Blue Dragon

that he had never seen so many talented students in a single year. He pondered out loud that the Mountain didn’t just need to be rebuilt, it needed to be extended. And then he grinned at my moans of dismay.
    As I passed Amy, I gently placed my hand on top of her head. I felt her working under Brad’s supervision and suddenly realisation hit me like a thunderbolt. Amy was a dragon. And Brad was a demon. I had to think quickly; now that I knew the truth I didn’t have much time.
    ‘Call the energy back, guys,’ I said casually. At the same time, I tapped the stone and silently ordered it to get Gold in right away .
    ‘Everybody up,’ I said, and they all rose. ‘Remain in your pairs and move so that you are an equal distance apart in the room. Spread out and make space.’
    Gold appeared beside me.
    ‘Brad, grab Amy right now !’ I shouted fiercely. ‘Standard arm lock! Amy, if you can understand me, let him do it.’
    Brad jumped to obey me. He held Amy from behind, towering over her. Amy didn’t fight him.
    ‘Everybody out!’ I ordered loudly.
    Amy’s face went ashen. Brad’s face tightened into a grimace of effort. The other four students went out, closing the door behind them.
    ‘What did I do?’ Amy said. She didn’t attempt to struggle.
    ‘Gold, get Jade here,’ I said. ‘I don’t care if she’s in the middle of laying eggs, I want her here right now .’
    A long minute of agony passed before Jade appeared. She looked around, then saw Brad holding Amy and stiffened. ‘Get the next of kin,’ I said. ‘Tell them to hurry.’
    I told the stone to explain the situation to Gold, who passed it along to Jade, and both of them nodded without saying a word.
    Amy’s face twisted into anger. ‘Don’t move, Amy,’ I said. ‘Brad, hold her.’
    ‘I didn’t do anything!’ Amy shouted, struggling.
    ‘Hold still, Amy, trust me,’ I said. Amy subsided. ‘Hold her, Brad, a tight grip.’ Brad nodded, his face rigid.
    ‘What did I do, Emma?’ Amy said. ‘Why are you doing this?’ Her face filled with horror. ‘Oh my God, am I a demon and I don’t know?’
    ‘Just trust me and stay still,’ I said. ‘If I’m right, we won’t hurt you at all. Trust me. How long, Jade?’
    ‘Five minutes,’ Jade said. ‘It was a long way.’
    ‘Amy,’ I said gently, ‘give us five minutes, and it will all become clear. I won’t let Brad release you, because you may get hurt. Trust me, stay still. Brad, concentrate. Hold her.’
    ‘Ma’am,’ Brad said.
    Tears ran down Amy’s face; she was terrified, but she remained motionless in Brad’s grip. Brad didn’t move at all.
    ‘Two minutes,’ Jade said.
    ‘Jade, Gold, on the count of three: as much chi as you can generate, right at her head,’ I said. ‘One.’
    ‘ NO !’ Amy shrieked. ‘I didn’t do anything!’
    ‘Two.’
    Jade and Gold moved into position. We generated three balls of chi, each at least a metre across.
    Amy struggled harder. Brad held her tight.
    ‘Three!’ I shouted, and all three of us let loose with the chi right at Amy’s head.
    Amy transformed into a small black dragon, about two metres long. The chi missed her completely and hit Brad at neck height. He was completely destroyed and dissipated quickly.
    Amy, still in the form of a black dragon, threw her mouth open and roared, then hurled herself at me.
    Jade transformed, leapt onto Amy’s back and held her down. Amy’s black dragon form struggled against Jade, writhing and roaring with fury, but Jade was bigger and held her.
    Gold and I waited patiently.
    A magnificent dark blue dragon appeared in front of me, facing Jade and Amy. Its scales were so dark they were almost black, and its fins and tail were gold. It was about twice the size of Jade and had to bend its long tail to fit in front of me.
    Amy froze completely when she saw the dark blue dragon. The dragon transformed into a short, round Chinese man in his late fifties. He stood still and silent, studying Amy.
    Amy’s dragon form sagged, then she changed back to her human form. She collapsed onto the floor. Jade also transformed, and put her arms around Amy.
    The Chinese man went to Amy and stood silently over her for some time. Eventually, Amy pulled herself to her feet, Jade helping her. Then Amy fell into the man’s arms, weeping. ‘Why didn’t you tell me?’
    ‘What would be the point?’ he said. ‘Either you are one of us or you aren’t. If you are, it will happen. If you aren’t, it