Menu
News
All News
Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
Pathfinder
Starfinder
Warhammer
2d20 System
Year Zero Engine
Industry News
Reviews
Dragon Reflections
Columns
Weekly Digests
Weekly News Digest
Freebies, Sales & Bundles
RPG Print News
RPG Crowdfunding News
Game Content
ENterplanetary DimENsions
Mythological Figures
Opinion
Worlds of Design
Peregrine's Next
RPG Evolution
Other Columns
From the Freelancing Frontline
Monster ENcyclopedia
WotC/TSR Alumni Look Back
4 Hours w/RSD (Ryan Dancey)
The Road to 3E (Jonathan Tweet)
Greenwood's Realms (Ed Greenwood)
Drawmij's TSR (Jim Ward)
Community
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Resources
Wiki
Pages
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Downloads
Latest reviews
Search resources
EN Publishing
Store
EN5ider
Adventures in ZEITGEIST
Awfully Cheerful Engine
What's OLD is NEW
Judge Dredd & The Worlds Of 2000AD
War of the Burning Sky
Level Up: Advanced 5E
Events & Releases
Upcoming Events
Private Events
Featured Events
Socials!
Twitch
YouTube
Facebook (EN Publishing)
Facebook (EN World)
Twitter
Instagram
TikTok
Podcast
Features
Top 5 RPGs Compiled Charts 2004-Present
Adventure Game Industry Market Research Summary (RPGs) V1.0
Ryan Dancey: Acquiring TSR
Q&A With Gary Gygax
D&D Rules FAQs
TSR, WotC, & Paizo: A Comparative History
D&D Pronunciation Guide
Million Dollar TTRPG Kickstarters
Tabletop RPG Podcast Hall of Fame
Eric Noah's Unofficial D&D 3rd Edition News
D&D in the Mainstream
D&D & RPG History
About Morrus
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
The
VOIDRUNNER'S CODEX
is coming! Explore new worlds, fight oppressive empires, fend off fearsome aliens, and wield deadly psionics with this comprehensive boxed set expansion for 5E and A5E!
Community
Playing the Game
Story Hour
The Celestial Empire (Romance of the Three Kingdoms-ish, Updated 12/09/05)
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="Emperor Valerian" data-source="post: 1824755" data-attributes="member: 15043"><p><strong>A Crazy Plan</strong></p><p></p><p><em>Distract Chou... distract Chou... how?</em> ran through Nayu’s head as he slid beside the soldier, who was now warming his hands by the fire he had been ordered to so carefully tend. The young sorcerer gave one look back at his pack, the top of the potion Felonca needed sticking ever so slightly out of it.</p><p></p><p>“Um... hey! Chou!” Nayu put on his best voice of excitement. <em>Need to get him away! What excuse... what excuse...</em></p><p></p><p>“That’s quite a change in attitude, from someone that ordered me around, to now wanting to be chummy chummy,” the man remarked with a sour tone, before a smile broke through to Nayu’s relief. Chou began to chuckle... evidently Nayu’s face had been funny to him.</p><p></p><p>“Well, um... I need your help...” Nayu’s eyes flashed about looking for ideas. Near Captain Li’s pack he saw a small hunting horn, worn and aged. “I...need you to help me hunt.” Nayu tried not to let uncertainty filter into his voice, and evidently did a good enough job that Chou leaned in closer.</p><p></p><p>“Hunting what? With those skinny arms of yours, I don’t think you’d been able to wrestle down a baby deer, let alone a boar!” Chou’s teeth gleamed in the firelight as he laughed.</p><p></p><p>“Um.. no... rumor has it there’s a... um...” Nayu’s eyes flashed about, spotting a small elephant token by one of the other soldier’s packs. “Elephant. A...um...” <em>What makes it special?</em> His eyes suddenly alighted on a bolt of pink cloth his father had sent with him to trade. A split second later, Nayu winced as his mouth spoke before his mind could react.</p><p></p><p>“A pink elephant?” Chou was suddenly up, eyes dancing with excitement and glee. </p><p></p><p><em>What? He BOUGHT it? Sheesh... he must be dumber than I thought,</em> Nayu thought with relief, as his trader’s tongue jumped into action, relating how much such a beast’s hide would sell for in Mukden, and how rich they would all be even after splitting the proceeds. Within a minute, Chou was hurriedly picking up items, as Felonca promised to stay behind, and guard the fire...</p><p></p><p>It was a few minutes later, while trying to look as if he was really searching for a “pink elephant,” Nayu saw Felonca slip into his back, pull out the potion, and disappear behind a rock.</p><p></p><p>“Nayu... aren’t we getting kind of far from the camp?” Chou asked only moments later.</p><p></p><p>“No... and remember, stay quiet. I swear, I saw it over here. If we’re too loud, we’ll spook it,” Nayu cautioned with a hiss. <em>Not to mention we’ll alert Li’s cronies we’re gone..</em> As it was, the noises of argument between Li and the other soldiers had grown to all out shouts. Chou momentarily looked off towards where Nayu was gesturing, but then looked back towards the small gaggle of soldiers, worry in his eyes.