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Calistown was clipping flowers, it was Lei's Birthday.
The Baby had been paying attention to her Mother and Brothers' advice. She didn't speak to strangers, often. When she did, she always seem to go above and beyond when she'd try to help them somehow.
It was a little troublesome explaining about the talking Baby to random Travelers. If said in some areas, they'd take it as you having gone completely mad.
The Guards had been instructed from a few higher ups not to mess with Lei, she also made it a point not to cause problems either. They learned very quickly not to approach her after several city officials had their dirty laundry exposed to the Public. The King had banned her from the Castle when she gave him dirty looks. The Guards were the ones who told the King about her abilities and when he first hear them, several of the guards went missing until they simply followed orders.
Lei was kept from the Castle but the Zao Family in general had been listed on a watch list.
"Wearing Clothes makes me feel happy!" Rushing along while repeating herself in the streets like a passing blur, Lei made her way to the Camp where her big Brother was working.
"Brother Zhan!, Brother Zhan!" Pouncing on one of the Fire Wolves, as she always did, Zhan looked back and shook his head at his Baby Sister. Lei was playful no matter where she went, her innocence was unmatched in the Capital.
"Be Careful, Sometimes Wolves bite their own babies." Zhan teased Zao Lei, then got back to work. "Sister, you must let Mother and Father know when you go out. Did Mother dress you Today?"
Shaking her head and unable to lie to her big brother, she said, "Yes, Big Brother is here." She took small breaks between sentences, "All mother does is food. She got mad an..told me to go play outside. So I did. Can I play here?"
Jumping towards another Fire Wolf with pups, she showed no fear whatsoever. The pups didn't seem to mind either, they rolled around with her. She got as good as she gave but in the end she laid down to sleep. Surrounded by the young pups, she gave off an aura that made the other animals in the stables yawn and rest.
"Mother is going to have a hard time with this one.." Sighing and returning to his work again, Zhan finished on time. He and Rachael had plans later on with the Family.
It was Lei's Birthday, so doing whatever she wanted, within reason, was fine.
As Zhan watched his baby sister sleep, he thought about how she would often look like she was engaging in conversation with the pups, like she was one of the wolves. Sleeping beside them, he knew she'd be nothing short of extraordinary when she got older.
Zhan's work was done for the day. Having notified his superiors, Zhan picked his little sister up and carried her back to his home to the Capital. It was a few hours ride but Lei could fly much faster than his Fire Wolf could run. "She's just like Wu Hai, unbound." Riding at full speed he made it back to his parents house by the setting of the first Sun.
The sky was starting to darken and Calistown wanted to do something special for her young Daughter.
Ooran was always partial to Wolves, they were a symbol of the Zao Family branch. Opening Door to the back, a Black Firewolf with fur that licked with red flames, sat near a tiny shelter in the yard.
"Father you spoil my little Sister.. a Black Firewolf is just like you." Zhan stared at the pup. Lei was waking up, her clothes were still covered in grasses and fur. There was drool across her face from sleeping.
Feeling like he had to defend his choice for his Daughters pet, Zao Ooran spoke up. "Our Family has always been hailed as a black sheep but we are wolves. If we must be wolves in sheep clothing, it would be a Black Wolf." He laughed to change the subject, it didn't work but it did serve to lighten the mood.
Zhan was laughing as hard as he could, his Father had taken the awkwardness out of the situation entirely with his dubious explanation. 'It truly wouldn't have mattered if they brought home a sheep, it would soon become a wolf in the hands of the little princess.'
With enormous and glowing eyes, Lei ran up to the tiny black Pup. It was just big enough for it to be away from its Mother. The two of them were basically children, they played for the remainder of the evening and when it came time for bed, they were inseparable. After watching her fall asleep, the noise in the house took a steep drop.
Cleaning up, Calistown and Rachael seemed rather annoyed at Zhan. Rachael and Zhan had been courting for four years. Even Zhan's own mother was starting to plot against him.
Looking back, Zhan saw Rachael blush intensely and asked "Mother, what are you doing to my Rachael?"
"Oh? Yours? You haven't pledged yourself to me and we have never talked about when you're going to marry me. So, how can I be yours?" Sticking her tongue out at Zhan to tease him, Rachael wasn't wrong.
"Oh, That. Well, The thing is.. I'm going to go on an adventure soon and I don't know if I'll ever return. It will be a while before but Wu Hai has to return before we can finally set out on an adventure together. Until then, I'm just not sure what I want. Pretending that you'd be content waiting would be a bad idea. You are a beautiful woman and I would be incredibly lucky. I am Incredibly Lucky.." His fingers touched between his hands. Seeing where the conversation was going, he walked up to Rachael and kissed her cheek. "I know I could love you but if I never adventured, I would regret for all my life." His eyes met hers, "Would you not regret giving up on a dream, even for love?"
Looking up at Zhan from his chest, Rachael finally understood what he meant. The response almost brought her to tears but she understood some things about him that she hadn't dared thought about.
