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Thread: Saga of the Celestial Wolf

  1. #1
    Senior Member Mandred Skavenslayer's Avatar
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    Default Saga of the Celestial Wolf

    Hi

    For those who have read my Swordsmen story, you would know that I introduced the character of Bai Xuesheng.

    I am now working on a story to give the background of this family. As always comments and suggestions are welcomed.

    Enjoy.

  2. #2
    Senior Member Mandred Skavenslayer's Avatar
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    Prologue




    From within his command tent Zhu Yuanzhang leaned over the map as he studied the layout of the temple. The 'Wolf's Peak' was built into the North side of a towering cliff where the jagged rocks flattened into a natural plateau large enough to contain a small village. Only this side of the cliff was scalable and a man made viaduct of wood and earth, wide enough for a pair of carts to travel parallel had been constructed to run from the foot of the cliff up to the plateau.

    Strong fortifications had been built along this singular way up the cliff, making the already strong position of the temple nearly unassailable. The temple complex itself was a series of unadorned single storey buildings made of stone and earth housing the devotees of the cult. If the rumours were true then right now these simple structures were also holding something much more valuable. Zhang Wuji looked over the shoulder of his subordinate, his handsome young face tightening in worry:

    “You plan to take this place by force?”

    “We don't have a choice. All our emissaries had been rebuffed and none of our spies can enter the damn place.” replied Zhu Yuanzhang as he scratched his unshaven chin.

    “Are you sure there is no other way? I mean a direct assault would be very costly in lives wouldn't it?”

    Zhu Yuanzhang looked at his Lord with genuine affection and wondered, not for the first time, how such a soft spoken man could have risen to become the most powerful person in the Martial Arts world. The Grand Marshal of the Ming Sect fondly remembered sharing a pot of dog meat with the younger man before they had joined the Sect. Even then he had admired Zhang Wuji's gentle nature and steadfast morals. Yet it was precisely these qualities that made him unsuitable to lead the great rebellion, for if the Mongol were to be expelled from China then the rebels needed a leader who was utterly ruthless and not afraid to make difficult decisions.

    He was spared from answering by the arrival of a messenger:

    “My Lord and Grand Marshal Zhu. General Bai has arrived and is requesting an audience.”

    “Invite him in.”

    As the messenger left, Zhu Yuanzhang turned to Zhang Wuji and smiled:

    “You are going to enjoy meeting this man.” said the Grand Marshal

    “I was not aware we had a General Bai in the Sect.”

    “We don't. General Bai independently raised a force of men on the banks of the Yellow River during the early uprisings against the Mongol. After years of harassing their forces along the riverbank his numbers gradually grew until he had an army ten thousand strong. I had a chance meeting with him three years ago and he agreed to ally with us to help expel the barbarians.”

    Barely had Zhu Yuanzhang finished speaking than the tent flap was lifted and General Bai entered. He was well into middle age and walked with the confidence of a man accustomed to power. His skin was tanned and winkled from years spent campaigning, but his eyes held a vitality that showed his good health. His long goatee beard and moustache speckled with grey gave a mature air to his presence. Although unarmed he was wearing a suit of scaled armour made of steel, which despite being well tended showed the signs of wear from constant use.

    Flanking the General were two similarly armoured men. The one to his left was tall and slender, about the same age as the General, but his clean shaven face made him look slightly younger. His gaze was constantly flickering around the tent as if he was expecting an attack at any moment. The man to the right could be described in one word, Big. Even under the heavy armour his bulk was evident and his thick grey-black beard made him look like a bear trying to impersonate a man. Surprisingly his eyes were the most friendly of the three and held the warmth of a compassionate priest.

    “Grand Marshal” greeted General Bai as he saluted Zhu Yuanzhang

    “General Bai, let me introduce Lord Zhang of the Ming Sect. My Lord, may a present General Bai Taihǔ.”

    The two of them exchanged greetings and Bai Taihǔ introduced his companions as lieutenants Sima Lung and Huang Cheng:

    “How are your preparations going General?” asked Zhu Yuanzhang

    “Wolf's Peak will be ours my morning.” replied Bai Taihǔ in a matter of fact tone.

    “I beg your pardon General, but how many lives will this attack cost?” asked Zhang Wuji almost sheepishly.

    Bai Taihǔ smiled warmly and looked at Zhang Wuji with the eyes a doting father would use on a favoured child:

    “So the rumours of Lord Zhang's compassion are true. I can promise your Lordship that my plan entails the least lost of life possible.”

    The Lord of the Ming Sect blushed at the complement, but smiled back knowing instinctively that General Bai would keep his word.

    ####

    Bai Taihǔ ran the man through with his sword then kicked the twitching corpse away. Finding himself temporarily without an enemy he took a moment to survey his situation. The attack seemed to be going according to plan, but it was difficult to know how his lieutenants were doing. The plan for taking 'Wolf's Peak' was simple, direct and as risky as hell. The viaduct leading up to the cliff was protected by two mighty gates, one situated at the foot of the cliff and the other located where the viaduct met the plateau.

