Chapter 789
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Chapter 789
Competition always brought out the worst in Yan, but she couldnt really help it.
When she was younger, her yearning to stand out came from a place of envy, jealousy, and inadequacy which manifested itself as a desire to prove everyone wrong for skipping over her when it came time to choose a child for adoption. A childish mindset to be sure, but she would be lying to say she didnt still harbour some small resentment for spending her whole childhood in the orphanage instead of with a family who loved and cherished her. Of course, had this not been the case, then Yan would have never become the woman she was today, and she now had a loving family to cherish herself, but she still liked to dream about what might have been. These days, she had a better idea as to why she was always overlooked for adoption, and the answer was not a pleasant one, nor was it one she could ignore.
No matter how much she wanted to, for she was not the only one to notice that the horned Half-Demons dotted amongst the Enemy ranks bore more than a passing resemblance to herself. They had yet to take part in the fighting, but they stood just out of cannon-range at all times, rotating alongside their tribal allies so that there was always a significant force of the formidable monsters just waiting for orders to advance. Clearly Yans sire was either working with the Enemy or a captured prisoner, which brought about a host of uncomfortable questions regarding where the People found her in the first place. Technically, she supposed it could have a dam instead, though the thought of any one woman having enough children to literally form an army was horrific to the extreme, even for someone like Yan who could never bear a child of her own.
Not that she wanted to. There were plenty of children in need of love and affection already, so why subject herself to the ghastly unpleasantness of childbirth unless absolutely necessary?
Since Yan didnt really want to ponder the implications of all this new information, she focused on her ugly competitive streak instead, even as the whirling links of Paragon sparked her competitive spirit. While she was more than happy to share Rains affection with multiple women, fame and prestige were another thing altogether, and Mila had always been her chief rival and goal to surpass when it came to the Martial pursuits. The domineering woman was a sight to behold upon the battlements of Shi Bei, whirling her incomprehensible weapon about overhead to scythe through every Defiled tribesman with the misfortune to come into range, a veritable one-woman army who was not only decimating the Enemy ranks, but simultaneously protecting Li-Li, Yan, and a whole host of soldiers through some inconspicuous manner. Difficult to say what it was, but the Defiled standing out of range of Milas chain-whip were unable to fight effectively, coming over the battlements only to flinch and squint as if blinded by the glare of the sun. It was so widespread that Yan even glanced behind her only to see nothing, for not only was it past noon, but the sun was hidden by the raging storm clouds overhead as they unleashed a downpour to wash away the fatigue of Imperial soldiers and likely drain the stamina of Defiled as well.
Perhaps there would come a time when darling Lin-Lin learned to do the same, but Yan couldnt imagine ever wanting to compete with the sweet, lovable half-hare. No, not half-hare, but Ancestral Hare, one who only recently ascended and turned out was either older or younger than her supposed twenty years of age. Technically, Lin-Lin had only been human for about eighteen years or so, as she went from hare to toddler to skip maybe eighteen to twenty-four months as a helpless baby. Made sense considering babies pretty much needed constant, round-the-clock care to just survive, though it begged the question of why a Spiritual Hare wouldnt just turn into a fully-grown human instead. Alas, no one had the answer to that one, but Yan was still hung up on the fact that the cherubic Lin-Lin was quite possibly the oldest one of them all, if you added in her years spent as a Spiritual Cloud Chaser Hare.
Then again, that didnt seem fair considering Lin-Lin had no real memories of her past life, only vague inklings and faint impressions that sounded suspiciously similar to Insight. Regardless of her age, what really irked Yan about all this was not the fact that Lin-Lin had hidden this from them all, which was understandable, or that she was now one of two women capable of bearing Rains natural born children, which didnt matter at all, but that she was arguably the strongest and most talented out of all of Rains wives. Luo-Luos meteoric progress in the Martial and Musical Dao already had Yan on edge, for the formidable Imperial Scion was seemingly perfect in every possible way, and now her musical talents were filling the hearts of Imperials with courage and determination aplenty. Then there was Lin-Lin, who Rain spoiled the most and was also fated to ascend to Divinity naturally over time. It hardly seemed fair for Yan to devote herself to the Martial Path and make even less progress than Lin-Lin, who spent most of her time either sleeping or playing with the pets, two activities Yan also loved with all her heart, but it was well known that the Mother always had Her favourites.
It just stung to know that Yan wasnt one of them, something shed known all along, but she could do without all the constant reminders
Luo-Luo, Mila, and Lin-Lin werent even the worst offenders, for there was still the matter of Rains ascension, which had Yan all twisted in knots inside. Proud as she was of her beloved husband, she was also undeniably envious of his success and his ability to accomplish something which no one in the history of the Empire had ever accomplished. Twenty-two years young and already a Divinity, or at least someone able to challenge them in some way, shape or form. Though Rain himself claimed he was no match for a Divinity in combat, and Taduk reluctantly agreed when pressed for an answer, the fact that Yans husband was even able to affect a clash on this level was staggering to behold, especially considering the fact that he said he still had room for improvement. Rain being Rain, he said this as if it were some grave sin to not be perfect and beyond compare, because surely he should have sprung out of the womb as more than a mere Divinity, but Yan could only marvel at how incredible he truly was. So what if Vyakhya stood still and took Rains attack head on? The fact that he was able to kill a Divinity at all was worthy of praise, yet he acted as if he didnt deserve any credit at all, especially considering how Nian Zus titular Shooting Star barely made the Ancestral Bristleboar bleed when they clashed back in Sinuji.
Meaning Rain, Yans beautiful, beloved fool of a husband, had more killing power than the Shield of the North, a Colonel General and Living Legend venerated by all.
As for Yan herself? Shed been progressing by leaps and bounds of late, and recently even learned how to use her Blessing of Air to keep tabs on the battlefield, soar high into the sky, unleash devastating explosions upon her Enemies, yet she still felt as if others were surpassing her with each and every day. Not just her sister-wives and Rain either, for many a diamond in the rough had been revealed of late. Lang Yi for example, with his superlative spear skills, or Ravil whod revealed his rough and tumble fighting style in Meng Sha, or Jorani whose courage never failed to surprise as he rose to the occasion time and time again. Then there were the established rising dragons to compete with as well, like Zian, Dastan, Sai Chou, and more, to say nothing of BoShuis shocking achievements in the closing minutes of the battle of Meng Sha as he slaughtered a path through the Mataram Clansmen to kill Captains, Senior Captains, and even a Major without blinking.
Grandpa Du had already filled her in on everything that took place these last two weeks and revealed more rising young talents to be wary of, which left Yan feeling like her rivals were always hot on her heels no matter how far ahead she progressed. Now, Mila had not only proven herself as a Warrior to be reckoned with, but was also establishing herself as a pillar capable of holding the Heavens up on her two sturdy shoulders, for if the Enemy were to have any hope of overrunning this section of the wall, they would either have to kill Mila or wait until she used all her Chi and stamina. In contrast, while Yan was capable of slaughtering vast numbers of Defiled with little more than a look, due to her newfangled Wind Domain allowing her to unleash Wind Blades, the Sanguine Whirlwind, and Grandpa Dus poorly named Explosive Wind in an instant, but she couldnt keep this up for long. As impressive as it might be to cut down hundreds of Defiled with a single slaughtering gale, she had a limited amount of Chi to work with meaning it was more efficient to slaughter her foes one at a time.
