"..."
Young Mufeng was amongst the busy crowd, bewildered about due to one's execution. His face remained blank, containing his emotions beneath his hat...it was another one of those days.
The onset crowd cheered wildly,impatiently awaiting the executioner. His mother, on the other hand, could only hope her son was still alive, and that alone could leave her some disclosure before her passing. The torture she had faced seemed endless; throughout she did not speak of the truth.
After a long while of wait, the executioner had finally set foot on the podium. The crown princess stood in front of the enthralled rout, opened a scroll, and declared as so: "On this day, we stand before the accused, who has remained steadfast until up to this moment."
"The only remaining member of the Yu family, Yu Sen Miao, has been accused of treachery against Wu City. She had kept that wretched couple's secrets to herself and to her family! His majesty the emperor has recently approved her execution; death comes about to those who deserve such a fate."
"She has pleaded guilty, and she does not deny her crimes. A wise choice, and yet a foolish one at best. Despite her son mysteriously disappearing after the incident, the officials believe he is no threat at the moment. We will capture him soon, today's witnesses may rest assured."
The executioner had never executed such an innocent-looking woman before; he felt pity, as somber as his job maybe. However, he was left with no choice but to behead her...the princess marched off the stage and observed from the side. Several guards surrounded her; Mufeng had no way around them.
It would surely demean her if he had proven her wrong, but it wasn't the time for that. He had to save his mother; even if it costed his identity. Just then, he was reminded of the mask Huo Nie had given him the other day. It was lovingly painted, almost like she was bidding him to be cautious whenever it had come to the point of use.
He did not dare use it, but...he wanted to at least spend a little more time with his mother. A goodbye simply wasn't enough...he barged into the scene, the crowd laying their eyes upon him.
The crown princess had been expecting this, and she immediately ordered her guards to sneak up on him before tackling him, preventing any attempt to escape.
He pulled out his sword, and it revealed a caliginous aura surrounding it...the gossip grew louder and louder by the minute."Its the illiterate son of the Yu Family! He came by himself to save his sinful of a mother, truly a disgrace!"
They were all but hypocrites from head to toe; the atmosphere felt suffocating. Was this really how they were all these years? Despite this, he did not speak. He only glared at the executioner through the mask, and pointed his sword towards the executioner's face.
The man only backed away, but he refused to let go of his sword. The guards behind him were getting closer, but when he turned around a sudden impingement knocked them down, even throwing off them to podium. The audience felt threatened, they immediately began to scatter.
The chaos prevented any more of a movements against Mufeng, and he gained enough time to set his mother free from the ropes. The executioner did not attempt to halt them; it could cost his life. It was not even his job to do so, as the guards began to chase them out into the forest near the city grounds.
The chase felt intense, but Mufeng's mother could not hold on any longer than that. He was but 12, who was he to be able to run as fast?"Dear...let's stop this!..."
He halted, right in the middle of a chase."Mother?..."She shoved her hand away from his, and she mourned over what kind of a being her son had become."Your repentant retaliation is a lot more powerful, now that your father is gone...please. Just go, my dear. Make mommy proud...okay?"
He had shed tears in but a glimpse. Without any more second thoughts, he leaves, and she passes away later on, finally receiving the closure she had always yearned for...
"..."
"That's all of it,my lords...what do you think?..."Both Generals are at a loss of words...His life had been awfully tragic, and yet he did not choose to reflect his sorrows through his actions...it was excreting from his words."General Jin...perhaps we should lend him some time. Even if we keep convincing him to turn himself in, it won't be of use."
General Feng and the soldier have run out of ideas, but once laying their eyes on General Feng, it seems they're his last resort."General Feng...perhaps you could try it for yourself?"Their gaze continued to disrupt General Feng...at least, now he knows what Xiao Chen experienced.
"Alright, alright. I'll try to converse with him, but please don't follow me. I'll be fine."General Jin and the guard ward his safety as he enters the forest and into the cave."Yu Mufeng...?"The man turned to look at him, and his eyes suddenly lit up in emotion.
"I...It's you. You've finally come to see me, master..."Feng doesn't know how to react; what does he mean by master?"Erm...yeah. How have you been, kid?(I don't exactly know this big guy's age, but depending from the intel, he should be just around 20.)"
"It...hasn't been a fun decade. I guess you've always been on her side...can't be helped. I still owe you my skill with handling swords, but I can't repay you by turning myself in."The general felt empathy for the young man; in however way he may have been related to the previous General Feng, they must have been more like father and son."Kid...could you forgive me for leaving you?"
"For what?...My parents' death? I don't blame you for anything, Master. My parents, they would've still considered you as one of their closest companions, even if you had caused it in the first place."
"You helped me achieve what I could not reach as so easily. Perhaps I could really turn myself in, to put myself out of this misery..."The General stroked his head, and the reverity awakened, glancing at him."Oh...don't worry Huo Nie, you can rest again..its just master."
The reverity was like it had a mind of its own; it seemed as if it was aware of those who it could trust and those who it could not."Wait...did you just say...Huo Nie?"
(Flashback to chapter 8)
"..."
"I have been expecting you both, but I was originally clearing off a few places that may be of use to you. Well, I shall leave it to both of you now, since you've arrived. Please excuse me, I shall return to the imperial palace at once."
"..."
"B-but...she's..."Mufeng then stared at him, only dwelling in a state of confusion for but a minute."Ah...
you've met her? Did she lie about being one of her majesty Wu Yao Dai's most trusted attendants?..."
He quickly agreed to this."...I see. My sister...she had fallen ill long ago. I offered to keep her alive, but in a reverity's body. At the beginning, she refused, but upon discovering the fact I could still hear her words shifted her opinion about so."
"I see."Huo Nie starts to enunciate, and surprisingly, even Feng can hear it."General Feng, I know you can hear me. Explain to Mufeng, at once."General Feng cannot respond to this; he wasn't even informed of anything else, how is he supposed to explain the current situation?"I...erm..."
"I understand. You are dismissed, please leave."She begins to growl at him, and General Feng dismisses himself shortly after. Mufeng seems to have heard the whole conversation, but doesn't stop General Feng from his departure."Sister...perhaps the rumors really were true. He's forgotten everything."
"It doesn't matter then...however, if you want some personal space, you'd better catch up to him. I'm sure he'd be pleased to be made aware of the fact you've grown...now, you'd better go. Quickly, before he leaves."Mufeng sighs before chasing after Feng, as Huo Nie goes into hiding."Its been a long time since this has happened...perhaps this truly is fate that we're facing."
As Mufeng lunges through the forest, he finally spots Feng's silhouette across the tree branches and twigs."Master."The man turns back to look at him, and he grabs his arm."Kid, what's the matter?..."
"We need to—"Ice quickly forms around Mufeng's hand. Feng's sword art has simultaneously resonated with Mufeng's, causing it to link them within a glove of ice."...Master...you..."The ice then shattered into pieces, but it caused no harm to Mufeng.
Feng began to feel something, and it occured to his mind that this maybe the reason the General had left him in the first place...he began to ran away. He didn't know what he was sprinting for, but what else could he do now...?Everything was but a mendacious facticity, now that it was out...
[To be continued in the next chapter, please be patient for the next one. Thank you for reading.]