|
Post by Funk Oni on Jun 8, 2006 17:24:22 GMT -5
Hey, everybody! This chapter is probably the most grotesque of the ones I've written, I hope it doesn't go too far. I also hope you guys enjoy it, I had fun writing this one.
Anyway; enjoy! Take care, and thanks for reading!
Chapter Six: Encounters
The disadvantage of history is that it is written only from the perspective of the victor. We do not understand the feelings of those who lost; their true motivations or aspirations. Instead, we must analyze the picture painted by those who were merely around to tell the tale.
It was for that reason that Shaiming was regarded in the Fire Nation capitol as “Shaiming the True,” a nickname that failed miserably in portraying an accurate image of the noble.
The only advantage that can be plainly understood of this is this; if someone constructs a legacy of lies, the farther they shall fall when it is torn away from them.
Bo was well aware of this.
Shaiming had just left Azulon’s court, having been granted a private audience with the Fire Lord. Now, surrounded by his five bodyguards, he made his way back to what had once been lord Chao’s estate under cover of night.
Having considered his options, Bo understood that the best approach would be to attack from an alley, striking fast and disabling all of the guards in one fell swoop. Yet he could not bring himself to do such. Bo was a soldier long before he had become a noble, and to strike from the shadows felt like a coward’s tactic.
And so, Bo stood directly in front of the estate, alone.
As Shaiming and his guards turned the corner, they came to a halt.
“Ah, excellent! One of you has already come out to greet me! Please go inform the servants to prepare a bath, I wish to retire soon,” he commanded as he started forward.
The masked soldier remained motionless.
Shaiming narrowed his eyes, sneering at the trash’s obvious insolence. “Guard, did you not hear me? I ordered you to do something.”
Silence.
“Deal with him,” he muttered, the five bodyguards stepping away from him. As they came halfway between Shaiming and the soldier, he began moving.
He lifted his hands slowly, drawing off the helmet. Tossing it aside, he stood glaring towards the coward.
Shaiming squinted, trying to make out the figure through the darkness. The moment it registered, his eyes went wide, his mouth hanging open in fear. He turned his body, tripping over himself as he tried to dash away.
Bo simply stepped forward, the guards lifting their hands to attack.
Wen Lan stood, motionless.
The Demon sat, motionless.
The two had been in this deadlock for half an hour.
She had used the first part of that half hour to determine a proper greeting. The latter part was for figuring out the appropriate actions to be taken while executing the greeting. Having arrived to a conclusion, she stood rigid; folding her hands in front of her before bowing.
At least, that had been the plan. Having become so engaged in thought, Wen Lan had forgotten the two kettles she was holding. When she motioned her hands in front of her the two collided, a sharp sound flooding the cave. This caused her to jump slightly, almost dropping one of the kettles.
Blushing from embarrassment, she looked towards the stranger.
He had not moved. His back was still to her, his head tilted as the mask glanced at her coldly.
Setting down the kettles, she bowed politely.
“I am Wen Lan, of lord Chin-Hwa’s estate.”
His head turned, looking back towards the far wall.
She worried that she had lost his interest, perhaps offended him. Lifting one of the kettles, she called out to him. “I have brought you tea, on behalf of Madame Min…”
There was silence, before his head turned slightly towards her again. Shifting his body, he reached his right hand behind a rock, pulling something out. Passing it to his left, he set a cup down beside him before turning his attention to the far wall again.
Taking this as an invitation, she approached slowly and gently. With quiet grace, she took to her knees and poured from the kettle. She set the kettle down to her left, folding her hands in her lap.
He turned his head slightly, the mask closer and even more intimidating now.
A few moments passed before she realized there was a reason for his lack of movement. “Am I too close?”
No response.
She nodded her head slightly in apology, standing up. Gathering the two kettles, she made her way to the entrance of the cave, kneeling there. Glancing towards him, she watched as he grasped the cup.
It was exactly how Min had described. He faced towards the far wall, his right hand rising to lift his mask slightly. Tilting his head back, he took a deep sip from the cup.
As he did this, Wen Lan glanced again at his arm and back. She had become accustomed to the scars, now able to regard them as a natural part of his body. Understanding this, her attention came to another feature; his muscles. She studied his arm as it held up the cup, her eyes trailing along his shoulder and to his back. For a moment, she wondered what they felt like.
Realizing her thoughts and how unbecoming they were of a noble, she snapped her attention towards the wall opposite her, her face becoming slightly flushed.
He set the cup down to his left, his right hand readjusting the mask.
She looked again towards him, this time hoping for some form of reaction.
“…Min didn’t brew this.”
“No,” she answered.
“It isn’t Sun’s brew. Or her daughter’s.”
“Correct. That particular tea was brewed by me; I hope it wasn’t displeasing.” The Demon was walking a very thin line between observation and insult.
“Better than Sun’s,” he muttered the compliment.
“I thank you,” she smiled, bowing her head softly.
He faced back towards the far wall.
Wen Lan began to suspect that tea was a method of conversation for the stranger, and she was more than happy to oblige. Lifting the kettle, she made her way back to the cup, pouring again. Afterwards, she resumed her post at the entrance to the cave.
The Demon repeated the motion, his right hand tilting his mask before drinking.
This time, she decided to initiate the conversation. “I must confess…There is a reason I sought you out.”
He continued drinking.
“I wanted to thank you for the other day. It was because of your actions that we were able to reach the valley.”
Setting the cup down, he adjusted his mask again.
“I thank you,” she placed her hands on the ground, bowing in full.
“Is the girl alright?”
Wen Lan thought about the question for a moment, then realized he was referencing Xiu. “Ah, yes. The cut on her arm wasn’t deep; I was able to bandage it.”
“Hmm,” he grunted.
She made her way towards the cup, filling it again before returning to the cave entrance.
“How long have you been brewing tea?” he asked quietly, lifting the cup again.
A bit embarrassed by her own inexperience, she admitted quietly. “Five days.”
His body shuddered slightly as he spit out some tea, slowly recomposing himself.
She winced, hoping she hadn’t made some sort of error in telling him.
Wen Lan was mistaken, but not in the way she had suspected. His spitting out of the tea was due to extreme shock. Sun had been brewing tea since she was ten, Min wanting her to inherit the family business. In five days, Wen Lan had managed to rival a woman who had been practicing for decades.
To say he was impressed would be an understatement.
“Is it alright?” she asked quietly.
“…It is delicious,” he gave the compliment almost inaudibly.
Though having practically whispered it, Wen Lan caught it, smiling with deep relief as she blushed slightly.
“If you’d like,” she paused, nervous as she touched the other kettle, “I have a special brew I’ve prepared…” she was extremely nervous, this particular brew of tea untested by Min.
Silently, he placed his cup down to his left.
She approached the cup, pouring it slowly. Backing up a few paces, she dropped gracefully to her knees, observing.
As he tilted his head back and began drinking, she bit her lower lip nervously.
|
|
|
Post by Funk Oni on Jun 8, 2006 17:25:48 GMT -5
The first two guards had fallen victim to their own lack of reflex speed, Bo’s wall of fire washing over them as they screamed out in pain. The next guard made the mistake of looking towards the fallen guards, leaving a momentary window of opportunity for Bo to attack from the left.
Kicking the guard in the chest, a burst of fire tore into him, launching him backwards.
The fourth guard managed to duck, dodging the now airborne third. He fought valiantly, quickly exchanging blows with the fallen noble. Yet for all the guard’s experience and training, he was able to last only three moves against Bo.
The fifth guard launched a large wave of flame, rushing forward to succeed where the others had failed. As he drew closer, he could make out the silhouette of Bo through the flames, his arms moving in a circular motion that parted the fire around him.
He crouched, thrusting his hands forward against the guard’s legs as each released a shot of fire. Howling in pain, the guard fell to the ground.
Shaiming lay there, staring as Bo approached slowly. Eyes that had once been of complacent wisdom had grown fierce and hateful, the flames of his attacks plaguing the ground behind him as he made his way to the noble, who began clutching at the dirt, climbing back to his feet to make his escape.
Bo had come too far to let the coward escape now. He spread his legs out, motioning his arms quickly before bathing the ground below Shaiming in flame.
The noble fell to the ground again, flailing his legs as he tried to disperse the flames. He could feel the bits of flame burning through the cloth, stinging his legs the moment they touched. Sobbing, he swatted at the flames with his arms, finally managing to smother them. He looked up just in time to see Bo’s hateful stare, his hand grasping his throat.
“D…Don’t kill me…!” Shaiming pleaded, his face wet with tears as the flames grew taller around them.
“No,” Bo grunted. “You don’t get death; that would be too easy.”
“Wh…Wha-Augh!” Shaiming began screaming as he felt Bo’s other hand on his knee, burning into it.
“Let’s eliminate escape from the equation,” he glared before drawing his other hand to Shaiming’s free leg. His palms burned, the smell of burning hair and flesh rising quickly as his hands burned through Shaiming’s knees. Standing up, he watched as the coward flailed around helplessly, screaming in pain at the loss of his legs.
As Bo crouched back down near him, he flailed his arms at him feebly. Catching his hands, Shaiming howled louder as Bo’s hands grew hotter yet again, burning off his target’s fingers.
“Why!?” It was the only word Bo could make out from the howls.
“Why?” he was almost insulted by the question, as he grabbed Shaiming by the face. “Because you destroyed lives for money, for power. You robbed men of their lives, and a girl of her smile,” he spit into the coward’s face, before clutching the sides of his head harder. “And I’m going to punish you for it.”
“Wh…?”
“Death is too good for you,” Bo’s eyes narrowed as his hands grew hotter. “Listen carefully; this is the last thing you’ll ever hear: I’m going to destroy you, Shaiming. I’m going to rob you of your hearing, your body and your pride. But be aware; I’m leaving you your sight.”
Sobbing, Shaiming flailed his fingerless arms helplessly, Bo ignoring the swats.
“I want you to see, want you to understand the stares you get as people pass you. I want you to be able to look at the fear your grotesque appearance inspires. And I want you to know that all of it, every disgusted look from a woman, every fearful expression on a child’s face, it’s all your own doing.”
“No, plea,” Shaiming couldn’t finish the sentence, his throat emitting a high pitched scream as he felt his ears burning.
Bo felt them tighten, then fold, becoming charred bits of flesh between his fingers. He grasped the top of the noble’s head, burning off patches of his hair. Tilting his head back, he reached his hand into Shaiming’s mouth, grasping his tongue.
It was then that Shaiming fell unconscious from the pain.
Grasping the noble’s face, Bo left one final burn mark; the shape of his own hand. He stood slowly, looking over that which he had done. He looked up at the sound of the oncoming soldiers storming the front gates.
Having accomplished what he set out to do, Bo had no other reason to remain alive. Yet he was a soldier, his spirit fierce and indomitable. To simply stand idly and succumb to death without fighting would be dishonorable.
And so, he took his stance. He motioned his hand from one side to the other, his eyes unmoving as they remained focus towards the wave of soldiers.
A blue spark charged over his fingertips.
Wen Lan stared hopefully as he set down the cup, awaiting his reaction.
He sat silently a moment, readjusting his mask. A quiet pause filled the cave before he muttered one word, curiously.
“Plum?”
“Yes,” she smiled. She was not particularly surprised that he had guessed her secret weapon’s main ingredient, after seeing him understand that Min and Sun had not made the first tea by merely tasting it.
“Min never uses plums,” he noted.
“Yes, she is allergic to them.”
“That’s a shame.”
“Oh?”
“Plums are my favorite,” he explained.
She smiled softly, happy to have found some common ground with him. “They’re my favorite as well.” She stood, refilling his cup before returning to what had become her post.
“…The tea makes us even,” he grunted.
“I’m sorry?” Wen Lan couldn’t quite understand what he was referencing.
“You came here to thank me. The tea makes us even.”
She stared quietly, before smiling and closing her eyes. “I’m afraid I must disagree.”
“Hmm?”
“As I said before; it is because of you that the others and I were able to arrive in the valley safely. The tea is merely a token of my gratitude; I had no intention of using it to repay the debt owed to you.”
“…Hmm.”
“I owe you thanks for something else, as well.”
He glanced back towards her.
“Your words on the river…I aim to spread and maintain peace, yet I hadn’t considered that such isn’t a path agreeable to all.”
Silent, he continued glancing.
“Over the past few days, I’ve had the chance to consider and think about your words. You are right; there are those who will choose battle over compromise. Though I have come to understand this, it does nothing to change my intentions.”
“You still choose to work towards peace, even if some exist who oppose it?”
“Yes,” she smiled softly. “I do not live for those who oppose it; I live for those who will accept peace. I will use whatever strength I have for them.”
“And those who live only to fight?”
She looked towards him, a serene look of hope in her eyes. “I will try to reason with them. And if they refuse, I will use all my power to protect those who desire peace from them.”
“…Hmm.”
“And now, I choose to do so for this valley.” She smiled as she looked out towards the valley. She continued admiring the view for a short while, interrupted by the rough sound of his voice.
“Then we are the same.”
Considering this, she continued to smile as she looked towards him again, nodding slightly. “I think so, yes.”
“I will deter conflict with these hands,” he lifted his hands slightly, his fingers tensing.
“And I will encourage peace with this voice,” she continued.
“I will give my life for them. Fight until my last breath.”
“Then we truly are the same,” she smiled gently. “Would you like more tea?”
“…Yes.” There was something in his voice, a hint that he had trouble admitting this simple request.
Wen Lan approached him, pouring from the kettle yet again. She returned to cave’s entrance, kneeling.
“You are a Fire Nation noble?”
“I was,” she was relieved that he was making conversation. It gave a certain level of comfort to the situation. Sparing no details, she explained to him what had happened after they last parted.
“You are of the Earth Kingdom now, then.”
“Perhaps…I believe my loyalty lies more towards lord Chin-Hwa and the valley than either nation.”
“Agreed,” he sipped from the cup, still facing away from her.
“Ah, perhaps you’ll find this funny; did you know that the spot where you once sat in the tea house is still left open for you? Others have been keeping away from it, in case you should ever return.”
“I didn’t know.”
“I think it’s touching.”
“I hope others sit there soon. I don’t want there to be less room in the tea house just because I sat there, once. It would cost Min business.”
“I doubt Min minds it much; she brags about knowing you.”
“Yes, that sounds like Min.”
Wen Lan rose again, moving to refill his cup. As she tipped the kettle, she discovered it was now empty.
“Ah,” she was surprised and a bit disappointed.
“Hmm,” he noted lowly.
“I did not expect it to run out so quickly.”
“It’s fine.”
“I suppose I should return the kettle to the tea house, then…” she trailed off, something in her curious as to what his response would be.
“Yes.”
Gathering the two kettles, she stepped towards the entrance. She looked back towards him, searching for words.
“If you would like…I could come back tomorrow, with more tea.”
There was silence as he faced towards the wall.
Silently discouraged, she turned away, taking a step out of the cave as she heard his voice behind her.
“Yes.”
Wen Lan turned quickly, watching his back again. She smiled gently, bowing again. “I thank you for your time, and look forward to our next meeting.”
“Wait.”
