Chapter 644

Chapter 644

The way forward was open, the Path clear, and Zhen Shis prize sat waiting at the other end.

Long had this plan been in motion, centuries of moves made with painstaking care, but victory had been all but guaranteed, for he was Zhen Shi, a rare genius seen only once every thousand no ten-thousand no, a million years. So brilliant a dragon, the Empire cast him out and besmirched his fine reputation, and now all that was left of his grand legacy were lies and slander. Today, things were different though, because today, he had defeated Falling Rain, the little worm who took everything from him.

No, not true. The arrogant savage took nothing from Zhen Shi, but he stole everything from Gen, a base-born peasant whose sole value lay in his physical body. There had to be a better way to phrase it, as this made it sound as if Zhen Shis intentions were lewd and perverted, but nothing could be farther from the truth. Gen knew not the heights of Heavens or the depths of despair, and now, his life and body would be put to better use, a vessel to inhabit, a puppet to control, because his stupidity kept getting in the way of Zhen Shis grand plans.

Magnificent plans. The greatest plans, plans which had now come to fruition. All he had to do was follow through with the next step which was...

Uh...

Ah yes, to claim Falling Rain as his new vessel, and then... destroy the Empire from within using the little worms status as Legate. Brilliant.

Coming out of his meditative trance, Zhen Shi took in his surroundings while waiting for the confusion to pass. Fatigue and exhaustion, he told himself, thats all this was, having over-exerted this frail body in the past few months recruiting Chosen for the cause. His condition worsened after his last encounter with that damnable runt Rain, when the brazen savage regained control inside his Natal Palace and cast Zhen Shi out, but not before mouthing off and making all manner of impossible claims. How dare that piss-eyed barbarian imply that this Sovereign was incapable of controlling a mere peasant hunter? Gens will was nothing before the iron discipline and unyielding determination of Zhen Shi, crushed underfoot with barely a passing thought. In fact, Gen should be thankful to even have a part in these grand undertakings, playing a pivotal role in the founding of a new world order and becoming its First Emperor. A puppet Emperor, but an Emperor nonetheless, one without duties or responsibilities whose name would live on in history for thousands of years.

Without Zhen Shi, Gen was nothing and no one, a peasant who wouldve lived out his lowly life as an insignificant hunter in a nameless northern village. There was nothing left for him in this world, so why refuse this glorious gift the Heavens had thrust upon him? Wealth, power, fame, respect, all this would be his and more, but the greatest gift of all was the gift of vengeance, for Falling Rain lay broken and helpless upon the battlefield, and now it was time for Gen no, for Zhen Shi, to reap the rewards.

Adjusting his helmet so as to look more presentable, he turned towards his hated foe even though they were separated by a veritable army. While the battle raged on, he took a deep breath and sought out the connection, a relay through which he could send his astral form into the Void, and from there, make his way to Falling Rains Natal Palace. The familiar presence was easily found, a bright beacon in an endless sea of darkness, so warm and inviting it was hard to resist its gentle allure, but resist, he must. Using the connection as a guidepost, he left his physical shell behind and soared out into the ether, escorted by loyal Spirit Guardians of Heaven who kept him safe throughout the perilous journey. Dangerous beings inhabited this vast nothingness, horrific, shadowy spectres who would tear him apart in an instant were it not for the presence of his loyal Heavenly Guardians. Try as he might, he could not help but balk before the focused attention of these natural, ethereal inhabitants, for though he knew not what they were or how they got here, he recognized the look of a starved predator when he saw one.

