CHAPTER 3

Back to when it all started, Bian’s eyes snap open as the importance of her new mission courses–like lightning–through her veins. Pulling herself up from the ground is more painful than she expected, but nothing compares to the sensation she felt when her spirit first merged with Ha Linh. The rubble shifts with her movements, causing a nearby wall to collapse, revealing a hidden room. Bian drags her battered body toward the room and lights the torch Mai Ly insisted they all bring.

The room is small, so it isn’t long before the light reveals the body of a woman. From the golden robes still draped around her, it’s clear this is Ha Linh. The spirit is unusually quiet. Ha Linh, the founder of Ahn Sang and a hero to the thousands who lived in her city, died alone in the darkness. From the marks around the room, it’s clear she tried to fight her way out, but her spirit was too weak after the ambush.

Bian can’t leave her body like this. As she moves to pick up the corpse, she notices a journal in its hand—tattered, but still legible.

“What is this?” Bian calls out to the spirit.

After a moment, Ha Linh answers, “It’s my final memory… before it became too difficult to write. Take it. We’re going to use it to hunt down those traitors.”

Bian looks around some more, remembering the mission that originally intrigued them. “Where are your bracers? We were sent down here to retrieve them.”

Ha Linh laughs bitterly, “They took everything from me! Those treacherous bastards. Of course, they would lie to each other as well. They cut me down and stole my belongings. All they left me was a journal to record my final days. To plan my revenge.”

Bian gathers Ha Linh's corpse and places it alongside Mai’s. She whispers a small prayer to her fallen friends before leaving.

With Ha Linh's spirit at her side, she will not only seek vengeance for her sisters but right a wrong in history. The Coalition's power was built on lies and deceit, and it’s time for the truth to rise. With each step she takes, memories of her sisters flash through her mind, fueling her as she claws her way through dirt and stone. After hours of battling the temple debris, she finally sees a sliver of sunlight. Her moment of joy is quickly eclipsed by a familiar chittering sound that surrounds her.

The Quis are still here. Were they waiting for her? Did they sense the spirit of Ha Linh? These questions race through her mind, but none of it matters at the moment. All she needs to know is how to survive. That’s when the spirit calls out to her, "Use me. Use the rage within you."

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Without further explanation, Bian looks deep within herself. Betrayed by the teacher she trusted, her sisters cut down, and these monsters daring to attack her again—Bian is not in short supply of rage. A deep anger swells inside her until it finally bursts out in quick and decisive movements against the Quis. Bian has never felt such power surging within her, every sense heightened to an inhuman degree. Is this what Ha Linh felt every time she fought? This power, this greatness—Bian was not herself and she loved it!

After mere seconds, all the Quis are destroyed, their spirits dissipating in a howl.

“That was amazing! I’ve never felt so strong! I—” Before she can finish her celebration, Bian is suddenly overwhelmed with a pain so intense she can do nothing but let out a scream that echoes throughout the chamber. Like a thousand burning needles coursing through her body, each trying to pierce her skin.

“What is this?! What’s happening to me?” Bian cries out.

Ha Linh pushes Bian through the pain. "Control yourself! Endure! What did you think would happen when you wielded my power?"

"You monster! What are you doing to me? You're killing me!" Bian screams, her body finally feeling the full effects of using Ha Linh’s powers. Looking at her body, Bian notices that her fists are cracked from the punches, her nose bleeding, and she’s doing everything she can to not cough up blood. Luckily, her anger is a good distraction from the pain.

"No! I saved you! You were already dead, child, and I gave you power. Did you think it would come without consequences?" Ha Linh's unremorseful tone cuts through the pain.

Bian knows she’s right. Her life had been as good as gone anyway, but that doesn’t make the pain any more bearable.

Through gritted teeth, Bian mutters, "So, what happens to me now?"

Ha Linh’s tone softens as Bian does, "We have a year. Maybe less. Pure magic is coursing through your body, and every time you use my spirit, it’ll take a little bit of your life force. Use it too much, and your body will crumble. If you don’t use it at all, you’ll be killed before getting your revenge. Face it—we need each other. It’s too late to turn back now."

Bian clenches her fist—feeling every bruise and cut—at the thought of being stuck with Ha Linh. Just yesterday, she would have been excited at the idea of meeting her hero, but now, this... creature of malevolent anger.

Even in their brief interaction, Bian can feel Ha Linh’s resentment of the Coalition is beginning to corrupt her. Will she even last a year? How long until Ha Linh fully takes over? As these questions race through her mind, Bian bites down on her lip, hard enough to draw blood. "Fine. A year is more than enough."

Ha Linh lets out an uncharacteristically genuine smile. The two continue toward the light until finally breaking through the rubble. After what seems like an eternity, Bian and Ha Linh meet the sun with renewed vigor, vengeance pulsing in their hearts. To fight the pain, Bian repeats the questions in her mind. “Who wanted to send us here? Did they send the Quis?” And most importantly, “Why did Tien Lam betray us?”

Even after all Tien did, Bian can’t help but hope that maybe her teacher had a good reason…

It matters little now. She’ll get these answers before killing the first of the Coalition.