She was a bit startled by this. She watching as he stood, turning towards her. His chest was heavily scarred, his muscles well defined. He took a few steps forward before bowing to her.
“Thank you for your tea.”
Almost involuntarily, she returned the bow. “Thank you for the conversation.”
As she made her way down the mountain trail, she took a quick glance upward.
He stood there at the edge of the rock shelf that lay just before his cave, his mask turned towards her as she continued down the trail. He nodded his head to her slowly.
Smiling, Wen Lan returned the nod before a rock wall obstructed her view. She continued along the path, smiling as she recalled bits and pieces of their conversation. Before long she found herself at the edge of the valley, Bai-Jing in the distance. She stopped as she came upon another patch of the roses, admiring them.
Entering the tea house, she was met with a sudden quiet, the patrons examining her as she made her way towards the kitchen. It was obvious from their stares that Min made no effort to hide Wen Lan’s whereabouts.
The quiet was followed by a shrill screech, the old woman becoming aware of the situation.
“Why’d it go quiet?! Is she here?! She’s here, isn’t she?” she rushed out of the kitchen, her face beaming as she ran towards Wen Lan. Fetching the tea kettles, she hurried back towards the kitchen, waving at the beautiful noble to follow her.
“Well?! C’mon c’mon, I don’t have all day! I’m old, I don’t have time to wait around for you, hurry up!”
Smiling at her enthusiasm, Wen Lan quietly obeyed, following her quickly. As she entered the kitchen she took one of the spare aprons, tying it around herself.
Min was of the philosophy that if you were in the kitchen, you were there to work. Even if you came in merely to check on things, you were not permitted to leave unless you had contributed. Wen Lan found this a very agreeable practice, and made sure she had prepared at least one kettle of tea each time she entered.
“Tell me, tell me!” the old woman fussed as she checked some of the pots. “Get out of the way!” she nudged Sun as she looked into one of the kettles, tossing in a few leaves.
Sun simply narrowed her eyes, moving on to another kettle as she grumbled quiet complaints about her mother.
“He was very polite,” Wen Lan nodded.
As Sun entered the serving area, she sighed. Almost all of the patrons were leaning towards the kitchen, trying to hear the conversation.
“Polite?! I already knew that, you need to tell me something I don’t know! How’d he like your tea? Tea’s the most important thing!”
“He enjoyed it, I believe.”
“What about the secret weapon? The plum tea? Did you give him the plum tea?”
“Yes, it turns out that plums are his favorite fruit.”
“His favorite! Of course his favorite is the one thing I’m allergic to! Wait, plums are your favorite too, aren’t they?” She blinked excitedly.
“Why, yes.”
“You two share the same favorite fruit!” the old woman clasped her hands together, taking this evidence as indisputable proof that the two had been made for one another. “We’ve gotta make him more, we have to perfect it!”
As she said this, some of the customers began finishing their tea quickly, planning on making their next order of the plum variety.
“And he thanked you when you left?”
“Yes, he bowed politely, just as you described.”
“Of course he did! He has a good heart, that Demon! Now, you have to go back, when are you going back?”
“I think I’d like to visit him again tomorrow.”
The old woman almost had a heart attack, now having two counts of complete and absolute proof that the two were in love and going to have hundreds of children.
“And he said your tea was good?!”
“Yes, he said it was delicious. I am grateful to you for teaching me so much,” Wen Lan bowed towards the old woman after preparing a pot of lemon tea.
“Of course it was delicious, I taught you myself! Stop being so polite dear, a kitchen’s no place to be polite!”
Wen Lan laughed as she stirred a few of the kettles.
“Mother, we’ve got a ton of orders for plum tea, you come out here while I make some!” Sun called out from the serving area.
“Bah, bunch of eavesdropping fools!” she yelled towards the serving area, the sound of laughter following. “They just all want to be like the Demon, like a bunch of kids!”
Wen Lan laughed again, sweating as steam rose up against her face. She continued working the kettles, now beginning to brew some plum tea.
Word spread fast of the Demon’s favorite tea, and soon the tea house was packed tight with people. Even more so when the young men of the village heard there was a new and beautiful girl working there.
The kitchen was crowded, the noise was constant. Min and Sun bickered constantly, and there was no pause for rest.
Wen Lan loved it.
Most of his armor had been destroyed, stripped away by either fire or assault weaponry.
He had been fortunate enough to escape capture. Had he been apprehended, he would have been brought before Fire Lord Azulon. If such had been the case, the punishment he had subjected Shaiming to would have seemed a paradise compared to his fate. This was of little consequence to him; it was merely a matter of chance that he had been pushed back to the edge of a cliff, pushed off by a burst of fire.
He had been burned and wounded badly, the force of the fall breaking some of the bones in his upper body. His face had been torn up, his arms bleeding as the sea water washed over them. As he floated out to the ocean, the water continued seeping into his wounds, stinging more and more until he could no longer feel it.
Bo had delivered justice. He stood against countless Fire Nation soldiers and had somehow managed to survive. Satisfied and gazing up towards the night sky, he slowly closed his eyes, no longer able to feel the wind or water around him.
Nor could he feel himself being pulled up onto the raft of the Waterbender that discovered him.
Dedicated to Isaia, for always encouraging me and for the fanarts she's done. Gets me very excited to keep going.
|
|
|
Post by Funk Oni on Jun 9, 2006 22:33:18 GMT -5
Hey everybody!
Roses is going to be on a one week hiatus while I'm away in Massachusettes.
Take care, and thanks for reading! More stuff when I get back, you can be sure of it!
|
|
|
Post by isaia on Jun 9, 2006 22:39:49 GMT -5
Hey everybody!
Roses is going to be on a one week hiatus while I'm away in Massachusettes.
Take care, and thanks for reading! More stuff when I get back, you can be sure of it! and I shall patiently wait.
|
|
|
Post by darkblood_alchemist on Jun 12, 2006 15:38:29 GMT -5
You're story is amazing!! I can't wait for the next chapter!!
|
|
|
Post by Funk Oni on Jun 21, 2006 0:39:12 GMT -5
Aaaand, I'm back! Sorry to have been gone for awhile everyone, I was out getting some training for my summer job. I've returned, and spent the day working on chapter seven.
I was really worried that taking a week long break from writing would cause an interrupt in my style or pacing of the story. So I'd really appreciate any and all feedback on this. I know I always ask for that, but I feel it's especially important here.
Ah, enough ranting! Enjoy!
Chapter Seven: Rain in the Valley
It was not long before Wen Lan’s life had taken on a certain routine, one that she found herself enjoying thoroughly. Each morning she would share breakfast with Chin-Hwa, discussing and debating issues of both philosophy and nature before greeting Xiu and Gang on her way to the tea house.
Once there she would prepare several kettles of tea, the plum flavor having grown popular with the patrons once they had learned it was the demon’s favorite. As things settled she would make her way towards the mountains, having memorized the path to the demon’s cave.
Each day, it was the same. He would face away from her, consciously positioning himself so that it would be impossible to see any aspect of his face as he drank. Wen Lan had no qualms with this, not wanting to impose or offend her host. She remained at the entrance to the cave, sitting calmly as they carried on their conversations.
These conversations had started with as banter, the sort you exchange with a stranger in passing. Soon enough, observations of the weather and tea became discussions of Bai-Jing, its people and status. In time, this birthed the sharing of great tales and legends of their nations and people.
Initially Wen Lan feared that she was more a nuisance than a guest, his back giving no indication as to whether he truly cared for the myths of the Fire Nation. This fear was put to ease when she arrived at the cave entrance one day, finding that he had laid a blanket and some straw over where she usually sat.
She would remain there each day, smiling warmly and enjoying his company until the kettle had run dry.
Each day the two would bow to one another, exchanging words of gratitude. She would head back towards the village as he stood at the edge of the rock shelf, watching her. Looking up just before the mountain obstructed her view she would find him nodding slowly towards her.
Each day, she would smile and nod in return as her cheeks took on a faint blush.
Arriving back at the tea house, Min would insist on her explaining every moment of their time together, commanding that she not spare a single detail as the two worked in the kitchen without pause.
The day would always end with Wen Lan returning to Chin-Hwa’s estate, joining him for dinner as the two continued their discussion from wherever they had left off earlier.
Finishing their meal, they would make their way to the garden. There, Gang continued his perilous training of Chin-Hwa’s guards, Xiu remaining close to Wen Lan and Chin-Hwa while complaining about the stubborn old oaf pushing himself and the others too hard.
Every evening, after admiring the stars and wondering if the stranger was doing the same from his cave, Wen Lan would retire. Rising to bow, Chin-Hwa would impart some jewel of wisdom, wishing her pleasant rest. Wishing him the same, she would return the bow and proceed to her quarters.
It was a predictable routine, but she loved and appreciated each aspect of it.
“Gang, have you seen lord Chin-Hwa?” Wen Lan stopped as she passed the garden, looking towards her old friend as he continued putting the other guards through intense conditioning.
“The old man?” Gang faced towards his lady, casually dodging as one of the guards threw a punch. Thrusting his knee into his gut, he knocked the assailant aside before scratching his head. “I saw him this morning speaking with a bunch of messengers, why?”
“I just thought it odd that he did not join me in breakfast, this morning.” In the short amount of time Wen Lan had known the old noble, she already found herself constantly subjected to his insistence that every day must be started with the three proper foundations; a breath of fresh air, a filling meal and an earnest smile.
“Probably still busy speaking with those messengers, they all seemed t’be in some sort of hurry,” Gang wagered a guess as he ducked, standing up straight to launch an oncoming guard towards the ground. He quickly motioned his hand to summon the next, still keeping his attention on Wen Lan.
“I do not wish to disturb him. If you do see him today, please apologize that I was not able to see him before I left for the tea house,” she bowed politely.
He lifted his hand, grabbing an oncoming guard by the face as he nodded. “Yes, my lady.”
“Oh, and Gang?”
“Hmm?” He looked up towards her as he lifted his fist towards the flailing guard.
“Please do not push them too hard,” she smiled, nodding towards the guards.
“Fine, fine,” grumbling, he released the guard’s face. He turned towards them, barking. “You heard her, weaklings! You get a five minute break! Then we do fire drills!”
Groaning, they all collapsed and soaked in their moment of pause.
“Lady Wen Lan!” Xiu called excitedly, hurrying towards her.
“Good morning Xiu,” she bowed her head and smiled as she continued down the hall.
“Good morning, my lady!” Xiu beamed, bowing as she held something close to her, concealing it with her arms.
“What is it you have there?” she tilted her head, studying the object.
“My lady, I felt so guilty when it broke, so I’ve been working to repair it since we arrived in Bai-Jing,” Xiu extended her arms, offering the now mended hat that the old woman had insisted on giving Wen Lan during their journey to the valley.
Surprised, the beautiful noble took it carefully, studying its features.
The hat looked exactly as it did before, a small orchid design resting beautiful on the front. All traces of the fracture had been erased, the hat looking almost brand new.
Deeply moved and grateful to have such a kindhearted friend, Wen Lan bowed deeply. “Thank you, Xiu.”
“No, thank you!” Xiu bowed just as deep, rising back up before flexing an arm and grinning. “Because of that, I found out I’m pretty good at mending! I could get rich doing this!”
She laughed, warmed by Xiu’s fiery spirit. “I agree; this is beautiful work! I shall show it to him today,” she placed it over her head, wearing it proudly.
“Him…You mean the Demon?” Xiu blinked.
“Ah…Yes,” Wen Lan nodded. “My apologies, it’s just…I don’t like calling him that.”
Xiu smiled softly, nodding. “I understand, no worries! We just have to figure out something else to call him!”
“Perhaps I’ll ask him about that today,” she smiled, bowing again. “Thank you for your kindness, Xiu. I will return shortly before sunset.”
Bowing, the servant smiled. “Good luck, my lady.”
Wen Lan proceeded towards the tea house, smiling as she breathed in the morning air. After seeing her off, Xiu readied herself for her morning errands.
“Xiu!” Chin-Hwa called out as he hurried towards her, a slight urgency in his tone.
“Eh? What’s wrong, lord Chin-Hwa?” she finished slipping on one of her sandals, brushing some dust off of the bottom of her robe.
“Where is Wen Lan?” he did not answer the question, merely pointing out who he was searching for.
“She just headed out to aunt Min’s, why?”
Gang approached from behind Chin-Hwa, taking the five minute break from training to investigate why the old man was in such a hurry.
“Blast, I was hoping to meet with her before she left,” he muttered, contemplating.
“What’s wrong?” Gang asked as he stood beside Chin-Hwa, folding his arms.
He stroked his beard as he considered the situation, trying to develop some strategy or approach to it. “Surely you’re both aware of the several messengers that arrived this morning?”
“The ones that looked all panicky?” Gang asked.
“Yes, they’ve each been sent by the local nobles, as well as some from outside the valley,” his eyes narrowed.
“Why are they all here?” Xiu was slightly nervous by Chin-Hwa’s demeanor.
“To announce their masters,” he grumbled.
“Eh? Nobles are coming?” her eyes went wide. Frustrated, she narrowed her eyes and began yelling, waving her hand out towards the mansion. “Why couldn’t they come and announce it earlier?! Do you know how long it’s going to take the other girls and I to get this place good enough to house a bunch of nobles?!”
“Calm yourself Xiu, they aren’t here to admire my home,” he grumbled quietly, still contemplating.
“Of course they’re here to admire your home, it’s all nobles ever do! They show up saying that they’re just there for a visit, but they’re really there to look around and see if they’re better than you or not! Well I’m not giving ‘em the satisfaction!” she began storming away towards the servant quarters in effort to rally the troops, Chin-Hwa taking her arm to stop her.
“They’re here for Wen Lan,” he continued staring forward.
“What?” her eyes went wide.
“What?” Gang glared, already agitated by the implications of the answer.
“It appears rumors have already spread across the valley and beyond that I’ve taken on a beautiful successor,” he explained, closing his eyes as he folded his arms.
“So? Why’s it any of their business?” Xiu was angry, and doing poorly in hiding it.
“Because, they’ve somehow determined that this successor is of appropriate age.”
“For what?” Gang continued glaring.
He stood silently, closing his eyes and he sneered, almost spitting the answer. “…Marriage.”
“Ah, good morning! I apologize for being late,” Wen Lan bowed.
He sat quietly, facing the other direction. Glancing towards her, he nodded slightly.
“The tea house was so busy this morning, plum tea has become very popular,” she explained.
“It is because you brewed it,” it was a compliment thinly veiled as an observation. Over time he had become less hesitant in speaking and paying compliment to her.
“You are too kind,” she smiled as she poured him a cup, placing it down beside him before returning to her post.
“A new hat?”
“Ah, yes! It was given to me before the incident on the river. It broke there, and Xiu mended it. It is fortunate for me that she finished it this morning, it looks like it will rain soon” She removed it, holding it carefully in her two hands. “Would you like to see it?”
He nodded, turning slightly as he offered his hand.
With a slight nod of her head, she passed the hat to him before composing herself, folding her hands politely in her lap.
“This is excellent work,” he noted as he rotated the hat. He traced his finger over the design, “an orchid?”
