Whooosh!

Shua!

There was a strange noise as the dimensions were shifted and a mysterious figure shrouded in purple motes of light appeared.

"Hehe, you say you're his senior brother? Might I ask what sect this little boy belongs to?" The mysterious figure asked. The strange motes of purple light made it so discerning his true appearance was impossible. Sometimes his appearance looked like this...then sometimes that, it was bewildering to the eye even for cultivators. However, the sky-blue cultivator who had slain the ancestors of countless sects merely laughed.

"We cannot exactly be called a sect, there are far too few of us. However....Dahn....I think you know who you're talking to." He chuckled uproariously and continued,

"Hahahaha this is truly funny. The impartial Bladelord Dahn thought to be dead by all the Heavens and Hells, to think you were hiding all this time. And to suddenly reveal yourself after all this time. For a no name junior no less. Let me guess, it was Old Man Hans who put you up to this wasn't it? Did he guilt trip you into protecting my junior? I must thank him next time I see him, how is the battle going for the 5th pillar by the way? I've been at the Western Front for so long that I have no idea how the rest of the world is doing."

This mysterious figure, Dahn as the other cultivator called him, felt a shudder go through him at the casual use of his identity. The number of people who would still be able to recall his identity on sight...were few indeed, and all of them were very powerful indeed. He sighed,

"Hans did put me up to this I admit. I'm too soft, its a miracle I've survived this long. Whatever, my job is done, take the boy and I'll be off. I trust I can leave him in his care and go about my business now that you've arrived?" Lineir's body suddenly appeared in Dahn's arms and he tossed him to the sky-blue robed cultivator as if he was glad to be rid of him. However, the sky-blue robed cultivator chuckled.

"Hehe, well...you see, I've been ordered to return to the Western Front. I'm the only one holding it down as a matter of fact. I only came to show those old dogs of the sects that they cannot interfere with the growth of the junior generation. I was wondering actually...could I trouble you to continue guarding my junior brother here, just in case they forget my warning today?" The sky-blue robed cultivator caught Lineir's body and ruefully seemed to ask Dahn. Though it was impossible to see Dahn's face through his shifting purple Qi disguise, one could almost make out an indignant posture...

"Are you serious? You want me, to go against the Heavens, for the sake of a boy I don't even know, as a guard dog? I have other things to do..." He replied petulantly, however the sky-blue cultivator cut him off,

"Really? And what exactly else do you have to do while you hide from the Heavens? I haven't heard of the legendary Dahn doing anything these last 1000 years as a matter of fact. But...if the legendary Bladelord Dahn were to guard this boy...you could claim to be sowing good fortune with the name of Asura. What does the legendary Bladelord Dahn think about that? Would guarding a boy in the name of Asura be a waste of time?" The sky-blue cultivator smirked as he knew he had Dahn. Dahn, was speechless,

"First Old Man Hans, and now you. FINE!! I accept. But I'll only intervene if those truly old fogies from the sects come, and only if it doesn't endanger my own life!" He yelled out in frustration. The sky-blue robed cultivator suddenly reached into his robes and there was a ripple as something came out of his space ring.

"Hehehe, knew you'd do it. I have something here which you in particular might find interesting. All those years ago, I happened to be watching as you fought those dogs of the Celestial Court. Since you were 'dead'...and they were in a rush to find healers after 'slaying you', I happened to grab some spoils from the battlefield when no one was looking." The sky-blue robed cultivator tossed a set of swords to Dahn which miniaturized in midair to land neatly in Dahn's palm. Dahn, examined them and exclaimed,

"My old blades. Hahaha, truly it cannot be said that those who follow the name of Asura are not treated well. Very well, I'll guard the boy if someone comes who is not within three generations of his time. However...there is the minor matter of your junior brother being dead at the moment. I've preserved his soul in his body and prevented its dissipance but I have no way to revive him myself."

The sky-blue robed cultivator smiled,

"Leave that to me. You just do your thing and fade away, I don't want the child to get cocky knowing he has a protector. Watch closely, its not often you get to see a wish come true." With that, Dahn faded away slipping between dimensions. The sky blue robed cultivator clenched his fist as it glowed a molten hot orange color. He whispered to Lineir's motionless body still bound in purple runes,

"Little junior brother, you should really be more careful. You only have only one life after all. Well, at the moment that is the case. Regardless, we've found you now you are no longer alone. I cannot stay but I can at least...show you another path!" He opened his fist and in it was a burning flame waving crazily in the wind. It was merry at times, sad at others, it danced and grew with the wind! He took the flame, and with an open palm smushed it into Lineir's still chest!

"Let this one's desires be reborn upon this world. In the name of Asura, I command you to begin anew!"

Burning Wish!

There was a great explosion of fire from Lineir's chest and the sky was rocked with waves of orange as the world recognized the will of the sky-blue robed cultivator! The great Daos of the world were unable to resist the command of this man, and obeyed his order as they would Fate itself! Suddenly, Lineir found himself in a strange place. He was surrounded by darkness. However, there was a feeling in his chest. As if he was feverish and needed to cool off.

It's so dark in here. Where am I? What is that? Sister? Mei? Is that you? I'm hot, so very hot. Is anyone there, can you bring me water? However, no water came.

Fine, if no one's there I'll get up and get it myself. Lineir thought, however when he tried to open his eyes and get up, he found that his eyelids were heavier than a 10,000 jin rock and he panicked as he realized he couldn't open his eyes.

Crack!

Suddenly Lineir's mind was flooded with images of the gallows and the robe ending his life. He remembered Mei's voice in his head pleading. The feeling as the noose tightened around his neck, though he was unconscious at the time. He remembered all the events of the Trials. Then he remembered all of his adventures, the Necropolis, the City of Light, the numerous life and death situations he had been in. He remembered all the Karma that he had sown himself and had been sown with him by others throughout the years. Even the crazy dragon princess who had branded him with her mark all that time ago. Lastly though, he remembered two promises. One he made with his master. To walk the stairway to the Heavens over the slain corpses of their enemies. His promise with Mei. That would happen, he was sure of it. The other, was a promise with someone every bit as important as his master. Someone who had supported him even before Mei had come. His sister, Yiu! That he would be back someday and they would meet again and never be hungry! Without her, none of this would have happened! His path, his cultivation, his adventures, they never would have happened if she hadn't supported him day and night as a child. In that moment, Lineir felt the burning in his chest reach a peak, as if a new sun was forming inside. With a roar, he forced the fire inside him to condense and condense until finally it exploded out with the force of a supernova!

RRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!

"Master....Mei....Sister....Yiu.... I have returned." Lineir's body, floating in the air suddenly spasmed as his chest began to beat anew and he opened his eyes!

"Kid? You're alive? He did it. I don't believe it. That crazy cultivator did it, he brought you back to life!" Mei's voice was teary as she shrieked in joy in Lineir's mind.

"Yea. I'm alive. Better than alive even. I can feel it. The path of Madness held me tight. However, I see the next path. A path I could not see without experiencing Madness fully first. Now I see it though. I see the second of the Nine Paths of Asura" So saying, Lineir's eyes which had been clouded in the redness of Madness slowly flickered and in the center of them, a new form appeared amidst the swirling chaotic characters of the Nine Paths of Asura. A channel formed, a path which cut through the formless words and shapes which wandered amidst the shattered hellish world of Madness in Lineir's eyes. This new path wandered off far into the distance crawling off the whites of Lineir's eyes, however it formed a new character before it left.

Redemption