Zu Mari staggered, the world behind him frozen like a painting in amber.

"How! A tree? Me, the greatest fighter the Mari clan has ever seen, defeated by a mere tree?"

Death Shadow hooted softly in sympathy, then confusion. "Master, I feel strange."

"You're tethered to my spirit, so my return brings you back with me."

"I can't move."

"You're currently not embodied, just a spirit linked to mine."

"Don't forget there's a spear," said Heart of Fire and Spirit of Twilight Death. "You should probably get out of the way."

Zu Mari growled and did not get out of the way. He waited, eyes perked for any slight movement. When the spear came flying from the forest below at an unbelievable speed, Zu was ready for it. He punched the spear at an angle so his hand impacted it just beyond the spearhead, splintering into tiny shards. The head flew harmlessly past him, while the rest of the spear fell to the ground as kindling.

"Go find your body, Death Shadow. I have something else to take care of."

Death shadow hooted and disentangled his essence from Zu's, a ghostly shadow of an owl flying off toward where his body was wasting its time lurking on a branch.

"Do not underestimate Xashu Cougar," said Heart of Fire and Spirit of Twilight Death once the owl had departed. "You got lucky last time."

"There's no such thing as luck. I make my own fortune."

"Then I won't bother wishing you good luck," said Heart of Fire and Spirit of Twilight Death, ungratefully. "I'm sure your skills will prove themselves."

"They will," agreed Zu. "Watch and bear witness to my might."

"Not like I have any choice. We're bonded until death. And apparently beyond it."

"That's the spirit."

Zu searched the edge of the plateau for any sight of Xashu, so he spotted the grotesquely huge man at once when he jumped over the edge and landed in a cloud of dust.

"Xashu Cougar! I, Zu Mari, challenge you to the death! You will not obstruct my path again!"

"Mari? That weakling clan that no one can be bothered to exterminate? You're fortunate it is me you've met, your death will be swift and painless."

"No death today!" Zu dashed forward, drawing forth Heart of Fire and Spirit of Twilight Death in an arc of red and purple light as he ran, the blade trailing a sinister glow in its wake. Xashu took a whip from his hip and snapped it once, qi lighting up its length in a sickly yellow glow.

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"I probably should have warned you," whispered Heart of Fire and Spirit of Twilight Death, "he has a shifting armory."

"No matter, he will fall just the same."

He pushed himself as he ran, faster and faster, turning into a blur of power as he shot straight at Xashu—

The whip snapped out, coiled around his neck, and tightened in a single motion. Xashu smirked and jerked on the handle, the whip biting into Zu's throat as it dragged him off course and slammed him into the ground. He gaped for breath and grabbed at the glowing cord around his neck. Heart of Fire and Spirit of Twilight Death fell to the ground with a clatter.

Xashu stepped forward, glared down at the sword, then stomped on it. With a flare of qi, the blade splintered and shattered into a thousand pieces. Red and purple essence began to dissipate in the air—

Zu stumbled forward, the world behind him frozen like a painting in amber.

"I… didn’t die that time." Zu had been about to break free of the whip’s meager grasp and ignite his inner Phoenix to slay Xashu, but the moment Heart of Fire and Spirit of Twilight Death shattered…

"It seems the loop resets when I'm killed as well as you," the sword commented, mirroring Zu's thoughts.

"Master, what happened?" Death Shadow asked, bewildered to be back in spirit form.

"Go find your body," Zu said, and the owl obediently disengaged its spirit from his and flew off.

"I did tell you not to underestimate him," Heart of Fire and Spirit of Twilight Death said petulantly. “Though I do wonder why it doesn't reset when we kill Xashu.”

"Because it is here to test me in fire and forge me into a yet greater warrior," Zu realized, the answer suddenly obvious. "Of course it would not deprive me of your wisdom and strength. I should not have doubted you."

"I could not bear you thinking less of me. It would pain me to know you thought me weak. But Xashu is no one to be underestimated."

"I see that now." Zu frowned. "How do we defeat him?"

"We pay very close attention and find his every weakness. Make our own fortune."

Zu smiled. "I knew you were wise. Don't let me doubt you again." Then his expression darkened. "But you were shattered in the past, so you knew your death would reset the loop. You should have told me. I need to be able to rely on you, not be constantly double guessing what you've told me or what you’re holding back."

“I’m a magic sword of fire, deception, and death. You really expected straightforward honesty?”

“I never before had reason to doubt you. Don’t you see that this has forever shaken the bond of eternal trust between us? Will I ever be able to see you in the same way again?”

"What do you know about the First Immortals?"

"Not much. They were immortals, they got bored with life, came down to live among mortals, and were killed because mortals are idiots."

"Not quite. Some of us weren't killed, but sealed instead."

"'Us'? You're one of the First Immortals?"

"I... was. Much of my essence is still locked away from me, and my purpose has been subverted to create a weapon of unsurpassed power. But that age does wear on one. Being forged before the dawn of the era doesn't necessarily mean I'm unbreakable."

"I know. I watched you be shattered."

"Also, spear."

Zu glanced up just in time to smack the spear out of the air. It spun away, landing in a cloud of dust well distant from where he stood.

"I am no longer an immortal,” continued Heart of Fire and Spirit of Twilight Death. “My essence is bound once again to a physical form, and though I retain much of my power I cannot ascend beyond it."

"Ever? You're imprisoned for good?"

"If there is a solution, I have never heard whisper of it."

"Then I swear to you, Heart of Fire and Spirit of Twilight Death, I will guide you on your path to re-ascension."

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