Yu Chen made it to the end of the path, stepping down onto the other side of the cave.
His back felt toasty warm as he walked away from the flickering magma pool, departing the cavern without looking back.
He walked through a long winding tunnel, similar to the one he’d entered from, only this one gradually sloped upwards as it approached the surface. The rough hewn stone floor gradually gave way to a more refined appearance, before ending in a flat wall.
As he approached the dead end the stone peeled away, opening up to reveal another large room. He stepped within, finding himself inside a room of white marble that glowed softly with an internal luminescence.
It wasn’t as uniform as the chamber that had come before. This one sprawled, forming a wide rectangular shape that was both expansive and unnatural. The floor before him only stretched halfway across before abruptly ending in a sharp ledge. He approached it, looking down to see a yawning abyss, shrouded in a swirling, ghostly fog.
He peered into the depths, looking at the mists churning far below. The thick vapor within the pit clung close to the ground, obscuring it from vision as it flowed slowly towards the right in an endless stream. As he watched, silvery tendrils of ethereal fog reached towards him, twisting and writhing as though alive.
Yu Chen instinctively leaned back, a shudder passing through him despite the distance, watching in fascination as the roiling waves of mists floated by. Curious, he looked around for a source, before spotting a shadowy alcove in the wall from which the fog gushed forth in rolling waves, tumbling down to pool in the pit before drifting onward, vanishing through some unseen crevice on the other side.
He’d never seen such a thing, and curious, he approached the misty waterfall, reaching out to touch it -
“I wouldn’t advise that.” The invisible voice spoke again, surprising him. Yu Chen stopped, warily eyeing the misty waterfall. Heeding the voice he took some steps back, avoiding the living fog that was now stretching towards him.
“Very good. I see that you’ve managed to survive the trial of body.” The voice said, speaking in dulcet tones that resounded out from all around him.
Yu Chen opened his mouth, but it continued before he could say anything.
“How peculiar!” It said in surprise. “It appears that you’ve actually come out stronger. I have been conducting these tests for many years, and I must say that this is a first.” Yu Chen felt a small surge of pride as he heard the voice speak.
He wasn’t a vain man, but he felt happy that he’d managed to surprise the enigmatic being.
“The next test before you is the trial of spirit. I must warn you, this test is considered very dangerous and many who take it never return. You are a talented cultivator, and can take pride that you’ve passed two tests. From here however, it’s best if you turn around. Just say the words and you can leave, going off to live a long life.”
Yu Chen snorted loudly in reply.
A test of spirit? His spirit truly wouldn’t be worth much if these words were enough to break it.
“I’ll take the test, thank you.” He said, speaking in a confident tone.
“Very well.” The voice replied, its tone dropping low as it continued. “What you see before you is the River of Eternity, the greatest heavenly treasure the Flowing Eternity Sect has ever produced, crafted by one with an unfathomable understanding of the Concept of Time. Step into its waters and you will experience a life that could have been.”
Yu Chen frowned at the words, considering what the voice said. “What is the test?”
“You will know when the time comes.” The voice said, speaking ambiguously.
Yu Chen nodded, looking down at the shifting mists churning in the pit beneath him. He would know when the time comes, huh? He raised a hand, scratching his chin as he considered what was to come.
Well, it didn’t matter in the end. Whatever it was he’d face it in the same way he had everything else. There was nothing for him to think about, he’d known he would take the test, whatever it was, before he’d even walked into the room.
He clenched his fist, confidently speaking to the voice.
“Let’s begin.”
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Time to wake up, you lousy good for nothing layabouts! Awake with you, awake!”
The shouts came, accompanied by the harsh screech of metal banging against metal. The noise reverberated throughout the early morning air, cutting through the stillness that had blanketed the world. Yu Chen bolted awake at the noise, groaning as he rubbed at his face.
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
“Every morning with this,” He complained, the words ending in a big yawn as he stretched his arms out wide.
“It’s for our own good Xiao Yu.” His brother chided.
Yu Chen blinked as he looked up, smiling at the sight of his brother. He watched as Mo Chen tightened his armor, pulling on one of the cords that bound the mass of overlapping metal, leather, and lacquered plates together. The plates of his lamellar armor were reinforced with steel and decorated with designs in red silk.
Mo Chen always awoke earlier than most. It was a habit from his youth. He’d grown up as a shepherd and was used to being awake before first light, earlier even than those tasked with awakening the battalion.
Yu Chen had always preferred sleeping in a bit himself.
Eventually the clanging of the metal gongs came to an end as the ralliers completed their duty, having ensured the camp awoke on time. Yu Chen stumbled to his feet, joining Mo Chen and pulling on his own armor.