</p><p></p><p>“Chou! Hurry! I saw it!” Nayu hissed, a quick shove on the young man’s shoulders getting his attention. “Li can solve his own problems!” Chou started to nod eagerly when another noise came from the small gaggle of soldiers... a noise that made Nayu shudder.</p><p></p><p>The singing screech of steel blades being drawn, and the clang of swords in the night. This time, even Nayu turned around, just in time to see one of the soldiers stab Captain Li in the belly, giving a horrible wrench with the blade to make sure he died a long, painful death. </p><p></p><p>Barely had this event had time to register in Nayu’s mind than something else caught his eye. Something tall... something gaunt... </p><p></p><p>...and burning bright as it lurched through the night, straight towards the soldiers with an unholy scream born from bony, ember filled lungs. The creature then suddenly stopped, spun around and dashed away.</p><p></p><p>The soldiers were plainly stunned, their blades half-drawn, eyes fixed on the burning apparition instead of the plainly empty camp.</p><p></p><p>“Run!” Nayu shouted, grabbing Chou roughly by the arm and hauling him forward as the burning beast thundered towards them, the scream continuing to grate their ears. More shouts arose from the soldiers, now seeing the camp completely empty. The five soldiers suddenly split, some chasing the burning skeleton, the other two rummaging through the camp, cursing.</p><p></p><p>“Down here!” Nayu yanked Chou down behind a rather large boulder on the rocky plain, and only a few seconds later, Liu had jumped down beside them. Nayu poked his head above the rock, desperately searching.</p><p></p><p><em>Where’s Felonca?</em> he thought worriedly as the burning skeleton ran amok, now charging towards the three soldiers bearing down on it. Their faces turned ashen, and they ran back towards the camp, fright imbedded on all of their faces. <em>By the gods on high, its doing all of Felonca’s...</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>...that clever woman!</em> </p><p></p><p>Nayu slinked back behind the rock, a grin mischeviously all over his face. “That clever, sneaky...”</p><p></p><p>“Who?” Chou asked, fear and something darker – horror maybe? – deep in his voice.</p><p></p><p>Nayu peeked over the boulder again, only now to see the soldiers gathering around Li’s prone form. Two of their number looked about into the darkness, nervous. The other three were evidently enough at ease that they were picking over Li’s unmoving form... and shouts were already emerging over rewards and the Captain’s belongings.</p><p></p><p><em>Bastards...</em> Nayu wanted to snarl. <em>It sounded like Li was trying to keep us alive... so they KILLED him!</em> The young sorcerer felt magic welling in his heart, growing, roiling as his anger built to great levels. His eyes were full of anger when he slipped behind the rock, only to feel the swish of a tail slip along his leg. A long, black tail.</p><p></p><p>“What do you know of the plot to kill us!” Nayu hissed to Chou, venom deep in the young man’s voice. Only then did Nayu noticed the tail belonged to a hybrid Felonca, whose warfans were within a hair’s breath of Chou’s throat.</p><p></p><p>“Wha...what...p...p...plot?” the soldier whimpered. Somewhere in his eyes, Nayu could see something more than fear... what, exactly, he wasn’t sure.</p><p></p><p>“They killed Captain Li because he wanted us alive! Now, tell us why they want us dead. You were a comrade of theirs, after all,” Felonca added, her voice not nearly as acidic as Nayu’s but carrying its own power and strength.</p><p></p><p>“I don’t know why they’d kill you... or kill my father!” Chou rasped hoarsely, before the tears began to flow.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Felonca found herself dumbfounded. <em>Li was Chou’s father?</em> Suddenly, things began to make sense. Why Chou didn’t joke with the Captain, and why the Captain never corrected the young man’s indiscipline. <em>Oh gods...</em> Desperately, Felonca tried to think of words to say, words of comfort, of encouragement, of... <em>something</em>, but her mind was frozen... blank.</p><p></p><p>“Those bastards!” she heard Nayu hiss, as the young sorcerer peered over the boulder again, rage dancing in his eyes. Suddenly, those same eyes, burning bright with fury, looked down at the broken young man. “Chou... I will be more than happy to help you avenge your father!”</p><p></p><p>Those words seemed to have an effect on the young man. His soft crying turned to muted sniffles, then vanished altogether as he rose beside the young sorcerer. His hands grasped the longsword by his side so tightly that his knuckles shone white in the moonlight. No words came from the young man’s mouth. None were needed.