The Bloody Plains…..saying that out loud would send a icy chill down the spine of nought but the bravest and fearless warriors……many a great war had been waged there….the very ground itself has been stained the colour of dried blood…..and the aroma was enough to make anyone with a weak stomach vomit until they could vomit no longer…..it was rich with the stench of blood…and rotting meat….for the noble warriors who were unfortunate enough to fall at the hands of their enemy were left to rot……many a ravenous bird and other vermin frequent this unholy battle ground in hopes of finding a meal. Wars were constantly held in this gastly place….the two clans….the black clan…and the white clan……both had extreme hatred for one another and it had been this way for over a century……over a hundred years of countless wars just to prove who the better clan was…
Today was no exception….there was another war in progress in the hellish abyss that is known as the Bloody Plains….except it wasn't the typical white clan vs. black clan war….but rather just a small section of each clan were doing battle with one another….both fighting for the chance to finally be rid of each other…
Earlier that day…the Wu Tang Clan had received a message from a spy they had working undercover from Mount Yanmo…home of the Heavenly Demons, the message stated that the Saber Wielding Warriors were planning to infiltrate Wu Tang Shan with the full force of their army…the Wu Tang were quick to act….gathering their own army….they planned to intercept them….the area of interception: The Bloody Plains. As the Demons had to pass through there in order to make it to white clan territory. And it was there that many lives will be lost, it was there that many blades will clash, it was there that would decide who the better of the two was.
Word of the war had gotten to the other white clans.
The League of the Beggars didn't want anything to do with this war as they did not want "any unnecessary deaths". The Shaolin Monks were of the same stance as that of the Beggars, they wanted no part in this war.
All except one.
"I'm going" said the distraught monk. "And there's nothing you can do or say otherwise that will stop me"
"Lu think about this seriously…..we have no part in this war….you need not risk your life in that battle"
"That's not the point….I want revenge…..revenge on those Demon bastards that took the life of my parents"
"I'm well aware of your intentions Lu… but that is not the way of Budda…" said the elderly monk stroking his extensively long, white beard.
"TO HELL WITH BUDDA!….I WANT THEM ALL DEAD!...THEY KILLED MY PARENTS!…..MADE ME SUFFER MY WHOLE LIFE!….THEY TOOK AWAY THE ONLY THING I EVER LOVED!" Lu screamed
The monk elder didn't flinch…..he did however walk up to Lu
"I didn't want to say this Lu…..but you…are weak….you would not last 3 seconds in the Bloody Plains"
"That's a lie…..I'm strong….don't you remember that I am known as one of the Conquers of Death Valley? Or did you forget that you even gave me the title?"
The elderly monk once again stroked his beard "I remember the day when I gave you that title"
"Then you know I'm strong"
"You snuck in with the group of my Elemental Crown Monks that I had sent to the Choice of Fate for a quest…..they merely protected you…but you did nonetheless make it through… so I gave you that title along with the other monks"
Lu hesitated for a moment, thought quickly, then retorted
"But you'd have to be physically strong to get through there right?"
"While I don't deny that you have great physical strength Lu…it is your mental strength and intelligence that I'm worried about"
"What's that supposed to mean?" said Lu as if he'd just been insulted.
"Your stupid…and ignorant… you do not know how to control yourself properly. Your rage and want of revenge will blind you. Your opponent will find this blind spot…and that is where you will fall at the hands of the Heavenly Demons."
"YOUR WORDS MEAN NOTHING TO ME…..TO HELL WITH BUDDA…TO HELL WITH YOU….AND TO HELL WITH THE WHOLE GOD DAMNED CLAN!!!!"
The elderly monk sighed deeply, stroked his white beard once again, and pointed to a set of large, red iron gates
"That is the way to Bloody Plains…I'm not going to stop you…"
Lu began to walk toward the gates
"But……I'm not going to send you unprepared"
Lu was unsure of the elderly Monk's words; the elderly monk walked into the temple behind him…..and re-emerged a few minutes later with a large moon bladed Polearm, which he handed to Lu
"Use this wisely…and remember what you have been taught…..I shall prey for your return" and with that said the elderly monk slowly walked back into the large temple.
