Embracing Light and Darkness

Discovery

Stay out of the light
All the photographs that I gave you
You could say a prayer if you need to.
But just get in line and I'll grieve you.
Can I meet you, alone?
Another night and I'll see you.
Another night and I'll be you.
Some other way to continue,
To hide my face.

(Wu: Lu Xun)

Morning and patrol in Wei territory, two things Lu Xun hated. Unlike Ling Tong, who had been up drinking all night, Lu Xun was up way too early for his liking. He was a strategist, not a patrol officer! Why should he have to do something that could have been done by someone more alert and quicker? Lu Xun simply growled to himself and tapped his sabers as his horse trotted down the path.

Halfway through his morning ride, he stopped by a stream, mainly to splash water on his face and wake him up. But upon hopping down, his eyes caught sight of a large black...thing. Lu Xun picked it up, finding it to be a perfect black sphere the size of an orange. He looked at it, confused.

(What good is strategy when blades come down on your neck?)

The voice echoed loudly in Lu Xun's head. He jumped back, dropping the sphere on the ground. A black shadow rushed from it and spread under Lu Xun. He tried to escaped, but hands rose from the black shadow and grabbed him. No matter how he struggled or screamed, he was dragged down into the shadow before it returned to the ball, which now remained still and silent...waiting for the next person to pass by.

(Shu: Jiang Wei)

Jiang Wei was a morning person. Once the sun graced the horizon, he was up and alert and perky. Much to the disdain of other officers, who found is overall cheery disposition only helpful when he made breakfast.

He was going to this morning, but one trip into the records room halted that temporarily.

He shuffled into the room to see if someone had been sleeping, which was the only reason why the door would be open anyways. The room was lit by a pale yellow light, almost like a fire. Jiang Wei stepped over the piles upon piles of scrolls and over towards the source of the light, which was emanating from the mouth of the great jade dragon statue in the back of the room. Upon closer inspection, the light was coming from a small sphere the size of an orange. After a moment or two, he wrenched it free from the dragon's mouth.

(A reason for being born...you may lose it all in a heartbeat...but you still fight on...)

There was a brilliant flash of light, and Jiang Wei found himself slightly dazed but generally alright. The orb had vanished, but the strange voice didn't. A strange wave of calm washed over him, and he simply sighed before skittering off to make waffles.

(A/N: You ask "Waffles?" YES! Jiang Wei makes GREAT waffles.)

(Wu/Wei/Shu: Zou Mea)

Morning sucked!

Morning meant that Zou Mea had to sneak out of Ling Tong's room with the correct clothes on...mainly because she didn't want Zhou Yu telling her that she was wearing the wrong pants again.

But today, after spending the last few days in Wu, she was going to head out, probably to visit Shu or back home to Wei. But that didn't matter at the moment. Destination was a state of mind! Zou Mea, with the correct clothes, headed down to the stables where her trusty steed (Moon Shadow) and her halberd (Hatched Phoenix) were waiting.

But there was something strange.

Why was there a blue sphere molded into her halberd? Mea grabbed her weapon and swung it around. The blade hit a leaf, and it froze instantly. Mea jumped back. A light bulb appeared and the revelation came to her.

Was this the legendary Ice Orb as described in the history scrolls of Wei?

"Cao Pi, I don't care what you say...my shit luck is greater than yours!"

(Wu/Shu: Sun Xu)

Sun Xu was missing.

Actually, she was hiding. Due to certain...complications with Wu, Shu, Lu Xun and well...Wei was a given...she had to disappear. No, she didn't know how he was since she vanished. And no, she didn't know if Shu was conducting a widespread search for her and her Stray Hex. She simply had to fade away until the flames died down. And that she did.

This morning, she was perched between two rocks over a shallow stream, but perched so her legs were parallel to the earth. Her eyes were focused on the fish below. With one fluid motion of the hand, and her weapons (the spinning "yo-yo" like blades known as "Free Birds"), she had successful speared a large fish.

"Glad to see you are doing well."

The sudden voice made Xu lose her balance and fall into the stream. She growled and glared.

"You did that on purpose!" She hissed, pointing her fish at Zou Ci.

"Quite by accident, let me assure you. I come here bearing a gift."

"This won't be like the other 'gift' that nearly got me killed...right?"

"Not at all. This one is legendary."

Sun Xu, now interested, stood up, almost unconcerned that her clothes were clinging to her body. Zou Ci extended his hand, revealing a reddish-orange sphere the size of an orange. Sun Xu was hesitant, but took it. A warm, but not hot, flame engulfed her body for the barest instant before it receded. She blinked.

"Congradulations, the Fire Orb has accepted you. Soon, it will meld and warp itself to your weapons."

"Which will do...?"

"You'll see."

There was silence for a moment.

"What's going on in the real world?" Sun Xu asked. Zou Ci turned to leave, but left her with a message.

"Let's just say that your lover is no longer in as good of a position as you are."

With that, Zou Ci vanished. Xu sighed and whistled for Stray Hex, who leapt over the nearby embankment.

Soon, they were headed back to Shu.

(Wei: Cao Cao)

Finally!

Cao Cao held the Shadow Orb in his hand, watching how the candlelight reflected upon its inky black surface. He had finally found it, and the power of the Eater-Of-Souls was his. With the day still young, his mind settled on a sparring match. Now that he had the orb in his possession, it was time to test its powers.

Cao Cao turned away from the orb for a moment before he heard great roar of thunder, and his chambers were illuminated by a brilliant flash of purple light. The Hero of Chaos whirled and gasped.

Lying on the floor, unconscious, covered in bleeding wounds, and shivering as if freezing, lay Lu Xun.

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Chapter one end! Trust me, chapter two is better...much better...)