</p><p></p><p>The four carefully, quietly made their way from around the boulder, knowing what they had to do.</p><p></p><p><em>If any of these soldiers get back and report that we’ve escaped... we’re dead,</em> Felonca reasoned, as she slinked close to the ground, her ears attentive. She could just barely heard her compatriots creeping through the grass... far louder was the raised shouts of the soldiers, all five now fighting over Li’s longsword.</p><p></p><p>Ever closer, and even closer they crept, until Felonca was sure she could hear the breathing of the soldiers between their blasts of profanity and insults towards each other. <em>They’re too busy looting... none are even watching for someone... they must think my skeleton ruse killed the rest of us off...</em> Still closer they drew, until her nostrils were overwhelmed by the soldier’s stench, as well as the fetid smell of blood from Li’s body.</p><p></p><p>She glanced towards where Nayu lay, and saw the sorcerer’s eyes looking straight at her. They burned, seethed with a fire she’d never seen before in his young eyes. She caught the almost imperceptible, rhythmic nodding of his head... a countdown.</p><p></p><p><em>Three... two...</em></p><p></p><p>She leapt upward, her hybrid form giving her leap and huge increase in power, her human hands flashing out her warfans. For an instant, she hung in the air, fans outstretched, like some graceful black bird. Within moments, the bird turned into a powerful black falcon, whose warfan claws slashed through the throats of the two closest soldiers with uncanny ease.</p><p></p><p>Simultaneously, a powerful blast of light erupted from her left, as a third soldier was suddenly enveloped in a powerful tongue of flame. His screams pierced the air, the flames now lending the smell of burnt flesh in the air. </p><p></p><p>Felonca’s body instantly contorts, flipping her around to land in a guard stance. Her eyes flash about, to see Chou’s sword almost break the fourth soldier in half, while several sharp blows from the monk sent the fifth and final soldier reeling into collapse. Within literally two seconds, the fight was over.</p><p></p><p>Almost immediately, Chou and Nayu were by the man that Liu knocked unconscious, Chou with his still bloody blade raised high. To her surprise, Felonca saw Nayu’s hand raise up to block the devastating swing.</p><p></p><p>“No! Don’t kill him! I want to find out what we can from this...”</p><p></p><p>Felonca gave a wince. She’d heard Nayu use mild cursing before, but what poured from his mouth about this man, his lavatory habits, and his mother was enough to make her, the veteran of military school, blanche.</p><p></p><p>The words more importantly had an effect on Chou, who, after a few moments, lowered his blade uneasily. Nayu flashed the soldier a savage smile, and quickly bound the unconscious man.</p><p></p><p>“Felonca!” The hengeyokai spun on hearing her name. She found Liu kneeling over the injured captain. The monk beckoned her to come over, before calling to Chou as well.</p><p></p><p>“He’s alive! Barely, but I can help him!”</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Nayu heard the call as well, and for the moment was distracted from his quarry. <em>They know something about this undead! The ones that tried to burn my town!</em> Nayu’s mind raced furiously. It could be the only reason why they wanted him, Felonca and Liu dead. After making sure the soldier was fully bound, Nayu arrived at Li’s side in time for Liu to finish his healing magic, and the old captain to open his eyes.</p><p></p><p>“Captain? What happened here?” Nayu blurted out before anyone could speak. For all the emotions running through his head, Nayu thought he did an incredible job refraining from showing anger. <em>They wanted to kill us... let’s see what you wanted to do to us, Captain!</em></p><p></p><p>The old man sat up partially, Chou giving him support. Over the past few weeks, Nayu had seen those eyes flash many feelings; resolve, command, even fear. But never the depressing sadness that dimly shone in those gray eyes.</p><p></p><p>“I... I must be honest,” the Captain sighed. “I was charged with leading you three to your deaths, but... you were all brave and noble. I felt it would be such a waste... I couldn’t do it. I merely wanted to leave you in the desert...”</p><p></p><p>“That’s still a damn death sentence!” Nayu snarled, his suspicions confirmed. <em>They’re all in on it! All of them!</em></p><p></p><p>“Why us? Why did we deserve... this!” Felonca asked, her own voice betraying anger.