Red Phoenix

Michael’s expression was priceless. He didn’t know whether to believe us or not, but he was beginning to worry.
    ‘Don’t be concerned, you are in absolutely no danger here,’ I said.
    Leo readied himself. Michael did too, obviously just in case.
    I threw a low-level demon onto the floor in front of the mirrors and it formed into a twenty-year-old Chinese man wearing plain slacks and a shirt.
    Michael took a step back, his eyes wide.
    ‘What level is that, my Lady?’ Leo said.
    ‘Four. It’s bound right now, Michael. I can release it if you like. It will attack you if I do. Do you want me to?’
    Michael took a step forward and studied the demon carefully. ‘That’s a demon?’ ‘Yes.’
    ‘I’ve seen them before. I wondered what they were. They look like ordinary people, but they’re different somehow.’ He grimaced. ‘I thought something was wrong with me; the minute I see one I want to tear it to bits.’
    ‘Good God, he can spot them already,’ Leo said with awe.
    ‘You are a true son of the White Tiger,’ I said. ‘You will be extremely valuable to us. I’m glad you came, Michael, we can help you to realise your full potential.’
    Leo turned to Michael, full of approval. ‘You’re more than an ordinary human, Michael. You’ll probably be able to do some amazing things with training from Lord Xuan. What a stroke of luck for all of us.’
    Michael grinned. ‘Really?’
    ‘Do you want to try the demon?’ I said. ‘I can release it, and it will attack you.’
    Michael hesitated, then relaxed and put the sword away. He shook his head with remorse. ‘I don’t know if I can take one. After seeing what you can do, I’m probably not up to it. I think I’ll leave it to you.’ He shrugged. ‘Sorry.’
    ‘I can’t tell you how proud I am of you, Michael. That was exactly the right thing to do,’ Leo said.
    Michael grinned again.
    ‘I can’t put it back, guys. Once it’s out somebody has to take care of it. Lord Xuan’s too weak to put it back into the jar.’
    ‘Show him energy work,’ Leo said. ‘That will prove it beyond a doubt.’
    ‘I know what chi gong is,’ Michael said. ‘What?’
    ‘Chi, energy. Gong, work. He’s right, Leo,’ I said. ‘Michael, the chi gong you see in the park is a very low level of the real thing. Let me show you some high level chi gong—some real energy work.’
    I held my hands out and generated a ball of chi about the size of a basketball.
    Michael’s mouth fell open.
    I moved the chi off my hand and floated it around the training room just for fun. The look on Michael’s face was absolutely precious. I called the chi back and reabsorbed it.
    ‘Dragon Ball,’ Michael said.
    Both Leo and I laughed softly.
    ‘I suppose you could say that,’ I said. ‘I’ll release the demon and destroy it with chi. Stand back, Michael, and if it goes for you, don’t worry. Either just move out of the way or let us handle it. This won’t take long.’
    I released the demon and it hesitated, looking from one of us to the other. Eventually it lunged towards Michael and he leapt back.
    I hit the demon with a big ball of chi and it exploded, dissipating into black feathery streamers. I received the demon’s energy with my chi as it returned; what a rush.
    ‘Did any of that stuff hit either of you?’ I said. ‘Did any of that black stuff get you, Michael?’
    ‘We’re okay,’ Leo said. ‘Missed us entirely.’
    ‘How did you do that?’ Michael whispered.
    ‘Would you like to learn how to do that?’ I said. ‘There’s a good chance that you could.’
    ‘Hell, yeah,’ Michael said, grinning. ‘Can you do it too, Leo?’
    I cut him off before he could embarrass Leo. ‘Would you like to stay and learn from the Dark Lord?’
    Michael stopped and put it together in his head. ‘That really was a demon.’
    I nodded.
    ‘You really blew it up with a ball of energy, a ball of chi.’
    Leo and I both nodded. Leo began to smile.
    His voice filled with wonder. ‘That was Pak Tai, God of Martial Arts.’
    ‘In human form, yes,’ I said. ‘You can just call him Mr Chen.’
    ‘My father is Bak Fu, the White Tiger God of the West.’ ‘In Cantonese, yes.’
    ‘And that means,’ he said with disbelief, ‘that I really am half goddamn tiger.’
    ‘Half Shen as well,’ I said. ‘He’s more than just a tiger, he’s the West Wind. Your father’s a good friend of ours, and comes over all the time. You’ll meet him very soon, I’m sure.