“My favorite flower,” she nodded her head softly, smiling in admiration of Xiu’s skill.
Silently, he offered the hat back to her before facing away, tipping his mask back as he drank from the cup slowly.
She took the hat, her face having a sudden nervousness in it as she glanced towards him, recalling her conversation with Xiu. Setting the hat aside, she refilled his cup and returned to her spot quietly.
He glanced back towards her, the eye of the mask remaining fixed upon her. “What is wrong?”
Slightly startled, she looked up towards him, hesitating with her words. “I…Do not know how to ask it…” She was not scared to incur his wrath, what she feared was offending him; worse yet, shattering the sense of comfort that had filled the cave over time.
The eye of the mask remained staring, motionless.
“Xiu and I…I told her this morning that I would show you the hat…And then when she inquired as to who I meant, she referred to you as…‘The Demon.’ I told her I was not comfortable calling you that, though...”
“Why not?”
She was surprised by the question. Unsure of the answer, she continued nervously. “Well...A demon is something that exists even when there is no desire for it, something that destroys everything in front of it, regardless of what it is.”
He watched her silently.
“You, though…You live for the same cause I do; for peace. And I believe that is something that all men desire. A demon destroys…But you, you protect.”
The cold eye remained gazing.
“So, I don’t feel it is appropriate to compare you to that…At least, not if there is something you would rather be referred to as. I felt I should ask you if there was something else I could call you, some other name for me to use.”
Slowly, his gaze turned back towards the wall as he remained silent.
Wen Lan looked towards the ground, gripping her robe as she bit her lower lip. That which she had feared, destroying the warmth the cave had gained in their time together, had become reality.
Quietly, she refilled his cup. Sitting back down, she carefully composed herself and fended off the distant urge to cry.
The sound of the wind did little in filling the silence.
Chin-Hwa was well reputed as a wise and compassionate noble, one with a large amount of property and what was rumored to be a seemingly endless amount of wealth.
Having no successor, Chin-Hwa had decided long ago that upon his death, his land and wealth would be divided up among the people of the valley, as well as select individuals he had encountered in life. This decision disappointed many of the Earth Kingdom nobles, who had dedicated a large sum of time and money into brown-nosing.
Now, with the rumor of Chin-Hwa’s young female successor having spread far and wide, nobles found themselves with an opportunity to achieve that which had been impossible years ago.
If a noble were to marry into Chin-Hwa’s estate, they would be entitled to his assets upon his death.
It was for that reason that every eligible noble male within traveling distance had been dispatched to Bai-Jing.
Anyone near Chin-Hwa could tell that he was in no way pleased by this. He valued hard work and dedication, regarding wealth through marriage as demeaning and lazy. It was his hope that Wen Lan would merely refuse each of the suitors and be done with the matter, yet if she was not here, he was expected to host and tolerate the arrogant sons of aristocrats.
Gang, Xiu and Chin-Hwa stood in a circle, facing one another with expressions of intense thought.
This was most unusual for Gang. “We could try telling them it was a false rumor,” Xiu held a finger up as the idea came to her.
“No, if they were to later discover I had lied, Wen Lan and I would have trouble working with them later on.”
“Why would we want to work with them?!”
“If we ever hope to promote and maintain peace, we’ll need the cooperation of other nobles. The last thing we need is to do something that will make things more difficult for Wen Lan in time.”
“I’ve got it,” Gang narrowed his eyes, nodding slowly.
The two looked towards him hopefully.
“We kidnap them.”
Without hesitation Xiu smacked the old soldier in the head, turning back towards Chin-Hwa. “What if we tell them she’s away on business on your behalf?”
“Then it would be expected of me to allow them to remain here until she has returned.”
“What about telling them she’s sick?”
“The same case, they will remain until she is healthy. Some might even hope to charm her by visiting her as she rests.”
Gang closed his eyes again, having developed another idea. “I have it.”
The two looked towards him again, this time with little expectations.
“Someone will have to disguise themselves as lady Wen Lan.”
There was a stunned silence as the two stared in slight surprise that Gang’s idea was not only acceptable, it was better than anything that they had been able to come up with.
“I’m going to need a wig,” Gang stared forward tensely, willing to do anything for his lady.
Xiu smacked him in the head again, her eyes narrow. “Idiot.”
“He’s right,” Chin-Hwa stroked his beard as he stared at Xiu.
“Who are we going to find to stand in as lady Wen Lan, though? None of the girls look enough like her!”
“They don’t have to look like her at all, these nobles have never seen Wen Lan before,” Chin-Hwa studied Xiu a bit more.
“They just need to have a tough spirit and refuse them,” Gang nodded, turning towards Xiu.
“Fine, but who do we…” Xiu blinked, looking towards Gang. She turned towards Chin-Hwa, throwing her hands up. “Whoa, no. No way, no!”
“Xiu, would you come with me a moment?” Chin-Hwa smiled kindly, lifting his arm to motion towards a nearby panel.
“Eh? What is it?” Xiu followed him suspiciously, her eyebrows narrowed slightly. As he slid the panel open slightly, she peered through to the other side.
On the other side, a young Earth Kingdom noble laughed as he joked with a few others.
“So?” she asked.
“Watch,” Chin-Hwa looked towards the young noble calmly with stoic gaze.
As one of Wen Lan’s servants passed, the noble lifted his hand and took a quick but firm grasp of her behind, cackling as he did.
Stepping back from the panel, Chin-Hwa folded his hands behind his back as he glanced towards Xiu.
She remained staring, her body shivering slightly. She turned, her fists clenched as she glared intensely. “Go get me some Earth Kingdom robes.” She would not dare allow someone so vile to be even close to Wen Lan.
Chin-Hwa smiled confidently.
Gang grinned, having always admired Xiu’s fiery spirit.
“I’ve got hearts to break,” she growled.
|
|
|
Post by Funk Oni on Jun 21, 2006 0:41:28 GMT -5
Upon touching the kettle, she realized it had become empty. Standing quietly, she bowed towards him.
“I am sorry to have offended you. I will take my leave.”
She stepped towards the path outside the cave as she silently berated herself, stopping as a voice called out behind her.
“Wen Lan.”
Wen Lan was well trained in maintaining poise. Yet when one is hurt, it takes more than training and determination to conceal the heart. She did not cry, yet there was a reflection in her eyes that made it clear she was holding back tears. Not wanting him to see, she glanced aside, then towards the ground.
“Yes?”
Hesitating slightly, he stepped towards her. Standing a foot away, his mask faced towards her as his muscles tensed.
Though still nervous and hoping to hide her reaction, she looked up towards him.
“…My name,” he paused, almost choking on the words. “…It’s Jung.”
There was a silent pause as she stared, able to comprehend that which he had shared with her. The tension of his body gave hint to how difficult the act had been for him.
“Jung…” she bowed slowly, her head stopping a few inches from his chest. “…May I please join you again tomorrow, for tea?”
After a short pause he bowed his head, “I would…Enjoy that. Very…”
She rose up from the bow, looking towards the mask.
“…Very much,” he finished.
Smiling softly, she lifted the hat. She nodded her head as she offered it. “Please.”
“It is yours,” he lifted a hand to decline.
“I live in the village,” she looked towards Bai-Jing. Turning her head back towards him, she continued. “There are many places to keep warm and avoid the rain…I want you to have it here, to stay dry.”
Another quiet pause, before he took the hat gently.
Walking along the path, she stopped as she came to the point she had grown to enjoy most. Looking up towards him, she watched as he stared towards her from the edge of the rock shelf.
He nodded slowly.
Smiling, she nodded back before continuing along the path.
She stopped soon after she had left the mountains, a soft rain falling over the valley. It washed over lightly, a veil of mist draping over everything around her. Staring up towards the sky as tears slowly crawled along her face, her cheeks warm, she laughed softly towards the sky.
They were not tears born of sadness, for there was nothing to be sad about, nothing to regret. For a brief period of the day, she felt that she had lost something precious. Yet in a moment, that precious gift was returned to her along with another. The tears of both relief and joy continued, Wen Lan smiling up towards the sky.
She lifted her hands, feeling as the soft touch of the water covered her palms, her smile answering the rain.
Atop the cliff, the rain washed over his body. Staring towards Wen Lan, he slowly gazed towards the sky.
“Lady Wen Lan is ready to meet with the first suitor,” Chin-Hwa announced as he stepped into the room full of young nobles.
“About time,” one muttered.
“Good luck,” he offered. He was far from sincere, looking forward to the outcome.
“Thanks, father,” the first noble teased as he entered the room where his lady lie in wait.
She sat at the opposite end of room, dressed in a beautiful robe, a fan lifted in front of her face.
He sat down very casually, smirking confidently as he opened his mouth to speak.
“This one doesn’t know how to sit! No good!”
“What?” he blinked, staring at her.
“You have no idea how to sit; I need a husband who knows how to sit! Goodbye!”
“What?” he narrowed his eyes.
“He doesn’t even speak the same language; he only knows how to say ‘what!’ Gang, be a dear and throw him out?”
“What?!”
“Yes my lady,” Gang nodded, lifting the noble up before tossing him through the same doors he came in through.
“Next!” Xiu called after him.
Nervously, the next suitor entered.
“Too fat! Next!” Xiu was having fun with it, cocking her head to the side as she continued dismissing the young men.
“Excuse me?!” he started. He couldn’t finish, because Gang had already thrown him headfirst out of the room.
The next suitor entered, this time entering confidently and sitting down properly. With regal poise, he began.
“My name is Chi…”
“No good, don’t want a husband whose name begins with ‘chi!’ Next!”
“That’s ridiculous!”
“Sir, I believe lady Wen Lan asked you to leave,” Gang stood over the noble, glaring.
The suitors came and met with disappointment for hours on end, the denials including but not limited to: not having enough facial hair, having too much facial hair, starting with the left foot instead of the right, wrong eye color, too many syllables in the name, looking too much like an animal, being too bald and not smelling like fresh peaches.
“That went well,” Chin-Hwa smirked as the last suitor stormed out of the mansion.
“It’s because I’m a master of disguise,” Xiu smiled as she waved the fan in front of her face.
“You enjoyed that too much,” Gang muttered.
“It was enough to keep the suitors away from Wen Lan for awhile,” Chin-Hwa smiled, looking towards them.
“Won’t this make trouble down the line?” Xiu asked, lowering the fan.
“No. I suspect that when they all arrive home, their parents will be more enraged that they couldn’t even initiate a courtship with Wen Lan than your performance.”
“Greedy,” Gang muttered.
“Exactly,” Chin-Hwa sighed. “It is why I am glad, more and more each day, to have found Wen Lan,” he smiled.
“Lord Chin-Hwa?” A voice called for his intention from behind, the sound of footsteps filling the air.
“Hmm? Ah!” Chin-Hwa smiled, turning towards the figure.
Xiu leaned her head out from behind Chin-Hwa, trying to see who it was he was speaking with. Upon seeing him, she froze.
Gang stepped forward, doing the same as he recognized him.
“Seung, what brings you to my door?” Chin-Hwa asked, bowing gently.
“We’ve had the fortune of a calm in activity around the area. I decided to let a few of the units enjoy themselves in Bai-Jing. I thought it would be a good opportunity to stop in and see how you are,” the new general smiled; glad to give his soldiers some well earned rest.
“So kind, Seung. I am glad to know there is someone with such a good heart leading these men,” he nodded.
“You,” Gang grinned, unfolding his arms.
Seung turned towards Gang, smiling nervously as the firebender stared towards him with piercing gaze. “Ah, hello Gang…How are you?”
“You owe me a rematch,” he grinned.
“Now Gang, I don’t think this is the time or place,” Chin-Hwa glanced towards the old soldier.
Gang looked quickly towards Chin-Hwa, then back towards Seung. There was no animosity towards the earthbender. In fact, if anything, Gang respected Seung for being more skilled. Yet more than anything he wanted to take him on again. A strong opponent was paradise to him.
Unfortunately, Seung and his soldiers could not help but be intimidated by the nearly psychotic stare of the old guard.
“Fine,” he continued grinning, looking back towards Seung. “But you owe me a rematch.”
“…Of course…Someday, I promise,” he lifted his hand as if taking an oath, feeling there was no other way out of the situation.
“Good,” he folded his arms again, now excited. “I look forward to it.”
“Ah, Seung, you’re already well acquainted with Gang, but have you met Xiu?” Chin-Hwa glanced behind him, then to the other side. “Hmm? Gang, where did she go?”
“Eh?” Gang blinked, looking behind Chin-Hwa.
There, Xiu was nearly crouching as she faced away from the soldiers nervously.
“Hey, what’s the matter with you?” Gang asked, taking Xiu by the shoulder and nudging her in front of the old lord.
She stumbled a bit, stopping and becoming rigid as she stood a few feet in front of Seung, blushing wildly.
“It’s nice to meet you,” Seung bowed.
“…Hi!” she yelled, covering her mouth immediately as her face grew redder.
Chin-Hwa tried containing his laughter at the scene, understanding it completely.
Gang simply stared as one of his eyebrows raised up curiously, wondering what was wrong with Xiu.
Blushing, she hurried past Chin-Hwa into the estate.
“Who was that?” Seung asked, watching her as she hurried away.
“Xiu, one of Wen Lan’s servants,” Chin-Hwa nodded. He turned towards Gang, bowing slightly. “Gang, would you be so kind as to go resume the guard’s training?”
“Absolutely!” Gang grinned, walking away. As he did, he pointed back towards Seung. “Remember; rematch!”
“Right, yes,” Seung waved after him. Once Gang had left earshot, he looked towards the old noble. “Is he always like that?”
“Always, yes,” Chin-Hwa smiled. “Now, will you be staying the night in Bai-Jing?”
“Yes, we’ve already made arrangements at an inn.”
“Nonsense Seung, you and your soldiers will spend the night here, I insist on it.”
“Lord Chin-Hwa, I would really prefer not to impose,” Seung tried to avoid becoming a burden to him.
“Imposing would be spending a night at an inn and keeping me up all night suspecting that you’d be more comfortable here. You two, go fetch the other soldiers once they’re done in town and tell them you’ll remain here for the night.”
The two soldiers glanced at one another, then towards Seung.
The new general sighed, knowing there was little sense in arguing with the old noble. He nodded towards the two guards, smiling as he walked alongside Chin-Hwa.
“Are you sure you have the room for us?”
“Yes, we just managed to clear out all of the guest rooms, which had just been set up for many local nobles to occupy.”
“Oh? Are they not coming?”
“They came; they just chose to return home before sundown.”
“Why is that?”
“I have no idea,” he smiled.
Dedicated to Isaia, for screening this chapter to ease my nervousness about the week off effecting the flow of the story.
|
|
|
Post by Funk Oni on Jun 21, 2006 23:49:59 GMT -5
Hey there everybody, sorry today's chapter is a bit longer than usual. I got past ten pages and felt myself starting to condense the writing. I figured that'd be gypping the story, so I chose not to. As a result, it's a bit longer than usual.
Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this one. And for those of you who do read, yes, Seung's bit on the rumors about the Demon IS actually a reference to something. Bonus points to the first one who comments on it.
