world if she knew that men could slaughter her minions by their thousands using iron-clad bullets and bombs. She has an ace up her sleeve, I just know it! An ace we won’t know about until it’s too late, I fear. She has too canny a mind to do otherwise.” Joraan softly retorted.

With that all fell into an uncomfortable silence.

~

Long Fen bowed low before his master and stayed that way until his master spoke.

The master waited in his meditation before speaking as was his way. Patience was a continual lesson for the student. In patience resides the strength of the quiet breath - the time before the breeze blows or the water ripples. Patience was the potential of action and the greater the patience, the stronger the action.

“Long Fen. Long have you studied with me. Much have you learned from my teachings. You have mastered your tests and have stepped forth on your long journey toward wisdom.” The master’s soft and ancient voice quietly proclaimed.

“Now has come the time for your final test and the beginning of your mission. The Great Qi flows toward Yin, my student. A reckoning is coming to the Earth. A dark disturbance that seeks to upset the balance of all things. In my meditations upon the I Ching, I have seen the Yin Mother attempting to blend the Heavens into Earth and sow discord between the House of the Sky and the House of the Land,” the master professed. Long Fen remained silent as his master paused. His own often failed attempts to read the signs of the I Ching informed Long Fen of the difficulty his master must have had in divining such specific readings. Long Fen continued to marvel at his old teacher’s wisdom and powers of perception. Long Fen secretly despaired of ever attaining the level of knowledge his master had. A feeling that only brought more awe of his master and bewilderment at the faith his master placed in him. It was Long Fen’s most challenging failing…this fatal flaw he saw in himself. His own lack of confidence in his own abilities. That was his own personal Yin his master sought to counterbalance within him with his own personal Yang.

“Visitors come from the West, Long Fen. Important visitors. Already, they are upon us here in Wudang. You will greet them, be their guide, and help them with all of your powers and knowledge,” the master instructed.

“How will I know them? Many Westerners come to this very temple. Which one’s will they be?” Long Fen asked with concern. Western tourists tended to blend together in Long Fen’s mind. They were always the same…ignorant and haughty. Some even thought they understood the mysteries of Wudang completely! How could they when even Long Fen, student to his ancient master for thirty long years, had barely scratched the surface of the many mysteries of the Tao manifested in Wudang?

“You will know. They shall arrive soon. Go out into the main courtyard. Receive them and then bring them here to me. We will have much to discuss.” The master directed. Long Fen bowed low and went forth per his master’s wishes.

~

Hector marvelled at what he was seeing!

Never had he seen such a beautiful place on Earth as the Purple Cloud Temple! Certainly, in his ongoing adventure with Dr. O’Brien’s company, he had seen things NOT of this world that were more beautiful, but nothing on Earth compared with the Purple Cloud Temple! He turned to his best friend Mughamir who looked back up at Hector with the widest and brightest smile! He seemed just as excited about the place as Hector!

After exchanging their tickets for little wrist bands, Hector and the others were allowed to enter through the bright red arched gate into the main courtyard of the grand temple! The colours of the place dazzled Hector! They were many and varied and yet complimented each other so perfectly that nothing seemed gaudy or overdone! The fine details on the curved gabled roofs flared like open arms seeming to invite him in.

The courtyard was crowded with other visitors, something Hector had come to expect in China. Everywhere seemed a bit crowded, but well managed. It was a much different kind of crowded than India where the swirl of humanity seemed to move about chaotically and yet, by some miracle, work for them in getting from one place to another. The Chinese were different. They seemed to work together as a unit, cooperating with one another on where to go, when to stop, where to cue up, etc. It wasn’t perfect, mind you, but it seemed to be much more organised in Hector’s opinion.

They all approached a large staircase that ascended to one of the larger buildings in the complex. It looked like it might be a great hall of some kind. By following the crowd, their group seemed to know instinctively that this building would be their first stop in the temple. The temple’s layout just seemed to guide visitors to logical conclusions of this nature.

That was the prevailing wisdom until a short but striking Chinese man with no hair and wearing simple loose fitting dark blue garments stopped before them obviously signalling that the group should halt their progress. He bowed before them and addressed them in perfect Chinese inflected english, “I would welcome you to Zǐxiāo Gōng, known also in the West as Purple Cloud Temple. I am Long Fen. I have been sent to collect you, by my master’s pleasure. He would speak with you as you are expected.”

Hector looked to Dr. O’Brien waiting for her decision as to what to do. She was obviously as surprised by the little man as the rest of them. Hector looked over to the amazing Joraan too for guidance. Joraan seemed nonplused by the man’s seeming familiarity with them.

