Zu Mari had spent the first twenty years of his life being downtrodden and weak. He was used to losing. But in the past few days, he had gotten a taste of how it felt to be the powerful one for a change. He had always worked hard to deserve this power and now that it was his he refused to back down.
Heart of Fire and Spirit of Twilight Death said he had been killed by Xashu many times. But his soul burned with the fire of a phoenix and he knew he could not be stopped. Nothing would stand in his way. His path would be straight and true, until he ascended to rule the heavens.
Xashu flew toward him with his spear extended, tip poised to strike Zu’s heart. Zu ran forward, Heart of Fire and Spirit of Twilight Death pointed straight at the giant man.
“Down,” whispered Heart of Fire and Spirit of Twilight Death, and Zu heeded the warning. He dropped to the ground, just as Xashu shifted his swing just enough that it would have severed Zu’s head from his body had he remained as he was.
Then the immense pressure of Xashu’s spirit pressed down on Zu, and he stiffened at its weight. The two of them were evenly matched, but Zu had not spent as many years practicing with his power. He still did not understand how to use it to its fullest potential. Until now it had been enough to allow his instincts to guide it. But against Xashu Cougar his ability was insufficient.
“Left, left, jump, now!” urged Heart of Fire and Spirit of Twilight Death.
Zu tried, but it was like moving through a swampy mire up to his neck. Xashu’s blade sliced down in a clean arc—
Zu Mari stepped forward, lost his balance, and fell to one knee. Behind him, the world lay frozen like a painting in amber.
“How is he so strong?” he whispered, fury in his heart. “He should be as nothing compared to me!”
“His power is at its limits,” said Heart of Fire and Spirit of Twilight Death. “Your power is only beginning to bloom. You can surpass him easily. You only need to learn how he fights and then use that knowledge against him.”
“That overwhelming power… the tyranny of his aura… how can I withstand it?” Zu clenched his fists. “I refuse to be humbled by someone such as him!”
“There is no shortcut to mastery. Power can be given, but skill must be learned.”
Fire blazed in Zu Mari’s eyes. “Then I will learn.”
He stood proud and tall, waiting for the spear he knew was coming. It pierced through the heavens, screaming toward him with supernatural force. He raised Heart of Fire and Spirit of Twilight Death and slapped the flying spear out of the air with perfect precision. It spun end over end and thudded into the ground nearby where it stuck, quivering with the force of Zu’s mighty blow.
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“Face me, Xashu Cougar!” Zu shouted. “I, Zu Mari, will be your downfall!”
“So you have heard of me.” Xashu’s voice echoed from further down in the forest. “Good. Then we don’t need to waste time on introductions.”
Zu remembered everything he had experienced when he fought Xashu before. He knew Heart of Fire and Spirit of Twilight Death was trying to help, but the sword’s instructions would always be crude compared to true knowledge. The instinct of moving and reacting required more immediacy.
So when Xashu Cougar appeared over the edge of the hill, Zu sprang forward with all the force of his perfect body. For a moment, fire flared in his eyes and wings of crimson flame soared behind him, pushing him onward. Then he slammed into Xashu, Heart of Fire and Spirit of Twilight Death extended to pierce his foe’s heart.
Xashu was strong and fast, but not as strong and fast as Zu Mari. This time it was he who never saw his death coming.
Xashu raised one hand and his aura rippled and convulsed as it tried to repair the damage. Then Zu withdrew the sword from his chest and swiped off his head.
“You will not exterminate my clan,” Zu hissed, as the corpse of Xashu Cougar fell to the ground. The heat of Zu’s fury ignited the body and burned it away to ashes, leaving only the Spirit Stone necklace the Cougar gateward had worn. Zu picked it up and put it on. The Spirit Stone did little for him, a focusing aid for beginners which he had long since surpassed, but it was a fine trophy.
Zu looked around, breathing hard from his epic showdown. Beyond the irregular barrier the world remained frozen. “Looks like you were right. Whatever is happening here is bigger than this fight with Xashu Cougar.”
“This is an exceptionally large arena. Whoever is maintaining it must be mighty indeed.”
“How do I break out of it? Now that my foe is defeated, I have no need to remain.”
“But was Xashu your only foe?” Heart of Fire and Spirit of Twilight Death inquired insightfully.
“You’re right! There are more foes to face, more lessons to learn. I will attain mastery as I always have, with tireless effort!” He brandished Heart of Fire and Spirit of Twilight Death to the skies, flames flickering along its blade. “We fight on!”
“Yes we do.”
Zu stared out across the forest below, then turned to look down the border. The uneven strip of unfrozen time went on a long way. “We will start at this end,” he decided, “and fight our way toward the far end. Any who stands in our path will be destroyed.”
“Sounds like good practice.”
“Every chance to increase my mastery shall be taken!” Zu shouted, and jumped off the hill. He landed in a tree, and jumped off that as well. “Face me, any who dare! I, Zu Mari, will conquer all!”
“Shut up…” groaned an unfamiliar voice. “I just got rid of one loudmouth, and now there’s another?”
Zu looked down. An owl stood on the branch beside where he’d landed, staring up at him with anger in its eyes. “Hello. I am Zu Mari.”
“And I am trying to sleep here. Go away.”
“I will make you my familiar,” Zu decided. “Then you will be endlessly refreshed by my burning spirit and have no need of sleep.”
“Hah,” grumbled the owl. “The day I assent to be a familiar is the day you know I’ve lost my mind.”
“Minds are overrated,” Zu said blithely. “At least yours is. Mine is perfectly sufficient for us all.”
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