VIII

Naivety

"You alright, lad?" Huo Lan leaned me against a wall after carrying me far away from any curious bystanders.

"I'm impressed," he continued, looking down at me, "Luo Zheng may be impaired by one of Wang Jen's decrees, but that was no mean feat there. Curious, how the necklace broke so easily. What was it that the emperor told him when he gave it to him? It will be able to withstand attacks from cultivators two stages above you. If it was supposed to be a joke, I'm not sure Luo Zheng understood it. He must be fuming right now."

"Even if all I did was fart, it seems I'd impress anyone around here," I spat the blood out of my mouth, annoyed by his carefree attitude and babbling. "Now get out of my way."

"I'm afraid not," Huo Lan pushed me back down when I tried to rise. I glared at him. "Nothing to worry, I won't harm you. That'd defeat the point of me saving your life there."

"No one asked you to."

"I'll take that as your way of saying thanks," he chuckled, further grating on my nerves. I blended out his presence, gauging my injuries. My vision was blurry as if I was looking through water, and my legs quivered like a newborn calf whenever I tried to put some strength into them. There were splinters lodged into my back, and as I traced my chest with my fingers, I found at least three fractured ribs.

"I've mended what I could," he said, noticing my movements. "My apologies for being rough, but Luo Zheng would've noticed me holding back. You won't be able to move properly until you're fully healed, so how about us two spend some time together before I let you go and give my duke some novel excuse? Any ideas?"

Once he mentioned it, I noticed the foreign Qi sticking to the insides of my body like big clots. It felt disgusting - any Qi not your own always was.

"None, it seems," he shrugged. "Care to enlighten me, then, why a member of the Fang Family knows a technique from the Sword Dragon Sect?" I ignored him again, but he wouldn't stop talking. "Not one for much chit-chat, hm?"

"It's none of your concern," I hissed through my teeth.

My old title of genius in the greatest martial arts sect hadn't merely been for show. Behind the bragging, there was some truth. Martial arts techniques had always come easy to me. Watching a teacher performing the technique once was enough for me to get the gist of it. Twice to become a master, and thrice to surpass them. Talent said to turn the heavens green with envy. Little did it help me this time.

"Alright, note taken," he raised his arms up in defeat," I'll leave you to yourself then. I thought you might have enjoyed some company, serves me right for trying to know better. You should be healed in... Two hours, give or take. Take care, and don't do anything as stupid as this again."

"Wait," I called out to him when he was almost out of my sight. "Why did you help me?" I took a good look at him. He was old enough to be a father. A stubble covered his chin, and his spiky, black hair was unusually short for someone living in these parts. A black headband with characters I wasn't able to decipher covered his head, and instead of armour like the rest of the guards, he wore a black cultivator's robe with the golden motive of the old royalty.

"I don't remember seeing you at the Guild," I added; nor had I noticed him at all, prior to my great rescue attempt.

"I've only heard of the scene you caused at the Guild, I admit. A few funny rumours, nothing I'd take serious," he put a finger to his smile as he came back, making himself comfortable next to me. "Keep that a secret, 'kay?"

"You lied?" I squinted through my swollen eyelids.

"A heavy accusation, lad," he grinned despicably, "well, you're right, more or less. Never met any Fang before either. Your martial arts were convincing enough that you didn't seem like any random youth, making for a suitable excuse. Maybe, you're actually from the Sword Dragon Sect, hm? I had a spar once with a distant cousin of mine, he used the same technique as you, only worse. Much worse, to be honest with you, but don't tell him I said that. He seemed proud of it at the time."

"Then, why?" If this pet didn't do it to save his master some trouble with the Falling Star Sect... "Why did you bother with me?"

"I merely did what I thought was right," he smirked again, looking like an idiot - a grown man, trying to wear a child's face. "Success or not, it wouldn't have cost me much. A whip or two against my poor wrist at worst. Sounds like a risk worth taking to try and keep someone's head on their shoulders, no?"

"What you thought was right?" My hands balled into fists.

"Is that so strange?" I offered no response.

"Mercy on the lost, what's happening to us?" He shook his head regretfully, "have the youths already forgotten their virtues? Nothing new, I suppose, but the world seems to turn worse by the day."

"And here's that duke's guard complaining about said virtues!" I spat with venom, disbelieving what I heard him say. Finally, my words wiped off his smirk. "If you want to save someone so bad, why didn't you help her! I'm not the one who needs help, damn it, Mei does!"

Giver her back to me, I almost screamed.

"That... Sorry, lad. There's no helping her," the way he said it made my heart sink. "The duke's obsessed with her. It's not just him either."

"Is that your excuse?" I grabbed him by his collar with the little strength left to me, "so you can sleep at night, knowing you're guarding a dirt-bag like him?"

"You're pretty quip for such a young lad, ay?" He brushed off my hand, showing no particular emotion to my outburst. There was no doubt or any signs of conflict in him. Or, he was too good at hiding them. "Go ahead, lynch me for my duty. Such it is, at times, as is tradition. You may call it honour. Family. Those are one thing, then there are other things. It doesn't mean I can't be nice when it suits me."