“Uh…expected?” Dr. O’Brien asked in need of clarification.

“Indeed. If you would follow me,” Long Fen gestured to them with a graceful movement of his hand and proceeded to walk off to their left away from the staircase and great hall in front of them. Hector was a bit confused as he was sure they were supposed to go to the main hall as everyone else was doing, but as Moira followed the Chinese man so did Hector.

“We will be meeting a Chinese Master then? By Allah, what great fun! Once I watched an American television show from a long time ago called ‘Kung Fu’ and there was a bald master that made the hero walk on rice paper without breaking it and other things! Do you think this Chinese Master will teach us how to do things like that?” Mughamir asked Hector enthusiastically.

“I do not know, my friend. Maybe!” Hector answered in his own quiet enthusiasm.

~

Wu Chi Zhong, Grandmaster of Tai Chi at the Purple Cloud Temple for many decades, stood in the middle of an ornate room on an exquisitely woven carpet. He wore loose white clothing including a tunic and loose fitting pyjama-like pants similar to those of Long Fen’s. Moira recognised the ancient man’s stance and movements to be those of Tai Chi, a Taoist practice many in China and around the world use for exercise. Few understand its martial applications and fewer still understand its deeply mystical meanings. It is a language all its own in movement and meditative thought. Tai Chi had always fascinated Moira and to see it being practiced by what Long Fen professed to be his master of the art was intriguing to her indeed!

For a few minutes all stood silently watching the Grandmaster complete his forms. This irked Sean somewhat being that he felt they were on borrowed time. He’d felt that way since their encounter with the Fae assassins in India. The thought of how close Moira came to death haunted Sean and he was all about getting on with this war and ending the threat to her as soon as they may! But, he remained quiet and respectful, his shifting feet being the only thing to betray his troubled mind.

A gentle hand settled on Sean’s anxious shoulder which caused the great Irishman to flinch reflexively.

“Peace, friend Sean. At this moment we are safely situated. Come sit with me. We can settle your anxiety together!” Arinjay suggested with a gentle white smile. Sean felt the need to vehemently disagree, but had learned, in his time with Moira, to control his more negative passions. If for no other reason than the avoidance of disrupting the quiet dance of this old Chinaman, Sean complied and followed Arinjay toward the back of the group. Both sat, Sean crosslegged on the floor and Arinjay, of course, in a perfect display of the Lotus Position.

“Simply breathe with me and think of nothing else.” Arinjay instructed. Sean dubiously complied and soon felt less anxious somehow. He remained thus situated until he heard a creaky voice begin speaking.

The voice spoke in the sing-song of Mandarin and in a stately tone. The Grandmaster stood with his hands folded gently in front of him and he bowed at the waste. He then looked to Long Fen who the Grandmaster knew could translate for him.

“By the grace of Guan Yu, I welcome you to Zixiao, the Palace Above The Purple Clouds.” Long Fen translated crisply.

The Grandmaster continued at some length in Mandarin and Long Fen dutifully translated what he heard. Moira hoped no nuance was being left out. Her grasp on Mandarin was tenuous at best and she hoped Long Fen was giving them the full story of what the Grandmaster was trying to convey.

“By the I Ching, the Great Qi of the Universe has revealed to me the coming of representatives of this world. Representatives given Powers from every center of power present within the world. Old Places where the Qi puddles like water after a great rain.” Long Fen translated.

The Grandmaster said something with a kind of staccato. A manner of tone that, to Joraan’s ear and mind, told of the man’s earnestness and resolve. Strangely, Joraan could not deeply probe the Grandmaster’s mind to learn more. There was a discipline there that managed to ward away Joraan’s mental probes! This greatly surprised Joraan. Few were the men that could bar their thoughts from Joraan’s perusing.

“The Yin waxes as the Yang wanes and the negative world seeks to overcome the positive. The state of Death seeks to overtake the state of Life. Darkness seeks to overshadow Light. The membrane between the Yin and the Yang dissolves and the Great Balance is threatened! So it is that the Qi has flowed forth to bring together its forces of Yang to push against the onslaught of the forces of Yin. So it is that the flow of Qi has brought you, the Yang, to us here as the Yin of Otherworld breaks through to override the Living World. Come, there is much we must accomplish!” Long Fen conveyed the Grandmaster’s meaning clinically. With that, the Grandmaster swept from the room with an alacrity belying his ancientness. The group and Long Fen hurried to keep up with him!

