“Oh, right. I should have remembered. The Blood Giant did a bit of a number on me.” I walked up to her and held out my hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Yumo.”
To my surprise, she slipped her hand out of mine and slid it onto my crotch, grinning cheekily. She gave my package a good fondling, and nodded, pleased.
“My, my, you are as big as my sister said you are.” She smiled at me, as though this were a perfectly normal way to greet someone you’d never met before. “The pleasure, God of Death, is all mine.”
I smiled. “And you’re just as beautiful as your sister. But a little bolder, I’m guessing. Perhaps especially when it comes to men.”
“I don’t care for the vast majority of men, actually,” Yumo said. “Whether warrior, king or knave, they’re all the same when it comes down to it; boring, safe, dull. But you, you’re something else entirely. I think you and I could get on very well together.”
“As much as I’d like to take my time in getting to know you, we have a long way to go, a lot to do, and not a lot of time to do it. There’s a lost Dragon Gauntlet to find, an evil warlock to defeat, and a Dragon Goddess to resurrect. And, eventually, we’ll need to destroy one of the oldest and most powerful gods ever to exist. All in a day’s work, really.”
“Yes, my sister informed me that you need some help getting into the Forbidden Palace to find the lost gauntlet. You’re sure it’s there?”
“They say it is.” I pointed to the Blind Monks, who hadn’t spoken since I’d defeated the Blood Giant. They were murmuring among themselves, all of it unintelligible to me.
“Ah, that order does know a lot about the subject,” Yumo said, “and it would make sense for it to be in the Forbidden Palace’s reliquary. It’s the oldest in the world, with relics going back to the earliest ages of Men. I don’t know if Rami ever told you, but Kemji was a distant ancestor of ours. The Dragon Gauntlet should have been passed down through the generations, to us, but the Emperor’s family robbed our ancestors of our noble status and most of our wealth five generations ago. That is why my great-great-grandfather became an enjarta; he wanted revenge against the Emperor, and that was the only way anyone outside the closed circles of the nobility to learn to become an elite warrior. Unfortunately, he never got his revenge or my family’s wealth back. Nor did any of my ancestors. But I have sworn a sacred oath that I will avenge my ancestors, and I will get our stolen wealth back from the Emperor. This is one of the reasons why I agreed to help you.”
“A noble enough reason,” I said. “I had my title and lands stolen from me, so I know exactly how you feel.”
“We’d best get back on the road, God of Death,” Ji-Ko said, approaching me. “That was a mighty impressive fight, by the way! Truly, you are a magnificent warrior.” Suddenly he sniffed at the air, then scrunched up his chubby face with distaste—he’d sensed Yumo’s presence, it seemed. “It is a pity that you were assisted by one of these creatures, though.”
“One of these creatures?” I asked.
“An enjarta.” He spit out the word as if it were a morsel of rotten food. “Warriors with no honor, who kill by stealth and trickery and accept money to murder innocent people.”
“I’ve never killed an innocent person in my life!” Yumo exclaimed. “You monks think you’re so special, with your ‘honor’ and ‘enlightenment’ bullshit, when really, you’re—”
“That’s enough, both of you,” I said sternly. “We’re all fighting a common enemy here, and while you two may have your ideological differences, you’re going to have to get over that shit and work together.”
“But he called me a—” Yumo protested.
“I don’t care,” I said firmly. “That’s a command. And that goes for you too, Ji-Ko. Not all enjartas are honorless killers, and you’d better speak to Yumo with a lot more respect in future. I was also an assassin once, you know, and we had our own code of honor too. I never killed anyone who didn’t deserve it, and I’m sure if Yumo says she did the same, then it’s the truth.”
I hardly knew Yumo, but Rami-Xayon hadn’t told me to distrust her, so I figured I’d defend her until I learned otherwise.
Ji-Ko bowed, gripping his jade necklace with his hands clasped together. “A thousand heartfelt apologies,” he said, and there was no mockery or sarcasm in his voice. “If the Prophesied One commands it, it shall be so. I apologize, good enjarta, for insulting you.”
I was impressed; few people would admit their own wrong so quickly and readily. These monks really were an honorable and noble bunch. Yumo, however, was not so quick to forgive or forget.
“Whatever,” she hissed, her temper ignited. “Just keep these bald, self-righteous pricks away from me.” Then she spun on her heels and stormed away in a huff.
I had to chuckle; looks-wise, she was virtually indistinguishable from Rami, but the two of them were like oil and water when it came to personalities. She had the shortest fuse of anyone I could think of.
“Thanks for that,” I said to Ji-Ko. “You guys actually aren’t half bad. I’m glad none of you were killed during the fight with the Blood Giant.”
“I only wish we could have helped,” Ji-Ko said, “but such foes are beyond our ability.”
“I’m sure you can help in the coming battles,” I said. “We can’t hang around here any longer. We should make for the City of Jewels.”
“As much as I’d like to continue with you,” Zhenwan said, “I fear I am no longer needed. Yumo can translate for you, should it be needed.”
“The Blood Giant scare you, did it?” I asked with a smile. I wasn’t teasing but genuinely wondered whether Zhenwan had