Ever since his last humiliating encounter with Rain, in which the savage runt called this astral form a Natal Soul, Zhen Shi had pondered the truth of this term. For some reason, upon hearing it, he felt as if he had an epiphany, but try as he might, he couldnt understand why this was significant. An Insight perhaps, one he briefly considered and soon forgot, but seeing these fierce apparitions once again, he had to wonder if he shouldve given it more thought. Perhaps he wasnt here as a mere projection after all, but was actually here as a pure, unguarded soul, and therefore risking his place within the eternal cycle of reincarnation. Pa was never what anyone would call a religious man, but Ma always carried a set of wooden prayer beads around with her and made Gen help her with the yearly ceremonies. Setting out food for the ancestors, burning offerings in their name, invoking them to look over their family and other meaningless traditions. Still, he wholeheartedly believed there would be life after death, another chance to carry out whatever tasks the Heavens had laid out for them, but that was only because he possessed an eternal Soul. There was more to it, with all that claptrap about the Mother and Father, but until this very moment, Gen never entirely believed in either deity.

Not so anymore, for in the sightless eyes of the shadowy apparitions fighting to reach him, he saw the Fathers hatred and malevolence given form.

Focus.

You are Zhen Shi, accomplished intellectual and Warrior of Legend, not Gen, nothing and no one. The Mother and Father were more Imperial lies, pleasant falsehoods meant to keep the chattel in line. Chattel? Slaves. Sheep. Peons. Those not of the Imperial Clan, from which you hail. Yes. He was Zhen Shi, outcast Noble of the Empire and soon to be the greatest power in all the lands with young Gen as his puppet. There was nothing to fear in the Void, for just as the Transcendents protected him in the physical world, these celestial guardians protected him in the Spiritual world. Never mind how they were almost indistinguishable from the others, their appearance was only a figment of his imagination, for this was a world without permanence where his perception was heavily influenced by emotion.

It was always disconcerting, travelling through the Void. Time passed, but without markers to judge by, he was unsure if it was minutes, hours, or years going by. The human mind was not meant to endure this nothingness, for this was a domain of souls, yet endure Zhen Shi must in order to reach his journeys end. There were methods to alleviate the stress of travel, namely to move within the confines of ones Domain and Natal Palace, but doing so would attract even more attention from the lingering scavengers, who even now massed in great numbers around him. Useless Gens Natal Palace was too fragile to risk using in this manner, and his Domain not even worth considering, so Zhen Shi was forced to travel with eyes open and mind aware of the great nothingness around him.

In reality, perhaps a single second had yet to pass in the waking world, but Zhen Shi felt as though hed travelled for days, weeks, or even possibly months or years. Difficult to say, but the journey taxed his mind as he struggled against creeping madness and hysteria brought about by total deprivation. There were no lights, no sounds, no smells or sensations to be had, only nothingness and nihility to greet him and his own, increasingly irrational thoughts to stave off lunacy.

But he was Zhen Shi, and this was nothing to him. A trial and tribulation easily passed, as hed done so twice before. Yes, simple as turning a hand, and best not to forget what lay at the end of this arduous journey, a tempting prize he so desperately yearned for. Falling Rain was but a spiritless husk, his soul withdrawn and defenceless. All he had to do was enter once more, and assume control of the runt, and victory would be within his grasp.

And what, a small voice asked, Will happen to Gen? Freedom? Or Death?

Freedom of course. Zhen Shi still had use for Gen, a promising young talent. The Emperors throne awaited him, alongside everything the title entailed. Endless wealth and unlimited power, with soft silks to lay upon and beautiful women attending to his every need, all this and more would be his, once this task was complete. But it matters not, for you are not the worm Gen, but the dragon Zhen Shi.

Slowly but in the blink of an eye, he arrived at his destination. The warm, blinding beacon sensed his approach and radiated guarded curiosity, but nothing more. A strange presence, this beacon in the void, one which was unlike any hed ever come across, though not for reasons he understood. There were dimmer, more dangerous beacons out there, and some so dark they seemed to drink in the Void itself, but this presence felt friendly and inviting, leading him to wonder what it must be like inside. Some weeks back, hed been sitting in quiet meditation when he felt its presence simply appear within the Void, a dim light which grew into a dazzling existence out of nothing. Now that he was near though, he felt it was less dazzling than he remembered, which was curious indeed.

What did he himself look like in comparison? Was he also aglow with radiance, or did his dark form drink in the Void?

