Chapter 787

Chapter 787

Shock.

Awe.

Horror.

Frustration.

All part and parcel of the deluge of emotions threatening to overwhelm Akanai in the wake of her Grand-Disciples staggering dynamic entrance. Frustration most of all, because frightened as she might be due to his blatant disregard for the Treaty and the forthcoming reprisals, his apparent ascension to Divinity meant that she no longer had the means to keep his inflated ego and calamitous curiosity in check. Not that it would matter if she died here and now once the Enemy Divinities retaliated in kind, but this was almost preferable to living in a world in which Falling Rain was left to run free while wielding the twinned power of Creation and Destruction both. The boy had a good heart and usually only the best intentions, but even the Brotherhood knew that the right intent was far from enough.

The boys greatest failing was always trying to do too much too quickly, but one needed to first lay the proper groundwork in order to succeed. While others might see his incredible record of accomplishments and think him infallible, Akanai knew all too well how blessed by the Heavens he truly was. This wasnt to denigrate his achievements, for his history of success was only possible thanks to his intelligence, cunning, perseverance, charisma, and decisiveness, but one could not argue that luck did not play a large role as well, for the boy was luckier than most. Take his cast iron venture for example, which among other things, brought him to the attention of the Grand Marshal, a most rousing success indeed when viewed from most perspectives, but this success was not achieved through hard work and ingenuity alone. While this endeavour most certainly would have failed without his personal contributions, the true reason little Rain found so much success was due to a confluence of factors and timings which all came together in a perfect storm of fate and fortune.

The first defining factor was his victory in the Imperial Grand Conference, which earned him the title of Number One Talent in the Empire. One he was arguably undeserving of despite having the greatest prospects, given how he was far from the strongest of his peers at the time. However, his luck held true when drawing for opponents and he matched against Ryo Seoyoon and Quyen Dienne, two formidable youths in truth, but clearly the weakest out of all the competitors. The youngest Ryo daughter was but a greenhouse flower, technically outstanding yet wholly lacking in actual combat experience, which the boy saw and took advantage of by overwhelming her with his unorthodox combinations before she found her bearings. As for Dienne, anyone with eyes could see that the young southerner was trained in the arts of warfare, fighting side by side with his soldiers on the battlefield rather than exhibition matches. Had he not been expressly forbidden to kill, he would not have held back in his initial exchange and won the match outright, likely at the cost of little Rains life, or at least grievous injury. Difficult to win against a reckless opponent without causing them injury, and Dienne ultimately lost because he dared not go all out against his seemingly suicidal foe. The only consolation for everyone involved was that little Rain had not taken advantage of the rules on purpose, for it was well known that the boy always fought with casual disregard for his life, no matter the circumstances involved.

Then, after the most promising competitors eliminated each other one by one, the boy was left to face Wu Gam in the finals. The young half-fox was undoubtedly the stronger of the two at the time, but far too nave and trusting. Little Rain even stopped to ask if he had an Aura, which should have given the scheme away, but foolish Wu Gam didnt even think twice and was defeated in a single blow, all because he didnt think to deploy his Aura first. Granted, it would have proved no defense against little Rains Honed Aura, but that was besides the point, for the same trick would not have worked against cunning Mitsue Hideo, seasoned Yong Jin, or devious little Yan. Had he faced any one of those three in the finals of the competition, then little Rain would have no doubt lost and the title of Number One Talent in the Empire would have been claimed by another, whereupon history would have unfolded in a less fortuitous manner. The title protected the boy from reprisal during his most crucial period of growth, as his political and mercantile enemies dared not be too heavy-handed with so prominent a young talent. It was known that Emperor frowned upon those who uprooted young seeds before they could blossom into flowers, for they were the future of the Empire and therefore enjoyed a modicum of His protection.

