Year of the Golden Dragon (15 page)

From behind her closed eyelids, she saw a classic Chinese-style structure. It appeared to be a large building, but she couldn’t tell since most of it was hidden behind a high brown-red wall. She could only make out the top section with its steep, yellow-tiled roof. Several small bronze dragons were fixed along the sharp edge of the rooftop. It reminded her of the Imperial Palace in Beijing.

The vision began to change as it focused in on two black iron doors in the wall. A pair of stone guardian lions sat on either side of the doorway, fiercely facing down intruders. Between the feet of the female statue sat her cub, while her mate on the right side of the door sat with one paw resting on a globe. The dog-like lions seemed to be watching her. This was different. It was like she was not just having a vision, but actually taking part in it.

The heavy doors silently swung inward and an old, white-haired man in a long, dark robe stepped out. The corners of his eyes crinkled as he walked toward her with a gentle smile. Hong Mei felt herself relax a bit. Somehow she knew there was nothing to fear from this man.

When he was in front of her, the man stopped and reached for her hands that still clasped the pieces of jade. Holding her closed fingers, he said in a deep, trombone-like voice, “Dearest child. Long have I waited for this day to arrive.”

Who was this man? He seemed oddly familiar.

“We have not met before, but we are related – from a long way back,” the robed figure said.

Master Chen?

Nodding, he tenderly opened her fingers and put the pieces of jade back together in her open left palm. When it was one complete disc again, it started shining electric green. “Ancient magic has brought you here. This enchanted stone has unearthly powers.”

Hong Mei bowed her head in acknowledgement.

“You look much like my own daughter did at your age. She, too, was intuitive and brave.”

“I am neither intuitive nor brave, honourable Grandfather,” Hong Mei said, keeping her head lowered.

“Oh, but you are. Do not doubt your true self. Your father thinks your insight is the strongest part of your character.”

“Baba? You’ve seen him?”

“Yes,” Master Chen said quietly. “I have seen him many times and he continues to believe in you.”

“But he always said I was weak! He despised me for being a girl and not a boy.”

“That is not true. It was only his way of preparing you for your duty. He set about to make you resilient. Why do you think you were named Hong Mei? It was not only for the beauty of that red flower, but also because it continues to bloom even in frost and snow. Your father chose your name so that you, too, would remain strong, even during very difficult circumstances. There will be obstacles to overcome, Hong Mei, but you will endure.”

The stone shimmered as if it agreed with the old man’s words. Master Chen cupped Hong Mei’s hands in his gnarled fingers. “Objects of beauty have always tempted humans, Hong Mei. This lovely pendant is proof of how far humans will go for their desires. You must fight these feelings and think only of returning this jade to Black Dragon.”

Hong Mei lifted her face and peered into Master Chen’s watery eyes. “To Black Dragon?”

“Yes, to Black Dragon. Listen well, Hong Mei. You must make certain that you and the heirs return the jade by midnight – just before the New Year begins. All three of you must meet Black Dragon at the river in the capital city.”

“Pardon me, Grandfather. I am very confused. Madam Ching instructed me to bring the heirs and jade to her, in the capital city.”

“Ching?”
Master Chen’s eyes widened.

“Yes, Madam Ching sent me to Hong Kong to meet the royal sons. She told me to bring them and their jade to her. She wants us to use our jade to bring Black Dragon to her.”

Hong Mei felt the man’s grip tighten.

“Do not trust the Ching woman. Treachery and evil make her heart beat. If she told you she wants Black Dragon, this is already a lie. The mighty beast would kill her and use Ching’s bones for chopsticks if he so desired. No, she cannot want to draw Black Dragon close to her.”

Hong Mei felt his hands stay tight as he stared past her.

“Unless…” he mused quietly. “Unless she’s decided to end their feud.” He thought about this for a moment, then said, “Impossible! There must be another reason a woman from that clan has surfaced again.” He snorted. “It is obvious she is frightened by its dark reputation, or she would not have bothered to send for you and the heirs.”