</p><p></p><p>“You knew too much... about the undead,” Li rasped back. “Governor General Zicheng wanted to raise a loyal army of undead, to overthrow the ten year old Emperor and raise himself to the same rank. But...”</p><p></p><p>“...things went awry!” Nayu spat, causing the Captain to nod sadly.</p><p></p><p>“The prefects attempting to help the governor went insane, and Heaven’s ire turned them to burning men. Seeing Heaven’s will, the governor ordered an end to the attempts, and the remaining troops to destroy the undead wherever found.” Suddenly, the old man paused, his eyes flashing a look of horror and shame as a memory evidently flooded his mind. “As well as anyone who saw any of the undead.”</p><p></p><p><em>As well as anyone who saw any of the undead... well that’s us...</em> Nayu thought with a harrumph. <em>That covers us alright... and... oh no... oh gods no!</em> Nayu took one look deep into the Captain’s eyes, and read clearly the answer to his horrified question.</p><p></p><p>No words could come to his mouth, as hot, fat tears formed in his eyes. <em>No! Why them! Why?</em> His fists clenched and unclenched, and he lashed out with his feet, planting several harsh kicks into the Captain’s side, an enraged cry on his lips. “Why, you... Heaven curse you! Heaven curse you with disease! May you rot in all Nine Hells before your ancestors rise in anger at your soiling their name! May your spirit not rest until you have suffered ten thousand deaths! You...” </p><p></p><p>As Nayu’s string of curses and profanities rose, he felt arms grabbing him, pulling him away from the Captain. He heard worried voices trying to soothe him, but he did not want any soothing right now. He wanted vengeance. His eyes cast about, to now see the bound soldier is now awake. The morningstar was out again, as he stalked over, murder in his eyes.</p><p></p><p>“You! Who the hell gave the orders!” the young sorcerer snarled at the bound man.</p><p></p><p>“What orders?” the soldier whimpered, seeing clearly in the young man’s eyes death incarnate. “I don’t know what you’re talking about!”</p><p></p><p>“The orders to burn my village! The orders to destroy Red Lotus! WHO GAVE THEM!” Nayu roared, bellowing now inches from the soldiers face.</p><p></p><p>“I d...don’t k...know! I...I... was riding...w...w...with y...you when they w...were c...carried out!” the man whimpered.</p><p></p><p>Nayu’s fury rose even more, and he could feeling the magic bellowing in his veins, screaming to be used. Instead, Nayu’s rage focused on his arm, as he brought his morningstar crashing down on the man’s kneecap, prompting a scream likely heard for several miles around.</p><p></p><p>“Now! WHO GAVE THE ORDERS! Captain Li?! The Governor!? WHO?!”</p><p></p><p>“I DON’T KNOW! I’M JUST FOLLOWING ORDERS!” Another swing of the morningstar crushed his other knee, as Nayu started to cry in his rage.</p><p></p><p>“WHY WAS MY VILLAGE BURNED!” Nayu screamed, swinging again and again in blind fury, anger, fear, pain and sadness all flying out through his arm. “WHY ARE MY PARENTS DEAD!” he cried again, his cries mingling with the soldier’s screams, until finally a silence pervaded the night, broken only by his tears.</p><p></p><p>“Why?” Nayu whispered between tears. Through blurry eyes, he could see Felonca, Liu and Chou all staring at him, horror on their faces. Then, his eyes laid on Captain Li, and Nayu was back on his feet, lurching towards the prone old man, his bloody morningstar still in hand.</p><p></p><p>He heard voices, the same soothing ones that had pulled him from Li, urging calm. Nayu didn’t give a damn for calm. <em>My parents felt pain! My parents felt terror! This man is an officer! He probably gave the orders!</em> Nayu’s eyes flashed down towards Li, expecting a cackling laugh or cries for mercy. </p><p></p><p>Instead, he saw the same deep sadness in the man’s eyes. Deep sadness... and remorse. Another voice floated into Nayu’s ears, between the calls for calm and his own demons calling for vengeance.</p><p></p><p>“I am sorry, young Nayu. I cannot repay this by mortal means... so if needbe... take my life...”</p><p></p><p>Nayu paused, another, far more recent memory floating in his head. The same voice that just spoke came into his mind again, with different words, over the shouts of the now dead soldiers laying about them.</p><p></p><p><em>”They don’t deserve to die!”</em></p><p></p><p>In an instant, the holt, blazing fire of Nayu’s rage began to melt, as the tears still rolled down his face. He saw his parents, smiling brightly as he remembered them when leaving Red Lotus only a few weeks before. Master Wu the butcher, Jiang the blacksmith, always scowling. All their faces floated in their minds eye.</p><p></p><p>Nayu was brought to the present by the thud of his morningstar dropping to the ground, tears from his face now falling on its bloodied surface. His eyes then flashed towards Chou, whose face looked nervously between Nayu and his father.