Giving Mama Bun a sweet kiss goodbye, Song placed the snoring rabbit in bed with the rest of the sleeping bunnies, their ears and legs twitching every so often as they unconsciously snuggled against their sizable mother. On the cusp of forming her Spiritual Heart, Mama Bun was easily twice the size of her children, who were already larger than the average bicorn rabbit, marking her as a true paragon of her species, though this wasn’t worth much. At most, she was only a little tougher than other rabbits, her skull and neck bones sturdy enough to bear the weight of her forceful headbutts, but these days, she and all the other rabbits had little need to defend themselves.
Unlike Song, whose time would be better spent preparing for battle instead of staring at sleeping animals, but given recent revelations revealed just how insidious the Enemy could be, the mere thought of confronting these new foes was enough to unnerve her.
Armed with Spiritual Sabre and Runic Breastplate, Song feared no Defiled Champion or Demonic Miscreations, but her trusted weapon and durable armour gave no defence against the ethereal Spectres, with their cunning schemes and duplicitous whispers. Mind thrown into turmoil by the discovery of this new foe, she spent hours agonizing over every thought, idea, and decision which passed through her head, wondering if it’d been placed there by her unseen foes. Worse, in a moment of horrific clarity, she concluded this wasn’t the first time she’d attracted their attentions and almost succumbed to their lies, for it explained much about her state of mind over the past few months. Her dispirited dejection, bouts of uncontrollable crying, and inadvertent triggering of her Heavenly Oaths, all this and more could be explained by the presence of Spectres, a revelation which sapped away courage and left her trembling in debilitating terror.
How was she to defend herself against a foe which could neither be seen nor slain? Would she even notice if her mind’s defences were compromised and she’d succumbed to the Enemy? Her Oaths were supposed to strike her dead if she should ever turn Defiled, but how was she to avoid such a miserable fate if she couldn’t distinguish between her thoughts and those dictated by Spectres? With no eyes to spot them, no training to defend her, and no weapons with which to strike back, she was wholly reliant upon Rain’s unfathomable Talent to keep her free of the Father’s foul minions, a plight she was none too fond of considering his need for physical contact to do so. A mere touch of their fingers was enough, but once apart, Song’s mind would once again be open and vulnerable to the Spectres, a conundrum which kept her tossing and turning in bed for the past three nights while scouring her mind for possible Enemy influence so she could go running to Rain’s tent.
Reluctantly peeling herself away from the rabbits, Song strode out of her yurt and took her place by Rain’s side while he said his goodbyes to Lin-Lin and Luo-Luo. “...and if I learn you even set foot out of camp, I’ll send you back to the citadel faster than you can blink.” Cupping Lin-Lin’s pouting cheeks, Rain leaned in to touch foreheads with the tearful half-hare and whispered, “Love you wifey. Stay safe, okay?” Hiccuping too much to reply, Lin-Lin nodded and clung to Rain’s wrist as he turned to Luo-Luo, hesitating briefly before taking her hand in his own. “Stay close to Lin and her guards will keep you safe, but in case the worst should come to pass and you get separated, then Song will bring you back to the citadel along with Tenjin and Tursinai.”
“No.” The objection slipped out before Song thought better of it, but it was too late for regrets. Doing her best not to quail before his surprise, she steeled her nerves and said, “I want to fight by your side.” Because if the worst came to pass and he died, then she would have no choice but to spend the rest of her life living in fear of her own thoughts unless she found some other means to defend herself from Spectres.
“...Okay.” Acceding to Song’s request without too much of a pause, Rain turned to Niece Alsantset who should have already ridden off with her Khishigs and asked, “Could I trouble you to spare Jochi and Argat to look after Luo-Luo?”
“No trouble at all, little brother, and I will make certain they understand the gravity of the task.” Narrowing her gorgeous eyes, Niece Alsantset lightly pinched Rain’s cheek and added, “But their efforts will not be needed, because you will return alive.”
“You best do the same.” Smiling in response, Rain didn’t say what everyone already knew, that even if he survived today, there was still tomorrow, the next day, and all the days thereafter to get through, and considering his frail health and precarious posting on the outer wall, it would be a miracle for him to survive this first battle, much less all the battles to come. Resigned to his fate, he bade Ping Ping farewell and marched out with Dastan and the fourteen remaining survivors of his former retinue in tow, as well as his six strongest Death Corps escorts to guard him during battle, including the Peak Expert swordsman, Kuang Biao. Rain had been limited to no more than twenty escorts in total, and Song, Tenjin, and Tursinai counted as three over the limit, but he barely even thought about it before agreeing to her wishes.
