by Mark Swaine
The Samurai leaps headfirst toward Yu-Huang with the tip of his Katana pointed forward and grabs the rope pulley with his free hand. Yu-Huang grabs Baransu's wrist as he attempts to drive the Shikyo into his neck. Supported by the weight of a single rope, the two men struggle wildly in a suspended grapple. As the rope spins, tugs and swings, eventually it snaps and they plummet in a near endless fall. In their descent, Yu-Huang grabs Baransu by the collar and deliverers blow after iron fisted blow with his clenched fists. Soaked in the bloody waterfall and crashing into adjacent shelves on all sides of the circular spacious fall, Yu-Huang rips of Baransu's helmet and head-buts him in the face. As Baransu furiously attempts to unsheathe a Daisho, Yu-Huang forces the hand of the Warrior down, sheathing the blade back in the Obi. Yu-Huang elbows the Samurai in the nose and head-butts him once more. With Baransu dazed by the two consecutive blows, Yu-Huang places both feet onto the his chest and springs back onto a support beam. The push sends Baransu backwards; forming a back roll he grips a lower support beam and swings himself under and over and lands atop the beam. Climbing one level up, the two Emperors face one another on opposite sides of the spacious divide. Separated by the gushing fountain of blood, the two men circle one another. Balanced on the narrow sturdy beams holding ground to their carefully treading steps, they hold their glares of contempt for reasons just. As Emperor Baransu aims the Shikyo at Emperor Yu-Huang, Yu-Huang unsheathes the Yasu from his back and returns the gesture. Yu-Huang is the first to break their silence to seek a resolve; he attempts to reason with the ancient Samurai.
“I do not wish to harm you mighty Warrior, I seek only the twin blades of the dragon,” says Yu-Huang.
“You have not the power to wield the twin blades of the Ichidai dragon,” seethes Emperor Baransu. “Return the Yasu now, puny half-mortal,” adds the angry Samurai.
“You dare dishonour me in combat?” says Emperor Yu-Huang, insulted.
“I dare, you are the weakest of all deities, I will not allow your weak and merciful hands upon the Shikyo,” says Emperor Baransu, disgusted.
“Your arrogance is beginning to anger me!” sneers Yu-Huang, his heart racing.
“You are nothing but a failed god, cast down to exist among the mortals, for you are as frail as they. For your needless mercy, abundant kindness and absent resolve, I will teach you a lesson your ancestors will remember until the end of their lineage,” says Emperor Baransu spitting in disgust.
“Upon defeating you, I will release you from your eternal torment. I am taking the blades,” vows Yu-Huang with a stern face.
“Then take it from me, you feeble make-believe god! Do it now! Take it!” screams the mad, wide eyed Emperor.
Yu-Huang, ever the patient Emperor, has always handled insults and threats in his stride, but for reasons he can’t explain, he feels his blood coursing faster than the speed of light. He accepts the Baransu’s challenge without a further second's hesitation. Angered by Emperor Baransu's disrespect, Yu-Huang bares his teeth and leaps across the wide circular gap. Breaking free of the bloody waterfall, the two clash swords in mid jump to begin another violent descent.
The two warriors parry and strike as they control their downward glide to the temple ground. Yu-Huang catches the Samurai off-guard, delivering a crushing roundhouse-kick to his face. The Samurai flies through the air and crashes through a stone wall and bounces of a pillar. Yu-Huang storms like the wind through the large gap in the wall and straddles the Samurai before beating his face with both fists. Emperor Baransu knees Yu-Huang in the rear to knock him headfirst into an adjacent pillar. Flipping to his feet, Baransu dives for the Yasa blade lying discarded. Yu-huang puffs a sudden gust of wind, blowing the blade out reach. Baransu lunges for Yu-Huang with his blade aimed at his chest. Yu-Huang rolls to the side, avoiding the downward thrust whilst retrieving the Yasu. Emperor Baransu's Katana digs into the stone ground and Yu-Huang strikes at Baransu's neck. Baransu dislodges his blade just in time and quickly blocks the diagonal strike. With their blades grinding together in a lock, Emperor Yu-Huang pushes harder on his blade. With his anger aiding him, Yu-Huang manages to force the Emperor Baransu onto his knee.
