Welcome to my rewrite of my story, Divine Tragedy. All chapters past chapter one in the original rendition will be deleted, as this take will be going in a different direction, and will be constructed appropriately.
With that out of the way, let's get on with the fic!
Chapter One
Red Devil
Senlin village was a small locale, virtually out of the way of anything of incidence. The defining feature of the village was its proximity to Hei Bai Forest, or rather what had been Hei Bai Forest. A Fire Nation attack had completely razed the once great forest several weeks past. Most traveling merchants who frequented the village had abandoned marketing ventures there, leaving the occupants almost completely isolated. Several disappearances had been happening with increasing frequency as the Winter Solstice approached.
The traveling merchants who remained in the area spread news of the disappearances, which traveled throughout the whole region rather swiftly. Senlin village became a popular story for anti-Fire Nation sentiments and a rather chilling ghost story in the taverns of towns and cities. One of those taverns, Boarcupine's Quill, housed a bouncer/mercenary by the name of Dante. Born to high-class, eccentric parents, he was an enigma in that he had essentially nothing to his name. His only true possessions were his clothes and the large sword he inherited from his father.
Boarcupine's Quill was a Fire Nation friendly tavern, allowing Dante to effortlessly blend in, due to his preference for red coloured clothing. His long, blood red coat billowed to a point just above his ankles. He wore a plain red vest with simple black ties lacing the front together over a black shirt with sleeves extending to his wrists. The shirt was tucked into a pair of plain black trousers, which in turn were tucked into plain black leather boots. Dante would look perfectly normal without a coat, were it not for his brilliant silver hair. The sword Dante carried was also odd, looking as if it had been forged with casts of human bones, and being an unnaturally dark grey in colour. The length of the sword was considerable, as well, nearly matching its owner's height.
The young mercenary was currently leaning against the nearest wall listening to a conversation regarding Senlin village, due to the proximity of the speakers and his general boredom. "I hear it's about to be wiped off the map, the way things are going," one man said.
"You honestly believe those ghost stories?" the second man asked skeptically.
"It's a demon of some sorts, I've heard," a third man supplied. Dante's attention was now focused on the conversation at hand. He raised his head so that his chin was no longer in his chest.
"Demon? Pah! Demons are nothing but a fairytale, these days," the second man scoffed.
"If that's so, then explain the monster that comes out of the burned forest every night, causing destruction and mayhem," the third man responded, defending his view on the situation. Despite claims that it was impossible by his employer, Dante's interest had been peaked, and his full attention was now focused on the men and their conversation.
"It's an angry spirit, most likely," the first man intoned. "The forest around Senlin was burned to the ground, and now it's angry that its home is gone."
"I still say it could be a demon. Takes a lot of bad feelings to be able to burn an entire forest," said the third man.
"Nonsense! All it takes is a careless spark and dry weather!" the second man exclaimed.
Dante finally decided to join the conversation, asking, "When does the next merchant head for Senlin?"
The third man of the group turned to face Dante. The man was in a dark maroon working uniform, and wore a patch on his left breast indicating he was in the Fire Nation Navy. "And why do you ask, stranger?" Not a hint of alcohol was present on the man's breath.
"I figure that rumors about a small town getting to this old port town are something worth looking into, for those prepared enough. I like to think I'm one of those people," Dante said.
"And why is that, may I ask?" another man in the bar asked. He looked to be of minor nobility and wealth, and carried an air of business about him. His attire consisted of neutral shades of brown to maroon and green. Dante and the Fire Navy sailors turned to face the new man in the group.
"I figure all it really takes for a mercenary in this world is a job and the skill to fight. All I'm lacking at the moment is a job I like," Dante answered.
"I heard you asking about when I leave for Senlin again. One of my old guards just recently left to support the war effort, and I am in need of a new one. How would you like the job?" the merchant asked, slightly wary about what he was getting into.
Dante noted that the merchant remained ambiguous as to which war effort his guard left to support, and smiled. "Straight to the point. I like that. I'll take the job. Name's Dante." The young man finished his introduction with a gaudy bow.
