by JC Kang
Feiying lunged forward, blade sweeping. Liang Yu lifted his sword to defend while thrusting with his spear.
An elementary move, one which Feiying easily avoided. Liang Yu followed up with a sword chop and another spear stab.
After an initial parry of the sword, Feiying followed with a downward slash, cutting into the spear haft. He might as well have yawned. “Come now, Liang Yu, I know all your moves. You follow such a predictable script.”
Liang Yu disengaged and flipped the spear back. The precise cut went at least halfway through the shaft, two handlengths from the blade, rendering it useless.
As a spear, at least.
Smashing the ruined weapon across his knee, he finished the break and transformed the spear into a knife.
“Not bad,” Feiying said. “You’ve finally learned to improvise. Though now you’ve lost your reach advantage.” He surged in with several quick moves, one which cut across Liang Yu’s bicep and another that sliced across his abdomen.
All intentional distractions, surgical strikes meant to weaken first. The pain burned. He staggered back.
Feiying leaped forward again, but yelped and disengaged. A throwing pin lodged high in his right breast.
Liang Yu looked up, from where the pin had flown. “Ziqiu, I will not survive this. You must escape and warn the regent: the Teleri’s agent is a woman in the Floating World.”
“Fool.” Blood flecked Feiying’s lips. The pin must’ve penetrated his lung. Maybe there was a chance.
The doors burst open with a crack of the bar. Soldiers rushed in.
Feiying swung his sword, the first blow knocking the knife from Liang Yu’s hand and the second cutting deep into his right flank.
Such a perfect attack. Pain flared and only grew worse. A ruptured liver, with a precise insertion as only the Surgeon could perform. There was no surviving the wound, but the right plan could eliminate the threat to the regent. He just had to get close enough. Liang Yu thrust with a feeble stab to the right, one which would invite a counter-attack to the left.
Feiying twisted toward the left, as planned. Liang Yu dropped the sword and tackled Feiying, using a hand to drive Ziqiu’s pin deeper.
With a moan, Feiying staggered back and fell. The honor guards surrounded them, not that it mattered. Neither of them would live through the wounds. Liang Yu rolled off of him.
Feiying let out a labored chuckle. “I wonder what the Black Lotus will make of this. The Surgeon and the Architect came out of hiding to kill each other. Master Yan will be shaking his head.”
“Goodbye, old friend,” Liang Yu said. “Even though it ended this way, I’m glad to have met you again.”
Feiying nodded. “Now, the Three Young Masters are truly dead, with only a half-elf to show for it.”
Half-elf… Princess Kaiya’s half-elf, raised by the Black Lotus, was Meiyun’s. Liang Yu laughed, even though each chuckle sent pain surging through his body. So obvious, and yet even he had missed it. “She doesn’t even know, does she?
Feiying’s voice was barely audible. “I told her, but only while she was drugged with Yinghua flowers.”
Maybe she remembered, maybe she didn’t. Liang Yu’s vision dimmed. High above, Ziqiu slipped out of the closest window. How had the Architect not thought of such a simple solution?
CHAPTER 31:
City Under Siege
The carriage wheels purred over the city’s pavestones. It was a mere whisper in Kaiya’s ears compared to the clopping of the three hundred imperial cavalry and the sporadic musket fire. Outside, frightened citizens ran by clutching possessions, oftentimes stopping to bow toward her carriage. An occasional patrol of soldiers passed, the men affording her quick nods before continuing on their way.
In the distance, several crooked columns of smoke filled the air with the smell of burning wood. Thank the Heavens for the Tiger’s Eye. Her hometown under siege conjured memories of her escape from Iksuvius, the start of the mad flight from Geros. Then, Iksuvi’s King Evydas had fought and died in the futile defense of his city. Now, she, the regent, was fleeing hers.
The carriage slowed to a stop, and she looked out the window. They’d reached the southern market square, now abandoned. Vendor stalls sprawled across the flagstones, their remaining valuables strewn about. It was all similar to her dream with Jie, Tian, and the Teleri army; though they were now far from the river docks and not a cloud blotted the blue sky. A stream did, however, rustle nearby. Once upon a time, before an earthquake changed its path, it emptied into nearby Qingjinghu Amphitheater, where she’d witnessed an attack on Tarkoth’s Prince Aelward over a year ago. Now, White Duck Stream drained into Sun-Moon Lake.
