Chapter 735 unedited unmemed (Patreon)

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_GM83QWm6UhQntilwGXlu6QS8Y1-zFKwiHMR1BqdIHc/edit?usp=sharing 

Heart pounding and head light, Song alternated between anxiety and excitement as she hid in the dark, cramped confines of the cabin in hopes of evading detection.

Difficult to do with so many boots marching about, both out in the corridors and below them under the decks, not to mention how she had yet to learn how to Conceal. At least the animals were inclined to huddle in around her, thinking this all a great game thanks to Lin-Lin’s phenomenal training. Song only had to give the command ‘hide’ alongside the appropriate gesture and a good number of the pets tucked themselves away, though mostly in terrible hiding spots since they didn’t understand they were trying to avoid being seen and only knew that the command meant it was time to lay still and be quiet. Still, this was more than Song could’ve accomplished and she envied Lin-Lin for her natural aptitude. The half-hare had this way of making all the animals willingly dance to her tune, treating their lessons like games and giving it their all to earn their prizes. A simple concept in theory, to reward the desired behaviour with food and attention while repeatedly giving the same command, but it was hardly as easy as Lin-Lin made it look. Patience, consistency, and a firm will were all required in order to find success, as it was all too easy to give in to the animals’ pleading looks or disgruntled frustration, which would only reward them for the wrong behaviours and set them back even further from whence they began.

Aside from the laughing birds who were all too smart and independent to submit to Lin-Lin’s lessons, Mama Bun was the best at avoiding an education, for her anger was utterly adorable to behold. It didn’t take much to set the rabbit off either, whereupon she’d spin around in circles and thump her feet while gently headbutting everyone and everything in her path. Then, if she still didn’t get her way, she would either react with more anger and aggression or give up entirely and go find someone else to play with, depending on the value of the reward. In this case, it was the latter as mere fresh berries were not enough to drive her into a fury, but thankfully, the silly bunny was a simple creature, and in her mind, darkness meant it was time to sleep, so even though she had yet to learn the command to hide and only wanted to eat, she was more than happy to fall asleep in Song’s embrace instead. The other rabbits were much the same, burrowing under the bears and wildcats or in George’s case, under Rakky’s paw, while the rest of the animals lay still and watched Song with wide, expectant eyes, knowing they would be given a treat once the game was up.

Except it wasn’t a game, and it was vital they all remain still and quiet for at least an hour, possibly longer depending on the speed of Rain’s retinue.

How did matters even come to this? It was all because Song took it upon herself to ignore Rain’s... not commands, but requests, out of her own selfish desires. Her accomplice Lin-Lin was nowhere to be found, and they had yet to convince Rakky to Conceal anyone other than himself, the diffident tiger all too happy to be groomed, bathed, and spoiled like a prince, but unwilling to heed any commands whatsoever unless they suited his mood. In Song’s opinion, Rakky had long since learned all of Lin-Lin’s verbal and somatic commands, but simply enjoyed doing the opposite for the sake of being contrary. How else to explain his refusal to lie down like the rest of the animals? Instead, Rakky sat like the proud and regal feline he was, albeit in a somewhat tilted fashion as he kept all his weight off of his front left paw to avoid squashing sweet George underneath. It was clear the tiger was fond of the rabbit, else he’d simply move his paw, though it could just be that Rakky was tired of George’s stubborn persistence and found it easier to give in than to keep moving about.

The fact that Rakky had yet to eat any of the pets was a miracle to be sure, though Rain was adamant Pong Pong kept the tiger firmly in check, preventing the tiger from hunting anything but seafood of late. Oh how Song wished the tiny Divine Turtle was more comfortable in her presence, but aside from Rain, Lin-Lin, and the Medical Saint, he rarely showed himself to anyone else. A damn shame too, because if Song could convince Pong Pong to hide them all, that would all but ensure success in this most nerve-wracking of endeavours. Kukky was another option, but the silkie rooster was too scared of Rakky to ever stay in a room with him, even with Pong Pong’s admittedly unreliable guarantee of safety. If only Ping Ping could learn how to Conceal, then that would be the best solution, as the sweet girl barely needed any training at all since she was always happy to help.