Mother knows the hoops Akanai and little Hai had to jump through to keep her block-head of a husband out of the Justicars hands after killing that foul-mouthed Warrant Officer DuGu Ang in Shen Huo, a headache which only went away after the younger brother DuGu Ren was caught trying to kill Fung, thereby allowing little Hai to condemn the entire DuGu family line to death and sweep her husbands crime under the rug.

How maudlin of Akanai to become so nostalgic in these moments before death, reminiscing of times long past and more evidence of little Rains Heaven-defying luck at having survived so long. The point she was getting at was that the boys chances of winning the tournament had been less than fifty percent going in, with some gambling houses offering twenty or thirty to one odds against him, yet he emerged victorious at the end of the day in an overbearing fashion no less. Not only did the prestige earned from his performance keep his enemies and rivals in check, but it also brought him together with Luo-Luo, who was instrumental in his rise to prominence as Minister of Finance. Though little Rain held the title, Luo-Luo did the lions share of the work, with the boy only checking in every now and then to offer input and general direction. In fact, Akanai would even go as far as to say that Luo-Luo would have done a better job on her own, as little Rain not only had a whole host of enemies to make her work that much harder, but he also spent coin like water in a manner which had the poor girl scrambling to keep up with his expenditures.

These were but a few of the factors which contributed to the success of little Rains cast iron venture, and there were so many more, with his personal efforts amounting to but a single hair on the oxens back. Had it been a merchant of middling wealth and connections whod come up with the concept of cast iron, the merchants of Central would have strung the poor man up and stolen all his ideas before working together to maximize profits. The strong thrive, while the weak struggle to survive, that was the way of things in the world, and little Rain was fortunate in so many ways that even he himself did not account for.

And this was merely one of many such successes, all of which caused the boys ego to swell until he believed he could do no wrong when enacting his well-meant but poorly refined schemes. Birds die for food, but humans die for wealth, and merchants had been dying in droves while competing to dominate all the new emerging markets introduced in little Rains book of ideas. Then there was all the blood shed in the shadows thanks to his War Bonds and Treasury notes, not for possession of the bonds and notes themselves or the wealth they represented, but due to feuds born from the lack of face and respect that Rains blind auction bidding system encouraged. Most distressing of all was the boys effort to raise wages for skilled workers, which seemed benign and benevolent at first glance, but had since resulted in a marked increase in enslavement of said workers, as well as a new generation of young slaves forced to acquire said skills lest they be deemed unsellable when it came time to bring them to market.

There were so many more hidden costs to little Rains schemes that he remained blissfully unaware of, largely because he chose not to look. Even when an issue was brought to his attention, the stubborn child would more often than not stand his ground instead of admitting hed made a mistake, like with his schools offering free food to anyone who desired it. When it became clear that others were taking advantage of his charity, he merely shrugged and accepted it as the cost of doing business before shouldering a burden that by all rights should have been shared by all. The boys drive to do good was admirable indeed, and it showed that the quality of his character was moral and upstanding, but an oak tree would fight the wind and break, whereas a willow tree would bend and survive.

But now, Falling Rain, a stubborn, intractable young man with a history of acting on emotion and allowing impulse to overcome reason, possessed the power of a Divinity with none of the restraint. Rather than being forced to bend or break, he now had the power to break the wind instead, an attitude which Akanai feared might well have brought about the end of the Azure Empire.

Why did he arrive in so domineering a fashion? If his intent was to make his newfangled status known to all, he could have done so in any number ways which would have left the Treaty intact, like reveal the full glory of his oppressive Presence for all to see and sense instead of Concealing it away as he did now. As she studied his tired, awkward mannerisms however, she realized he wasnt Concealing his Presence at all, not on purpose at least, but rather was unintentionally hiding his strength in a shaky and unsteady manner. A sign of his unstable ascension no doubt, but considering his age, the fact that he succeeded at all was nothing short of a miracle. Oh how Akanai regretted leaving only Hua Lie and Taduk behind in Meng Sha, for it appeared as if neither of them thought to talk some sense into the boy and explain to him the unwritten rules of their kind. Now, historys youngest Human Divinity might also become its shortest lived, because in violating the Treaty with his arrival, hed painted a target on his back that would see him and everyone in Shi Bei killed in the interest of safety.

