The Demon and the City

consider that her idea might have a use, for once. He listened carefully.

Thirty-Eight
    Chen leaped down from the carriage and pulled the maiden out of the way. The viperous ex-immortal bounded past her on long, thin legs, swerved, and turned back.
    "Zhu Irzh!" Chen shouted. "Get the carriage moving!"
    Zhu Irzh obligingly cracked the whip over the backs of the kylins as the ex-immortal raced back. The kylins bellowed with fright and charged forward. Zhu Irzh glanced back to see Chen and the Kuan Yin avatar hauling themselves into the moving carriage. Then the ex-immortal was sprinting alongside, the long tongue flickering out, trying to reach into the carriage itself. One of the kylins shot a glance over its shoulder and screamed with fright. Both beasts changed their shape, transforming themselves into lumbering, over-muscled men who dropped out of the harness and raced, snuffling, into the darkness. The coach skidded on the road, striking sparks.
    Zhu Irzh took a deep breath, reached down behind him, grabbed hold of the tongue, which resembled a handful of needles, and pulled. Unfortunately, the tongue tugged as well and Zhu Irzh flew off the carriage and landed in the road with the ex-immortal on top of him. Cursing, he lashed out at it but the stabbing tongue was reaching for his eyes. He twisted from side to side, trying to shake it off. The terrible blind head was moving closer.
    If it "kills" me, the demon thought, then I shall find myself back in Hell . And what a hassle that would be, not to mention, in all probability, painful. The head flung itself back, the tongue uncoiled—and then the ex-immortal was dragged off Zhu Irzh. He could hear the badger growling. Zhu Irzh lay panting on the ground, and then Chen hauled him to his feet. The maiden, with swift, calm efficiency, was binding the ex-immortal's hands behind its back with its own tongue. The spines seemed not to inconvenience her at all; her hands glowed with a faint, repelling light.
    "Thanks," Zhu Irzh said to the maiden.
    "You're welcome. I am deeply relieved that we have found him. I did not want to go back without him, though of course the other one, Deveth Sardai, has to take precedence."
    Chen frowned. "Why so?"
    "I shall give him a sedative," the maiden said as though Chen had not spoken, "and I suppose we shall have to leave him here. My primary self will send someone to fetch him, since the kylins have run away. And now we must head on to the village. I am not sure how long the light will last."
    The ex-immortal slumped in her grasp and she arranged him neatly by the roadside. "There we are. Follow me."
    Zhu Irzh could think of nothing to say and it seemed that Chen was in a similar state. In a silence both startled and ruminative, they pursued the marching avatar up the hillside.
     
    It became evident that they were approaching Bad Dog Village by the increased amount of filth along the roadside. Gnawed bones littered the dusty earth, along with piles of shit and scraps of material. Zhu Irzh wrinkled his nose. The badger gave an earthy, choking cough.
    "Why do you think it's necessary, Chen, for souls to pass through here?" Zhu Irzh asked.
    "I think it's a test," Chen said. "Like the razor bridge."
    "But why should souls be tested?" the demon asked. These theological speculations were new and disturbing. "Haven't they already passed through the test of death? And if they're judged on the events of their lives, then what difference does it make if they pass or fail?"
    "Bad Dog Village is a part of that judgement," the goddess' avatar said over her shoulder. "Some souls hang in the balance, and cannot go on to either Heaven or Hell. They must remain here, until a judgement is made."
    "What if a judgement isn't made?"
    "Then here they stay."
    "That doesn't seem very fair," Zhu Irzh said, blinking.
    "A remarkable statement, coming from a demon," Chen said without rancor.
    "Yes, I know, but—someone should do something about it."
    He saw the goddess smile behind her hand, and it annoyed him. What, he wasn't allowed to point out the obvious simply because of his origins? Perhaps it was time to own up to this conscience of his, Zhu Irzh thought. It gave him enough trouble; maybe he should start acting on it . . .
    "There's the village," Chen said, pointing ahead.
    It didn't look like much of a place to the demon, but he was becoming accustomed to the impermanent appearance of the Night Harbor. A sudden howling suggested that the inhabitants