In the old village she was going to be groomed into an Elder or a wife eventually. Her path, even though it was interrupted, was still her path. She would eventually become the Elder of the remaining Herl Townsfolk. Zhan had unofficially become a leader among her people, much was possible given his status with them and the relationship between the two of them was deep enough to believe anything possible.
"Promise me that you won't give up. That you'll not die. Then promise me one more thing.." Stretching herself up to kiss Zao Zhan, she wrapped her arms around him and pressed her lips to his. Releasing him, she said "Come home to me.."
Stepping down, she turned and left in a hurry.
"Idiot" Slapping her son with the back of her hand in the chest, Calistown approached from behind while she protested a little. She knew Zhan was serious about Rachael too, those words between them were not spoken lightly.
"I know Mother, I think I'm doing the right thing. I've only just become a Man, taking on a family, more than the position I'm already in with the townspeople, would be a heavy burden. I must have adventure to temper myself. I seriously doubt Brother is slacking off." Zhan kissed his Mother on the top of her head.
His parents said goodnight, Lei was already asleep and it was time for Zhan to return to camp. He figured that Rachael would probably be mad if he skipped coming by and he still had to return to the barracks. There was a lot stable work to be done in the mornings.
Rachael's window was visible on this way back. Zao Zhan knocked on her door.
When she answered she was already getting ready for bed. Her long gown covered just the right spots and didn't on the others.
"Yes." Zhan only had one word to say before he walked off into the night. Kissing Rachael goodnight, he strolled out of town with his Firewolf.
Rachael closed her door and touched her lips. She sat by the door with tears in her eyes.
The Man she loved, loved her back. "In Time.." Speaking softly Rachael got to her feet and walked to bed.
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In a Secret Base very far away, a group of Elderly Men were arguing about the death of an entire squad of their Hunters.
"It has been three years since we lost our chance to retrieve the weapon. Lord Eddingar isn't going to allow us to continue if we cannot retrieve it." A battered man was kneeling, he was one of the newer members to their group.
"Silence" Another Elder stopped the man.
"We are all at risk, The Weapon is too much for us to handle. Even dragging it from the previous courier was out of your ability." The Fifth Elder said.
"I killed that bastard myself, he fell into the River!" A murderous aura erupted from his small frame. "He's absolutely dead! Why is it always like this! Why can't we hire some competent people?" The Fourth Elder was clenching his fists.
"Hire confident people? When you can't even handle the matter, do you believe you can trust another to do what must be done?" The Second Elder chided the whole group. "Enough! Since Elder Tai was the one in charge of the fallen group and since he has not gotten our Master's prize, he will go himself."
"It is as you command, Elder Gong." Fading into the shadows of the Hall, Elder Tai disappeared into a corrosive mist.
"This will not end until retrieve it, I do not believe the Master will give us more time." Elder Gong complained.
Two days later Elder Tai's group was standing on a riverbank near the waters edge. They were staring at the waterfalls in the distance. Elder Tai led had them to the riverside where the body had fallen in. "It fell in from here, search the river downstream. Look for mounds under the mud and dig them all up. Check the grasses and look for bones. Failure will cost your lives." His rage had increased over the years, the loss of the weapon was of little concern because of its defiant nature, only the worthy could wield it.
None of their people could lift it, only their courier Cassius was able to lift and transport it. Carried on his back and never wielded. His betrayal and disappearance over the falls had left a stain marked on Elder Tai's history.
'If I had known that Cassius could be this much of a problem, I would have followed his corpse downriver myself.' Regretting his haste to return with the news of Cassius's Death, Elder Tai could only face humiliation and death if he returned empty handed this time around.
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Dreaming at night, deep in the cave, Wu Hai had the premonition of someone coming for him.
The night sky had an eerie fog.
Wu Hai's condition had left them to sleep, the Cheng Brothers sat by the entrance and pet Darkwing while staring at the night sky. The Moonlight in the darkness could barely be seen through the clouds, only rays of reflections passed periodically.
A storm was likely on its way.
Having had enough of the cold night air, they returned to the cavern and saw Khan Ni meditating by the pool for the Jiao. She was concentrating intently, ignoring all surroundings. The winter was ending and she was preparing for their departure. Wu Hai was still unconscious under the large foundation of the Altar.
Khan Ni finished collecting up her things and went back down into the tunnel to check on her new friend. She couldn't move him but regularly went down to give him some water. It had been some time since he had been laying there unmoving.
Each day while he was resting, his power seemed to grow. In such close proximity to the Orb, there was nothing to shield him from its radiating energies.
A golden light started to swallow Wu Hai inside the hole. It lit the tunnel up, flashing through its interior and alerting the group. Dust crackled and fell when he sat up and rubbed his face. It was covered in dirt, he was filthy.
Wu Hai sat with Khan Ni in the tunnel for a bit. Once he was up for a while, he returned to his section of the cave and packed his things.
In the morning, if the snow did not fall, they would make their trip northwest. It had been several months in the cavern, an even longer since he had left his family in Portano.
Despite being unconscious an extended period of time, he was fast asleep. Khan Ni needed a lot less rest than the others and took to guarding the entrance.
Everything was peaceful in the night sky.
Standing watch at the Cave's entrance, Khan Ni waited for the Suns to come up.
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