    Control of these gates was essential to taking the temple and Bai Taihǔ had made his plans accordingly. Sima Long and him would each lead a hundred elite swordsmen and take the gates in a surprise attack. As soon as the gates were secured Huang Cheng would lead the rest of the army up the viaduct and take the temple. Of course the whole plan would falter if the attacks on either gates failed or if the enemy managed to retake them. Bai Taihǔ knew that the most dangerous task would be taking of the gate at the top of the viaduct, for it required his forces there to hold against all the troops that were stationed in the temple itself.

    As a General who lived by the idiom that a good leader would never ask his troops to do anything he was not prepared to do himself, he had insisted on leading the attack on the upper gate himself. Sima Long and Huang Cheng had argued passionately against such as course, but Bai Taihǔ refused to change his mind. Now he was stranded in the middle of enemy territory with more than a third of his men dead and the remainder desperately waiting for their comrades to race up the viaduct.

    Bai Taihǔ's arm felt like it was on fire and although he saw the enemy massing for another attack at the bottom of the gate he doubted he could summon the strength to fight them off. The enemy let out a great roar then charged his troops. However Bai Taihǔ could not aid his soldiers as he was set upon by shadowy figures dropping from the night sky. There were seven assailants and all where armed with curved swords that descended in glistening arch's towards his head. Leaping into the air Bai Taihǔ battered away the murderous blade with his straight sword before landing softly. His seven assailants landed at the same time he did and formed a loose circle around him.

    In the flickering light of the gate's torches Bai Taihǔ saw that the men all wore masks depicting bestial demons and knew that they were the 'Wolf's Peak's' elite killers, the feared 'Sky Devils' whose infamous 'Qi Sha Xing (Seven Killer Star)' formation had been the doom of many heroes. Quickly the Sky Devils started dancing around, their movements shamanistic and wild. Bai Taihǔ felt the air around him become heavy and dense as if he was in the middle of choking smoke, making it difficult for him to breathe. Realising that the Sky Devils were saturating the air with their Qi and that soon the pressure would kill him, he went on the offensive.

    With great sweeps of his sword he sent wave after wave of powerful Sword Qi at them, each one sharp enough to cut stone and shatter rocks. It was like throwing peddles into the sea with each wave being absorbed by the Qi saturated air. In desperation Bai Taihǔ directed his energy into solidifying his aura and an invisible dome sprang up around him. Cocooned in the protective dome Bai Taihǔ racked his brain to come up with a solution to his predicament.

    Time past and Bai Taihǔ was no closer to finding a way to turn the table on his enemies. Summoning all of his Qi power he prepared to explode his protective dome, knowing that the release of energy would kill both him and the Sky Devils. Suddenly two figures fell on the Sky Devils, killing two of them instantly and scattering the rest. Bai Taihǔ's heart leapt as he saw his lieutenants laying waste to his enemies. Sima Long danced around the Sky Devils gracefully, his blade as elegant as it was deadly, killing a Devil with every strike.

    Huang Cheng lacked his companion's finesse but made up for it in rare power, his armoured fists crashing into the Devils like an avalanche. Whatever he struck he destroyed and he struck often. In the space of a few heartbeats the Sky Devils were no more and the lieutenants took up flanking positions besides the General:

    “What took you so long?” demanded Bai Taihǔ

    Turning to look at him the lieutenants saw the playful smile on his lip and returned it. Hearing their men fighting around them, the trio let out a collective battle-cry and leapt of the gates to join them.

    ####


    Dawn was still a few hours away but 'Wolf's Peak' was effective in their hands with only the main temple still being fought over. It was a building made entirely of marble and was ten times larger than any other structures in the complex. Built into the rocks it could only be attacked from the front, making it easy to defend. Gathering their best warriors, Bai Taihǔ, Sima Long and Huang Cheng formed a spear head with the three of them at its point and stormed the front gates. Men were brushed away like dry leaves and they crashed through the barred doors as easily as they would straw.

    Once through the gates they split into multiple groups in order to cover as much ground as possible. Bai Taihǔ and his lieutenants formed the first group and quickly made their way through the temple until they found themselves facing a barred heavy wooden door. Breaking the door down they saw the prize they were after. Clutched in the hands of a boy no older than ten, was the war helmet of Genghis Khan. This was the fabled helmet that the hero Guo Jing had once drank out of when he had served under the great conquer and had become a potent artefact for both the Mongol and the Hans.

    The child was obviously scarred as he clutched onto the dress of a woman holding a pair of wickedly sharp curved blades. Her face was quite beautiful with high cheek bones and large eyes. However that face was now fiercely scowled and resembled a lioness defending its young. Breaking free of the child's grip she leapt at the invaders. Huang Cheng rushed to meet her and they clashed in a flurry of blows. Sparks flew as blades fought gauntlets. They struck, parried, advanced and retreated with incredibly skill. Huang Cheng struck with is customary power and directness trying to force the woman to surrender by his display of strength.

