Thunder rang in the sky as torrents of rain poured down from the heavens. Beneath these skies, gold and azure robes fluttered under flowing cloaks as the Fan clan legion marshaled aboard their transport ship. From either side of the wide flat upper deck, that stretched for 25 meters, torrential waves of flickering silver poured onto the deck.
If observed from afar, the ship seemed as if it was being pinched between two giant silvery hands while a waterfall fell all around it. It would, of course, be hard to observe this as the thick rainfall of the storm stretched for hundreds of kilometers and was currently covering a large part of the Flowing Grass Valley. Amid this storm, the stalwart soldiers of the legion shunted away the mass swarm of mirage carp like water parting before a sword.
All around staves and flying daggers flitted here and there as each squad assembled in a common battle formation. Fan Zhong was currently inside of such an arrangement with his own squad, engaging the largest mirage wave he had ever seen. Admittedly, that wasn’t a high bar as he had only seen one such occurrence during his journey with Sir Teng due to the jolly old merchant purchasing many warding talismans for their journey.
However, the troop transport he was on had no such luck, as it was larger and forced to move much faster. Normally, ships that sailed the Flowing Grass River would only lightly use arrays and talismans that manipulated water qi to move faster as the process of doing so agitated the more aggressive aquatic life of the river. This luxury had not been afforded the Fan clan legion however as the request for them to reinforce Forest Depths Village had been urgent and so they had risked pushing their vessel forward at full speed.
Add to this, the river being more active during rainfall, and it was understandable how the conditions had attracted the large swarm of mirage carp. Some luck had remained at their side as the larger predators that lurked in the deepest regions of the water, of which the ship was currently pressing through, had remained scarce. This was most likely to do with the use of, at the great insistence of Fan Ping to the elders after she discovered their traveling conditions, four ‘calm waters’ talismans.
Under normal conditions, a single one of these was enough to keep the greater danger at bay, something to do with keeping the deeper water calmer while the surface was allowed to churn. At first Fan Zhong had thought it prohibitively expensive to use four of the sought-after talismans. However, now that he had a few large bleeding gashes from mirage carp he was happy that things deemed more dangerous had been safely warded away.
Focusing his mind, Fan Zhong marveled at his new ability to process thought. During the entire assessment of his surroundings and thoughts about the logistics of their situation, only the time for a single strike of his staff had passed. While his blows weren’t the fastest it wasn’t uncommon for multiple suck attacks to be traded in only one to two seconds during combat.
Just four days ago, before he advanced to the second-grade realm, his mind wouldn’t have been able to do such a thing. Now, he was already flowing into a second shifting palm technique while his mind remained agile. It had vexed Fan Zhong that not much time had been given for him to acclimate to his new realm alas, he supposed, the heavens waited for no one.
Internally sighing, he focused back on the formation of his squad. Currently, he was standing to the left of Su Fen who was arm's length away and about a meter ahead of him. To the older warrior's right was Zi Bao, between them and directly behind Su fen was Fan Yong who stood slightly back from the center of the three. Mo Hui was standing to Fan Zhong’s left and Su Dai was to Zi Bao’s right, both about a meter away and slightly farther backward.
In this way, the three warriors and two observers formed a loose V shape with Su Fen at its head and Fan Yong standing in the center of the formation. This formation was formally known as ‘Two Eyes Observe the Four Roaming Earths’ and was the primary arrangement clan squads assumed in battle. The idea was for the leading most powerful martial artist to break open the enemy and use powerful techniques while the two warriors beside him focused on using shifting palm strikes to protect the leader.
Meanwhile, the observers would use their techniques to aid in defending either of the two side warriors and loose their flying daggers at gaps in the enemy defenses. For more experienced observers this also allowed them good positioning to activate illusion techniques to give the warriors between them extra protection and offensive capabilities. Lastly, the fourth warrior could launch defensive techniques to help any of the three warriors at the head of the group, letting him assist the person most in need.
Additionally, this last warrior could spot enemies flanking the formation, and if the group became surrounded he could turn outward. From here the warriors could form a wider circle with the observers inside of it striking from within the wall of staves their fellows put up. In all, the technique was solid although Fan Zhong felt that it would take time to acclimate its use.
Downing the sixth mirage carp since his thoughts started the young warrior's mind turned to his companion Little White. Currently, the water wolf was still in Little Green Bamboo Village, due to this being a far larger operation. During small-scale team assignments, the elders could allow for unique accommodations.
However, with this large scale, military defense uniform order became important and so reluctantly Little White had been left in the caring arms of Fan Jingyi. Not the whole clan had been given orders yet and since his little sister was one of the youngest currently active observers it was unlikely she would be deployed in anything short of a whole clan mustering. Thus, Little White was guaranteed to have a familiar face around along with Fan Jia who was in the same boat as Fan Jingyi.
