Red Phoenix

wall and concentrated.
    I launched myself at the wall, took three strides up, and used the energy to lift me. I managed a few more strides and felt a shot of delight: I had it. The energy moved evenly through me and I was still going up the wall. I heard yelling but ignored it, I was concentrating too hard. As I passed one of the windows I glanced in and saw a demon materialise in the room. Simone and Michael had put Andrew behind them and stood ready to face it.
    ‘Jade, come and get me!’ I screamed as I allowed myself to drop off the wall. ‘Demon! In the room with the children! For God’s sake, get up there !’ I yelled down to John and Leo, but they were already inside the house.
    Jade flew up and caught me. ‘That window,’ I said, and she nodded and carried me to it. She flipped me out of her arms through the window and I raced towards the demon. Jade flew in the window behind me.
    Simone, Andrew and Michael faced it with their backs to me. Michael had pushed Simone behind him as well as Andrew, and stood ready.
    ‘Let me handle it,’ I said to Michael as I rushed past him. I stopped and studied the demon. It was a small red humanoid in True Form, about level fifteen.
    I generated a ball of chi and blew it up. The door flew open just as it exploded and poor Leo was covered with black stuff.
    John was behind him. He spun and raced straight back out, his feet thumping on the landing. Leo stood motionless in the doorway.
    ‘There’s more coming. They’re downstairs, Emma,’ Simone said breathlessly. She froze, her eyes wide. ‘Everywhere.’
    ‘Leo.’ Jade gestured with one gold-taloned claw. ‘Come with me, I’ll clean you up. We’ll take them on downstairs.’ She dashed past us through the door and Leo followed.
    ‘Leo,’ I called, and he turned back. ‘I’ll make a stand here with the children.’ My voice changed as my throat filled. ‘For God’s sake, don’t let them hurt my sister or her family.’
    Leo nodded then charged down the hallway.

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
    G old appeared next to me and handed me my sword. He transformed into his stone self: a human shape all of stone.
    Another red humanoid demon came up the stairs and raced towards us. I blew it up.
    ‘I can only handle a couple more before I run out of chi space,’ I said. ‘Then I’ll have to go physical.’
    ‘I’m with you, Lady Emma,’ Gold said. ‘We can take them.’
    ‘What’s it like downstairs?’ I said. ‘Bad.’
    Two more red demons came up the stairs. ‘Let me,’ Gold said. He went out to meet them. His hands grew into giant hammers and he squashed the demons flat with a sickening wet crunch.
    Gold moved back to stand beside me. He held his hands out and made them vibrate quickly, shaking off the black stuff. It dissipated into feathery streamers as it flew into the air off his hands.
    ‘Is my sister okay?’ I said softly.
    ‘I defended them until the Dark Lord arrived. They are fine.’ Gold froze and his eyes turned inwards. ‘Shit.’ He disappeared.
    ‘If you know what’s happening I’d appreciate an update,’ I said softly. ‘It’s okay, kids, I’m not talking to you,’ I added more loudly. I spoke quietly again. ‘If you can just tell me without letting them know, I’d really appreciate it.’
    ‘Birds. Fire elementals.’ The stone in the ring hesitated. Its voice went very soft in my ear. ‘A Demon Prince.’
    ‘Shit,’ I said, so quietly that the children couldn’t hear. ‘Have they stopped coming up here?’
    ‘The way from downstairs is blocked by Gold,’ the stone said. ‘Both physical and direct. They cannot come to you any more. All of you here are safe, unless the Dark Lord is defeated, which is highly unlikely.’ Its voice became fierce. ‘Get those children away from the window! Birds!’
    ‘Get away from the window!’ I yelled to the children, pushing myself between them and the window frame. Michael spun to face the window and put Simone and Andrew behind him. A crow flew in, and Michael plucked it out of the air and snapped off its head with a flick of his wrist. It made a small explosion of black stuff onto his hands.
    Two more crows came in; I took them out with the sword. They dissipated.
    ‘Close the window,’ I said to Michael.
    ‘No, don’t!’ the stone said loudly. ‘They will just come through the glass and you will be cut. Better to leave the window open and take them as they come in.’ Its voice calmed. ‘Make the sword sing as they