Day of the Djinn Warriors (28 page)

“Five seconds and counting.” Through his jade helmet they could see Rudyard Teer grinning wildly. But Iblis was looking altogether more determined and perhaps only he could see how much danger they both were in now from the warrior devils.

“Four!”

One of the warriors took hold of Rudyard. There were dozens of them now. Hundreds. They seemed to be streaming into the pyramid from some underground source.

“Three!” yelled Rudyard.

Another warrior laid both hands on Iblis, who tried to shrug him off and failed.

“Two!” yelled Rudyard, and the next second found himself thrown violently to the ground.

Iblis started to pull on the lever that would turn the jade pyramid upside down. The next second he was felled by a blow from two of the warriors.

“Turn off the machinery!” said John. “It’s the big jade switch.”

Finlay sprinted to throw the switch that would halt and then reverse the flow of life-force energy in the jade pyramid.

Struggling to pick himself up off the floor, inside the weight of his armor, Iblis stuck out a foot and tripped Finlay, who collapsed on top of him. Iblis pushed Finlay’s winded body to one side and slowly got to his feet only to find himself hit again by a huge terra-cotta forearm.

This time he fell and stayed still.

Letting go of Mr. Blunt’s hand, Philippa ran to the other side of the operations room and threw the switch to reverse the flow of life energy. The machinery that had been humming loudly now stopped.

“You did it, Phil!” yelled John. “You did it!”

“I did, didn’t I?” said Philippa.

“Next to the big lever that Iblis was holding,” said John, “there’s another switch that opens the apex of the pyramid. It will release the millions of children whose spirits were kidnapped by Iblis.”

Hardly hesitating, Philippa threw the switch. For a moment nothing happened. Then there was a juddering
sound as the diamond apex opened up. A second later it was as if the very gates of the largest school in the universe had opened and the spirits of millions of children went rushing home. Of course, the noise was deafening. What large number of children ever travels in silence? It was the sound of several million poltergeists. But it was also the sound of happiness and relief and hope — the loud and boisterous sound of life itself. So loud that it sent a powerful vibration that was like an earth tremor through the entire pyramid, and causing everyone who wasn’t chained to a wall to fall onto the floor.

Philippa picked herself up and looked around for the golden tablet of command that she had dropped during the commotion of spirits that her throwing the switch had caused. But it wasn’t on the jade floor anymore. Someone had picked it up.

Iblis was holding it.

T
hat’s torn it,” said Groanin. “I said, that’s torn it, you handless young pup.”

“Torn?” said Iblis. “Torn to pieces. I like the sound of that, Jeevesey old bean. Excellent idea. Yes, I really think that’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to have the
Dong Xi
tear you all into little pieces. It’ll be a variation on what the Chinese call
lingchi
. Death by a thousand cuts. Only this will be death by a thousand tears. My warrior devils will tear off ten fingernails, followed by ten toenails, ten fingers, and then toes. Ears, eyelids, hanks of hair. You’re really going to regret messing up my plans, you bunch of meddling slugs.”

“I’m regretting it already,” groaned Groanin.

“Well done, Mr. Groanin.” Finlay’s voice was heavy with sarcasm. “Well done for giving him the idea.”

Someone cleared his throat politely. It was Mr. Blunt.

“Sorry to interrupt,” he said. “Look here, if you don’t mind, I’ll be leaving now. This was nothing to do with me. I
was acting under coercion as I’m sure you understand, given the nature of this golden tablet thingy. As a member of Her Majesty’s Diplomatic Corps, it’s not my job ever to interfere in the affairs of another sovereign power. So I’ll bid you good day and —”

“Stay where you are,” said Iblis. And of course, because Iblis was holding the golden tablet of command, that’s exactly what Mr. Blunt was obliged to do.

Iblis turned to Nimrod. “What’s the matter, Nimrod? Cat got your tongue?” He laughed. “It’ll have it soon, I can assure you of that.”

