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Ewan was doubled up and coughing so hard from the dust that he couldn’t quite hear what Dylan was saving.
“Dylan, Dylan, where are you? What did you say? Have you seen my dad?”
Ewan was still coughing when his friend arrived.
“Ewan come quickly, you won’t believe it.”
Dylan helped Ewan to his feet and led him back down the tunnel away from the pile of rubble.
“Did you say you’d seen my dad?”
“You better see for yourself, Mac’s with him over there.”
Ewan tried to push past his friend but suffered another fit of coughing, Anna came up behind him and put her arm around him to support him.
“Just try and take it easy Ewan, you need to try and calm down.”
Ewan let Anna lead him forward to where they could just make out Mac standing next to something on the floor.
“Ewan, Anna, thank god youse a’reet” Mac said, “when I heard the crash it reminded me of the stacks at the scrapyard the other day and as I tried to get to cover I saw yon pa just layin there and I didnna think I could leave him, so’s I started to drag ‘im oot the way.” Mac paused and coughed up a pile of dust that he hawked up and spat in to the corner. “Well that’s when I heard him.”
“What do you mean, heard who?” asked Ewan.
“Yer pa, as I wuz draggin him, he started to make like a coughin, wheezing sound, and so I dragged him to the side just as the roof fell in.”
“Where is he, is ok?” Ewan started to look around searching once more for his father.
Mac stepped back and Ewan could see his father lying on the floor. Ewan knelt down and put his ear to his fathers chest, “I think I can hear a pulse, but why won’t he wake up?”
Anna put her hand on Ewan’s shoulder, “here, let me have a look.” Ewan moved aside and Anna knelt down beside him, she felt for a pulse at Lian’s neck and put her face close to Lian’s. “He’s definitely breathing, you’re right I can feel a pulse but it’s weird, it’s like down to one or two beats per minute, it’s easy to see why they thought he was dead.”
“Maybe that’s the point,” Dylan said, “maybe he was faking being dead so he could escape.”
“So why’s he not waking up then?” Ewan asked.
“I don’t know, I’m not a nurse.” said Anna.
“Maybe he took some kind of sleeping potion or something?” Dylan suggested.
“You’re not helping Dylan.” Anna snapped.
“I just thought, I don’t know, maybe there was some kind of antidote or something.”
“And how was he supposed to take it then, if he’s unconscious.”
“I don’t know, I just... I don’t know ok.”
Anna stood up, “look I’m sorry ok, we’re all out of our depth here, we have to try and find Ewan’s uncle, maybe he’ll be able to help us.”
“I’m not leaving my dad my here, not after all we’ve been through to find him.” Ewan said.
“Well unless you’ve got a magic wake up potion or some other idea up your sleeve then I don’t think we have a choice. Someone’s bound to notice this mess sooner or later and then what will we do?”
“Do you think this could help?” Mac said, “I found some of these in the container and...” Mac held out his hand and in his palm were three small vials containing a thick greenish liquid. Each of the vials were sealed with a cork and had been dipped in wax, a small label was stuck on the front of each one and was covered in handwritten Chinese writing.
“Where did you find those?” Ewan asked.
“Like I said, I found them on the floor when we picked up the jackets, I’ve no idea what’s inside them. If I thought they might be useful.”
“What did you say your brother was in Barlinnie for?” asked Dylan.
Mac looked at Dylan and scowled, “Wot are you sayin, I ain’t messing around wiv no drugs or anything and I didn’t nick em, they wuz there on the floor.”
“Ok, ok, calm down Mac, I’m sure Dylan didn’t mean anything and he’s sorry, aren’t you Dylan.”
“Yes, yes, I’m sorry mate, I didn’t mean anything.” Dylan said cautiously stepping away from Mac in case he decided to get angry.
Mac nodded and handed the vials to Anna, she passed one to Ewan, “this writing on the bottle can you read it?”
“I’ll try.” Ewan said and squinted at the label, “it says, Elixir of Wei Boyang.”
“Who’s Wei Boyang?” asked Dylan, Ewan just shrugged, “it also say’s something about opening the petal of the everlasting lotus, but I can’t make out the rest.”
“Everlasting lotus petal, is it some kind of plant food?” Dylan asked.
Anna sighed, “Dylan, I don’t think Ewan’s uncle is keeping the secret to his prize winning petunias locked up with magical artefacts in a container in Dumfries.”
“Maybe it’s some kind of code?”
“Code for what?”
“Everlasting lotus, it could be some kind of health potion?”
“This is not a game Dylan, you don’t get health potions.”
“Yeah well, you don’t get dragons, demons and a one way ticket to hell either.”
