Chapter 647

Chapter 647

The Heavens roiled as dark clouds gathered overhead, heralding doom and despair for the Empire below.

From the bay of Suihua adjoining the Azure Sea, to the sandy dunes of Kangbashi alongside the Arid Wastes, the ponderous storm plunged this thousand-kilometre stretch into murky darkness. Day turned to night as man and beast scurried to find cover before the skies unleashed their wrath, but the new Western Wall was spared its fury as the storm proceeded ever westward. In Suihua, the self-proclaimed King of Bandits, Huanhuzi himself, breathed a sigh of relief, for there was no shelter to be had out on the open seas. Flying his signature axe-and-cutlass flag, his fleet finished burning and razing SuiHua Harbour before slipping away once the Bloody Fanged Wolf Baatar came in sight. Were they to meet on the open field, this valiant army of heroes could have easily swept Huanhuzis forces aside, but the dastardly bandit would not stand and fight. Instead, he took full advantage of his pirate fleets speed and mobility to travel up and down the coastline, striking down retreating supply ships and rallying naval forces before they could present a threat.

To the south and west, Castle Wulin sat besieged by the once celebrated Imperial Hero, Mataram YuChun of the Ten Thousand Spears. The storm had yet to reach them, but the fate of the Imperial defenders looked dire indeed, for the canny traitors forces had encircled the castle from all sides. Though no famed Siegebreaker like his peer and rival Gao Changgong, the Mataram Heir was every bit as effective at bringing down the sturdy steel gate, unleashing a flurry of thrusts to single-handedly open a way into the castle, wherein he slaughtered any and all who stood in his path. Reinforcements led by Southern Major General Patcha Tong had already returned to offer aid, but they were unable to break through the overwhelming military force standing in their way, one consisting of a quarter-million Mataram Clan soldiers.

Meaning every last man, woman, and child of this famed family, one which bore the blood and namesake of kings long past and given rise to countless celebrated Imperial Heroes throughout history, had joined hands to turn their backs on not only the Empire, but the Heavens themselves.

Yet dire as the situation was in SuiHua and Wulin, it was on the open fields of Central where the pivotal conflict took place, with Legate Falling Rains forces coming under heavy attack from traitor Bai Qis army of armoured Defiled and Demons. Here, the storm clouds gathered overhead as the Mother Herself made Her presence known, bestowing Insight and Inspiration upon Her children whilst readying to unleash holy retribution against any who dared to strike down Her Chosen Son, but the Legate was never one to rely upon Divine intervention. All his carefully laid plans came into fruition as the three Colonel Generals of Central convened to deal with their traitorous peer, while leading a reinforcing army of Imperial heroes into position to slaughter the invading Defiled.

All made possible by the will and foresight of Falling Rain, for though the day is always darkest before dawn, a single ray of sunshine is all that is needed to banish the encroaching darkness.

An excerpt from Darkest Before Dawn, a saga of Falling Rain, as written by Han BoShui

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The incoming reinforcements were a welcome sight, but Zian knew the battle was not yet won.

With me! he called, raising a single sabre high because lifting both would be a waste of stamina. Death to the Defiled! Throwing himself into the fray once more, he put his burning lungs and aching arms out of mind to focus on the battle and nothing more, his sabres whirling as he once again desperately fought his way to the front. Uncle Yang was out there somewhere and Zian needed to find him, for the battlefield was abuzz with news of Akanais astonishing duel against Gongsun Qi. Some whispers claimed Akanai was dead, and others swore she still lived, but there was no consistency regarding how the battle ended. Gongsun Qi beat her down with laughable ease, Akanai wounded the Lord of Martial Peace at great cost to herself, the Heavens themselves struck down the Defiled General and Akanai was caught in the blast, Zian suspected none of these rumours were true and that their exchange had ended without a clear victor. All he knew was that someone had interfered, and judging from what hed read in BoShuis atrocious publications, Zian would put good coin on that someone being Rains Mother, the fearsome Dragon Lady Sarnai. He also believed that so many soldiers could not be mistaken about Akanai taking injury, but he suspected she still drew breath since Rain had yet to take personal action.

What he couldnt believe, and prayed was not in fact true, was the rumours of how Situ Jia Yang had taken the fight to Gongsun Qi, because regardless of whatever vast improvements he might have made, Zian feared his uncle no match for the Prince of Barbarity.