Minutes passed in absolute silence and drained the tension from Song’s body, so she settled in against Banjo’s warm flank and cuddled with Mama Bun and Sarankho to pass the time, unable to resist kissing Mama Bun’s twitching nose every now and then just to see her open her eyes and stretch her neck to give a little bunny kiss back. Rain had long since trained the bears and wildcats not to give kisses, the former because they were too wet and slobbery, and the latter because their barbed tongues were wholly capable of abrading unprotected flesh and leaving wide, bloody gouges behind. Thankfully not a trait Song inherited from her Ancestral Beast mother, as she imagined it would make eating and speaking difficult to say the least, but it showed that Rain was more than capable of teaching his pets obedience, but was simply chose not to for some reason or another.

Likely because he enjoyed their mischievous antics, as no one laughed louder than he when Blackjack snuck into the pantry and devoured an entire smoked duck Charok set aside for dinner the next day. He also giggled when the groundhogs or rabbits got into the Medical Saint’s herbal garden, but he respected his teacher too much to laugh directly at his face. That didn’t stop Lin-Lin from laughing out loud though, which only made the Medical Saint exaggerate his anger more just to keep hearing her laughter, a family dynamic which warmed Song’s heart to see.

And also took her completely by surprise, for there was nothing about the Medical Saint that even hinted at the fact that he was an Ancestral Cloud Chaser Hare. It wasn’t just her either, as Sister Mila, Yan, and Rain were similarly astonished and bore no suspicions beforehand. Putting aside all else, was there ever an Ancestral Beast who raised their daughter with so much love and affection? According to Guan Suo’s last will and testimony, he’d himself entertained the notion of keeping Sister Mila as a child, but he’d been utterly incapable of repressing the urge to grant the mercy of death to his ‘weakened’ progeny, and thus gave her up to Mama and Papa. It was clear there were other Ancestral Beasts trying to raise their children as well, such as GangShu, Lady Gam, and to some extent, the People’s Old Wolf who refused to answer to any other name, but none of them had a relationship as warm and genuine as the one Lin-Lin shared with her beloved daddy. In fact, it was difficult to find a fully human relationship so earnest and saccharine, though perhaps the Medical Saint was simply the exception to the rule when it came to not only Ancestral Beast behaviour, but human as well. He was... eccentric to say the least, and he loved Rain and the rest of the family almost as much as he loved Lin-Lin, so it was difficult to say if the Medical Saint was the exception to the rule or simply an outstanding individual in more ways than one. Perhaps both, though that didn’t make it any easier for Sister Mila, who’d been visibly saddened upon learning the news and stayed away from Guai Guai for a day or two, but then she overcame her melancholy all on her own and went back to loving the grumpy red panda, who seemingly failed to notice her absence now that he had Tai-Tai to keep him company.

In fact, Guai Guai seemed rather discontent having to play these ‘games’, though he expressed it in the most helpful way possible, hiding himself under the cot where he glared at anyone and everyone who dared make eye-contact.

Alas, Song’s efforts to keep them hidden were all for naught as she heard the tell-tale cries of Lin-Lin best efforts at keeping their foe distracted, but he would not be swayed. Marching down the corridor as quickly as he dared, Rain burst through the door with a scowl etched across his face as he took in the sight of Song hiding with all of the pets he so callously intended to leave behind. “No,” he declared, more statement than rejection, and Song fought the habitual urge to obey his every command. Instead, she hugged Mama Bun close as the sweet bunny woke with a start, only to discover that her favourite person was nearby and might well give her the treat Song denied her earlier. Rain wasn’t having any of it though, standing in the doorway with arms crossed in petulant refusal, though Ping Ping spoiled the mood by rushing in to bury her face in Rakky’s soft belly fur. “No, no, no! You aren’t coming with us Lin-Lin, and neither are the pets.”

“Yes I am and so are they.” A woman as stubborn as the man she married, Lin-Lin engaged Rain in a daring contest of agility, flexibility, and acrobatics as she endeavoured to push her way past him, and after a few seconds of amusing struggle, she gave up and simply clung to him instead, her arms wrapping around his midsection while locking both legs around one of his. “You’re my hubby now, we’re married and everything, so I go where you go.”

“Absolutely not. I forbid it.”

“I forbid you from forbidding me, so nyeh.”