And to think, the fool even brought little Mila and Li-Li here with himUpdated from novelbIn.(c)om

Sending orders for the pup to withdraw from the battlements, Akanai Cloud-Stepped over to her daughters and husband in order to bid them a final farewell. Gather Mila and Li-Li into her arms, she brought them over with her to embrace her husband one last time as she closed her eyes to savour this moment for as long as she could. The pup would no doubt want to stay with his son, but Akanai wished she could hug them both as well, because even if little Rain had brought death down upon them, she still loved him so. Besides, it wasnt entirely his fault since those fools Taduk and Hua Lie should have set him straight, but it was long past time for spreading blame. Seconds passed as Akanai held her family close, long, comfortable seconds in which she said nothing and did even less amidst the background noise of officers bellowing orders and soldiers moving into place. Just as she was about to find the courage to open her eyes again, she felt the telltale rumbling of her husbands chest which indicated he was holding back his laughter. Wrapping his meaty arms around her in a rare display of public affection, one she allowed under the special circumstances they found themselves in, he rubbed her back and nuzzled her temple while ignoring her glare and chortling all the while. There, there, dear wife, dont ye worry about a thing. The lads got it all in hand he does, even if he actin like he blind in one eye and cant see out the other.

A statement which did nothing to reassure her and only made her worry more, but this time for her oaf of a husband. Perhaps old age had finally caught up to him and he was no longer in his right mind, because Akanai could not envision a world in which little Rain had anything in hand, much less a situation as dire as this. Sensing her doubt, he flashed her his slack, warm smile and shook his head, indicating he had too much to say and not enough words for it, so she should ask someone else instead. Easing her grip around her daughters, Akanai leaned back and took them both in as they rested their heads against their fathers belly and looked up at her with smiles. Yes, smiles, meaning not just Mila, but Li-Li too, a serene and satisfied smile so full of love and contentment, as if there was no other place she would rather be than wrapped in the embrace of her parents. Glad youre safe Mama, Mila said, and Li-Li nodded along, squeezing Akanai just that much tighter as if to make sure she was real. Rain said Shi Bei was under siege, but he never mentioned how many Defiled there were.

The transformation was startling to behold as the boy turned his gaze east, no longer tired and happy but focused and irate as he fixated on something Akanai could not see. A rumbling growl slipped out from his chest as he snarled in palpable fury, and he set up a Sound Barrier to enclose Hongji, the pup, and herself so they could discuss this out loud. Mom should have already arrived with the bulk of the Norths forces, the boy began, and Akanais stomach sank at his unspoken implication. I wanted Han BoHai to lead the reinforcements here, but he sent Mom instead because his movements were being monitored too closely even for a Divinitys Concealment to help him escape notice while travelling overland. Shuai Jiao seems worried that the North will turn against him, so he remains guarded against its generals, but they figured Mom mightve been able to slip by undetected. The Energy of the Heavens coursed through and around him as his anger surged and peaked, his mood reminiscent of a flood-bank ready to burst. Guess they were wrong. If hes harmed even a single hair on her head

Watch your tongue boy, the pup uttered, showing that at least one of them had sense enough not to threaten a Colonel General out loud. Your mother can look after herself, and if there is a reckoning to be had, you will have to wait your turn.

Or perhaps not. A century ago, Akanai would have blamed herself for failing to teach them properly, but after raising Mila from a young age, she learned that while parents were ultimately responsible for shaping their children, there were some flaws which were impossible to smooth out. What of the soldiers of Meng Sha then? Eyeing the newly carved and fast-receding river upon which they arrived, Akanai held out some hope that it would last for a few more hours yet and possibly leave the soldiers stranded a days march out, possibly less. How far behind you were they?