"Shāngrén." The merchant bowed simply and sharply in response.
Dante was with the merchant, preparing to leave. The owner of the tavern had been happy to get rid of Dante. Dante had caused much damage to the tavern during his time as the bouncer, including an incident when the young man had thrown an angry, drunken firebender through the front wall. Dante had proceeded to follow the firebender out the door as an afterthought. Business from the Fire Navy and Army had dropped for a month after that. Another incident involved Dante toying with a violent patron. Needless to say, Dante's evasiveness contributed to the enraged, hammer toting mercenary destroying most of the furniture in the bar. It was only after diving out an open window that further damage ceased, as the angry patron followed.
The eagerness with which Dante's previous client let him go did little to ease the mind of the merchant on his most recent hire. On top of it all, the ostrich-horse Dante was supposed to ride, the one he prided on being the most steeled to combat, refused to let the red-clad man anywhere near it. "Are animals usually like this around you?" Shāngrén asked, worried about the potential danger the man could doubtlessly bring.
"I usually don't even get this close," Dante answered. "I'm honestly pretty impressed it hasn't bolted yet."
"She has been the closest to a war-bird I've ever had," Shāngrén responded, with an almost imperceptible waver in his voice.
"That doesn't matter. Even war-birds spook," Dante supplied. "I'll just walk. No point in ruining my clients business by spooking his pack animals."
Several hours later, Shāngrén had decided that Dante would ride the ostrich-horse with certainty. "We're moving too slowly," the merchant said. "You need to ride the ostrich-horse."
"Aren't you worried about your bird?" Dante asked, not wanting to ruin his chances of a steady job.
"We don't really have the time on our hands," another guard, Liang, stated. "We're too far behind schedule."
"Agreed," supplied Yi. "We should at least be halfway to Gaipan by now. We've only made it a few kilometres at this pace."
Shāngrén agreed wholeheartedly with his other guards, surprised they weren't bickering with each other. Yi and Liang, while more than capable fighters and tacticians, rarely saw eye to eye on an approach to take to a situation. Despite that fact, he knew there was a healthy amount of respect between the two.
Remarks such as, "Cunning as an old, tired dragon," were often tossed about by Yi, usually accompanied by a mock sneer. Liang often bantered back with comments relating to trepidation regarding the actions of a dead man.
"You are more afraid of a dead man than a living one," was the most recent jeer.
"Dead men are more difficult to predict," was the defensive, posh reply.
It was approaching an hour when the ostrich-horse finally allowed Dante to ride. She was shaking with trepidation about her passenger, but was beginning to accept his presence. Dante patted her flank to try to reassure her, mimicking what he had seen others do to try to calm frightened animals. Gradually, the ostrich-horse began to calm down, adjusting to the strange presence the young mercenary had. To the ostrich-horse, Dante was trluy an enigma. Nobody had ever felt as strange as the young mercenary. "Easy, there," Dante spoke softly, continuing to pat his mount's flank.
Shāngrén was surprised at how well his ostrich-horse was adjusting to the young man she wouldn't let within three meters of her earlier. "It's time to get going. We can't afford to lose any more time."
Yi and Liang urged their steeds into motion, and Dante followed suit, getting a much jumpier reaction out of his. The caravan was finally underway at an optimum speed.
When they stopped to rest for the night, they were still behind schedule, but not as far as they previously had been. They had actually gained time.
Dante was appointed to stand the first watch, and did so with surprisingly minimal grumbling.
He was leaning against a nearby tree, almost dozing off when a snapping twig roused him to alertness. He immediately turned his focus in the direction of the noise, only to find Yi returning from a brief venture of answering nature's call. The man still had a very drowsy look about him, but went to action in preparing for his shift as watch-stander.
"Hey, Yi," Dante called out, to which a grunt was the answer. "Keep yourself busy on watch. I was just about to doze off until you snapped that twig."
Yi nodded absentmindedly, then started slightly and looked in Dante's direction. "I never snapped any twig. Nothing but dirt and grass was under my shoes."