</p><p></p><p>“He lives. He argued for our lives,” Nayu said quietly, bitterly, betraying his inner wish that Li could, should die as well. For the second time that night, Nayu saw Chou crying, this time in gratitude, rocking slowly as he held his father.</p><p></p><p>Nayu’s face felt hot, and he spun away from the group, staring off into the darkness, hoping maybe the lack of light would make the face of his family and friends go away. Instead, they burned brighter, even as he felt a small hand touch his shoulder.</p><p></p><p>“We should leave him in the desert,” he heard Felonca’s voice say softly. “You wanted to do more than that, but it is only fair. He’ll only slow us down when we try to get away.” The hand squeezed a little tighter, and he felt as if hope was attempting to flow from her into him. Instead of receiving it, he broke loose of her grip and spun around.</p><p></p><p>“A life for a life. He fought to save ours... now we save his!” Nayu growled. <em>He and his kind took my father away from me! I won’t take him away from his son!</em> He could hear words start to form in Felonca’s throat only to die away as he spun around and started towards the main campfire.</p><p></p><p>“Nayu!” he heard her worried voice call after him.</p><p></p><p>“I’m riding to Red Lotus as of this night!” Nayu called back. <em>To bury family, friends, and my old life...</em></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Emperor Valerian, post: 1824755, member: 15043"] [b]A Crazy Plan[/b] [i]Distract Chou... distract Chou... how?[/i] ran through Nayu’s head as he slid beside the soldier, who was now warming his hands by the fire he had been ordered to so carefully tend. The young sorcerer gave one look back at his pack, the top of the potion Felonca needed sticking ever so slightly out of it. “Um... hey! Chou!” Nayu put on his best voice of excitement. [i]Need to get him away! What excuse... what excuse...[/i] “That’s quite a change in attitude, from someone that ordered me around, to now wanting to be chummy chummy,” the man remarked with a sour tone, before a smile broke through to Nayu’s relief. Chou began to chuckle... evidently Nayu’s face had been funny to him. “Well, um... I need your help...” Nayu’s eyes flashed about looking for ideas. Near Captain Li’s pack he saw a small hunting horn, worn and aged. “I...need you to help me hunt.” Nayu tried not to let uncertainty filter into his voice, and evidently did a good enough job that Chou leaned in closer. “Hunting what? With those skinny arms of yours, I don’t think you’d been able to wrestle down a baby deer, let alone a boar!” Chou’s teeth gleamed in the firelight as he laughed. “Um.. no... rumor has it there’s a... um...” Nayu’s eyes flashed about, spotting a small elephant token by one of the other soldier’s packs. “Elephant. A...um...” [i]What makes it special?[/i] His eyes suddenly alighted on a bolt of pink cloth his father had sent with him to trade. A split second later, Nayu winced as his mouth spoke before his mind could react. “A pink elephant?” Chou was suddenly up, eyes dancing with excitement and glee. [i]What? He BOUGHT it? Sheesh... he must be dumber than I thought,[/i] Nayu thought with relief, as his trader’s tongue jumped into action, relating how much such a beast’s hide would sell for in Mukden, and how rich they would all be even after splitting the proceeds. Within a minute, Chou was hurriedly picking up items, as Felonca promised to stay behind, and guard the fire... It was a few minutes later, while trying to look as if he was really searching for a “pink elephant,” Nayu saw Felonca slip into his back, pull out the potion, and disappear behind a rock. “Nayu... aren’t we getting kind of far from the camp?” Chou asked only moments later. “No... and remember, stay quiet. I swear, I saw it over here. If we’re too loud, we’ll spook it,” Nayu cautioned with a hiss. [i]Not to mention we’ll alert Li’s cronies we’re gone..[/i] As it was, the noises of argument between Li and the other soldiers had grown to all out shouts. Chou momentarily looked off towards where Nayu was gesturing, but then looked back towards the small gaggle of soldiers, worry in his eyes. “Chou! Hurry! I saw it!” Nayu hissed, a quick shove on the young man’s shoulders getting his attention. “Li can solve his own problems!” Chou started to nod eagerly when another noise came from the small gaggle of soldiers... a noise that made Nayu shudder. The singing screech of steel blades being drawn, and the clang of swords in the night. This time, even Nayu turned around, just in time to see one of the soldiers stab Captain Li in the belly, giving a horrible wrench with the blade to make