I love the smell of napalm in the morning.

Okay, technically, it’s not napalm, and technically, it’s evening, and technically, I’m breathing through my mouth to avoid the nauseating stench of burning flesh, but the sentiment remains the same.

This. Is. Awesome!

Over two kilometres away, the conflagration burns bright enough to illuminate Sinuji like midday, a massive funeral pyre custom-made for the million-strong Army of Defiled engulfed within. As the scorching heat permeates through my thick, winter cloak and sets my skin to sweating, I do my best to peer into the flames and witness Not-Gen’s death-throes, but the dazzling incandescence is too much for my mortal eyes to handle. Then again, it doesn’t look like others are doing any better, with soldier and slave alike shielding their eyes from the destructive brilliance of Hongji’s explosive welcome.

It’s a breath-taking sight, a grand spectacle of epic proportions which this world has never seen, a fiery inferno wrought of oil and Chi to devastate the Enemy’s forces. While I take pride in being the one to first suggest this, Hongji wasn’t kidding when he said I was thinking too small, though he over-exaggerated when he said he’d craft a blaze visible from Nan Ping. Then again, I’ll allow it for the sake of well-deserved dramatic effect. It’s safe to say that Chen Hongji has made history here today in Sinuji, killing a million Defiled warriors despite being absent from the fort itself. My only complaint is that the deafening crackle of flames drowns out the screams of the Defiled, but it’s a small price to pay for this scale of massed destruction.

I gotta say, even though all of this could’ve kept me from being crippled and broken the last time an Enemy army descended upon Sinuji, having seen the results firsthand, I’m glad the good Colonel exercised restraint and didn’t blow his fiery load on Gen’s last pitiful entourage of three-hundred thousand. We dealt a grievous blow to the Enemy here, with one million Defiled reduced to cinders and ash, including at least fifty Demons and the eight-hundred year old body-snatching boogeyman who led them, not to mention the hundred-and-fifty thousand so-called Chosen of Heaven with their costly Runic Armour and prized Spiritual Weapons. I suspect Zhen Shi’s true body is still alive and well somewhere in the Western Province, but he’ll need a new meat-puppet to play with since this one will soon be ashes in the wind.

The Emissary of Earth and Flame, done in by copious amounts of oil and elbow grease. Poetic, in a way, or maybe ironic. Either way, I’m happier than Pong Pong in a pool filled with shrimp and thoroughly enjoying the light show.

Honestly, I have no idea how Hongji set this up. For the sake of secrecy, only the highest echelons of command were privy to the details, and the work was undoubtedly carried out by Oath-sworn slaves. My best guess is that Hongji dug a network of tunnels underneath the open fields, or maybe even used the tunnels dug by the Enemy’s mole-rat Demons against them. With those in place, then it becomes a simple matter of flooding the tunnels with pitch and oil, letting the gasses build up to explosive proportions, collapsing the tunnel entrance to create an appropriate firebreak, then setting the whole thing off in an explosion of scorching hot death via a Chi-fuelled fire-bird from Tenjin.

If only I knew how to take all this destruction and bottle it up into one, tiny, metallic, self-propelling cylinder...

A shame only a handful of people know they have Hongji to thank for all of this, though I’ve no doubt the Empire will praise his name for decades, if not centuries to come once news of his brilliance emerges. I wasn’t privy to the planning process since it was all kept strictly to a need to know basis, and even Watanabe wasn’t informed of these preparations, or so I inferred from his panicked attempts to get himself out of Sinuji ahead of the Defiled Horde’s arrival. All the cloak and dagger was absolutely worth it though, because if Zhen Shi even had an inkling of the warm welcome we had waiting for him, he would’ve never brought such a tempting target to roast on the fields of Sinuji. Nian Zu only informed me of Hongji’s painstaking preparations a few days ago when the Defiled Horde was first spotted, and I’ve been understandably giddy ever since. It’s been hard keeping this all to myself, especially with my friends and family beside themselves with worry. I almost let the cat out of the bag more than once while entertaining the long stream of concerned visitors earlier today, but at least now I know I can count on Tam Taewoong and the three most prominent Healers in Sinuji.

That said, the reaction from the Imperial soldiers is nothing like I’d expected, with none of the cheers or celebrations I’d envisioned these past few hours while anxiously awaiting the light show. Shocked silence I can understand, but as I tear my eyes away from the Defiled corpse-fire, I find the surrounding soldiers staring at me in unchecked horror rather than abject glee. No, they’re not staring at me, but at Tenjin beside me, who has yet to notice as he takes in his handiwork with pride and satisfaction.