“Guys, guys, calm down.” Ewan tried to step between Anna and Dylan before the situation got any more out of hand.
“I think maybe Dylan’s right, when I held the potion, I got this warm, kind of safe feeling, like a nice cup of hot chocolate on a cold winters night.” Ewan said.
Dylan and Anna both stopped and looked at Ewan.
“You know what I mean, it’s hard to explain, but if feels like some kind of health potion and right about now I don’t think we have a choice.”
Ewan twisted the cork and pulled it free from the vial. He then took a deep sniff from the top of the bottle, “it smells like freshly cut grass.”
He handed the vial to each of the others in turn and they all took a sniff. Instantly they all seemed to feel a little better and Ewan noticed that he’d stopped coughing, “I don’t know why but I feel this is going to work, help me sit him up.”
Mac and Anna bent down and helped move Lian in to a sitting position, his eyes were still closed and his body was a dead weight.
Ewan tilted his fathers head back and gently pulled his mouth open. The course stubble on Lian’s chin evoked a vivid memory of when he was a small child playing with his father. Riding round on Lian’s back Ewan remembered them both laughing and giggling whilst his mother looked on. A look of mock disapproval on her face, her words echoing round Ewan’s mind, “be careful, you’ll hurt him.”
Ewan took a deep breath and uttered in his mind the response his father always used, “don’t worry, he’ll be fine,” over and over like some kind of litany.
Holding the vial to his fathers lips, Ewan gently tipped the contents into his mouth and repeated his prayer to himself once more.
Ewan continued until all the green liquid was gone and he could smell the scent of freshly mown grass and meadow flowers on his fathers breath.
He handed the empty bottle back to Mac and knelt beside his father holding his hand.
It took about thirty seconds for the potion to start to take an effect but Ewan would remember it as a lifetime.
Lian’s pulse slowly started to increase and after a few more agonising moments his eyelids began to flutter and eventually opened. Lian looked up in to the face of his son and smiled.
“Uncle Lenny, your alive.” Anna threw her arms around Lian’s neck and hugged him tightly.
Lian just nodded and tried to speak but his mouth was too dry and his lips were parched.
“Water, has anyone got any water?” Ewan asked but both Anna and Mac looked sheepish and shook their heads.
“Where’s Dylan gone?” Asked Ewan looking round, he then heard footsteps from further down the tunnel and they were getting closer.
Ewan froze but before he could do anything he heard a familiar voice, “Don’t panic, it’s just me. How’s your dad?”
“Dylan, you scared the hell out of me, where did you go?” Ewan replied.
“I went a bit further along the tunnel to see if I could find anything or see if anyone, err anything was coming?”
“Well did you, is there?”
“Err yes and no.”
Anna stood up and stepped in front of Ewan, “Dylan you’re talking rubbish, now did you find anything and is anything coming?”
“That’s what I’m trying to tell you. I went back up along the tunnel and it opens out in to some big chamber at the end with loads of other tunnels all leading off. I waited for a bit but I couldn’t hear anything but I did find a room just ahead, well more like a space on the side. It looks like some kind of guard post as there’s a table and chairs and a load of stuff there.”
“Did you find any water or food?” Asked Ewan.
“Or weapons?” asked Anna.
“There’s loads of stuff, come and have a look.” Dylan said.
Ewan looked at his father and Lian nodded. They all helped Lian to his feet and as soon as he was standing Ewan threw his arms round his father and hugged him with all his might. Lian winced and Ewan could tell that his father was in pain, but Lian hugged him back just as hard.
Dylan led the way along the tunnel followed by Mac and Anna who between them were supporting Lian, Ewan followed close behind unable to take his eyes off his father.
They’d managed to half walk, half carry Lian about a hundred meters back down the tunnel. The lights this far back all appeared to be working properly and they could see clearly enough.
The guard room that Dylan had mentioned was just ahead on the right. It was a hollowed out space about five meters square and contained a rough hewn table, a bench and some empty racks that were stood against the side wall. On the back wall a natural depression in the rock had been hollowed out and a steady trickle of water kept the bowl filled.
Ewan pulled the bench away from the table and brought it close to the water. Anna and Mac sat Lian down and he lent forward resting his hands on the side of the bowl then taking a deep breath he plunged his face into the water allowing the cool water to run over the back of his head as he took a mouthful of water.
Lian sat upright and spat out the water, the remaining water in the bowl was stained a muddy red as the dried blood and dirt was washed away.
Ewan looked at his father, “how are you feeling dad?”
Lian returned the look and nodded, “better thanks, but I think I’m getting a little too old for all of this.”