Chapter Eight: Journeys
“Good morning, lord Chin-Hwa,” Wen Lan bowed her head reverently as the old noble turned the corner. “I was just on my way to meet you for breakfast.”
“Ah, Wen Lan! I’m glad I found you before you had settled yourself in the dining room.” He smiled as he approached her, returning her bow with a polite nod.
“Is something the matter?” she was surprised. Each time she had arrived at breakfast, Chin-Hwa would already be sitting, enjoying a cup of tea and preparing to discuss or argue whatever the topic happened to be for the morning.
“No, nothing at all. My guest, general Seung has requested an audience with us. I promised we would meet with him before breakfast.”
“General Seung? The successor to Dak-Ho?” there was a trace of suspicion in her tone.
“The very same. No worries Wen Lan, I assure you that Seung is in every way the opposite of Dak-Ho. I would not delay breakfast if such were not the case; breakfast is…”
“Essential, for it provides a strong foundation for our spirit to draw energy from during the trials the day may hold,” she smiled softly as she finished his sentence.
“Very good, very good,” he nodded gently, smiling. “Now then, shall we?”
“Of course, my lord.” She bowed again as she walked beside him. As they moved, she hoped quietly to herself that the meeting would not delay her from visiting Jung.
It was not long before they had entered the reception hall, Seung already sitting humbly before the rise where Chin-Hwa typically sat. Wen Lan’s place was to the side, where she was able to observe and analyze the actions of both parties.
Yet such was only the case for formal occasions. Seung was a beloved friend and hero, and it was for this reason that the old man raised his hand to the general as he began bowing, stopping him.
“Please Seung, I try my hardest to encourage you and Wen Lan to spare me such formalities, yet neither of you ever grant me such. I ask that you put such to the side, at least until I’ve had my breakfast,” he smiled.
Seung simply stared, before smirking slightly. Where he had been blessed with the gift of earthbending, Chin-Hwa had been born with skill in rhetoric that could overwhelm and conquer an opponent with minimal effort. He nodded his head, granting his aged friend his request. “Of course.”
“Excellent. Ah,” he remembered Wen Lan standing beside him, motioning his hand towards her. “Have you two been introduced?”
“Not formally,” Wen Lan smiled as she stepped forward, bowing respectfully in greeting. “I am Wen Lan, successor to lord Chin-Hwa.”
“I am Seung, general of the Earth Kingdom army,” he bowed in return, then stood tensely. “I offer you my sincerest apologies that you were attacked on your way to meet with lord Chin-Hwa.”
“There is no need for apology; you were acting on the orders of another. I hold no animosity towards you, nor your men.”
“I am grateful for your understanding,” he nodded his head, thankful that Dak-Ho’s headstrong nature hadn’t come back to haunt him.
“I ask you to spare me the formalities, so you both simply apply them to one another. No respect for an old man’s wishes,” Chin-Hwa teased as he stepped towards Seung.
“My apologies, lord Chin-Hwa,” Wen Lan smiled as she stood beside him, understanding his complaint to be in jest.
“Please, sit.” Chin-Hwa motioned for Seung to sit across from him, choosing to remain below the rise. He was a firm believer that such formality, which could easily be interpreted as arrogance, should never be enacted among friends.
Seung lowered himself to his knees, placing his hands on his thighs as the two nobles sat before him. “I’m sure that by now, you’re wondering as to why I requested an audience with you so early in the morning.”
“I am certain it was worth it, otherwise you would have chosen another time,” he stroked his beard gently.
“Upon returning from the village last night, my men brought something to my attention.” He looked towards Wen Lan curiously. “Lady Wen Lan…Is it true that you meet with the Demon on an almost daily basis?”
There was a sudden tension in the room, Chin-Hwa stroking his beard slowly as he glanced towards her. She stared towards the general, closing her eyes.
“My apologies general, but the information you were given was incorrect.”
“Ah,” he tilted his head back slightly, having hoped that this had not been the case.
“It is not ‘almost daily.’ I meet with him every day,” she opened her eyes again slowly, a strength behind her words.
Chin-Hwa smiled gently. Though Seung was a friend, there was something to be admired in a girl who maintains confidence before an Earth Kingdom general.
“I see,” he thought quietly to himself, analyzing this.
“Seung, why is the Demon a sudden concern of yours?” the old man asked.
He sat silently for a moment, consciously and carefully selecting his words. “If it is true that lady Wen Lan has continuous contact with the Demon, then the Earth Kingdom requires her aid.”
Wen Lan’s body tensed, the conversation having taken a turn in a direction that made her uncomfortable. She sat silently, waiting for the proper opportunity to respond.
“Why?” Chin-Hwa asked a simple question, curious as to why his had been evaded.
“Scouts have returned from the river. They’ve brought with them detailed reports of Fire Nation forces gathering, preparing an invasion force that will travel along the river.”
There was a stunned silence, Wen Lan’s eyes going wide as Chin-Hwa’s expression became tense.
“…Wen Lan. Please find a servant and have her bring us some tea. I suspect we will be here awhile,” the old noble instructed carefully as he stroked his beard.
“The feed’s going to cost you a few coins, little lady. You sure you can afford it?” the merchant smiled as he set down the third bag.
“Well, no…I was hoping you’d be okay with trading for the feed,” she admitted, opening her tattered pouch and fishing through it.
“Eh? You can’t pay for it?”
“Wait, wait! I told you I can trade for it!” She fished through the pouch a little faster.
“Little girl, this had better not be some kind of game,” he narrowed his eyes a little.
She narrowed hers in response as she felt a few small bags, finally having located what she was searching for. “I told you I’ll trade, just hear me out!”
“Fine,” he growled as he crossed his arms. “What’ve you got?”
“There are a lot of scorpions in this area, right?” she took out two small pouches.
“Well, not a lot. But they’re not rare, I guess. Why?”
“I saw a bunch of them on my way here. I figured I’d be safe on the ostrich horse, but I found some flowers and herbs on the way here that make potent antivenom when you mix them. Each of these pouches has enough for five people. I’ll trade you two pouches for the feed,” she smiled hopefully.
He stared in surprise, taking one of the bags. Analyzing its contents, he whispered curiously. “How do I know this isn’t fake or something?”
“I tested it myself,” she smiled in pride at her handiwork as she slid her sleeve up, revealing a small sting mark on the upper part of her arm. “I got stung while I was sleeping the other night.”
The merchant gaped, staring. He had seen enough scorpion stings to understand the girl was sincere. Pocketing the two pouches, he hoisted up the bags of feed and walked towards her ostrich horse.
“Deal,” he said quietly.
Li Mei smiled confidently, happy that she had been able to make it so far on bartering. She had lost track of how long she had been traveling, feeling herself coming closer and closer to her goal.
This was not without consequence. Her clothes were tattered, her face dirty and thin from little rest and food.
The merchant could not help but notice this as he finished tying down the bags of feed. He crossed his arms.
“For another one of those pouches, you can get a meal and a night’s rest. Maybe some new clothes and a pouch,” he offered casually.
“Thank you,” she bowed politely, “but I’m in a hurry.”
“…Hmph. Fine, I wasn’t gonna mention this, but the two pouches you gave me are going to sell for a lot more than just three bags of feed. One meal, a night’s stay and some fresh clothes should make us even.”
“It’s fine, I don’t mind paying extra,” she began hitching up the ostrich horse, who cawed loudly.
He grumbled, understanding that she hadn’t caught his drift. “Listen, that ostrich horse needs some rest, you can tell he’s running on hot heels.”
“Ryo should be fine as long as I keep him well fed,” she smiled as she hoisted herself up onto the beast.
“Look,” he was trying his best not to growl as he said it. “Wherever you’re going, you don’t want to arrive looking as shabby as you do now. You can spend the night with my family, wash up, and arrive wherever it is you’re going looking nice. I insist on it.”
Li Mei looked down at the merchant, then towards the road. She glanced towards her hands, caked with dirt and sweat. As she did, she could almost hear Wen Lan scolding her to take better care of herself.
She sighed, nodding softly. Her smile seemed disappointed, as she jumped down from Ryo. Bowing deeply, she thanked the merchant for his consideration, taking him up on the offer.
“It’s no problem, really. You look like you need the rest anyway.”
Taking Ryo’s reins, she guided him carefully alongside the merchant as the two made their way towards his home.
From the shadows of a nearby alley, a lone figure tipped his hat up, studying them as they passed. He then sighed with relief, grateful that Li Mei had finally taken a break from her intense pace.
His ostrich horse cawed, trying to lean its head out of the alley upon smelling something tasty.
Shui shushed the bird, stroking its neck gently as he guided it back down the alley. Li Mei had managed to run him ragged without even knowing it.
“How many?” he sipped slowly from the cup, interrupting the long silence.
“A large enough force that it’s a concern, but not so large that we suspect any level of failure.”
“I am confused; from what I recall there is little to no reason for the Fire Nation to invade the valley.”
“We haven’t had the opportunity to apprehend or interrogate any Fire Nation soldiers, so we can’t determine what their motivation behind it is.”
“When do you anticipate their advance?”
“Scouts have informed me that they’re camping lightly. This could be because they aim to leave no trace for the sake of a surprise attack.”
“If that’s the case, then they’ve already failed,” Chin-Hwa noted, taking another sip.
“The alternative is that they intend to invade soon enough that establishing a camp would be pointless.”
“So the safest assumption to make is that they will advance soon,” Wen Lan lifted her cup, sipping deeply from it.
“Seung, you have yet to explain how the Demon comes into play. I trust you know better than to try to recruit him through Wen Lan. The Earth Kingdom has tried many times to gain his favor.”
“Yes, and each time they have met with failure. I do not wish to trouble the Demon with such an offer when I understand he has no desire to fight alongside us.”
Wen Lan sipped the tea again, lowering it as she looked in the direction of the mountains. She hoped quietly that Jung was not sitting, waiting for her with suspicion that she had chosen not to come despite promising she would. Worse yet, perhaps he was offended. Closing her eyes, she hoped for this not to be the case, hoped that he would wait patiently for her. That she would arrive with a kettle of tea to find him sitting, facing the wall as he always did. That they would continue their conversation from where it had left off.
“However,” Seung interrupted her thoughts, “my men are restless. We have a superior understanding of the valley, the river and the land in general. I am confident that we will be able to emerge victorious. The others, though…They are restless.”
“Restless?” Chin-Hwa halted his hand, looking curiously towards the general.
“Though eager to fight the Fire Nation and show them our strength, the men fear being attacked on a second front by the Demon of War. Already, there are rumors circulating among the troops.”
“Rumors?” Wen Lan asked, curious.
“Yes. There is a rumor that the Demon is actually Avatar Roku, returning to end the war by destroying all those who perpetuate it. Another claims he isn’t Roku, but that he can change into any element. After hearing that rumor, another soldier corrected the one reciting it by saying that he couldn’t actually change into other elements, but could become one with the shadows. Another corrected this, claiming he is able to bend shadows, not become them.”
“Wild stories,” Chin-Hwa smiled, entertained by the notions as he took another sip.
“There are others, also,” Seung smiled. “It’s said that he can controls beasts, while another claims he is of another world. At one point there was a short-lived rumor that he is able to bend metal.”
Wen Lan lifted her hand to her mouth, giggling lightly as she memorized each of these. She was sure that the stories of his reputation would entertain Jung later on.
“I understand that he will not fight alongside us,” the general’s face took on a more serious appearance. “But I was hoping, lady Wen Lan…That you would speak to him on my behalf.”
“For what purpose?” she asked curiously, lifting her cup again.
“I offer that all searches to locate the Demon will cease, as well as all wanted posters featuring him be removed. In exchange, I ask that when this battle comes to pass, he not participate in it. If this is the case, my men will have nothing to fear from that front, and will fight to their full potential against the Fire Nation.”
“…Hmm,” Chin-Hwa took another sip, as Wen Lan stared at the general.
“If he refuses, I shall accept that and prepare a squad to try to delay him so that our main troops can focus. I raise no fist against him, nor hunt him down. I ask on behalf of my men,” he bowed down to her, facing the ground. “I implore you, lady Wen Lan. Please speak with him.”
She stared at him, standing slowly. She bowed to Chin-Hwa, whispering.
“May I be excused to consider this, lord Chin-Hwa?”
He nodded his head, dismissing her as he breathed out slowly.
Sitting back up, Seung looked towards his old friend. “I’m sorry to have put her in such a position.”
“I would be ashamed of your actions, had they been selfish. You act on behalf of your men, something I can respect and find admirable.”
“She seems shaken. I regret having caused that.”
“It is a difficult choice, for her. In the eyes of a soldier, the Demon of War is to be feared. A whirlwind of fury with no compassion, just strength. To Wen Lan, however…” he trailed off as he looked towards the panel she passed through as she left. “To Wen Lan, he is human. And though I have no evidence of such, I suspect that he is a compassionate man. Kind, even.”
“What leads you to believe this?” he asked curiously.
Chin-Hwa smiled softly, taking another sip from his cup before setting it down. “She has spent every day since her arrival visiting the man. I doubt such would be the case if he was anything but.”
“I see,” he nodded. “My only regret as a soldier is that it makes it impossible for me to see the Demon in the same light she does, to approach him without being met with intense suspicion.”
“A soldier is nothing more than a profession. A man may be a merchant, a painter or a king. Yet these are not meant to define us; merely give us direction.”
Seung smiled, nodding his head again. “I am always grateful for your wisdom.”
“And I am always grateful for your company. But more so, I am grateful for levity when a scenario has far too much gravity to it.”
“Hmm?”
“Xiu!” he barked, turning his head towards the panel as Seung jumped slightly, startled.
The panel slid open quickly, as Xiu looked towards the old noble with slight aggravation. She loathed being barked for.
“Yeah, what do you wa-“ it was at that moment that she noticed Seung sitting across from the smiling old man. Her face took on a sudden and intense shade of red as she leaped back, slamming the panel shut. She slid it open very slightly, peering in.
“Y…Yes, lord Chin-Hwa?” Her eyes were already slightly narrowed towards the old man, suspecting his game already.
“Xiu, I was wondering if you would be so kind as to fetch another kettle and fill general Seung’s cup?”
“S…Surely one of your…Many, many,” she put strong emphasis on the word the second time, “servants could perform this task for you, my lord…?”
“No, I am entirely confident that only you can perform this task,” he smiled cheerfully.
She wanted very much to wring his neck. “Are you certain you wouldn’t rather have someone else do it…?”
“Xiu, I have spent all day praising your tea pouring skills to general Seung, please don’t be so rude as to disappoint him just as he was looking forward to a demonstration.”
“I was?” Seung looked towards the old man in confusion.
“You were.”
“…I was,” he looked towards the thin break in the panel, unable to identify the girl standing behind it. Quietly, he whispered to himself, “apparently.”
“Yes, lord Chin-Hwa. Right away, lord Chin-Hwa,” she was practically growling as the panel shut.
Seung stared in confusion.
Chin-Hwa grinned in satisfaction.
“Take a break, maggots!” Gang barked as he approached Wen Lan, the soldiers lying on the ground behind him, gasping for air as sweat soaked their bodies. Each anticipated that Gang would give Seung an intense rematch, the guards grateful that there were others for Gang to divide his usual punishment among.