Masahige is first to regain his voice, his subdued question barely audible above the roaring inferno. “How could you?” he asks, his eyes wide with alarm and disbelief. “You’ve killed us all...”

“...What in the fuck are you babbling about?” More than a little miffed, I jerk a thumb towards the fire and say, “Last I checked, it wasn’t our asses burning out there, and with the giant stone-studded dirt field between us, there’s no way the flames will spread this far.” It’s not like I was expecting any thanks, but what’s with the accusations?

Cringing as he tries to look at Tenjin and fails, Masahige sobs, “A Divinity has acted and broken the treaty. We’re doomed, all of us doomed.”

...Say what now?

Oh, he thinks Tenjin is a Divinity who wiped out the Defiled with Heavenly Energy. Laughable as it might be, I can see how one might come to such an erroneous conclusion, but as I open my mouth to clear up the misunderstanding, the earth lets loose with a thunderous roar and shudders with violent fury. Crashing headlong into Kuang Biao’s steely armour, I clutch his arm for support and look up just in time to see five earthen pillars rising up from amidst the flames. Already towering above the incandescent blaze, the pillars continue to sprout into the night sky like ponderous mountains growing in front of my eyes, their massive, streaming forms shuddering beneath their own substantial weight. One moment, it seems as if the mountains will grow unto infinity and crush Sinuji beneath their ponderous mass, but the next, they burst apart in suffocating shower of dirt and debris. The earthen downpour obscures the night skies for all of a second before landing atop the fiery conflagration with a resounding crash, setting the ground to trembling once more as it belches clouds of cinders, smoke, and soil in every direction as far as the eye can see. My heart freezes in my chest and I join the other defenders of Sinuji in holding my breath, silently hoping my eyes deceive me and things are not as they seem. One minute, then two, then a third passes without development, and for the briefest of moments, I think everything is going to be okay, but then the dust clears and all of Sinuji gasps as our fears are made true.

The Defiled army still stands. Not uninjured and not whole, but as the bodies dig their way out of the dirt and set to helping the other survivors, it’s easy to see there’s still a hell of a lot more Defiled than there are Imperials in Sinuji.

...

That’s fucking cheating!

Seriously, this is bullshit. We lit the biggest bonfire this world has ever seen, and some crazed motherfucker piloting a meat suit puts it all out with a wave of his fucking hand. It’s only been four months since I last saw Not-Gen, but Zhen Shi has already figured out how to put the little bastard’s other Blessing to good use. How is this even remotely fair? Gen gets three functional Elements to work with, Earth, Fire, and Metal, while I’m here stuck with Water. He throws fireballs, crafts awesome metallic claw-hands, and now raises mountains, while the best I can do is hydrate turtles with bathwater. Hey, who knows, maybe if I complain enough, I’ll eventually Awaken to the Blessing of Salt. Fuck you, Mother in Heaven, you’re a real bitch.

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

Opening my mouth to voice my objection in a less childish and sacrilegious manner, I’m once again interrupted but this time by Kuang Biao himself. “Keep quiet and out of sight,” he Sends, positioning himself in front of me while simultaneously urging me back. “You’ve pissed them off enough. No need to open your mouth and make yourself a target. Even I can’t protect you from a Divinity.”

He makes a good point. Shrinking back as best I can, I amble about with my walker in search of a safer place to watch the drama unfold, but considering what I just witnessed, I doubt anywhere in Sinuji could still be considered safe. How the fuck are we supposed to fight against someone like Zhen Shi while he puppets a twenty something year old Gen?

...

Wait...

I think all the shock has made me stupid.

“What Divinity?” I ask, peering out at the field through the crook of Kuang Biao’s arm. So what if it makes me look scared? Anyone in their right mind would be.

“The one who just put out the fire.” The added ‘idiot’ is implied, because I’m pretty sure Death Corps aren’t allowed to disparage their masters, but Kuang Biao continues Sending and adds, “And what did I say about keeping quiet? Now handle the coward behind us before he incites massed panic.”