The cavalry commander, Zhuang, rode up. “Jie-xia, we do not have much time. The Teleri already control the northwest quadrant. Our scouts say they are marching toward the palace. When they find out you are not there…”
Yes, they needed to have enough of a lead to avoid capture, but not so much that Geros would give up the chase. Which wasn’t likely anyway.
“Wait,” she said. Liang Yu was supposed to meet her here after he completed his mission. The minutes raced by as she repeatedly checked the iridescent moon. They had to stay ahead of Teleri pursuit, and needed to reach Fenggu in two weeks.
Maybe Liang Yu had failed. Maybe he’d betrayed her. Tiger’s Eye or not, her heart began to skip.
“Easy, Jie-xia.” Sitting across from her, up to now forgotten, Doctor Wu placed a cool hand on her knee. Since Princess Alaena had given birth to her baby boy and the elf Thielas had returned to protect the Tarkothi ship, Doctor Wu had not left Kaiya’s side. “Xu’s predictions are rarely wrong.”
From her side, Fang Weiyong, his head still unshaved, nodded. Not that he would know much about the enigmatic elf.
Kaiya lowered her hand from where she’d been fiddling with her hair. A girlish habit she’d abandoned…right about the time Tian shaved her bald. She pressed Tian’s lockpick pouch, always concealed in her sash as a memento, even if the Tiger’s Eye blocked any feeling toward it. “But Lord Xu has been wrong, hasn’t he?”
The doctor pursed her lips. So much for reassurance. Perhaps abandoning the capital was a mistake. Maybe it would be better to stay and give the people hope.
Kaiya harrumphed to herself. What hope could one woman hiding safe behind palace walls give to a beleaguered citizenry? No, serving as bait, drawing Geros’ army out of Huajing, was the most effective way to serve her people.
Light feet pattered across the market. Kaiya looked out.
Dressed in loose-fitting clothes, not too unlike Jie’s, Lin Ziqiu stopped several feet away as guards interposed themselves.
“Allow her through.” Her voice came out weary. As much as the Tiger’s Eye stifled her emotions, it did nothing to ease physical fatigue.
Ziqiu appeared at the window and bowed. She reached into the fold of her shirt and withdrew a glowing blue sphere the size of a cannonball. A perfect sphere, like all the other stars still dancing in the night sky. Up close, it was so bright it almost shone through Ziqiu’s outstretched fingers.
Kaiya took the fallen star in two hands. And nearly dropped it. It was deceptively heavy, dense like gold or lead. Cool and perfectly smooth and round, the globe reflected in the doctor’s eyes. A low pulse emanated from within, sending a shiver through her spine.
The tone! It was always present in Huajing, a barely audible throb every few minutes, magnified by the geomantic perfection of the Temple of Heaven. It was the power she’d drawn on when she healed her brother and father. It resonated so closely now, yet the energy seemed so distant, beyond her reach.
She looked up and met Doctor Wu’s smile.
“Soon,” the doctor said.
Soon? Would she regain her power soon? Kaiya turned back to Ziqiu. “Where is Liang Yu?”
A tear formed in the girl’s eye. “Dead. Killed by an old comrade in our attempt to secure the star.”
With a sigh, Kaiya nodded. Though misgui
ded, Liang Yu had the nation’s best interests at heart. In the end, he proved his worth. “If we make it through this crisis, I will ensure his name is enshrined in the Jianguo shrine with the realm’s other patriots and martyrs.”
“Just before he died,” Ziqiu said, “he mentioned that a Teleri agent worked in the Floating World.”
The Floating World. Kaiya nodded again. Ming had spent some time there, and supposedly Hong owned a house… She jerked her head toward Ziqiu. “Chief Minister Hong. Many of his policies led to the realm’s state of disarray.”
Ziqiu’s eyes widened. “No, the agent is a woman. But Hong keeps a half-Ayuri concubine there.”
