Wen Reian

2019 years after The Long Night

Xibù Shataar

“It’s absolutely enormous!!”

Song-jun’s words were accompanied by her bouncing up and down on her heels, as the Princess dragged a still uncomfortable Wen Reian through the bustling market streets and closer to the heart of the city.

Indeed, it was enormous. Not just with the amount of people, hurrying through the sandy streets, but everywhere they seemed to look there was another towering building in the near distance...

Wen Rei and Song-jun were used to mountainous temples and hidden staircases, so the desert landscape and tall sandstone houses were really quite a sight.

“Uncle Wen, look! That must be the Dozhui Library! Father mentioned it-”

As A’Jun continued pointing out landmarks, the healer felt Lan Kai-Le and A’Qin sticking close by. Strange… Why haven’t they left us yet?

Just as the main palace came into view before them; its domed buildings and high tower seeming like far more than a feat of engineering and perhaps a little magic, Reian caught the eye of Lan Kai-Le.

The man was as stone-faced as always, but for some reason, staring into his golden eyes was making Reian even more anxious than usual.

“We should hurry to the palace to meet the Governor!”

A’Jun was clearly overjoyed by it all, but Reian wished to air on the side of caution. At least, that meant he didn’t want the two strangers to accompany them.

The healer paused at the corner of the busy street, beside a market stall selling all manner of colored spices and vegetables that Reian had never seen before, everything overpowering and of course, to A’Jun’s liking. While she admired the food, Reian turned to Lan Kai-Le and grit his teeth as he bowed courteously.

“Our thanks again for everything, but we will part ways here…”

A’Qin and A’Jun both perked up at that, both youths speaking over each other as they complained...

“But Uncle! The least we could do is buy a meal for them-”

“We better make sure you arrive safely at your destination! Right, Master?!”

Reian frowned. Lan Kai-Le surprised him suddenly too, speaking lowly as he said;

“Know this place. Follow,”

And that seemed to be it. Wen Rei couldn’t argue with the fact that the man at least knew Xibù Shataar better than him, he just wished to part ways as soon as possible.

He makes me nervous. Hopefully this feeling will pass when he leaves-

Against his better judgment, Reian allowed Lan Kai-Le and his apprentice to lead them through the city streets. As they went through the various neighborhoods, each one growing more and more wealthy as they drew closer to the capitol, Wen Reian had the stray thought that he was grateful Song-jun had talked him into this. It really was nice to be in a new place...

“Wow, I’ve never-”

Reian shared A’Jun’s sentiments. Her astonishment was due to the scale of the palace, and the way the domed roofs of the buildings around seemed to have been built in such a way that plants were able to grow on top of them, giving the illusion that they were little green hills in the middle of the barren desert.

Reian wondered how it was possible, and if he was able to walk upon the roofs, would it feel like taking a stroll through a meadow?

“The courtyard is just through here,” A’Qin nodded, gesturing at a smaller building off to the side of the palace.

Reian paused, “Shouldn’t we simply go through the front door?”

A’Qin shook his head quickly and chuckled, “Of course not! Outsiders and civilians must pass through here, and be let in or turned away by the soldiers! Don’t worry, it won’t take more than a few minutes…”

A’Jun clung to Reian’s sleeve, whispering;

“We shouldn’t appear rude to the Governor, my fathers are depending on me to represent them!”

Reian of course knew she was right. Okay, fine then-

Wen Rei knew little about the Governor, Ling Hai, but Yi-jun had confided in him before they’d left that their deal to sign an alliance and trade agreement was already decided. Ling Hai was more than amiable, and all Song-jun had to do was a few formalities here and there.

After stepping through the dark hallway and entering into the courtyard as A’Qin had said, Wen Rei only took a few moments to stare in fascination at the small garden and variety of strange plants, before he was about to turn to their companions with another mildly frustrated plea to be left alone...

Before he could, a group of a dozen soldiers stepped out of the shadows, a few even blocking the exit. Reian gulped, but Song-jun wasn’t swayed.

Putting her best foot forward, she bowed politely, Reian following as he knew he should, and then the Princess smiled;

“Hello there! We have come from Hêi’àn City to meet your Governor. I am Xie Song-jun, and this is my Uncle, Wen Reian. It is our honor…”

While Reian marveled at her ability to sound and act much older than she was, he also caught he faintest of movements from Lan Kai-Le, who had stepped back a little from them and was holding his hands clenched tightly over his belt, as if he was only a few seconds from drawing his weapons.

Before Wen Rei could think more on this topic, suddenly without another word, two of the soldiers came forward and took hold of A’Jun’s arms. And it was not a gentle gesture...

“Hey! What the-”

Panic gripped at Reian’s heart while he watched Song-jun struggle in their grasp-

The healer was about to reach out for her when he felt a strong shooting pain at the back of his head. Hissing as he crumpled to his knees, Reian reached back to feel the blood dripping from the pommel of a sword hitting his skull.

“Uncle!”

A’Jun was calling out for him, still fighting the soldiers as they carried her further away...

Feeling dizzy, watching as his vision swam with stars, Reian barely managed to remain conscious as he watched the Princess be taken before a man who had appeared in the doorway of the palace entrance.

“Excellent,” the man sneered, his pitch black cloak even darker than his hollowed eyes.

