A/N: As I've mentioned in the primary TOSW, the legends that get passed down really aren't the whole story. As I was writing the next chapter of Fall of the Blue Spirit, I realized that there was no way that I could ever fully explain Zhāng-nán's character and motivations from Yan-sui's POV. I also wanted to explore Zhāng-nán's character more in-depth, removed from the veneer of time and legend, and placed squarely in the "real world."
Tales of the Spirit World: The Demon Prince in Exile
Part I: Of an Exchange
It was a flustered fox spirit that burst into his catalog room, to announce an unexpected visitor.
"A demon!" she yipped, the grey hairs of her bottle brush tail standing on end. Her delicate white paws pranced nervously on the cool lapis-and-rainbow-hued-jade mosaic map of the world on the floor as though it was blanketed with hot coals. "A great, huge, gigantic giant of a demon! He's on the doorstep right now, demanding we let him in!"
Under normal circumstances, the venerable Wan Shi Tong, He Who Knows Ten Thousand Things, would have dismissed his underling with a curt reminder that no one and nothing (certainly nothing as trifling as a demon on the doorstep!) was to disturb the sanctuary of his catalogue room. However, Kuzunoha was no mere underling: a Spirit in her own right, she maintained the staff of library foxes who fetched him tomes and scrolls of knowledge from the four corners of the world. A stern and dignified vixen-matriarch such as she would never barge in so rudely unless there was good reason.
Wan Shi Tong sighed and turned away from the glyph-covered scroll he had been examining to determine if it should be classified under Man, Metaphysical Studies or Man, Healing Arts. "Did this demon say which god or spirit dispatched him?" he asked, the tips of his flight feathers shushing over the tiles as he strode past his assistant into the dim hallway.
"No, Master, he did not." Kuzunoha had regained some semblance of her usual comportment, if she could respond so politely. She fell in behind him at a respectful distance. "But he wore a gold crescent moon insignia on his kilt."
Wan Shi Tong turned his head around and fixed her with a stare. "The Moon Goddess dismissed her demon slaves," he said, almost to himself, "What sort of supercilious scoundrel would dare…?" A though occurred to him. "I will go and greet this visitor," he announced, turning abruptly down a hall that would take him to the central atrium. With a smooth leap, he cleared the low balustrade and winged silently down to the bottom floor, many levels below.
"Please be careful, Master!" Kuzunoha called anxiously down after him.
A pack of his staff milled about in front of the great double doors, barking and keening to each other in their own Beast-tongue. As he landed, they turned as one and crowded about him, like frightened kits to their mother, each raising their high-pitched yowls in a cacophony of fear and anticipation.
"Go back to your departments," Wan Shi Tong admonished, shooing them along with his great dark wings, "If anyone is going to deal with this demon, it will be me." They scattered obediently, clearly relieved to turn their tails to the menace outside.
"Master Wan Shi Tong, my brother and I will stand beside you," announced a muscular dog, his green eyes gleaming eagerly in the twilight. Dox, and his twin brother, Vuk, were the Doorkeepers of the Library, a post they took quite seriously. They knew no fear and hence tended to be rather reckless and arrogant, making them ill-suited for more refined work. Wan Shi Tong surmised that only Kuzunoha's intervention had kept them from charging at the visitor that was even now banging on the front door with the steady, rhythmic thunder of an iron-headed battering ram.
"Open," Wan Shi Tong told the doors, which swung silently inward at his command.
Shrieking wind, biting sand, and the bitter cold of the desert night whirled into the atrium, a herald for the great hulking mass of demon that followed. Dox and Vuk rushed forward, baring their teeth, their pelts swelling to near twice their normal size as their hackles bristled, their yelps a full-throated challenge to battle. Wan Shi Tong sighed to himself and stepped between them, meeting the visitor face-to-face before he took it to mind to squash the foolish pair.
"Close," he ordered, before the desert could empty itself into the foyer; the doors obeyed and the sounds of the storm gave way to blessed quiet. He would have Kuzunoha call upon the local zephyrs to sweep the entranceway clean in the morning, before too much sand was ground into the highly polished tiles.
"Is it the custom of the Spirit of Knowledge to leave callers out on the stoop to be scoured to bones in a sandstorm, or am I getting special treatment?" the demon snarled, blood-red pupils glowing with ire in the pitch-black of his eyes. He was just shorter Wan Shi Tong, although his great, upsweeping horns, wind-blasted mane and massive shoulders gave the illusion of being much bigger. He clutched his left paw to his chest, although he did not appear wounded. In his right paw, a golden dagger momentarily gleamed as it was tucked away into the waistband of the demon's kilt.