“You are not ready to embrace the power of the twin blades of the dragon, Yu-Huang Shangdi san!” yells the Samurai, struggling to match Yu-Huang's strength.
Yu-Huang frowns at the stranger who’s somehow familiar with his name, but he pays no heed to his words of warning and pushes harder on his blade. The Samurai suddenly sweeps Yu-Huang's legs from beneath him; he follows with a rising reverse kick. The rapid attack connects with the Emperor's gut mid-fall and sends him crashing through a course of pottery shelves. In a clutter of broken pottery, Yu-Huang rises unharmed, walking doggedly back to his opponent. Yu-Huang forces Baransu into a backwards parry and the Samurai is barely able to keep up with the relentless blur of steel.
“You know of me, mighty Emperor?” queries Yu-Huang, parrying with his opponent in a blur of steel.
Yu-Huang knocks Baransu off-guard and kicks him in the chest, sending him reeling over a stone table. Baransu uses the table to prop himself up and wipes his brow as a cut on his forehead bleeds a multicoloured stream of paint. The two men stand their distance, both anticipating an opening in their opponent’s well-guarded defences.
“You are Yu-Huang Shangdi, the August Emperor in Jade, and son of Yuang-Shi,” says Baransu, respectfully this time.
The doors to the Tower of Guang suddenly barge open and a unit of Jade soldiers led by General Arachie and Kamui Li sprint to Yu-Huang's aid. Baransu looks at Kamui Li with familiarity forming a stance of attack, ready to do battle with his kin. As the army storms to Yu-Huang’s aid, Yu-Huang raises his hand in protest. As if by reflex, a large wide Bonsai tree rumbles from the ground, engulfing the warriors in wide leafy shadow. Much to Yu-Huang's confusion, the wide twisted tree withers back into the ground and the soldiers are nowhere to be seen. He can sense them alive and well, but for his sanity he cannot venture a guess as to the phenomenon that just occurred. Sensing his opponent moving, Yu-Huang shifts his focus back on Baransu.
“So, you have finally discovered how to use the first seed of the Bonsai, Yu-Huang Shangdi,” says Emperor Baransu.
“Only my mother and father know me by that name, how do you know of them?” says Yu-Huang.
“It matters not; you have not the power to wield the twin blades. Yield your sword and I may not cut off your head,” says Baransu, earnestly.
“There is no weapon I cannot wield, no evil I cannot defeat,” states Yu-Huang, wiping his forehead and panting tiredly.
“Why are you sweating, wise and powerful Yu-Huang, why do you tire?” asks the Samurai, genuinely.
Sensing the trickles of pouring down his temple, Yu-Huang, to his shock and mortification, realizes that he is in fact, sweating. He doesn’t understand it, he isn’t physically tired from fighting Baransu, it was deep stress causing him to perspire, a lack of control of his senses giving way to primal rage.
“The evil force within the Shikyo Blade has already begun to corrupt your soul, and you are not even holding it!” shouts Emperor Baransu.
“I care not, I need that blade!” screams Yu-Huang.
“Does your need for this blade not sound familiar to you? You are not the first to crave its power and you will not be the last. It’s the very reason I banished myself to this existence. Your soul must be that of filth before you even dare touch the hilt. Should the blade-wielder deprive the Shikyo of murderous thoughts and wicked deeds... it will feed on your soul from the inside out,” says Emperor Baransu.
“’Tis a price I am willing to pay for the mortals,” says Yu-Huang.
“You are noble and foolish,” says Emperor Baransu, disappointedly.