    The woman however of not so easily cowed. Flitting around Huang Cheng like a butterfly she avoided his blows and returned a series of lighting fast strikes. Her twin swords moved like quicksilver as they leapt towards Huang Cheng, throwing out bright sparks as they hit his gauntlets. After some thirty moves Huang Cheng started backing away from his more agile opponent and knew he could not overcome her alone.

    Seeing his predicament his companions came to his aid. The woman was soon surrounded but seemed unconcerned. Her sword flickered around her so fast that she appeared to have six of them as she defended herself. Suddenly a torrent of Qi formed blades flew from her body and towards her attackers. The three men were forced back, but then countered by sending three streams of Qi energy at her. The woman solidified her aura and stopped the streams about a foot away from her body.

    The men continued pouring more power into the contest knowing that the woman could not long stand before such an attack. Gradually the woman weakened until finally she was forced to her knees her protective dome on the verge of breaking. A chorus of terrified screams came from the shadows and the men saw dozens of women, children and old people emerge from a hidden tunnel. Stopping their attack the men realised why this woman had been fighting so hard.

    Bai Taihǔ walked up to the child holding the helmet and gently took it from his terrified hands. Walking to the still kneeling woman he spoke:

    “Is there a way out of here?” he asked.

    She nodded:

    “Then take it” he commanded.

    Immediately the child who had been clutching the helmet ran to the woman and helped her rise. Then along with the other refugees they left through the secret passage they had appeared from. As they left Sima Long walked up to Bai Taihǔ:

    “If the Grand Marshal finds out what you did...”

    “I will take sole responsibility for it.” said Bai Taihǔ fearlessly

    “No you won't.” said Huang Cheng and was soon seconded by Sima Long.

    Bai Taihǔ looked at his lieutenants and smiled, humbled by their loyalty.

  3. #3
    Senior Member Mandred Skavenslayer's Avatar
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    The Wolf rises and the Dragon draws breath




    1450 AD


    Yuyin sat at her desk, her fingers tracing the writing on the ancient bamboo scroll as she studied the text by candlelight. Her touch was light and her smile delicate as she took in the knowledge recorded on the scroll, her mind utter lost within its words. Beside her was a wooden clothes stand from which hung a purple silk cloak. The image of a howling wolf had been sewn onto the centre of the cloak using silver thread, with such skill that the wolf seemed to be alive as it shimmered in the candlelight.

    Yuyin must have lost nearly a week's worth of sleep making the wonderful cloak, her elegant fingers never missing so much as a stitch. Now as she looked up from her studies and gazed upon her creation her smile broadened. There was a gentle knock on her door and man spoke in an equally gentle voice:

    “Yuyin, are you ready?”

    Opening the door she saw the familiar face of Tian Xin. Although in his late forties he wore his years lightly and could easily be mistaken for being more than a decade younger. His hair had only a few streaks of grey in it and his clean shaven face added to his youthful appearance. However if someone was to look into his eyes then the weight of his four decades would have been plain, for his strong gaze held a tiredness that weighed heavily on him. His figure of lean and tall, but his broad shoulders showed that he was not without strength:

    “Is it time already?” asked Yuyin with a sweet smile.

    Tian Xin answered with a smile and a small nod. As Yuyin turned to retrieve the cloak, Tian Xin looked at her with undisguised desire. She had come to the 'Eternal City' as a child of only fourteen years, yet her beauty was evident even then. The last four years had seen her blossom into a ravishing beauty, with raven black hair, porcelain skin and a heart shaped face that seemed to come from every man's dream. But her most striking features were her eyes, the rare emerald green eyes seemed to sparkle with a light of their own and it would take a man of iron willpower not to lose himself in them.

    Yuyin was unusually tall for a Han woman and her height coupled with those unique eyes hinted at her exotic heritage. Never in all his life had Tian Xin envied his brother anything, but right now staring at his future sister in-law he felt even his loyalty to his brother being sorely strained. Seeing Yuyin turning back to face him Tian Xin quickly smothered his look of longing with a friendly smile and escorted her out.

    ####


    Yuyin and Tian Xin stood before the Cave of Tranquil Souls looking at the now blocked cave mouth. The massive boulder would have taken a hundred strong men to move and completely sealed off the cave. However the lack of moss on the boulder showed that it had only recently been moved to its current location. Kneeling behind the two of them were the Three Deaths accompanied by the Six Elders and behind them were another seventy-two of their underlings, all of them perfectly still as they prostrated themselves before the cave as if it was some kind of deity.

    Suddenly a crack no thicker than a human hair appeared on the top of the boulder. Quickly the crack widened and spread spider-web like down the boulder until it covered the entire rock. With a volcano like eruption the boulder exploded and what had once been solid rock became fine dust. As the dust cleared a solitary figure stepped out of the cave. Stepping into the moonlight the figure revealed itself to be a man in his early sixties, with a short broad stature, his long grey hair tied into a lose ponytail and his grey beard unkempt. He wore a simple black robe which hung carelessly from his shoulders.