She stared towards the flowers, recognizing a few as the same roses that grew in the valley.
“My lady, are you alright?” he asked, standing beside her attentively.
“Ah,” she snapped back to attention, having lost herself in though. “My apologies Gang, I was not paying attention.”
“I could tell, you usually scold me for pushing the others too hard within the first few moments of arriving,” he noted.
She smiled softly. “So I do.”
There was a silence before he stood beside her. “My lady, is somethin’ on your mind?”
“Yes,” she nodded, looking back towards the flowers. “There is a decision I must make.”
Another pause passed between them as he leaned an arm up on a column, looking out towards the soldiers. “Lady Wen Lan…You remember when you were younger, and you would get sick?”
“I remember it did not happen often,” she looked towards him.
“Right, ‘cause you were strong! Had a lot of fire in your heart, still do. S’why I stick by you.”
“You stick by me because you are a good and loyal friend,” she interjected.
“Maybe,” he continued looking at the flowers, as if lost in memories. “But that’s not all of it. I’ve stuck around because of your spirit, ‘cause of that fire. Same way I felt about your father,” his face took on a slight and sudden sadness, as if he had discovered a memory he had would have much rather forgotten.
“I remember when I was younger…” she answered his expression with a warmer memory. “You would tell me stories before I slept. Every morning, father would tell me which were true and which you had made up.”
“Every one of those stories was true, not a single lie among ‘em,” he composed himself proudly, almost regally.
“Even the one where you wrestled the unagi and won?” she raised an eyebrow as a slight grin of suspicion crept over her face.
“Well, no.”
“I knew it.”
“It was two unagi,” he corrected. “And I did it without firebending.”
She laughed softly, her focus on the flowers having faded.
“You just ask anybody from the Fire Nation, everyone ate nothing but unagi for a week!”
“If Xiu were here, she would tell you that you are a silly old man,” she teased.
“And Xiu isn’t here, so I’m not a silly old man. I’m whatever you think I am.”
“I think…That you are my oldest, dearest friend. And that you would never lie to me.”
“Then that’s exactly what I am,” the old guard smiled.
She nodded, smiling softly. “Always.”
“Point is…I stick by you because even when you were little, I always believed you were right about everythin’. That fire in your heart has always been there, never fades, never leaves. S’why Xiu and the others are still here, too. And no matter what,” he lifted his finger, placing it over her heart.
She looked down at the finger, her eyes trailing up towards her old friend’s face.
“…You keep making decisions with that, and more people’ll see the same.”
There was a moment of silence as the wind passed calmly, before Wen Lan wrapped her arms around Gang’s chest, hugging him tight.
He laughed, hugging her before patting her shoulders. “Now, you go do what you’ve gotta do. I’ve gotta get these guys ready for anythin’,” he grinned as he stepped back, nodding his head towards the still resting soldiers.
She bowed, smiling warmly. “Thank you, Gang.”
He bowed back, deeply. “Always, my lady.” He then turned, marching towards the soldiers.
“Gang?”
He turned his attention back towards them.
“Please don’t push them too hard,” she smiled.
He smirked, before continuing towards the guards. Waving out a hand, he barked at them to resume, the command met with unanimous groaning.
As she smiled and watched the soldiers train, a voice called out to her from down the hallway.
“Wen Lan!” Sun hurried towards her, panting and sweating with worry.
“Hmm? Sun?” she made her way towards the woman, taking her shoulders gently. “What’s wrong?”
“The tea house,” she breathed out heavily. “You have to come!”
|
|
|
Post by Funk Oni on Jun 21, 2006 23:53:21 GMT -5
“Your tea is ready, lord Chin-Hwa,” Xiu said lowly as she approached the panel.
“Ah, excellent! Please come in!”
“Lord Chin-Hwa, it’s fine. I can pour it myself, please don’t trouble your servants,” Seung pleaded.
“Nonsense Seung! Believe me, this is exactly what the situation has called for.”
She slid the panel open, now dressed in an elegant robe, her hair tied up and neatly presented as she skillfully held a tray with a kettle carefully placed in the center.
“Xiu, you look lovely today! Is it a special occasion?” Chin-Hwa smiled innocently.
“Oh lord Chin-Hwa, you flatter me,” it took extreme discipline to control her tone in a way that would not reveal her intense sarcasm. It took just as much, if not more discipline, to stop her face from glaring angrily towards him.
Xiu did not have extreme discipline.
“Please start with my cup, I find that this discussion has left me rather thirsty.”
She approached slowly, contemplating whether or not pouring the tea into the old man’s lap would be worth the aggravation. She resigned to behaving, overpowered by the desire to look both beautiful and capable in front of the young general.
Chin-Hwa nodded towards his cup, smiling.
She poured slowly, trying hard to focus on the cup and kettle. She was defeated as she glanced towards Seung.
Had he been looking towards the cup, she would have perhaps managed to maintain her concentration. Had he been looking away, it would have been even easier. Such was not the case; Seung was staring straight at her, for the very simple reason that he could not bring himself to look anywhere else.
Frozen, she was snapped back to attention by Chin-Hwa.
“Xiu? That’s quite enough.”
“Eh?” She turned quickly, glancing down as she noticed the cup overflowing. She pulled back quickly, almost dropping the kettle. Upon grasping it again, she singed her hand slightly, stifling a yelp of pain as she grasped the handle again.
Her posture was as rigid as a steel bar, her face a deep shade of red.
“Now, would you be so kind as to fill general Seung’s cup?”
She glared towards the old man, wanting to kick him in the face. Slowly and gracefully, she lowered herself in front of the cup, pouring carefully. This time, she made sure to stare at the cup and nothing else. She placed the kettle between them upon finishing, lifting the empty one from before.
“Should you need anything else, please ask any of the other servants. I have business I must tend to in the market,” she had rehearsed the line carefully, walking out of the room as quickly as possible.
Seung continued staring at her until the panel had shut.
Affection is hardly ever instant, yet it has the tendency to begin with the same feature, no matter how faint it may be; admiration. Whether it is of an accomplishment, strength or some unique facet.
Chin-Hwa smiled knowingly as he sipped from the cup, recognizing this same feature in the face of the young general.
The panel slid open suddenly, Wen Lan standing with an expression of urgency as Sun stood behind her.
“General Seung, I have taken time to consider your offer.”
He looked quickly towards her, his attention grasped.
“I thank you for your consideration, but I feel that visiting him for so long, only to bring in matters of the war, would be an insult. I would prefer to avoid any action that would risk my friendship with him.”
There was a brief silence before Seung stood, bowing. “I understand completely and thank you for granting me an audience, lady Wen Lan.”
She bowed towards him, then towards Chin-Hwa. “My lord, there is something I must tend to in the village.”
He raised an eyebrow curiously, nodding to dismiss her.
Turning quickly, she ran ahead of Sun as the two hurried away.
“I understood that my request would most likely meet disapproval, yet there was some degree of hope in me that she would speak with him on my behalf.”
“She values that which she has with him,” Chin-Hwa nodded as he stood beside Seung.
“Oh well,” Seung smiled. “I don’t feel the discussion was a loss.”
Chin-Hwa grinned, stepping into the hallway as he said casually, “Will you join us for dinner tonight? Xiu will most likely have returned by then.”
Seung stood there, blushing very faintly before following after his old friend.
Wen Lan pushed her way through the crowd, forcing her way through the door. She stood there, staring towards the corner.
He sat against the wall, the hat with the orchid symbol placed gently beside his foot.
The patrons sat silently, staring towards her as she entered.
Min stepped out of the kitchen, narrowing her eyes. “Finally! Where’ve you been all day?!”
Wen Lan looked quickly towards the old woman, bowing deeply. “My apologies, aunt Min! There were matters at lord Chin-Hwa’s estate I had to see to!”
“Well, next time send someone to tell me that! You know how many came in lookin’ for plum tea! I can’t make plum tea; I’m allergic to the stuff! I get hives! And then this oaf!” she waved her hand towards him.
There was a very sharp gasp from the patrons as they stared at old pain Min, who had just called the Demon of Kun valley “oaf.”
He simply sat there, silent.
“He comes in asking where you are! I tell him you’re not here; he just sits in the corner and says he’ll wait! And you!” she waved towards Sun. “You run out of here panicking just ‘cause there’s a demon in the shop! Get some backbone!”
Sun glared, clenching her teeth slightly at the old woman.
“Bah, fine! Check up on him and then help me out, too many people ask for plum! Bunch of kids I tell you, they just order it ‘cause he likes it!” She continued complaining as she stepped back into the kitchen, the sound of banging kettles and yelling heard before Sun’s daughter ran in after her.
Wen Lan looked back towards Jung, stepping towards him carefully. She kneeled down in front of him, smiling softly.
The mask faced towards her, signaling that his attention was on her and her alone.
“I apologize for making you wait...” she offered.
“It’s fine,” he answered.
“I was worried that you would think I had broken my promise to come back for tea. That you would be offended.”
“You wouldn’t break a promise.” He said it with a confidence that implied it was a basic law of nature.
“Never,” she smiled. “Especially…” she trailed off, blushing faintly as she caught herself.
The mask simply stared towards her, silently.
“…Especially to you,” she said quietly as she brushed a few strands of hair away from her face.
There was another silent pause, before he reached his hand behind his ankle, extending it towards her.
She looked down as he opened the hand, revealing a freshly picked orchid. Her face grew a bit warmer as she brought her hand to it, touching it.
As she took the orchid carefully, she felt the back of her finger touch against his palm.
It was not distant, nor cold. It did not infect her with an evil aura, or simply turn to shadow.
It merely confirmed that which she had suspected; that which she had known to be true, more so than any other. He was no demon born of war, nor any other hatred.
He was human, his palm warm to her touch.
She held the orchid carefully, smiling before looking back towards the mask.
“Did you bring this, for me…?” she whispered. She understood that this was not a moment to be readily shared with the other patrons.
Slowly, just as he had done each time she walked down the trail, he nodded.
She looked towards the other patrons, then back to him. “I think I should help aunt Min with the tea, or she might become even crankier…If you would like…May I walk with you back to the mountain, once things here have calmed?”
Without hesitation, his voice answered. “I would like that.”
She smiled, nodding as she began attempting to affix the orchid to her hair. Still blushing lightly, she made her way into the kitchen, tying up the sleeves of her robes to make her work easier.
As the sun set, the tea house had already taken on its usual levity, the Demon becoming a natural feature of the shop.
When things had grown calm enough, the two made the trek back to Jung’s cave, their conversation picking up from the exact spot it had left off the other day. Wen Lan shared with him the legend of a great Phoenix, Jung following with an old tale of a large mountain that rested upon the shell of a larger tortoise.
As they neared the cave, Wen Lan finished explaining about the audience she and Chin-Hwa had with Seung that morning.
“I refused, since I felt it might cause you to become uncomfortable with my presence.”
“Why tell me now?” the mask glanced towards her.
“I felt as though you would want to know of the upcoming battle,” she looked up towards the mask. “I would have felt guilty knowing about it and not telling you.”
“That is kind of you,” he noted, looking back towards the path. “I do not…” he stopped in his tracks, trailing off. The statement had begun naturally, his words stopping as he realized that which they carried.
She came to a stop, a few paces ahead of him. “Jung? Are you alright?”
Silently, he stared. Moment later, he finished the statement. “…I do not feel uncomfortable with your presence.”
Hearing this, warmth spread over her cheeks yet again. She bowed gracefully, grateful that the night would do well at hiding her blush. “I thank you for that.”
He continued walking, stepping towards the cave. Turning towards her, he bowed.
“Thank you for the tea.”
She bowed deeply, smiling softly. “Thank you for waiting, and for the orchid.” She turned, almost losing her footing. “Jung…May I come back tomorrow, to join you for tea?”
“I would enjoy that,” he started. “Very much.” The words were growing easier over time.
“So would I,” she nodded, smiling. She turned, walking along the path. As the mountain threatened to obstruct her view, she looked up once again.
Though it was dark, she could make out his figure in the moonlight. He nodded his head slowly.
Smiling, she nodded back, continuing along the moonlit path.
Dedicated to Isaia, who just sent me an amazing, AMAZING image of Gang, Xiu, Li Mei and Seung!
|
|
babbs
Cabbage Merchant
Posts: 4,101
|
Post by babbs on Jun 22, 2006 14:42:07 GMT -5
DUDE. Giroro. Jung is one cool character! I can totally see him in my head and d'aaaaaw, do I sense a coughromancecough?! And dammit, you're practically the GOD of creating such awesome elderly characters! First Chin-Hwa, now Aunt Min... LOL I love them so much. Aunt Min reminds me of my grandma. Pssst... Do you mind showing me Isaia's picture of Gang, Xiu, Li Mei and Seung? Seeing her depiction of them would probably make my head explode now. xD
|
|
|
Post by isaia on Jun 22, 2006 20:35:47 GMT -5
Dahhh hhhh I lufffffff this chapter all over the place. My love for this chapter causes me to be incoherent and awkward
much like Xiu when she is around Seung :3
I also like how you're going to set the stage for future events and pacing it so well...naturally without pushing it into something sudden.
ahaha the rumors about Jung being a reference to something eh?
letsee ...
a reference to all those[glow=red,2,300] gary stu OC's in fanfiction.net?[/glow]
XP ahaha I lose ...
|
|
|
Post by Funk Oni on Jun 23, 2006 19:46:40 GMT -5
Hey again, everyone! I really have nothing to say in reference to this chapter, it's much more of a "calm before the storm" part that allows for some character development.
Hopefully you enjoy it! As always, I'd appreciate any and all feedback! Thanks!
Chapter Nine: Preparations
“You’re sure about this?” he whispered.
“Will you calm down? It’s no big deal; we just go in, take care of business, then run for it.”
“Still, what if they’re awake?”
“Then tie them up! Why are you so nervous?”
“You didn’t see the soldiers, this morning?”
“No, what soldiers?”
“Some Earth Kingdom soldiers were passing through the town this morning!”
“Is that all?”
“What do you mean ‘is that all’?! There’re soldiers in the village, how can you be so calm about this?!”
“Because if I didn’t notice ‘em, then there obviously weren’t enough to get worked up about. Now shut up and keep your head low.”
“Fine,” he grunted. “Just go over it one more time.”
“You’re an idiot.”
“Going over it calms me down!”
“Fine, if it’ll get you to stop whining. We go in through the back, tie up anyone who gets in our way. We take a cart and load it up with stuff, pile all of their valuables in the middle. We put worthless junk on the outside so no one notices. I ride alongside the guy; you hide among the stuff directly behind him with your knife. That way, he doesn’t make a fuss when we leave the village.”
“Wait, what do we do when we get far enough away?”
“If he makes trouble? We kill him. If he cooperates, we’ll just tie him up and leave him in a tree or something.”
“Alright. I just hope this works.”
“When has this not worked?”
“When have we ever been in a village with soldiers, before?!”
“Quiet down! Geez, you’re annoying. Just get ready, got it?” He lowered his hood over his face, keeping low to the ground as he passed the stable.
The second thief followed suit, still nervous.
