“(What have you done?!)”

The shout of a man. Surprised. Apprehensive.

���� kept her sword at the ready, turning to face the approaching warrior. He wore robes similar to hers, dark and handsome. Was it a martial uniform, then?

White beard. Tall, imposing figure. Muscles tensed.

���� felt her sword dissipate into aether-- and from only a momentary lapse in her concentration.

Her ⌈Soul Blade⌋ was so frail that it couldn’t exist outside her master’s will.

She had truly become weak.

She raised her chin defiantly, ⸨Are you Sect Leader Song or have you come to bring me to him?⸩

The old warrior furrowed his bushy brows.

“(So an assassin has appeared after all,)” he said. “(Who are you, sorcerer? And what have you done with my granddaughter?)”

Huh. Granddaughter? Interesting.

���� would have loved to give her name-- if she knew it. But anyroad...

⸨I have no qualms with you, Grandfather,⸩ she said, ⸨Reveal to me my purpose.⸩

The old man narrowed his eyes, “(You have no right to call me grandfather. The real Xiaoxue called upon me with pride, not suspicion.)”

He snapped his fingers and a trio of guards appeared by his side.

Their souls were dark, haunted by the spirits of the slain. Their auras flared with unrestrained killing intent.

���� might have been weak, but she was not afraid.

She formed a new ⌈Soul Blade⌋, condensing its form... shaping it into an arrow.

No-- the triangular point of an arrowhead was enough.

“Go,” she whispered.

It struck the eye of a guard. The eruption of blood stained the old man’s robes.

“(Capture her!!)” he screamed.

���� swiped her hand to the side. The arrow tip emerged from the dead guard’s skull, piercing the neck of the one beside him.

They held their hands on both ends of the wound, trying in vain to stop the bleeding. They gurgled their final, dying scream.

The last charged toward her, a sword thrust aimed at her chest.

⌈Quake Step⌋

���� stomped down, the bricks underfoot cracking apart and catching her assailant’s lead foot. They fell to the ground, their ankle twisted and broken.

She lifted her leg once more and higher, then landed an oppressive heel to the back of their neck.

Her muscles ached-- argh... her body was so young-- how did it also lack flexibility?

⸨Stand down,⸩ she commanded. ⸨I am no assassin.⸩

The old man lowered his chin, gritting his teeth.

“(Your words do not match your actions, Senior. Those were my most veteran Shadow Warriors, having served me for decades.)”

⸨They were naught but murderous tools, their souls too stained to be of any worth,⸩ ���� said. ⸨Your granddaughter-- did you plan for her to become like them?⸩

The old man narrowed his eyes.

“(I... plan to adopt her into the family,)” he said hesitantly, “(to raise her amongst her cousins... to ensure she--)”

⸨Stop,⸩ ���� commanded. ⸨You. dare. lie. to my gods-damned face? Do you have no shame? How long have you been deceiving this child? How long have you been deceiving yourself?⸩

The old warrior winced, averting his gaze.

He sighed deeply...

“(I aim to find her instructors to teach her art and etiquette to prepare her for marriage... all for the benefit of our family.)”

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

And thus, the truth came to light...

���� looked to the old man with grave disappointment. From his crestfallen tone and diminished spirit, it was not a gift-- it was a condemnation.

What a poor, pitiful girl his Xiaoxue was. For all that fool child’s trust in her grandfather, her only worth to him was as a pawn in his political schemes.

“(But I am a fool,)” Song said, “(I am old. And I am afraid.)”

He looked up, the strength of his spirit slowly returning, “(But you gave me hope, Xiaoxue. I do not know what you were planning... but you see the world differently than I do. I do not know what I hope for you... but I want to support you.)”

���� sneered at him mockingly, ⸨You doubt.⸩

“(That is MY FAILING!)” the old man shouted.

He fell to his knees and bowed his head low, almost touching the ground, “(I am WEAK! I am foolish... and I am desperate. Please, Senior... return my granddaughter to me. I swear to THE HEAVENS that I will do right by her!)”