Whereas Mila killed tens of tribesmen with each pass of her chain-whip, and could likely swing it from dawn till dusk without ever pausing.
If only Yan had Grandpa Dus abstruse Talent for retaining control of his Chi as it passed through a living being, enabling him to slaughter multiple Defiled with a single Wind Blade with only minimal upkeep. She had Chi enough to launch hundreds of Wind Blades over the course of a battle now, but it still wasnt worth using against the naked, tribal Defiled who died just as easily to a swing of her Battle-Fan. Stamina and staying power, that was what was needed here in Shi Bei, but despite having done the math and arrived at the correct answer, it wasnt an answer Yan particularly liked. Much as she loved the Forms and fighting head-to-head against a challenging foe, there was no challenge in slaughtering these crazed Defiled tribesmen, for she wasnt fighting against them so much as she was struggling to outlast them. Better if she could unleash widespread death and destruction from afar to send them running for the hills, for there was no honour or satisfaction to be had from this unending slaughter as the half-blinded Defiled delivered themselves to her Battle-Fan and Six-Pointed Shield.
Wry amusement welled up from within, so familiar and innocuous that it took Yan a moment to recognize her beloved Husbands presence. So the idiot was still expending his Soul to help others without a care for the consequences, but there was nothing she could do to stop him. Stubborn was putting it lightly, for Rain was always someone who moved to the beat of his own drum regardless of what others said or did. It was one of his most infuriating qualities while also being one of her favourite things about him, his determination to be his own person even when everyone else tried to change him to suit their own needs. This attitude was what gave Yan the courage to be herself when she first arrived in Central, rather than try and acclimate to the local customs, ones which saw a talented and peerless dragon of a generation suppressed due to her gender alone.
Poor Dain. Even if the Ryo Family sided against them, Yan would always hold the fearsome Sword Princess in high esteem for her Martial Skills alone, and hoped to one day even challenge and surpass her, but from what little Grandpa Du had told her, that day would not be soon.
Sooner than you think.
A wealth of knowledge surged into Yans mind as Rains Natal Soul bridged a connection to the Heavens above and opened the floodgates of Insight and Inspiration. At least, thats how she felt it best described, though she knew her irreverent husband would simply scoff at the statement if she were ever to voice it. A discussion for another day however as Yan immersed herself in the Mothers Wisdom to progress by leaps and bounds yet again, for the Heavens had sensed her desire to master Grandpa Dus Talent and provided her with an answer that was both shockingly simple and staggeringly complex at the same time.
The wind is constantly in motion, because without motion, there is no wind.
That was it, the answer even Grandpa Du could not provide, for his Talent had been present since the day he Awakened to the Blessing of Air. A distinction he was always clear to make, that their Blessing was of Air, and not Wind, but Yan had always nodded along without really understanding the difference. Wind was just moving Air, so why was it necessary to have different names for the same thing? Moving water was still water, dancing flames were still fire, and shifting earth was still earth, so why the discrepancy with Air and Wind?
A shame Rain couldnt find it in himself to simply crash his wave into the Enemy forces and end the battle outright, but putting aside the implications of this possibly Treaty-breaking action, Song suspected that such a wholesale slaughter was beyond him. Not only would he have been risking losing control of the Energy of the Heavens, but killing so many with a wave of his hand would have broken him. He was a kind man who empathized too much with too many, and while he was more than capable of killing someone threatening his safety or the safety of another, slaughtering Defiled without reprisal would have laden him with guilt enough to crush him, and she could hardly fault him for it. Killing in war was one thing, while killing in cold blood another, and though they were at war with the Defiled, crushing them with a sea of Water Chi would have been asking too much of Rain.
Something Song understood, but didnt entirely comprehend since he seemed more than happy to design weapons of war for others to use. Strange that, but she supposed using Chi to kill was more personal than using a Runic Cannon or catapult, or at least different enough for his delicate sensibilities.
For now, he seemed more than content to stand nearby and watch the battle unfold while listening to Luo-Luos musical masterpiece. One which was very different from her usual performances, far less structured and melodic, yet brimming with meaning and significance in a way Song could not wholly grasp. It was there, filling her with courage and conviction aplenty, but also reassuring her that no matter how dark the night, daybreak would soon come, for there was a pillar here waiting to hold up the Heavens, and that pillar was none other than Falling Rain. He would not act until he had to, not because he disdained warfare, but because he loathed it with all his heart, the same way Junior Martial Brother Fung loathed it. The difference was that Fung shirked his responsibilities while Rain did his best to fulfill them, a lesson Songs Junior Martial Brother would do well to learn.
Or maybe Rain needed to learn the reverse lesson from Fung, how to be true to his heart and desires. Difficult to say which of them was right, because while Rains meteoric progress spoke volumes to his success, Fungs free-spirited manner was more in line with the likes of Ping Ping and Pong Pongs attitudes. Nature was cruel and merciless, and none knew it better than the beasts who struggled to survive each and every day of their lives, so why go looking for trouble when there was already so much out there in the world at large?
Sheathing her sabre and drawing it again in one, fluid motion, Song set aside her idle thoughts for another time as she cut down a Defiled Champion, a recent Western convert if his rounded eyes and dusky complexion were anything to judge by. There was a poem in the Classics which spoke of death and release, and it flashed through her mind as her sabre scythed through the mans neck and released him from his trials and tribulations.
Empty-handed I entered the world, barefoot I leave it. A life endured, a death suffered, with only the strings of fate and karma to bind me. Though this Defiled Westerner likely committed all manner of atrocities once he gave in to the Fathers lies, Song bore him no hatred, only pity, and in a moment of clarity, she finally understood why Rain couldnt bring himself to kill the Defiled in one fell swoop. Not because he couldnt stomach their deaths, or because he thought it beneath him to use the Energy of the Heavens to kill so many, no, Rains reasons were hidden so deeply he himself might not even realize it. Before setting out on his crusade West, hed given a rousing speech to the troops about what he intended, but most of it had gone in one ear and out the other. Song remembered every last word however, because she knew he was a man of his words, and the speech played back in memory once more.
Today, Rain had said, standing there in his golden armour and struggling to look both regal and impassioned at the same time, Marks the first day in our holy crusade against the Defiled, for we will show them the errors of their ways and teach them the meaning of regret.
A single line part of a larger speech promising victory and more, but this was Rains true goal. To most, this line would reek of rhetoric promising death and worse to the Enemy, but Song knew him better than that. When others spoke to Rain of faith in the Mother or the Heavens, or hatred for the Father, his response was usually to shrug and say he didnt care too much about religion, but when the Abbot spoke of mercy and absolution, Rain dug his heels in and strove to prove the man wrong. Why? Because he so desperately wanted to believe in the Brotherhoods teachings, even as he outwardly scorned them, else he wouldnt bother holding them to such a high standard. Their outlook resonated with him, even if he didnt wholly agree, which was why he was unwilling to simply kill the Defiled and had set his sights even higher. It wasnt enough to drive the Enemy out of the Western province, he wanted to rehabilitate the Defiled Westerners as well, or at least give them the chance to redeem themselves by showing them the errors of their ways.