sure he died a long, painful death. Barely had this event had time to register in Nayu’s mind than something else caught his eye. Something tall... something gaunt... ...and burning bright as it lurched through the night, straight towards the soldiers with an unholy scream born from bony, ember filled lungs. The creature then suddenly stopped, spun around and dashed away. The soldiers were plainly stunned, their blades half-drawn, eyes fixed on the burning apparition instead of the plainly empty camp. “Run!” Nayu shouted, grabbing Chou roughly by the arm and hauling him forward as the burning beast thundered towards them, the scream continuing to grate their ears. More shouts arose from the soldiers, now seeing the camp completely empty. The five soldiers suddenly split, some chasing the burning skeleton, the other two rummaging through the camp, cursing. “Down here!” Nayu yanked Chou down behind a rather large boulder on the rocky plain, and only a few seconds later, Liu had jumped down beside them. Nayu poked his head above the rock, desperately searching. [i]Where’s Felonca?[/i] he thought worriedly as the burning skeleton ran amok, now charging towards the three soldiers bearing down on it. Their faces turned ashen, and they ran back towards the camp, fright imbedded on all of their faces. [i]By the gods on high, its doing all of Felonca’s... ...that clever woman![/i] Nayu slinked back behind the rock, a grin mischeviously all over his face. “That clever, sneaky...” “Who?” Chou asked, fear and something darker – horror maybe? – deep in his voice. Nayu peeked over the boulder again, only now to see the soldiers gathering around Li’s prone form. Two of their number looked about into the darkness, nervous. The other three were evidently enough at ease that they were picking over Li’s unmoving form... and shouts were already emerging over rewards and the Captain’s belongings. [i]Bastards...[/i] Nayu wanted to snarl. [i]It sounded like Li was trying to keep us alive... so they KILLED him![/i] The young sorcerer felt magic welling in his heart, growing, roiling as his anger built to great levels. His eyes were full of anger when he slipped behind the rock, only to feel the swish of a tail slip along his leg. A long, black tail. “What do you know of the plot to kill us!” Nayu hissed to Chou, venom deep in the young man’s voice. Only then did Nayu noticed the tail belonged to a hybrid Felonca, whose warfans were within a hair’s breath of Chou’s throat. “Wha...what...p...p...plot?” the soldier whimpered. Somewhere in his eyes, Nayu could see something more than fear... what, exactly, he wasn’t sure. “They killed Captain Li because he wanted us alive! Now, tell us why they want us dead. You were a comrade of theirs, after all,” Felonca added, her voice not nearly as acidic as Nayu’s but carrying its own power and strength. “I don’t know why they’d kill you... or kill my father!” Chou rasped hoarsely, before the tears began to flow. Felonca found herself dumbfounded. [i]Li was Chou’s father?[/i] Suddenly, things began to make sense. Why Chou didn’t joke with the Captain, and why the Captain never corrected the young man’s indiscipline. [i]Oh gods...[/i] Desperately, Felonca tried to think of words to say, words of comfort, of encouragement, of... [i]something[/i], but her mind was frozen... blank. “Those bastards!” she heard Nayu hiss, as the young sorcerer peered over the boulder again, rage dancing in his eyes. Suddenly, those same eyes, burning bright with fury, looked down at the broken young man. “Chou... I will be more than happy to help you avenge your father!” Those words seemed to have an effect on the young man. His soft crying turned to muted sniffles, then vanished altogether as he rose beside the young sorcerer. His hands grasped the longsword by his side so tightly that his knuckles shone white in the moonlight. No words came from the young man’s mouth. None were needed. The four carefully, quietly made their way from around the boulder, knowing what they had to do. [i]If any of these soldiers get back and report that we’ve escaped... we’re dead,[/i] Felonca reasoned, as she slinked close to the ground, her ears attentive. She could just barely heard her compatriots creeping through the grass... far louder was the raised shouts of the soldiers, all five now fighting over Li’s longsword. Ever closer, and even closer they crept, until Felonca was sure she could hear the breathing of the soldiers between their blasts of profanity and insults towards each other. [i]They’re too busy looting... none are even watching for someone... they must think my skeleton ruse killed the rest of us off...