They crossed into the main hall that was filled with visitors. Many of the native Chinese turned and made little bows to the Grandmaster showing him great respect. Hector felt sheepish! None of their coterie had offered a bow of respect for this obviously important person.

The Grandmaster lead them into another hall that was even busier than the main hall, especially in the area before a glass case hanging from the wall. The crowd parted and many of the patrons in the know bowed as the Grandmaster quickly approached the glass case.

Before them, inside the glass case, was a beautifully wrought golden pole-arm with a flame shaped blade at its top and a dragon head as its pommel at the other end. At the base of the case, in Chinese and English, a title and description was printed on a golden plaque. Sean read the title of the sign, ‘The Green Dragon Crescent Blade’. So, this is what they’d come so far to see?

To Sean’s eye it was unlike any of the other artefacts they’d gathered. All of them seemed brand new in appearance without a trace of corrosion or aging. This one, though, looked extremely old and very delicate. It was in such a state that Sean was glad that it was in an airtight case for fear that it might crumble into golden dust if exposed to fresh air. How could this help them?

Out of reverence for the very ancient weapon, the Grandmaster made a slow bow and Long Fen followed suit. Hector also bowed by the Grandmaster’s example which enticed Mughamir to do the same since the boy had become something akin to Hector’s shadow since the day they first met.

After his bow, the Grandmaster abruptly turned to his right and started for an unassuming door at the back of the Hall of the Green Dragon Crescent Blade. He then stood next to the door obviously waiting for the group to follow him once again. When they reached the door, Moira noticed that it had a sign in both Chinese and English stating ‘No Admittance’.

The Grandmaster produced a set of old keys from under his tunic and unlocked the lavishly decorated door with a solid grinding clunk. The door dutifully swung open of its own accord with a healthy creak. Obviously, this door was not used often! What is more, Moira could tell it was weighted meticulously just so it could open on its own rather than having to be pulled open - or at least that’s what Moira tried to use as an explanation for the door’s bizarre behaviour. It made sense, the door was thick and heavy. It was more like the door to a vault than a regular door. It would need a gravity assist to open it.

Behind the vault door was a staircase that lead off into pitch darkness. Sean was suddenly unsure of his desire to go any further. He didn’t like dark closed spaces. He hadn’t like them since he was a child. To his relief and amazement lights instantly illuminated the staircase at the snap of the Grandmaster’s fingers. Sean was sure this Grandmaster must have magic like Joraan to do something like that! He thought this until he saw what was obviously some kind of high-tech sensor embedded into the wall just on the other side of the door. It was simply the magic of Chinese tech at work keyed to specific sounds that activated the lights.

What was weird is that after they had all filed into the stairwell the great door creaked to a close behind them and locked itself! Sean hadn’t seen any machinations to explain this so perhaps his first assumptions about the Grandmaster were true or there was some other secret trick at work.

Everyone followed the Grandmaster down the stairway that seemed to descend forever! As spry as he was for his age, Momo was secretly anxious of this because he knew he’d probably have to go back up these very same stairs when they would leave. Momo’s ancient joints complained at the very thought of it!

At last the staircase widened and the corridor opened up into a large round room carved from greenish stone. This time there was no question that the Grandmaster commanded something akin to magic. This was the case because, this time, when he snapped his fingers twice the room was suddenly lit by firelight torches in dragon shaped sconces all around the room! Joraan thought he felt shouts of power emanating from this obvious wizard! This just confirmed it! The Grandmaster had magic!

M’yn, suspicious as ever, held himself and Joraan at the back of the group and kept watch on every shadow and crevice in the round room. Any movement and they’d need to spring into action. For their whole time in The Purple Cloud Temple they had both sensed something ominous lurking in the shadows of this place. Joraan couldn’t place it as exactly evil. It wasn’t Fae induced, but it was potent and, perhaps, unhappy with their being there. M’yn was sure a spirit of incredible power lurked in the depths of the temple. He’d said as much to Joraan telepathically. Joraan found M’yn’s sharp perceptions quite remarkable as Joraan had only caught feint impressions of this something watching them from the darkness.

Joraan looked to Viviane who was quiet and introverted. She had been that way for some time. Joraan wondered what her deal was and allowed himself to probe her mind a bit. He’d love to know her Merlin inspired insights into what M’yn and he were experiencing here in the temple. However, as soon as Joraan touched Viviane telepathically she snapped her head around glaring at him. Joraan felt something akin to a mental ‘slap’ at his touch deflecting his probes. This had been the first time he’d tried to reach out to Viviane in this way so Joraan was unprepared for the defensive block. It caused him to reel as if he had been physically slapped!