Aiming a sweeping cut at the closest Defiled neck, Zian grimaced and cursed as his sabre caught the edge of his foes Runic helmet. Were he fresh and rested, he would never have made this mistake, but even if he had, recovering would have been easy as turning a hand. Now, after hours of fighting with minimal rest, he was barely able to keep hold of his weapon in the wake of this jarring impact, much less recover in time to avoid injury. Utilizing Balance on Windy Leaf to sway back, he felt his foes spear brush across his nose and almost collapsed into the dirt from surprise, but Junyi offered a helping hand from behind and pushed him back to his feet, simultaneously cutting down the offending Defiled in the process. Step back, young master, he wheezed, still stubbornly clinging to Jukais form of address alongside the rest of Zians fathers comrades. Rest a spell while we handle this lot.

Never mind that Junyi was nearing sixty and had fought alongside Zian every step of the way, no Peak Expert to be sure, but an accomplished Warrior nonetheless. A brood of clucking hens theyd become, Junyi and all the rest, nagging and coddling him something fierce ever since Jing Feis pregnancy became apparent. As much as he wanted to stubbornly ignore the advice and keep fighting, he had no choice but to admit the veteran spoke sense. Though talented to the extreme, Zians training left much to be desired in that he rarely pushed himself to his limits. While natural skill propelled him to the forefront of his peers, he was no match for those fanatics who abused their bodies on a daily basis in the name of supposed training, but Zian knew the truth. Warriors like that, the Falling Rains, Tam Taewoongs, and Rustrams of the world were all stark raving mad and masochists to boot, so Zian would be a fool to try and match up.

Taking a step back to catch his breath and survey the proceedings, he shook his head at the sheer madness of it all. Rain had somehow snatched victory from the jaws of defeat, because even with three Colonel Generals working in perfect coordination, it was simply impossible for them to have gotten so many troops in the field if they only started their work after Gongsun Qi revealed his hand. They must have emptied the Citadel of soldiers, wagons, and horses to bring an army of this size, one which had no doubt been ready and waiting all morning on the off-chance something should go wrong. A good thing too, for now that they were here, the Enemys fate was sealed, but still the Defiled fought on, heedless of their inevitable deaths or the deafening happenings going on as the Colonel Generals unleashed hell upon the Enemy lines.

Oh how Zian wished he could watch those Warriors at work, three men standing at the pinnacle of human strength. Seeing Akanai fight had been an eye-opening experience, her Movements so natural yet elegant, straightforward yet sublime, a dance of death set to the tune of her own intent. Each strike was the culmination of hundreds of seemingly insignificant details which, when put together, formed an imposing and ingenious strike, while Gongsun Qis responses were no less accomplished. The grip on her halberd, the set of her shoulders, the point of her feet, and the wind in her hair, all these and more affected how Akanai chose to attack, and Gongsun Qi read these signs and developed a suitable response in kind. Then they did it again, and again, and again, dozens of times in the blink of an eye before finally breaking away. To the layman, it appeared as if Akanai lost every trade when she was sent flying back into the crowd, but Zian suspected her ignominious exit was more of a hasty, but effective retreat, rather than the result of anything Gongsun Qi himself did. Better to keep Akanai close so his hidden Demons and Wraiths could lend aid, but the beautiful and cunning leader of the Bekhai left them no opening to strike.

Honestly, Zian was starting to see why BoShui and Rain were so enamoured by the blond, buxom beauty...

Alas, only Mitsue Juichis actions were visible from Zians location, but only because it was difficult to miss all the ground-shattering showers of dirt and blood. In response, scattered groups of Defiled were retreating from the battle, and his spirits lifted at the prospect of victory and rest, but again, his work was not yet done. The Defiled had a long retreat ahead of them, and with their cavalry already streaming off into the distance, this meant the Imperial infantry would likely be called upon to chase down their Defiled counterparts. Assuming they ever broke and ran of course, since the majority of the Defiled army fought on without a care for their own survival. It was one thing to talk about the Enemys crazed dedication to death and destruction, but another altogether to see it in action. Despite their human forms, they seemed both less and more in so many ways, monsters clad in human flesh who fought for the sake of fighting.

Was there any chance of ultimate victory, or was the Empire simply going through the motions of this eternal war, year after year and decade after decade?