���� cringed in disgust. But... she could sense the man’s sincerity.

It was true. He was foolish... but she recognized the spirit of a hero in him. Song was a man who knew justice in his heart, concealed by the cowardice that had washed away.

⸨Raise thy head, Grandfather of Xiaoxue. It is not I who can absolve you of your weakness.⸩

The man stood up, keeping his head bowed. He thrust his hands forward in a peculiar salute.

“(My thanks, Senior Sister.)”

He was shedding tears.

The lack of professionalism was appalling... but ���� could not fault him.

...She even found it endearing. And perhaps his ‘Xiaoxue’ would feel the same.

⸨Speak, Warrior. If your granddaughter was returned to you, what would you do, then?⸩

Song gulped... he clenched his eyes shut. But he took a deep breath and shouted his resolution.

“(I will train her as my direct disciple! Though her spirit is strong, her body must be strengthened! She will learn the martial forms of the Eternal Sun sect! And, whatever path she chooses, I will support her until my dying breath!)”

���� kept her bearing despite feeling a dozen shades embarrassed by the honest declaration. Until his dying breath? What kind of warrior had so much love for his granddaughter? Didn’t that only happen in stories?

But then again... she was certain that her mentor’s love for her was no less.

Hm... why did she keep thinking of that person? It seemed so arbitrary, considering she had so few memories. Yet there was an emotion remaining that couldn’t be erased so easily.

She shook her head.

At least it seemed like the woman named Xiaoxue was worth her grandfather’s affection.

���� pressed her fingers against her wrist to check her condition.

She sensed... that the strength of her bond to the world was fading.

She was indifferent to the revelation. She somehow sensed that her consciousness was only temporary.

She stretched her arms... then, crouched down and began stretching her legs. As a favor to Xiaoxue, ���� could start her training one sun early.

Even if her mind forgot, her body would remember.

⸨Very well. Prepare the healers, Grandfather. I will be working this body until it collapses. Your Xiaoxue will be returned to you, then.⸩

----------------------------------------

���� trained with purpose and without mercy. Her body was young. It would heal.

Her feet bled. Her muscles trembled and ached. Her lungs gasped for air, each breath a cherished gift.

She supported her physique with her paltry mana reserves until her head spun.

But humans are resilient creatures.

When the sun started to set, her ‘grandfather’ summoned her for a meal. After determining she was in no danger, she accepted.

The fare was divine. Even if she did have her memories, she was almost certain that those wrapped meat things were conjured by an expert blessed by the gods.

Grandfather called them ‘dumplings’.

Her mentor would have loved them.

After dinner, she returned to training. She broke down her body before using mana to accelerate her recovery. And once the benefits started to wane, she started developing her other aspects. She formed a basic mana conduit. She imprinted a breathing technique into her instincts. She purified the harmful accumulation of mana as best she could.

She wanted to do so much more...

As she sensed her time coming to an end, she demanded ink and parchment from one of Grandfather’s servants-- the disrespectful one from earlier.

She was refused.

She took his ear.

She was planning on taking his tongue, as well-- maybe his arm. If ink was in short supply, the blood of lesser creatures was not. However, a different, more reasonable servant arrived shortly after.

And so ���� wrote her missive.

...to the girl who was reborn with her soul.

She shared her secrets... advices on how to train her body... how to artificially narrow her circuits to achieve a higher mana output... her journey over so many decades, shaping her ⌈Soul Blade⌋ with her will.

And... she wrote about her mentor.

She wrote about... a feeling that was more than respect, more than camaraderie... maybe even more than love.

She asked Xiaoxue to find him.

She asked her to keep him safe.

And after ���� dried her useless tears... she left the missive on her bedside table, knowing it would guide her journeys well over the coming suns.

Finally... with her eyelids heavy and her heart even heavier, she slipped underneath the covers of the mind-numbingly soft bed of her new world.

She closed her eyes.

And she drifted off to sleep, chasing after her faceless mentor, even in her dreams.