“What is it?” M’yn asked with concern.

“It’s Viviane. She can block my telepathy too!” First the Grandmaster and now Viviane. Joraan wondered if he was loosing his mojo!

~ “Ask permission first!” ~ Joraan suddenly heard Viviane’s voice inside his head!

~ “My apologies, Darlin’. I’m unused to human beings being aware of my mental touch. It is just that you’ve been very quiet and secretive lately. What troubles ya?” ~ Joraan replied mentally.

~ “Don’t ‘Darlin’ me, you pushy Elf! You should be more considerate of a person’s privacy! It’s not right to just go perusing though a person’s mind like it’s an open book to you!” ~ Viviane countered hotly, sending a clear impression of her feelings of violation by Joraan’s mental probe.

~ “Again, I apologise, Viviane…but, I’d be havin’ need of your perceptions here! M’yn and I are sensing something. A presence. We were wondering if you were sensing anything yourself?” ~ Joraan asked, sending a wave of sincerity in his apology along with his growing concern over the tingling sense that something was stalking them.

~ “Very well. Apology accepted. Now, yes…Merlin’s spirit has been telling me that there is a powerful force guarding this place. Perhaps another godlike being like the ones we encountered in Egypt. ” ~ Viviane sent images of her impressions. A vision of Horus and Set appeared before Joraan’s eyes reminding him of that divine confrontation.

~ “Only, this one is different. It does not seem to be a completely ‘rational’ being. It is more like a beast of some kind. Perhaps a spirit animal?” ~ Viviane mused.

“You three are very quiet and tense. It is within my abilities to sense tension and unrest where it exists! Could it be that you are conferring about something in ways closed to the rest of us?” Arinjay asked perceptively.

“We’re being watched,” was all M’yn could tell Arinjay.

“By what, Allah forbid?” Mughamir asked in a frightened voice.

“. . . . by. . . .something,” M’yn could only relate what he was picking up in his mentally ‘listening’ to what Joraan and Viviane were sharing within their telepathic rapport.

“Ok, what is ailin’ the likes of you all? Share with the group, Joraan!” Sean commanded sternly.

Joraan glared at Sean for a second, but then relented, “Alright, Seanney, I’ll fill you in. It’s like M’yn just said. Viviane, M’yn, and myself have been sensing a presence in this temple ever since we got here. Something hidden. Something that is watching us closely and with what feels like ill intent!”

Long Fen translated this to the Grandmaster who simply smiled and rattled something off in Mandarin while making a slight bow.

“Grandmaster say: he is always watching.” Long Fen translated dutifully.

“Who is always watching?” Moira asked with some concern.

“Why….the Jade Dragon of course!” Long Fen blurted without needing to translate anything from his master.

“The Jade Dra….” Sean’s eyes widened! They’d fought Manticores. They’d been attacked by a Snake God. They’d had bloody Stonehenge fall on their heads and not to mention treacherous Elves to deal with! Now dragons?

Joraan and M’yn, for their parts, slowly placed themselves back to back and began reaching for the magical hilts of their weapons under their clothes. Both eyed the chamber thoroughly in an attempt to discern any movements from anything moving in the shadows around them.

The Grandmaster chuckled good naturedly and with a smile rattled more off in Mandarin. Long Fen translated: “You may hold your weapons. There is no call for alarm. The Jade One only presents himself if the blade he guards is in danger of being stolen.”

With that, the entire chamber was shaken as if by a massive earthquake! Pieces of plaster and stone began pelting everyone. Viviane instinctively drew Pridwen from beneath her blouse and held it aloft. The ruby red energy from the magical pendant enveloped everyone including the Grandmaster and his apprentice.

“Quickly! Gather together so that I can tighten Pridwen’s shield!” Viviane yelled over the rumbling.

Just in time, everyone had gotten themselves together under Pridwen’s umbrella when a sizeable chunk of the ceiling collapsed that would have crushed anyone caught under it! With the fall of the ceiling the west-facing wall of the chamber also collapsed. The fallen wall exposed a small lake with a beautiful garden surrounding it. The lake seemed to sparkle with its own light and yet reflected shadows deeper than normal water. The mystical water churned in such a way that the light and shadow seemed always to stay in balance.