He was... a good man, she saw this now, but good men die young, brave men die first, and Rain was nothing if not young and brave.
With the defences already locked in place for the night, raising the barricades risked letting Concealed Experts, Wraiths, and Demons into the fort unseen, so they were forced to trudge their way through the winding maze of rammed earth walls. Not a problem for soldiers and Martial Warriors, but by the time they arrived at the outer wall and made their way up the barricaded staircase, Rain’s brow was dripping with sweat from keeping up with their speedy pace, for he was unwilling to slow them down or allow himself to be carried. The situation was made worse by his insistence on leaving his walker behind and using two metallic canes to help him walk instead, each one bearing a metal hand guard at the base and a sharp spike on the end so he could ‘defend himself if need be’. Rain still had a warrior’s pride, if not the physique, and garbed in his Khishig leathers with the shadows of his open-faced helm obscuring the gauntness of his face, he almost looked like the warrior he once was.
Sadly, even at his best he still looked like a young child playing an ill-suited part in the opera...
Ignoring the contemptuous glares and pitying stares alike, Rain made his way across the battlements ringed by his Death Corps guards, their procession slowed by the tightly packed bodies of Sinuji’s defenders, a disastrous state of affairs which lead her to suspect their Commander, Lieutenant Colonel Watanabe, had never once in his life held a fortified position. Putting too many defenders here on the outer wall was worse than too few, because if he’d left too few and the Enemy broke through, then at least there would be more soldiers in reserve waiting to plug the gap. With the defenders packed shoulder to shoulder atop the battlements, they barely had room to swing their weapons and would die three or four at a time to the Defiled attackers, not to mention the grievous blow to morale when soldiers at the front died while those in the back could do naught but stand and listen.
A fool of a commander, one Mama would have long since thrown out on his ass, but Colonel General Nian Zu was not so direct. Many a time, the Living Legend had been heard grumbling about Sinuji’s poor state of affairs, but Lieutenant Colonel Watanabe refused to accept any of Great Hero Zu’s suggestions unless the Colonel General pulled rank and ordered his commands obeyed. Supposedly Mitsue Watanabe’s refusals stemmed from sheer stubbornness and unwillingness to admit his wrongs, but Song found it difficult to attribute such incompetence to such egregious ignorance and suspected there were underhanded reasons for his mule-headed obstinance.
A suspicion which proved right when they arrived at their destination and discovered Dastan and his fourteen comrades had been tasked with defending a thirty meter-long stretch of the battlements, though only five meters wide. By themselves, mind you, with barricades on both sides and while a cadre of soldiers stood back in reserve to hold the line once all the ‘traitors’ had fallen, or so they were informed by the Lieutenant in charge of the reserves, a powdered, pinched-faced, clean-shaven fop who refused to give his name.
Jaw clenched and eyes burning, Rain nodded to himself and said, “Good. Good. Blatantly forcing me and my people to death, I’ll remember this. If you survive today’s battle, then you tell him that whatever assurances he has to keep him safe, it won’t be enough.”
“You dare threaten a Lieutenant Colonel? Your head will roll for this!”
The unnamed fop’s voice rose several octaves to reach a shrill shriek, but Rain laughed and said, “I was talking about taking his rank, because he’s going to lose it for being an idiot, but thanks for confirming who’s responsible for this. Care to share your name so I can add it to the report? No?” Turning away, he gestured at Kuang Biao and added, “I’ll pay the first soldier who Sends my guard here the name of this idiot Lieutenant twenty gold. I can pay you now, or you can leave my guard your name and superior officer too, so I can get the coin to you in secret.”
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“His name is Hondou Masahige, a dog of the Mitsue Family.” Striding out from the crowd with hands clasped behind his back, Tam Taewoong greeted Rain with a simple nod, looking less haggard than he did when Song saw him last. Alert and relaxed in the face of the coming battle, his sun-tanned skin and battered armour did little to take away from his poise and composure. “I’ll send my own report as well. There’s no room for political nonsense here on the front lines, no matter the people involved.”
“Thank you, Warrant Officer Taewoong.” After saluting, Rain took both canes in one hand and leaned heavily on one foot, but as soon as Song realized what he was about to do, she stepped in to stop him. Whatever little face he’d earned by walking here himself would be squandered if he took off his boot to retrieve the gold bars hidden inside, so she reached into her pouch and pulled out her coin purse to pay Taewoong in Rain’s stead, her heart aching at the expenditure despite having a considerable fortune in her own name. No matter the reason, she disliked parting with her coin, because they represented not only material wealth, but also the freedom to choose. With enough gold in hand, she could buy whatever she fancied, so she hoarded every coin she earned with untoward glee even though she rarely ever spent any.
