Throw Down the Gauntlet

The three story wreck of the old fishing cannery loomed over the streets like an abandoned temple.  The low sheet metal houses and twisting alleyways beneath its shadow were still, barring the main street.  Helena wondered if the people living here had moved, or if they’d been evicted when the Long brothers had taken the building.  It was strange for a city as crowded as the underground.

The main street in front of the cannery looked much more normal.  A few drunks and laborers sat around the front of the cannery, while demons, yaoguai and human laborers passed through every so often.  Helena did notice the people walking through gave the cannery a wide berth.

“Alright you two.  Make your preparations,” Inspector Kilduff said, as he loosened his club and pulled out a crucifix.

Helena nodded then turned to Camila.  “Okay.  Chances are the Living Dragon will distort space to separate me from you two.  They know ganging up on me ends means they’ll win.  And that ends any threat we pose.  Which means you’ll need to make a formal challenge to Long Jiao Han so that he fights you instead of double teaming me.”

“What?”  Camila blinked at her.  “Formal challenge? I supposed to say ‘My name is Camila Correia Barbosa, your brother killed me, prepare to die?”

“That’s close.  We always give our titles too, so you’ll have to make one up,” Helena said.  “If you don’t want to make up a title you can use your school or your hometown as a substitute.”

Camila laughed.  “Are you serious?”

“Very serious.  Magicians use our titles for magical contracts instead of our true names.  And a challenge is a magical contract,” Helena said. “If a challenge is given and accepted the results are binding.  The loser can’t challenge the winner again until a thousand full moons have passed.  More importantly, it means they won’t use any uncontrolled magic.  I wasn’t kidding when I said he could level a city.  No mass curses, no portals to hell, no summoning giant firestorms.  It’s a sign that we’re going to murder each other like civilized people.

“Most importantly it will both intrigue and insult the Undead Dragon.  He’ll be off balance and aggressive, which means he’ll likely try to fight you hand to hand.  If he gets away from you and starts casting spells you’ll lose,” Helena said.

“What about Kilduff?” Camila asked.

Helena looked over at the man.  “He’s good, but the Undead Dragon is better.  At least if he’s anything like his brother.  I’m sure he’ll help but…”

“Thanks for your confidence lass.  I’ll have you eating those words later,” Kilduff said.

Helena ignored the man’s boast.  “Either way you’re tougher than him.  You’re tougher than me.  We want the Undead Dragon fighting you in close, so Kilduff doesn’t get a conveyor belt dropped on him, and so I don’t get blasted by some crazy yin yang death spell the two cooked up together.” 

Camila nodded, looking serious.  “Okay.  That makes sense.  Anything else?”

“Call him the Undead Dragon when you taunt him,” Helena said.  “Acting like you’re his equal will make him furious.”

“Pretending to be that bastard’s equal’s kinda an insult to me, no?” Camila’s teeth flashed dangerously.  “But if it pisses him off sure.”

“So it’s me and the zombie girl against the dead witch, while you battle the live one?” Kilduff said.

Helena nodded.  “That’s how it’ll start.  When one of us wins we can join forces.”

“That’s gonna make it hard to protect you,” Camila said with a grimace.  “Starting to see why your friend gets so frustrated with you.”

“She’s just jealous that I’m the better fighter,” Helena lied.  “Anyway let me get ready for the battle.”

She closed her eyes, letting power flow out from her core into her body.  Her senses came alive.  The chill of the underground grew sharper, the sounds grew more distinct.  When she opened her eyes she saw further, and with more clarity than before.  And her mind and body were moving faster.  All skills she’d need to survive the coming fight.

Helena stretched out her mind and tried to get a feel for the magic in the area.  The outside of the cannery seemed fine, but then-  “A domain.  Hm, that might actually help us.”

“That’s when a witch breaks reality so your spells and fancy flying nonsense works better, isn’t it?” Kilduff muttered darkly.

“Yes.  Let’s see… eastern magic is enhanced, and physical limitations have been reduced.  We’ll all be faster and able to jump further.  They weakened guns as well,” Helena replied.

Camila hopped to get a better view of the building.  “So it’s going to be wire-fu for everyone in there?”

Helena shrugged.  “No idea what that is, but if you mean lots of flying around and hitting people yes.”

“Tch.”  Kilduff drew his club.  “Well I figured as much.  Anything else before we start the worst sting operation I’ve ever had the misfortune of planning?”

“No,” Helena said.

“Ready whenever!” Camila said.

Kilduff nodded.  “Right.  Follow me and blow the doors open when the lads pretending they’re drunks and not watchdogs get up to stop us.  That’ll scatter them.”

Camila grinned.  “Oh wow, this plan is getting lots better.”  It seemed like fun to Helena as well.

With that, Kilduff walked out towards the building.  “Police.  This area is under investigation so you chaps all run along now.”

The day laborers and drunks all stared at Kilduff wide eyed before bursting into motion.  Most just ran away, figuring they wouldn’t be the unlucky fellow who got caught.  A few of the dumber ones drew knives.

Helena took that as her signal.  She drew a scroll from her sleeve and leveled it at the doors.  “Little Spark.”

A bloody circle flared to life beneath her feet.  Energy flowed into her left hand, then released.  A burst of scintillating magic energy two feet wide cascaded from her hand.  Splinters flew into the cannery as the doors exploded.  The remnants of the entryway fell in smoldering chunks.

The lookouts wisely dropped their knives and ran.

Camila flew up next to her.  “Nice!  You should use stuff like that more.”

“People complain about the noise,” Helena said as they followed the inspector through the open portal.

The inside of the cannery had gotten some impressive remodeling.  Crates and tables were arranged around the machinery to form something that was part living quarters, part Taoist workshop.  Vases and jade statues sat next to powders and dried animal parts.  It was a bit roomy, but a good home away from home for a magician on the lamb.  The missing doors would be a problem though.

Two men were standing to meet them, both wearing Chinese robes and trousers.  One dead, the other living.

“Long Zhou Di and Long Jiao Han.  You’re under arrest for murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, illegal necromancy, and fraud,” Inspector Kilduff said.

The two brothers ignored the man.  “You could have knocked,” Zhou said to Helena.

“You sent your assassins through the window,” Helena snapped back.  “You should be grateful I used the door.”

“If you don’t give up now,” Kilduff said testily, “I will use force.”  The policeman raised his club.  It seemed he didn’t like being ignored.

Zhou sneered, then turned his focus back on Helena.  “I am Long Zhou Di, the Living Dragon.  Do you dare face my magic, witch of the west?”

Helena held her arms palm up before her.  He wanted a fight?  He would get one.  “I am Helena Aoede, the Curse Gunner.  You will rue the miserable fate that made me your enemy.”

Space began to warp around them, as their final battle began.