This was the world he sought to bring life into, a bleak and desolate existence steeped in constant chaos and bloodshed. Zian had talent beyond compare, and even he had issues adapting, so what would happen to his son or daughter if they were any less talented than he? Could he teach his child to fight? Could he protect them if they failed to Form a Core? What did he know of parenting? What wisdom did he have to offer to a mortal? And as much as he loved Jing Fei, he would be lying if he claimed he was wholly confident in her parenting abilities. If he needed advice on politics, poisons, or even a suitable sparring partner, there was no one better to turn to, but how would she fare as a mother to their children? The cold hard truth was that Zians beautiful wife was rather eccentric and could be cold and distant even at the best of times. While he knew how to best ignite her passions, how would their children fare with her? Would they see her as Zian saw his mother, as loving and protective but admittedly cold and controlling? Was that the sort of woman he wanted to help raise his children?

No parents are perfect, but love is all you really need. So long as you have love and share it, then half the battle is already won. As for the rest? Youll probably pick it up as you go. Youre Lu Jia Zian, super genius.

Back straightening as his burdens fell away, Zian felt curiously better thanks to the reminder of his natural talents, though he mustve been more tired than he thought if his internal voice was starting to sound like Rain. Regardless, he knew he would do whatever was needed to ensure his child grew up safe and loved, so the rest would simply fall into place, or he would use all the power and influence at his disposal to make it so. However, if he wanted his child to grow up in a world without Defiled, then he would simply have to work harder and kill them all before his son or daughter was born. Simple as that.

How strange. He had yet to even meet this child, a person who was still little more than a concept or idea, yet already he was willing to fight, kill, beg, and even die for them.

Rejuvenated from his short break, Zian dove back into battle before the cry even went out. Demon! a soldier called, and the cry was repeated by several others, all of whom were retreating away from the source of the warning. Not Zian though, for he knew there were few unoccupied Demon Slayers left to them, so he would simply have to step up. Angst and exhilaration warred within his chest as the field cleared and he caught a glimpse of his foe, for standing there was none other than the black-cloaked Demon which almost took Jukais life. Billowing out behind it was a cape of blades, twisting and writhing in a nonexistent breeze, only to shoot out and strike at the soldiers of Zians retinue. Dashing in with resolute purpose, he was given a first-hand glimpse at the cavernous gap which still existed between him and his deceased Mentor. Blocking the first three serpentine thrusts, the fourth slipped through his guard and punched him clean in the chest. Reeling from the attack, he counted seven more strikes before he finally got the timing right and started using his Domain to Deflect them away.

Ignoring the urge to rub his aching chest, he gave silent thanks to Mother for somehow acquiring yet another Runic breastplate, else his life wouldve been lost a dozen times over today, not including the eight close calls he just experienced. Bringing his blades about in a rotating ring of steel, he parried, blocked, dodged, and Deflected the Demons dagger-like appendages as best he could. It was easier now that it knew he wore Runic Armour, as its attacks were now focused on his face and lower body, but even then it took everything he had just to hold his ground. Jukai had made it look so easy as he weathered the storm of attacks, but with the Demons grotesque, furrowed face and glowing green eyes so close to Zians face, it took every scrap of concentration he had to keep his foe at bay.

Seeing his dilemma, his soldiers tried to lend aid and distract the Demon, but its attacks had remarkable range and were growing increasingly difficult to read. At times, it felt like each dagger-appendage had its own mind, and though Zian was more practised at composing his own deadly melodies, the multitude of piercing attacks set a tempo he could ill-afford to match, to say nothing of the katars fused onto the ends of its arms. How did Jukai do it? How about Uncle Yang? Dong Ping of the Twin Spears fought with a similar, defensive style, but try as he might, Zian could not piece together how any of these Peak Experts were able to implement such a dazzling and impenetrable defence. There was no time to react when fighting at these speeds, and any attempt to act would leave openings for his foe to exploit.

A Sending arrived to inform him their forces were all in place, so Baatar silently heaved a sigh as he readied to put Rains plan into action. There was nothing wrong with the plan itself, and he was proud to see the boy come into his own, first as a warrior, then merchant, then politician, and now commander, but it seemed like some things would never change, for the boy once again forgot to take into account face. Not so terrible a sin in this case, as Baatars pride could survive the blow, but it was still a bitter pill to swallow.