Having having no more patience for trying to reason with the non compliant warrior, Yu-Huang advances slowly and threateningly whilst dragging the edge of his Katana along the ground, creating waves of sparks and ear piercing screeches. Emperor Baransu prepares to attack
and Yu-Huang dashes forward. Yu-Huang lowers to his kneel and swings his blade in line with Emperor Baransu's wrist. Baransu grunts whilst clasping his wrist as his gauntlet armoured hand drops to the ground. Yu-Huang strolls casually past the Samurai's limb, melting into a blob of multicolored paint.Yu-Huang stands aside his downed opponent with sword held in line with his neck. Yu-Huang looks at the Shikyo blade out of Baransu's reach and takes it with an arrogant grin. Gripping the oozing and pulsating black handle, he glares at the atrocity and scowls at the ugliness of the crooked blunt blade. Holding it proudly, Yu-Huang suddenly yells in agony as black barbs suddenly shoot from the handle and through his hand. As the Shikyo bonds to him, the evil within the blade crawls, thrashes and writhes beneath his skin, injecting its sickness into his bloodstream. Yu-Huang's eyes turn pale as green and grey mouldy patches form around his head, leaving only a patch of healthy skin over his eye and cheek. Three sucker-ended black tentacles whip out from the hilt of the Shikyo and stab Yu-Huang in the wrist. He holds his throat and coughs violently as a large bulge climbs up his throat. Falling to his knees and slamming the floor with his fist, the head of large black centipede struggles to exit his mouth. Its long antennae wag in all directions as it climbs out and drops to the floor before scurrying away. He fights to breathe as his ripped and dislocated lower jaw dangles free, then he muffles another scream as a surging mass of cockroaches pushes through his eye balls.
Hundreds of black and brown critters hiss viciously, scuttling across his head as long legged spiders move under under the skin of his entire body. As the carnivorous insects eat through his skin, bursting free, Baransu regenerates his own hand and walks over to the blind Emperor, smiling with a self righteous sneer. Crunching sounds emerge from within Yu-Huang's body as splinters of bone snap through his arms and legs. He screams through clenched teeth as Baransu takes a knee in front of him, before removing his regenerated helmet.
“I warned you foolish one.Painful is it not? The Shikyo possesses a strong appetite, especially for those kind of heart and soul. I shall never forget the first time I held the Shikyo as it slowly dined upon my flesh and bones. You are fortunate, fortunate you are the son of Yuang-Shi. I could slay you right now, or I could allow you to suffer more the hunger of the Shikyo Blade. It would be more humane I think, to put you out of your misery right now. A good clean death, for a good clean man,” says Emperor Baransu.
The Samurai snatches the Shikyo blade from Yu-Huang's grasp and releases him from its vile curse. Yu-Huang falls flat on his face and lies semi-conscious as all the cannibalistic critters disappear into vapour. Yu-Huang closes his chewed eyelids and concentrates all of his power on healing himself. The regeneration process of regenerating his skin and eyes and reforming his bones takes longer than usual, and he hides his pain poorly. Upon healing completely, Yu-Huang looks up to Emperor Baransu and looks away in shame.
“A good clean death, do it,” says Yu-Huang, shamefully.
“Your time is not now,” says Baransu, plainly.
Emperor Baransu gestures for Yu-Huang to hand over the Yasu blade, which he does at a great loss of pride. Emperor Baransu spins the twin blades before sheathing them into opposite sayas on his back. Baransu then aids Yu-Huang to his feet.
“This, this cannot be... it was I who defeated Gong Gong the water God high above the peaks of Mount Buzhou,” states Yu-Huang in dismay.
“And the rains brought henceforth his defeat, and flooded the world in his tears of shame,” replies Baransu.
“It was I, I who defeated Zhu Rong the fire God. In combat we fought in the belly of the scorching earth. Battled we did, through lakes of fire 'til I reigned supreme in victory,” continues Yu-Huang, still astonished at his defeat by a mere blade.
“And the mountains spewed fire as far as the eye could see,” replies Baransu, once again highlighting the peril of Yu-Huang's battles. “I fear the consequences of your victory against the Darkness, we are too powerful to exist amongst the weak inhabitants of this realm,”
“We fight for the will of good in this world. The mortals possess more strength than you can possibly comprehend,” says Yu-Huang.