Focus.

The task at hand.

Complete it.

Right. Using the nearby beacon as a reference point, Zhen Shi traversed around it in search of another nearby presence, Falling Rains unsightly existence seeping out into the Void. It was easy enough to find even without the celestial guardians defending the entrance, preventing the masses of Spectres from surging in to their doom. The runt was not here as Zhen Shi was, nor did he exist like the guiding beacon or other existences, but rather like a hole left open to the Void as a result of his shattered Core. A weakness to exploit, but one Zhen Shi had been unable to find until he fortuitously stumbled upon this beacon which lay close to Falling Rain. There was no visual representation of him, nor was there any sensation to follow, only a vague awareness of his hateful presence when nearby which Zhen Shi used to guide himself towards the opening of the rift. Once it was before him, he felt the way was clear, no longer blocked by a force of will more powerful than hed first expected, a force which sprang up after his last visit. The runt was stubborn, but he was defeated nonetheless, his mind broken and body left open for the taking, so Zhen Shi smiled with sweet relief as he plunged forward to take control of the worm and claim complete and total victory over the Empire.

Only to have his presence ejected back into the Void without warning.

Shooting past his line of guards, his soul plunged deep into a crowd of ravenous apparitions. Without the protection of his encircled guard, the starved Spectres tore into him in a voracious flood of agony and suffering, feasting on the essence of his eternal being. The pain was immeasurable, piercing down to the depths of his soul as he was rent asunder, yet the sweet relief of death did not come. Forced to the surface of his mind, he lived and relieved his most horrific memories to sate the hunger of his relentless assailants.

He watched himself stab Kash and felt the warm blood splatter across his face. Joy bubbled up from within, only to be replaced by rage because Kashs shrieking and struggles were ruining his enjoyment. A haze of fury overcame Gen as he beat his childhood friend to death, cackling at the fear he saw in his friends eyes even as the guilt dug its claws deep into his soul.

Emptiness.

That was all Alsantset felt as she stood and stared at her little brother lying in the dirt, so slack and still she feared he might already be dead. Rationally, she knew she should feel something, whether it be concern, anxiety, grief, or anguish over his dire circumstances and possibly imminent death, but shock and dogged denial kept her from feeling much of anything at all. This was not the gentle embrace of Balance, with all her emotions maintained in delicate harmony, no, this was not like Balance at all, but rather the antithesis of such.

Too much was as bad as not enough, and Alsantset knew she teetered on the edge of the latter, but there was nothing she could do. Rain, her precious little foundling, the younger brother she always wanted and loved so dearly, was dying before her eyes, and there was nothing she could do. There was no foe to defeat and protect him, no culprit to kill and avenge him, no danger to circumvent and save him, there was only the cruel Heavens once again playing with sweet Rains fate, while she stood by helpless and defeated.

Even the inclement weather seemed ready to mourn Rains passing, the skies growing dark as storm clouds gathered overhead. Much like them, Alsantset was ready to burst but not yet willing to concede, so she fought a losing battle to keep her feelings bottled away. No emotion. No anguish. No pain. That was her defence, a paltry one which Mama would scold her for, but she had her own pain to deal with. Never before had Alsantset seen her strong, proud, Mama so weak, but it had nothing to do with her battlefield injuries. Brought back from the battlefield by one of her many Senior Sisters, Mama knelt by Rains head and stroked his hair, arranging it ever so perfectly before mussing it up to start over again, as if she wanted him to look his best when he finally woke up. Her blood soaked robes and armour cast a macabre shade to the proceedings, one her mournful expression did nothing to mitigate, and Alsantset feared things would only get worse if Rain were to actually die.

When. Not if. When he died.

The thought nearly broke Alsantset and she clutched sweet Li-Li tight, and the considerate girl squeezed back, though her stony expression never wavered. Still, Alsantset could tell the girls concern was genuine, even though she herself might benefit from little Rains death. When... If the worst were to come to pass, her Oath would pass to Mila whom Li-Li would never have to fear, but it was clear she had come to trust Rain as much as she trusted anyone, which was saying much for the poor, mistreated girl.