The one he owned wasn’t as nice as his brother’s, nothing more than a simple sleeve of padded leather with some thin metal plates sewn in. The difference in their armor didn’t bother him, but he couldn’t help but cast an envious glance towards the fine straight sword that hung on his brother’s hip. Not that he wanted his brother’s things, but the sword, and what it represented, was something everyone in the army desired.
The sword was reserved for those in command, a symbol of power, while Yu Chen only possessed a spear, like the vast majority of the army. Mo Chen had been promoted to squad leader recently, and was now tasked with the command of ten men, having caught the eye of the company commander.
Not that it was hard to get a promotion.
The war was endless and attrition was rampant. Every engagement left new openings to fill, gaps left behind by the dead. Mo Chen was very charismatic and well liked by the others, and it hadn’t taken him long to earn a higher position. It also didn’t hurt that he was a talented fighter, having survived more than ten engagements by now.
Yu Chen on the other hand, had been passed over time and again. He was a talented fighter himself, but he lacked his brother’s easy affability. An unspoken truth in the military was that positions of command were as soon political as not.
Not that Yu Chen cared. Sure he’d love to have a sword of his own, and all the trappings of rank, but he was just thankful that they had been allowed to remain together, unlike their father whom they hadn’t seen in over a year. He’d been transferred early on, and the last they’d heard of him he was fighting in a battalion somewhere on the other side of the Empire.
It had been a long year for the two brothers, but fighting side by side had brought them closer than ever.
“Are you ready?” Mo Chen asked, as he gathered his long black hair into a tight ponytail, before placing his conical steel helm atop his head. A red plume rose from the top of it, brushing the roof of the tent.
Privately Yu Chen thought the feather stupid, but he’d never tell his brother that. Whose bright idea had it been to mark out the officers for their enemy to see anyways? It seemed a good way to have your leadership targeted.
“Almost.” Yu Chen said with another yawn, shaking the thought away. He was still half asleep, going through the motions as he tugged on his padded leather before laying the thin chainmail skirting on top.
Finished, he twisted and stretched before bending over, touching his toes, ensuring the armor didn’t tug anywhere. It fit him like a glove, having molded to his body over the last year. He bounced on his feet a bit, feeling satisfied, before following his brother out of the tent.
They stepped outside and Mo Chen grabbed his spear from where it lay resting against the side of the tent. Yu Chen copied him, grabbing his own before following his brother throughout the encampment.
They passed familiar faces as they walked, and Yu Chen smiled, waving towards his squad mates and nodding at the others in his company. He shared an easy camaraderie with these men, treating them like brothers. The battlefield was a strange place, bloodshed bonding men together in a way nothing else could.
They nodded back at him as he passed, going through their own motions. Some were hunched over eating whatever breakfast they had, others honing their weapons or chatting in easy conversation, half dressed as they prepared for the day.
Yu Chen couldn’t help but feel the somber atmosphere hung over the camp, and he knew why. Battle was on the horizon. The men around him, hard bitten in the war that had stretched throughout the seasons, had varying looks upon their faces. Some appeared excited, sharing bloodthirsty smiles as they joked with each other, while others were quiet, appearing contemplative in the early morning.
The heavy sound of laughter came from a nearby group of men, and Yu Chen came to a halt as Mo Chen stopped beside them. The rowdy group was tossing dice in the compacted dirt between two tents, filling the air with shouts of excitement, and low groans of disappointment. Yu Chen stood beside his brother, mirroring his look of disapproval, but in truth he felt like laughing himself.
Military camps shared one commonality no matter when, or where. Regardless of what time of day it was, there were soldiers somewhere, gambling on something.
“Chen Rui!” Mo Chen said, slapping a hand on the shoulder of one of the men playing the game. ”Finish up, we have to report to the commander.”
“Go away!” The sallow faced man kneeling down on one knee spoke as he tossed the dice, before groaning at the two single pips that showed up. He threw his hands up, before looking at Mo Chen and complaining bitterly. “You’re a bad luck charm! I always lose when you come around.”
Mo Chen snorted in amusement. “You’re the unlucky one friend, and you ought to thank your stars you met me. I’m the only reason you ever walk away with a little change still jingling in your pocket.”
Chen Rui sighed, muttering under his breath before picking up his helm, a twin of the same one Mo Chen carried. The others in the game complained as the man stood up to leave but Chen Rui only threw some rude gestures towards them before walking away.
They continued on, not missing a beat as Chen Rui left, groans of despair and wild whoops of joy following the three as they strode away into the distance.