Splitting his forces piecemeal, he dispatched them to carry out all manner of tasks, from fighting fires, searching for survivors, salvaging supplies, and clearing sunken hulls along the coastline. Minutes passed by, then hours as Baatars forces following the pirate fleet dwindled and shrank. After long, uncomfortable hours in the saddle, the opportunistic bandit finally felt safe enough to come out of hiding, and Baatar smiled as he watched the sails emerge from behind the horizon. Left with only a quarter of his original army, he set them into formation just outside the range of ship-mounted catapults and bolt-throwers before waiting for the bandit to disembark.

A cautious one, this half-badger Huanhuzi, but hardly surprising for someone who thrived for so many years in his trade. Bandits were a bold and daring lot, but there were few bandits who were both bold and old. Skirting over the shallows as they approached the coastline, the sleek pirate ships cut a graceful, ninety degree turn to head either east or west along the coastline, a maneuver which set the soldiers with nautical experience to whistling. In Baatars eyes, it was only mildly impressive, but he knew nothing of ships and did not care to learn. It was clear these actions were a feint however, hoping to uncover any waiting Imperial ships veiled by Concealment, either by accidental ramming, watching how the waves broke, or any other number of ways Baatar was not entirely familiar with. Itd all been part of a briefing regarding nautical defences, but since it was not his area of expertise, he trusted Nian Zus judgment and let it be.

Not Rain however, who pored over those documents and brought in numerous experts to help explain them. He must have come up with a dozen difference schemes before finally settling on this one, though part of it was because the others were too impractical to put to use.

Finding no hidden ships waiting to catch him off-guard, Huanhuzi finally felt confident enough to order his pirates to disembark, no doubt seeing this diminished reinforcing army as a juicy target of opportunity. That was the issue with bandits, no discipline whatsoever, since the smart thing to do was to sail away once the damage had already been done. Had Huanhuzis fleet stayed out over the sea depths, then there was little the Imperial forces could do to stop him, but the greedy bandit was not yet done and saw a good chance for some bloodletting.

The pirate fleet disembarked in record time and even fell into formation without too much of a fuss, leading Baatar to raise his opinion of the bandit a few notches. So perhaps it wasnt a lack of discipline which drew him to attack, but rather the unquenchable bloodlust which came with turning Defiled, though there were enough pirates here to give even Baatars full army a good fight. Still, he never understood how anyone could be so foolish as to believe the Fathers foul lies, but Rain was most impressed by his stubbornness and how there were only two Spectres around him at his lowest, when his beloved Sarnai almost seemed lost.

Baatar would walk his own path, and no one, not even a Deity on the level of the Father Himself, would sway him.

Ever the coward, Huanhuzis forces stayed close to their ships in case an Imperial fleet was on the way, so Baatar happily gave the order to march out. There were no words exchanged or duels offered, because he had no time for this nonsense. The sooner he did away with the pirate threat, the sooner he could ride to reinforce Brigadier Hongjis army, though he feared the battle would be long over before he arrived. Still, as Mother liked to say, where there was life, there was hope, so Baatar hoped his family still had life yet.

Drawing his Crescent Moon bardiche, he raised it over head and almost lost his seat as his damnable horse reared up on its hind legs. Once it had all four hooves on the ground again, Baatar shouted, Charge!

And to their credit, his soldiers obeyed, despite facing a Defiled force which outnumbered them at least twelve to one. Had they stood in formation and weathered the charge, this bandit army could have torn Baatars soldiers to shreds, but as he bounced atop his hulking war horse, he saw the first signs of his allys efforts as chaos broke out from within the pirates ranks.

For their precious ships, anchored just off shore behind them promising refuge and safe escape, were now sinking into the shallows.

Baatars forces struck the Defiled lines like a hammer against soft tofu, but the Enemy had begun scattering before he even arrived, for a second Imperial force had emerged from the water and was screaming bloody murder to all who would hear it. Spilling out of their sealed submersibles, rounded vessels which looked none the worse for wear despite having almost made a full circuit of the Azure Sea, these warriors were a fearsome sight to behold in action. Dark scarves covered their heads and faces but left their eyes bared, eyes which burned with a holy fire yearning for blood and vengeance. Forming no ranks and charging out in all directions, they threw themselves upon the Defiled like starving wolves upon a herd of fat, unguarded sheep. Staves and hammers were their most common weapons of choice, heavy, ponderous armaments which they used to bash and bludgeon their foes to grisly death, an effective, but messy approach which soon made it difficult to distinguish the Imperials from Defiled at first glance. More than one newcomer was crying as they fought, spilling tears of anger and relief as they dispensed retribution upon the criminals who despoiled their homeland and drove them away, and Baatars heart swelled with pride for his most precious son, as none of this would have been possible if not for Rain.