“You can’t forbid me from forbidding you. I forbid that.”

“Not allowed.”

“Says who?”

“Me!”

Their adorable bickering continued for a little longer as Song doled out the rewards, a necessity now that it was no longer possible for the animals to keep hiding. Even the rabbits got a treat, though Song worried this would only reinforce their spoiled behaviour, but they were likely too far gone to train properly anymore. Rakky also demanded his fair share of dried meat, which was amusing since there was never any need for him to hide in the first place seeing how Rain always intended to bring the tiger with him on the expedition West. No matter though, as Song was more than happy to feed him since it meant Rakky was eating. The tiger was a picky creature and preferred to catch his own meals, which was fine while they were staying on the coast of the Azure Sea where there were fish aplenty, but there was precious little game in the Citadels themselves or the fields surrounding them. For a time, Rakky’s meals consisted of whatever pests and vermin he could catch before Pong Pong put an end to the cat’s murderous mornings, for much like his larger counterpart, the tiny Divine Turtle was fond of all creatures floofy, whether they be large or small.

Song could hardly blame him and wished she could see him indulge his fondness, but alas, the only clue to his arrival was a slight tensing in Rakky’s shoulders followed by a resigned huff as Pong Pong made his presence known to him and him alone. Stifling a sigh, Song crawled over to the cot and reached under to pull Guai Guai out, but the temperamental red panda yowled and gave her a love tap to let her know he was in no mood to come out, so she had to resort to softer tactics. Any berries she put down were stolen away by Mama Bun, while apple, mango, and various other slices of dried fruit failed to catch Guai Guai’s fancy, so Song had to bring out the higher value Spiritual Plant snacks she kept hidden away inside the footlocker, one which was latched shut to keep the rabbits from breaking in. The mere sound of the latch moving was enough to entice Guai-Guai out of hiding, and for a moment, Song wasn’t sure if she was training the animals or if they were training her.

Scooping the clever red panda into her arms, Song handed him a stalk of some plant or the other and smiled as he accepted it in his paw, grasping at the treat like a person would which made him all the more endearing. The rabbits got some too, as Song had packed more than enough to feed them for weeks if needed, as these stems and cuttings would only go to waste if they went uneaten. If there was one thing the Medical Saint did not lack, it was scraps of Spiritual Plants, as he recently concluded that turning these scraps into mulch was not enough to turn the seedlings sustained by said compost into a second crop of Spiritual Plants. A shame that, as it could’ve meant an exponential growth in the Medical Saint’s horticultural efforts without having to offer mountains of shrimp to Pong Pong. Then again, having heard how much power the Divine Turtle possessed, Song wasn’t sure they should ever stop feeding him shrimp, not if they wanted to leave with their lives and minds intact.

For this was a creature who overpowered not one, not two, but three Ancestral Beasts when he first came across them hunting him out in the Azure Sea, and if Rain was to be believed, knocking them all comatose had merely been a warning. As such, Song would much rather not find out firsthand.

Out of pure politeness more than anything else, Song carried Guai-Guai over to Rakky and offered the Concealed turtle a handful of fresh berries, which the tiger merely sniffed before lying back down on his side. To Song’s surprise, Pong Pong almost immediately revealed himself to her as he perched on her hand, munching on the offering while emanating an Aura of grateful delight. Responding in kind, Song knelt in place and watched the turtle eat with a silly little smile, enjoying his animated motions as he snapped up the berries one by one and chewed them with great relish until his tiny turtle face was covered in juice.

“And you, Li-Li,” Rain said, snapping Song out of her reverie as he turned his attentions to her, and her ears fluttered in delight at the sound of her whimsical appellation. “I expected something like this from Lin-Lin, but you should know better. This will be a dangerous campaign where anything can happen, so why would you help smuggle the pets onboard? What if the ship sinks while we’re fighting out at sea? Or if we get cut off while marching and run out of food?”