[/i] Still closer they drew, until her nostrils were overwhelmed by the soldier’s stench, as well as the fetid smell of blood from Li’s body. She glanced towards where Nayu lay, and saw the sorcerer’s eyes looking straight at her. They burned, seethed with a fire she’d never seen before in his young eyes. She caught the almost imperceptible, rhythmic nodding of his head... a countdown. [i]Three... two...[/i] She leapt upward, her hybrid form giving her leap and huge increase in power, her human hands flashing out her warfans. For an instant, she hung in the air, fans outstretched, like some graceful black bird. Within moments, the bird turned into a powerful black falcon, whose warfan claws slashed through the throats of the two closest soldiers with uncanny ease. Simultaneously, a powerful blast of light erupted from her left, as a third soldier was suddenly enveloped in a powerful tongue of flame. His screams pierced the air, the flames now lending the smell of burnt flesh in the air. Felonca’s body instantly contorts, flipping her around to land in a guard stance. Her eyes flash about, to see Chou’s sword almost break the fourth soldier in half, while several sharp blows from the monk sent the fifth and final soldier reeling into collapse. Within literally two seconds, the fight was over. Almost immediately, Chou and Nayu were by the man that Liu knocked unconscious, Chou with his still bloody blade raised high. To her surprise, Felonca saw Nayu’s hand raise up to block the devastating swing. “No! Don’t kill him! I want to find out what we can from this...” Felonca gave a wince. She’d heard Nayu use mild cursing before, but what poured from his mouth about this man, his lavatory habits, and his mother was enough to make her, the veteran of military school, blanche. The words more importantly had an effect on Chou, who, after a few moments, lowered his blade uneasily. Nayu flashed the soldier a savage smile, and quickly bound the unconscious man. “Felonca!” The hengeyokai spun on hearing her name. She found Liu kneeling over the injured captain. The monk beckoned her to come over, before calling to Chou as well. “He’s alive! Barely, but I can help him!” Nayu heard the call as well, and for the moment was distracted from his quarry. [i]They know something about this undead! The ones that tried to burn my town![/i] Nayu’s mind raced furiously. It could be the only reason why they wanted him, Felonca and Liu dead. After making sure the soldier was fully bound, Nayu arrived at Li’s side in time for Liu to finish his healing magic, and the old captain to open his eyes. “Captain? What happened here?” Nayu blurted out before anyone could speak. For all the emotions running through his head, Nayu thought he did an incredible job refraining from showing anger. [i]They wanted to kill us... let’s see what you wanted to do to us, Captain![/i] The old man sat up partially, Chou giving him support. Over the past few weeks, Nayu had seen those eyes flash many feelings; resolve, command, even fear. But never the depressing sadness that dimly shone in those gray eyes. “I... I must be honest,” the Captain sighed. “I was charged with leading you three to your deaths, but... you were all brave and noble. I felt it would be such a waste... I couldn’t do it. I merely wanted to leave you in the desert...” “That’s still a damn death sentence!” Nayu snarled, his suspicions confirmed. [i]They’re all in on it! All of them![/i] “Why us? Why did we deserve... this!” Felonca asked, her own voice betraying anger. “You knew too much... about the undead,” Li rasped back. “Governor General Zicheng wanted to raise a loyal army of undead, to overthrow the ten year old Emperor and raise himself to the same rank. But...” “...things went awry!” Nayu spat, causing the Captain to nod sadly. “The prefects attempting to help the governor went insane, and Heaven’s ire turned them to burning men. Seeing Heaven’s will, the governor ordered an end to the attempts, and the remaining troops to destroy the undead wherever found.” Suddenly, the old man paused, his eyes flashing a look of horror and shame as a memory evidently flooded his mind. “As well as anyone who saw any of the undead.” [i]As well as anyone who saw any of the undead... well that’s us...[/i] Nayu thought with a harrumph. [i]That covers us alright... and... oh no... oh gods no![/i] Nayu took one look deep into the Captain’s eyes, and read clearly the answer to his horrified question. No words could come to his mouth, as hot, fat tears formed in his eyes. [i]No! Why them! Why?