A move which would not be popular with the Empire at large, even if he revealed his Heaven-sent ability to Cleanse them of their Spectral taint, but that never stopped him before. Easier to ask for forgiveness than permission after all, an idiom Rain continued to wholeheartedly believe in even after all the calamities hed suffered through for it, and it appeared as if he was about to suffer through yet another. He was a foolish dreamer who expected more from himself than anyone would ever ask of him, but Song knew this more than anything else, for unlike her, he would never give up on hope no matter how dark the night might grow.
You know me so well, its frightening.
Despite the alarming undertones of his non-verbal statement, Song clearly sensed Rain was more amused than anything else, and flattered that she understood him in a way no one else could match, because they were so alike in so many ways. He was here again not in her mind, but her soul, a Natal Soul popping in to deliver Heavenly Energy through sharing his emotions, so full of tender love and affection. That was all he had to say, with no questions for her about her feelings or expectations of any future together, just an affirmation of his emotions without the fear or shame this time around, for hed unburdened himself of his secret and left the next move up to her, like a game of chess he started and would leave untouched until she was willing to partner and play.
Truth be told, Song wasnt entirely willing to play actual chess with him, much less this game between men and women, mostly because Rain played by his own rules which were indecipherable to most. Perhaps there would come a time when that changed down the road, but Song didnt see it happening anytime soon, but the beauty of it was that Rain didnt either, yet still he was willing to wait. What he was less willing to do was compromise, on his love for her or his intentions to help others find redemption, a goal even this Natal Soul had not been wholly aware of, because Rain himself had yet to realize it. Gone was the young man who earned himself the title of Undying Savage by fighting like a crazed barbarian, one who harboured an intense hatred for all things Defiled, and in his place was an older and wiser Falling Rain who saw the Defiled as the pawns they truly were. Some were beyond redemption, but the same could be said of many Imperials who were not Defiled in the least, for the Heavens and Balance had little to do with morality and ethics.
Something Song had known for some time now, and a lesson she would rather do without. Better if the Empire stood for good and the Enemy for evil, but while this was usually true, one could argue that some good could be found among the Defiled, like in the tribesmen who found their way to the Brotherhood monastery, and much evil could be found in the Empire, of which there was too much to even begin to list. Chief among them was the evil of slavery, one Rain was wholeheartedly against, and Song looked forward to the day when he made this a reality.
All this and more passed through Songs mind in the blink of an eye, and as she cut down the second Champion to reach the parapets, she took a brief moment to glance at Rain and consider him in a new light. While handsome, he was not overly so, nor was he even visually impressive, a slender, boyish man who still managed to look tired and bored despite the invigorating rain and cacophonous battle unfolding all around him. When he caught her eye, he flashed her a tiny half-smile in greeting out of sheer politeness, only to immediately break eye contact in the same breath because he didnt know what else to do. It was small habits like this that made so many of his enemies hate him, because they saw it as arrogance for him to dismiss them out of hand, or worse, a deliberate insult meant to imply they were beneath his notice, when the truth was that Rain was just awkward and anti-social due to his lack of upbringing.
It was almost endearing in some ways, and Song wanted to reach out and pat his head, but she settled for a brief burst of Aura to thank him for his help. That was all, but he beamed so happily she suspected if he had a tail, it would be wagging even harder than big brother Baatars, but she had no more time for him anymore as more Defiled Champions and Chieftains arrived screaming in incoherent fury as they sought to claim Yan and Milas heads. A futile effort, for Mama, Papa, Teacher Du, Kyung, Big Sister Tursinai, and so many more Warriors of note were standing by to defend them, but first, they would have to get through Li Song.
As she drew her sabre once more, Song realized her foes guard was already raised, for hed seen her use this attack twice now. Oddly enough, this was the first foe in a long time to come at her in this manner, ready to guard against her quick-draw and intending to counter once her strength was spent, but shed long since planned for this eventuality. Instead of her standard horizontal or diagonal slash, she twisted her hips, back, and shoulder to turn her quick-draw horizontal strike into an overhead slash, one which cut the Defiled Champion in twain from crown to groin without ever touching his weapon. A simple enough variation, one shed practiced many a time before after her close failure to save Luo-Luo during their trip to the Central Citadel, but never used in real combat until now. Smiling as she returned her sabre to its sheathe, she met her next foe head on in hopes of further testing her might and finding some use for the gift of Heavenly Energy Rain had only just bestowed upon her.
Combat was simple. Life and love were far more complicated, but that could wait until after the war, or perhaps even later when she joined hands with Rain to free the slaves of the Empire. Whatever the future might hold, Song could rest easy knowing that she had her family and loved ones to accompany her, as well as a man who loved her enough to hold off on his own desires to give her the time and space needed to recover and rediscover her own heart.
And for now, that was more than enough.
Chapter Meme 1
Chapter Meme 2
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Chapter 789
Competition always brought out the worst in Yan, but she couldnt really help it.
When she was younger, her yearning to stand out came from a place of envy, jealousy, and inadequacy which manifested itself as a desire to prove everyone wrong for skipping over her when it came time to choose a child for adoption. A childish mindset to be sure, but she would be lying to say she didnt still harbour some small resentment for spending her whole childhood in the orphanage instead of with a family who loved and cherished her. Of course, had this not been the case, then Yan would have never become the woman she was today, and she now had a loving family to cherish herself, but she still liked to dream about what might have been. These days, she had a better idea as to why she was always overlooked for adoption, and the answer was not a pleasant one, nor was it one she could ignore.
No matter how much she wanted to, for she was not the only one to notice that the horned Half-Demons dotted amongst the Enemy ranks bore more than a passing resemblance to herself. They had yet to take part in the fighting, but they stood just out of cannon-range at all times, rotating alongside their tribal allies so that there was always a significant force of the formidable monsters just waiting for orders to advance. Clearly Yans sire was either working with the Enemy or a captured prisoner, which brought about a host of uncomfortable questions regarding where the People found her in the first place. Technically, she supposed it could have a dam instead, though the thought of any one woman having enough children to literally form an army was horrific to the extreme, even for someone like Yan who could never bear a child of her own.
Not that she wanted to. There were plenty of children in need of love and affection already, so why subject herself to the ghastly unpleasantness of childbirth unless absolutely necessary?
Since Yan didnt really want to ponder the implications of all this new information, she focused on her ugly competitive streak instead, even as the whirling links of Paragon sparked her competitive spirit. While she was more than happy to share Rains affection with multiple women, fame and prestige were another thing altogether, and Mila had always been her chief rival and goal to surpass when it came to the Martial pursuits. The domineering woman was a sight to behold upon the battlements of Shi Bei, whirling her incomprehensible weapon about overhead to scythe through every Defiled tribesman with the misfortune to come into range, a veritable one-woman army who was not only decimating the Enemy ranks, but simultaneously protecting Li-Li, Yan, and a whole host of soldiers through some inconspicuous manner. Difficult to say what it was, but the Defiled standing out of range of Milas chain-whip were unable to fight effectively, coming over the battlements only to flinch and squint as if blinded by the glare of the sun. It was so widespread that Yan even glanced behind her only to see nothing, for not only was it past noon, but the sun was hidden by the raging storm clouds overhead as they unleashed a downpour to wash away the fatigue of Imperial soldiers and likely drain the stamina of Defiled as well.