Reluctantly tearing my eyes away from the Defiled, I turn to see Masahige clutching his head with a crazed look in his eyes. “I told you,” he whimpers, rocking back and forth on his heels. “Told you, you’ve doomed us all. The treaty is broken and now we’re all dead. We’re all going to -”

Considering he could literally break me like a twig, I discard my first thought which is to slap Masahige across the face and instead direct Green One to do it with a nod. The impact startles the lieutenant out of his stupor, and his instincts kick in as he snarls and moves to fight back, but my Death Corps guards swarm him from all sides and promptly manhandle him into submission. “Get a hold of yourself soldier,” I snap, trying not to laugh at the sight of him being held up by the scruff of his neck. Truth is, it’s not really all that funny and mostly sad, but terror does strange things to a man’s mind. “You are an Imperial Warrior, one trained to defend the Empire against the Defiled.” Pointing at the Enemy army as they stagger back into formation amidst the smoke and embers, I state, “There stands the Defiled.” Holy shit there are a lot of them. At least half survived, maybe more. Fuck my life. Pointing at Masahige’s feet, I add, “And this here? This is Imperial land. We are the first line of defence, and behind us is everyone we love and cherish. Our mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, our friends and countrymen, all of whom will die if the Enemy has their way. Stay on task and let Divinities worry about Divinities, just like you let our Experts deal with their Demons. Your job is to fight the Defiled, so until the Mother sees fit to claim your eternal soul, you will stand here and defend this ground until your dying breath. Do you understand, soldier?!”

Luckily for me, Masahige’s training kicks in and the ingrained discipline overpowers his fear. “Yes, Great One,” he yells, forgetting he technically outranks me. “This one will stand, and this one will fight!” Though tinged with hysteria, Masahige’s shout ripples down the line as it’s echoed by many a stalwart soldier, and soon enough, a cheer rings out and is picked up by thousands of Imperial throats, a wordless howl of defiance in the face of the Enemy’s overwhelming display of power. Many of the soldiers around me shower Tenjin with reverent gazes, their eyes filled with adoration for this supposed Divinity standing in their midst, and I thank the Heavens I didn’t disabuse them of the notion earlier. Discomforted by their veneration, Tenjin does his best not to squirm or make eye contact while Tursinai clutches her belly and buries her face in Song’s shoulder to keep from ruining things with her uproarious laughter.

Not gonna lie, I really wish I were as ignorant as the soldiers around me, because I’d be a lot less terrified standing beside a Divinity. Guess I should’ve brought Jorani up to the wall. At least then I could stand behind him and feel safe knowing GangShu would keep both of us alive.

Now?

Now... there’s nothing I can do except leave it all up to fate.

And fate, as history has proven, is a real ass-hole.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Upon their arrival in Sinuji, Goujian’s chest had swelled with pride and reverence as he gazed upon the fort walls and the frightened defenders manning them. Soldiers of the Dog Emperor one and all, they quailed in terror at the sight of the all-powerful host gathered before them, and as well they should. Even without the Transcendents and Defiled auxiliaries, the hundred-and fifty thousand Chosen of Heaven were enough to trample the fort beneath their boots, but such precious lives could not be squandered out of hand. The sons and daughters of Heaven standing with him were a rare and limited breed, those few who had seen through the lies of the Empire and broken free of their constraints to accept the hidden Truth, and while more were coming to the Light each passing day, it would still take years, if not decades, to gather an army strong enough to sweep through the Empire unchecked.

Even this million-strong mixed force wasn’t enough to topple the Dog Emperor from his jade throne, but it was a start, for soon, the good citizens of the Empire would come flocking to their cause. Today in Sinuji marked the first time the Chosen of Heaven arrived not as rebels, traitors, or deranged madmen, but as revolutionists here to liberate the Empire from the clutches of a corrupt regime and lay the foundation for a newer, better Azure Empire, one in which the Truth would be disseminated to all instead of known only to a select few. For too long, the Imperial Clan guarded the Truth like jealous misers and concealed the secrets of Heaven for fear of being ousted from power, but in doing so, they upset the natural order of the world itself. New waves overtake the old, such was Heaven’s Will, but the Imperial Clan defied fate for millennia through their wicked and tyrannical ways. Having invoked Heaven’s Wrath, a reckoning had now arrived in the form of an all-powerful Army of Chosen, an unstoppable force led by the Divine Son of Heaven himself.

Such were Goujian’s thoughts as he watched young Emperor Gen greet his wayward subjects and share his vision of the future, right up until that laughable little fire-bird transformed the world into one of heat and agony.