“Yeah about two hundred and fifty years too old.” Dylan said and Lian laughed.
“You might be right there Dylan, I guess you’ve been talking to my little brother then.”
Ewan nodded, “I think we need to talk dad.”
Lian looked up at his son, “I think your right, but not here, when this is over. The main thing now is to get you home safely.”
“But what about Monkey?”
“As much as it pains me to say this, he knew the risks. I’ll be able to get help for him when we get home.”
“But what about Dong Shen?” Ewan asked.
Lian sat in silence for a moment.
“And what about the relic? Monkey was going to give Dong Shen a fake one. The real one was in my bag.”
Lian looked incredulous. “Are you telling me that you brought one of the most dangerous relics of all time in to hell in a backpack, what were you thinking?”
“We didn’t know, how could we, you never told me anything about this.” Ewan said.
“And for good reason, where is the relic now?”
“We were hiding in the desert waiting for Monkey’s signal, but some demons came and we had to move quickly. I left my bag behind by accident and some demons took it.”
Lian sighed, “I’m not surprised, Dong Shen was most likely able to sense its presence. It’s probably a good thing that you left it behind. But that’s not our concern now, I have to get you home, all of you, I promised...”
“Dad,” Ewan interrupted. “There’s something else, something else was in my backpack.”
“What?”
“Bai, the Dragon spirit. He was the one that opened the portal to get us here, he was helping us but the effort was too much for him and he disappeared back into his box.”
The expression on Lian’s face dropped, “The Dragon Lord is here? Tell me, what has been happening.”
Ewan recounted the events of the last few days starting with the break in at the house and as he spoke Lian’s expression changed to one of deep regret and he sank his head in to his hands.
“Ewan, oh Ewan, I have failed you just like I failed your mother and my brothers all those years ago.”
“What does it all mean dad? The dreams, Bai, Monkey, being here in hell? What does it all mean?”
“It means...” Lian sighed, “it means even if you run for two hundred years you’ll never outrun your destiny, who you were born to be.”
Ewan looked at his feet, not able to make eye contact with his father.
“It means son, that I must go back and stop Dong Shen, he can’t be allowed to rise back to his former position especially not with the power of a spirit orb to wield.”
“I’m coming too, it’s my fault he has his sword and Bai and...”
Lian stood up and placed his hands on his sons shoulders. “Ewan it’s not your fault, how could you have known, I’ve kept this world secret from you all of your life because I was scared of losing you like I lost everything else. This life has taken so much from me and I’m not prepared to let it take you as well.”
Ewan hugged his father, “I love you dad but we can’t stop here and we’ve got no way of getting home without you.”
Lian looked at each of Ewan’s friends in turn and shook his head, “I’m indebted to each and everyone of you for staying with my son and helping him.” He then stepped back from Ewan and addressing the group he bowed deeply. “As a member of the Wu clan and as someone who has fought for centuries to preserve the balance between heaven and hell, I Tiger Wu do solemnly promise that if it’s the last thing I ever do I’ll make sure you all get home safely.”
Dylan, Anna and Mac looked at each other a little awkwardly and then all together they returned Lian’s bow.
Nodding, Lian turned once more to his son, “gather your things, stay close and do exactly what I say. We have no time to delay we have to leave now.”
Lian led the way back down the tunnel towards the large chamber. The combined effects of the short rest, the cold water and Mac’s potion had gone a long way to restoring his former prowess. Ewan noticed that his father seemed to stand a little straighter as if a large weight had been lifted from his shoulders and he hoped he’d be able to live up to his fathers expectations.
When they reached the chamber Lian motioned for them to stop and stay close by the wall and be quiet. He carefully crept into the chamber and circled the room making sure to stay close to the outer rim, as he approached each exit he stopped and sniffed the air whilst listening intently. Ewan watched his father, his head tilted back, nose twitching, eyes squinting and was reminded of a prowling tiger, the feline grace, poised to strike in an instant and ready to use his claw like fingers to rip open any opponent.
Lian paused as he neared the next exit and flattened himself against the wall. He signalled to Ewan to crouch down and stay still.
A second later Ewan heard the footsteps approaching and what sounded like a pair of grumbling guards marched into the chamber.
Waiting until the second guard had passed Lian stole forward and grabbed him round the throat, at the same time he kicked the guards knee out from behind and before the guard had a chance to fall back or shout out Lian had snapped his neck. However Lian wasn’t quick enough to catch the guards spear which clattered to the floor alerting his companion who turned and upon seeing Lian standing over his fallen comrade roared and rushed forward, his own spear poised ready. Lian dived and rolled across the floor picking up the fallen spear as he did. Springing up from the floor with cat like reflex’s Lian thrust the spear up and caught the second guard under the chin, the guard’s roar died in his throat as he sunk to his knees before his weight caused his body to collapse to the side.