Not entirely true. Recently, she bought everyone gifts for the new year, and the joy she received far outweighed the pain of parting with her hard earned coin...
“No need,” Taewoong said, so Song didn’t bother feigning politeness and immediately put her coin purse away. Surprise and amusement etched across his face, he said, “I’ve heard tales of Lady Li Song Martial prowess, so instead of payment, this one requests a sparring match at a more convenient time.”
Glancing at Rain for instruction, he merely shrugged and said, “Up to you.”
“I spar from first light until breakfast,” Song said, eager to cross blades with the Benevolent Asura and see how he matched up to her sabre. “I welcome a match whenever you find it convenient.” Though he lost to BoShui back in Nan Ping, she sensed Taewoong’s skills had been honed to a fine edge from his time here on the front lines, having served longer than any other junior officer on record.
Accepting the invitation without a word, Taewoong clasped hands with Rain and gave him a knowing look, one which lasted longer than it needed to. Once their private exchange was through, the Benevolent Asura disappeared back into the crowd of soldiers while Rain gestured for Kuang Biao to put up a Sound Barrier. “He can’t help us,” Rain said, glancing towards the direction Taewoong left in. “Watanabe left strict orders to comply with the Justicar’s judgment, which he interprets as leaving my people to fend for themselves. The soldiers behind us will only intervene after they’re all dead and gone, though I’ve no doubt Masahige will also wait until I’m dead too. Idiots, all of them, playing idiotic games while the Defiled stand at our doorstep.” Lifting his right cane in an absentminded twirl, he winced at the unexpected resistance and glowered at his hand, as if blaming it for being too weak to complete the move. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath and exhaled slowly before continuing. “Kuang Biao, leave one guard with me and take the rest to support Dastan’s people. Let them do the bulk of the fighting, but be ready to step in if they need help. Song, you can fight or support as you please, but I suggest support. It won’t be a short battle, and you’ll have plenty of time to do both.”
“This one objects to Great One’s decision,” Kuang Biao said, his voice neutral and without passion.
“Noted,” Rain replied, using the same tone and timbre. “Do it anyways please. I don’t intend to sacrifice my people just so I can go home. Live or die, I will fight with them to the end, understood?”
“...Great One, there are –”
“Quiet. Listen carefully.” Glaring at the Peak Expert, Rain drew himself up to full height and said, “I am not asking you to reveal anything, nor am I probing your reactions for information. You have your orders, but you will obey mine. They live, I live. They die, I die, whether it be at the hands of the Defiled, or my own. Understood?”
“...Understood, Great One.”
As the Sound Barrier fell away, and the Death Corps took up their posts, Song considered that perhaps Rain wasn’t as great a fool as Mama thought. No one amongst the Bekhai trusted the Death Corps, not entirely, for they were Oath-bound to serve the Emperor and only attended to Scions on Imperial Order, but until today, Rain’s customary suspicion and paranoia had been nonexistent as if he believed his Honour Guard wouldn’t slaughter him out of hand should the Legate order it in the Emperor’s name. Why Rain kept this ruse up for so long, she couldn’t say, but her curiosity got the better of her as she took his hand and Sent, “I don’t understand.”
“Tursinai, can you do the silence thing?” Another barrier went up before Rain explained, “If the world saw that I didn’t trust my Honour Guard, it’d prove I’m not a real Imperial Scion. I know I’m not and others will suspect it, but so long as they don’t have proof, they don’t dare to act. What’s more, even though I’m a pawn, until such a time as I’ve outlived my use and he takes steps to get rid of me, the Legate will be forced to answer any insult directed towards me lest he lose face. It’s a game of half-truths and false appearances, but even a fake status is useful so long as the world must believe it’s real.” Shrugging, he added, “Besides, I’m pretty sure most of the Death Corps are genuinely here to keep me safe, at least until they’re ordered otherwise. Kuang Biao’s probably the exception, but he’s as much a pawn as I am. Worse even, because I’m not Oath-bound to obey, though in fairness, it’s not like I’d survive disobeying the Legate.”