"Indeed you are, Zhāng-nán. Normally, my assistants attend to patrons of my Library," Wan Shi Tong replied coolly.
Zhāng-nán cocked his head, which caused sand to dislodge from his mane and shower the floor and Dox and Vuk, who had been sniffing quite boldly at the demon's feet. "Just be glad I didn't just squish you to pulp… yet," Zhāng-nán mentioned as Dox and Vuk bayed all manner of insults up at him.
"Go and fetch Kuzunoha," Wan Shi Tong directed his servants, more to get them out of danger than anything else, "Tell her to open the northeast reading room and have the shelves moved against the back wall. My guest and I will hold conference there presently." With hesitant, shuffling gaits and many a backward glance, the brother foxes left to carry out their master's bidding. "I would appreciate it if you would not threaten my helpers while you are under my roof," he said to Zhāng-nán.
The demon's lips twitched over his protruding fangs, whether with a suppressed smile or snarl, Wan Shi Tong could not guess. "I suppose it's only fair, since you permitted me to enter your sanctum, oh great Knowledge Spirit," he replied with a sarcastically deferential nod of his head that loosed a veritable blizzard of sand over the floor. He did not apologize, but merely waited for Wan Shi Tong to lead the way.
If the spirit's feathers puffed out in irritation, it was understandable. Having the Firstborn of the Demons show up unannounced on one's doorstep was enough to knock anyone off-kilter. Wan Shi Tong felt a vague shiver of apprehension as he turned his back on Zhāng-nán and glided toward the appointed chamber, the demon following in silence that defied even his sharp hearing.
"Master, please," Kuzunoha insisted under her breath, leaning precariously over the top of the bookshelf to place her jaws as close as possible to the side of his head, "You must permit at least me to stay here with you. I cannot in all good conscience leave you alone with that… thing." Her tawny eyes narrowed, the curl of her lip showing the merest glint of canine as she glared at Zhāng-nán, who stood by the door, affecting a look of boredom. Wan Shi Tong noted, however, how the demon's eyes swept over the room, the ruby-slitted pupils scanning every space and shadow as if expecting an attack from any quarter. Now that Wan Shi Tong had the time and wherewithal to examine his strange guest more closely, it was nakedly apparent the demon was concealing some deep anxiety. The performance in the foyer had been just that, a crudely veiled attempt at bluff arrogance. Unaware of Wan Shi Tong's discerning gaze, Zhāng-nán constantly shifted his weight on his feet and reached reflexively for the dagger at the small of his back. His left paw was still clutched to his chest… no, not clutched, but…
"The only request he has made is that he be allowed to confer with me, in private," Wan Shi Tong told her, "Given the airs of some of my divine visitors, I would say his demands have been most genteel."
"But, Master!" she pressed, her lithe body quivering with emotion, "What if he attacks you? How can I just…!"
"Seeing as he slew an entire cohort of Agni's army on his own, I doubt very much you or your charges would make much difference if he turned violent," Wan Shi Tong interrupted gently, "I would hate to be the cause of such a waste, for surely, you all must carry on the Library when I am gone."
"Oh, Master, don't say such horrible things!" the vixen spirit yowled passionately. Wan Shi Tong's stern ebony stare did not waver. With a hurt, clipped bark, Kuzunoha flung herself from the bookshelf, alighting on the floor very nearly at Zhāng-nán's feet. "Listen, you… you… you great oaf!" she howled up at him, "If you dare lay a single finger on the merest filoplume on his head, I and my Beasts will tear your entrails from your body and devour them in front of you!" With that, she marched out of the room, the doors swinging to behind her violently swishing tail.
"Forgive Kuzunoha," Wan Shi Tong said after a brief silence, "Sometimes, I believe she considers me one of her kits, instead of her master. Vixens make fierce mothers, in spite of their size."
Zhāng-nán shrugged, his edginess momentarily softening as he breathed something like a laugh. "Love affects the mood in the strangest ways, no matter who it possesses," he muttered to himself, but Wan Shi Tong heard him quite clearly.
To hear a demon, let alone this demon, refer to "love" very nearly made Wan Shi Tong blink in amazement. "What is it that your master requires of me?" he asked, deciding to pretend he had not heard the remark.