Perhaps there would come a time when darling Lin-Lin learned to do the same, but Yan couldnt imagine ever wanting to compete with the sweet, lovable half-hare. No, not half-hare, but Ancestral Hare, one who only recently ascended and turned out was either older or younger than her supposed twenty years of age. Technically, Lin-Lin had only been human for about eighteen years or so, as she went from hare to toddler to skip maybe eighteen to twenty-four months as a helpless baby. Made sense considering babies pretty much needed constant, round-the-clock care to just survive, though it begged the question of why a Spiritual Hare wouldnt just turn into a fully-grown human instead. Alas, no one had the answer to that one, but Yan was still hung up on the fact that the cherubic Lin-Lin was quite possibly the oldest one of them all, if you added in her years spent as a Spiritual Cloud Chaser Hare.
Then again, that didnt seem fair considering Lin-Lin had no real memories of her past life, only vague inklings and faint impressions that sounded suspiciously similar to Insight. Regardless of her age, what really irked Yan about all this was not the fact that Lin-Lin had hidden this from them all, which was understandable, or that she was now one of two women capable of bearing Rains natural born children, which didnt matter at all, but that she was arguably the strongest and most talented out of all of Rains wives. Luo-Luos meteoric progress in the Martial and Musical Dao already had Yan on edge, for the formidable Imperial Scion was seemingly perfect in every possible way, and now her musical talents were filling the hearts of Imperials with courage and determination aplenty. Then there was Lin-Lin, who Rain spoiled the most and was also fated to ascend to Divinity naturally over time. It hardly seemed fair for Yan to devote herself to the Martial Path and make even less progress than Lin-Lin, who spent most of her time either sleeping or playing with the pets, two activities Yan also loved with all her heart, but it was well known that the Mother always had Her favourites.
It just stung to know that Yan wasnt one of them, something shed known all along, but she could do without all the constant reminders
Luo-Luo, Mila, and Lin-Lin werent even the worst offenders, for there was still the matter of Rains ascension, which had Yan all twisted in knots inside. Proud as she was of her beloved husband, she was also undeniably envious of his success and his ability to accomplish something which no one in the history of the Empire had ever accomplished. Twenty-two years young and already a Divinity, or at least someone able to challenge them in some way, shape or form. Though Rain himself claimed he was no match for a Divinity in combat, and Taduk reluctantly agreed when pressed for an answer, the fact that Yans husband was even able to affect a clash on this level was staggering to behold, especially considering the fact that he said he still had room for improvement. Rain being Rain, he said this as if it were some grave sin to not be perfect and beyond compare, because surely he should have sprung out of the womb as more than a mere Divinity, but Yan could only marvel at how incredible he truly was. So what if Vyakhya stood still and took Rains attack head on? The fact that he was able to kill a Divinity at all was worthy of praise, yet he acted as if he didnt deserve any credit at all, especially considering how Nian Zus titular Shooting Star barely made the Ancestral Bristleboar bleed when they clashed back in Sinuji.
Meaning Rain, Yans beautiful, beloved fool of a husband, had more killing power than the Shield of the North, a Colonel General and Living Legend venerated by all.
As for Yan herself? Shed been progressing by leaps and bounds of late, and recently even learned how to use her Blessing of Air to keep tabs on the battlefield, soar high into the sky, unleash devastating explosions upon her Enemies, yet she still felt as if others were surpassing her with each and every day. Not just her sister-wives and Rain either, for many a diamond in the rough had been revealed of late. Lang Yi for example, with his superlative spear skills, or Ravil whod revealed his rough and tumble fighting style in Meng Sha, or Jorani whose courage never failed to surprise as he rose to the occasion time and time again. Then there were the established rising dragons to compete with as well, like Zian, Dastan, Sai Chou, and more, to say nothing of BoShuis shocking achievements in the closing minutes of the battle of Meng Sha as he slaughtered a path through the Mataram Clansmen to kill Captains, Senior Captains, and even a Major without blinking.
Grandpa Du had already filled her in on everything that took place these last two weeks and revealed more rising young talents to be wary of, which left Yan feeling like her rivals were always hot on her heels no matter how far ahead she progressed. Now, Mila had not only proven herself as a Warrior to be reckoned with, but was also establishing herself as a pillar capable of holding the Heavens up on her two sturdy shoulders, for if the Enemy were to have any hope of overrunning this section of the wall, they would either have to kill Mila or wait until she used all her Chi and stamina. In contrast, while Yan was capable of slaughtering vast numbers of Defiled with little more than a look, due to her newfangled Wind Domain allowing her to unleash Wind Blades, the Sanguine Whirlwind, and Grandpa Dus poorly named Explosive Wind in an instant, but she couldnt keep this up for long. As impressive as it might be to cut down hundreds of Defiled with a single slaughtering gale, she had a limited amount of Chi to work with meaning it was more efficient to slaughter her foes one at a time.
Whereas Mila killed tens of tribesmen with each pass of her chain-whip, and could likely swing it from dawn till dusk without ever pausing.
If only Yan had Grandpa Dus abstruse Talent for retaining control of his Chi as it passed through a living being, enabling him to slaughter multiple Defiled with a single Wind Blade with only minimal upkeep. She had Chi enough to launch hundreds of Wind Blades over the course of a battle now, but it still wasnt worth using against the naked, tribal Defiled who died just as easily to a swing of her Battle-Fan. Stamina and staying power, that was what was needed here in Shi Bei, but despite having done the math and arrived at the correct answer, it wasnt an answer Yan particularly liked. Much as she loved the Forms and fighting head-to-head against a challenging foe, there was no challenge in slaughtering these crazed Defiled tribesmen, for she wasnt fighting against them so much as she was struggling to outlast them. Better if she could unleash widespread death and destruction from afar to send them running for the hills, for there was no honour or satisfaction to be had from this unending slaughter as the half-blinded Defiled delivered themselves to her Battle-Fan and Six-Pointed Shield.
Wry amusement welled up from within, so familiar and innocuous that it took Yan a moment to recognize her beloved Husbands presence. So the idiot was still expending his Soul to help others without a care for the consequences, but there was nothing she could do to stop him. Stubborn was putting it lightly, for Rain was always someone who moved to the beat of his own drum regardless of what others said or did. It was one of his most infuriating qualities while also being one of her favourite things about him, his determination to be his own person even when everyone else tried to change him to suit their own needs. This attitude was what gave Yan the courage to be herself when she first arrived in Central, rather than try and acclimate to the local customs, ones which saw a talented and peerless dragon of a generation suppressed due to her gender alone.
Poor Dain. Even if the Ryo Family sided against them, Yan would always hold the fearsome Sword Princess in high esteem for her Martial Skills alone, and hoped to one day even challenge and surpass her, but from what little Grandpa Du had told her, that day would not be soon.
Sooner than you think.
A wealth of knowledge surged into Yans mind as Rains Natal Soul bridged a connection to the Heavens above and opened the floodgates of Insight and Inspiration. At least, thats how she felt it best described, though she knew her irreverent husband would simply scoff at the statement if she were ever to voice it. A discussion for another day however as Yan immersed herself in the Mothers Wisdom to progress by leaps and bounds yet again, for the Heavens had sensed her desire to master Grandpa Dus Talent and provided her with an answer that was both shockingly simple and staggeringly complex at the same time.