The stable door opened slightly, Shui peering out with a grimace as he wondered when this mission would permit him a decent night’s sleep.
The understanding of the upcoming battle brought an awkward quiet into the valley. Business carried on as usual, men still discussed the weather and local politics. Nobles carried on in their practices, children still played. Yet there was a tension shared throughout Bai-Jing, comparable to the sensation felt when standing in the center of a storm, understanding that lightning could crash down at any moment.
Soldiers sharpened their weapons. Earthbenders pushed themselves harder, gasping for air as they trained. Seung’s forces were eager to demonstrate their skill.
Those who could not fight contributed as best they could. Merchants offered rations to the soldiers; children prepared small tokens of hope and offered prayers. Blacksmiths unified under one cause; forging weapons that would neither break nor falter in battle.
Silently, an old woman sat before a kettle of tea, her eyes narrowed as she fought off memories.
“Mother,” Sun caught her attention as she entered the kitchen, brushing aside the cloth separating it from the serving area. “Is everything alright with Wen Lan?”
“Why?” Min glanced over her shoulder towards her daughter.
“She took a different kettle than usual this morning, it seemed unusual.”
“I told her to take that kettle,” she explained as she turned her attention back towards the tea in front of her.
“Why?” Sun set down a kettle, taking another in its place.
“It has a very special tea in it, one I brewed this morning and told her to bring to the Demon.” There was an untypical stillness about the old woman.
“Eh? Why is it special?”
“It’s the war tea.”
Sun stopped, staring at the old woman.
There was a dead silence between the two, Sun breaking it in a hushed tone.
“I thought you said you’d never brew that again.”
“I did.”
“Then why?”
“Old man Chin stopped in, a week ago.”
Sun raised an eyebrow, wondering how this had anything to do with her question.
“Told me about Wen Lan; what it was like when she arrived. Why she’s here, why she’s staying as his successor. Told me everything.”
“Why?” she asked in submission to her mother’s tangent.
“I asked, since it’s always too busy in here for me to talk to Wen Lan about it. I was curious about her, felt it’d be a good idea to learn more.”
Sun smiled faintly. “You asked because you like her,” she noted.
“Bah,” she muttered. “Anyway, she wants peace. Wants to make it so people stop dying because of the war.”
“That doesn’t surprise me,” Sun set the kettle down.
“Me either. I think it’s a good idea, though. This war’s been going on as long as I can remember, I’m sick of it,” she glared.
“What does that have to do with the war tea, mother?”
“Peace,” Min stared towards the kettle she had been focusing on so intently. “It’s a beautiful thing. And like all beautiful things, it’s hard to hold onto. Tries to slip away when you aren’t paying attention, makin’ the effort to keep it. But her and that Demon…” she trailed off a bit, firming her upper lip. “I feel like they can do it. So I won’t let them die.”
“And you think the war tea’s going to keep them going?” Sun narrowed her eyes. “You think that some magical tea is going to save them somehow?”
“The war tea invigorates the spirit, strengthens it. Makes it so that you can always stay standing, no matter how many you’re up against,” she explained, her focus still on the kettle.
“Father died because of that tea!”
“That old fool died because he insisted he was strong enough that he didn’t need it; show me he’d come back from the battle without drinking it beforehand!” Min snapped as she turned towards her daughter, approaching angrily. “But no, he went in and got himself killed and left me to raise two small children who would ask me every day when their father was coming home!”
“Mother,” Sun started.
“But he was never coming home, because he was too stubborn to drink it when I asked him to! Left me to sit and wonder every day whether it was my fault that he died or not, if the tea would’ve made a difference! I’m an old woman now, and I can’t take anyone else dying!” Tears welled in her eyes as she clenched her fists, scolding her daughter.
“…Mother,” she trailed off, feeling warmth in her face as tears came to her.
“That Demon stands out there every battle, and now that Fire Nation girl is going to stand right beside him just because they both believe in peace, and I can’t take them disappearing, I won’t have it!” she turned back towards the kettle, her shoulders shaking as she cried quietly.
Silently, Sun stepped towards her mother, placing her hands on her shoulders.
“…At least teach me how to make it.”
Without a word, the old woman turned and hugged her daughter tightly, clinging to her. Moments later, she lifted the kettle she had been staring at so carefully, handing it to Sun.
“Take that to old man Chin, he needs it right now.”
“Eh!?” Sun’s eyes went wide. “Old man Chin is going to fight?!”
“I don’t know,” Min shrugged, her face still stinging from the tears. “But I suspect he knows people who will. I’ll teach you to brew it when you get back,” she turned her back to Sun, taking another kettle and a few herbs.
After a moment, Sun bowed obediently. Stepping out into the serving area, she was greeted by standing patrons.
“Sun,” one of the blacksmiths stepped forward. “Go get your mother.”
“Why?” she raised an eyebrow curiously.
“We ain’t soldiers or anythin’, but we want to help. We want her t’make all of us some of that tea,” he explained.
Behind him, the other patrons nodded, murmuring in agreement.
“…Hmph,” Min stepped out from behind the cloth, folding her arms. “You heard all of that, did you?”
“What can I say?” the blacksmith grinned as he shrugged his shoulders. “You’re a loud old pain.”
She smirked, closing her eyes. “Bunch of kids,” she started. “You’re gonna drink it just because your hero is. Fine then, I’ll make the tea for each of you.”
The patrons grinned, eager to get to work.
“It’s gonna cost four times my normal price, ingredients are expensive,” she said flatly.
The patrons stared, some groaning quietly while others muttered about the old woman never missing an opportunity.
“Fine,” the blacksmith grunted. “Just go get it ready.”
“Sun, go deliver that then come back, we’ve got work to do!” Min grinned, hurrying her daughter out the door. She turned, waving her granddaughter to seat and begin serving them all. Grinning wildly, she stepped into the kitchen.
There was a battle to come, but so long as she was contributing as best she could without holding back, there was little for old pain Min to worry over.
“Ready?” the first thief drew out his knife, now positioned just outside the merchant’s back door.
“Ready,” the second answered quietly, placing his hand on the hilt of his blade as he crouched behind his partner.
“Ready,” Shui noted, crouching just behind the second thief.
“Eh?” the second thief turned his head, met by the flat of an axe slamming into his face. He fell to the ground as he drifted off to unconsciousness.
The first thief jumped back, sliding briefly to a halt as he brandished his knife. “Who’re you?”
Shui tapped the unconscious thief with his foot, looking towards his opponent. “Just a traveler who overheard your plans,” he shrugged as he smiled.
“Traveler, eh? So no one’ll miss you!” he grinned sadistically as he rushed Shui, his speed managing to catch the boy off guard. He lashed the knife out horizontally, Shui stepping back to dodge. Taking another step in, the thief launched his palm out towards his face.
Shui ducked quickly, turning his body as he slammed the butt of the axe into his assailant’s gut, checking his shoulder firmly into his chest to push him back.
He gasped for air, the strike having knocked the wind out of him. Clenching his teeth, he kicked forward again, this time drawing out a second knife as he twisted quickly.
Stepping in, Shui lifted his axe to deflect the first knife, his grip loosening before he could notice the second. The axe flew from his hands, lost in the night’s darkness.
Grinning, the thief stepped in, stabbing forward from both sides.
His face tensed, his eyes closing as he took a firm stance. Stepping forward, Shui set himself between the thief’s arms, extending his fist as a burst of fire erupted from his hand.
Eyes wide, the thief launched backwards. He rolled around frantically as he hit the ground, trying to extinguish the flames. He brought himself up quickly, turning to meet with Shui’s fist.
He remained still, waiting for any action from either thief before accepting confidence in his victory. Noticing that both lay motionless, he smiled softly as he folded his arms, nodding with satisfaction as his accomplishment.
“Hey, now I recognize you…You’re the Fire Nation soldier that stopped by our clinic!” Li Mei called out from the merchant’s doorway, his entire family standing behind her.
Shui stared blankly towards them, closing his eyes and sighing as he realized his cover had been completely blown.
|
|
|
Post by Funk Oni on Jun 23, 2006 19:48:16 GMT -5
“Before you go, I ask that you drink this,” Chin-Hwa offered a cup of tea to the general, nodding insistently.
“This doesn’t look like any tea I’ve ever had before,” Seung observed. “It smells unique. What is it?”
“A special brew prepared by Min. I’ve had a kettle prepared for your soldiers; please see to it that each of them gets at least a sip.”
Sipping from it, Seung’s face tightened. “It’s so bitter,” he noted.
“Yes, very. But I assure you, this tea will provide you greater luck in battle than the strongest blade.”
“I see,” he smiled as he glanced down at the contents of the cup. He took a second sip, this time deeper.
“Seung, I’ve taken the liberty of having your armor treated and strengthened by a local smith who I find to be very reliable.”
Setting the cup down, Seung bowed towards his old friend. “You are too kind to me, lord Chin-Hwa.”
“Any kindness I may show you fails to demonstrate that which you truly deserve, my friend,” he smiled, nodding gently. “Your soldiers await you just outside the entrance. Would you prefer to don your armor now?”
“Yes, if it’s no inconvenience to you.”
“No, none at all! I had counted on it,” he smiled innocently, before barking. “Xiu!”
Glaring angrily at Chin-Hwa’s barking, Xiu approached the panel leading to the room. Recomposing herself, she slid the panel open gently with her back while holding the general’s armor in her hands, a slight blush in her cheeks.
“Lord Chin-Hwa, I brought you the armor you had requested.”
“Very good Xiu, I appreciate your efforts,” he nodded.
Seung glanced at the armor, his attention more focused upon the one holding it.
“That will be all for now, Xiu.”
“Thank you, my lord.” She set the armor down carefully before Seung, her eyes closed for fear of catching his gaze in hers and making a fool of herself again. Quickly, she hurried to the door, closing the panel as she left.
Seung turned towards his armor, standing as he began equipping it. Holding the headpiece under his arm, he bowed again towards Chin-Hwa. “Lord Chin-Hwa, would you be so kind as to escort me out?”
“Of course, of course,” he smiled, walking alongside the general.
As they opened the entrance doors, the soldiers stood at attention, awaiting their commander. Chin-Hwa remained at the doorway, nodding to Seung as he stepped forward.
After a few steps, a familiar voice brought him to a halt.
“Wait up,” Gang grunted, leaning against the entrance with folded arms.
Seung turned towards the old bodyguard, slightly nervous in his presence. “Ah, hello Gang.”
“You’re not goin’ anywhere without me,” he stepped down beside Seung.
“Excuse me?” the general was confused.
“I’m goin’ with you. I have t’make sure you don’t die, so I can get my rematch.” He grinned as he looked at Seung, his gaze alone enough to intimidate.
“Gang, are you sure about this?” Chin-Hwa stepped towards them, stroking his beard.
“Of course! Someone’s gotta make sure he comes back alive!” He laughed as he smacked Seung’s shoulder.
“What will I tell Wen Lan?”
“…Hmm,” the old guard’s expression became serious as he looked towards the soldiers. Turning back towards Chin-Hwa, he smiled. “Just tell her I’m off training to fight someone strong.”
“I see,” the old noble nodded gently. “Seung, have you any objections to this?”
Seung looked towards Gang again, confident that there was no answer that would discourage the old firebender.
“None, lord Chin-Hwa.”
“Good!” Gang folded his arms again.
“Indeed. Gang, before you go, there is something I would like you to drink.”
“What, the tea? I already drank a kettle of it. Let’s go!” He barked as he approached the soldiers, throwing his fist towards the sky.
The soldiers, having trained with Gang for the past few days, felt a sudden relief that he was now on their side.
Seung smirked slightly as he watched him approach the soldiers. Turning back towards Chin-Hwa, he bowed once again.
“Thank you again for your kindness.”
“Thank you again for your friendship. I wish you safe victory and passage. Please return here when all has been settled.”
“Of course,” he nodded. He turned, taking a few steps before yet another voice called to him.
“General Seung!”
He turned, blushing faintly as Xiu approached quickly.
“General Seung, I…” she became quiet as she drew closer, blushing as she stood a foot away from him. “I made you…Um…I brought you…” She looked towards the ground.
Lifting his hands, he touched the edges of the hat she was holding. “This…?”
She looked at his hands, then towards his face. Still blushing, she nodded slightly. “Y…Yes.”
He stared as he examined it, impressed by the craftsmanship.
The hat was shaped like most of the Earth Kingdom hats, a shade of olive rather than dark green. On the center of the top lay the symbol of the Earth Kingdom, the sides adorned with a pattern that was pleasing to any eye.
“Thank you,” he blushed slightly, before bowing. “I am grateful for your consideration.”
“No, no,” she waved her hands as he bowed, before bringing her hands in front of her, bowing deeply. “Thanks, I mean, thank you…For…Visiting lord Chin-Hwa.”
“It was my pleasure,” he smiled. “I’ll be sure to again, soon.”
“You will?” she asked quickly, before blushing. “I mean, yes, that would be excellent.” Suspecting she was making a fool of herself, she turned quickly, running back towards Chin-Hwa.
Staring at her as she ran, Seung smiled before turning back towards his soldiers. He withdrew the headpiece of his armor, placing the hat over his head. As he caught up to Gang, the old firebender glanced down at him.
“Nice hat,” he observed.
“Yes, I think it’s excellent,” his cheeks became slightly flushed. “Lord Chin-Hwa’s servant, Xiu, made it for me.”
“Oh, Xiu! You don’t say!”
“You know her well?” he looked up towards Gang.
“Know her well? She and I’ve been working together for years! I know all about ‘er!”
“I see,” Seung thought quietly, before asking. “Could you tell me about her, then?”
“Sure thing! What should I start with? The time she was chased by turtle ducks or the time when she and lady Wen Lan came in completely covered in purple pentapuses?
“I hope they return safely,” Chin-Hwa stroked his beard as Xiu stood beside him.
“Of course they will!” she folded her arms. “You think it’d take just an army to stop Gang?”
“Ha ha, I suppose you’re right,” the old noble laughed.
“The old man’ll keep fighting until he’s run out of opponents,” she stared after them.
“I also hope for general Seung’s safe return,” Chin-Hwa glanced towards her as he continued stroking his beard.
She blushed slightly, her arms still folded. “Yeah, he should be alright. Gang’s watching his back.”
“Yes. It would be quite a shame if your boyfriend were to become injured during battle,” he turned, smiling innocently as he entered the estate.
Xiu’s face took on a sudden intense shade of red as she turned quickly towards Chin-Hwa. “He’s not my boyfriend!” she yelled after him.
“Of course he isn’t,” the old man laughed as he entered the hallway.
Xiu stared after him, frowning slightly at the old noble before turning back towards the soldiers, now disappearing into the horizon. She hoped silently for Gang and Seung’s safe return before hurrying to chase after Chin-Hwa.
“So that’s it,” the merchant nodded slightly as he sat across from Shui, Li Mei sitting to their side.
“That’s ridiculous,” Li Mei protested angrily. “I can do just fine on my own, I don’t need a babysitter!”
“I’m not here to babysit you,” Shui narrowed his eyes a bit, having taken his assignment rather seriously. “I was just sent to make sure you were alright, your father wants to make sure you come back alive.”
