Blue Dragon

matter.’
    Wong quickly stepped forward and sliced through the King’s neck. The blade went straight through without harming the King at all.
    I tried to stop him, but I was bound again. I couldn’t move.
    ‘Stupid,’ the King said.
    Wong glared blankly at the King. Then he grinned. ‘I remember. You told me yourself, you stupid bastard. Only the Murasame can destroy you. What a fucking stroke of luck. You gave it to my house guest. It’s at my flat underneath Kowloon City. It’s mine .’
    The King’s expression changed. He didn’t seem as confident. I didn’t struggle, much as I wanted to. Wong had worked it out.
    Wong threw Dark Heavens onto the dais with a clatter. He held out his hand again and the Murasame appeared in it.
    Wong screamed and dropped the blade, then grasped his hand and held it in front of his face, agonised.
    ‘The Murasame will only serve its master,’ the King said. ‘No other, unless its master wills it. Right now, only the Lady may wield the blade. Any other who attempts to use it without her permission will be destroyed. Even its touch is agony for any but its owner.’ He grinned at me. ‘Pretty neat, eh?’
    Wong glowered at me. ‘If you take his head with theMurasame, I’ll give you your freedom and Simone’s safety.’
    ‘Give me your word,’ I said.
    ‘What?’
    ‘Give me your word.’ I went to the Murasame, picked it up, hefted it and took it to the King. I turned back to Wong. ‘Do you promise to free me and keep Simone safe?’
    Wong grinned. ‘Sure. I promise.’
    ‘Liar.’ I raised the sword, swung it and ran it right through Wong’s neck.
    He didn’t stop grinning. It hadn’t harmed him at all. I ran the sword through his chest and pulled it out again. I slashed him across, attempting to cut him in half.
    ‘No good, Emma,’ Wong said. ‘I’ve been working out.’ He leaned closer to me. ‘ Nothing can destroy me.’
    ‘We’ll see about that,’ I said, and put the sword away.
    ‘I must say, Emma,’ the King said from his knees, ‘you really are incredibly attractive. Such honour and dignity. How about a Mother form for me? Before I go?’
    I ignored him.
    ‘Bind him well and throw him into the cell block at the far end of level nine,’ Wong said. ‘Make sure he can’t escape.’ He tilted his head and smiled. ‘Aren’t there a couple of previous Kings in there, rotting away? Our predecessors?’
    ‘Three altogether, all of them insane,’ the King said. ‘I will be number four.’
    ‘Until I find a way to wield the Destroyer or bring down the Seven Stars,’ Wong said. ‘Then I’ll destroy all four of you. Clean-up time.’
    The King smiled at me, still held by the senior demons. ‘Remember.’ They all disappeared.
    ‘Time for me to take over,’ Wong said with satisfaction. ‘You’ll sit right here next to me as I accept their oaths of allegiance. And then I’ll cut your arms off with your own Lord’s weapon.’
    ‘I really don’t give a shit,’ I said softly.
    ‘Let’s see how far we can take that,’ Wong said. ‘Maybe arms and legs both, and I’ll keep you under my desk and use you as a footstool. The nigger is here too, isn’t he.’ He rubbed his hands together. ‘This will be a lot of fun.’
    Wong turned and sat on the throne. ‘As soon as I’m finished here, I’ll collect a little girl I’ve been wanting to play with for ages. And a huge black faggot who I might just make play with her before I have his balls cut off. Oh, I know.’ He leaned his elbow on the edge of the throne and smiled. ‘He can play with both of you, then you can do the honours.’
    I didn’t try to escape. I knew it would come for me. It had to come for me. I sat on the throne next to Wong and placed the sword across my knees. It would come.
    I sat through oaths of allegiance from three hundred and forty-five senior demons. I counted them. Most of them grinned viciously at me without looking at Wong. The Snake Mothers especially made a point of glowering at me as they swore the oath.
    ‘The ladies want you, Emma,’ Wong said. ‘Should I give you to them?’
    ‘Oh, yes, please, Simon,’ I said. ‘I’d love to go and play with them.’
    ‘No, I don’t think so,’ Wong said kindly. ‘I think I’ll keep you all to myself.’
    Something huge and black materialised in the centre of the hall. It was like an enormous black cloud, but darker and more menacing. The cold seeped from it; theair around it glittered with