    Although at first glance the man did not appear particular imposing, one look at his eyes would have cowed even the bravest of men. Lightning seemed to dance in that soul piercing gaze, hinting at the unfathomable power contained within. Slowly as the dust settled the power in the eyes subsided, returning the gaze to that of a strong but mortal man's. The 81 kneeling men let out a collective cheer:

    “Hail to the Celestial Emperor! Hail to the Celestial Emperor!” they cried.

    When the cheers died down Tian Xin and Yuyin stepped towards the man, whose gaze immediately softened as he saw them:

    “Congratulations on mastering the Art of Heavenly Destruction brother.” said Tian Xin with a welcoming smile.

    Tian Wu looked up at his younger brother and placed a hand onto Tian Xin's shoulder, his face splitting into a warm smile:

    “I was only able to master the art because I knew the Sect would be safe in your hands. Now that I am back the world is ours for the taking.”

    Although physically the polar opposite of each other, the brotherly affection they shared was obvious in the way they looked at each other. Tian Wu's eyes slowly left his brother and came to rest on Yuyin. Looking at her with a mixture of paternal love and hungry desire he spoke in his gentleness voice:

    “My dear you grow more beautiful every time a see you.”

    Yuyin unrolled the cloak and Tian Wu was struck dumb as the embroidered wolf shimmered in the moonlight. Taking the cloak he wrapped it around his shoulders then turned to the thunderous applause of the kneeling men.

    ####

    1452 AD



    Not within living memory had there been such a gathering of Martial Artists and Schools. A huge pavilion had been erected in the open fields at the foot of Mount Hua, large enough to comfortably fit a hundred people. Yet despite its huge size the pavilion was close to bursting due to the massive press of bodies within. As crowded as it was inside there were even more people outside pressing against the fabric of the massive tent, all of them hanging on every word spoken within, for they knew that their futures, maybe even their lives depended upon what was decided this night.

    Inside the pavilion the noise was deafening as more than a hundred voices chattered away, all of them asking the same question what are we going to do? The only place that was not crowded with people was the North side of the pavilion, where a doubled level dais had been set up. On the lower level were placed five ornately carved wooden chairs, while the upper level held three marble thrones. Expensive golden silk were draped across all eight seats and no matter how the people jostled they all kept a respectful distance from the dais.

    The entrance of the pavilion was pulled open and an awe inspired hush fell upon the milling crowd as five men stepped pass the threshold. They were a strange group and not five individuals you would normally expect to find in the same place. On the far right was Sima Gao, whose family was one of the oldest, most respected and some whispered riches in the Martial Arts world. Sima Gao's appearance did nothing to dampen those whispers. Wearing an expensive silk robe so studded with rare gems that it could have stood up on its own, he practically glowed in the night. By his side was an equally dazzling sheathed blade. This was 'Swimming Dragon' the heirloom of the Sima family.

    Surprisingly for someone so spectacularly dressed the appearance of Sima Gao was quite plain. In his late forties his unimposing face had a well trimmed moustache which showed obvious signs of being dyed black in an attempt to hide the spreading greyness. His hair was similarly coloured and traces of make-up could be seen on his face. These artificial attempts to preserve a youthful appearance made him look like a painted man.

    To Sima Gao's left was Reverend Liu Zhu whose appearance contrasted sharply with the head of the Sima family. A man well into old age he made no attempt to disguise his years, which was displayed by his snow white hair and beard. Dressed in the simple grey robes of a Taoist priest he appeared completely unremarkable and would have been instantly forgettable save for two things. The first was his posture. Despite his great age he stood tall and proud, his dignity expressed in his calm demeanour. The second was his gaze, which was as sharp as an eagle's showing no trace of weariness.

    In the middle of the group stood the monk Mu Kong. He was about the same age as Liu Zhu and dressed even more austerely, his monk's robes well worn and much patched. His skin was tanned and wrinkly, showing a life spent travelling. His face and head were clean shaven allowing the full weight of his years to show in his winkled features. Yet to look into his eyes was to look at someone totally at peace with himself, someone who could endure all the hardships life could throw at him and bear it with the compassionate smile he was wearing.

    To Mu Kong's left stood Yiman Xing. He was the same age as Sima Gao, and like his contemporary he was also head of a well known family. The Yiman family were an ancient family and much respected. However unlike the Simas, the Yimans were famous for their knowledge and impartiality thus making them the favoured adjudicators for disputes. Yiman Xing wore the white robe and hat of a scholar with a bamboo scroll dangling from his side. His face was clean shaven and along with his white clothing gave him an air of freshness. His eyes were alert and sharp as he took in his surroundings.

    The last of the group was Feng Yi standing on the far left. Out of five he stood out the most, being a head taller than the next tallest man. His great height was accompanied by a broadness so fast that he resembled a living fortress. But none of his bulk was fat and the man looked strong enough to crush rocks with his bare hands. Feng Yi's facial features matched his impressive build, his strong chin sporting a black-grey stubble beard, his head naturally bold and his gaze steely. Of the five he was the only one not wearing a robe but instead favoured a matching set of brown jerkin and trouser.