He shut me up before I could refute him.

"Those words of yours, they don't suit you, lad, no, they don't. I didn't take you for someone so naive. I'm sure you know exactly what I mean, regardless of which sect you're from. You have that air about you, of someone who understands this. You're training to be a cultivator, no?"

His words weighed heavy in the ensuing silence between us. I had no response. I wished desperately that I could've thought of something to dispute him, but nothing came to mind.

Fang Shin was a young master raised to lead his sect. I'd long learned about the decisions no one wants to make, but that have to be made. The ones many would judge cruel - heartless. Duty. The word rang hollow with the excuses of many. Family. Blood that ties yet severs more than any blade.

"It's not like I don't understand how you feel," Huo Lan sighed, "but forget about her. The duke won't let her escape again. Did you know? I barely prevented him from executing the entire watch that was on duty that night. He's changed since... No, she won't leave again, I tell you that. Then there's also..." He cast his face downwards as his words trailed off.

"There's also what?"

"...I've seen that look on her face before," he hesitated. "Forget it. Mercy on the lost, what's happening to us?"

"Her?" I'd have jumped him if I could. "Mei? What are you talking about?"

He refused to answer me.

"Spit it out!"

"...I'm the son of a horse breeder," he said, eventually, "my da' was one of the greatest. I learned from the best, as they say."

"What?" I blinked, thinking I'd misheard. "What does that-"

"Back when the Millennial Border fell to the north," he cut me off, "I was one of the first to visit the city of Kalendreth. Here, they'd call it Yongxue, the City where Snow is born. A breath-taking land of silent white, but fruitless, and without the sun. I was asked to take care of some horses. When they showed me which, it took me one glance. Only one, and I'd learned all about their lives. Three of them couldn't make up for one of my own.

"They'd been given plenty of food and water, more than enough to survive. But... the year-round winter left them no run, or so, those bastards claimed when I confronted them. For years, all their life, they'd penned them into their stalls. Circus animals, that's all they are, they laughed, we're not making war with them.

"Imbeciles, the lot of them. I tried my best, but two years later I was chased out after the fourth horse died in my care. Died of old age when they should've had a decade left. And sickness when there was no illness. Till death, they'd never felt what it was like to have the wind blowing through their manes."

"I asked you about Mei!" My fist hit against the wall. "Not a sob story about some damn forsaken horses!"

"The horses had that look in their eyes, ever since I first met them," he shook his head, raising himself up to leave. "Man and beast, the difference is less than one might think. It's better if you don't understand. Take my advice, forget about the girl, and leave the city. I don't want to see your head rolling, much less by my sword, if I can help it. After saving you and all that."

"Wait!" I reached after him, but I succumbed to the bindings of his Qi, chaining my insides.

"Mercy on the lost, what's happening to us?" Huo Lan's voice faded into the distance as he left, mourning towards the heavens. "Take care, lad. I'm sorry. I really am. It's worth less than dirt, I know, but you have my condolences."

***

Two hours, he said. Damn pretentious asshole.

His Qi did a damn fine job of stitching me together, I had to give him that, but it was already night by the time I could move again. I'd been livid, until I eventually cooled off, which was likely for the better, though I'd never admit it. It'd given me ample time to think about my situation.

Huo Lan was right.

If his words hadn't been enough, the sight of the duke's manor certainly cemented his point. Seeing it, one would think it was preparing for war. Hundreds of men patrolled its walls, and a barrier kept anyone unwanted from entering. Even the birds had to take the long way around. It was a much stronger version of the necklace I'd shattered. A barrier of this size would require an immense amount of Qi to fuel it. Runes might lessen the burden, but the expenditure was nothing to scoff at.

He's obsessed with her.

I didn't see myself sneaking inside, much less getting Mei out of it without anyone noticing. My hand reached out longingly, grasping at thin air while her red ribbon fluttered around my arm. It carried the memories of the short time we'd spent together. I could almost hear her laughter in the wind, pulling eagerly on my sleeves as the ribbon danced in her hair where it belonged. Now, she was gone, leaving me alone.

Give up, I did, but it was too soon to leave. Mei might not be able to escape the marriage, and the thought of it sickened me, but not everything had to end.

I could find ways to visit her. An official position in the manor, maybe. Employing someone from the Fang Family should be an enticing prospect even for him. I could also join the city guards, work myself up. There were many paths to climb a mountain. Even if she was unable to leave Zhanhai, I could keep her company. Talk with her. Take her out to the city again. It'd require some time and effort until the duke would trust me, but it was doable.

That's right, I thought, easing my fears, I won't lose her. We can still meet. She's still there, only a bit out of my reach.

Entertaining myself with such thoughts, I watched the manor through the night. I found peace in the world I'd made up in my mind where we were strolling the city together once again. My body relaxed, recovering from the repeated use of my Qi until sleep took me unaware. It was filled with tranquility I'd thought long forgotten.

Why didn't I realize it? I was still Fang Shin. The young master of the Falling Star Sect. The boy who only ever thought about himself. A fool. Nothing had changed about me.

Not a single damn thing.