But Nimrod wasn’t saying anything because one of the warrior devils still had a terra-cotta hand over his mouth.

“Let him go,” said Iblis. “I want to hear you beg for your life, Nimrod. And put your back into it. Beg me like you really mean it.”

“What a tiresome fellow you are,” said Nimrod.

“Didn’t you hear my dad?” Rudyard came up to Nimrod and twisted his nose. “Beg him.”

“You’re even more of a booby than he is,” said Nimrod. “Can’t you see it’s over? Quit while you still have your lives. And don’t issue any more orders. If you two don’t change direction you may end up where you are heading. That’s my advice.”

“End up where we’re heading?” sneered Rudyard. “What does that mean?”

“You’re in no position to offer me advice, Nimrod,” said Iblis. He waved one of the warrior devils toward him
and then pointed to Nimrod. “Tear this one to pieces, first.”

When nothing happened, Iblis looked puzzled. Then he glanced at the golden tablet of command he was holding in his hands and, seeing that it had started to glow like an ember from a very hot fire, he dropped it instinctively. “What on earth?” he said. “What’s wrong with it? That shouldn’t be happening. Should it?”

“I think we’re about to find out,” said Nimrod.

Black smoke began to billow off the glowing golden tablet. But it was not the smoke of combustion or from a chemical reaction. To everyone except Mr. Blunt, who had never before seen one, this looked more like the smoke from a djinn transubstantiation.

After a few more seconds had elapsed, there could be no doubt about it: A djinn was taking on a human shape inside the operations room of the jade pyramid. And gradually, as the smoke cleared, they saw it was the figure of a hugely tall, bearded, slightly fat Chinese man, wearing white silken robes and a black cap that covered his massive neck. His sandals were little wooden platforms about six inches off the mercury. Which might have explained how his djinn power remained unaffected. But what was strangest of all about him were his fingernails, which were at least six or seven inches long. One of these was now pointed at Iblis.

“Who is it that dares to use one of my golden tablets of command for evil?” said the figure. He was speaking Chinese and, being a good and conscientious diplomat, Mr. Blunt
felt obliged to offer a simultaneous translation for all those who spoke only English.

“Iblis, of the Ifrit,” said Iblis bravely. “And who are you when you’re at home, chubby?”

“I
am
at home,” said the Chinese djinn. “I am Borjigin of the Borjigi. Also called Khiyad. Also called Setsen Khan. But better known by my given name, which is Kublai Khan, Khan of the Mongols, Emperor of Yuan China and grandson of the great Lord Temudjinn, Genghis Khan.”

“Temudjinn?”
said Iblis.

“That’s right.
Temud Djinn.
”

“Genghis Khan was a djinn?” Iblis sounded surprised.

“Of course,” said Kublai Khan. “How else do you think he conquered such a large empire?”

“Which means …”

“That I am, too. You’re not as dumb as you look.”

Kublai Khan smiled. But it was not a smile that filled the heart of Iblis with gladness. Far from it.

“Yes, I’m a djinn,” said the great Khan. “How else could I have ruled such a large empire? How else could I have known that, in the wrong hands, the djinn power that is in the
Dong Xi
could be so destructive? Why else did I leave five golden tablets of command, to bind them to the will of someone with a good heart?”

Iblis swallowed loudly.

The long fingernail pointed to Philippa. “She has a good, brave heart,” said Kublai Khan. “But you do not. Which is why I am here, to punish you.”

“And how is it that you think you can punish me?” demanded Iblis. “What gives you the right?”

“This right, as you call it, was given to me by none other than the Blue Djinn of Babylon herself, in the year 1290,” said the great Khan. “My transubstantiation is occult. Which means that it is her power that brings me here to you now. Not mine.”

Iblis laughed. “Well then, Khan, you’ve had a bit of a wasted journey. My son and I are invulnerable to djinn power in these jade suits of armor of ours. You can’t touch us. Come, Rudyard. Let’s leave these djinn fools to play with their pet mundanes.”