“See that the Mercenary is paid.”

It was then Reian caught sight of Lan Kai-Le out of the corner of his eye. The man was looking down, seeming tense still but purposefully not looking at Reian. Immediately he understood.

With the little bit of strength left in his body, Reian staggered to his feet, grappling with several soldiers who tried to keep him from absolutely mauling Lan Kai-Le.

“You bastard!” Reian yelled, “You led us here for this?! All along-”

He was knocked onto his stomach, something heavy quickly pressing down upon his back, likely someone’s foot while he kept trying to circulate his energy enough to stop the bleeding.

“Uncle! Uncle!!”

A’Jun was still calling his name...

Wen Reian grunted, rage boiling his blood and making him see red. The man dressed in black sighed, and Reian watched as he shook his head, tossing a bag of coins to Kai-Le, who caught them with one hand as A’Qin cowered behind him.

“No time for pleasantries,” the dark man said. “Master is not patient and we’re burning daylight as it is.”

“Wait,”

It was Lan Kai-Le. He threw the bag to the ground and out of it spilled… nails?

“Not what was promised. Explain.”

The cloaked man only gestured for the soldiers to drag the Princess away, her voice still calling out to Reian despite the painful ringing in his ears. He watched as she vanished from sight, pain blurring his vision even as he tried to fend it off.

“Ah, did I not mention?” The cloaked man said toward Lan Kai-Le, “Perhaps my Master did instruct me not to reveal his identity to you. He said it would spoil our business relationship…”

Reian couldn’t move! He couldn’t even twist far enough to get his hands on the soldier pressing him down. Just one touch-

A’Jun…

“-said perhaps the nails would help you rebuild. Azräni, was it?”

Just then, Reian felt and heard some sort of suffocating noise from Lan Kai-Le, the man’s entire posture changing in a heartbeat and his expression turning absolutely murderous.

“Where?”

Reian could feel the hatred vibrating off of Lan Kai-Le’s skin, his whole body shaking as the cloaked man chuckled.

“WHO IS YOUR MASTER?!”

Lan Kai-Le roared, seeming to be barely restraining himself from leaping over there and ripping the man’s head from his shoulders. Reian didn’t care what this awful, wild creature wanted, or why he cared, all the healer knew was that he had to get out of here. He had to get to Song-jun…

Reian twisted and thrashed, but a pained whimper slid from his lips as he felt a hand wrap tightly around his throat, choking all the air from his lungs as he struggled.

“He says he’s an old friend,” the cloaked man said to Kai-Le. “Xie Xingyue. Perhaps you remember?”

Wen Reian inhaled sharply as Lan Kai-Le finally reached his breaking point, all of the tension within him snapping like a cord and causing the veins on his neck to show. It was only due to the thin-tipped arrow one of the soldiers shot, obviously laced with something, that the savage mercenary was brought to his knees.

Reian glared furiously at Lan Kai-Le, the man growing pale as sweat dripped from his nose. He was clearly trying to fight the probable sleep-inducer… it was no use.

“Apologies,” the man in black sighed once more, just as Reian felt someone tying his hands behind his back and he watched the same happen to Lan Kai-Le.

“But we can’t have you spoiling our Master’s plan by going to the Governor, or trying to get back to Hêi’àn City, yes?”

The hand around his neck was finally cutting off enough oxygen that Reian’s eyes were fluttering closed. The last thing he saw was Lan Kai-Le’s enraged expression, and the fury in his eyes as another soldier reached for A’Qin, who had been hiding behind Kai-Le up until now.

Lan Kai-Le thrashed and bared his teeth, a sort of pained, low growling coming from him that made several of the soldiers exchange nervous looks. A’Qin ran away like the ground was on fire, only after Kai-Le roared at him to run. Despite the drug in his system, Lan Kai-Le was still able to keep two soldiers from following the boy.

Reian had never seen such brutal anger in his life, Kai-Le was practically sinking his claws into the legs of the two men as they kicked out at him and tried to get away. The sight was horrifying, frightening, and Reian thought at that moment that Lan Kai-Le looked more like a beast than a man.

What does this all have to do with Song-jun, and Hêi’àn City?! Reian wondered, as his eyes began to flutter closed, darkness cloaking his vision.

Xie Xingyue?! That was the name the cloaked man had said… The shut-in who lives at The Roaran Stronghold, the descendant of the evil Meng Bai, and the biggest coward Xie Yi-jun said he’s ever seen?!

Reian remembered when he’d inquired to the King about why he had never seen fit to take back the Stronghold, as it had once belonged to Hei’an City. Why he’d never wanted to make Xie Xingyue pay for his ancestor’s crimes.

“He’s a moron!” Yi-jun had cried, shaking his head, “Frankly, I pity the poor fool. He let the power Meng Bai had gathered dissolve into sand. I wouldn’t waste my time starting something with him when he’s such an afterthought…”

So, what was this?! For whatever reason, Xie Xingyue had kidnapped Song-jun, the King’s daughter and the Princess of Hêi’àn City. It would be more than enough to start a war, and it would all be Reian’s fault.

No, not on my watch! I must get A’Jun back, I can’t let anything happen to her-

The man silently cursed his bad luck as he faded away, the bad luck of course being; the meeting and coerced-trust of a certain Lan Kai-Le.