“Well, like I said, I was doing just fine on my own!” she crossed her arms, closing her eyes.
“You were about to get robbed!”
“Well, technically, I was about to get robbed, she just happened to be here,” the merchant interjected.
“Regardless, robbery was about to take place, and you would’ve been caught in the middle of it,” he glanced towards Li Mei.
“No, I could’ve handled them just fine!”
“How do you figure?” Shui found himself becoming slightly irritated by the girl’s protests.
She fished around in her sleeve, taking out a small packet. “Blinding powder!”
“What? Where did you get that?” the merchant raised an eyebrow.
“I mixed it the day after I left home,” she slid the packet back into her sleeve, crossing her arms again. “It’s easy to make, you just have to grind it up well.”
“Alright, so what if they knocked you out first and tied you up?”
“I use this fish bone I sharpened,” she explained as she searched around in her sleeve again.
“How much do you have hidden in those sleeves?” the merchant leaned over, glancing curiously.
“That’s not the point!” Shui protested. “You were in danger, so I acted! And whether you wanted me to or not, I did. So you’ll just have to deal with that.”
“Fine, and now I’m telling you that I don’t need your help, so go home!”
“I can’t do that,” Shui opened an eye as he glanced towards her.
“Why not?” she looked towards him with frustration.
“You’re not the one who gave me the assignment, your father did.”
“Then go home and tell him you failed!”
“How did I fail?”
“Well, I figured out you were following me, didn’t I? That means you failed,” she explained.
“Actually, he said his assignment was the follow you and make sure you were alright. That’s valid whether you know he’s there or not,” the merchant noted.
“Whose side are you on?” Li Mei lifted an eyebrow curiously.
“Look, instead of just complaining, why don’t you just accept that I’m here, go to wherever it is you’re headed, then turn around and go home so I don’t have to follow a whiney little brat anymore?” Shui was becoming agitated as he glared towards Li Mei.
“I was making good time, now I’ll move slower because I have to make sure that you’re alright!”
“I’ve managed to keep up with you and fend for myself; you’re the one who doesn’t know how to take care of herself!”
“I don’t need you!”
“And I don’t need you!”
“Great, so neither of you needs the other,” the merchant sighed. “But from what I can gather, you’re both too stubborn to walk away, so why don’t you just resign to the fact that you’re stuck together until Li Mei returns home?”
After a pause of consideration and stubborn silence, Shui looked away, grunting. “Fine.”
“Fine,” Li Mei scoffed, looking the other way.
“Now, where is it you’re heading?” the merchant smiled slightly, having managed to make some headway.
“Bai-Sing,” she looked towards the merchant, her arms still folded.
“What? What’re you talking about?” Shui glanced towards her.
“What? I’m heading for Bai-Sing. Or do you suddenly not feel like following me?” she teased.
“No, I’m just curious as to why you’re trying to find Bai-Sing, when your father told me that this lady you’re after is in Bai-Jing!”
“Wait, Bai-Jing?” the merchant asked.
“Bai-Jing?” Li Mei blinked.
“Bai-Jing,” he answered. “I don’t even know where Bai-Sing is.”
“It’s on the opposite side of the great divide,” the merchant answered. “You’re sure you’re supposed to be heading towards Bai-Jing?”
“Yes,” Shui nodded.
“No, it was Bai-Sing, I’m sure of it!” she protested.
“If it’s Bai-Sing, then why did your father say ‘Bai-Jing’? And why is it that when I was dispatched to deliver a message to the lady you’re after, it was addressed to ‘Bai-Jing’?”
“Fine, maybe it is Bai-Jing! It’s not a big deal! How close are we to Bai-Jing?” she looked towards the merchant.
“Heading from the Fire Nation?”
“Yes,” she nodded.
“You overshot Bai-Jing by about two weeks travel,” he answered.
There was a moment of awkward silence before Li Mei buried her face in her hands and groaned, Shui doing the same.
Wen Lan sipped from the cup, cringing slightly at the unexpected bitterness of the tea. She looked up towards Jung, who was having similar reaction.
“She insisted on it, for some reason.” Wen Lan took another sip.
“I’m sure she had a reason, then.” Jung took another sip, tilting his mask back.
The two had spent the morning talking calmly, the upcoming battle having little gravity upon their discussions.
There was a sound in the distance, Wen Lan standing quickly as she heard it.
Jung turned towards the noise, springing to his feet.
The two rushed to the edge of the rock shelf, staring out towards the valley.
Everything seemed at peace, the source of the noise not visible.
It rang out again, more recognizable this time.
The sound of flame and shifting rock.
“There,” Jung turned his body towards a distant trench locked between two mountains just at the border of the forest.
The battle had erupted.
Dedicated to Animekitties, who drew two pieces of Roses fanart for me. I need to figure out a way to post the images that have been drawn...
|
|
|
Post by Funk Oni on Jun 24, 2006 21:27:28 GMT -5
Hey again, everyone! Here's the new chapter, I hope you guys enjoy it.
Also: I'm working on gathering links of all the images that Isaia and Animekitties has drawn. I'm hoping to post them soon, for everyone's enjoyment!
As always; I'd appreciate any and all feedback!
“Go back,” Jung’s tone became harsher as he landed on the mountain path.
“No!” Wen Lan’s feet touched upon a rock slope just before landing gracefully behind Jung, following after quickly. “You and I share the same goal; we shall turn them away together!”
“What if you get hurt?” he barked, the mask glancing back towards her.
“Then I will keep fighting!” she answered defiantly.
“I don’t want you to risk it.”
“And I do not want to sit in the cave, wondering and worrying about your safety!” she scolded as she ran alongside him.
“Then go back to the village.”
“No!” she continued staring forward, matching his pace.
“Why not?” the mask glanced towards her again.
“Because,” her eyes tensed, her face warming slightly. “I cannot sit in a village and simply hope that you are safe. I need to be there with you to help you as best I can, I need you…” She trailed off.
Silently, it continued staring towards her.
“…I need you to come back,” she whispered, still running as her eyes rose towards the distant sound of battle.
The mask stared at her silently, the sound of his feet thundering against the ground flooding the path as they pressed on. He faced forward, picking up speed. “Stay close when we get there, I won’t let you be harmed.”
She glanced towards him, nodding as she focused on the path before them.
Pushing forward, the two made their way towards the resounding conflict.
“You sure you two’re gonna be alright?” the merchant asked as he fastened another bag of feed to Shui’s ostrich horse.
“We should be fine, now that we have a map,” Shui continued examining it, carefully planning their course.
Li Mei remained in the distance, still trying to live down her mistake. She stroked Ryo’s neck as he cawed loudly, becoming restless.
“Alright. Stay safe, keep to the main roads. And a bit of advice.”
“Hmm?” the young firebender rolled up the map, placing it in his pouch.
“You saved my family from a whole mess of trouble. That’s why I didn’t give you two any trouble when I found out you were Fire Nation. But you should probably keep that to yourselves from hereon out.”
Shui nodded, understanding the merchant’s point. He bowed towards the man, waving towards his family as he tapped his heel against the ostrich horse’s side.
Li Mei turned, bowing to the family and waving to the girls before following after.
“Alright. If we keep at the same pace you were moving at before, we can cut a lot of time off of the trip. That is, if we don’t get lost or get the name confused,” he glanced towards her as they continued on.
“I get it,” she muttered. She had spent the last few hours completely embarrassed, hoping he would let the incident slip by without commenting on it.
“I should have known something was wrong when you passed through the mountains without even pausing.”
“I get it,” she growled.
“Hopeless,” he sighed.
“Jerk.”
Glancing towards her, he countered. “Mooselion breath.”
“Stalker,” she narrowed her eyes as she glanced at him.
“Brat.”
“Kyo.”
“Did you say ‘Kyo’? What’s a ‘Kyo’?”
“The ostrich horse you’re riding.”
“Oh,” he looked down, having never actually known the beast’s name. “So?” “Kyo. Buck buck.”
“Wha-?” Shui didn’t have time to finish the inquiry as the ostrich horse suddenly bucked back, launching him towards the ground. Landing facefirst, he looked up towards the bird, Li Mei passing it and giggling as she stroked its neck.
“I win,” she turned her nose up confidently.
“This round,” he mumbled as he stood, making his way back over towards the ostrich horse.
“Now you have to say ‘Li Mei is the greatest, I would be lost without her wisdom’.”
“Stop being a kid and give me the reins,” he sighed as he stepped towards them. He noticed the two beasts suddenly quickening their pace as he drew closer.
“You’ve gotta say it first,” she shrugged as she signaled Kyo and Ryo to go faster.
“Hey, I’m not kidding! Hold up!” he began chasing after them, picking up speed.
Li Mei laughed as they continued on, Shui yelling as he chased close behind. Her trip so far had been a lonely one, and though they had given one another wretched first impressions, she was grateful for the company.
“Keep driving them back!” Seung called out as he stepped forward, waving his hand in the direction of the opposition.
The Fire Nation had used the terrain to their advantage; the mountains giving them proper cover as they advanced towards the Kun valley. The strategy would have been a brilliant success, had Earth Kingdom scouts not discovered them earlier.
The battleground lay at the base of a steep rock slope, a stream running alongside it. Tall grass rest between the stream and thick forest, the Fire Nation advancing from the west as Earth Kingdom soldiers fought them from the east.
“Hold them off until admiral Kano arrives!” a Fire Nation lieutenant barked, waving a squad of assault troops forward.
“Cavaliers, meet them head on!” Seung motioned towards a series of armored ostrich horse riders, who immediately rushed towards the oncoming assault troops.
“Their general’s the only bender, focus all attacks on him!” the lieutenant motioned towards Seung as a group of firebenders rushed to engage.
The cavaliers swept through the assault troops, their spears managing to take out most of their numbers. A few fell as they passed the benders, who stood their ground to release flames directly upon the ostrich horses.
A few shook off the flames, their armor deflecting enough of it that the fire was merely a nuisance. A few squirmed wildly, the flame igniting feathers beneath their armor, throwing off their riders in a fit of pain.
The firebenders continued forward, Seung waving aside his assault troops as the cavaliers turned to face a nearby squad.
“Let them come, I want you all focusing on their melee units!”
Two firebenders dove forward, twisting as they positioned their arms carefully. They landed with the intention of launching a fire attack directly into the general’s chest, yet were greeted with spirals of flame tearing into them from the side.
“Amateurs!” Gang spit as he stepped forward, his clothing singing slightly as he dodged another firebender’s attack. He countered by grabbing the bender’s throat, lifting him and thrusting him headfirst into the ground. Standing firm the old guard grinned, eager for the next attack.
“Gang, hold off their benders as best you can. I want this finished before the Demon catches wind.”
“It’s no fun if there’s a time limit,” Gang grunted as he motioned his arms in a circle, dispelling a burst of fire. As two benders landed to either side of him he bent his knees, his arms crossing as a quick flare ignited on either side of him. Taking his assailants off balance, he extended his arms to either side as a burst of fire erupted from each, engulfing the two benders. He grinned as more approached him, his heart beating faster with glee.
“Push forward slowly, one step at a time. We want them as far away from the valley as possible!” Seung commanded as he walked the lines, inspecting the battlefield carefully.
“War Rhinos, forward!” the lieutenant screeched, furious at the fall of the firebenders.
Seung squinted, looking out towards the oncoming rhinos. He positioned himself carefully, laying his hands flat in front of him as he stepped forward, breathing sharply as he lifted his hands.
The rhinos charged forward, a wall of earth rising up in front of them. Each managed to barrel through it, shaking off the effects as another wall rose up to greet them. Two rhinos fell unconscious after slamming into it; three more fell after slamming into a third wall. All but one fell when the fourth wall obstructed their path.
Taking another careful step forward, Seung stabbed his hand into the air. As he did, a mound of dirt shifted just in front of the remaining rhino, a pillar of earth jutting out from the ground and stabbing into its chest.
It reeled backwards, the rider flailing his arms as he was cast into the air. As it fell, Gang turned towards Seung, grinning.
“Now I definitely want that rematch,” he admired as he slammed a Fire Nation soldier face first into the ground.
“That is enough,” the admiral sighed as he stepped onto the battlefield.
“The admiral has arrived!” the lieutenant screamed, waving his hands wildly towards all nearby soldiers.
Upon hearing this each Fire Nation soldier stepped back, their weapons still pointed towards the Earth Kingdom soldiers.
“Cease attacks, but stand your ground!” Seung called out as he stepped forward, noticing the sudden inactivity of the opposing side.
The man stepped forward quietly, his armor adorned with dragon patterns, his cape flowing in the wind. He looked to be middle-aged, his hair mostly black with faint traces of gray. The hair itself was straight and tied up carefully in a knot, his facial hair carefully trimmed. On each hand was a thick leather glove.
He lifted his hand to flick a bit of dirt off of a soldier’s shoulder, folding his arms behind his back as he came to a stop in the center of the battlefield.
“I say,” he nodded approvingly. “Whoever the Earth Kingdom commander here is, he’s done a very impressive job. I don’t think I could count all of your casualties on one hand,” he complimented.
“Gang,” Seung stepped beside the old guard. “Do you know this soldier?”
“No,” Gang strained his eyes as he tried to recognize any particular feature. “Never seen ‘im before.”
“I must ask, who exactly is the commander here? I feel compelled to compliment the man!” he laughed heartily as he studied the Earth Kingdom soldiers.
“Seems weird though,” Gang nodded towards him, patting Seung’s shoulder. “He’s callin’ you out.”
Seung stepped forward confidently, a look of suspicion in his face. “I am Seung, of the Earth Kingdom army! Is your pause in attack an attempt at surrender?”
The admiral laughed boisterously, motioning for a soldier to approach him. “You misunderstand, Seung of the Earth Kingdom army. Such a long name, by the way. You should really consider changing it. Perhaps just ‘Seung?’ Anyway, you misunderstand. You see, you and that firebender there have managed to decimate all of my firebenders.”
Seung stared suspiciously, Gang grinned with satisfaction as he folded his arms.
“And you managed to do it with merely one earthbender. I find that statistic to be rather insulting to the Fire Nation. So, I’ve decided to become involved.” He removed his cape, handing it to the soldier before dismissing him.
“I offer you the opportunity to surrender now; I wish to avoid needless bloodshed!” Seung called out to him.
“Fascinating, fascinating! You see, Seung of the Earth Kingdom army, while you look to avoid blood, since it sullies your precious earth, I look to spread it.” He spread his legs quickly, his hands moving in a quick circular motion as a wall of flame surrounded him, extending quickly and engulfing all nearby Earth Kingdom soldiers before spreading. He recalled the flames, twisting them into a spiral around him, shaping them to form the rough outline of a dragon.
The Fire Nation soldiers stood motionless, admiring and intimidated by the display.
“I am Kano. Also known as ‘the Dragon Tamer.’ Servant to Fire Lord Azulon. Where I journey, death follows eagerly.” His eyebrows rose slightly as he noticed the burnt walls of earth lying before him.
Seung, glaring towards the enemy, spread his stance as the walls lowered down from in front of his forces. Kano’s attack had managed to decimate all soldiers close to him, yet the general’s quick actions had saved three fourths of his attack force.