Zhāng-nán crossed the room with three great strides, thrusting his plated snout into the owl spirit's flat face. "You know very well La has no demon slaves, not anymore," he growled, the blood-red pupils of his blank black eyes burning into his. The naked animosity radiating from Zhāng-nán's body stirred the air around them until the atmosphere vibrated like a too-taut bowstring.
"Very well," Wan Shi Tong said evenly, refusing to be the first to break the eyelock, "What is it that your father believes he can wrest from me, that he sends you?"
"My…?" Zhāng-nán backed away suddenly, gaping at the spirit. "You think my Father sent me here?!"
Wan Shi Tong feathers ruffled at the mocking sneer that spread across Zhāng-nán's lips, revealing even more of his hideously lethal fangs. "I assure you, Master Wan Shi Tong, the day my Father needs to plumb the depths of your knowledge, the Abyss will swallow itself," he stated matter-of-factly.
"Then, dare I say that you are the one in search of knowledge?" Wan Shi Tong retorted, clicking his beak in contempt.
"Yes, I am." The change in Zhāng-nán's demeanor was as sudden and unexpected as his earlier comment about love. Narrowing his eyes at Wan Shi Tong, Zhāng-nán slowly drew his left paw away from his chest, holding it palm up, so that the spirit could see the item he held therein.
Tucked securely in a bundle of white silken cloth that looked suspiciously like a funeral shroud, a dark-haired god-child yawned sleepily and cracked open a single, deep sea-blue eye to stare up at the owl spirit and demon that loomed over her. With a perfunctory sigh, she slipped back into a deep slumber, snuggling more comfortably into the cradle of Zhāng-nán's paw, a gleaming white pearl cradled in his palm. A lock of her hair fell away from her forehead, revealing a golden crescent moon.
"This…!" It was Wan Shi Tong's turn to reel and gape in amazement. "You…!"
"Before you make any wild accusations," Zhāng-nán interrupted with a snarl, bringing his paw (and the sleeping god-child) protectively back to his chest, "Know that while I act for my own reasons, I also obey the bidding of my lady. I have sworn by my horns that I will defend this child to my death and beyond, from any who seeks to harm her." He paused, scrutinizing Wan Shi Tong. "Needless to say, it would go easily for you if you pretend that everything said and done here never happened."
"First you barge into my Library, then you threaten my staff, and now you dare to threaten me?" Wan Shi Tong demanded, his neck elongating, wings and body swelling in anticipation of battle.
"If threatening you is what it takes to protect her, yes," Zhāng-nán replied boldly, unimpressed by Wan Shi Tong's display, "I would rather I didn't have to. My lady wouldn't approve if I killed you. All I want is to find a place where I can hide her daughter from the world, for as long as possible."
The tone of his voice, when mentioning La, gave Wan Shi Tong pause: such fierce longing and pain… 'Could it be possible?' "Why would La tell you take her newborn child and hide her?" he asked, arranging his form back into its more customary state, curiosity overcoming offense for the time being.
"That I will not tell you," said Zhāng-nán with curtness punctuated by a baring of fangs, "My lady's affairs are her own concern. And it is my concern that the world believes I stole this child for my purposes alone."
Wan Shi tong fluttered his wings, hooting in bewilderment. "By doing that, you're asking for all the Gods, Spirits, and Demons in the world to hunt you down to get that child back," he declared, "Surely you don't expect to defeat all of them, not even with your abilities."
"Of course not," remarked Zhāng-nán, as if the idea should have been obvious, "That is why I came here. The hunt has not yet begun, but it will at any moment. Before it does, and they find me here with you, you will tell me where this child can be hidden. Eventually, they will hunt me down, yes, and kill me, but the secret will die with me and she will be safe."
Wan Shi Tong stared long and hard at the demon. Never before had he heard a member of that race speak in such terms, of will and self-sacrifice. "And you do this, all for La?" he finally asked, "Why?"
Zhāng-nán smiled bitterly. "If even the Spirit of Knowledge can't deduce that, then maybe my ruse will be more successful than I dared hope," he scoffed.
'So, it's true. The Demon Prince has fallen in love with the Queen of the Night. How pathetic. How poetic.' "I never give knowledge without receiving knowledge in return," said Wan Shi Tong, drawing himself upright, "Such is the way of things. What manner of knowledge do you intend to give in exchange for what you seek?"