That was except for an area at the very center of the round lake. There the water seemed to be in a tumult. The cause of the tumult was obvious…

There, fluttering above the water, was a figure with large broad moth-like wings! It was entirely black except for some bright scintillating rainbows of light threading around the figure like luminous cracks. The creature was struggling with something floating above the water that gave off an emerald glow that was like green fire flickering around the object. As hard as the fluttering being tried, it couldn’t seem to dislodge the pole-like object.

Before anyone could react there came an almighty roar from above them. Everyone looked up as a massive green translucent shape descended from the sky through the new opening in the ceiling. Everyone ducked despite themselves. Everyone except for the Grandmaster who stood waving his arms giddily as if greeting the worm-like shape of the jade coloured creature.

As the green creature proceeded out over the lake it took a more solid form, the form of a great snakelike dragon that looked like a Chinese vase painting come to life! Its scales shimmered jade in the sunlight. Its massive jaws and head were surrounded by streaming tendrils and fins like a koi fish’s might be. Its long body seemed adorned with larger streaming fins and tendrils that ended in a billowing tail. His huge claws extended like hands out in front of him, reaching for the black moth. A black moth shape Moira knew all too well though this one seemed even bigger and more nebulous than the one that had attacked her back at her cottage.

That was a Fae the Jade Dragon was attacking!

Before anyone else could come to this conclusion, the battle between the dragon and the relatively diminutive Fae was met and seemingly matched! The Jade Dragon’s first strike at the Fae was met by a dazzling flash of blinding light. The Dragon roared in pain and reeled backwards as if burned by something.

“Methenderix!” M’yn murmured to Joraan.

“Who?” Joraan was not familiar with the name.

“She’s sent in Methenderix - The Archmage of the Fae! We may not see another dawn, Joraan…” M’yn began to shiver in obvious terror!

Joraan put a comforting arm around his brother in spirit. Whoever this ‘Methenderix’ was, M’yn seemed to have a history with this ‘Archmage’.

“Do not be afraid, M’yn. It is this Methenderix that may not see another dawn by the looks of things. That dragon looks quite formidable, aye?” Joraan said with determination.

“It won’t matter. Methenderix controls a portion of the Star Blood. Nothing can withstand it! Morgana has sent her to either finish us or prevent our gathering any more weapons to use against her. She’s sent her most dread agent to do this! The other Fae we have met so far…they were pikers next to Methenderix!” M’yn said as he continued to quake. Joraan was instantly curious as to how M’yn knew all this, but then he factored in that M’yn had been a captive of the Fae for a very long time. If this Methenderix was, indeed, Morgana’s right hand then it was quite possible M’yn had encountered her before…in most unpleasant ways.

Bolts of blinding light continued to fire from something Methenderix was holding in her right hand. Each strike of the bolts drove the great Jade Dragon back. Discolourations on the dragon’s hide showed that these hits were somehow injuring the dragon.

The dragon, for his part, decided to change tactics. He faded from sight! For a moment, Joraan thought the the great creature had been sent into retreat. Such a thing happening would have given Joraan a shiver of his own if not for what happened next!

The lake began to become upset as if by a storm of winds. The focus of the upset began to take shape right beneath Methenderix. Without warning, a spout of spinning water hit the Fae and enveloped her, pulling her out of the air and into the lake! The lake itself seemed to come alive and drew itself toward the Archmage in an effort to completely inundate and hopefully drown the miscreant.

Unfortunately, whatever this ‘Star Blood’ was it was potent enough to vaporise all the water around Methenderix and free her from its grasp.

But, this had only served as a distraction for as Methenderix sought to reorient herself in the air, that Jade Dragon suddenly breached out of the water and swallowed the Fae witch whole! The dragon ascended triumphantly into the sky having fulfilled its primary purpose: to protect the real Green Dragon Crescent Blade that still floated undisturbed above the center of the lake.

Everything was as still as a misty morning on the heath. Moira, shaken by the spectacle of the battle, wondered if the silence was the onset of peace or the portent of something worse to come.

As it was, M’yn was convinced it was the latter. He knew Methenderix! She was as resourceful as she was powerful. He held out no hope that even this mystical guardian could hold out against her. Swallowing her whole was perhaps the worst mistake the dragon could have made….and M’yn was proven correct.

High in the sky a bright flash shone like a second miniature sun! Everyone shielded their eyes from the sudden brightness. M’yn did more than this, he looked down to the floor, sank there, and began weeping.