    This group was known as the Five Masters and represented the highest level of authority within the Martial Arts World. Each one of them had earned their position through a mixture of personal skill, chivalrous deeds and coming from respected backgrounds. Walking at a stately pace they travelled the length of the pavilion and took the five wooden seats. The assemble Martial Artists in the pavilion bowed in respect and waited patiently for them to start the meeting. After a few moments Mu Kong rose and addressed the crowd:

    “Brethren of the Martial Arts world, we are all gathered here today for one reason alone. Two years ago Tian Wu started his campaign to conquer us. For two long years we have suffered at the hands of this blood thirsty tyrant, our every effort to oppose him failing in the face of his 'Art of Heavenly Destruction'. Countless lives have been destroyed by him and those monsters known as the 'Three Deaths'. Now even the mere mention of the Celestial Wolf Cult is enough to strike fear into people's hearts.

    This cannot be allowed to continue.”

    Murmured agreement rose from the crowd, but there was very little enthusiasm in their voices, for all of them feared confronting the Cult. Finally a man stepped from the crowd. His name was Zheng Meng and he was a famous spear fighter. Bowing to the Masters he spoke:

    “Holy one, I think I speak for everyone here, when I say that none of us doubt that your every word is the golden truth. However how can we possibly stop Tian Wu. As you have made clear, none of us can stand before his 'Art of Heavenly Destruction'.”

    Before Mu Kong could answer there came a great commotion from outside, with angry shouts and screams being heard. As people started heading for the pavilion's entrance a pair of large objects came flying through the tent flap. The objects landed loudly on the floor and those nearest to them let out cries of horror as they saw that the objects were headless bodies of men. The Five Masters got to their feet and flew out of the pavilion. Outside was pandemonium, as large group of armed men were engaged in a pitch battle with the Martial Artists and bodies littered the ground.

    Feng Yi summoned his Qi from his abdomen, then channelled it into his chest before finally letting it out in an earth shattering Lion's Roar. The sound-wave landed between the two groups and rapidly spread outwards forcing them apart. The Five Masters landed lightly in front of the martial artists and faced their attackers.

    Three people stepped out from the attackers. In the centre was a giant of a man, who towered over everyone else in the field. His colossal frame was covered by a long black Turkish robe and in his right hand was a massive two handed sabre. Everything about the man spoke of strength and power, but as dominating as he was many of the gazes looking at the trio fell on the person to his right.

    Although veiled there was no hiding the allure of the woman. Her low cut purple-gold dress accentuated her ample bosom as if daring any hot blooded man not to be aroused. Sensual eyes peeked over the thin silk veil enticing all those who looked upon them.

    Amongst these two eye catching figures, their companion appeared completely unremarkable. Dressed from neck to feet in black and wearing a wide-brim straw hat, it was impossible to discern anything from the silent figure. Neither gender, age nor appearance could be made out and the person might as well had been a shadow given solid form.

    Mu Kong stepped in front of his companions and bowed:

    “Humble Monk greets the 'Three Deaths' of the Celestial Wolf Cult. May I enquiry about the health of Lord Tian?” Seeing that the 'Three Deaths' were not going to reply he continued: “If this humble monk may be so bold, I would like to ask the reason for your visit and why you thought it necessary to kill innocent people?”

    “Enough of your babbling monk!” Roared the giant known as God-killer: “We are not here to listen to your preach. We are here to deliver a message. Our benevolent Lord, the Great Celestial Emperor, in his infinite mercy has decided to give you all a chance at saving your worthless lives. You have ten days in order to present yourself at the Eternal City and swear fealty to the Celestial Emperor. All those not in attendant can start preparing their funerals.”

    Sima Gao stepped forward his eyes burning with anger:

    “How dare you come here, before so many assembled heroes and bark your demands. Go back to your owner and tell him he has three days to leave China, or we will level his so-called 'Eternal City'”.

    God-killer took a menacing step forward the rage in his gaze every bit as strong as Sima Gao's. But a slender hand fell onto the giant's arm and held him in place:

    “If Lord Sima does not take like threats, we have other enticements to offer” said the woman known as Buddha-slayer and the pose she struck left little doubt as to what those enticement might be. Sima Gao's angry stare fell to be instantly replace by a look of lust as he admired her curves.

    God-killer caught the look and his simmering temper erupted into a volcano of hate. Shrugging of his companion's hand he swung his sabre in a wide sweep unleashing a wave of devastating Sword Qi. Four of the Masters leapt into the air, but Feng Yi dropped to one knee and slammed his fist into the ground. Power rippled from where he struck the earth and spread out quickly to meet the wave. Colliding in a deafening explosion the release of energy threw up a huge wall of dust three times the height of a normal man.

    Flying through the dust wall, God-killer lunged his blade at Feng Yi's chest with the speed of a shooting star. Rooting his feet to the ground Feng Yi became as solid as mountain and caught the blade between his palms. The irresistible force of God-killer met the unmovable object that was Feng Yi and waves of Qi energy flowed from them, forcing back everyone within a twenty foot radius.