The slaughter went on for another hour as the Defiled fought to the bitter end, as the Enemy was wont to do. Unfortunately, Huanhuzi escaped with his life intact, or rather never took part in the battle to begin with, his ship sailing due West with half his forces after the razing of SuiHua, just as Baatar would have in his place. Still, a great victory had been won here, and even though his damned horse survived the encounter, his spirits could not be dampened. Striding over to meet the commander who helped make this possible, he offered a Martial salute to the stalwart Great General, a hero who remained loyal while so many of his former comrades turned Defiled. Well met. I am Baatar, Lieutenant General of the Empire and Warrior of the People.

Tearing off his headscarf to reveal a face dripping with blood and water, the bald, dusky Warrior gave him a broad smile framing a set of shockingly white teeth before falling to one knee, and every soldier who arrived with him followed suit. This grateful one be Gao Changgong, here to pay his respects to the Legates honoured father. Raising his head to look around, he asked, Is the Legate here? May the Mother bless his fortunes. This Gao desires to give thanks in person, for without the Legates mercy, every one of my comrades here and so many more citizens of the West would have been found and killed on the shores of the Azure Sea.

So, another fervent devotee for little Rain, and a powerful one at that. Gao Changgong was a Major General and almost as strong as Baatar himself, strength they would need to keep the Western General safe in light of recent events. My son is there, Baatar said, pointing off into the distance at the roiling storm clouds. Fighting against an army of Defiled on the open plains. Readying his weapon to strike should Changgong show any sign of betrayal, he added, An army led by the traitor, Gongsun Qi.

Blinking once to take it all in, Gao Changgong nodded and corrected, Better to call him Bai Qi then, the name the bloodthirsty bastard was born with. Gongsun is the name he gave himself, a homonym for Prince in order to mock those who called him the Prince of Barbarity, a title which barely touches upon the depths of his cruelty. Even before his betrayal, no true son or daughter of the West would have called that traitorous butcher Prince. Eyes lighting up in eager impatience, he asked, Have you wagons or horses enough for this Gaos soldiers? Let us ride out in support of the Legate, may the Heavens bless his name.

Matters are not so simple. Or so Rain said. By Imperial Mandate, you and yours are technically marked for death, as the Western Province has long been contained and closed off.

Anger smouldered in the large warriors eyes, and Baatar smiled to see it. So? Gao Changgong asked, as if this were of no concern. The Legate has already saved this Gaos people. Do you, his father, intend to correct his errors?

Though ready to fight, the Western Warriors all remained on their knees, as did Gao Changgong, showing remarkable restraint considering the circumstances. Good, good, these soldiers were well disciplined and could hold their tempers. Not definitive proof they were unaffected by Spectres, but a good start. No. Locking the borders had been the height of Imperial foolishness, though Baatar suspected someone other than Shen ZhenWu had ordered it, for the Imperial Scion seemed far too savvy to make such an ill-advised mistake. But we will have to tread lightly, lest your presence be used against us.

Bah. Rolling his eyes, he said, What presence? This one be Gao Liang, Warrior of the North, sworn to the Legates personal service. Not once has this Gao set foot in the Western Province, and a pox on any who claim otherwise.

As if anyone would believe him, considering his clothes, complexion, manner of speech, and weapon of choice, a massive, weighty staff that could double as a lance, but it was enough for Rains sake, since none would dare say otherwise in order to give him face. It showed that the boy at least understood the concept of face however, which made this egregious slight all the more difficult for Baatar to swallow. Imagine what people would say once they learned that he, a Lieutenant General and the Legates own father, had been used as a mere distraction. Oh how they would laugh, but Rain insisted Baatar be present to better sell the story. Dont worry, I have other plans in place, and Id rather you went along to take charge, Rain said. If one thing goes to shit, I always expect more to follow, because it never rains. It pours.

Alas, events here went perfectly as planned, or as perfectly as they could considering the circumstances. Sighing as he once again took in the growing storm, he hoped things were going just as well with Rain, and somehow, almost knew they most certainly werent.

That was life with Falling Rain. Never a dull moment, and Baatar counted himself blessed for having such a wonderful son.

Chapter Meme 1

Chapter Meme 2

Created by SassyAsses and corrected by Drak on discord