The outer disciple hums as she examines my arms. Qi flows from her into me and the claw marks close. I’d been taken to a small room separate from the tent after the fight, where only me and the healer sit on a small cot.

There’s a soft knock on the door before it opens and Xia Jing steps inside. “That was-” she starts excitedly before seeing the other outer disciple.

The outer disciple stands up, bows, then exits the room.

Xia Jing focuses as she stares at the door the disciple left through. After a moment, she turns to me with a smile, “Sister Jia! I didn’t know you had a technique like that.”

I look away, my hands shifting awkwardly, “It’s new.”

She sits down across from me and pulls a pouch from an inner pocket of her robe. “Elder Qiu is looking for you, so we don’t have much time.”

She hands me the pouch and I open it to reveal a bunch of spirit stones. I quickly close the bag and stare at her.

“I told you I’d bet everything on you.” She smiles wide, and stands up. “Come on, we’ve got to get you back into your other robes.”

We leave the room, and I catch sight of Mistress Song watching us as we hurry back to the inner sect.

We head to Xia Jing’s room, and she waits outside while I change.

I take off my outer robes and put on my core disciple robes with practiced ease. The soft fabric of my usual clothing is comforting, but some part of me feels a small loss as I stare at the outer disciple clothing. I stare at the fox mask where it rests on Xia Jing’s bed. It felt good to fight.

And that strange flow I’d entered; my body had moved on its own and every movement made sense. I had caught a glimpse of a greater understanding. An understanding of something powerful.

“Sister Jia?”

I look up to the door. “I’m coming.” I say.

I leave the room and Xia Jing rises from where she’d been sitting cross legged.

“Come on, we don’t want to keep your master waiting too long.” She says, setting off down the familiar hallway. I’d been just a room away as an Inner Disciple.

We head down an unfamiliar path following a stream through the mountain.

Qiu Tai meets us slightly off the path. She sits on a rock next to the stream, her gaze looking far into the distance.

She turns to us as we approach, a sad smile gracing her face at the sight of me. “It’s good to see both of you.”

I step forward and bow, “You were looking for me?”

She motions for me to come closer.

I step towards her and she stands up. She reaches out, her hand resting on my arm. “I will be leaving soon.” She glances up at Xia Jing.

Xia Jing gets the message and steps back out of earshot.

“I received a summons from my Master and I must go.” She pauses. “Little Jia, Stay close to your friends while I am gone. Do not travel the inner sect alone.”

I stare at her, caught off guard by her words of warning. “What do you mean?”

She takes a deep breath. “Your enemies are mine, and mine are yours. Elder Fu has not forgotten your fight with his granddaughter, and neither have I.”

I hadn’t thought about the girl I’d fought before I left the sect. But I remember Elder Fu’s spiteful gaze.

“There is a chance that my enemies will make a move against you while I’m gone.” She pauses, “but I hope it won’t come to that.”

I nod slowly. “I’ll be careful.”

She reaches out, a portal forming around her hand. She pulls out a sealed scroll, then looks at it, the portal closing. “I’m not sure how long I’ll be gone.” She hands the scroll to me. “If you are left with no other options, this will lead you to me.”

I turn the scroll over in my hand. The seal is made with a light green wax, and stamped with the image of three spires reaching towards the sun. Qi and the faintest whisps of spirit wrap around the seal, effecting it in a way I can’t quite understand.

“The seal will only break for you.” She adds. I look up to her, but her gaze is unreadable.

I take another moment to examine the qi on the seal, then place the scroll into my storage ring. There are so many questions I want to ask, but I know that if she isn’t telling me, it’s for a reason.

“When do you leave?” I finally ask.

She looks at me for a long moment. “I was lucky to get time to say goodbye. I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you sooner, but there were… complications.”

“Oh.” I look past her to the stream trickling by.

“Please take care of the garden while I’m gone.” She pulls me into a hug, startling me out of my numbness. “Stay safe, disciple of mine.”

“You too.” I mumble into her robe.

She lets me go, then motions for Xia Jing to step closer.

Xia Jing steps over, clearly curious what we had been talking about.

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“Keep my disciple out of trouble.” She smiles, “And stay safe yourself.”

“Yes, Elder Qiu”

She looks over the both of us. “I’ll see you soon.”

She steps back, then reaches into the portal created by her storage ring. She pulls out a familiar letter; the one I had delivered from The Watchful Crows.

She rips the letter in half. Pages and books with unreadable words gather in a cyclone around her. The strange wind effecting them completely avoiding Xia Jing and I.

The pages cover her, blocking her from our sight.

The wind disappears, and the pages fall to the floor, dispersing into qi. Qiu Tai is gone, leaving only the rock she’d been sitting on.

I stare at the spot where she’d been, my mind completely empty of thought.

“Are you alright?”

“I will be.” I say.

I turn, and head towards the home of Elder Qiu. I need to practice.

***

I stand in the back courtyard of the home of my master.

The sky lights up with lightning, rain drenching the world around me. I feel the qi of the water as droplets splash against my face. The water soaks into my robes, the qi flowing through me and reinvigorating me.

I raise my arm, the song coming to me easily.

I dance through the rain, my body moving before my thoughts can follow. The depth of the dance that I had glimpsed during my fight still eludes me, but the movements are relaxing. My mind enters a meditative state until I make the last step.

