> One of the greatest magical animals of the current age is the Phoenix. Known in High Hegemonic as funghong, the phoenix is the wind sovereign and the god-king of all birds. It can control the elements of fire and it is the great partner of the immortal dragon/luong. It is said that the great Shennin Hero Giro and his brother Kida defeated the Devil King Roghan by channeling the Na-Wo essence of the dragon and phoenix.

>

> From Treatise On Mythical Creatures Of The Modern Time by Scholar Tirundavar

Pang!

The bright flashing sound of a dakgatana meeting the scimitar.

Jin Sat Lang's blade rebounded. Deflected. Sintra Kennin stood there, perfect blocking form, hands outstretched, pitch arms straining at the weight of the strike.

The two blades vibrated. The scimitar and the dakgatana clanging together was the gong of violence.

There! Akazha's hand shot out, planting a palm leaf manuscript upon Jin Sat Lang's armor.

Jin Sat Lang turned. His hand shot out. It caught Akazha's neck. Akazha summoned two kalises with a flex of her mudras--her hand were still free, after all. They shot toward the Lieutenant. The Lieutenant swung his scimitar in a wide arc and parried both kalises away.

Distracted, Sintra Kennin performed a fearsome overhead slash. Straight down into Jin Sat Lang's right wrist. The wrist upon which the hand that choked Akazha rested. The dakgatana slammed into the gauntleted wrist. Jin Sat Lang roared in pain and let go of Akazha.

But his scimitar was a flashing dragon. Steel met Sintra Kennin's armor and the cannonball force cracked the lamellar. Sintra Kennin stumbled back.

Akazha lightly fell to the floor on her feet. She performed six mudras in rapid succession: Thunderbolt, Dog, Guardian Lion, Heaven, Earth, Saber. Jin Sat Lang unleashed his scimitar onslaught upon her. Akazha wove and dodged it all by fluttering back and avoiding the blade swipes. Flipping over wide horizontal slashes and spinning to the side to avoid the tight vertical cuts.

She finished her mudras. With two fingers, Akazha performed a diagonal cutting gesture and said: "IWA IWA!"

Half of Jin Sat Lang's body armor fell away--cut completely and perfectly in two--exposing the Lieutenant's extremely toned midriff from the rest of his armor.

Jin Sat Lang's face ignited into wrath. "You churl! I will shatter your airy brains!" Lieutenant Jin Sat Lang erupted in an onslaught of rapid sword-strikes against Akazha. Akazha parried and fought back--even managing to trade the same rapid blows--by performing a mix of sword-summoning, Adamantine Sword, telekinesis, and Whorl Hand techniques. At the end of it, however, she barely managed to avoid a scimitar strike and caught it against the side of their belly. As if in sick retort: revealing Akazha's own pure pale saffron skin.

That blow slowed Akazha down enough for the final strike to have been something that dealt a grievous wound. But Akazha summoned her Will and threw her kalis into the sky. As it reached the height of the throw, Akazha performed the mudras again in rapid succession and screamed: "Flying Self-Carving God Flash!"

And Akazha was there, grabbing the sword. A flicker. A blink.

The scimitar's arc was already going down. It could not be stopped. The only thing that would stop it would be the boat. And the other travelers that were there, pressing against the railings, trying not to get hit. They were caught there, unable to make for the safer portions of the ship, away from the fight. Some even leaped out and into the water to escape the scimitar's explosive arc.

Raxri was there. Puksa gleamed--they imbued it with their Will. Summoning all their Will they performed an incomplete Heavenly Lightning Deflect. The scimitar crashed into Raxri's blade Puksa. Raxri redirected the force of the blow into a powerful galeforce surge of wind that burst into the sky.

Gritting their teeth, left hand useless, they said: "No casualties here. Have..."--Raxri winced--"some honor!"

Sintra Kennin's giant boots slammed into Jin Sat Lang's side, sending him reeling. He snarled: "Water Dragon Saber Style: Tributaries From All Directions!" Sintra Kennin cut in flowing, river current movements. He struck from all 12 directions. Cuts materialized in Jin Sat Lang's face, arms, legs. Some of the dragonscale armor chipped off. Leather belts and cloth knots undone causing shinguards to fall.

