Mark Chadbourn - The Burning Man

‘Why is it deserted?’ Church asked.

‘Deserted? Look again.’ Tai Sui indicated the ceiling above the throne where there was a caisson decorated with a final coiled dragon. From its mouth cascaded a series of metal balls, like a chandelier. ‘It is known as the Mirror of Xuanyuan, the Yellow Emperor.’

It showed a reflection of the room, now full of figures, all so hideous in appearance that Church reeled backwards in shock. When he raised his gaze, the hall was now as full as the reflection, but those present resembled men and women of the imperial court half a millennia gone. Church knew, though, that he had glimpsed their true form.

On the throne sat a man in purple robes, wearing a tall hat marked with Chinese characters. Green eyes stared from vulpine features; tufts of auburn hair protruded from the back of his head, running into mutton-chop sideburns and a short beard. His smile revealed yellow teeth.

‘My advisors tell me you are blown by the winds of destiny, Brother of Dragons, but I sense destiny in your stride.’ A smile flickered around the edge of the King of Foxes’ mouth.

‘We were told you had information that could help us,’ Church said.

‘Told? By whom?’

‘Seth, one of your Egyptian relatives. I think he hoped that sending us here would lead to our destruction.’

‘Ah.’ The King of Foxes tapped his fingertips together regally. ‘There are no other gods beyond the ones in this Great Dominion. We are exalted.’

‘Yes, we’ve heard that before.’

‘Tell me,’ Shavi said, ‘there are some beings of higher power who align themselves with Existence, others who ally themselves with the Devourer of All Things. Where do your people stand?’

The King of Foxes held up a medallion with a circle divided by a curving line into dark and light halves.

‘The yin and yang symbol,’ Shavi said.

‘Everything that exists is determined by a natural order based on balance and harmony,’ the King of Foxes said. ‘The universe is held in balance by two interacting forces. Yin, the female, encompasses cold, dark, softness, the earth. Yang, the male, is associated with light, warmth, hardness, the heavens. Opposites, mutually dependent, but if they are in equilibrium, there will be harmony.’

‘Is that supposed to answer the question?’ Church said.

The King of Foxes gave a slight bow. ‘The yin and the yang are present in every aspect of the world. You will see them in life and death, and in good and evil. You will see them in gods and Fragile Creatures, in the land, in animals. At the beginning of all things, the yin and the yang were there in the cosmic egg, and their struggle cracked the shell and begat the universe. And they will be there at the end.’

‘The Gnostic secret again,’ Shavi whispered to Church before stating loudly, ‘You are saying that you are attempting to balance the two sides? That you are neutral?’

‘One cannot be neutral in the currents of the universe. Sometimes the gods drift in one direction, sometimes in another.’

Tom stepped forward. ‘Why would a king sit on an emperor’s throne?’

The King of Foxes did not answer.

‘Further, I do not recall the Chinese people ever worshipping a King of Foxes.’

‘This is my throne now, Fragile Creature.’ His tone was much harsher when he spoke to Tom.

‘So you usurped it from the true owners,’ Tom pressed. ‘Where are the real rulers of this Great Dominion?’

The King of Foxes’ eyes glittered. ‘This Great Dominion is not like any other you may have encountered. It is the most powerful, and therefore the most dangerous. We did not need your clumsy, tramping feet to wake us from our slumber. We woke at the first stirrings in the chi, which is at its most potent in this glorious empire of heaven. Those who woke quickest moved fastest. And the fox is the fastest one of all.’

‘You support the Void because it helps you maintain control here,’ Church said. ‘You’re not going to help us.’

‘The Brothers and Sisters of Dragons are a threat to the eternal balance. The Hu Hsien have already attempted to deal with your kind. Good fortune was not with them that day. But now the time is more auspicious!’ The King of Foxes clapped his hands. ‘Here in my great court there is nowhere to hide, little mice.’

Church turned to Shavi. ‘Looks like it’s time.’

‘You are sure? You will be on your own.’

‘Oh, stop it,’ Tom interjected. ‘He’s been dying for his big moment ever since he got that sword.’

Shavi and Tom backed towards the door as the eight remaining members of the Hu Hsien emerged from the crowd. They flanked the throne, their human masks betraying hints of the foxes that lay beneath. One by one, they each adopted a fighting stance.

The clang of the door signalled Shavi and Tom slipping away as planned. Church drew Caledfwlch. Amidst a roar like a furnace, the blue flames rushed along the edge of the blade, so intense that even Church gasped. The brilliance of the blaze cast shadows dancing across the Hall of Supreme Harmony, and lit the King of Foxes’ face with a sapphire glow.

‘The chi,’ the king said grimly. ‘The spirit-fire fills you. I expected less … some pathetic Fragile Creature … but now I see-’ He wafted his final words away with an imperious hand.

‘We came here in good faith to find the location of the Second Key,’ Church said.

‘Not even the Devourer of All Things would be allowed that information. It plays a vital role in maintaining balance.’

‘A bargaining chip to keep you on the throne.’

‘If you will.’

‘And you would dishonour yourself by attacking someone who came in peace?’ Church chose his words carefully.

‘There is no dishonour in facing such a powerful enemy.’ He waved his hand almost imperceptibly and the Hu Hsien attacked.

Church was momentarily stunned by the ferocity of the assault. They came at him from all directions with a ritual cry, spinning and leaping twelve feet or more into the air, and as they moved they changed, their faces becoming vulpine, slavering jaws snapping savagely, claws breaking through the tips of their fingers.

‘You’ve got to be kidding me,’ Church said under his breath. ‘Kung fu foxes?’

The sounds of battle echoed as Shavi and Tom moved quickly away from the Hall of Supreme Harmony.

‘I do not like leaving Church behind,’ Shavi said.

‘We’re not fighting men. Our job is to find something we can use to convince them to tell us what we need to know.’

Shavi scanned the expansive precincts of the Forbidden City, now bathed in shafts of sunlight breaking through the silvery clouds. ‘What are we to look for?’

‘If you had half a brain, you’d already know.’ Tom polished the lenses of his spectacles superciliously. ‘You saw the reflection over the throne. Those things are demons … usurpers. The true rulers of this Great Dominion are too powerful to have been eradicated by such as them.’

‘So they will be imprisoned somewhere.’

‘I’m sure they will be very grateful if we can free them. Now enough of your stupid mutterings and put that monstrous eye to good use.’

A moment later Shavi and Tom were running north, past the smaller Hall of Preserving Harmony, leaving the ceremonial Outer Court behind, with its discreet symbolism designed to represent heaven. Ahead lay the Inner Court with its more complex arrangement of halls and avenues, designed in the shape of the Kun trigram to represent Earth.

The Guei were everywhere, heads down in their grey spirit-existence, tramping their meaningless paths. But as Tom and Shavi approached the entrance to the Inner Court, a change came over the shadowless ghosts. Across the sweep of the Forbidden City, as one the Guei turned their pointing hands towards Shavi and Tom.