Thinking of his family brought a heaviness to his thoughts and Fan Zhong physically shivered as he connected an origin palm strike into a mirage carp diving at Su Fen’s shoulder. The blow rang true with his dozens of hours of practice and instead of dropping to the deck the small silver devil was smashed into fishy pulp. Fan Zhong took a deep breath as he juggled the staff along the top of his outstretched palm, the weapon blurring as his other hand connected with it mid-spin.
In an arc, the staff swiveled between his two palms in an earth shifting palm technique to collide with three mirage carp in a single swing before pivoting to rest back in his void gate stance. Rain poured from his cloak as slow breaths escaped his lips, visible in the air that the downpour had made frigid. Each drop felt like a pinprick of cold as it slipped down Fan Zhong’s cloak, each second the cold subsuming him, amplifying the dull aching pain of his wounds.
It felt as if the heavens themselves were mocking his attempts as they drenched his resplendent robes, making his miserable physical existence mirror his inner thoughts. This war had been a long time in the making he knew however, the images of the joyful happy faces of those he had met this past year echoed in his mind. How many of them had suffered or would suffer because of this conflict.
Not to mention that there was no telling how many of those here on this very vessel would be alive in six months when the alliance marshaled their forces. It was all because he was too weak, too small to walk up and tell that upstart Wei lordling to dispense with this madness. However, where were those who were strong?
Where was his brother when people were dying? Where was his father when the heavens were falling on the people of the Flowing Grass Valley? His father could sunder mountains and divert rivers, suppress the nine heavens and tenths earths with his palms! Where was the most powerful man when his people needed him most?!
Outrage building Fan Zhong pushed all of his strength into an origin palm piercing technique drilling. His staff shot out like a lashing cobra extending and retracting to stance while leaving a fist-sized hole in a line of five mirage carp. Heavy breath came from his lips as he returned to the void gate stance and before he could strike out again a dull thud sounded out to his left.
Looking over, Fan Zhong saw Mo Hui on the ground with two mirage carp in the air about to gut him while two more flopped about on the deck by his feet. On his outer right leg, a large gash was cut and another ran along his left shoulder. Feeling the pain from his own wounds, an old friend in battle to Fan Zhong at this point, he immediately spun his staff and lunged.
‘Momentum of Shifting Earth’ took effect as Fan Zhong cut his step short to channel the motion into his staff and then brought it back into his legs. This stopped the motion of his weapon but let him generate more instant speed. In just a moment he arrived at Mo Hui’s side and swept the two fiends out of their deadly arc with a mortal shifting palm using his right hand.
This sent the two mirage carp sailing past Mo Hui and further onboard around 10 meters on the deck in a rush smearing them across the wet floorboards. Pulling his stuff vertical he swept the bottom of it downward in a sweeping motion using a heaven shifting palm to flick the mirage carp on the deck into the railing. Finally with his left hand pressing down on the upper portion of his weapon Fan Zhong leaned over Mo Hui and smashed the remaining Mirage carp into a pulp with a heaven origin palm.
“Take care of him, junior brother Fan Zhong, I’ll hold my own” Su Fen’s voice was muffled under the crashing thunder and shouting from around them but Fan Zhong managed to understand the words.
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Leaning down, he pulled some herbs from the depths of his robes, and while holding his cloak over the downed younger man applied them the best he could. The water got everywhere and Fan Zhong had no idea if what he had done would be effective. However, the wounds seemed to look worse than they were and he was positive Mo Hui wouldn’t die from them. This was confirmed when the young observer nodded at him and tried to stand
It took a moment but with Fan Zhong’s assistance, he was back on his feet in just a moment. Looking around, he could see that there were at least half a dozen other warriors having medical attention applied to them. In the center of the deck, there was a large tarp attached to some post that seemed to have some sort of array to keep out the rain. Under this were some three or four members of the legion lying on blankets.
Glancing around he could now see that the members of the headquarters squad were scattered about and were providing aid to those squads most in need while also covering for the wounded. Fan Ping was covering an entire section by herself while allowing three rather short manned squads to catch their breaths. Surely enough, after he had been looking around for just a moment a familiar member of the headquarters squad approached him in a blur of motion. Fan Shun looked the same as he always had with perhaps the exception of growing his hair slightly longer and the golden glow in his eyes from reaching the master realm.
Curiously enough, Fan Zhong noted that the older warrior had a small pin on his collar depicting a golden palm with an azure eye at the center. He hadn’t noticed the detail earlier but it made sense that those who were expected to act as officers for the commander had some symbol of station or rank.
“Junior Warrior Fan Zhong, it's good to see you. Although it’s unfortunate, pleasantries will have to wait for later. I have orders to see that all wounded get to the medical station. If no one is to die to the enemy then it would be embarrassing for someone to succumb to mere fish, no?” Fan Shun said in his ever stoic tone, only the barest hint of amusement and happiness at seeing his nephew seeping through.