Uhh From the boys tone, she knew she would not like his answer, and time soon proved her correct. Theyre not coming. We took a big mauling from the Mataram Clan and Major General BoHai only brought a small contingent of elites to reinforce Meng Sha, alongside the Death Corps guarding Luo-Luo. Theyre all here, but the majority of my honour guard and Royal Guardians were absent from Meng Sha, and no one really noticed until after I woke up.

The downside of growing accustomed to having so many silent and unobtrusive strangers lurking about, as little Mila and the others had likely grown too used to ignoring the Death Corps to notice they were seeing the same faces day in and day out. A dire portent of things to come, if the Imperial Clan was openly abandoning little Rain, but matters might take a turn for the better once they learned of his newfangled status. Enough to make Shen ZhenWu back the boy over Shuai Jiao? Difficult to say, for Akanai at least, as she was no politician, only a Warrior first and foremost who lamented the absence of so many well-trained, well-disciplined, and well-equipped soldiers.

However, since there was nothing she could do about it, she moved on to the next topic at hand, only to discover there was really nothing else to discuss. So despite knowing Shi Bei was under heavy siege, she began, trying not to sound too judgemental and failing horrendously, You brought my daughters and husband into the city with only a contingent of Peak Experts and consignment of cannonballs?

Um I brought the pets too. Theyre with Guard Leader, Lin-Lin, and Luo-Luo somewhere, getting settled in before the fighting begins. At least he had the good sense to be ashamed of his stupidity, but she would have much preferred if hed kept everyone back in Meng Sha, or better yet, retreated to the safety of the Northern Citadel and perhaps even set a course back home north.

It was too late for regrets now however, so she merely patted the boys cheek and wondered how he could be so intelligent yet so idiotic at the same time. The cannonballs will be enough, she said, not believing the statement in the least, but it would be enough to keep the walls from being overrun immediately, which was better than nothing. No more tidal waves from you, she continued, resisting the urge to pinch his cheek right here and now, but she could hardly impugn the Legates dignity in public, especially now that he was comparable to a Divinity. It was all well and good that you and Taduk killed the Demonic Divinity without bringing calamity down upon Meng Sha, but we cannot afford to risk doing the same here in Shi Bei. Best if you sit tight and oversee the battle from here on out, acting as a deterrent against further escalation. There are too many Divinities here to account for, and I would rather not test the limits of your abilities so soon after your ascension, especially not after you wasted all that effort sailing here on a ship instead of Cloud Stepping your way past the blockade like a normal shed intended to say Divinity, but that didnt fit, nor did Peak Expert, so all she was left with was, person.

Having expected at least a small smile, it was disconcerting to watch as his eyes lost focus and turned towards the Enemy army. I wanted to, he said, which made no sense, until she realized hed picked up on her subconscious emotions. No wonder he greeted her so warmly despite being caught by surprise, because he could sense how proud and relieved she was to see him again. How troublesome. Could have done it so easily too, he continued, gesturing at the Defiled forming up along the wet sand. Just send the wave crashing through their ranks and crush them under its weight. Probably would have killed a good half of the Defiled standing out there right now, maybe even Cleansed a good number of Demons too to make this a much easier fight to win. A soft sigh slipped out and he shook his head while looking away, ashamed of what hed done. I should have done it, but I couldnt. It took so much effort to stop the wave, even more than it took to get it started, but I couldnt kill them all, not like that. It just seemed wrong, you know? To slaughter them in droves without even giving them a chance to run. Its so stupid. Mercy to ones enemies is cruelty to ones self. How many Imperials will die because I couldnt do what needed to be done? How many of those Defiled will die regardless? I should have killed them all with the wave, but I couldnt, because it seemed so wrong to use the power of Creation and Destruction in so brutal a fashion. Except now, Im more than willing to take up sword and glaive to cut them down regardless, so what difference does it make?

Not a Divinity? Perhaps, but Akanai suspected he was closer than he thought, for he was already being restricted by his nature. This was part and parcel of being a Divinity, though why, no one could really say, only that it was required to both wield the Energy of the Heavens and also keep it from running amok on a whim.