“Whatever will be, will be,” Song replied, one she prepared beforehand with help from Mama and Sister Mila. Then again, the game wasn’t as fun and exciting anymore now that she saw how distraught Rain truly was, his concern for his pets overriding his plain old common sense, so she tried to explain herself better. “I helped Lin-Lin because I know the pets are always miserable when you go anywhere without them, and that both you and they will be much happier together. Better to die together than leave them wondering if you’ll ever return, or if all goes well, then you will have made all the more memories to cherish. Also, Nephew-in-Law Charok cannot possibly look after his children and all your pets as well, not without anyone there to help him, nor will they fare well should you fall in battle.”

“...Okay, fine, so you made one or two decent arguments.” Grudgingly patting Aurie’s head and smiling as the wildcat rumbled with delight, Rain failed miserably at maintaining his indignant demeanour. “But I’d rather they be miserable for a bit at home than risking losing them forever.”

“Lin-Lin made arrangements to ensure their safety. Significant ones.” Seeing Rain’s disbelief, Song glanced at the half-hare who simply stuck her tongue out in a mischievous fashion, likely having kept quiet about it just to make Rain sweat some more. “She convinced Guard Leader to set aside a dozen formidable Warriors to ensure the pets remain safe and sound at all times, on top of the ones guarding her.” Offering him Guai Guai to hopefully sway his decision, Song added, “They are far safer than the quins and cattle you brought along for your retinue, not to mention all the other beasts of war travelling with the army.”

“Yea, but they’re trained animals who serve a purpose.” Glancing askew at Lin-Lin in hopes she wouldn’t notice, Rain continued, “Whereas these floofs...”

Are a burden in war, Lin-Lin included. Unfortunately, the clever half-hare caught onto Rain’s meaning and stamped her foot, one that barely made a sound on the water-treated wood. “Stupid hubby, I don’t need you to protect me. I came to protect you with my bow, like when I helped Nai-Nai by shooting shot that stupid, stinky Bai Qi.” Taking no pride in the accomplishment, Lin-Lin snatched Guai Guai away from Rain and added, “Besides, these darlings do serve a purpose. They’re good for hubby’s morale, and you always say morale is one of the most important factors in warfare. That’s why you spent so much time writing your stupid speech, ya?”

One that would’ve fallen flat if not for his ability to express his faith and determination through Aura and Oration. Truth be told, Rain should find someone else to write his speeches for him, though definitely not BoShui like so many others suggested. The last thing anyone needed was to hear Rain wax on about how the Mother Above ordained him to be their Champion from on high, or about the juxtaposition of light and shadow representing the Mother and Father in conflict. Though the big man had been writing about Rain’s exploits for over a year now, his ambling prose had only gotten more flowery and euphemistic as time went on, and Song could no longer stomach his idiomatic turn of phrases.

Rain and Lin-Lin continued to bicker back and forth, but Song could tell the decision had already been made, only he refused to accept it. It wasn’t that he made the wrong decision in leaving them behind, nor was it as simple as saying Lin-Lin made the right decision to sneak herself and the animals on board his ship, but more of a matter of intent. Rain didn’t want to leave the pets behind any more than he wanted to leave Lin-Lin, but he feared losing them and thus let his fear make his decisions for him. This was a flaw of his he’d carried for almost a decade now, one that hampered his steps along life and the Martial Path, but fixing his issue was not as easy as simply pointing it out. Rain knew many of his actions were guided by fear, to the point where his cautious nature seemed ingrained rather than acquired, but at least he was learning to control his fear of the worst and was beginning to push past his comfort zone.

Granted, he’d been forced to do so when Shen ZhenWu made him Legate of the outer provinces, but Rain always was a stubborn one, and it took him this long to finally accept the heavy responsibilities placed upon him.

In contrast, Lin-Lin’s actions were more in line with her desires, which was why Song helped her in this regard, though she’d be lying if she said she didn’t want to bring the animals along with them as well. Life just felt empty without a furry companion to care for, and while Song still would’ve had her sweet quin Erdene to love and spoil, the quin was not as affectionate as the rabbits, wildcats, and bears. Oddly enough, Mama had been more than happy to help Song with her caper and instructed her Sentinels to look the other way and distract anyone who might inform Rain otherwise. Song never thought Mama would be the mischievous type, or that she would encourage Song to carry out more acts of mischief in the future. Strange that, as most parents would want their children to be obedient and dutiful, but Mama had all but danced a ditty when Song first brought the matter up.