The wind is constantly in motion, because without motion, there is no wind.
That was it, the answer even Grandpa Du could not provide, for his Talent had been present since the day he Awakened to the Blessing of Air. A distinction he was always clear to make, that their Blessing was of Air, and not Wind, but Yan had always nodded along without really understanding the difference. Wind was just moving Air, so why was it necessary to have different names for the same thing? Moving water was still water, dancing flames were still fire, and shifting earth was still earth, so why the discrepancy with Air and Wind?
A shame Rain couldnt find it in himself to simply crash his wave into the Enemy forces and end the battle outright, but putting aside the implications of this possibly Treaty-breaking action, Song suspected that such a wholesale slaughter was beyond him. Not only would he have been risking losing control of the Energy of the Heavens, but killing so many with a wave of his hand would have broken him. He was a kind man who empathized too much with too many, and while he was more than capable of killing someone threatening his safety or the safety of another, slaughtering Defiled without reprisal would have laden him with guilt enough to crush him, and she could hardly fault him for it. Killing in war was one thing, while killing in cold blood another, and though they were at war with the Defiled, crushing them with a sea of Water Chi would have been asking too much of Rain.
Something Song understood, but didnt entirely comprehend since he seemed more than happy to design weapons of war for others to use. Strange that, but she supposed using Chi to kill was more personal than using a Runic Cannon or catapult, or at least different enough for his delicate sensibilities.
For now, he seemed more than content to stand nearby and watch the battle unfold while listening to Luo-Luos musical masterpiece. One which was very different from her usual performances, far less structured and melodic, yet brimming with meaning and significance in a way Song could not wholly grasp. It was there, filling her with courage and conviction aplenty, but also reassuring her that no matter how dark the night, daybreak would soon come, for there was a pillar here waiting to hold up the Heavens, and that pillar was none other than Falling Rain. He would not act until he had to, not because he disdained warfare, but because he loathed it with all his heart, the same way Junior Martial Brother Fung loathed it. The difference was that Fung shirked his responsibilities while Rain did his best to fulfill them, a lesson Songs Junior Martial Brother would do well to learn.
Or maybe Rain needed to learn the reverse lesson from Fung, how to be true to his heart and desires. Difficult to say which of them was right, because while Rains meteoric progress spoke volumes to his success, Fungs free-spirited manner was more in line with the likes of Ping Ping and Pong Pongs attitudes. Nature was cruel and merciless, and none knew it better than the beasts who struggled to survive each and every day of their lives, so why go looking for trouble when there was already so much out there in the world at large?
Sheathing her sabre and drawing it again in one, fluid motion, Song set aside her idle thoughts for another time as she cut down a Defiled Champion, a recent Western convert if his rounded eyes and dusky complexion were anything to judge by. There was a poem in the Classics which spoke of death and release, and it flashed through her mind as her sabre scythed through the mans neck and released him from his trials and tribulations.
Empty-handed I entered the world, barefoot I leave it. A life endured, a death suffered, with only the strings of fate and karma to bind me. Though this Defiled Westerner likely committed all manner of atrocities once he gave in to the Fathers lies, Song bore him no hatred, only pity, and in a moment of clarity, she finally understood why Rain couldnt bring himself to kill the Defiled in one fell swoop. Not because he couldnt stomach their deaths, or because he thought it beneath him to use the Energy of the Heavens to kill so many, no, Rains reasons were hidden so deeply he himself might not even realize it. Before setting out on his crusade West, hed given a rousing speech to the troops about what he intended, but most of it had gone in one ear and out the other. Song remembered every last word however, because she knew he was a man of his words, and the speech played back in memory once more.
Today, Rain had said, standing there in his golden armour and struggling to look both regal and impassioned at the same time, Marks the first day in our holy crusade against the Defiled, for we will show them the errors of their ways and teach them the meaning of regret.
A single line part of a larger speech promising victory and more, but this was Rains true goal. To most, this line would reek of rhetoric promising death and worse to the Enemy, but Song knew him better than that. When others spoke to Rain of faith in the Mother or the Heavens, or hatred for the Father, his response was usually to shrug and say he didnt care too much about religion, but when the Abbot spoke of mercy and absolution, Rain dug his heels in and strove to prove the man wrong. Why? Because he so desperately wanted to believe in the Brotherhoods teachings, even as he outwardly scorned them, else he wouldnt bother holding them to such a high standard. Their outlook resonated with him, even if he didnt wholly agree, which was why he was unwilling to simply kill the Defiled and had set his sights even higher. It wasnt enough to drive the Enemy out of the Western province, he wanted to rehabilitate the Defiled Westerners as well, or at least give them the chance to redeem themselves by showing them the errors of their ways.
A move which would not be popular with the Empire at large, even if he revealed his Heaven-sent ability to Cleanse them of their Spectral taint, but that never stopped him before. Easier to ask for forgiveness than permission after all, an idiom Rain continued to wholeheartedly believe in even after all the calamities hed suffered through for it, and it appeared as if he was about to suffer through yet another. He was a foolish dreamer who expected more from himself than anyone would ever ask of him, but Song knew this more than anything else, for unlike her, he would never give up on hope no matter how dark the night might grow.
You know me so well, its frightening.
Despite the alarming undertones of his non-verbal statement, Song clearly sensed Rain was more amused than anything else, and flattered that she understood him in a way no one else could match, because they were so alike in so many ways. He was here again not in her mind, but her soul, a Natal Soul popping in to deliver Heavenly Energy through sharing his emotions, so full of tender love and affection. That was all he had to say, with no questions for her about her feelings or expectations of any future together, just an affirmation of his emotions without the fear or shame this time around, for hed unburdened himself of his secret and left the next move up to her, like a game of chess he started and would leave untouched until she was willing to partner and play.
Truth be told, Song wasnt entirely willing to play actual chess with him, much less this game between men and women, mostly because Rain played by his own rules which were indecipherable to most. Perhaps there would come a time when that changed down the road, but Song didnt see it happening anytime soon, but the beauty of it was that Rain didnt either, yet still he was willing to wait. What he was less willing to do was compromise, on his love for her or his intentions to help others find redemption, a goal even this Natal Soul had not been wholly aware of, because Rain himself had yet to realize it. Gone was the young man who earned himself the title of Undying Savage by fighting like a crazed barbarian, one who harboured an intense hatred for all things Defiled, and in his place was an older and wiser Falling Rain who saw the Defiled as the pawns they truly were. Some were beyond redemption, but the same could be said of many Imperials who were not Defiled in the least, for the Heavens and Balance had little to do with morality and ethics.
Something Song had known for some time now, and a lesson she would rather do without. Better if the Empire stood for good and the Enemy for evil, but while this was usually true, one could argue that some good could be found among the Defiled, like in the tribesmen who found their way to the Brotherhood monastery, and much evil could be found in the Empire, of which there was too much to even begin to list. Chief among them was the evil of slavery, one Rain was wholeheartedly against, and Song looked forward to the day when he made this a reality.