~

Slowly, jaded shadows fell from the sky floating like great sheets of green parchment. These were the tatters of the last remaining Jade Dragon upon the earth. Amid the other falling debris, the blacker than black shape of Methenderix fluttered down and returned to her task. That of relieving the Purple Cloud Temple of its most sacred relic.

Her armoured hands reached, again, to clasp the burning pole-arm. Again, the spell placed upon the damnable weapon resisted her attempts to dislodge it. Within her twisted mind she searched for a possible solution to break the spell. She released the Green Dragon Crescent Blade and made to recite an incantation she’d pulled from the Grandmaster’s feeble mind. She knew nothing of the ‘Yin and Yang’ nonsense of these Asian Men. She knew a stasis spell when she saw one, though. She knew that it had been empowered by the dread beast she had just destroyed. Now that the spell’s power source had been eliminated, it was only a matter of cracking the stasis shell around the weapon. She could then destroy it and deny these upstart Fae-killers from arming themselves against her Queen any further.

Just as she was reaching the final few words necessary to finish her breaking incantation, she was slammed aside by a powerful blast from inside the temple! Her armour held true against its strength, but only barely. She rubbed her shoulder in pain as she looked up snarling at the decimated temple before the lake.

She was not aware that the fools in this temple had anything powerful enough to actually reach her. They had all been deluded monks of their strange religion. Waving their hands about uselessly thinking they were wielding power rather than just making circles in the air.

True, the dragon entity had been something of a surprise, but nothing Methenderix couldn’t handle. Now…this!

Silver shafts suddenly shot out from the dark confines of the broken temple chamber. They were straight and true and aimed straight for her heart and head! Only a lightning swift gesture with her wand managed to shatter the arrows before they could find their marks!

She was under attack…and by the very people she had been sent to foil!

The Defenders of Mankind were here! She’d just beaten them to the punch, as it were.

She reached out with her potent mind, wondering why she had not been able to sense their presence nor the presence of the two Chinese priests of this place. She found a telepathic block up. A dead spot surrounding a very specific area within the collapsed ruin of the temple.

Mentally, she would not be able to assail her enemy. She’d have to confront them physically. Morgana will be proud of her! She, Methenderix, would be the one to put an end to these human and Sídhe upstarts! Not that failure Tyrex! Nothing would then stand in Morgana’s way of cleansing the Earth and bringing about Avalon again!

~

Moira found herself suddenly brandishing Excalibur in her hands. The sword barely had any weight to it at all except where she needed it to swing. The blade could actually guide her strokes in some way. She stood there with the sword angled out in front of her, protected by Pridwen’s shield, as this Faeish Archmage advance upon their position.

They had all been dismayed at how easily the Fae witch had defended herself against both Sean’s and Hector’s long range assaults. Hector’s Fail-Not arrows had failed as they were so speedily deflected by Methenderix’s wand and a solid shot from Gungnir’s Lance seemed to do little to no damage at all!

Moira marvelled in fearful awe as Methenderix closed in on their position. Her moth-like wings were much bigger and cloak-like than the ones she encountered with the Fae Warrior that had first assaulted her when Joraan saved her life that first time.

Methenderix verily rippled with scintillating power and her eyes cast strobes of light that were near to blinding. But all the rest of her from her voluptuous body to her massive wings were abysmally black. Without fanfare or warning, Methenderix pointed her ancient hawthorn wood wand at the company and fired a blast of pure blinding energy!

Pridwen somehow dimmed itself to protect the vision of those within it, but at the same time rippled mightily as it strained to hold back the powerful blast. Viviane seemed under a sudden strain like she was feeling pain. At her breast Pridwen’s Amulet burned a hot red as it tried to redouble its power against the Archmage’s sustained attack. The amulet began to burn Viviane’s skin and she screamed as she felt pain!

Mughamir jumped into action and brought forth the Great Ankh. He placed it on Viviane’s back and the young girl sighed in instant relief as the powerful Egyptian artefact did its miraculous work. Its healing touch healed Viviane just as Pridwen continued to burn her.

Though supported so expertly, Viviane could feel that Pridwen could not long last against the Fae witch’s assault. It just seemed to redouble as Methenderix, somehow, managed to focus even more power into her star-hot beam.

“Pridwen…can’t last…much longer! Must…DO something…to stop her!” Viviane, still shouldering the strain of Pridwen’s efforts, warned.

