White Tiger

size up Ah Sum, then drain the energy out of him, but I wasn’t sure how he did it.
    ‘Again.’
    He demonstrated for me again.
    ‘A couple more times, Gold, I want to see.’
    He bound and unbound Ah Sum.
    ‘Stop.’ He continued holding my hand. ‘Tell me if this is right.’ I concentrated on Ah Sum and gauged the amount of chi that he contained. Gold nodded; I had it right.
    I drained the energy out of Ah Sum and found to my horror that I couldn’t stop. I lost control of the drain; I was killing Ah Sum. Ah Sum’s eyes widened, then he smiled, nodded, and closed his eyes, ready to die.
    ‘Help, Gold!’ I hissed.
    Gold cut in, stopped the drain and returned the energy to Ah Sum. Ah Sum snapped back and grinned broadly.
    I tried to pull my hand free from Gold’s but he wouldn’t release me.
    ‘Let me go.’
    He released my hand.
    I turned and walked back to the house.
    John appeared around the corner of the house from the other side. ‘Emma!’
    I ignored him, went inside and stomped up the stairs to my room. John followed me. I tried to close the bedroom door in his face, but he wouldn’t let me. He shoved his foot into the gap.
    ‘Stop it!’ I shouted.
    ‘No,’ he said, very calm. ‘Let me in. We need to talk.’
    I turned away and he came in. He sat in one of the chairs next to the wall. I sat at the desk where I could see him in the mirror.
    ‘You have to learn to bind demons, Emma.’
    ‘I nearly killed him.’
    ‘Ah Sum understands that you need to learn, Emma. He volunteered; he knew the danger. Gold is skilled enough to keep him safe anyway.’
    I crossed my arms on the desk and buried my head in them. ‘I suppose you’re right, but I don’t want to hurt anybody. Particularly wonderful people like Ah Sum. He shouldn’t have to suffer for me. I scared him to death.’
    ‘How much do we suffer for each other, Emma? You and me?’
    I raised my head so that I could look at him in the mirror. He wasn’t looking at me; he was gazing out the window.
    ‘That’s different, we…’ I couldn’t finish. He turned his head to see me. ‘It is an honour to suffer for those you love, isn’t it?’
    I rested my chin on my arms and watched him.
    ‘My demons love me dearly. And so they love you, as my Lady. Ah Sum was delighted to die for you. He was honoured.’
    ‘That is so wrong.’
    ‘That’s the way it is. You need to learn to bind demons, Emma. Please.’ He looked out the window again. ‘Go back to Gold and complete the training. The fact that you nearly drained Ah Sum is a very good sign. You should have the skill mastered next time you try.’
    ‘Wouldn’t it be nice if we could just go to your Mountain with Leo and Simone, and stay there, just the four of us? Not have to worry about demons, or energy drains, or Simone’s safety, or anything? Just live a peaceful life together, as a family. Free to share our joy, our feelings, our love, everything.’
    ‘That would be the most wonderful thing in all the world,’ he said, full of pain. ‘I would give anything to be able to Raise all three of you and take you to live on my Mountain with me. But remember…’ He looked at me in the mirror and smiled sadly. ‘Most of the Mountain is gone.’
    He rose. ‘Go and learn the skill, Emma. It is the last skill you will learn here. We’ll stay a couple more days to teach Simone the rest of the skills, then we will go home and you can help me to rebuild.’
    He opened the door for me and we went back downstairs together. Gold and Ah Sum waited patiently for me on the lawn.
    I had it exactly right next time I tried.
    The next morning Simone ran through the field with us trailing.
    She stopped and pointed towards the trees that lined the field. ‘Ah Yee! There.’
    Ah Yee emerged from a thicket and bowed. ‘Well done, my Lady.’
    ‘Stop here, you’re about in the middle,’ John said. ‘See if you can spot the rest of them.’
    Simone dropped her head and concentrated. She turned slowly on the spot. Then she stopped and grinned, pointing. ‘Ah Sum!’
    Ah Sum came out of the trees a good fifty metres away at the end of the field. He waved his arms and grinned.
    Simone pointed right. ‘Ah Say!’
    Ah Say was about twenty metres away at the side of the field.
    Simone concentrated again. ‘And Ah Yat’s on her way back from the city.’
    ‘What?’ John stopped and concentrated too. ‘Well done, Simone, she’s a good two kilometres away. Can you sense any