"Then who did?" Dante muttered to himself, as Yi returned to preparing for watch. The red-clad swordsman was worrying about the possible implications of the incident. Luckily, nothing occurred that night. Dante went to where he heard the twig snap and found prints recognizably left by an animal. Just a stray animal looking for food in the night, it seemed.
Dante had overlooked the furrows caused by a branch swept over the ground.
Dante was a young boy, and was with his mother, and another young boy who shared the exact same features Dante had. The differences were in the styles the boys kept themselves in. The other boy wore blue, and appeared much more formal. Also present was a man, the boys' father, to whom the similarities in appearance he shared with them was remarkable. The man wore elegant attire largely consisting of vivid violet hues.
They were gathered around a large, square table, playing a game using black and white round stones set on intersecting lines on the board. Intersections for the placement of stones numbered three hundred sixty-one. Dante and his mother were on one side, while the blue twin and their father were on the other.
Dante placed a stone on the board, attempting to invade territory his brother and father were establishing. The man in violet placed his chin in his hand, commenting, "Bold move, Dante..."
The man trailed off, and the blue twin placed a stone exactly where Dante had been hoping he wouldn't. The stone Dante had placed was completely isolated within ten plays.
Dante turned in his sleeping bag and grumbled incoherently. Shāngrén sighed in annoyance, walking over to prepare Dante's ostrich-horse. Liang had decided that enough time had been wasted, and woke Dante by kicking the red-clad mercenary's feet lightly, shifting the balance Dante's mind had established in his slumber enough to rouse him into wakefulness. Were it not for how swiftly the expression disappeared, Liang would have sworn he saw a look of forlorn sadness adorning Dante's features.
"Let's go, Dante. Gaipan is only a few hours along the road, and then we can spend a night in the local inn, rather than on the ground," Liang said. Dante noted how smooth the man's voice was, and knew he could gather a large group of studious followers, had he become a scholar. Deep intelligence and understanding seemed to radiate from the man.
"I can't believe how difficult it is to wake you," Yi remarked upon seeing Dante had risen. "Now we can finally continue our venture." Yi was a man who spoke with conviction and confidence. Yi was a man who would be capable of manipulation on a grand scale. Ambition and cunning were vaguely present in the manner with which he carried himself, along with a trace of arrogance
Noon was two hours away, and Gaipan was finally within sight. Shāngrén looked ahead with excitement, hoping to make trades and sales, and possibly pick up a deal for a new item to add to the inventory. Dante looked with curiosity at observing another town ever since he had established himself as the bouncer for Boarcupine's Quill. Dante had spent years working there since the owner found him on the street. Yi and Liang eyed the dam that provided the backdrop for the town, as if evaluating the strategic value of the structure.
That night, as business was winding down, an elderly man came by, looking over the weapons the merchant had with a buyer's eye. The man was garbed in loose red clothing, and his mannerisms established him as a citizen of the Fire Nation. He spotted an ornate knife, one that was more of a novelty than a weapon, and disengaged the ring at the base of the pommel. Out with it came a vial, containing what looked like poison. Shāngrén smiled as the elderly man turned and asked how much it would be to purchase the ornate blade. Dante huffed in amusement a few meters away, knowing the thing was practically useless in any sort of fight.
Several silver coins were dispensed to Shāngrén, and the elderly man walked away with a large grin. Dante soon walked up to Shāngrén, and asked, "Why did you sell him such a worthless weapon?"
"Intimidation can be just as decisive as function," Shāngrén said knowledgably. "That, and he said he was a collector of novelty weapons. He knew exactly what he was buying," he added as if conceding a point.
"I just hope it doesn't land him in trouble down the line," Dante said, wary for the elderly man.
A/N: So I have had my absence and then some. Much more than the originally presumed two months. That time (after the first two months) was spent acclimating, working on this, getting qualifications, standing watches, and attending class. And living my life. Sorry this took so long to get out. I have no guarantees as to when the next chapter will come out. I'm making this story up as I go along.
To those who want a copy of the original work for this story (as far as it got) PM me and I'll get it sent to you. Personally I think it's nothing worth missing.
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Until next time!