“I - I guess I don’t understand then - why?” Josephine Wong sighed and asked: “If it comes to that, no one will be ready but us. Or people like us. ”

“I have ways to mend the wound - just give me time.” Jianmen coughed once again and said: “Karma, the Will, it should fight its battle on its own. It should fight its fight on its own. We are nothing but pawns and - maybe, maybe agents of its decree and wishes. But we are not to fight its fight. No now, not fucking ever. ”

“But the Will does not have enough forces to fight this kind of battle. Does it? I’ve learned, from my own studies and research and from you, that those of us who are blessed with this gift, who were touched by the flames of the Will and drank from its hands ARE the embodiment of the forces fighting against this pollution.”

“Yes, but not like this. You shouldn’t have been picked like this. There are people who would give so much to join the fight. And there are those who got picked just because.” Jianmen shook his head: “You know the phrase ‘karma’s a bitch?’ It indeed is. And this ‘gift’? A real bitch move.”

Thunder cracked and the sky grew dim, it was as if the gods and heavens were not happy with Jianmen’s commentary and his display of contempt. But Jianmen merely looked up briefly and then turned back to look Josephine Wong in the eyes: “Please, let me try first - that white crystal I gave you, still I have some more, if the wounds in karma flow are not that bad, I can utilize it to heal them. If those are not enough I could go out and hunt some more simpler and weaker pollutants down - I WILL heal those wounds.”

“But it’s only a means of delay - even when you have healed the wound, the defilers would still come. We will have to fight them. ” Josephine Wong let out a long exhale and laid back into her body and said: “I’ve heard from my team earlier, they made a deal with one eye. One eye will help them find out information about the relic, and hopefully about whoever and whatever created that site. I will get to my team, we can mobilize and be prepared. Blue, Pei and Nameless are absolutely ready to learn about this.”

“That may be - but this is not your fight - ”

“Why keep saying that? ” Josephine Wong sat straight again: “You’ve told me, the gift was an order of conscription, which means that we are a line of defense. And judging from what you’ve told me, we are possibly the ONLY line of defense. Which means we are the Will’s soldiers. And unless I am missing something, the Will might just not have any other means of directly fighting back - it only has us - its only soldiers. So I don’t think there’s any other choice here, why would you - ”

If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

“Because soldiers die!” Jianmen cut Josephine Wong off, quite devoid of proper manners and his usual gentle ways.

“Okay.” Josephine Wong stood up and walked to the corner of the room, with her back facing Jianmen: “I know. Jianmen. I know.”

“Then you’d know why I - ”

“You did intend to leave me this, didn’t you?” Josephine Wong raised her left hand up, showing Jianmen her bracelet.

“Yes. And with all the privileges. It was my intention, with nothing held back.”

“Then you know, that a certain drawing in the basement would not have escaped my eyes.” Josephine Wong wiped her eyes gently and then turned back: “At least you were not lying. It’s like looking at a mirror - a mirror with some artsy filters. The name - ”

“Shi Yanyu. Yes. My - my elder sister from the clan.” Jianmen nodded and went silent, and for a brief moment he felt that he could not, or dared not, look at Josephine Wong in her eyes.

“What happened?” Josephine Wong sat down by the bed again and asked with a soft voice: “How did she die?”

“Battle.” Jianmen sighed: “The battle against a horde of defilers, carried over by a fell beast from the deepest space and void. She led the charge against the beast, using her musical instrument as her weapon, as the Goddess of Rhythm, Ode and Poetry herself.”

“And you?”

“I was amongst the ones in the flank. I was recently awarded with Godhood, and along with other younger Gods, and top cultivators who had yet to contend for Godhood.” Jianmen said: “I was lucky to be alive. But she was not. The world grew deaf that day, those still standing lost half of their valor and spirit, and the dust on our monuments, temples and statues grew thick.”

“And that’s why you came.” Josephine Wong nodded with a light and barely noticeable sniffle: “So tell me, Jianmen. Are your plans still … true?”

“... I am not sure.”

“Oh.” Josephine Wong was silent for a brief moment, then she nodded: “Then I hope you don’t mind this - I’ve proceeded with your plan of training your students, along with mine. I am sure you have much to pay your attention to, so, continue your rest. Your students will be ready, before you know it.”

“Josephine.” before Josephine Wong left the room, Jianmen called out to her.

“Yes?”

“I’m sorry.”

“Hmm.” Josephine Wong smiled: “Trust me when I say this: I understand. I am quite a bit older than you, you know.”

“Thank you.”

“And trust me when I say this as well.” Josephine Wong walked out the door and pulled the door shut all but slowly: “That I will do what I believe to be right - and prudent. Like I just said, your students will be ready before you know it.”