The others were handling this even better than Alsantset and Mama, but perhaps that was the resilience of youth. Mila was sitting up now, tall and proud as ever, her back straight and weapons ready, but her white-knuckled grip gave her away. Out of all the women in Rains life, she would take his death the hardest, for hidden beneath Milas proud and domineering exterior was a sweet girl who loved him with all her heart, in a way few could ever compare.

Yan most certainly could, her shoulders shaking as she choked on silent sobs and did little to hide her anguish. The poor girl had only just found the family she so desperately longed for, with a grandfather who doted on her, an aloof brother who fiercely guarded her, and a husband who loved her so. She was not yet ready to lose any of them, but cruel fate meant to take her beloved away, leaving her with only precious few years to spend with her grandfather at best. Alsantsets heart bled for the girl, or it would have if she were capable of it, but she lacked the strength and courage to face her emotions and kept them all locked away. It was easier this way, even if she risked unbalance, because she was almost certain she would crumble apart beneath the deluge of misery and anguish awaiting her.

Not Lin-Lin though. Often seen as the weakest of them all, the confident, self-assured half-hare sat by Rains side with a serious expression, arranging all the animals comfortably around him. With her white-silk scarf wrapped around her shoulders, she was already appropriately attired to mourn him, but were it not for the smile missing from her face, one mightve mistakenly believe Lin-Lin still unaware of the severity of the situation. However, Alsantset suspected it was possible none of them understood it as well as Lin-Lin did, for she was the daughter of a Medical Saint and poised to follow in his footsteps, as it soon became clear by her words and actions. You need to come back, hubby, she said, softly whispering so as not to disturb his supposed slumber while depositing Mama Bun atop his chest. See? All your floofs are waiting for you. Were all waiting for you, ya? Well be right here, whenever youre ready, so take your time. Ill make sure no one bothers you, okay?

The half-hare might well be the strongest of them all, so unwavering in her optimism it almost hurt to watch, but when she gestured for the rest of them to come closer and help, Alsantset could not help but join in, kneeling next to Mama and Li-Li by Rains head. Gently shifting Mama Bun so her rear legs and most of her weight was off his chest, the stubborn rabbit hopped back up and flattened herself across him, her clenched paws, wide eyes, and twitching nose giving away her fear, but not from the raucous sounds of battle around them. No, Mama Bun would charge a horde of murderous Defiled without blinking an eye, so long as Rain was there to accompany her, but now she sensed something amiss and refused to leave his side.

She knows he is dying, and does not know how to cope.

Much like Alsantset herself.

Yan saw things in a different light, however, stroking the white rabbits head and back. She does this when he has nightmares, she whispered, a mournful, half-smile stretching across her lips. Just throws herself atop him, and it almost always calms him down.

Li-Lis head tilted in visible thought, and after scant seconds of consideration, she reached into her travel bag and pulled Princess out. The weasel-bear did not much like being exposed, her thundering growls intensifying as Li-Li placed her in the crook of Rains arm besides Mama Bun. Following her cue, Lin-Lin removed Blackjack from her pouch and placed him under Mama Buns chin, while Yan rearranged the birds and rabbits so Banjo and Baloo could rest their heads beside Rains. Finally putting away her spear, Mila went to Ping Pings side, who oddly enough, had yet to join the pile of animals, and was instead pacing about and staring off into nothingness with obvious confusion. Even a direct entreaty did nothing to sway the Divine Turtle from her vigil, though she did look back at Rain more than once, so eventually, Mila gave up and returned to her husbands side, only to open the box still wrapped around his wrist.

And miracle of all miracles, the red panda poked his head out, frowning as he took in his unfamiliar surroundings. Spotting Ping Ping, he cautiously clambered out of his box and scampered over to her side, wrapping his arms around her neck and dragging her back over towards Rain. Grudgingly allowing herself to be pulled, Ping Ping made her way over and helped the red panda back into his box, before finally plopping down in the dirt to rest her chin on Rains hand, emanating a burst of loving Aura tinged with forlorn resignation.