It wasn’t until the ship was ready to weigh anchor that Rain and Lin-Lin stopped arguing, and only because he said he couldn’t keep the whole fleet waiting just to remove Lin-Lin and the animals from the ship. An excuse, one he used to justify allowing them on board to himself, but Song refrained from pointing this out to him and merely traded a triumphant smile with Lin-Lin. The half-hare knew her husband well, having predicted his reaction all in advance, which was another reason why Song was happy to help, and now she would have sweet Sarankho to keep her company at night. Giggling as she watched the animals adapt to the swaying ship, Song led them out of the cabin and brought them out onto the upper decks to bear witness to the launching of the greatest nautical fleet the Empire had ever seen.

An endless line of sails and masts stretched as far as the eye could see, a veritable forests casting shadows over the clear blue waters of the Azure sea. Rain’s ship lurched as it head out into deeper waters, leaving behind most of the fleet which stayed closer to shore. They weren’t too far out before they turned to run parallel to the coast, not even a kilometre away from dry land, but Song saw many a sailor blanch in fear and mutter a prayer to the Mother Above. Little did they know that Rain wasn’t just tempting fate, as he had not one, but two Divine Turtles at his beck and call, one of whom was a seasoned survivor. A stray glance made her do a double take as she saw Pong Pong’s colourful shell poking out from in between Rakky’s floofy ears, the darling little turtle having finally accepted Song as someone he need not be wary of. This seemingly tiny gesture meant the world to her, and she shared her emotions with him through Aura, to which he turned his adorable little head and positively glowed with delight.

It was a fine discovery to be accepted by the paranoid Divine Turtle, a beast whose disposition mirrored Rain’s so well, but alas, Song could only share this discovery with Lin-Lin and Rain for now. Mama, Papa, Sister Mila, Brother Baatar, Yan, Kyung, and Grandpa Du were all on different ships, riding with their retinues as protocol demanded. Thankfully, once she learned her ailment could be countered using Chi, Sister Mila went to great efforts to learn how to replicate Rain’s efforts, riding on ships day and night with her husband to try and get a feel for the skill. Though she was unable to explain it, she quickly picked it up with Papa there to help her along, and now they both rode the waves like seasoned sailors, without all the unpleasant vomiting.

As for why Song was here on Rain’s ship, it wasn’t just because of the animals. She’d initially considered joining Sister Mila’s retinue, but they were a mounted fighting force which was far from ideal given Song’s lacking familiarity with cavalry combat. She could have joined Yan’s retinue which was comprised solely of heavy and light infantry, but somehow, it just felt more natural to fight alongside Rain, whose retinue was the least specialized, yet most flexible which made it a pivotal force on the battlefield, one which could be wielded as hammer, anvil, arrow, or any other tool one might have need of in war. What’s more, Rain’s retinue was where she spent the bulk of her time out in the field, and she’d grown fond of the Death Corps soldiers Rain often placed under her command, so it would be best for everyone involved if she simply joined him once more. When she first asked permission to enlist in his retinue, he initially balked and asked if she wanted her own command instead, but Song was not meant to lead. She was a Warrior plain and simple, not a formidable duelist like Mama, a cunning tactician like Liu Xuande, a formations expert like Mister Rustram, or even an inspirational force of personality like Rain. She was Li Song, Sentinel of the People, and she would serve to the best of her ability, which meant fighting on foot in the thick of things with her allies beside her.

There would be no fighting today though, not unless the Defiled had an ambush waiting up ahead, which was unlikely given how they were still three days out from the closest Western harbour of LuZhou. According to reports, the Enemy spent the last two months fortifying the once unremarkable harbour, but given how they lacked the secrets of concrete, they could only cannibalize the nearby town of stone and wood in order to build up their defences. The end result was a shaky, ramshackle affair that might hold up to head on assault from a dozen or so medium sized ships, but Rain’s conquering fleet held considerably more vessels than twelve. Rain, Mama, and Brother Baatar all agreed that they wouldn’t even need the Runic Cannons to overrun the Defiled defences, as crossbows, bolt-throwers, and catapults alone would be enough to batter down the haphazardly stacked walls, not to mention the most glaring weakness of all. Much like how Song was less effective fighting on quin back, the Enemy temperament was not conducive to defensive engagements, especially considering the modest fortress at LuZhou could only hold thirty-thousand troops at most. A pittance in the grand scheme of things, and Song expected the fleet to barrel through LuZhou’s defences with ease and set this campaign off on the right foot.