Kublai Khan waved the warrior devils forward to block the exit of the two Ifrit.

“It’s true,” said the Khan, “that those jade suits protect you from my power. So it is fitting that they should also protect the world of men from the likes of you, Iblis. They shall be your prisons. And, in time, they shall also be your sepulchers.”

“What are you talking about?” said Iblis.

“Hold them,” said the Khan in a voice that was used to issuing commands.

The warriors took hold of Iblis and Rudyard and held them tightly by the arms.

“Lay them down upon the ground,” said the Khan.

“What are you going to do to us?” demanded Iblis. “Help, Nimrod. Say something in my defense, please, old friend, before this overweight lunatic does something drastic.”

“I wouldn’t know what to say, Iblis,” Nimrod said sadly. “What can be said in defense of one who would have gladly sacrificed the lives of millions of children? Whatever the great Khan has in mind as punishment for you is very probably less than what you deserve.”

“It was all a joke,” said Rudyard. “A joke that got out of hand, that’s all.”

“Nobody’s laughing,” said Groanin. “I say, nobody’s laughing.”

The great Khan collected the golden tablet in his bare hand. It looked much too hot to touch, not that this seemed to bother him much. He held it over the jade suit worn by Rudyard Teer and some of the gold began to melt, running into the crevices between the various pieces of jade, all 2,156 of them, so that, gradually, the suit of mobile armor became a solid sarcophagus.

“I can’t move,” shouted Rudyard. And then gradually, as the reality of what the great Khan was doing dawned on him, he started to curse and then to plead for mercy. But the great Khan was deaf to the young Ifrit’s many loud and wailing appeals for mercy; within just a few minutes, he had sealed every piece of jade, including the mask, with molten gold.

With Rudyard Teer silenced inside a living tomb, the great Khan advanced on Iblis, who lay beside his son on the triangular floor.

“You can’t seal me up in my own suit like this,” protested Iblis. “It’s burial alive, that’s what it is. Tell him, Nimrod. This is inhuman.”

“When have you ever cared for humanity?” demanded the great Khan.

“Tell him, Nimrod,” begged Iblis as the great Khan bent over him to seal up his suit with gold. “Tell him this punishment is cruel and unusual and quite unconstitutional. No court in the world would allow such a thing.”

“You were going to have the warriors tear us apart,” said John. “You said so yourself.”

“A misunderstanding,” insisted Iblis.

“You were looking forward to it,” said Finlay.

“Look, I know I’ve been bad and that I deserve to be punished,” said Iblis. “But not like this.”

“Sealed up,” said the great Khan, and continued to drip molten gold into the crevices of the jade suit. “In your own priceless armor. Forever. With gold and djinn power and the jade you stole from museums. The most powerful binding there is. Impossible for djinn power to get into or out of. A living statue to be left gathering dust in the quietest corner of this museum. That’s the fate that awaits you, Iblis.”

“It’s not fair,” said Iblis. “I shall write to my congressman. My senator. I shall appeal to the Blue Djinn of Babylon herself.”

“You mean Dybbuk’s sister?” said Nimrod. “I wouldn’t recommend it, Iblis.”

“Stop it!”

“Horrible,” whispered Philippa, and looked away. Even Iblis did not merit such a terrible fate as this, she felt. “Horrible.” But there were no words she could find to plead
for mercy. They stuck in her throat when she recalled what had happened to Mr. Rakshasas. And before him, the French Guianan boy, Galibi. And of course, poor, poor Dybbuk. Nimrod had been right. This seemed the worst of all.

“He’s got it coming, in spades,” said John, who was made of harder stuff than his sister.

“Stop,” screamed Iblis as slowly the great Khan slid down the jade visor over Iblis’s face and began to weld that tightly shut, too. “Stop,” came a muffled cry. “Stop. I beg you.”

