My breath catches as I take in the burning city. The sounds of battle blast through the air, as cultivators fight each other in the streets and in the skies.

I find myself rooted there, the screams of the dying overlapping with the visions of death I’ve been forced to watch time and time again. A sword slicing through a body, drawing a line of blood as a cultivator's last cry echoes out. Blood running through the streets as lifeless eyes stare up at me, accusing, hopeless, forever silent.

Sun grabs my shoulder, breaking me from the trance. “Careful, we don’t want to catch their attention.” He says, pulling me back into the bushes and out of sight of the battle spanning the streets of the burning city.

I shake myself out of my thoughts, placing my hand on my sword to center myself. I breathe carefully, following one of the breathing techniques taught to me by Qiu Tai.

Movement from the bushes next to us draw both Sun and my eyes.

Carefully, the guide that led us to the portal steps out of the bushes, her features still covered by cloth.

Both Sun and I draw our weapons as she stops a few meters away from us. She bows down to the both of us, showing her hands empty of any weapon.

After a moment, we both resheathe our weapons.

The guide rises from her bow, motioning us to follow her. Sun looks at me while I think about what to do.

With no other obvious option, I decide to follow her.

Sun follows me a moment later, his footsteps quiet on the forest floor.

The guide leads us down a barely visible path, mostly hidden by shrubbery. Eventually we reach the bottom of a cliff covered in vines. The guide moves aside some of the vines, revealing a metal grate.

With a grunt of force, the first sound I’d heard from the guide, she removes the grate, revealing a dark tunnel.

She motions us to enter, her soft brown eyes watching us expectantly.

Sun steps forward first. He reaches the entrance, turns back to wave at me, then jumps down.

I step forward to look down, a soft light appears in the palm of Sun’s hand, revealing his now blue eyes and the change to his spirit that shows a personality change. It’s calmer now, tranquil even. The tunnel hidden by the grate is large, with smooth walls.

I jump down after him, landing softly.

The guide follows us a moment later, having somehow replaced the grate.

I’m grateful for the light produced by Sun as we follow the guide through a series of twisting hallways,

Light filters in from the opening of the tunnel up ahead, causing both Sun and I to tread carefully.

Eventually we walk into a large cavern, a familiar figure sitting in the middle of a complicated formation.

His eyes open as we enter the cavern, a happy smile on his face. His blue and white robes shift as he stands to his full height. I notice the traces of blood on the hem of his robe.

“Core Disciple Lin Jia greets Elder Zhu Chen.” I bow clasping my hands to the familiar Elder.

“You’ve grown since I last saw you, little Lin. Already angering sects and tricking old masters.” The Elder shakes his head ruefully. “You remind me of a younger version of myself.”

I pause, taken aback by his tone. He sounds… proud.

An explosion loud enough to be heard in the cavern comes from above us, causing the Elder to look up. “Ah, it seems that we are running out of time, please join me over here Little Lin.”

I hesitate for a second, caught off guard by the turn of events, “forgive me Elder Zhu, but would you explain to me what is going on?” my eyes catch on the blood staining the Elder’s robes.

“There is a lot to tell, Little Miss Lin. Suffice to say the sects and the mortal world are, yet again, at war. When The Watchful Crows informed us that you were here, I was sent to retrieve you and… well, it seems that the girl is not here. I’ll have to disappoint the Patriarch.” Elder Zhu winks at me. “Now if you would please join me over here.”

I step forward, following the Elder’s words, Sun follows a step behind.

“Ah, I’m afraid you won’t be able to join us young cultivator.” Elder Zhu holds his hand up, stopping Sun. “The Watchful Crows have offered to take you with them, but you cannot join us.”

I stop walking, turning back to Sun, my heart torn.

Sun shakes his head at me, stepping back. “Don’t worry about me Jia, I’ll be fine on my own.”

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I continue toward Elder Zhu before stopping and running back to Sun. He steps back in surprise as I hug him. “Stay safe Sun.” I tell him as I turn away shyly and hurry to the Elder who waits patiently.

The Elder holds his hand out to me and I accept it. Elder Zhu’s Qi flows through the both of us, filling the formation set up around us.

Flag poles set up at strategic places around us start to light up with the power of a Nascent Soul’s qi. The cyclone of qi wraps around us, warping the light and the images of the guide and Sun.

The last thing I see is Sun raising his hand and waving goodbye to me. Then the world shifts.

I stumble slightly, Elder Zhu’s hand in mine keeping me stable.

Instead of the dark interior of the cabin, light filters through the branches of the forest around us. A familiar portal from a few years ago, shimmers beside us, guarded by disciples of our sect wearing their combat robes.

I look up to see many familiar faces from the Martial and Demon Hunter Pavilions. Weapons rest at their sides and they look uneasy.