Though everything he said made sense, she still wasn’t entirely certain she understood, but since the Defiled would soon arrive, she simply nodded and accepted it as fact. Reluctant to let go of his hand for fear of Spectres, she idly wondered how often she should return to be Cleansed during battle. Once every half hour, perhaps? Or would every quarter hour be better? Best not to risk it, but how was she to keep track of time during battle? Perhaps, she could come whenever she suspected a Spectre had latched on, but it would raise questions if she kept running back to touch Rain...
“Song.” Wearing a smug expression which made her lip curl, Rain asked, “When do you think I could get my hand back? I want to organize the water-skins and medical supplies before the battle heats up. Won’t have a lot of time for breaks in between.” Reluctantly releasing his hand, she consoled herself with a reminder that she’d be back soon enough, but he shook his head and laughed at her unenthusiastic actions. “You’re scared of Spectres right? Don’t be. There’s nothing to fear from them.”
Easy for him to say, a man so beloved by the Mother that She not only blessed him with immunity from the Father’s whispered lies, but gave him the ability to Cleanse others of their presence...
Song’s disbelief must have shown in her expression and Rain shook his head and smiled. “You know, when I first discovered this ability, I went on a Spectre Su... Devouring Spree. Everyone I came into contact with needed a little Cleansing, from extreme cases like BoShui and Dastan to barely Tainted individuals who would’ve emerged unscathed without help such as Mila and Tursinai, I took Spectres from them all. There was only one person who had no Spectres to Cleanse, someone who was nearby during the Purge, took part in the battle for Sanshu, and was also with me on on Yo Ling’s island, three separate incidents in which the air was filthy with Spectres. You know who that was?”
“...Lin-Lin?”
“...Yes, but uh... I wasn’t talking about her, because I forgot. So two people. Bah.” Throwing a hand up in defeat, he rolled his eyes and said, “You. I meant you. Not a single Spectre to be found despite all the shit we went through, not to mention the burdens of your past.”
“Truly?”
“Truly.”
And Song believed him, but... “Why?”
“At the time, I believed it was because of your Oaths, but I know better now. The Spectres are nothing. They whisper sweet lies and promise you whatever your heart desires if you’ll only surrender, because in truth, they have no power of their own. All they can do is play on your emotions and make you give in to their control, but they cannot change a person through words alone. Everything they do is meant to distract and deceive you into thinking you need them, when in truth, they have no power besides what you give them. They don’t give their hosts strength, they only help the host seize it, guiding them along the Martial Path without really explaining a thing. Take Dastan, BoShui, and myself for example: each of us advanced in strength thanks to help from the Spectres, but if this strength was given to us, then why wouldn’t it fade away once they were Cleansed, and why wouldn’t we need to relearn everything the ‘proper’ way?” Shaking his head, he smacked his forehead and added, “Oh, I get it now! It’s a con game. That’s why the Spectres push their hosts to commit unspeakable atrocities, usually starting with the murder of those they hold dear. Those acts of violence are what change the host, this and their desire to change in the aftermath, because it’s easier to believe the Spectres drove them to do horrible things rather than admit they made a grave mistake and accept responsibility for their heinous actions.”
“Eh-Mi-Tuo-Fuo.” Though the Abbot was nowhere to be seen, his voice sounded nearby, and Rain scowled as he peered suspiciously at their surroundings. “Junior Brother speaks sensibly, and this monk agrees wholeheartedly with his conjectures. Perhaps now he understands what this monk means when he claims there is no distinction between Tainted and Defiled.”
“...You’re not supposed to be here. Or listening.” Waving his cane around at the empty air, Rain added, “How can we be sure there isn’t someone else hiding nearby?”
“Rest assured, there isn’t, but Junior Brother has yet to answer this monk. Do you...”
Her confidence bolstered by Rain’s explanation, Song beat a hasty retreat to man the defences before getting drawn into a long and lengthy debate. Taking a deep breath, she stared off into the twilight where she spotted the tell-tale signs of marching Defiled lurking in the shadows, a mass of moving darkness making it’s way towards Sinuji. Savage and numerous as they were, she did not fear the Defiled, for they were a foe she could stand against with blade in hand. Similarly, she no longer feared the Spectres, though much like the Defiled, she still respected the threat they represented, but again, she could stand against them. Only this time, instead of saber and Runic breastplate, she wielded her iron-willed determination against them, and if that wasn’t enough, then she still had Rain to rely on.
...They’d come a long ways since their sparring match in the unnamed tea-house, but had she known then what she knew now, then she would’ve gladly accepted the beating with a smile.
Chapter Meme