That being said, Rain aside, everyone at the top echelons of command had decades of experience under their belt, centuries in Mama’s case, and Rain was smart enough to defer to his Generals’ wisdom when it came to the specifics of their campaign. The fleet pressed forward without ever stopping to berth, mostly to avoid being ambushed by a Defiled army in the dead of night. They moved at a snails pace after the sunset, but it was enough to keep the Enemy at bay, assuming they were lying in wait just out of sight of shore, or worse, Concealed right along the coastline and ready to pounce at a moment’s notice. The Imperial fleet had scouts and cutters dispatched in all directions, as they had yet to uncover how Huanhuzi’s pirate ships managed to evade destruction out in the depths of the Azure Sea. Despite or perhaps thanks to all these precautions and more, the days passed peacefully and uneventfully as they made their way towards LuZhou.

Welcome as the smooth sailing might be, this meant tensions were at an all time high as the harbour finally came into view, and Song’s lip curled in disdain at the sight of the makeshift fortifications. To call it a fortress was stretching it, as the walls were already crumbling apart, the stones simply stacked one atop the other without any mortar to hold them in place. Forget the cannons, a good, strong breeze might be enough to bring those ‘walls’ down, and Song could not see how the Enemy meant to defend them.

Nor could she see any Defiled who intended to, which only made her that much more nervous. Easy to prepare for the Enemy in plain sight, but difficult to guard against the unseen dagger, a concept which many Martial Warriors learned far too late as said metaphorical dagger buried itself in their back.

The ship groaned, the sails flapped, and the waves crashed, an ever-present symphony of sound Song had grown accustomed to over the last few days, but otherwise, the entire fleet sat silent as they settled into position around the harbour following the Admiral’s orders. Rain had gone and found a Major General Zhang He to be his admiral, a Western native who’d been absent on official duty when the province fell. Few could argue with giving a Westerner command of the fleet meant to retake his province, and doubly so considering Zhang He spent his entire military career as a sailor and hunted pirates and smugglers on the Azure Sea for nigh on fifty years, and now Rain rode on the man’s ship, while the other General Officers rode elsewhere to preserve the chain of command should the worst come to pass. That being said, even though he no doubt burned for vengeance against the Enemy who killed so many of his fellow countrymen, Admiral Zhang He seemed in no rush to assault the harbour and take unnecessary risks, and instead seemed more than happy to take the time to arrange his ships into a neat encircling formation.

All the while, Song saw no sign of the Enemy from within the crumbling fortress, nor did any of Rain’s scouts Scrying on it from above. All of them reported the same thing, that the walls lacked any positions for defenders to stand upon, and encircled a large, canvas tent that no one could Scry past. This meant someone was present, either a pack of Domain-capable Defiled working in concert to block Imperial Scryiers from moving past the tent and avoiding detection at the same time, or a single Divinity fending off so many intrusions all on his own.

Likely the latter, which was far from ideal considering this was but the first hurdle along their path. If the Enemy dispatched a Territory Lord to ‘claim’ these lands, they might well be ready to break the treaty in its entirety just to send this massive fleet down into the depths of the Azure Sea. Of course, given the forces Rain had brought along with them, the Enemy Divinity would not survive the attempt, but that would prove no solace to the hundreds of thousands of dead Warriors, or any hapless survivors lucky enough to avoid death from the initial blow, only to likely die in the aftermath as the Imperial Divinities responded in kind.

Standing on deck in full regalia, Rain stood tall and proud as he gazed upon LuZhou harbour, eschewing Concealment in naked contempt of his formidable foe. After a lengthy period of silent deliberation, Rain rattled off his orders for all to hear. “Fleet, standby ready to engage while I negotiate terms with the occupying force.”