Sintra Kennin's onslaught exhausted, Lieutenant Jin Sat Lang--who was nowhere near as tall as Sintra Kennin but just as quick and just as strong--quickly parried back with their own steel flurry, a strike like a reverse-blossoming peony. Sintra Kennin cried in pain as they desperately tried to keep their defense up. Exhaustion gripped him after going all out with their Water Dragon Saber attack.

Just as Sintra Kennin desperately pushed away an sword thrust that would have punctured his left shoulder, a screaming gunshot ripped through the tense air. The hypnotizing, xylophone-and-gong-like reverberation of the clanging swords ended.

Pulled down from that state of elevated violence, Jin Sat Lang stopped their attack and turned.

Blood blossomed from his abdomen. Where the armor had been ripped off.

The Captain of the ship--Captain Ampalila--had shot him with a dragonmouthed arquebus.

"Clash blades further under certain threat of punishment," she said, her voice still tired. "No fighting on my ship. You're paying for the charges!"

Jin Sat Lang roared: "Know you who I am? This bullet wound will do nothing!"

"The bullet is engraved with poisonous mantra," said Captain Ampalila. She reloaded her gun. She did not even look at the Lieutenant as she did this. "You are a strong cultivator, yes. But any more of this Rakhrin poison in your blood will coagulate your very Inner Waters. You think I, a Captain of a Ship, do not know a thing or two about Cultivators and Wizards?"

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

Jin Sat Lang frowned. His furious, fire-like eyebrows ignited his gray eyes. He raised his scimitar and Captain Ampalila raised her arquebus once again and pressed: "Leave. Or die. It is your choice. We always have that."

With an indignant scream, he whistled a rising tune. At the end of it, his majestic peafowl mount flew in. "I will have your flesh yet, Raxri Uttara. Your body is mine." And then with another crow, his peafowl leapt into the air, twisted for a moment, and then disappeared into the Pemiwood.

The other passengers of the ship were silent. Eyes wide with awe. A mixture of "Did we just witness Cultivators fighting?" and "Cultivators sure are dangerous... I never want to be near one again!"

Raxri collapsed onto their butt, and sat. Akazha floated down beside them. Sintra Kennin ripped off his lamellar armor to show that a fierce bruise now burgeoned from where Jin Sat Lang's scimitar struck them.

"Now that is a powerful Cultivator," said Sintra Kennin, looking to where Jin Sat Lang disappeared into the forest.

Akazha knelt down and checked on Raxri's left arm. It was completely limp. "Can you feel anything from it? Can you move it?" Raxri shook their head on both questions. They could no longer feel their arm, but they knew it was still there. The pain was so great Raxri's body could not register and interpret it.

Akazha pulled out some healing ointments and oils and began applying it.

The captain arrived and knelt down before Raxri. "That will need bandaging and some pills. And rest. Come, follow me. Not out here."

Sintra Kennin and Akazha carried Raxri to the portioned off section of the barge behind the entire passenger region. There, two small beds upon the floor and two wooden desks. They seemed to be for the captain and their barker.

Akazha finished up wrapping up Raxri's arm. They coated it in healing oils, pierced the meridians with acupuncture needles, and then lined it with poultices that were then pressed upon the arm by the means of a gauze. Then, the captain offered Raxri a Reliever Pill to relieve the pain and throbbing. Raxri took it.

Catching their breath now, finally, they felt sleepy. All the adrenaline wearing off...

The room was not large. Sintra Kennin definitely would not be able to fit in here--Raxri immediately thought about how Sintra Kennin would fit into any of the houses in Pemi Island but then immediately bunkered those thoughts for another time.

"How fare you?"

Raxri winced and said: "Better--ngh--for now."

"That Jin Sat Lang is powerful. He has no doubt been training for decades."

"I felt his power," Raxri said. "I could not penetrate even his armor."

"His armor is of exquisite make," said Akazha. "As expected by someone from Shen. It will be hard to penetrate even for the most accomplished of mortal cultivators."

A quiet fell upon him. A fire burned in Raxri's heavy-lidded eyes. "I am not yet where I want to be."

Akazha furrowed her eyebrows. "And where do you want to be?"

"Strong enough to protect everyone."

Akazha shrugged. She sipped on a porcelain cup of tea. "No one was harmed in the barge other than us three, for the most part. That is a victory in and of itself."

"True that may be, you know what I mean when I say these things."

"Then you better train hard," said Akazha.

"I will," replied Raxri. They inhaled. Akazha herself winced for a moment.