    As this titanic battle of strength proceeded, the other two 'Deaths' leapt into the air do to battle with the remaining Masters. Buddha-slayer met the monk and priest in mid-air her lithe body gliding between the two holy men. As she passed she thrusts out with her fingers intending to rip out their throats. A lifetime of training and experience saved the men as they block her attack with their palms before striking out with their free hands. With impossible skill Buddha-slayer used her fingers as leverage and lifted herself above their heads. The three of them continued battling from the air until their feet touched the ground.

    Buddha-slayer circled her opponents at impossible speed, moving so fast that she appeared like a purple hurricane. Trapping the men in the eye of the artificial storm, her hand snaked out and struck like lightning. Fighting back to back the men fended of the blindingly fast attacks all the while looking of an opportunity to strike back.

    The same time that God-slayer was struggling with Feng Yi and Buddha-slayer encircled the holy men, the last of the 'Three Deaths' known as Spirit-destroyer engaged the remaining Masters. In mid-air Spirit-destroyer reached into its dark sleeves drawing out dozens of tiny needles and hurled them at its opponents. Sima Gao and Yiman Xing flipped over backwards to avoid the deadly missiles before landing lightly on their feet.

    Leaping straight onto the attack Sima Gao flew towards Spirit-destroyer and drew Swimming Dragon in a streak of red light. Lunging the glowing blade straight at his opponent's neck, Sima Gao knew his enemy would not have time to dodge the attack. He was right for Spirit-destroyer did not dodge, but bent over backwards letting the blade and man sail pass, mere inches away from its face. Righting itself quickly Spirit-destroyer threw a handful of metal darts at Yiman Xing. The scholar-warrior unrolled his bamboo scroll and caught every one of them, then channelled his Qi into the scroll and sent them hurtling back to Spirit-destroyer at even greater speed than when they were first launched.

    Spirit-destroyer dived to the side and the darts came perilously close to striking Sima Gao who was standing behind him. Leaping backwards Sima Gao turned his blade into a multi-coloured spider web as he knocked away the rouge darts. He glared at Yiman Xing as he landed and received an apologetic shrug from his ally. Meanwhile Spirit-destroyer had slipped amongst the orthodox martial artists. Moving like a shadow he slipped in and out of the crowd, hurling his deadly missiles at the Masters as he went. Many times the assembled martial artists tried to catch the elusive 'Death', but it moved amongst them in contemptuous ease and not one of their clumsy hands could touch it.

    For long moments the eight combatants fought with no sign of either side gaining the upper hand, when suddenly three figures fell from the sky and everything changed. The first figure dropped upon the battle between Feng Yi and God-slayer. Dressed in thick furs and sporting a long mane of unkempt hair he appeared to be some kind of wild man. However he passed through the waves of energy spilling out from the giants with ease. Striking the hilt of God-killer's blade with what looked like a tree-root he sent the man flying backwards as if he was a rag doll being discarded by a child.

    As God-killer was sent skywards a bolt of blue lightning struck the area where Buddha-slayer circled Mu Kong and Liu Zhu. A great wave of sapphire coloured energy was unleashed from the impact throwing Buddha-slayer through the air but leaving the men untouched. As the energy subsided the second figure revealed herself to be a woman in a gypsy style blue and silver dress stubbed with semi precious beads. Crouching low in the small crater she had created, the woman slowly rose and stared menacingly at the fleeing Buddha-slayer.

    The final figure was a man dressed in an expensive black-silver robe and holding a paper fan in his right hand. He sailed through the air towards where Ghost-destroyer was battling Sima Gao and Yiman Xing. Spotting the man Ghost-destroyer leapt into the air and unleashed a rain of deadly darts at the newcomer. With a casual wave of his fan the man created a powerful gust of wind that sent the darts backwards their master. Spinning like a tornado Ghost-destroyer caught the darts within the folds of his dark robes then glided back to the safety of his own lines.

    The 'Three Deaths' arrived behind the front line of their men at the same time and God-killer sent dozens of his own men flying through the air towards his enemies with a great sweep of his blade. The fan wielding man hurled his left palm out sending a bolt of transparent Qi energy to knock the men out of the sky. As the dead bodies fell to the ground the 'Three Deaths' fled with the other acolytes of the Celestial Wolf Cult following quickly on their heels. There was a moment of silent awe, then the assembled martial artists let out a triumphant cheer. The arrival of the mysterious trio filled their hearts with hope, where despair once ruled.

    ####

    The 'Three Deaths' prostrated themselves at the foot of the dais and waited for their Lord to unleash his fury. They were in one of Tian Wu's antechambers and having reported their failure, they knew that their punishment would soon follow. At the top of the dais sat the Tian brothers with a chess board between them and a little below them was Yuyin kneeling in front of a low table where a tea set was placed. With practised ease her slender fingers performed the tea ceremony as she awaited for the brothers to finish their game.

    Tian Xin made the finishing moves to his carefully laid trap and his brother shook his head in defeat. Throughout the whole time that the 'Three Deaths' had made their report Tian Wu had not looked up from his game, but now that it was over the Celestial Emperor rose from his seat and stared down at his waiting subordinates. But instead of delivering their punishment he let out a bellow of laughter:

    “At last all the players are assembled. It seems that the endgame in near.” said Tian Wu as his laughter echoed across the room.