“Beautiful.” Lai Ming’s voice is quiet, but I still catch the word.

I look over to her to see a rare look of vulnerability on her face. She stands under the cover provided by the house, keeping dry despite the humidity.

“Sorry.” Lai Ming matches my eyes. “I’ve never seen you dance before. You’re talented.”

“I’m glad you like it.” I stretch, then move over to where my sword and flute are. Shia slithers through my sleeve as I grab my things.

Her comforting presence wraps itself around my waist.

“It’s good to see you.” I smile, “What brings you here? I thought Elder Wu was keeping you busy.” I tie the sword to me below where Shia rests.

“Sister Jing told me to meet you both here.”

I look up in surprise. Xia Jing and I were planning to go to the outer sect arena today. I want another fight, and Xia Jing doesn’t want to let me go alone.

Lai Ming’s stance shifts as she studies me. “What are you two up to?”

“Are you talking about me?” Xia Jing steps into the courtyard, a small parasol keeping the rain off of her.

“Why are you wearing the robes of an outer disciple?” Lai MIng asks. Her eyes narrow as she looks between the both of us.

“I’m going to change inside.” I say. I walk into the house while Xia Jing animatedly chats about what we’ve been up to.

Shia slips out of my robes as I change into my outer disciple clothing. The fox mask slips over my face easily, and I take a deep breath.

“I’m not imagining it, am I? The rain storm’s spirit?” I ask.

“It carries traces of blood and death.” Shia says. “Somewhere in the Shi Empire, cultivators are dying.”

My fingers trace the contours of the fox mask, feeling the smooth curves that had been carved into it. “I don’t have much time then.”

“Time for what, little one?”

To prove that I’m worthy.

The words go unsaid, but Shia respects my silence.

I step back outside to find Lai Ming tugging at the sleeves of a new robe. Xia Jing smiles at me, “Look at us, three regular outer disciples.”

Lai Ming looks up, catching my eyes. “I like the mask.” She pauses, “Are you sure about this?”

I nod. “It’s helping.”

Lai MIng sighs. She turns to Xia Jing, who wears a wide smile. “I blame you for this.”

“For what?”

Lai Ming shakes her head, then steps out into the rain.I can see a thin layer of qi pushing the rain away from her as she starts walking.

Xia Jing shrugs her shoulders, then smiles at me as she runs to catch up, her parasol protecting her.

I step into the rain, enjoying the feeling of it on me as I follow the two girls.

Our trip into the outer sect is quiet as very few people want to be out in the downpour. Xia Jing stops us at the gate leading to the outer sect and hands Lai Ming a blue fox mask.

“If we’re going in disguise, we might as well match.” Xia Jing pulls out her own mask, a green fox, and slips it on.

Lai Ming raises an eyebrow, but puts the mask on.

“Are you sure that’s not too much?” I ask.

Lai Ming shakes her head. “There are plenty of people that would recognize me, even in these robes.”

Xia Jing nods, “Our Older Sister has made quite the name for herself.” She leans closer to me, “So there was this martial Master by the name of Quon…”

Lai Ming sighs as Xia Jing tells me about how the older disciple had hunted down a group of smugglers inside the sect.

The outer sect is as bustling as ever, despite the rain. Many of the people have parasols like Xia Jing, and I find myself looking at a few with beautiful designs, wondering if I should get one myself.

I enjoy the feeling of the rain, but the colors and designs of the parasols call to me. Thankfully, it’s not too far to the arena, and my attention is quickly taken away from the pretty items.

Mistress Song catches sight of us as soon as we enter the tent, and motions us over. I follow behind the two other girls as they push through the crowd.

“Disciple Xuan!” She calls out my fake name as we arrive, waving off the person she’d been talking to.

Lai Ming looks surprised by the name, but hides it well.

“What a pleasure it is to see you. I have just the match for you.” She motions for me to follow her, so I say goodbye to the other two girls.

Mistress Song leads me through the curtain in the back. “Your last match was quite enjoyable to watch.” She says as we walk down a pathway. “I’m looking forward to what you’ll show me today, I believe that this one will be far more interesting.”

I’m led to another tent. A disciple standing guard bows his head to both of us as we enter. Inside the tent is a waiting area for the fighters, familiar to me from my last fight.

“I’ll be back for you after this fight. Please prepare yourself as much as you need.” With that said, she leaves the room.

I nod, then make my way to the same cushion I’d waited on before my last fight. I sit down to meditate.

The fight before mine is over quickly, and a familiar looking Outer Disciple fetches me to lead me to the ring.

I’m led underneath the tent, and to the same door I’d waited behind next time. I take a deep breath, preparing myself for walking in front of the crowd again.

“For our next fight, we have a treat for all of you! Our little fox, Xuan Lu is back!”

The door opens, and I step into the arena. The spirit of the room again washes over me. I look out from under my mask at the many people watching. Xia Jing waves at me excitedly while Lai Ming gives a small wave.

“And on the other side, we have a veteran of the arena, many of you know him as the genius alchemist. Please welcome Bai Long!”

The name is familiar to me, but I can’t quite place it. On the other side of the arena, a young man my age steps out. His steps are sure, and he looks at me with a focused gaze.