Epilogue 3: Loves Last Champion
Emperor Kadra
Vengeance burned in his heart, where love used to be. Rage, quiet, still, cold rage settled there now that his enemy was dead. Kadra sat and meditated on this truth, a truth satisfied now. A truth that revealed the horror, deceit, and betrayal of the Emperor.
Vengeance.
Cold, calculating, vengeance. And it was his. Satisfaction, what little he allowed himself to feel, swept through him as he held the marble in his hand. It was his connection to his patron. To his guide into the heavens.
He cultivated this truth. This aspect of the Dao inside himself. And energy flowed freely into him.
Then, almost as if someone had blown out a candle, it was gone and panic nearly gripped him.
No, not gone. Only weaker. Slower. As if he were cultivating alone now, rather than next to his master who had been guiding him as he cycled.
“What in the . . .”
I will return. The words filled Kadra’s ears as if a real person had spoken them. They were angry, hot with rage. But he felt it deep in his bones. My sister will watch over you, for what that’s worth. His patron clearly had contempt for this woman, this goddess whoever she was. Try not to die.
Then, as suddenly as his satisfied vengeance had slowed his ability to cultivate now his patron was gone, another, far more familiar feeling creeped up from the depths of his frozen heart.
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Pain. Aching grief that threatened to overwhelm him. Tears streamed down Kadra’s face as he bent down in his cultivation room and put his head to the sacred reed mat he was sitting on. His head bowed to the single candle still lit in the makeshift shrine to his familial dead.
He remembered them now. Not as a duty to avenge, not as rage at their absence. For this is how he had thought of them for so long. But instead he remembered their faces. What it was like to hold them, his children, his wives, his nieces and nephews and grandchildren all. Sacrificed at the altar of his pride, of his tradition, and of his duty.
He wept as the parade of loves turned bitter in his heart threatened to overwhelm him.
A hand pressed gently, reassuringly on his back as he kowtowed to the ghosts of the dead who haunted him. “Peace, my borrowed champion. Peace. Remember why you fight, and who you fight for even now.”
The faces of his living loved ones, though they were far outnumbered by the dead, paraded through his mind. And the soul rending cracks in his heart began to heal. He was not alone. There were still those he cared for, and who cared for him.
He was not alone.
“And remember this. Vengeance can not exist, without the love that inspired it. Love of self, love of others, love of life. While your patron is gone, be my champion. One last time.” There was an almost grief in the goddesses voice, but it was a subtle thing. Something that Kadra wasn’t sure if he had imagined or not.
Then as quickly as she was there, she was gone. And the burden on his soul lingered, but eased.
Kadra sat up, tears staining his face as he wiped the moisture away. Then in his open palm, he found the glass bead. But instead of an orange angry flame at its center, a red almost pink one flickered there. Vulnerable, defiant in the face of his grief.
And Kadra made a decision.
He would be Love's champion. One last time.
THE END
Thank you for reading book 1 of Reincarnated As A Peasant (RAAP). We reached (or nearly did ;) ) the 500 follower goal! So, I will be taking a short hiatus, about two months, while I get started on book 2 and start editing those chapters of book 1 I haven’t yet revised yet here on RR and over on my Substack. I'll be taking your feedback into consideration. I promise, It shouldn't be long until new chapters start appearing here.
But if you want to read new rough draft chapters before the hiatus is over? You'll need to join the Substack. There will also be art on there soon, veeeeery soon :) And a map. A really cool, definitely finished, and not at all totally messed up map.
Soon.
Much love to all of you, and as always, I hope you've enjoyed book 1 of RAAP, as much as I have LOVED writing it!