“Dark reputation, Grandfather?”

Focusing back on her, Master Chen continued, “The jade is a reliable judge of character. It brought you safely here, to where Black Dragon and I once lived. If the centre of your heart was not true, the jade would make you suffer, not guide you.”

Hong Mei felt a wave of delight at his words, but immediately after, guilt returned. She wished she was as good as Master Chen seemed to think.

The old man seemed to read her thoughts. “Trust in yourself, Hong Mei, and remember that even with the jade’s assistance, great caution is needed in your quest. It
must
be passed from you three heirs directly to Black Dragon. That is what was promised.”

“But Grandfather, I met Black Dragon and he was terrifying.” She felt a surge of pain run through her wounded arm.

“Do not fear Black Dragon, Granddaughter. He only wants his precious jade so that humans cannot misuse its powers after he is gone. Black Dragon gave up his chance at immortality for us. He asked only that we return his jade before he dies. We must respect this.”

“Must we
give
Black Dragon our jade? Can we not just show it to him?”

“No!” Master Chen bellowed. His voice thundered across the ages. “You must not even think this way. The fate of our family and the Emperor’s heirs lies with you. Since this Ching woman has emerged, perhaps even more people will be harmed. Your father told me of your visions and I fear they are not only images of our grisly past. They may be portents of an even more terrible future. Too many will die if the promise is not kept, just as they did so very long ago.”

His voice became quiet again. “There is much to be learned from dragons, Hong Mei. It is so very sad that your generation will live without them. But your peers are fortunate to have you in their midst. You, with your gift of dragon’s blood.”

“Dragon’s
blood?”

“Of course,” Master Chen said, his face smiling and frowning at the same time. “Did you not know? It was a gift from the creator goddess Nu Wa. To Black Dragon, she granted everlasting life. And to me, a young scholar and faithful friend of Black Dragon, she gave an infusion of dragon’s blood. Over the generations, this has thinned, of course. But your ability, Granddaughter, to envision the past and the future, proves that you have traces of Nu Wa’s legacy. Ah, child, you have much to learn before tomorrow night. I wish we had more time together.”

Hong Mei’s hands were released from his firm hold as mist began to swirl at their feet. Her heart sank as Master Chen began to fade. “Please, Grandfather. Don’t go. I still have so many questions. Won’t you please stay a little longer?” Her voice cracked. “Can’t you stay and help me?”

“No, I cannot. It is your task to perform and it is you who must lead the heirs. Remember – listen to your instincts. Be strong and proud, Hong Mei, for you are the chosen one.”

Master Chen walked back toward the door as the vapours grew thick between the two of them. He stopped and turned his head. “Use Black Dragon’s treasure only when you need to, Granddaughter. It will take you where you wish to go, but each time you use the jade, you will become more dependent on it. It is very difficult to give back something so wonderful, is it not, my child?”

Even in her vision, Hong Mei felt herself blushing.

Master Chen stepped over the threshold and through the doorway. She heard him shout a few last words, “Let nothing stand in your way.” The door closed and the building disappeared into the cloud and fog.

Hong Mei’s vision ended and she was once again all alone.

She took a shaky breath and opened her eyes to the same clear, bright day she had awoken in earlier. A shiver ran through her body. She wanted to be strong, but she was so afraid.

Hong Mei looked at her watch. It blinked 35:26:13. Thirty-five and a half hours until New Year’s Eve. The last time she’d checked was in the hotel room in Kowloon. Nearly ten hours had passed since then and she was hundreds of kilometres away. If she had ended up here, in the middle of China, where were Ryan and Alex? What must they have thought when they’d found out she’d disappeared – along with their jade?

Snap! Hong Mei heard a twig break.

