Blue Dragon

any more demons from coming for us. He had filled the Serpent with shen and it sang, but it didn’t seem to make any difference to the demons. He sliced through the turtles with the singing sword anyway.
    John stood in the middle of the room and destroyed them in grim silence. He was faster than the demons, and they were incredibly fast. He was almost invisible. The Tiger battled next to him; they guarded each other’s back.
    A turtle threw itself at us and Martin blocked it. It landed with all four feet right in the middle of his chest, knocking him over. Leo leaped forward to take off its head, but it was too fast. It lunged its head on its long flexible neck, opened its mouth and snapped it shut on Martin’s throat. Martin gave a strangled cry and went limp.
    Leo didn’t hesitate; he took the turtle’s head off, then scooped up the Serpent and held it behind himself without looking back. I grabbed it, and he moved forward again, guarding.
    Martin disappeared. Dead.
    Another turtle rushed us and Leo readied himself. This one leaped for his throat, knocking him over, and he fell onto his back. I sliced its head off before it could take out his throat.
    Leo rolled the turtle away. ‘You always were faster than me.’ He tried to rise but couldn’t. He struggled to pull himself to his feet, then gave up. ‘I think I’m in trouble.’ He crawled to the wall and leaned on it next to Simone, who was still unconscious.
    I hefted my sword. I stood in front of Simone.
    John and the Tiger still battled back to back, taking the demons out around them. The Tiger’s flank was stained with blood, soaking through his fur, and one ear hung lopsidedly. The side of John’s shirt was dark with blood and there was blood on his face.
    I couldn’t do anything. These demons were far too big to take out with energy. The backlash would kill me.
    Another turtle approached us and I took its head off before it could attack me.
    Only a couple of turtles remained, fighting John and the Tiger. The Tiger lunged, took out the neck of a turtle, and it fell. The Tiger fell as well; his bloodied side heaving. He disappeared.
    John ran his sword through the top of the last turtle’s head. All gone. Most of them had dissipated, but some had died like animals, their dark blood spreading over the floor. Even in death they were grotesque caricatures of the natural animals; wrong in the wrong places.
    John staggered to us and flopped down next to Leo. ‘Has the barrier gone down?’
    I felt behind me. ‘No.’
    ‘Reinforcements are on the way, we don’t have much time,’ John said. ‘Give me a minute to catch my breath and rebuild my energy, and then I should be able to break it down and the two of you can get Simone out of here.’
    ‘We could just take Simone home, John, the three of us,’ I said softly. ‘We could just go home and have some more time together.’
    John shifted where he sat, and grimaced. ‘My side is cut open. I wouldn’t make it. I’ll use the last of my energy to unseal the door. Once I’ve done it, I will change. You go. Once the barrier is down and the Turtle is released, take them, Leo. Take them and go.’
    ‘I’m not going anywhere either,’ Leo said. ‘My spine is broken. I can’t feel my legs, I can’t move them. My Lord, quickly. They’re coming. You don’t have enough energy to break the barrier, you know it. Drain me—’
    ‘No!’ I whispered.
    ‘He has to,’ Leo said to me. ‘It’s the only way you’re gonna get out of here.’
    ‘I can’t, Leo,’ John said. ‘You’re Worthy. If I drain you, you can never gain Immortality.’
    Leo snorted. ‘My spine is broken and I’ll stay that way, I know I will. All eternity being a cripple pining after something I can’t have? Please. Do it. Quickly. My last request, Lord Xuan: drain me. Allow me to become part of you. Hurry!’
    ‘Do it, John, it’s what I’d want,’ I said. ‘Quickly.’
    John hesitated.
    ‘Please,’ Leo said, begging. ‘Take my energy. I know I’m big. Take my soul. With what I have you can get Simone and Emma out.’
    ‘Do it for him, John.’
    John shook his head fiercely. ‘I wish there was another way.’ He placed his hand on Leo’s forehead and Leo smiled up at him. A white aura of glowing shen energy surrounded Leo and he began to fade. He became transparent. John was taking all of him.
    There was a blinding flash of light and Kwan Yin appeared in True Form next to Leo. John jerked his head back