  4. #4
    Senior Member Mandred Skavenslayer's Avatar
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    House of Poison



    Tang She stared down at his siblings from the head of the table, his heart a strange mix of emotions. In his mid thirties, he had the strong build of a man in his prime and his chiselled good-looks would have turned the heads of many women. His sharps eyes went first to Tang Zhu, the youngest of the family and its only female member. Tang She could not keep a doting smile from his lips as he admired the darling of the family. At eighteen Tang Zhu was just entering the bloom of womanhood but was already attracting legions of suitors. Looking at her now it was easy to see why.

    With skin the colour of spun gold, wide doe like eyes, jet black hair and sweet rosy cheeks she was the very picture of angelic innocence. Today she was wearing a form fitting pink dress that matched her lovely complexion and had her long hair held in place by a simple silver pin. Catching her eldest brothers gaze she smiled back and Tang She felt a great wave of brotherly affection wash over him. Truly he would be sorry when the day came for her to marry.

    His good mood evaporated as he took in his other siblings. Looking at his three brothers, all Tang She could think about was the back biting and infighting between them. Not for the first time he wished that his father had only sired himself and Tang Zhu, but it was not to be. Suppressing a sigh he addressed the family:

    “Beloved siblings” he began, making an effort not to cringe at the words “I assume you are all aware of events at Mount Hua?”

    “What events?” asked Tang Wa.

    The second eldest of the Tang siblings truly resembled his namesake, his bloated form making him look exactly like a fat toad.

    “Does your mind ever leave those flesh pots you wallow in!?” snapped Tang Wu the centipede and third eldest of the group.

    The second and third Tang brothers could not have looked more different. Where Tang Wa was fat, Tang Wu as so thin as to be almost skeletal. Sporting a drooping moustache and gaunt cheeks, Tang Wu's sickly appearance was further enhanced by the dark bags under his eyes:

    “At least I get my money's worth from my women, while you throw yours away in the gambling dens!” retorted Tang Wa

    As the brothers bickered Tang She's gaze shifted towards Tang Xie. The oldest of the Tang siblings didn't bother to hide his contempt as he looked upon his fourth brother. Tang Xie's eyes were glazed over, so lost was he in the narcotic haze that he paid absolutely no attention to the meeting. Tang She tore his gaze away from Tang Xie as his other brothers rose from their seat:

    “Brothers please stop!” cried Tang Zhu, her wonderful eyes clouding with barely suppressed tears.

    Her heartfelt plea cut through the red mist of anger building up between the brothers and they settled for just glaring at each other as they returned to their seats. Tang She cleared his throat:

    “For the benefit of Er di (second younger brother), I will explain. Three months ago the 'orthodox' martial artists had a meeting at Mount Hua. During that meeting the 'Three Legends' made an appearance.”

    “The three what?” asked Tang Wa

    Tang She suppressed another sigh and explained:

    “The 'Three Legends', Yin Duxin, Fang Ziyue and Zhong Yulong. Surely you must have heard of how the three of them threw back the ten thousand strong horde of Akmat Khan or how they sunk the mighty Black Dragon fleet of the Eastern Kingdom.”

    Tang Wa shrugged and Tang She continued:

    “The re-emergence of the 'Three Legends' forces us to re-evaluate our agreement with Tian Wu.”

    “Why? Could they offer more money?” interrupted Tang Wa with a greedy gleam in his eyes.

    Tang She shook his head and this time could not stop his sigh. This was going to be a long meeting.

    ####

    It was late afternoon when Tang Zhu was finally able to leave the meeting, a meeting that had been frequently interrupted by her bickering brothers. However a course of action had been determined. Tang She would head to the Eternal City and ascertain their reaction to the turn of events, while Tang Wu would secretly go to Mount Hua and meet with the representatives of the 'orthodox' Martial Artists.

    In this way they could hedge their bets and hopefully make the best of the situation. Heading for her room Tang Zhu quickly changed into a short sleeve green tunic and riding boots then walked briskly to the stables. Arriving at her destination she smiled as she saw her favourite horse 'Black-thunder' and gently stroked his mane while he nuzzled her cheek:

    “You are late.” said a man from the stable door.

    Turning sharply Tang Zhu's smile broadened as she saw the familiar face of Li Xinan. In his early twenties he was dressed in a rough hemp shirt and trousers, with hair straggly and his skin covered in a thin layer of dirt. But neither his poor clothing nor his unkempt appearance could detract from his boyishly handsome face and his large soulful eyes. Suppressing her smile in a face of false haughtiness Tang Zhu turned her nose up at the youth:

    “If you don't like me being here then I'll leave.” she said in a huff.

    Straightening her shoulders she started walking to the door. Xinan's smile vanished a she walked passed him:

    “I was only joking” he pleaded as he followed her.