A woman, working for the enemy, to manipulate an old man who just three years ago was a minor official. Kaiya shook her head. What kind of person could engineer so many improbabilities to fruition, and deceive even the paranoid Liang Yu the whole time? Not even Tian, with his ability to see connections, could rival this adversary.
“We must set off now if we are to stay ahead of Emperor Geros.” She pointed in the direction of the Floating World, which might as well have been its own city. “I want you to find out as much as you can about this concubine.”
Riding at the head of his army through the conquered city, Geros scoffed at Cathayi wastefulness. So much stone used to pave city streets. Garish banners of red and bright yellow hanging from storefronts. Ostentatious ceramics and furniture. No wonder they were such a weak people. He would teach them the value of frugality.
He’d put Cathay’s abundant resources, and its industrious but docile tradesmen, to good use. The First Geros’ Last Testament bade the Bovyans to bring peace and order to the lands of the old Arkothi Empire. Why not all of Tivaralan?
An aide rode up and thumped his chest with a fist. “Your Eminence. Most of the enemy has withdrawn to the palace. All other resistance is disorganized.”
All too easy. “Our casualties?”
“Sixty-four men killed, eight hundred seventy-seven with varying degrees of injury.”
Leaving more than enough able-bodied Bovyans to maintain peace. Still, a visit to the wounded would raise morale. “Where are the injured soldiers?”
The aide pointed. “We have set up two field hospitals, one in the central square and one in the northwest park.”
A park. An entire stretch of land, wasted by the vanity of the Founder’s consort. “Is there any word from Master Feiying?”
“No, Your Eminence.”
Geros clenched his jaw. He should have returned from the Temple of Heaven by now. Exchanging the fallen star with the Orc King would ensure a longer life, one where he could see the results of all the plans he’d set in motion.
Soon enough. Though not a Bovyan, Feiying was unfailingly reliable. “Find him at the national temple. What about the firepowder stores?”
“I am waiting to hear from the field commanders.”
Geros nodded. “Under a flag of parley, demand an audience with the regent.” And in the city’s southeast… “Find Leina in the prostitute’s district and command her to meet me at the palace.” Rewards were due.
The aide pounded his chest again and rode off to convey the orders to underlings. The army marched in perfect unison behind him. Smoke plumes rose in the distance, yet the city remained otherwise quiet. No panic. Citizens lined the streets and held low bows. How easily they submitted. The Nothori and Arkothi peoples were far less compliant at first. Perhaps a sizeable garrison wasn’t needed.
With a white flag of parley in hand, one of his officers waited by the moat around the palace. On the other side of the bridge stretched a broad courtyard with no cover. A high wall of white marble rose above, lined with Cathayi musketmen.
Geros dismounted. Squaring his shoulders and drawing himself to his full height, he crossed the bridge with two generals three paces behind him. Muskets followed his every step. Scanning the officials atop the gatehouse, he came to a halt halfway into the courtyard. She wasn’t there. “Where is my wife, the regent?”
An official in blue robes stepped forward from the crowd. “She has fled the city.”
Fled! Geros jerked a head toward his aide. “You said she was here.”
Brows furrowed, the aide nodded.
Geros snorted. Kaiya was smarter than that. She could hole up behind the palace walls indefinitely, but instead risked being caught in the open. He looked back at the minister. “Open the gates and surrender.”
The minister laughed. “The palace is a city in itself, provisioned for ten years.”
Geros snorted. The gall. “I can wait.” Turning on his heel, he headed back over the bridge. He leaned toward the aide. “Deploy five thousand men to maintain order, crush whatever resistance remains, and blockade the palace. “
On the other side of the moat, Leina pressed her palms together in the Ayuri manner. She had certainly aged in the last five years, but still maintained a unique beauty. And a sharp mind. Both were formidable weapons when some men were foolish enough to abandon all sense of logic and reason for a pretty face and charm. She met his eyes. “Your Eminence.”
“Leina,” he said. “You have done well. I have already sent orders to our garrison in Ankira to have your mother brought here, to be released into your custody.”