Lu looked at the Polearm: a small Budda had been carved into the handle. Lu lowered the weapon and headed for the gates. Only before taking one last bow
-----------------------
The memory of that conversation flashed through his mind.
"He was right all along" thought Lu "the old bastard was right"
Lu had made it to the Bloody Plains, and put himself right into the middle of the war. And as the elderly monk predicted, he fell at the hand of the Heavenly Demons.
There he was…laying on his back, on the blood soaked, red sand of Bloody Plains, and with a large cut across his chest, which was oozing blood, which slid from the deadly wound, staining his garments with a crimson tone.
And to his neck…. glowing with an evil red aura… a saw toothed saber was held there, ready to strike down at any moments notice. And holding the handle of the glowing saber was large, muscly Heavenly Demon Warrior…also known as the horrific Blood Demons
The owner of the saber leered his head down at Lu...the lower half of his face was covered by his mask like clothing……all Lu could see was two evil looking jade green eyes……if looks could kill…this particular Blood Demon would be driving diamond tipped daggers right into his heart….his evil gaze sent a icy chill down the Louhan Monk's spine…..
The Blood Demon leaned even closer toward Lu and spoke in a voice that paralysed him with fear…..
"Any last words?….you white clan trash?" said the saber wielding Heavenly Demon Warrior as he moved the saber from his neck to over his chest…the tip puncturing the skin….causing the chest to ooze more blood than it already was…..Lu winced at the pain
"Well……what say you monk?"
"S…….S…S-See you in h…hell…..Y…..Y-ou….Ba….stard…" Lu said weakly
If the Blood Demon wasn't wearing its mask over his face….Lu would have seen him display his most evil-looking smile.
"HA……not before me!"
And with that said, the Heavenly Demon Warrior drove his glowing, saw-toothed blade into the chest of the Shaolin monk…..Lu screamed in pain as the blade entered….never before had he experienced anything this horrible…he could do nothing but lay there…..saber in his chest….and above him was a Heavenly demon warrior….laughing evilly….admiring his kill……he once again leaned down toward Lu…his face only inches away from Lu's…….
"Enjoy the afterlife……..you white clan trash"
Lu was too weak to respond…he couldn't move…he couldn't speak….all he could do was look at the Demon Warrior……and hear him laughing……Lu's vision was slowly fading….the image of the Demon was slowly fading to black…
"This is it" thought Lu "This is the end…….Fachang…….I'm sorry….sorry I yelled at you….sorry about the dishonour……and…..sorry about me loosing faith in Buddha……I'm sorry….but you're prayers have not been answered"
Lu took one last look at the Blood Demon…he was no longer laughing….nor was he looing at Lu…he was surprisingly looking at in another direction….and backing away quite quickly………his eyes no longer contained the look evil…..but they now contained the look of fear…..Lu watched the Blood Demon back away……Lu turned his head to follow the Demon….
"What's going on" Thought Lu
No sooner than Lu thought that…the Heavenly Demon Warrior was struck to the ground by a blue light….Lu was too confused and to 'in-pain' to realise that the Blood Demon was struck down by a Wu Tang Black Tortoise Chi Kung Blast…….Lu's vision continued to fade…..the last thing he could see was a hand reaching over his face….then everything went black….
It was a week later before Lu had awoken again….he slowly rubbed his eyes…and tried to get up….but his body was stiff and sore ….he groaned as he sat his legs…trying to remember what happened…….he slowly recalled the event with the Heavenly Demons. With a sudden gasp he checked his chest…….it was covered in bandages...in a flash he whipped them off and checked his chest….surprisingly…..there was nothing….not even a scar……
"That man sure knows his fair share of healing techniques huh?" Came a familiar voice from behind him
Lu looked around to see the elder monk……Fachang.
"Who-Who-"
"Healed you?" interrupted the elder monk…."take a look beside you.."
Lu turned and looked beside him and found his moon-bladed Polearm beside him….and attached to the handle…a small note…..all it had on it was two words
The Hermit.