    Spinning on her heels Tang Zhu shot her fingers at his chest. Reacting instinctively Xinan caught her hand in his right and sunk his weight downwards, dissipating her strength. As Tang Zhu dipped downwards pulled by his greater weight Xinan sent his open left hand upwards, travelling along the length her arm towards her face. Tang Zhu intercepted the strike with free hand, then leaned forwards gently brushing her breasts against the back of his hand.

    Blushing furiously Xinan let go of her and backed away. It was exactly the reaction Tang Zhu was hoping for. Stepping in quickly she hooked her right leg behind his and shoved him sharply in the chest sending him headlong into a pile of hay. Picking himself up to the sound of her giggling, Xinan soon joined her in laughter.

    Tang Zhu looked at Xinan admiringly as he brushed the straw from his body. She had taught him how to fight when she was about eight, intending to use him as training aid to improving her own skill. The young stable boy had surprised her by how quickly he grasped the principals of martial arts, and it was not long before he became her equal in the art. Now she doubted that either herself or her brothers could overcome him without the aid of poison.

    Picking off a stray piece of straw from his head she spoke:

    “Are you ready to go?”

    “I just have a few things to finish of.”

    “You go get cleaned up. I'll finish the work.” said a man from the stable door.

    The youngsters turned to see a man in his fifties standing at the door. His tall lean frame was covered in the same clothes as Xinan, with his grey hair and beard in a similarly unkempt state. Tang Zhu brushed passed the man with a charming smile as she went outside:

    “Thanks uncle Yim.” she shouted over the shoulder.

    “Are you sure you don't want my help uncle?” asked Xinan.

    “Go before I change my mind.”

    With a catlike grin Xinan quickly left before his uncle could make good on his threat. Old Yim stared after his young ward with a doting smile on his face. As always he was glad that Xinan and Tang Zhu were so close, but at the back of his mind was the nagging fear that their closeness might lead to problems in the future, for they were still master and servant. With a shrug of his shoulders the old man picked up a fork and got back to work.

    ####

    The two of them raced up the hill, Tang Zhu riding Black-thunder in the lead with Xinan following quickly on another horse. Tang Zhu leapt out of the saddle as they reached the crest of the hill, and turned to look at the magnificence of Five Poison Fortress. The Fortress was built by her father the same year she was born, and it had taken ten years to complete its five concentric walls that protected the main citadel.

    Hearing Xinan dismount behind her she turned to see him remove a bundle from his saddle. Unwrapping the bundle he revealed a blanket and food basket. The blanket he spread on the ground for them to sit on, then he opened up the basket. Inside were a selection of steamed pastries, some were scented with the delicate fragrance of flowers, others smothered in crushed nuts and berries. Tang Zhu clapped her hand in delight as they were all her favourites.

    Sitting down the two of them enjoyed the picnic, their conversation light and friendly, completely free of reservations. As the sun started to set Tang Zhu turned to her companion with a grateful smile. This was exactly what she needed after the meeting with her brothers and she couldn't thank her friend enough. Rising to her feet she felt the mood take her and began to sing. Her voice was sweeter than wine and shamed the evening birds.

    Xinan stared at her with adoring eyes, his mind imagining hearing her wonderful voice for the rest of his life. The idea warmed his heart and he felt an overwhelming wave of affection towards her. Fighting the urge to take her in his arms, he busied himself with packing up the picnic, hoping that she would not notice his blushing cheeks in the fading light.

    Tang Zhu's good mood continued all the way back to the Fortress, and she was still smiling when she reached her room alone. Opening her door she saw that she had an unexpected guest and her smile broadened.

    ####

    The sun had completely set by the time Xinan made it back to the room he and Old Yim shared. He opened the door to find his adopted uncle mending one of his shirts by candlelight.

    “Did you have fun?” the old man asked without looking up.

    Xinan knew his didn't need to answer and walked into the room. Placing the bundle down he sat next to the older man:

    “I'll do that uncle. You rest your eyes.”

    “I am fine. There's some soup on the stove.”

    Xinan smiled. For as long as he could remember his uncle had prepared a simple vegetable soup for him every night before bed. After finishing the soup he sat and talked with the old man for a bit, but soon started yawning. Wishing his uncle a goodnight the young man changed into his night clothes and went to bed.

    Old Yim waited until he heard his young ward snoring gently before putting the shirt down and walking to the bed. He took the young man's pulse to make sure that the sedative had taken effect. Satisfied that Xinan was not going to wake before dawn he placed his hand on his ward's brow. His palm glowed gently as he channelled his Qi into Xinan. After several minutes Old Yim removed his hand and took Xinan's pulse again. He had done this nearly every night since Xinan first started practising martial arts. At first he had only intended to lessen any injuries Xinan might have suffered, but later on he had used his Qi to help the young man's development, making him a bit stronger and faster than he should have been.

    Old Yim was careful though, and made sure that Xinan did not become so powerful that he would arouse anyone's suspicion. Having made sure that his Qi had been absorbed into Xinan's body the old man went back to the stove and helped himself to the remainder of the soup. The broth had other benefits than just ensuring a peaceful night's sleep. As he settled down Old Yim pictured the face of another youngster in his mind and smile sadly as he fell asleep.

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