“But their frail and decomposing vessels do not; I hope you are right Yu-Huángdì, for their sakes. Ask yourself, how far are you prepared to go to ensure their survival,” asks Baransu.
“As far as destiny takes me,” replies Yu-Huang, stern faced.
“Even if your struggle to save them brings about their ruin?” replies Emperor Baransu.
“I... know not anymore,” replies Yu-Huang, honestly.
“Then your wisdom knows no bounds and you are one step closer to embracing your destiny,” says Baransu bowing respectfully.
“I do not understand,” replies Yu-Huang.
“Upon embracing the power of the twin blades, you will understand...everything. Until that day comes, the blades are in good hands and remain safe from the clutches of the Darkness. Sleep and dine well this day, Wise and Mighty Yu-Huang, earned it you have,” says Emperor Baransu with a proud nod.
Baransu fades away and reappears back into the portrait high in the Tower. Yu-Huang feels both troubled and relieved that he's discovered the twin blades. Relieved the guardian watching over them is a force for good who was not to be reckoned with. Troubled because he has not the power to wield the Shikyo. Yu-Huang realises he needs more time, but how much time before the armies of Darkness march upon the city, one can only guess. How long he ponders, months, years... a decade? The space between sundown and rise now feels borrowed, wasted. Everything he learns about his enemy reveals it to be stronger than him, and with each passing sun and moon, he feels this distant force becoming ever stronger. Yu-Huang doesn't dine that night as Emperor Baransu suggested, nor does he sleep, instead he ponders deeply over the meaning of Emperor Baransu's words.
“Upon embracing the power of the twin blades, you will understand... everything,” recalls Yu-Huang.
Yu-Huang appears startled, for he’d completely forgotten about Kamui Li and the General. On his throne, he concentrates on their whereabouts whilst looking at the palm of his hand. Yu-Huang senses the soldiers location, the safest place he could think of, the Red Sun village far beyond the Kunlun mountain range. Upon a windy mountain top in a decrepit village, Kamui Li, General Arachie and a unit of confused Jade soldiers sit around a campfire eating roast chicken. The group is silent, hoping their Emperor is safe, but in the back of their minds, each of them is wondering how they came to be in this desolate rundown village. General Arachie stares at Kamui Li from over the crackling fire.
“What do you stare at General? I told you this magic did not happen by my hand,” snaps Kamui Li.
“I said not a word,” replies the General.
“But that is what you are thinking,” replies Kamui Li.
“I entered the throne room, a tree grew in front of me, now I am here for reasons I cannot comprehend. You have no idea what I am thinking,” says the General displeased.
“I do not fear you General, were I the one responsible for our current predicament I would simply declare it,” says Kamui Li.
“If you say you are not responsible for this Necromancy, then I believe you,” says the General.
“Where are we?” asks Kamui Li, throwing him a pouch of salt.
“The Red Sun village, birthplace of Emperor Yu-Huang,” replies the General sprinkling a little salt on his chicken leg.
“Truly?” replies Kamui Li, restraining his excitement.
“Yes, the Black Dragon's stable lies atop that hill beside the temple, where Yu-Huang once called home,” says the General pointing to a nearby hill.
“Xīngzhī yè kāihuā (Star Night Blossom) hill,” says Kamui Li, in awe.
Suddenly the rocks around their campfire shake and rise and a long winding trunk extends its long leafy green branches to shelter them in shadow. As the tree recedes back into the ground, the group of men find themselves eating chicken in mid fall as they each plummet into a lake withi
n the Huanghua city. Yu-Huang had concentrated hard on a safe destination to transport the soldiers, considering this was his first conscious effort using the Bonsai portals, a lake wasn't a bad first effort. Kamui Li and the soldiers swim to the surface away from the underwater Bonsai tree. The General spits out a mouthful of water, glaring at Kamui Li.
“What Sorcery is this?” grumbles the General.
“It is possible Emperor Yu-Huang has mastered the art of the Bonsai seed,” muses Kamui Li.