"Are you okay? Your neck..."

"Healed," said Akazha. They showed her neck and the wounds and bruises there were miniscule compared to the wounds Raxri had taken. "They were lesser wounds. No injuries. Just light flesh harm. Nothing grievous, especially compared to yours. Stop worrying about me for a moment. It will not do you harm to think of yourself."

"Right. Of course." Raxri looked up. "But that Lieutenant. He seemed as though he was of the Glaives Of Heaven. Those bounty hunters are fearsome."

"Fully fearsome indeed," replied Akazha. "There's no knowing how strong the next one we meet will be."

"I should leave you. I should travel on my own."

Akazha raised an eyebrow. "And leave you to die? I'd be a fool to permit such a thing."

"But you will suffer because of me. If you stay where I stay, then you will have to keep fighting these powerful Cultivators that are after my flesh."

"So be it," said Akazha. Raxri could not read if there was hesitation in their eyes. "I will see your memories returned. I will see your strength returned. That is all there is to it."

"You should leave me alone."

Akazha inhaled. "Rest." She reached over and closed Raxri's eyes. "Your doubts and your fears shall wither away with the river's current."

Raxri could not understand why Akazha would not agree. They knew they were right. But then why? Of course, Raxri fully appreciated Akazha's help. Were it not for her--or for anyone else really that has helped them--they would've been dead the second they stepped out of the Vault of Souls.

If they wish to be with me, then they must be my responsibility. I must become strong for them, so that they will not have to fight. My strength... where have you gone? My power. Return to me quicksome and with haste. The world awaits us.

Terrified of the too close encounter, Raxri broke eye contact with Akazha.

Terrified of the consequences of that, Raxri turned to look at Akazha again.

The door swung open. In walked the captain and her barker. Sintra Kennin's silhouette blocked the door. He could not enter, despite wanting to. He had removed his armor now, shattered as it was. Raxri felt sad for him. We should buy him a new one when we have the chance.

"How is the warrior?"

Akazha turned and rose to her feet. "Good. I thank you, Captain Ampalila, for your gracious offering of room for our dear friend here."

"It is quite all right," Captain Ampalila said. "I would not suffer a warrior to die in my barge." She knelt down and inpsected Raxri up close. "You sure you're all right? Your arm should have been ripped off by the looks of it. You must have really strengthened your inner power for this."

"My Will? I've tried but I'm nowhere near the power I need to be."

"You don't need to be anything. Stay down." Raxri had tried to get up. Raxri laid back down. "You sure you do not know that man?"

Raxri looked at Akazha. They looked at each other, and then shook their heads. "No," said Akazha. "Though we know that he is Lieutenant Jin Sat Lang, as he so graciously announced himself."

Captain Ampalila's atubang, Dewita, spoke up: "He asked me if there was anyone with cloud-hair that had gone into the barge. I assumed he meant you? But having light hair is not particularly rare, especially so close to the sun's rising." She tapped her chin.

Raxri and Akazha looked at each other again. Silent understanding between the two. Be careful with your words. Captain Ampalila might sell you out.

Raxri decided that it was getting exhausting having to move around so gingerly, and have to hide one's self so thoroughly so as to not suffer another killer on their tails.

"We do not know either," said Akazha. "He could be some sort of Shennin adventurer looking for some trouble. Perhaps he was looking for something specific?"

Captain Ampalila pointed at Raxri. "He called you Raxri Uttara."

Raxri swallowed and nodded. "Ah, yes. He did."

"So that is your name?"

Raxri nodded again. "That would be correct."

"All right. I do not know why he is looking for you specifically Raxri Uttara. But I do not particularly care either. I will not suffer potential damage to my barge. Unfortunately there already is damage to my barge. Brought upon by your fighting. Now, I can tell that you're not the instigator here in any way. That Lieutenant has been harrassing our passengers looking for you, Raxri Uttara. I do not know what quarrel you have against each other, but you are still under my protection while you ride within this boat. That said, I will need some form of reparation for the repairs I will need to do upon my barge, and the lost days of work I'll get from it."

Akazha licked her lips and said: "Right. Yes. Of course. Uhm. How much would you gather this to be?"

The Captain rose and sat in a lotus seat position. She thought for a moment--almost looking like a moment of meditation--and then said: "1,000 joss. That will be just about enough, I would think."