“Most impressive!” Kano laughed. “I’m no longer surprised that you managed to give my soldiers such trouble! I wonder though,” he motions his hands carefully, the dragon’s mouth opening to a silent roar before moving skyward. “Do you think your forces will fare so well, if you are in a position where all you can do is delay destruction?”
“I don’t aim to delay; I aim to stop it entirely.” Seung lifted a fist, a boulder rising up next to him. Lashing his leg out, he punted the hunk of earth, watching as it rolled along the rocky slope.
This was the signal. As the rock rolled over the slope, several chunks of the mountain launched from it, earthbenders leaping out from behind each. Seung had intended for them to be used as a last resort, but was forced to play his hand early.
“Unfortunate; I expected to fight the legendary brute Dak-Ho, not someone who actually stood a chance,” Kano muttered with a grin.
The earthbenders took their stances, each lifting the section of mountain that had just concealed them. They launched them forward, watching as they tore through the Fire Nation forces.
Kano’s dragon dispersed into the air, the admiral diving to dodge a chunk of rock. He stood laughing, both sides resuming the battle from where they had left off. Turning towards Seung, he lifted a hand to his mouth, cupping it to increase his volume.
“I say, I didn’t quite expect such resistance! I suppose I’ll have to move onto my alternate strategy!”
“What’s he talking about?” Gang squinted, listening carefully.
Seung glared, analyzing each word.
“I’m dispatching a small force to invade and slaughter everyone in that quaint little village in the valley! At the same time, I’ll be doing the same along a different path,” he explained as he sidestepped a boulder. “You can do as you like, but keep in mind that anyone you send against me will die rather painfully!” he laughed again, waving a small group of shock troops into the forest before running in himself.
With shock, Seung quickly formed a strategy. “Gang, take two earthbenders and three soldiers, cut off that invading party!”
“What about you? You’re not going for his trap, are you?” he asked quickly, motioning a few earthbenders to fall in on his position.
By then, Seung had already managed to run in the direction of Kano, yelling out orders to his next in command.
“Good luck,” Gang grunted as he rushed after the Fire Nation shock troops, his party trailing close behind.
“Sir, what do we do?”
The second in command was sweating as he stared out over the battlefield. Gang had disabled the majority of the firebenders, the earthbenders now doing well in pushing the Fire Nation back.
“Keep going, just stick to general Seung’s strategy,” he nodded.
“Sir, they’re pressing forward, I think they’re…”
“They’re what?” the second in command looked to the soldier, wondering why his eyes had suddenly grown so wide. He turned quickly towards the battlefield, his heart almost stopping as both sides calmed, staring in silence towards the base of the mountain slope.
There, draped in scars and wearing two shields stood the Demon, crouching as he landed. Standing just beside him in combat stance was a beautiful young Fire Nation noble.
“Ha ha, did you actually think I was going to trouble myself going to that village and killing everyone in it?” Kano laughed as he stood waiting in a clearing, the trees surrounding them on all sides.
“As a general, it’s my responsibility to ensure their safety. Whether your threat was sincere or not, I must act to protect.” He detached his cape, tossing it aside as he readied himself for what he felt inevitable.
“Well, you should probably anticipate failure. After I kill you, I am in fact going to murder everyone in that village. I would just rather do it without the worry that you’d arrive and spoil my fun,” he shrugged.
Seung glared, taking his stance. He lifted his foot, slamming it down firmly onto the ground as a thin column of earth shot up before him. Crouching and sweeping, he segmented it at its base, catching the column over his shoulder. Spinning it around, he stopped as he faced the admiral readily.
“A staff made of dirt? Really, is that all you can offer to challenge me?”
The general remained steady, waiting for the proper moment to execute his attack.
The admiral stood in gleeful anticipation, his hands extended and tightened, his fingers burning with the desire to kill.
A calm wind passed, a leave snapping off of its branch.
The admiral shifted his weight slightly to the left.
Seung rushed forward.
|
|
|
Post by Funk Oni on Jun 24, 2006 21:29:02 GMT -5
“It’s the Demon,” someone muttered, gripping their weapon tighter.
“There’s a Fire Nation girl with him. Maybe she seduced him over to their side,” another guessed in a hushed tone.
“The Demon of War and an exile,” the lieutenant chuckled. “It’s as if the Earth Kingdom is offering us our enemies on a silver platter! Attack them,” he grinned.
“Attack the moment he makes a move,” the second in command whispered, panicking.
“You take the Fire Nation,” Jung stood slowly.
“You say that because there are fewer.” She glanced in the direction of the Fire Nation soldiers.
“I say it because I can deflect earthbender attacks; you can’t.”
“Fine,” she whispered. “The moment I have finished though, I come to your aid.”
“Fine,” he answered.
She turned quickly, running alongside the slope and jumping into the fray. One lashed out quickly with a sword, missing as she ducked and swept her legs out to trip him. Pushing up with her hands, she jumped just as another stabbed a spear into the ground where she had landed. As she fell back to the ground she kicked another soldier in the face, landing on and snapping the spear that had just failed to impale her.
Jung rushed forward, lashing his arms out to knock aside boulders as they launched towards him. An earthbender stepped in front of him, preparing himself to raise a rock wall. Slamming a fist into his stomach, the Demon grasped him by the collar with the opposite hand, tossing him into a small ground of soldiers. Lifting his shield, he caught a pair of swords as they cut through the air, turning his body and lashing his other fist out to slam the assailant in the back of the head. He turned just in time to catch an oncoming boulder, turning and releasing it into another patch of soldiers.
Wen Lan stood firm, sidestepping attacks while motioning her hands to deflect others. A soldier stabbed his blade towards her, feeling her grasp his wrist before turning him around and kicking him into an oncoming soldier from the other side. She stepped backwards, slamming her elbow into the face of an attacker behind her just before kicking another in the face. She dove aside as a firebender launched an attack, spinning her legs out to sweep his feet out from under him. As he hit the ground, she twisted her body, cutting her ankle down onto his throat. Pushing against the ground she dove to the side, rolling to her feet before standing again, another squad of soldiers approaching.
A hammer tore through the air, Jung catching it with his palm before glancing at it. The soldier holding the hammer let out a frightened squeal just before feeling the Demon’s fist slam into his face. Another soldier lashed his blade out towards the Demon’s back, eyes going wide as Jung spun quickly, dodging and crouching, stepping back and smacking a shield into his chest. A wave of men approached, knocked back as he thrust his arm out, brushing them aside easily. A stealthy soldier managed to approach from behind, met only by the Demon’s foot slamming into his chest. From the left, a rock managed to hit him square in the mask. He turned towards its source, the mask not even scratched by the attack. The earthbender who had launched it turned immediately, running as fast as he could. Jung lifted an unconscious soldier, throwing him at the earthbender, watching as the two collided and fell to the ground. Turning, he discovered more soldiers facing towards him nervously.
She stepped back as another spear stabbed near her foot, running up along it before flipping backwards, her kick breaking the attacker’s nose as she knocked out a second soldier on her way down. Stepping out to the side, she struck a soldier in the gut with her elbow, spinning quickly and launching her leg out into the face of another. She recognized her next attacker’s armor as being that of a lieutenant, his fat face hardly fitting the rank. His blade cut through the air, missing as she turned her body. He felt her elbow thrust into his throat, falling to his knees before she hit the back of her fist against his temple. She winced as the tip of a sword cut against her leg, turning and rewarding the assailant with a punch between the eyes. Wen Lan stepped back, resuming her stance as she looked at the few attackers remaining. She had only sustained a few negligible cuts and scrapes, there was little challenge these remaining troops could offer.
Jung slammed his shield into the head of another soldier, stopping as those remaining bowed down in front of him.
“Please,” the second in command pleaded, “we apologize for attacking you; we just needed to buy the general some time!”
“Where is he?” the Demon stepped towards him, towering over the soldiers.
The second in command motioned weakly towards the forest Seung had disappeared into.
“Help her,” he looked towards Wen Lan. She didn’t need their help, but he wasn’t willing to take the risk. He ran towards the forest.
He looked towards the soldiers, realizing that their distraction gave them a perfect window of opportunity. “You heard him,” the second in command nodded, gripping a weapon as he and the others rushed the remaining Fire Nation soldiers.
Wen Lan stepped back as they began overwhelming the few soldiers that remained, looking out over the crowd towards Jung. She ran to the side, following after as quickly as she could.
“I don’t get it,” Gang crossed his arms, standing over the two soldiers. “I thought there were supposed to be more than this.”
“Maybe the general managed to intercept the others on his way?”
“Nah,” Gang frowned as he thought carefully. His eyes went wide as he looked towards the others. “It’s a trap!”
“What?”
“You guys detain these two, then get back to the battlefield! I’ll go make sure Seung’s alright!” Gang ran quickly into the forest, clenching his fists as he narrowed his eyes.
“Ha!” Kano laughed boisterously as he hit the ground, quickly taking a knee as he glared towards Seung.
The clearing was littered with chunks of earth and scorch marks, the two having managed a stalemate for a long while.
“You keep surprising me, Seung of the Earth Kingdom army! I figured I’d have you killed and gutted by now,” he smiled as he stood back up.
Seung glared, still maintaining his stance.
“Oh come now…Surely a little conversation wouldn’t kill you?”
“In this case,” Seung stared, “I feel it might.”
“Clever boy,” the admiral grinned. “Well then, if it’s all the same to you, I think I’ll kill you now.” He took his stance again, his hands moving quickly as his right arm was suddenly engulfed in flame, the fire peeling off and taking on the shape of a dragon head before launching towards Seung, the admiral’s hands in constant motion.
Slamming his foot down, the general brought another wall of earth before him, extending his fist into it to slide it towards his opponent.
Kano dove to the side, lashing his hand out as another wave of flame tore through the air towards Seung.
The young general kept his arms bent at his side, stomping his right foot across his left as a pillar of earth stabbed up from the ground, dispersing the fire. He switched the motion, his left foot moving across his right as another pillar rose up just over the admiral’s shoulder, tearing off a section of his armor.
“Oh my,” Kano blinked. Narrowing his eyes, he looked towards Seung. “That’s simply unacceptable.” He growled, a vein forming on his head as a wall of flame tore across the ground towards his prey.
The general took his stance, faltering as a chain wrapped around his wrist, pulling him back. Not having time to investigate, he motioned his hand frantically, a small mound of earth rising to divert the wall of flame just enough to miss him. Glancing quickly towards the chain, he viewed a Fire Nation shock trooper binding him from the shade of the trees.
“I’m afraid I haven’t been entirely forthcoming with you, young general.” Kano smiled, recomposing himself as he flicked a bit of dust off of his armor. “You see, I have every intention of killing you. I don’t particularly care if honor is involved.”
Seung glared at the admiral, watching as three other Fire Nation shock troopers stepped out behind him, each holding a chain.
“For what it’s worth, you put up an excellent fight,” he shrugged as he took his stance slowly, grinning.
His eyebrow rose curiously as he felt the chain take on a sudden slack. He looked quickly towards the source, his eyes going wide at the sight.
The Demon stood silently, the shock trooper lying against the tree with pieces of bark littering his face. The tree had a sudden bald spot where the soldier’s head had met with it, the chain lying idly on the ground.
“Ah, so this is the Demon I keep hearing about!” Kano looked excitedly towards the figure. “I was hoping to encounter you during this trip! I’ve been curious; would you be interested in joining the Fire Nation army?”
The Demon stepped forward, his body tense with anger.
“No? Oh well, killing you is just as much a badge of pride for me,” he shrugged.
Seung stood slowly, the Demon stopping beside him. The earthbender took his stance, whispering quietly.
“Demon, I know you never side with anyone, but I assure you that this man will kill us both if we don’t work together. I can bring him into a stalemate, so long as you disable those soldiers.”
“General Seung,” the Demon stood quietly, unmoving.
Seung glanced towards him. “Yes.”
“The general Seung who offered to stop all efforts to locate me, even remove all wanted posters, should I refrain from entering this battle.”
“…Yes,” Seung admit, his gaze going back to Kano.
“The same general Seung who offered no threats should I refuse that offer?”
“Yes,” he answered quietly.
“Friend and ally to lord Chin-Hwa of Bai-Jing.”
“Yes,” he nodded. “Always.”
“I will take care of the soldiers,” he said flatly, stepping towards the Fire Nation troops.
“Ah, you wish to play? I wonder, can you bend as well as the general?” Kano began moving his body carefully, his hands positioned in front of him to contain a small bead of fire.
Silently, the Demon continued on. Stepping a few feet beside Kano, he passed without a word.
Offended, Kano turned quickly, releasing a wave of flame. He lifted his hand to his face, backing away as the flames washed over a newly formed wall of rock.
“I’m your opponent,” general Seung glared. “Or have you forgotten me?” He slammed his foot into the ground again, creating a second earth staff.
Kano smirked wryly, glancing towards the general. “Why, general Seung. I imagine forgetting you will not prove especially difficult.
There was sudden stillness, broken by the admiral’s yelling as he rushed forward, releasing a fireball with each step.
Seung lashed the earth staff out quickly, each swipe deflecting another fireball. Lowering his helmet, the felt the flames wash over and disperse against it before rising back up. He turned quickly, launching his attack as the admiral drew closer. The general felt the staff break in two as Kano sliced through it, the divided ends smoldering. Dropping the pieces to either side, the two fell into an intense rhythm of attack and defense, neither side allowing any room for error.
The first soldier launched his chain towards the Demon, who simply grasped it. Pulling hard, the soldier flew through the air towards the approaching monster, who struck him down by the back of the head using his shield. The second stepped in with a spear, slicing it horizontally and feeling it stop against the other shield. The Demon swatted the soldier aside, approaching the third slowly.
“You’ve got great timing,” Kano grinned. “I wonder though,” he jumped back, turning quickly. “Does your friend?” He extended both fists, a spiral of fire rushing towards the Demon from behind.
“Demon!” Seung screamed, motioning quickly to form a wall.
Wen Lan stepped through the forest, staring in horror as the flames approached Jung.
Jung looked over his shoulder, turning quickly and holding both shields up, he intercepted and deflected the spiral.
Wen Lan’s eyes went wide as a chain wrapped around him immediately after, the third soldier having taken advantage of Kano’s tactic.
The Demon shook wildly, the chains already slipping. As he lifted his arm from the bind, the second soldier had collected himself and sliced the blade of his spear deep into his chest, pulling back and stabbing it at the Demon’s stomach.
A last minute motion on Jung’s part moved him aside enough that the spear heavily grazed his side instead of impaling him. He slammed his fist down into the soldier’s head, crushing it. He turned towards the third soldier, who sliced a knife quickly against his arm.
The soldier pulled back a moment too late, the Demon grabbing and crushing his hands as the chains around him fell. He slammed his mask into the soldier’s face, knocking him out in one hit.
Kano grinned, using the opportunity to launch another attack. He extended his fists, flames tearing towards and engulfing the Demon of War.
“Jung!” Wen Lan screeched, her body gripped with fear.
Dedicated to Isaia, for her constant inspiration. If it wasn't for her, I would have never posted the first chapter, let alone the tenth.
|
|