Then Rains eyes popped open, and Alsantsets spirits soared, only to dampen once more as he continued to lay there, as still and silent as before. She was not the only one pained by this change, for Mama, Yan, and Mila all gasped and sighed in unison. Even Li-Li tensed and slumped in place, but strong, unflappable Lin-Lin was the only one to keep her head, checking Rains pulse with two fingers to his neck, as opposed to on the wrist as so many physicians were wont to do. Judging by her expression however, there was good news to be had, which she shared with a cherubic smile that almost made her eyes disappear. His pulse is getting stronger, and I think hes breathing better too, but there are too many animals in the way to tell. Hes okay now, and if he takes a turn for the worst, another Healer should be able to help him soon.

A quiet voice warned Alsantset not to get her hopes up, but then a tidal wave of relief washed that voice away. Heart beating in excitement, she felt a comforting cloak of satisfaction settle around her as she watched Rains pallid skin regain a pinkish tinge and his expression tighten in quiet concern, but Mama Bun was on task as she pressed her head against his chin and nuzzled him close. Squeezing her way under Baloos chin, Ping Ping trotted over to do the same, while Aurie, Jimjam, and even Sarankho set to kneading Rains legs, the animals sensing the mood and calming down now that he was no longer in danger. Whether they gleaned this information themselves or were simply following cues from the people around them, Alsantset could not say, but a small smile worked its way across her lips as she exchanged a quiet look with Mama.

How is she? Was she hurt badly? Is she fully Healed yet? These thoughts finally occurred to Alsantset long after the fact, and she felt mildly guilty for not considering this before, but a soothing sensation settled over her shoulders and wicked away her remorse. She was distressed and distracted, and it wasnt too late to make up for past mistakes. Wrapping Mama in a one armed hug, she asked, Are you well, Mama?

Better now that your brothers life is no longer fading. Stroking his hair, she overlooked the obvious concern in Alsantsets tone and likely even forgot she herself had been injured, so utterly preoccupied by Rains well-being. It warmed Alsantsets heart to see Mama so relieved, especially given how unreceptive shed initially been when Rain first joined their family, and how aloof hed pretended to be as well. Oh how far theyd all come in just a few short years, not even an entire decade together as a family, so surely the Heavens would not be so cruel as to separate them so soon?

No need to worry. Youll both be fine. You have each other.

The bittersweet thought left Alsantset lessened in some way, as if Rain were well and truly gone now, even though he was clearly alive and breathing before her. Looking away from Rain for the first time since she returned, Mamas brows furrowed as she glanced about in confusion, though even she didnt seem to know what she was looking for. Taking a deep breath, she leaned into Alsantsets embrace and sighed. He will be fine, she said, as if doing her best to convince them both. He will. My son is strong, and he will return to us, or I will ascend to the Heavens and rip him from the Mothers arms myself.

Warmed by her fervour, Alsantset nodded in agreement. And I will go with you, Mama.

Careful. Danger approaches.

Leaping to her feet with spear in hand, she was mildly surprised to see Mama, Mila, Yan, and Li-Li do the same, while Lin-Lin set to rushing the animals back to their wagon. Whatever tipped Alsantset off, tipped the others off too, including Ping Ping and all their guards. Tense seconds passed without incident, and Alsantset began to wonder if shed lost her mind, but then Grand-Mentor raised her voice and said, Careful.

And the world erupted into chaos and violence.

Finally, Alsantset thought, giving Rain one last glance before preparing for imminent battle. A chance to prove my strength.

For she was Alsantset of the People, Wife of Charok, Mother to Tali and Tate, Daughter of Baatar and Sarnai, Granddaughter of Akanai and Husolt, and Sister to Falling Rain, which meant she had a legacy to live up to.

Chapter Meme