That his acquiescence surprised Zhāng-nán was apparent, but the demon recovered his aplomb almost immediately. "Send for your assistant," he said, grinning, "and have her bring a blank scroll, brush, and ink. I will give you a pretty piece of knowledge to squirrel away in this dusty place."
'I, Zhāng-nán, the Firstborn of my Race, came into existence not by the will of He who is called my Father, but by my own will.
In the darkness of the Abyss where He was cast down and imprisoned by the Brother Gods, Agni and Tui, I tore myself from His wounded body and realized my own being. Knowing nothing but myself and Him and the Darkness between us, I submitted to His will.
But when I emerged into the world beyond the Abyss, I realized that His will was not mine. From then onwards, I decided I would be the architect of my own destiny.'
Wan Shi Tong read and reread the bold declaration, executed in sweeping brushstrokes in blatant disregard for elegance or conformity to the standards of the Gods. "Amazing…" he had to admit, shuddering in delight at the idea of opening another branch of his library. In a single manuscript, Zhāng-nán had shown that the Demon race had its own knowledge, its own methods of documentation, even its own philosophy. 'This will require an addendum to the catalogue. I suppose I should place it after "Mankind," since chronological supra-categorical methodology seems most efficient…' His inner planning was interrupted by a wry cough from his guest.
"I suppose this is a sufficient contribution?" Zhāng-nán asked, wiping the brush clean on his kilt and standing up, leaving the scroll to dry on the floor.
"Yes, yes, certainly sufficient!" Wan Shi Tong agreed, bobbing his head. He looked at Zhāng-nán shrewdly. "Since you are now a criminal on the run, I do not suppose I can invite back very often to add to my newest collection. But if you ever feel inclined, and if you can see to it that you draw none of your pursuers to this place, I would not turn you away, provided you continued to provide more insight into your Race."
Zhāng-nán blinked and cocked his head at Wan Shi Tong. "You're the first being, God or Spirit, whose ever asked for something like that. La… my lady… did say you were eccentric, but obviously, she was understating things," he observed.
Wan Shi Tong waved a dismissive wing. "I am beholden to no God, and as the Spirit of Knowledge, it would not do to discriminate against a sect of knowledge merely because it originates in a lower race. Someday, you must examine the collection I've compiled on the Race of Men. It is quite insignificant now, but it continues to grow and branch out into all sorts of fascinating topics."
"I can't think of anything less enjoyable," Zhāng-nán stated flatly, with a snort. He paused, and seemed to reconsider. "But then, maybe that collection's going to be quite useful in the near future…" Seeing the confused, inquiring tilt of his host's head, Zhāng-nán shrugged. "Now that I've held up my part of the bargain, it's your turn."
Wan Shi Tong bobbed his head again. "There are a few places that come to mind. Let us discuss exactly what suits your purpose…"
Agni's eye rose and set and night came. Shadows turned the golden dunes to white and purple-blue under the stars, where no moon rose to lend its pale illumination. Heat still radiated from the sands as Zhāng-nán descended the stairs of the Library and took off across the desert at a dead run like an arrow shot from a bow, his pale form shimmering to nothingness on the farthest horizon Wan Shi Tong's far-seeing eyes could behold.
"Master?" Kuzunoha did not presume to stand beside him on the portico, but remained in the doorway behind him. "What was that demon after? Did he find it?"
Wan Shi Tong did not answer for so long, Kuzunoha began to think he simply had not heard her. Just as she was about to repeat her question, Wan Shi Tong spoke: "He was seeking his death. But he did not have to, for it will find him soon enough." He turned to Kuzunoha, who stared at him in confusion. "As to what I said earlier… my apologies for upsetting you, Kuzunoha. I am not nearly so reckless as Dox and Vuk, and I would not abandon you without a fight, or at least, without due warning."
Kuzunoha lowered her head between her paws, abashed. "As if I would ever permit Master to do something like that!" she declared.
Wan Shi Tong hooted wryly at her boldness. "Come, Kuzunoha. The night's cold approaches, and we have work to attend to."
The spirits turned into the library, the great dark shadow of the owl succeeding the diminutive, graceful form of the fox, the doors shutting out the desert night behind them.
A/N: Didn't you ever wonder how the heck FOXES became Wan Shi Tong's library assistants? ... okay, I have. The next TOSW series will feature Kuzunoha, and the story of how Wan Shi Tong came to have a library staffed by her pack. :3
In the meantime, Yan-sui's daddy's gots brains, yes?