So Rain himself intended to play the part of sacrificial goat, a decision that would not sit well with Brother Baatar, but logically, he was the best choice. Not only was he the youngest and least experienced representative of the highest echelons of command, he also had the best chances of survival should he come up against a suicidal Divinity. Not only would he have Pong Pong to protect him, but there was also the Azure Sea sitting nearby, which he’d bound to his Core through the Heavenly Tear, Blobby. While his chances of surviving an all-out attack from a Divinity were still slim to none, it was better than anyone else short of a Divinity, and sending him meant keeping their greatest strengths in reserve and out of danger for a little while longer.

With that said, Rain Cloud-Stepped away with an escort of Sentinels, Aspirants, Imperial soldiers, and Death Corps Guards, though only the latter were visible to the naked eye. Song knew about the rest because she’d been present when they were planning their guard rotations, ensuring that there would always be a representative from each of the four groups to ensure Rain’s safety was never wholly in one faction’s hands. The sad truth was that even Mama’s Sentinels could be bought or turned, to say nothing of the Aspirants or soldiers, as even religious fanatics and members of the Famed Fifty were not immune to greed or blackmail, a threat Rain seemed wholly unprepared for. Luckily, he had MuYang to watch over him, as well as Mama and Colonel General Nian Zu, all of whom had seen much in their years of service and knew how to best keep their Legate safe.

Except there was little they could do when Falling Rain charged headlong into danger, just as he did now.

Seconds turned into minutes as Song stood ready to fight, even knowing what meagre resistance she could muster would be swept away by the overwhelming might of a Divinity. Then, just as she had to remind herself to breathe, Rain’s scream tore through the air and stole her breath away. It wasn’t a scream of pain or torment, nor one of fear or courage, but a scream filled with anguish and heartache laid over top a burning pyre of fury and rage. A scream so overwhelming, it reached deep into Song’s past and dredged up all manner of dark memories, ones she’d long since buried deep and tried her best to forget about. No longer was she Li Song, Free Sentinel of the People, and instead, she went back to being Li Song, slave and plaything as she relived her worst moments again and again as Rain’s scream continued to play out.

The beatings. The rapes. The crying. The shame. It all came back to her unprompted and unwanted, but she could do nothing to stop it, the same way she could do nothing to stop them.

And then the scream came to an end, without warning or even trailing off, but her memories remained to haunt her. She was stronger than before though, strong enough to push past her pain and return to the moment, where a part of her panicked mind realized that someone must have thrown up a Sound Barrier to cut Rain off, and that was enough to keep him from Orating his emotions. That was one downside to Rain’s uncontrollable Aura, as it meant he shared the good and the bad, and at the moment, it was clear he was stuck in a dark and foreboding place. A quick glance around showed that everyone else was similar rocked by the wave of emotions, one that set jaded Warriors to sobbing with empathy and compassion and others to trembling with barely restrained fury. All in all, most maintained discipline though many whispered consolations could be heard as they supported one another though this trying tribulation, but alas, Song could not do the same for Rain from all the way out here. Others would have to help him, for even though she failed to spot any individuals making their way over to him, Song knew Mama and Brother Baatar would not sit idle after hearing him cry out in such a manner, so she focused on finding Balance herself and reminded the sailors around her to do the same. “STEADY YOUR EMOTIONS,” Song said, her Chi-enhanced voice booming out over the empty harbour with a volume that surprised even her, a sign that she herself was still shaken. “Reach for Balance. Seek the warm embrace of the Mother, for Her love shall shield us from the Father’s foul minions.”

The once silent fleet muttered among themselves as they set out to follow Song’s advice, though she’d overstepped in giving it. Glancing over at Admiral Zhang He, she unexpectedly met his gaze as he’d already been looking at her, and the honey-skinned man offered her a nod of thanks as he took a deep and shaky breath, before affecting the long-eyed stare of one adrift in the throes of Balance. Allowing herself a small sigh of relief, Song allowed the warm embrace of Balance to ease away the trauma Rain’s emotions left behind, but she refused to scour it all away, for only then could she inure herself to this pain. Not all suffering could be avoided, so best to prepare for the worst when she could, and a good thing too, as Mama appeared next to Song and said, “Come. We need your help, and little Mei-Lin’s help as well.”

It didn’t take long to find the half-hare, as she was hiding in Concealment nearby, and Mama gathered Song up in her arms before Cloud-Stepping off the ship, though this time, there was no thrill or delight to be had. As soon as they arrived inside the fortress, Song understood why Rain reacted as he did, for there was no canvas tent in sight, and instead, only a mountain of corpses in its place.