All this and more passed through Songs mind in the blink of an eye, and as she cut down the second Champion to reach the parapets, she took a brief moment to glance at Rain and consider him in a new light. While handsome, he was not overly so, nor was he even visually impressive, a slender, boyish man who still managed to look tired and bored despite the invigorating rain and cacophonous battle unfolding all around him. When he caught her eye, he flashed her a tiny half-smile in greeting out of sheer politeness, only to immediately break eye contact in the same breath because he didnt know what else to do. It was small habits like this that made so many of his enemies hate him, because they saw it as arrogance for him to dismiss them out of hand, or worse, a deliberate insult meant to imply they were beneath his notice, when the truth was that Rain was just awkward and anti-social due to his lack of upbringing.
It was almost endearing in some ways, and Song wanted to reach out and pat his head, but she settled for a brief burst of Aura to thank him for his help. That was all, but he beamed so happily she suspected if he had a tail, it would be wagging even harder than big brother Baatars, but she had no more time for him anymore as more Defiled Champions and Chieftains arrived screaming in incoherent fury as they sought to claim Yan and Milas heads. A futile effort, for Mama, Papa, Teacher Du, Kyung, Big Sister Tursinai, and so many more Warriors of note were standing by to defend them, but first, they would have to get through Li Song.
As she drew her sabre once more, Song realized her foes guard was already raised, for hed seen her use this attack twice now. Oddly enough, this was the first foe in a long time to come at her in this manner, ready to guard against her quick-draw and intending to counter once her strength was spent, but shed long since planned for this eventuality. Instead of her standard horizontal or diagonal slash, she twisted her hips, back, and shoulder to turn her quick-draw horizontal strike into an overhead slash, one which cut the Defiled Champion in twain from crown to groin without ever touching his weapon. A simple enough variation, one shed practiced many a time before after her close failure to save Luo-Luo during their trip to the Central Citadel, but never used in real combat until now. Smiling as she returned her sabre to its sheathe, she met her next foe head on in hopes of further testing her might and finding some use for the gift of Heavenly Energy Rain had only just bestowed upon her.
Combat was simple. Life and love were far more complicated, but that could wait until after the war, or perhaps even later when she joined hands with Rain to free the slaves of the Empire. Whatever the future might hold, Song could rest easy knowing that she had her family and loved ones to accompany her, as well as a man who loved her enough to hold off on his own desires to give her the time and space needed to recover and rediscover her own heart.
And for now, that was more than enough.
Chapter Meme 1
Chapter Meme 2
Chapter 789Competition always brought out the worst in Yan, but she couldnt really help it.When she was younger, her yearning to stand out came from a place of envy, jealousy, and inadequacy which manifested itself as a desire to prove everyone wrong for skipping over her when it came time to choose a child for adoption. A childish mindset to be sure, but she would be lying to say she didnt still harbour some small resentment for spending her whole childhood in the orphanage instead of with a family who loved and cherished her. Of course, had this not been the case, then Yan would have never become the woman she was today, and she now had a loving family to cherish herself, but she still liked to dream about what might have been. These days, she had a better idea as to why she was always overlooked for adoption, and the answer was not a pleasant one, nor was it one she could ignore.No matter how much she wanted to, for she was not the only one to notice that the horned Half-Demons dotted amongst the Enemy ranks bore more than a passing resemblance to herself. They had yet to take part in the fighting, but they stood just out of cannon-range at all times, rotating alongside their tribal allies so that there was always a significant force of the formidable monsters just waiting for orders to advance. Clearly Yans sire was either working with the Enemy or a captured prisoner, which brought about a host of uncomfortable questions regarding where the People found her in the first place. Technically, she supposed it could have a dam instead, though the thought of any one woman having enough children to literally form an army was horrific to the extreme, even for someone like Yan who could never bear a child of her own.Not that she wanted to. There were plenty of children in need of love and affection already, so why subject herself to the ghastly unpleasantness of childbirth unless absolutely necessary?Since Yan didnt really want to ponder the implications of all this new information, she focused on her ugly competitive streak instead, even as the whirling links of Paragon sparked her competitive spirit. While she was more than happy to share Rains affection with multiple women, fame and prestige were another thing altogether, and Mila had always been her chief rival and goal to surpass when it came to the Martial pursuits. The domineering woman was a sight to behold upon the battlements of Shi Bei, whirling her incomprehensible weapon about overhead to scythe through every Defiled tribesman with the misfortune to come into range, a veritable one-woman army who was not only decimating the Enemy ranks, but simultaneously protecting Li-Li, Yan, and a whole host of soldiers through some inconspicuous manner. Difficult to say what it was, but the Defiled standing out of range of Milas chain-whip were unable to fight effectively, coming over the battlements only to flinch and squint as if blinded by the glare of the sun. It was so widespread that Yan even glanced behind her only to see nothing, for not only was it past noon, but the sun was hidden by the raging storm clouds overhead as they unleashed a downpour to wash away the fatigue of Imperial soldiers and likely drain the stamina of Defiled as well.Perhaps there would come a time when darling Lin-Lin learned to do the same, but Yan couldnt imagine ever wanting to compete with the sweet, lovable half-hare. No, not half-hare, but Ancestral Hare, one who only recently ascended and turned out was either older or younger than her supposed twenty years of age. Technically, Lin-Lin had only been human for about eighteen years or so, as she went from hare to toddler to skip maybe eighteen to twenty-four months as a helpless baby. Made sense considering babies pretty much needed constant, round-the-clock care to just survive, though it begged the question of why a Spiritual Hare wouldnt just turn into a fully-grown human instead. Alas, no one had the answer to that one, but Yan was still hung up on the fact that the cherubic Lin-Lin was quite possibly the oldest one of them all, if you added in her years spent as a Spiritual Cloud Chaser Hare.Then again, that didnt seem fair considering Lin-Lin had no real memories of her past life, only vague inklings and faint impressions that sounded suspiciously similar to Insight. Regardless of her age, what really irked Yan about all this was not the fact that Lin-Lin had hidden this from them all, which was understandable, or that she was now one of two women capable of bearing Rains natural born children, which didnt matter at all, but that she was arguably the strongest and most talented out of all of Rains wives. Luo-Luos meteoric progress in the Martial and Musical Dao already had Yan on edge, for the formidable Imperial Scion was seemingly perfect in every possible way, and now her musical talents were filling the hearts of Imperials with courage and determination aplenty. Then there was Lin-Lin, who Rain spoiled the most and was also fated to ascend to Divinity naturally over time. It hardly seemed fair for Yan to devote herself to the Martial Path and make even less progress than Lin-Lin, who spent most of her time either sleeping or playing with the pets, two activities Yan also loved with all her heart, but it was well known that the Mother always had Her favourites.It just stung to know that Yan wasnt one of them, something shed known all along, but she could do without all the constant remindersLuo-Luo, Mila, and Lin-Lin werent even the worst offenders, for there was still the matter of Rains ascension, which had Yan all twisted in knots inside. Proud as she was of her beloved husband, she was also undeniably envious of his success and his ability to accomplish something which no one in the history of the Empire had ever accomplished. Twenty-two years young and already a Divinity, or at least someone able to challenge them in some way, shape or form. Though Rain himself