[/i] His fists clenched and unclenched, and he lashed out with his feet, planting several harsh kicks into the Captain’s side, an enraged cry on his lips. “Why, you... Heaven curse you! Heaven curse you with disease! May you rot in all Nine Hells before your ancestors rise in anger at your soiling their name! May your spirit not rest until you have suffered ten thousand deaths! You...” As Nayu’s string of curses and profanities rose, he felt arms grabbing him, pulling him away from the Captain. He heard worried voices trying to soothe him, but he did not want any soothing right now. He wanted vengeance. His eyes cast about, to now see the bound soldier is now awake. The morningstar was out again, as he stalked over, murder in his eyes. “You! Who the hell gave the orders!” the young sorcerer snarled at the bound man. “What orders?” the soldier whimpered, seeing clearly in the young man’s eyes death incarnate. “I don’t know what you’re talking about!” “The orders to burn my village! The orders to destroy Red Lotus! WHO GAVE THEM!” Nayu roared, bellowing now inches from the soldiers face. “I d...don’t k...know! I...I... was riding...w...w...with y...you when they w...were c...carried out!” the man whimpered. Nayu’s fury rose even more, and he could feeling the magic bellowing in his veins, screaming to be used. Instead, Nayu’s rage focused on his arm, as he brought his morningstar crashing down on the man’s kneecap, prompting a scream likely heard for several miles around. “Now! WHO GAVE THE ORDERS! Captain Li?! The Governor!? WHO?!” “I DON’T KNOW! I’M JUST FOLLOWING ORDERS!” Another swing of the morningstar crushed his other knee, as Nayu started to cry in his rage. “WHY WAS MY VILLAGE BURNED!” Nayu screamed, swinging again and again in blind fury, anger, fear, pain and sadness all flying out through his arm. “WHY ARE MY PARENTS DEAD!” he cried again, his cries mingling with the soldier’s screams, until finally a silence pervaded the night, broken only by his tears. “Why?” Nayu whispered between tears. Through blurry eyes, he could see Felonca, Liu and Chou all staring at him, horror on their faces. Then, his eyes laid on Captain Li, and Nayu was back on his feet, lurching towards the prone old man, his bloody morningstar still in hand. He heard voices, the same soothing ones that had pulled him from Li, urging calm. Nayu didn’t give a damn for calm. [i]My parents felt pain! My parents felt terror! This man is an officer! He probably gave the orders![/i] Nayu’s eyes flashed down towards Li, expecting a cackling laugh or cries for mercy. Instead, he saw the same deep sadness in the man’s eyes. Deep sadness... and remorse. Another voice floated into Nayu’s ears, between the calls for calm and his own demons calling for vengeance. “I am sorry, young Nayu. I cannot repay this by mortal means... so if needbe... take my life...” Nayu paused, another, far more recent memory floating in his head. The same voice that just spoke came into his mind again, with different words, over the shouts of the now dead soldiers laying about them. [i]”They don’t deserve to die!”[/i] In an instant, the holt, blazing fire of Nayu’s rage began to melt, as the tears still rolled down his face. He saw his parents, smiling brightly as he remembered them when leaving Red Lotus only a few weeks before. Master Wu the butcher, Jiang the blacksmith, always scowling. All their faces floated in their minds eye. Nayu was brought to the present by the thud of his morningstar dropping to the ground, tears from his face now falling on its bloodied surface. His eyes then flashed towards Chou, whose face looked nervously between Nayu and his father. “He lives. He argued for our lives,” Nayu said quietly, bitterly, betraying his inner wish that Li could, should die as well. For the second time that night, Nayu saw Chou crying, this time in gratitude, rocking slowly as he held his father. Nayu’s face felt hot, and he spun away from the group, staring off into the darkness, hoping maybe the lack of light would make the face of his family and friends go away. Instead, they burned brighter, even as he felt a small hand touch his shoulder. “We should leave him in the desert,” he heard Felonca’s voice say softly. “You wanted to do more than that, but it is only fair. He’ll only slow us down when we try to get away.” The hand squeezed a little tighter, and he felt as if hope was attempting to flow from her into him. Instead of receiving it, he broke loose of her grip and spun around. “A life for a life. He fought to save ours... now we save his!” Nayu growled. [i]He and his kind took my father away from me! I won’t take him away from his son![/i] He could hear words start to form in Felonca’s throat only to die away as he spun around and started towards the main campfire. “Nayu!” he heard her worried voice call after him. “I’m riding to Red Lotus as of this night!” Nayu called back. [i]To bury family, friends, and my old life...[/i] [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Community
Playing the Game
Story Hour
The Celestial Empire (Romance of the Three Kingdoms-ish, Updated 12/09/05)
Top