Chapter 1: The Xin Family

Burning in hell, spontaneous combustion, and other types of heat-based tortures were the primary thoughts occupying Xin Zhao's mind as he placed his plow into position once again, with the sun shining brightly on him from above. It was yet another bright summer day in Ionia; a country notorious for having abnormally high temperatures during the season, surpassed only by the desert country of Shurima. While normally, the plowing of farmland and the planting of seeds were activities reserved for spring, the northern position of Ionia relative to the countries and city-states of Valoran ensured that the cold of winter stayed around during spring as well, making planting in the hard ground, before summer heat thawed it, quite difficult. In the bright sunlight, flowers of all kinds were in full bloom, and the trees stood tall, dressed in magnificent cloaks of deep green. But he was not in the mood to appreciate the land's beauty, engrossed as he was in keeping the plow straight as the family mule pulled it. The plow's blade churned up the soil fairly easily, leaving a decently sized furrow into which Xin Jun, his younger brother, dropped seeds as he followed behind. As Zhao finished the row he was working on, he wiped sweat from his brow and turned to look at the rest of the field. His spirits fell as he saw they were only halfway done, having spent the entire morning getting this far. With a groan he looked up at the clear blue sky.

"Why does today of all days have to be the one where not one cloud shows up?" said Zhao as Jun caught up with him at the end of the row, his face reflecting the sour mood he shared with his brother. A small distance away, sitting in a rocking chair on the front porch of their home, sat their father, Xin Shang. He was powerfully built, with muscles that were hard as iron from decades of working the land and frequent exercise; in stark contrast to his sons, who were just beginning to show some definition from their labor. His black hair, streaked with gray, was tied in a long ponytail. He appeared to be whittling on a piece of wood, an appreciable amount of shavings littering the space around his feet. He paused in his work and looked at his sons with an amused expression.

"If I recall correctly, last week, after the rains stopped, there were plenty of clouds you two could have used for shade while you worked," said Shang lightly. Every year in Ionia, sometime during the spring season, there would be a roughly week long period of rain, which usually signaled the end of the season and the beginning of the summer. The huge amount of water absorbed into the ground during this time softened the soil for easy planting, and gave the seeds enough hydration to grow during the intense summer heat that followed. "I also recall," he continued, "that I told you to do the plowing last week in order to spare you the heat this week," he commented dryly. Zhao did not respond, too frustrated at himself for procrastinating. Jun groaned, stretching his limbs as he stood.

"I wish we were back inside, doing housework," said Jun wearily. Zhao gave a small smile of sympathy as he looked at his brother.

"I guess we shouldn't have told dad we wanted to be treated like men," he sighed. "I really miss doing dishes."

"Well well, boys, if you wanted to do housework instead, you should have said so," said Shang brightly as he stood, placing his hands on his hips. Zhao and Jun looked up with hopeful eyes at his words, not noticing the mischievous light in their father's eyes. "Even so, we men of the Xin household finish what we start, so you'll still have to plow the field regardless," he said teasingly. Zhao and Jun's shoulders slumped simultaneously upon hearing this. Shang walked over to his sons and threw his arms around their shoulders. "All joking aside, you two have been doing a good job so far considering this is your first time working the soil," he said, looking at his sons thoughtfully. "I'll tell you what, I'll help you two finish the field, but in exchange you'll have to wash the dishes and help me with some errands in town tomorrow," he said. Zhao and Jun let out sighs of relief. He held out his hands to both. "Do we have a deal?"

"Yes sir!" they said as they enthusiastically shook his hands.

"Alright then, lets get to it," he said as he took hold of the plow's handles and Zhao moved to help Jun with the bag of seeds.

An hour later, the three traipsed into the kitchen; the two brothers were panting and worn out, and their father looked energized as if the labor was merely a warm-up to an even bigger workout. The kitchen, like the rest of their home, was simple and neat, in typical Ionian fashion. Clay pots and metal skewers hung off hooks near a furnace used to cook meats and rice. A small washtub near the kitchen door was used to hand-wash plates and clean one's hands. A small, short table sat in the middle, bringing it all together. Shang had built the house himself after traveling to the city of Tuula to purchase the land from the Council of Zhyun, and then expanded it upon deciding to settle down and build a family. Currently kneeling at the kitchen table, preparing tea and setting down plates of food was his wife, Xin Xiu. She was tall and willowy, with her hair tied up in a bun, and her eyes were a warm brown. Her heart-shaped face broke into a small smile at her two sons and husband as they approached the table.

"How did my big men do today with the plowing, dear?" she asked as she rose, kissing Shang on the cheek.

"Not bad, all things considered," said Shang casually as Xiu pulled her two sons into a tight hug and kissed them on the forehead, which Zhao silently endured while Jun grumbled quietly about being "too old for kisses." "I did have to give them a hand halfway through, but these two were so appreciative, they offered to do the dishes tonight and help me with errands in Tuula tomorrow," he said with a grin as Xiu's eyes opened in mock surprise. The two brothers gave their father the stank eye but said nothing as their father's grin widened. "Alright then, let's eat!" he exclaimed as everyone sat at the table and dug in to the delicious sushi and pork buns Xiu had prepared. Later that evening, Xin and Jun spent an hour with their hands in scalding hot water cleaning pots and dishes before heading to bed.

Early the next morning, the two brothers awoke with much grumbling as their father barged into their room. "Okay boys, a deal's a deal, and we're gonna have to leave for Tuula soon if we want to make it back in time for dinner," said Shang as Zhao and Jun stretched and yawned. "I've already packed our bags, so get changed and come outside when you're done," he said. He exited the room and closed the door.

"Have you ever been to Tuula, Zhao?" asked Jun as he put on a shirt, a curious expression on his face.

"Yeah, a couple of times," said Zhao wearily as he pulled on some boots and tightened the straps. "I just helped dad carry some things and walked around town while he talked with some important people and paid some bills or bought stuff. It wasn't very exciting," he said, Jun's eyes widening as he listened. "The girls in the city were cute though," he remarked with a grin.

"You weren't worried about walking around alone? What about all those strangers mom tells us to be careful of?" asked Jun as he and Zhao finished dressing and left their room.

"Well, that's a possible danger wherever you go I guess," noted Zhao as the two headed outside. "But just like the small towns we go to in order to buy food and supplies, big towns like Tuula have the Wuju swordsmen and ninjas from the Kinkou order watching over us, so as long as you keep an eye out on your surroundings, you should be fine. Just stay by my side and I'll keep you safe," he said, throwing an arm over his brother's shoulders as they walked. Jun nodded, looking reassured by Zhao's words.

At the edge of the property, Shang and Xiu watched together as their sons approached.

"Stay safe on your trip," said Xiu as she turned, giving Shang a soft kiss on the lips. Shang held the kiss for a long moment, then broke away, holding her at arms length.

"I'll be fine," he assured her. "I'm just worried about you. They say the Golden Demon is even attacking people in their homes now. A lot of people are worried, and rightly so. The Wuju masters and Kinkou ninjas have been unable to find him, and even Great Master Kusho can't find a lead."

Xiu lifted the hem of her kimono to reveal a wakizashi tied to her leg. "I think I'll be alright," she said with a small smile. "My mother didn't just teach me how to keep a household in order, I'll have you know," she said teasingly. Shang sighed.

"Alright then, I'll try not to worry," he said, giving her a tight hug as Zhao and Jun finally reached them. After Xiu had given the boys hugs and kisses of their own, Shang gave his sons their traveling packs and readjusted the straps on his own. "Okay boys, we can't waste anymore time. Off we go to Tuula!" he exclaimed as he began walking down the road, the brothers following in his wake.