BOOK 10. There are two tales at the beginning. Zhao Yunlan is searching for a lost artefact while Black Robe is searching for the same thing in a different world. One story is partly an illusion, while the other is very real and when they merge...
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Mr Black had been held in the security room for longer than anyone had planned but unforeseen circumstances had held him there, waiting until Wei was well enough to take him back to the gateway and send him home, but he had become used to living in this world and really didn't want to leave it.
The heavy hydraulic hinges hissed alerting Black that he was having visitors and he watched as the officer who arrested him entered with Black Robe Close behind, who was carrying a guandao.
"Black, you have two choices. Stay here or go back and be judged, make a decision." Yunlan asked him sharply because Wei was running out of time and he needed quick answers.
Mr Black really wanted to stay but if they were giving him a choice it meant that they wanted something from him.
"If I stay, what do you want from me because it's the only reason you would give me a choice," He risked asking.
"We need you to heal someone with your dark energy, but if he dies, so do you." Yunlan said as he stared into this man's eyes and willed him to answer correctly.
"He must be very important, for you to be willing to bargain with me," which was totally the wrong attitude or answer.
Yunlan turned to Ying and bowed with respect, before he spoke.
"He is of no use to us My Lord, just end his life, kill him."
Ying nodded slowly as he kept up his act and raised his long sword ready to swing in the crook's direction but hesitated when he begged him to stop.
"Alright, I'll do it, what do you want me to do exactly?" He asked as he lowered his eyes in front of Black robe, while Yunlan explained.
"In the next room there is someone who will bleed to death unless you remove a scar left by another source of dark energy. Use a continuous stream and direct it at the scar until it disappears. I say again, if he dies, you die ... if you think you can fool us, you die ... if you try to escape, you won't make it past the room door before you die ... Have I made myself clear? My Lord Black Robe will be standing behind you until you have finished. Now follow me."
The guards had changed into their official black robes and positioned themselves in plain sight, letting this crook know that he had no other option except to heal the man who was ill. He followed Yunlan through to the medical room and was shocked when he saw the amount of blood Wei had lost and he felt genuine pity for this important stranger.. Chu had already positioned Wei on his side to reveal where the scar was on his back. The crook recognised the clearly visible pattern of the ring and wanted to ask one question before he began this painful treatment.
"Why would Zhu Jiu cruelly punish this man by contaminating his blood?"
Yunlan was standing in front of Wei as he stared angrily at Black while he lit a bright purple flame in the palm of his right hand.