“Then let us be done with this!” Arinjay declared with a determined grin. He twirled the Sudarshana Chakra on his right index finger and let it fly. All time seemed to slow as the Discus of Time rent the air with its passing. The Discus turned unerringly toward its intended target, but was struck away by Methenderix’s skilful wand-craft. But, it had a desired effect. The effect Arinjay had intended - the Sudarshana Chakra had succeeded in knocking the wand from the Archmage’s armoured hand. The Discus returned to Arinjay and Pridwen flared around the group with renewed intensity.

Joraan was the first to take advantage of Methenderix’s disarmament. Twirling his Claíomh Solais blade, Joraan leapt with a snarl at the Fae witch without fear for his own life. M’yn however did fear for Joraan (much to M’yn’s own surprise) calling out: “No, Joraan! She’ll kill ya for sure!”

The ferocity of Joraan’s attack phased Methenderix not at all: “Fool! Think you that my power does come from that wand alone? Think again!”

With a wave of her arms and a flap of her mighty wings, Joraan was blown back from whence he came and rendered unconscious!

“JORAAN!” Moira exclaimed as she saw her foolhardy friend slapped back with such terrible force. Such a blow should have broken his neck for sure!

But, before Methenderix could gloat and retrieve her deadly wand, she was suddenly pulled and tugged at all sides by unseen forces. Her wings were caught up as if in the grip of something or several somethings and she was jerked about in the sky preventing her from obtaining her weapon.

The culprit danced his tribal dance with the Great Mask Of The Toloy surrounding him. Momo made sure that the Face Of Spirits was kept pointed at their enemy as the mask’s slit eyes glowed a ghostly green.

“Now is the time, my student! While this agent of Yin is so distracted! Go!” The Grandmaster urged Long Fen.

Without thought for his own life, the monk slipped surreptitiously out and away from Pridwen’s umbrella of protection. He dived into the lake and began briskly swimming to his prize.

Hector shot again at the terrifying Fae hoping that this time Fail-Not would not fail. Alas, even configured as adamantine steel, the shaft could not hit Methenderix. By some force of will she managed to catch the magical arrow in mid-flight and turn its trajectory causing it to imbed itself in the far wall. Hector thought then that only a volley of arrows would be enough to hit her, but before he could summon the power and knowledge to do that Methenderix retaliated!

Fiercely angered, Methenderix let go another burst of eldritch energy that managed to dispel Momo’s accursed spirit helpers. She dived with lightning speed toward her wand and reached it just before Sean could blast it away from her clutches. Again, Methenderix allowed Gungnir’s Lance to hit her armour square. It pushed her back, but did not penetrate! It also failed to prevent Methenderix from reclaiming her wand.

The Fae’s triumphant cackle sent a deep shiver down Moira’s spine! Could nothing stop this fiendish being?

This time, Methenderix’s attack came at Pridwen differently. The Star Blood exited the tip of her wand like tentacles. Where each of these tendrils latched on to the shield, Pridwen would react and thin as if having energy drained from it! Soon, they would all be exposed to Methenderix’s power and likely destroyed by it!

Viviane screamed as Pridwen’s Amulet caught fire with a bright red supernatural flame. Mughamir gritted his teeth determinedly as the Great Ankh vibrated violently in his hands. The Ankh shed sparks of blue energy as it tried, with all its ancient power, to keep Viviane from being utterly consumed by Pridwen’s flame!

Then….snap! Pridwen failed! The glowing shield instantly disappeared and Viviane fell unconscious to the floor of the temple! Mughamir was pushed back by the force of Pridwen’s last gasp. He became caught up in its blast and the Great Ankh tumbled from his hand and slid uselessly away.

For her part, the battle to extinguish Pridwen’s considerable might had momentarily overtaxed Methenderix’s power. The Star Blood coils that had ended Pridwen’s protection sputtered out before she could redirect them at her foes. She felt the expenditure of power within her. Her reserves were quickly being consumed. She was secretly dismayed that these mere Sídhe and human opponents had enough strength to exhaust her vast power!

But, with renewed determination, she summoned what was left of her strength and chose her primary target. If Methenderix could not deal with them all then she would destroy Morgana’s primary target. The one with Excalibur! This mere human woman Morgana had perceived in her scryings. This ‘chosen’ one!

Methenderix’s wand spat one last blinding bolt at Moira! The bolt reached Moira before anyone else could intercept or intervene to save her!

“NnnnOOOO!” Sean screamed in sudden terror and despair as he reached uselessly to try and save his beloved!

Death should have come swiftly for Moira. As M’yn had warned, nothing could withstand the heat of the Star Blood once it had been unleashed. Nothing, perhaps, except the resilience of a divine blade worked by angelic powers that far outstripped anything the Fae could ever devise!