The air whistled eerily through the trees. She thought she saw something move. Holding the jade pieces tightly in her hands, she felt herself being drawn toward the forest. As she got closer, she could see a break in the woods.

At the opening, Hong Mei peered in and caught sight of a large brown hare hopping along a trail. That’s what she must have heard. Stepping onto the path and looking up, she could barely see the sky through the thick canopy. The strange quietness made her nervous. Hong Mei turned to go back, but found nothing but dense foliage. The opening was no longer there.

Still holding tightly to the jade pieces in her hands, she felt them growing warmer. There was a sudden flash of green light, like a bolt of lightning hitting the ground near her. She jumped and her body tensed, waiting for – what? Another icy journey? The flash quickly changed into a steady stream of fluorescent green light streaking down through the trees. Hong Mei thought of scary movies she’d seen.

A few seconds passed with no change to its intense light. Hong Mei realized she’d been holding her breath and let it out. Thankfully, she still felt the unchanging firmness of the ground beneath her feet.

Something on the ground where the light was focused caught her eye. It was difficult to see since it was also bright green, but she realized that it was a piece of jade. Although similar to Black Dragon’s, the differences were its size and beauty. The disc was larger and it shone even more brightly than Black Dragon’s jade had when it was whole. Could it be for her? Hong Mei’s breathing quickened. Maybe it was to replace the one she’d have to give up!

She was about to step into the soft forest litter to take the jade when she stopped. Wait a minute. What had Master Chen said?
Objects of beauty have always tempted humans.

Hong Mei gazed longingly down at the shimmering jade, admiring it from where she stood. “No, I can be strong. I can be stronger than I was before.” Pulling her shoulders back, she turned away from the jade and began walking again.

For a while, Hong Mei felt good. She was confident and her body didn’t hurt anymore. Even her singed arm was less sore now. Making her way along the forest path, she was almost beginning to enjoy herself. Everything around her smelled fresh and green. She walked on a soft carpet of pine needles, on and on.

Then Hong Mei’s legs grew heavy and she started to glance often into the trees, sometimes imagining she’d heard or seen something. Ahead of her, the path stretched as far as she could see, with no end in sight. She was sick now of the smell of dirt and moss. They pressed in on her. She was thirsty. Really thirsty.

Hong Mei closed her eyes to concentrate. She heard a faint gurgle, soft, like a brook. Opening her eyes again, she followed the sound. When she thought she was near it, the gurgling suddenly stopped. Hong Mei held her breath and listened hard.

A moment later she heard it again, but this time farther away. She looked back and saw the path. Listening carefully, she followed the faint sound of running water. Again, just as she thought she was near, silence.

Thirsty and frustrated, Hong Mei stopped walking. She turned back toward the path, but could hardly see it anymore. It had grown darker, and she didn’t know which way to go – to the trail or in search of water. She felt tears coming and hugged her arms to her chest. The pressure of these past two days overwhelmed her.

Why me?

The ground quivered beneath her and Master Chen’s voice filled the air:

The fate of our family and the Emperor’s heirs lies with you.

“I’m so thirsty,” Hong Mei said.

The ground trembled again, harder.

Let
nothing
stand in your way.

Hong Mei brusquely wiped away her tears. “I am sorry, Grandfather. I understand.”

She heard the water trickling again and this time could see the small stream, just next to her feet. Had it been there all along? Hong Mei stepped toward it and kneeled down. She didn’t want to let go of the jade. Crouching forward, she lapped the water like a cat.

Once she’d had enough, Hong Mei stood again. Her head tingled and her chest started to feel tight. Had she drunk too much water or stood up too fast? A moment later, she realized that another vision was upon her. Her heart throbbed and beads of perspiration trickled down the sides of her face.

She heard panting coming from beside her and saw an image of Ryan and Alex, running hard. Their eyes were wide and filled with fear.

Chasing the boys was a man wearing sunglasses. The same terrible man who’d burned her arm at the airport. Black Dragon.