That being said, Akanai was unsure how to comfort the boy for adhering to his nature, but the pup was a far more experienced father than she was a mother. A world of difference, son, he said, pulling the boy into his embrace. There, the pup held him tight with the same silly smile still etched across his face, cradling the boy close so none could see his tears. You are a man in love with death, but not one in love with slaughter. You fight when necessary, kill when necessary, but you take no joy in the process. Any soldier can tell you that it is easy to kill a foe who holds a blade to your throat, but a different thing altogether to drive a spear through a mans back, even when that man previously came at you with ill-intent. In abandoning your intent to slaughter, you stayed true to yourself, because you knew the cost was not something you are able to bear, to say nothing of what might have happened if your ill-intent caused you to lose control of the Energy of the Heavens. Clapping the boy on the shoulders, the pup grinned and said, You might claim you have no understanding of Balance, but your actions prove otherwise, because though you spurn faith in the Heavens above, you hold the Energy of the Heavens in high esteem all the same. Something to consider for tomorrow perhaps, but it shames me to say that I have long since been unqualified to be your Mentor.

You did a better job than anyone else ever could, the boy replied, and even Akanai was inclined to agree. Had the boy been her Disciple, she might have pushed him too hard, but the pup was always there to shelter little Rain from the harshest of her lessons, while his protective sister and mother sheltered him from the harshest of the pups. The perfect balance for little Rain, a combination of tough lessons and tender affection that helped set him on the Path hed found himself on today, one which might well also end today as the Defiled horns sounded to signal the charge and the massed ranks of Defiled surged headlong towards the wall.

Only to come to a crashing halt as storm clouds converged overhead in the blink of an eye and unloading a deluge of rainfall down upon them.

The cool, refreshing downpour washed away the blood and grit and she could feel the moisture seeping into her dry, cracked skin, revitalizing her in a manner that was more than just merely refreshing. For a moment, she thought this was Rains unconscious working and a sign that perhaps he was not entirely in control of his power after all, but then Taduk appeared before them with Lin-Lin in his arms and Blackjack on his head, looking mighty satisfied as he stared up at his handiwork. You were right, Rain my boy, he declared, doing a little dance of glee on the battlements. Not only was I able to work with the Water Chi you dispersed, but the cost was near negligible indeed, as it was all too eager to continue to be used in a similar manner. A fascinating theory youve come up with, this metaphysical weight you speak of, though Im not sure weight is the right word. Inertia might be better perhaps, though not solely limited to kinetic motion, and

As Taduk continued to ramble on about this and that, Akanai felt the last fifteen day of aches and fatigue being washed away in the rain, and a quick glance around showed her that the soldiers of Shi Bei were experiencing the same. Only now did she realize that the hare-brained Healer had likely helped little Rain win his duels during the Society trials all those years ago, even more evidence of the boys dog-shit luck, to have won over this most eccentric of Divinities who spurned convention so. They would need the boys luck to survive the day, to say nothing of emerging victorious, but where there was life, there was hope. Though he was still scared and foolhardy as ever, he was no longer a child being led by his fears, for despite having suffered so much, hed made it his goal to ensure that no one should ever have to suffer like he did. A foolish and impossible goal, and while the right intent was far from enough, it was at least a good start. The boy was lacking in foundation and his preferred methods left much to be desired, but no one was perfect, and he had plenty of friends, allies, and loved ones to help complement his strengths and make up for his weaknesses.

Reassured that little Rain would not bring immediate disaster down upon them, Akanai pattered her eccentric old friend on the arm as thanks for his assistance before striding out with a smile on her face and the Crescent Moon in hand. Shrouding herself in her best Concealment, she set aside her concerns as she moved into position and hoped Bai Qi would soon reveal himself, for shed almost killed him twice now, and as little Rain was wont to say, the third time was the charm.

Chapter Meme 1

Chapter Meme 2