Everything went white as the liquid in his eyes vaporized to nothingness, and then there was darkness. Opening his mouth to scream, no sound emerged as he violently heaved instead, the heat wrenching the air out of his lungs and leaving his tongue and throat scalded and useless. Then, the agony rescinded as his nerves were seared away into nothingness, flesh and bone replaced by blackened char, and only then did he finally have the presence of mind to deploy his Domain. It’d only been a fraction of a second, the blink of an eye if that, but trapped within this fiery conflagration, this minuscule delay was enough to spell the difference between Life and Death.

Heavens... Why have you forsaken your children? Your Chosen?

Darkness ensued, for a moment, a second, an eternity, Goujian knew not, but all too soon, the agony returned in full force. Wracked with pain and coughs, he struggled and flailed about until Vyakhya’s soothing voice sounded in his mind. “Be still, child. Seek calm and embrace the agony. You are the master of your mind and body, and pain merely a function to warn you of injury. Do not allow it to consume you, to control you. Let the pain melt into your mind and fade into the background as you focus on calm, much like you would parse through the sounds of a noisy crowd to hear a single voice.”

Though he continued coughing up dirt and burned flesh, Goujian followed the instructions like a drowning man grasps to whatever might buoy him. How long it took, he could not say, but when he came to his senses, the pain was merely an afterthought and his terrified panic had been replaced with grim determination. A quick scan of his body uncovered a most disheartening tally of injuries, for he was more burnt corpse than living man, unable to see, hear, smell, taste, or feel anything at all. A mere husk was all that was left of the once-imposing Confessor, and were it not for Vyakhya’s adept ministrations, even what little remained would have been lost to this world. “Leave me be,” Goujian Sent, after taking far too long to latch onto the correct signature. “I’ll live.” Just barely, and recovery would be a long and arduous journey. “Don’t waste your strength on me and save as many others as you can.”

It was only logical. Runic armour, Spiritual Weapons, rations, and supplies, all could easily be replaced with a mere turn of a hand, but the Chosen were a valuable resource which was difficult to replace. So long as they still drew breath, recovery was only a matter of time, and every last life was precious. A hundred and fifty thousand of his comrades had gathered with him to take the fight to the Empire, but how many still remained? A tenth? A twentieth? A mere handful?

While mourning the loss of his precious comrades, his focus slipped for only an instant, but even that much was enough to bring the agony back in full force without Vyakhya there to aid him. How easy it would be to give in to his despair and move on from these ruined remains, but Goujian was never one to surrender. His entire life had been an uphill struggle, from his humble beginnings mired in poverty, through his tumultuous rise as the Confessor, all the way to now with his desperate efforts to abolish a corrupt government and install young Gen upon a new throne. Nothing had ever been easy, but he had endured and persevered through it all, just as he would stand firm in the face of this most recent tribulation.

The Chosen of Heaven had been dealt a grievous blow today, but they were not yet defeated.

“How can you be sure?” Goujian asked himself, his voice echoing inside the void. “You know nothing of what happened and barely still draw breath. Does young Gen still live? What of your Disciple, Yuanyin? Disappointed you might be, but you still love the boy like a son, the last son you have left. Yield to fate. Such is life.”

Yes... Such is life, trials and tribulations without end. He barely survived this one, if this ruined form could be considered survival. Even with the Heavens to guide him, how many years or decades before he recovered to full strength? Assuming he ever recovered at all. The fire had ruined him, left him blind, deaf, and helpless in a cruel, savage world, and young Gen was not a man ruled by sentiment. Would he keep a useless old fool alive? Most certainly not.

Despair threatened to overwhelm him as the darkness closed in, and in his agony, Goujian heard the faintest of whispers.

“Surrender.”

A simple statement, but one filled with possibility and temptation, the sweet relief of salvation and the quiet promise of oblivion. Yes... perhaps it was time to surrender to fate. Goujian had persevered through the worst of it, had done his best to rid the world of corruption, and towards the end, he’d even seen through the lies to find the Truth. This was more than most could claim, and it would have to be enough. There was no hope, not for him, and thus, no reason for resistance. Lungs labouring for effort, he drew in a single breath and readied himself to submit, because the trials and tribulations of Heaven were too much for this mortal man to bear.

“I...”

Chapter Meme 1

Chapter Meme 2