“This one understands honorable senior, may your blade strike true and your foes fall quickly” Fan Zhong intoned in the most overly formal tone he could while bowing, if there was anyone who would understand the irony of him being so well obeyed then surely Fan Shun could.
With this Fan Zhong slung the arm of Mo Hui over his shoulder and began walking the younger man to the medical station. Shame boiled in his heart as he looked over the junior observer. Here he had been, thinking unfilial and unkind things about his family yet Mo Hui was fighting with all he had to fulfill their mission.
Deep down, Fan Zhong knew it wasn’t that he was mad at his father or brother, it was at himself for being so weak. It seemed that this too was simply part of him that one day he would need to accept it to walk forward on his path. The idea scared him, the thought of truly accepting a side of him that produced such emotions.
Shaking his head they continued forward and arrived at the medical station. Here, Fan Zhong was able to see that it was monitored by the one squad made up entirely of observers and supervised by an observer from the headquarters squad. After being directed to a spot he set Mo Hui down gently and with a few grunts of pain the younger man was on a relatively dry pile of blankets.
“Th… Thank you, senior Fan Zhong,” Mo Hui managed to speak through clenched teeth, his tone was gentle and deep like rolling hills stretched across a wide step.
It was obvious that the young man had little battle experience and even less being injured. This moment felt odd for Fan Zhong as he had always been the one with sincere thanks and apologies to his seniors. Now he realized that it had been almost two years since his service as a warrior had started.
As it was Fan Zhong was no longer the most junior member of the clan wherever he went. Thinking back on it he remembered that during his first battle with the bear during his warrior trial he had been wounded quite badly. It was probably through clenched teeth and fear of shame that he too had quietly suffered through such wounds.
Although it wasn’t truly that long ago it felt like another lifetime to Fan Zhong. With a sigh, he made a silent promise to be more centered and aware of his teammates, especially those more junior to him. Had he not been musing about his internal struggles then it was very possible his enhanced senses would have seen the attack that toppled Mo Hui.
“You have no one to thank but yourself, junior brother Hui,” Fan Zhong smiled at him as warmly as he could manage. “What brought you through today was the results of hard work and skill. No one, not even the heavens themselves, can take that away from you. Rest easy now the seniors will good care of you”
The young observer’s eyes lit up at being referred to so familiarly. Normally senior clan members reserved such terms of address for those they highly respected. However, Fan Zhong was treating him as an equal, the same as someone who had fought through multiple life and death struggles with him. With the last of his strength, Mo Hui simply nodded without knowing what to say.
A single drop fell down his face then, from the rain or from himself who could say. If one asked the warriors they would simply say battles were good days for rain.
After this, the battle with the mirage wave continued for around half an hour, pushing the legion to its limit. At the climax, the headquarters squad pushed themselves to cover the entire ship with three to each side of the deck. Finally, after another five minutes, which felt like an eternity, the mirage carp felt enough of their numbers had been lost and returned to the depths of the river.
Thankfully, by the next morning, the storm had cleared and with just two more days of travel, the voyage to cross to the northern banks of the Flowing Grass River ended. Beleaguered and exhausted, the legion disembarked onto the docks of the Village of the Sky Splitting Spear, one of the stronger martial footholds of the Wang clan. From here they received ten supply wagons from the local Fan clan branch that had been prepared by the valley clan alliance.
Hasty preparations were made as each squad was assigned to drive and guard one of the wagons. Meanwhile, Fan Ping split her headquarters members up with each one supervising two of the wagons. The commander herself stayed at the head of the column guarding a wagon alone leaving the officer guarding the lead set of wagons with only one to watch over.
Blessedly after the first day of nonstop marching, they were allowed to take a rest. Fan Zhong almost collapsed onto his bedroll before Su Fen could hand out the watch schedule and the rest of his squad was fairing little better. Fan Yong and Mo Hui in particular had to be awoken with particularly cold buckets of water to the face, an experience Fan Zhong knew all too.
In all, only Su Fen and Su Dai still seemed to be in fighting condition by the end of that day and as such they took pity on their juniors, allowing Fan Yong and Mo Hui to sleep the whole night. Fan Zhong, however, now that he was a ‘senior’ second-grade martial artist was expected to perform as a veteran and take the first watch. The watch was long and made him wish for the companionship of Little White if only to hug the ever-lovable wolf as a source of comfort.
Unfortunately, the warm soft fur of his companion was far away at this point and so Fan Zhong suffered under the watch eyes of the heavens. After what seemed like an eternity Su Dai awoke and relieved him, causing the once pampered young master turned warrior to enter a deep sleep. Upon waking the next morning, all that greeted him was more grueling marching which left little room for talk.