Within the span of an instantaneous eternity, Excalibur turned itself in Moira’s hand at such an angle that it was able to entirely deflect Methenderix’s lethal attack. The bolt ricocheted off the flashing blade and stuck the water of the lake there erupting into a useless geyser of steam and boiling water.

Methenderix screamed in utter frustration! Within her hand, her wand transmogrified into a barbed dagger and then Methenderix made ready to dive at Moira! If she could not finish this ‘heir of Excalibur’ with her magic…then she would have to do it the old fashioned way!

But then, like some vengeful emerald phoenix, a flood of jade-fire engulfed Methenderix! She let go a piercing unearthly scream and then blew apart into tatters of black cinders as a flaming green blade rent her in half from behind!

Summersaulting down from mid leap, Long Fen landed deftly in a practiced squat on the lake’s shore…the Green Dragon Crescent Blade in his hands ablaze with verdant dragon fire!

~

The ancient Grandmaster finished tying the Belt of Mastery around Master Long Fen’s torso. He turned Long Fen toward the class of monks and students and declared in Mandarin: “Behold! Before you now stands a new master! Learn from him.”

All of the gathered students and practitioners bowed in respect to their new teacher. The foreign host of champions also made their versions of nods and bows in deference to their new ally including Viviane and Joraan who had been revived by the Great Ankh.

After the assembly, the Grandmaster invited the host and Long Fen to join him for tea. As they all gathered around, sitting on cushions on the floor about an intricately carved round table, Moira could not help but think of Arthur’s Round Table and his knights that occupied it. Were they the new Knights of the Round Table? If they weren’t, they made an awfully convincing impression of it, Moira thought to herself.

After tea and some excited recounting of this latest victory over the Fae, the seated host settled as the Grandmaster begged for their attention.

“I know that you are about finding as many mystical weapons to fight against these Agents of Yin. Long Fen has achieved the latest of these weapons and now I must bid him to…accompany you on your quest?” Long Fen hesitated in his translation as he overcame his shock at what his dear master was telling the foreigners. He would have to leave with these strangers, leave his practice here at the temple, and leave his students! This was not Long Fen’s desire, but he could refuse his master nothing! If he wished Long Fen to leave with these foreign-born warriors, then he would do so. But, if it were up to him he would not wish to do so. Long Fen longed for nothing more or less than a life of complete contemplative peace. He did not crave battle. It was not that he was a coward, it was just that fighting seemed like such a waste to him. The harmony of the Qi was all he wished to know. But, he knew what his master knew: these beings entering our world are upsetting the balance of Qi! They would seek to cover the world in death and destruction. The Yin would breech its great balance with the Yang and all of the natural order of things would be forever lost! Long Fen could not entertain his own selfish wishes when so much, literally, hung in the balance!

“What is more…” the Grandmaster continued through Long Fen’s faithful translation. “…I can help direct you to your next prize. Our cousins to the East have a great treasure of their own. A weapon of unmatched precision and grace that is testament to the Japanese understanding of Qi. It is a sword uniquely and exquisitely made that is the very soul of Japan’s fighting spirit!” The Grandmaster explained.

“It is called…Honjō Masamune - The Sacred Fastness of Masamune or the Soul’s Home of Masamune. Masamune was Japan’s greatest sword-smith. The Honjō Masamune is said to be his greatest work and houses his very soul! It is said to have powers, but legends are not clear as to what they are.” The Grandmaster continued.

“I cannot say where this sacred treasure is, but I can send you in the right direction. Seek out Zen Master Hiraoka Yoshiyuki. We are great friends and he can help you with the lore of the Honjō Masamune. Long Fen knows of his whereabouts.” The Grandmaster directed.

With that, the fellowship took leave of their most auspicious host. As he left with these group of strangers, Long Fen looked back longingly at his home for the past thirty years. The Purple Cloud Temple seemed resplendent in its namesake as a cloud of purple-tinted fog enshrouded the complex. As their bus moved away, the great temple was hidden from Long Fen’s sight.

He wondered if he’d ever see it again. Only time could tell.

Long Fen looked at the ‘fan’ he held in his hand. Its levers were carved in the shape of dragons and the fan’s green blade had a silk Jade Dragon embroidered into it. Such a token of home would arise no suspicions for Chinese Customs or National Security. They would never know that this fan, by the dragon’s own powers of disguise, was, in fact, the true Green Dragon Crescent Blade! A national treasure and now the means Long Fen would use to save his people from their worst enemy.