"Hmm," Kaelen looked at the puppet. "Using a fake person to make money? That is a smart idea, Darius."
"We can talk about business later," Darius closed the cabinet. "Let me show you the real treasure."
He led Kaelen to a high table. On it sat a statue about two feet tall.
It was a Golden Idol. It wasn't made of copper or iron, but something shiny and smooth. It looked very holy.
"I got this from the Desert Lands," Darius whispered. "It came from the ancient Sun Temple. The monks prayed over it for years. They say it absorbs energy from the sun and moon. If you touch it, it heals you."
"Really?" Kaelen was curious. He touched the idol's head.
He felt... nothing. Just cold metal.
"The man who sold it to me was 68 years old," Darius said. "But he looked 40! He said the idol kept him young."
"If it's so magic, why did he sell it?" Kaelen asked.
"He needed money to bail his son out of jail," Darius laughed. "Lucky for me. If you want it, Kaelen, I will sell it to you for 1,000 gold coins."
"1,000?!" Kaelen shook his head. "That is too much for a shiny paperweight. No thanks."
"Fine, fine. Let's look at something else."
While they were talking, a large man in a silk robe was looking at a sword nearby.
Suddenly, the man's face twisted. His eyes rolled back, and he looked crazy.
He grabbed a sharp sword from the rack.
Swish!
He slashed at Dorian, who was standing right in front of him.
"Ahhh!"
Dorian screamed. He fell back, clutching his arm. Blood soaked his blue sleeve.
"Help! Brother! Kaelen!"
The man in silk raised the sword again. He wanted to kill Dorian.
"Hey!" Darius roared.
Darius jumped over a table. He kicked the man's hand. Thwack! The sword flew across the room.
Darius knew Kung Fu!
But the man didn't care. He was unarmed, but he wasn't scared. He opened his arms and bear-hugged Darius.
The man was huge, over six feet tall. His muscles were like rocks. He squeezed Darius tight.
"Gah!" Darius couldn't breathe. He kicked and struggled, but the man was too strong.
Kaelen saw his friend in trouble. He didn't run away.
Tiger-Crane Style!
Kaelen stepped forward and punched the man in the ribs.
Bam!
"Ouch!" Kaelen winced.
It felt like hitting a steel wall. His knuckles burned.
This guy has Iron Skin Magic! Kaelen realized. My punches are too weak!
He needed a weapon.
Kaelen looked around. He saw the Golden Idol.
He grabbed the heavy statue by the legs. It weighed at least twenty pounds.
"Let him go!"
CRASH!
Kaelen swung the idol like a baseball bat. It hit the man's elbow.
The man howled in pain. White smoke sizzled on his arm where the idol hit him.
He dropped Darius.
Suddenly, a White Face—the same ghostly face from the street—appeared on the man's face. It roared silently.
The possessed man went crazy. He started smashing shelves. Crash! Smash! Expensive vases and jade statues fell to the floor and broke.
"My money!" Darius cried, watching his shop get destroyed.
Guards rushed up the stairs. Four of Kaelen's guards and eight shop guards.
The shop guards used wooden staffs. They hit the big man.
Snap!
The big man broke the staffs like twigs. He punched a guard in the face, knocking out his teeth. He was unstoppable.
"Use your swords!" Kaelen shouted to his Vane Family guards. "Cut him down!"
The Vane guards drew their steel swords. They slashed at the man.
Slash! Slash!
The man's silk clothes ripped. Blood sprayed. But he didn't feel pain. He roared and grabbed a guard's arm.
Crack! He broke the guard's arm and threw him into the wall.
"He's a monster!" Darius yelled. He had never seen anyone this strong.
The possessed man was a whirlwind of destruction. No one could get close.
Suddenly, Kaelen saw an opening.
Three Vane guards dived and grabbed the man's legs. They held him still for one second.
Kaelen ran behind the man. He raised the Golden Idol high.
"Eat this!"
WHAM!
He smashed the heavy gold statue onto the back of the man's head.
HISS!
White smoke exploded from the man's head. The White Face Spirit flew out. It shrieked and tried to dive into Kaelen's body.
"Oh no, you don't!"
Kaelen held the Golden Idol in front of him like a shield.
The White Face hit the Golden Idol.
Sizzle!
It sounded like bacon frying. The ghost screamed one last time and dissolved into nothing.
The big man in silk collapsed to the floor, unconscious.
The room went silent.
Kaelen stood there, breathing hard, holding the Golden Idol.
"Well," Kaelen said, looking at the statue. "I guess it really is magic."