Chapter 14: The Vow

Wang Zen looked out of the carriage. The greenery of the forest slowly retreated as trees were replaced with statues, shrubbery and grass gave way to brick pavement and the bumpy dusty road yielded to a well-kept grey road leading to the city in the distance.

“Are you okay, Master Zen?” Jun Nee asked. “You haven’t eaten since the fight.”

Shibi had descended upon Zen’s abandoned food, greedily shovelling handfuls into his mouth.

“Jun Nee is right,” Ding Wu said, leaning forward and showing his masked face. The mask had once again hidden his Master level Rant 1 status. “Is the death of Don Fat still weighing heavily on your mind?”

“I don’t understand why we still have to go to this stupid academy,” Wang said, slamming his fist against the door. “Don Fat was a good and loyal servant. Why should we carry on when one of our own has fallen?”

“Strict orders from your father.” Ding Wu said. “And besides, we’re closer to Wuming City, where the academy is. Once there, we can contract a water or wood elemental master to help preserve the body.”

Wang Zen looked out of the window once more.

“Don’t worry,” Ding Wu said. “Don Fat lived a long life for someone who is not a noble. He had a blessed life; worthy to be celebrated not mourned over.”

Zen nodded. “Still, I’m afraid.”

“Of that woman?” Ding Wu said.

“Yes, she scares me too.” Jun Nee said.

“She shouldn’t,” Ding Wu said. “You’ll be in Wuming Academy soon, surrounded by the most strongest cultivators and well protected.”

“It’s not just that,” Wang said. “Her power was not that strong and yet it placed me in so much danger. It sent shivers through me and had me cowering like a mouse. If she can do that, then wat chance do I have when I face someone stronger?”

“You being in danger was more of our failure than yours,” Ding Wu said. “And don’t worry, in time you will grow stronger, you will learn new techniques and master the ones you already have. That’s why you’re going to Wuming, isn’t it?”

“I… I guess.”

Ding Wu nodded. “Let us make a vow, you and I.”

“A vow?”

“A vow of warriors,” Ding Wu stretched his fist out to Wang Zen. “Let us vow that the next time we meet, we’ll be stronger than we are now.”

“But I’ll be asking my father to come back,” Wang Zen said. “He’ll probably at least allow me to attend Don Fat’s ceremony.”

“Then we’ll part ways and the vow will still have to be honoured.”

Zen smiled and nodded, he stretched his fist out, touching it with Ding Wu’s. “The next time we meet, we’ll be stronger than we are now.”

-

The traveling party entered the building. Wang Zen looked around, “Where’s Ding Wu.”

“He’s going to pay this company their money,” Yin Bhiki said. “Costs a lot to make a long distance call. It’s basically highway robbery.”

“We’re going to call father?”

“Yes, I wouldn’t go this route if we didn’t need direction urgently.” Yin said.

“How does it work?”

“Something about specially treated water connected to two points… I don’t really know, other than it transports image and sound through this special water.” Bhiki said. “It costs the water masters a lot of energy, which is why it’s so expensive.”

They stopped in a room, Ding Wu joining them.

“These guys,” Ding Wu groaned. He had his mask taken off now that they were in the safe confines of the city. “I see no difference between them and highway robbers.”

“I take it you paid them,” Bhiki said in a humorous tone as a pair of people, dressed in blue and white robes, walked into the room.

“For a few minutes,” Ding Wu said, chewing a long piece of green wheat in his mouth. “Hopefully, it’s enough.”

One of the newcomers in robes sat next to a pond. He tapped at the water’s surface in a rhythmic way, watching the ripples go out and disappear at the edges of the pond in time with his tapping hand.

“What’s he doing now?” Zen whispered.

“It’s a code they use,” Bhiki said. “His messaging a similar temple, telling them the sender, the place, the urgency and the intended receiver of the call. This message will be passed on to your father and if he accepts the call by showing up at the other company, then we can speak to him.”

The man stopped tapping and nodded toward Ding Wu.

“And now,” Ding Wu said, “we wait.”

A few hours passed by while in the temple. Ding Wu passed the time by cultivating and, remembering the vow they made, Wang Zen did the same. Just when Zen was growing tired of the task of refining qi, the robed figure called to Ding Wu. After a few moments, they stopped, refining or expelling the mana they had absorbed. They both rose to their feet, joining Bhiki as they stared at the robed man.

“Your message has been received,” the robed figure said, “Are you ready to proceed?”

“Yes,” Ding Wu said.

The pair of robed people walked to one side of the pond each. They raised their hands, prompting the water of the pond to rise, into a sphere in the air. Wang Zen gasped at this, his eyes widening when the image of his masked father appeared within the water.

“Master Wang,” Bhiki said, as he and Ding Wu bowed.

Zen’s father quickly looked around, his face stopping at his direction for a while before returning to Bhiki. “Captain Bhiki, why have you contacted me?” his voice was slightly distorted, sounding like, what Zen would imagine, someone speaking through water.

“Sir, we were attacked by bandits on the road to Wuming.”

“I take it you successfully repelled them?”

“Yes but we lost Don Fat in the process,” Bhiki said.

“Oh? That is unfortunate.”

“We would like to bring his body home with us but it may need to be preserved so that it does not decay.”

“Of course, you may do that. I will have a messenger to inform the family. If that is all…”

“Father,” Zen spoke up, “I wish to go home to attend the burial ceremony.”

“No,” he said without pause.

“But fa…”

“The year at Wuming Academy is about to start,” he said sternly. “I suggest you there now and get assimilated with the place. If you wish to pay your respects, do it now.”

At that the water sphere disintegrated, falling down to once more fill the pond below and leaving Zen with a scowl on his face.

The blue and white robed water master gazed sympathetically at the group, “He severed the connection.”