“Well, you’ve been busy, haven’t you, disciple of mine?”

I turn around to see a tired looking Qiu Tai, her presence filling the air with a calm and quiet spirit. “Master Qiu Tai.” I say, bowing to the tired looking Elder. “This disciple has returned from her journey.”

Elder Qiu Tai snorts in an unladylike manner. “And quite a journey it has been.” She smiles, not showing any teeth. “We were worried that the worst had happened when we discovered the dead disciple and signs of battle in your room.” Her eyes study me, seeming to take in every aspect of my appearance. She turns around, heading in the direction of the sect. “Come along, there’s much to discuss… and I’m sure you could use some rest.”

I look back at Elder Zhu who smiles before turning to talk to one of the other disciples. I hurry to catch up to my Master, who is silent until we are out of vision of the other members of our sect.

“Are you alright?”.

I pause, truly considering the question. I slow down my walk, eventually stopping. Qiu Tai slows with me, her gaze on me. “No, I’m not alright. everywhere I go, everywhere I look, I see death. I- I can’t escape it.”

A hand gently touches my shoulder, causing me to look up into the gentle eyes of Qiu Tai. “I know that you live with the touch of death on your shoulder, I know that it plagues you. It will not end, death comes for us all, even the greatest of immortals will someday feel its touch, someday too, the world itself will die.” Her words ring true, making me lower my head. “I have thought hard on this, and I believe that I may have something that can help. It will have to wait, however. First, we must see the Matriarch.” Qiu Tai pulls a familiar butterfly hairpin, throwing it down and watching it expand into a large hovering boat in the shape of a butterfly.

She steps onto it and helps me up. The butterfly boat rises into the air, then takes off towards the sect.

“The Matriarch?” I ask, unable to keep the worry from my voice.

“You have hidden the location of a Demon from us. There will be a punishment. Thankfully, this is the least of the worries on the shoulders of the Matriarch.”

“What happened? Elder Zhu said that the sects are at war.”

Qiu Tai nods her head. “The Emperor is dead, throwing the mortal world into turmoil as his heirs vie for power. The other sects use this chaos in order to air age old grudges. The fact that an assassin was sent after you did not go underneath the notice of Master Meng An. It appears that Master Lu Quon betrayed the sect and sabotaged the barrier protecting our palace and you within it.”

The vehicle shivers as we pass through a barrier. A nearby Master of the sect looks us over before waving us on.

“Who was it that attacked The Heavenly Truth Sect?” I ask, my mind flashing with the images of fire and blood I had briefly glimpsed.

“The Shan Mountain Sect. Ancient grievances lie between them.” Qiu Tai doesn’t elaborate as the butterfly boat lands at the gates to the outer sect.

Disciples hurry to open the gates, letting the both of us through.

It isn’t too much longer before we arrive at the home of the Matriarch, images of rivers flowing through the pillars that hold up the entrance to her home.

Elder Qiu Tai walks up to the door, bowing, “Elder Qiu Tai pays respects to Matriarch Wang Hua. I bring with me Core Disciple Lin Jia of the Demon Slaying Pavilion.”

A shadow steps away from the door, revealing a masked cultivator, he nods his head respectfully. “The Matriarch will greet the both of you inside Elder.”

I follow the swift steps of Qiu Tai as she enters the home.

Immediately the spirit of the Matriarch hits me, ancient and powerful it flows through the room, ever moving and never still. It smells like fresh rain.

I haven’t seen the Matriarch ever since she took down the first demon we came across two years ago.

She leans against a window, her gaze looking down and over the sect. She turns to look at the both of us, her expression thoughtful. “Will you tell me where she is?”

I pause waiting until I realize the question is directed to me.

“Who do you speak of, Matriarch?” I ask, already knowing the answer.

“You know who I ask of. Will you tell me where she is?” The Matriarch repeats her question.

I consider my answer carefully before responding, “I will not.”

The Matriarch turns to me fully, and it is only now that I notice blood seeping through from a wound on her side. That must have been the injury from her fight with the Demon.”I could exile you from the sect for what you have done, if I so desired.” She says it simply, no emotion in the statement. After a moment, she asks. “Is she safe?”

“She is guarded by the most powerful creature I have ever met.” I answer honestly, knowing that the snake's power even outshined the Matriarch’s, although it does not match the power that the creator of the requiems once had.

The Matriarch tilts her head in thought, her gaze appraising me. “You are forbidden from leaving the sect grounds for the next ten years. Spend that time to improve your cultivation and your mind. You are too young for the responsibilities that have been thrust upon you.” The Matriarch turns to Elder Qiu Tai, who relaxes at the punishment. “You may leave us so that I may talk with my Elder.”

I bow to the Matriarch, clasping my hands. “Thank you for your generosity, Matriarch.”

I leave her home, waiting outside for Qiu Tai to join me.