Anna stood shocked eyes wide open, hand covering the scream which she desperately tried to suppress. Lian quickly looked around and not hearing any further noises motioned Mac to come forward and help him move the bodies.
Together they dragged the bodies back into the corridor where the others were hiding.
Lian quickly went back and completed his circuit of the chamber before returning to Ewan and his friends.
“Follow me closely and if we meet anyone else along the way make sure to stay hidden, and use these only as a last resort.”
He wiped the blood off the end of the one spear and handed it to Mac, the other he he passed to Anna, “stay in front and keep the sharp end pointed forwards and if anything charges at you let it impale itself if you can.”
Lian performed a quick cursory search of the guards bodies. The leader had a Dao style sabre in a scabbard on his back which Lian removed and placed on the floor, it reminded Ewan of the weapon he’d seen his father wield many times before in his dreams.
Both guards also had heavy wooden coshes hooked on to their belts, he removed these and handed one to Ewan and the other to Dylan. “Remember this is not a game, any fight is a fight for your life. If you have to hit, hit hard, hit fast and hit first. Demons are thick headed and can be hard to put down but together you can do it.”
Dylan looked down at the bodies and back to Lian, “you make it look so easy Mr Wu.”
“Practice Dylan, practice. Now no more talking we have to hurry, Monkey is that way.” He picked up the Dao pointed towards the corridor where the guards had come from and quietly headed off, Ewan and his friends quickly followed behind.
Lian led the way down the corridor which soon became a maze of corridors pausing occasionally to sniff the air particularly when they came to any turns or junctions. Despite hearing the grunt of guards in the distance on a couple of occasions they managed to make it to the cell block without being discovered again.
The door to the cell block was at the end of a short corridor, Lian stood at the entrance and placed his hands on the door listening intently for any sounds from the other side. When he was confident that the room beyond was empty he crouched low and pushed the door open a fraction and sniffed again, nodding he opened the door just wide enough to allow everyone to slip through and then carefully closed it behind them.
Ewan looked round the room, like the corridors it seemed to have been hewn from the mountain and was lit accordingly with a couple of bulkhead lights high along each wall.
The room was sparsely furnished consisting of a similar rough hewn table and empty rack presumably for holding weapons or equipment, there was another bowl like depression at the far end that had a steady flow of water trickling in to it.
The cell block appeared to contain six cells set along the two side walls. Each one was covered by a heavy looking wooden door that had a hinged observation cover set at about two meters.
“What are we doing here?” Ewan asked his father.
“Hopefully getting a drink, I’m parched.” said Dylan heading for the bowl at the far end of the room, but Lian put his hand out to stop him before he could move too far.
“Then why are you heading for the guards piss bowl?” he asked.
The others smirked and Dylan stopped dead and looked back at Lian, “I… err…”.
“First rule, never assume anything, and always double check. A lot of things don’t work the same here.”, Dylan nodded his thanks and returned to stand next to Ewan with a sheepish look on his face.
“Is Monkey here?” asked Ewan, “how did you know?”
Lian nodded towards his son and pointed to the cell in the far corner,
“The smell.”
“Wow, you can smell him from all the way back there, he must have some serious odour issues then.”
Anna punched Dylan in the arm and he shut up, “No you idiot, it’s a sweeter smell like some kind of flower perfume, can’t you smell it?”
Dylan shook his head.
Lian smiled, “Anna is right, I’m very impressed my dear, well done, do you recognise it?”
“It reminds me of some that my mum has, but she keeps it for very special occasions, how did Monkey get it?”
“It’s the concentrated essence of the Midnight Jade Orchid, a very rare flower that only grows on a certain mountain from where the Wu family originated in China, traditionally it is used by a bride on her wedding night to encourage her husband to come and find her.” Lian paused, “I kept a bottle with me when I left China and gave it to your aunt, Ewan’s mother on our wedding night. After she…”, Lian paused again and took a deep breathe. “After I lost Sally, I eventually gave all of her things to her sister. I noticed that Monkey was wearing the same scent when we fought earlier in the pit, it is a scent that is very difficult to mask and is very long lasting. He knew I’d remember it and he knew that I’d be able to use it to track where ever he’d been and that it would lead me back to him.”
As Lian was talking he moved over to the furthest door, it was held in place by two heavy bolts at top of bottom. From inside they could hear a voice they all instantly recognised.
“Hey, it’s about bloody time you showed up, I’m due back in the arena shortly, so you better hurry, my escorts are likely to return soon.”