Meandering River, Ardent Flame

by Vivian Chak

  ***

  “You're supposed to be dead,” Flame said accusingly. What was her sister doing here, and why had she stopped her from killing Li? Maybe it was a vengeful ghost, though her sister was the last person she would expect to become one.

  “Fortunately I'm not.” Her sister glanced at Li Xiaowen. “We're leaving.”

  “I can't let you,” he responded. Flame thought he sounded contrite, though it was probably a ploy. She needed to kill him. Focusing her chi, Flame willed her hate to propel her blade into his throat. But it didn't happen. Her sister had pinned her sword arm down with one foot.

  “What are you doing?” Flame was furious. Mulan has no elder brother. Could it be that Jiang had forgotten the family? Of course! Why else would she be alive? “You traitorous hypocrite!” Flame wrenched her arm upwards, and made for her sister's face. However, she was too close, and Jiang easily clamped her arm in a vise between two elbows.

  “I'm no hypocrite.” Jiang looked back at her resolutely. It disconcerted her. Jiang was never this focused on anything, save for exercises in self-perfection. What had Li done, to make her sister turn on her? She tried again to stab him, but Jiang's grip was solid.

  “Let me go!” Flame struck at her sister's face. Jiang blocked, but freed Flame's arm in the process. Flame thrust weakly for Li. It seemed as if her chi was leaking away, with the blood running from her arm; she saw her sword move slowly, as if through water. Then her sister directed the blade into the ground, palms dripping blood.

  “You're bleeding for him, instead of your family?” Flame was incredulous. She collapsed onto one knee, holding herself up with the sword. Both her arm and foot were bleeding copiously now. It recalled to her the dreams in which Magistrate Li had left her similarly powerless.

  “There's the concept of universal family,” said Jiang. Flame wanted to respond angrily, but the loss of blood made her swoon. Powerless. She blacked out.