Not a single cadaver had been thrown haphazardly into the pile, and instead each one had been meticulously placed and posed, propped up and held in place by makeshift wooden posts and stone tableaus to portray a gruesome and grisly sight indeed. Erect Defiled tribesmen loomed over naked Imperials of all ages and genders, many transfixed in the violent act of sexual assault, while others watched on in a mixture of glee, fascination, repulsion, and horror. Other were posed in different acts of gratification, and Song saw kneeling Imperials feasting on one of their own in the streets, while children dug knives into the tender belly of other children, with their tender expressions frozen in murderous glee or sorrowful agony, sometimes both on the same face. Others worked over tables and ovens to prepare a feast for their fellow Imperials made up of the same, the unfortunate souls chosen to be devoured posed in a manner that left no question as to whether they were still alive when the preparation began. Some had been chopped and portioned like pork on a butcher’s table, and others boiled alive until their skin burst and flesh came apart at the seams.

All this was merely scratching the surface of the horrors the Enemy wrought here in LuZhuo, ones they unveiled to Rain in their full entirety and left him heaving with rage and sorrow, but the worst was yet to be said. Every last body present here in this gory spectacle of death and depravity was still fresh and bleeding, dead for less than a single day.

“He said they’d all be like this,” Rain uttered, his voice hoarse from screaming so loud. “That every harbour and city we visit, death is all we will find. That he can’t fight me on the sea, so he’ll just kill every last Imperial and Defiled who he had to leave behind, all just to deny me the satisfaction of victory.”

A daunting prospect considering one such discovery almost broke Rain and the army behind him, but Song just had to ask. “Who said this?”

“Him.” Curling his lip in a snarl, Rain spat out the name with a hatred and vitriol she’d never seen from him before. “Zhen Shi.”

Anger, wrath, guilt, and shame, all these emotions and more rolled off of Rain in near unbearable waves, and only now did Song realize why Mama and Brother Baatar had not come. Instead, Mila and Yan were here, alongside Lin-Lin, all of whom had already made their way over to Rain’s side and wrapped him in their embrace, but their quivering bodies betrayed their inner fear and aversion. This was a place of death and suffering, one tainted by the Father’s minions most foul, and Song could not stand to see it stand. “Oil,” she said, holding firm as Rain’s gaze snapped over to her, his amber eyes burning with hate and blame. “We’ll need more oil if this is what our Enemy has planned, oil and tinder to set it alight.” Unable to draw a deep breath for fear of the stench, Song stopped fighting her emotions and instead shared them with Rain instead. Much like him, she was scared and furious, but underneath it all lay a foundation of control, one she would not have survived without. A foundation laid by the Oaths she swore, but one that remained even though she was bound by them no more, and it was this she shared with him, not an emotion exactly, but the ability to move past without allowing the darkness to consume her. “There should be enough on the ships to lay these poor souls to rest, but we will have to send back for more.”

And then, without meaning to, Song’s Aura pulsed to something else, an emotion that was once unfamiliar to her at best, but one she knew well enough from her time spent among the People. It was love, pure and simple, warm, accepting, supportive love, because she loved him like family and it pained her to see him suffer so, a sentiment which she felt needed to be shared. Though his eyes were still wide and wet with tears of rage, his gaze softened ever so slightly as he nodded in thanks, though he was unable to respond in kind. Love was the furthest thing from his mind at the moment, which was a shame, because in trying times like these, love could help ease one’s passage through, but Rain would realize it soon enough.

Moving over to pat his head, Song hugged Sister Mila, Yan, and Lin-Lin while continuing to emanate her Aura of love. Her Aura persisted as the first flames burst into existence, and remained until the last flames sputtered out and died, leaving naught but blood and ashes in its wake, but Song continued to share her love with everyone and anyone involved, without ever having to fear she would run dry.

For love was not finite, like water in a bucket, but rather a source of love itself, like the sun provided light for all below it, and on this dark day, Song knew they all could use a little more light in their lives.

Author's NOte: This is one chapter than could use a lot of TLC, as well as the one before this. Gotta get the details right, but they were both first drafts and shakier than usual.