Although he was able to lightly banter with Fan Yong and Zi Bao the atmosphere was far too tense for much conversation to happen. In this strained way, the legion made their way to Forest Depths Village. They arrived around noon to the smell of fire and sounds of screaming.
Smoke rose into the sky along the road as the legion approached from the southern gates of the village. Loud sounds of battle could be heard from within as fleeing villagers ran out of the gates. Fan Ping jumped into action immediately and assigned the observer-only squad to set up a healing and refugee station.
The same officer who had overseen the wounded coordinated this and one more normal squad was left to guard supplies as well as aid the villagers. Of the remaining squads, they were split into two parts with four squads in each. For the first section, they would be led by Fan Ping and a warrior officer in the first-grade realm to cut through the enemy and secure the western gate of Forest Depths village. Fan Shun would lead the remaining half of the legion with two other headquarters officers to defeat the primary enemy force inside the village.
Once the western gate was secured Fan Ping would hold it herself with two squads while giving the other two to the command of her remaining senior officer. From there they would spread out to the perimeters of the village before sweeping inward. Meanwhile, Fan Shun’s forces would sweep outward from the center of the village after dealing with the main enemies.
In this way, the village would be secured quickly and they could bring the supplies inside to use the walls and buildings to gain a strong defensive position. Fan Zhong’s mind was spinning as the orders were delivered quickly but his second-grade mental energy absorbed the information greedily, not letting him forget a bit of it. Soon they approached the gate to find two unorganized groups of around a dozen opponents each tormenting a few men over the corpses of their fellow villagers.
The mercenaries were varied with men and women as well as a few who had signs of non-human ancestry such as reddish skin. A golden-haired woman even seemed to have a long tail that stretched out behind her, scaled and reflecting in the sunlight. They wore different banners and crests with no seeming rhyme or reason to their armament.
Among them, the golden-haired woman had a purple scarf wrapped around her lower face with a black cloak drawn about her. The only other notable of the bunch was a man with the unmistakable colors of the Wei. He was dressed in an ornate green martial robe with a spear that had emerald inlays inscribed on the haft.
Fan Ping swept forward, blitzing past the other senior officers as her flying daggers blurred streaking outward. Three of the mercenaries fell from direct wounds scored by the streaking silver blurs while a dozen copies of the attacks stretched out in every variation that the commander could have moved. Five weaker warriors were struck and instantly collapsed, whether from real wounds or broken minds it was hard to tell in the confusion.
Seven of those attacked managed some form of defense and survived the first exchange, however they weren’t prepared for the onslaught of fast attacks a veteran master realm expert could execute. Almost as soon as the first attacks landed Fan Ping was clashing with the Wei clan leader, the haft of his spear whirling as several showers of sparks appeared around the two as they exchanged physical blows. Billowing outward from the two experts engaging qi phantoms streaked outward from Fan Ping’s blades each time they clashed.
With the ensuing tide of attacks the mercenaries were overwhelmed just trying to defend themselves and so when the legion arrived in the wake of their commander what ensued could barely be called a battle. Fan Zhong lashed out with an earth-receiving palm, his right foot driving the bottom of his staff into the temple of a man that had tried to bring a mace down at him caving in the attacker’s skull. At the corner of his eye, a spear shaft flashed towards his right shoulder and was pushed aside by a shifting palm technique from Fan Yong covering him from behind.
Silver flashed to his left and Mo Hui struck out at an attacker who had gotten too close to them with his back turned to face another clan warrior. A loud thunderclap rang out as quiet settled over the clearing inside the open gates. Standing behind the woman with golden hair Fan Shun calmly sheathed his blade in the same ceremonial way required by his technique. In the distance the Wei clan warrior screamed inhumanly as he started clawing out his own eyes, falling to the ground amid the rest of the corpses.
Behind Fan Shun the golden-haired woman wore a face of stunned disbelief as she held her shield before her. It was a glorious shield of gold and silver that seemed to exude power yet as she slumped forward it, like her body, fell in two perfectly bisected halves. Without even a moment's pause, the legion separated and Fan Zhong’s squad stayed with Fan Shun as they had been assigned.
The next moments were a blur as remote and separate groups of Wei clan soldiers and mercenaries were utterly dismantled by the weight of the organized legion. Arriving at the town square Fan Zhong saw that the enemy had fled rather than stay to engage them. Huddled amid a barricaded town hall where the citizens of Forest Depths village, with the bodies of almost one hundred enemies and defenders strewn about the square.
After a few hours of securing the village, it became clear that the enemy had withdrawn most of their forces at the sight of organized resistance and the day was a clear victory for the Fan Clan. Listening to the mournful wails of the living and the silence of the dead, Fan Zhong had a hard time considering it so. There was no glory here, no valorous battle, only dead men and those they left behind.
Staring at the ruin of the battle he could only think that soldiers told each other of glory and honor because those small brittle things were the only trinkets that kept them from madness.