claimed he was no match for a Divinity in combat, and Taduk reluctantly agreed when pressed for an answer, the fact that Yans husband was even able to affect a clash on this level was staggering to behold, especially considering the fact that he said he still had room for improvement. Rain being Rain, he said this as if it were some grave sin to not be perfect and beyond compare, because surely he should have sprung out of the womb as more than a mere Divinity, but Yan could only marvel at how incredible he truly was. So what if Vyakhya stood still and took Rains attack head on? The fact that he was able to kill a Divinity at all was worthy of praise, yet he acted as if he didnt deserve any credit at all, especially considering how Nian Zus titular Shooting Star barely made the Ancestral Bristleboar bleed when they clashed back in Sinuji.Meaning Rain, Yans beautiful, beloved fool of a husband, had more killing power than the Shield of the North, a Colonel General and Living Legend venerated by all.As for Yan herself? Shed been progressing by leaps and bounds of late, and recently even learned how to use her Blessing of Air to keep tabs on the battlefield, soar high into the sky, unleash devastating explosions upon her Enemies, yet she still felt as if others were surpassing her with each and every day. Not just her sister-wives and Rain either, for many a diamond in the rough had been revealed of late. Lang Yi for example, with his superlative spear skills, or Ravil whod revealed his rough and tumble fighting style in Meng Sha, or Jorani whose courage never failed to surprise as he rose to the occasion time and time again. Then there were the established rising dragons to compete with as well, like Zian, Dastan, Sai Chou, and more, to say nothing of BoShuis shocking achievements in the closing minutes of the battle of Meng Sha as he slaughtered a path through the Mataram Clansmen to kill Captains, Senior Captains, and even a Major without blinking.Grandpa Du had already filled her in on everything that took place these last two weeks and revealed more rising young talents to be wary of, which left Yan feeling like her rivals were always hot on her heels no matter how far ahead she progressed. Now, Mila had not only proven herself as a Warrior to be reckoned with, but was also establishing herself as a pillar capable of holding the Heavens up on her two sturdy shoulders, for if the Enemy were to have any hope of overrunning this section of the wall, they would either have to kill Mila or wait until she used all her Chi and stamina. In contrast, while Yan was capable of slaughtering vast numbers of Defiled with little more than a look, due to her newfangled Wind Domain allowing her to unleash Wind Blades, the Sanguine Whirlwind, and Grandpa Dus poorly named Explosive Wind in an instant, but she couldnt keep this up for long. As impressive as it might be to cut down hundreds of Defiled with a single slaughtering gale, she had a limited amount of Chi to work with meaning it was more efficient to slaughter her foes one at a time.Whereas Mila killed tens of tribesmen with each pass of her chain-whip, and could likely swing it from dawn till dusk without ever pausing.If only Yan had Grandpa Dus abstruse Talent for retaining control of his Chi as it passed through a living being, enabling him to slaughter multiple Defiled with a single Wind Blade with only minimal upkeep. She had Chi enough to launch hundreds of Wind Blades over the course of a battle now, but it still wasnt worth using against the naked, tribal Defiled who died just as easily to a swing of her Battle-Fan. Stamina and staying power, that was what was needed here in Shi Bei, but despite having done the math and arrived at the correct answer, it wasnt an answer Yan particularly liked. Much as she loved the Forms and fighting head-to-head against a challenging foe, there was no challenge in slaughtering these crazed Defiled tribesmen, for she wasnt fighting against them so much as she was struggling to outlast them. Better if she could unleash widespread death and destruction from afar to send them running for the hills, for there was no honour or satisfaction to be had from this unending slaughter as the half-blinded Defiled delivered themselves to her Battle-Fan and Six-Pointed Shield.Wry amusement welled up from within, so familiar and innocuous that it took Yan a moment to recognize her beloved Husbands presence. So the idiot was still expending his Soul to help others without a care for the consequences, but there was nothing she could do to stop him. Stubborn was putting it lightly, for Rain was always someone who moved to the beat of his own drum regardless of what others said or did. It was one of his most infuriating qualities while also being one of her favourite things about him, his determination to be his own person even when everyone else tried to change him to suit their own needs. This attitude was what gave Yan the courage to be herself when she first arrived in Central, rather than try and acclimate to the local customs, ones which saw a talented and peerless dragon of a generation suppressed due to her gender alone.Poor Dain. Even if the Ryo Family sided against them, Yan would always hold the fearsome Sword Princess in high esteem for her Martial Skills alone, and hoped to one day even challenge and surpass her, but from what little Grandpa Du had told her, that day would not be soon.Sooner than you think.A wealth of knowledge surged into Yans mind as Rains Natal Soul bridged a connection to the Heavens above and opened the floodgates of Insight and Inspiration. At least, thats how she felt it best described, though she knew her irreverent husband would simply scoff at the statement if she were ever to voice it. A discussion for another day however as Yan immersed herself in the Mothers Wisdom to progress by leaps and bounds yet again, for the Heavens had sensed her desire to master Grandpa Dus Talent and provided her with an answer that was both shockingly simple and staggeringly complex at the same time.The wind is constantly in motion, because without motion, there is no wind.That was it, the answer even Grandpa Du could not provide, for his Talent had been present since the day he Awakened to the Blessing of Air. A distinction he was always clear to make, that their Blessing was of Air, and not Wind, but Yan had always nodded along without really understanding the difference. Wind was just moving Air, so why was it necessary to have different names for the same thing? Moving water was still water, dancing flames were still fire, and shifting earth was still earth, so why the discrepancy with Air and Wind?A shame Rain couldnt find it in himself to simply crash his wave into the Enemy forces and end the battle outright, but putting aside the implications of this possibly Treaty-breaking action, Song suspected that such a wholesale slaughter was beyond him. Not only would he have been risking losing control of the Energy of the Heavens, but killing so many with a wave of his hand would have broken him. He was a kind man who empathized too much with too many, and while he was more than capable of killing someone threatening his safety or the safety of another, slaughtering Defiled without reprisal would have laden him with guilt enough to crush him, and she could hardly fault him for it. Killing in war was one thing, while killing in cold blood another, and though they were at war with the Defiled, crushing them with a sea of Water Chi would have been asking too much of Rain.Something Song understood, but didnt entirely comprehend since he seemed more than happy to design weapons of war for others to use. Strange that, but she supposed using Chi to kill was more personal than using a Runic Cannon or catapult, or at least different enough for his delicate sensibilities.For now, he seemed more than content to stand nearby and watch the battle unfold while listening to Luo-Luos musical masterpiece. One which was very different from her usual performances, far less structured and melodic, yet brimming with meaning and significance in a way Song could not wholly grasp. It was there, filling her with courage and conviction aplenty, but also reassuring her that no matter how dark the night, daybreak would soon come, for there was a pillar here waiting to hold up the Heavens, and that pillar was none other than Falling Rain. He would not act until he had to, not because he disdained warfare, but because he loathed it with all his heart, the same way Junior Martial Brother Fung loathed it. The difference was that Fung shirked his responsibilities while Rain did his best to fulfill them, a lesson Songs Junior Martial Brother would do well to learn.Or maybe Rain needed to learn the reverse lesson from Fung, how to be true to his heart and desires. Difficult to say which of them was right, because while Rains meteoric progress spoke volumes to his success, Fungs free-spirited manner was more in line with the likes of Ping