But when the last drop of molten gold had filled the final fissure between the 2,155
^th
piece and the 2,156
^th
piece of the suit, all was silence.

The great Khan stood up and surveyed his ruthless handiwork. Two solid jade suits lay on the floor like stone knights lying in some medieval crypt. Impenetrable. Impervious to djinn power. No one ever would have guessed that inside the two suits were the bodies of two living djinn. “It is finished,” he said. “These two won’t trouble mankind ever again. Take them away.”

Eight of the warrior devils carried the figures out of the pyramid.

“Talk about the ‘Man in the Iron Mask,’” said Finlay. “Wow.”

“Awesome,” added John. “Really awesome.”

The great Khan waved some warriors toward the prisoners chained to the wall. “Release them,” he said.

Nimrod caught Philippa’s eye, saw the tear that was there, and nodded silently at her, acknowledging her pity for
Iblis and his son and, to some degree, understanding it, too. He winced as, once his arms were released from their shackles, the blood rushed back into his shoulders; he flexed his arms a little before folding them around his niece. “It’s all right, Philippa,” he said. “It’s all over.”

“It is for Iblis and that mongrel son of his,” said Groanin. “At least I hope it is.”

“If you don’t mind,” Mr. Blunt said nervously, addressing Philippa and Finlay, “I’d better be getting back to the consulate. It’s been most interesting, I don’t mind telling you. Most, most interesting. But I don’t suppose anyone would ever believe me if I told them, so I won’t. You may rest assured of that. It would probably cost me my career if I mentioned any of this. Her Majesty’s government takes a very dim view on the reporting of tall tales and far-fetched stories.” He raised his hat politely. “Good day to you.” And then he left. Quickly. Before anything else that was far-fetched and therefore unreportable could happen to him.

“Thank goodness he’s gone,” said Finlay. “He’s the kind of stiff-necked Englishman who gives the rest of us a bad name.”

“I thought he was quite sweet, really,” said Philippa.

“You see the good in everyone,” scoffed Groanin. “I say, you see the good in everyone.” He shook his head. “I suppose that’s why we’re so fond of you, Miss Philippa. Come here and give us a hug.”

Philippa embraced him warmly.

“Thank you for rescuing us,” said Nimrod, and bowed politely for, after all, Kublai Khan had been one of the
greatest emperors that ever existed. “We’re very grateful to you. Aren’t we?”

“Yes,” said everyone.

“The spirits of the children who were imprisoned here?” asked Nimrod. “What’s happened to them?”

“On their way home to their families,” said the great Khan. “Some will take longer than others, I expect. But rest assured they’ll all get there in the end.”

“If you don’t mind my asking,” said Nimrod, “how is it that your being could be summoned back here after so many years and from an artifact that you yourself gave Marco Polo? You mentioned occult transubstantiation. I’ve heard of it, of course. But how does it work?”

“Concerned about the possible risk that the
Dong Xi
might pose to future generations, I asked the great Blue Djinn to come and visit me in China,” explained the great Khan. “It was her idea to make five golden tablets of command. We made them together using my own fingernails in the smelting of the gold. So that my spirit could be summoned again by her powerful binding.”

“But you told Marco Polo that Yen Yu had made the golden tablets,” said Nimrod. “In order to protect your own great secret. That you yourself were a powerful djinn. Isn’t that right?”

“Marco was a good friend,” said Kublai Khan. “But he would not have understood the true nature of our power. He was a man of his time and might have assumed that I was some kind of witch or warlock or perhaps something worse.
The devil himself, perhaps. People were very superstitious back in fourteenth-century Europe.”

“And the warrior devils?” asked Nimrod. “The
Dong Xi
? What is to become of them? Not to mention all those ghosts and spirits who were absorbed. The warriors are still full of those spirits, aren’t they? Don’t they still pose a threat to mankind?”