Leina’s lip quivered. Tears welled into her eyes. She sank to her knees and pressed her forehead to the ground. Cathay’s weak customs were rubbing off on her. Still, she proved to be a valuable asset. Motivated by dislike of the Cathayi, she might prove an unparalleled advisor in the new regime.
A soldier ran up and thumped his chest. “Your Eminence, Master Feiying is unaccounted for.”
Geros stiffened. He needed that artifact. He turned to Leina. “Did he bring anything to you?”
“No, Your Eminence.” Leina shook her head. “After he helped sabotage the firepowder stores, he disappeared.”
“Return to your home and await further orders. In the meantime, see if you can find out anything about him. You will coordinate our Nightblades.”
Leina nodded. “Yes, Your Eminence. But I fear that a man of his particular abilities will not be found if he chooses to remain hidden.”
Only too true. However, the straightforward Feiying did not play games. Nor did he have any reason to betray the Teleri. Geros’ jaw clenched.
Another soldier approached and pounded a fist to his chest. “Your Eminence, we have news of the regent. She fled south four hours ago in a carriage, escorted by Cathayi cavalry.”
Geros slammed his fist into his hand. Without horses, they had little chance of catching her. The stunning victory meant nothing without her or the fallen star. Still, she had nowhere to flee with the Madurans blocking her way out of Hua’s central valley. “General, prepare the army for a march. I will chase her across Cathay if need be, and crush whatever army she summons in her defense.”
CHAPTER 32:
Occupied Lands
Tian crouched among the shrubs, high on a hill overlooking farmland. The capital's north walls rose through the light morning fog, barely visible. In front of them, a river flowed out of the enormous Sun-Moon Lake.
At his side, Jie pointed at the bridge and the gatehouse, its doors gaping open at strange angles. Black banners emblazoned with the nine-pointed Teleri gold sun declared new ownership. “Does it look familiar?”
Apparently, before his banishment by the Tianzi himself, he had passed through these gates dozens of times in his youth on the journeys between Dongmen and Huajing. Still, they felt just as foreign as his hometown. He shrugged.
On his other side, Yuha peered through Jie’s spyglass. The poor man had probably never thought he’d see the Great Wall in his lifetime, let alone go a couple of hundred li into the strange land beyond. He passed the scope over. “So many Metal Men, but a Man from Beyond the Wall leads them.”
Tian stared through it. Twenty-seven dark shapes prowled the battlements, though one stood a head shorter and much thinner than the others. Another collaborato
r. Yet more disconcerting was the heavily-guarded bottleneck. “We could pose as farmers or merchants.”
Jie rolled her eyes. “Because Kanin Shaman come to the city so often, and it’s not like every last Bovyan knows about the princess’ half-elf. In any case, I doubt any citizens will approach the city while it’s occupied.”
Such a sharp tongue. He chuckled. “There has to be another way in.”
“You can make it in.” Jie pulled out hand straps with metal spikes…cat-claws. “All you have to do is climb along the underside of the bridge, creep along the waterline, and then scale the walls in a less guarded section. Then come around and kill them all.”
Tian gawked at the bridge, which looked a li long. It would take extraordinary stamina to accomplish such a feat, and then to climb the walls, and then fight. Even though his body had already done amazing things, “This task is impossible.”
Jie searched his gaze. “At the very least, you have to go in alone. Along the northeast wall, you will find a locked grate where White Duck Stream feeds into the lake.” She pointed back toward the lake, past the castle where the blue flag of Hua still flew, to a spot on the walls. “Yuha and I will commandeer a boat in one of the villages we passed and meet you there.”
Tian snorted. They’d followed the highway along the lake’s edge for dozens of li, not finding a single undamaged boat in the several towns they’d ridden through. Then, there was the locked grate. “Do you have a key?”
Sucking on her lip, Jie squinted at him. Then, she sighed. She reached into a pouch and gave him a smaller bag. “Take my lockpicks.”
Tian hefted the tool bag. There was a comforting familiarity to it. “Are these mine?”
“No, yours are...” She frowned. “No. But everyone in our clan has a similar set.”
He withdrew one of the long metal wires. It felt right in his hand, just like the weapons had before.
“It will come back to you.” Jie grinned. She offered the cat-claws again.