Ping and Pong Pongs attitudes. Nature was cruel and merciless, and none knew it better than the beasts who struggled to survive each and every day of their lives, so why go looking for trouble when there was already so much out there in the world at large?Sheathing her sabre and drawing it again in one, fluid motion, Song set aside her idle thoughts for another time as she cut down a Defiled Champion, a recent Western convert if his rounded eyes and dusky complexion were anything to judge by. There was a poem in the Classics which spoke of death and release, and it flashed through her mind as her sabre scythed through the mans neck and released him from his trials and tribulations.Empty-handed I entered the world, barefoot I leave it. A life endured, a death suffered, with only the strings of fate and karma to bind me. Though this Defiled Westerner likely committed all manner of atrocities once he gave in to the Fathers lies, Song bore him no hatred, only pity, and in a moment of clarity, she finally understood why Rain couldnt bring himself to kill the Defiled in one fell swoop. Not because he couldnt stomach their deaths, or because he thought it beneath him to use the Energy of the Heavens to kill so many, no, Rains reasons were hidden so deeply he himself might not even realize it. Before setting out on his crusade West, hed given a rousing speech to the troops about what he intended, but most of it had gone in one ear and out the other. Song remembered every last word however, because she knew he was a man of his words, and the speech played back in memory once more.Today, Rain had said, standing there in his golden armour and struggling to look both regal and impassioned at the same time, Marks the first day in our holy crusade against the Defiled, for we will show them the errors of their ways and teach them the meaning of regret.A single line part of a larger speech promising victory and more, but this was Rains true goal. To most, this line would reek of rhetoric promising death and worse to the Enemy, but Song knew him better than that. When others spoke to Rain of faith in the Mother or the Heavens, or hatred for the Father, his response was usually to shrug and say he didnt care too much about religion, but when the Abbot spoke of mercy and absolution, Rain dug his heels in and strove to prove the man wrong. Why? Because he so desperately wanted to believe in the Brotherhoods teachings, even as he outwardly scorned them, else he wouldnt bother holding them to such a high standard. Their outlook resonated with him, even if he didnt wholly agree, which was why he was unwilling to simply kill the Defiled and had set his sights even higher. It wasnt enough to drive the Enemy out of the Western province, he wanted to rehabilitate the Defiled Westerners as well, or at least give them the chance to redeem themselves by showing them the errors of their ways.A move which would not be popular with the Empire at large, even if he revealed his Heaven-sent ability to Cleanse them of their Spectral taint, but that never stopped him before. Easier to ask for forgiveness than permission after all, an idiom Rain continued to wholeheartedly believe in even after all the calamities hed suffered through for it, and it appeared as if he was about to suffer through yet another. He was a foolish dreamer who expected more from himself than anyone would ever ask of him, but Song knew this more than anything else, for unlike her, he would never give up on hope no matter how dark the night might grow. You know me so well, its frightening.Despite the alarming undertones of his non-verbal statement, Song clearly sensed Rain was more amused than anything else, and flattered that she understood him in a way no one else could match, because they were so alike in so many ways. He was here again not in her mind, but her soul, a Natal Soul popping in to deliver Heavenly Energy through sharing his emotions, so full of tender love and affection. That was all he had to say, with no questions for her about her feelings or expectations of any future together, just an affirmation of his emotions without the fear or shame this time around, for hed unburdened himself of his secret and left the next move up to her, like a game of chess he started and would leave untouched until she was willing to partner and play.Truth be told, Song wasnt entirely willing to play actual chess with him, much less this game between men and women, mostly because Rain played by his own rules which were indecipherable to most. Perhaps there would come a time when that changed down the road, but Song didnt see it happening anytime soon, but the beauty of it was that Rain didnt either, yet still he was willing to wait. What he was less willing to do was compromise, on his love for her or his intentions to help others find redemption, a goal even this Natal Soul had not been wholly aware of, because Rain himself had yet to realize it. Gone was the young man who earned himself the title of Undying Savage by fighting like a crazed barbarian, one who harboured an intense hatred for all things Defiled, and in his place was an older and wiser Falling Rain who saw the Defiled as the pawns they truly were. Some were beyond redemption, but the same could be said of many Imperials who were not Defiled in the least, for the Heavens and Balance had little to do with morality and ethics.Something Song had known for some time now, and a lesson she would rather do without. Better if the Empire stood for good and the Enemy for evil, but while this was usually true, one could argue that some good could be found among the Defiled, like in the tribesmen who found their way to the Brotherhood monastery, and much evil could be found in the Empire, of which there was too much to even begin to list. Chief among them was the evil of slavery, one Rain was wholeheartedly against, and Song looked forward to the day when he made this a reality.All this and more passed through Songs mind in the blink of an eye, and as she cut down the second Champion to reach the parapets, she took a brief moment to glance at Rain and consider him in a new light. While handsome, he was not overly so, nor was he even visually impressive, a slender, boyish man who still managed to look tired and bored despite the invigorating rain and cacophonous battle unfolding all around him. When he caught her eye, he flashed her a tiny half-smile in greeting out of sheer politeness, only to immediately break eye contact in the same breath because he didnt know what else to do. It was small habits like this that made so many of his enemies hate him, because they saw it as arrogance for him to dismiss them out of hand, or worse, a deliberate insult meant to imply they were beneath his notice, when the truth was that Rain was just awkward and anti-social due to his lack of upbringing.It was almost endearing in some ways, and Song wanted to reach out and pat his head, but she settled for a brief burst of Aura to thank him for his help. That was all, but he beamed so happily she suspected if he had a tail, it would be wagging even harder than big brother Baatars, but she had no more time for him anymore as more Defiled Champions and Chieftains arrived screaming in incoherent fury as they sought to claim Yan and Milas heads. A futile effort, for Mama, Papa, Teacher Du, Kyung, Big Sister Tursinai, and so many more Warriors of note were standing by to defend them, but first, they would have to get through Li Song.As she drew her sabre once more, Song realized her foes guard was already raised, for hed seen her use this attack twice now. Oddly enough, this was the first foe in a long time to come at her in this manner, ready to guard against her quick-draw and intending to counter once her strength was spent, but shed long since planned for this eventuality. Instead of her standard horizontal or diagonal slash, she twisted her hips, back, and shoulder to turn her quick-draw horizontal strike into an overhead slash, one which cut the Defiled Champion in twain from crown to groin without ever touching his weapon. A simple enough variation, one shed practiced many a time before after her close failure to save Luo-Luo during their trip to the Central Citadel, but never used in real combat until now. Smiling as she returned her sabre to its sheathe, she met her next foe head on in hopes of further testing her might and finding some use for the gift of Heavenly Energy Rain had only just bestowed upon her.Combat was simple. Life and love were far more complicated, but that could wait until after the war, or perhaps even later when she joined hands with Rain to free the slaves of the Empire. Whatever the future might hold, Song could rest easy knowing that she had her family and loved ones to accompany her, as well as a man who loved her enough to hold off on his own desires to give her the time and space needed to recover and rediscover her own heart.And for now, that was more than enough.Chapter Meme 1Chapter Meme 2
