Gǔjiàn Hé Gǔqín
Many years ago in the mountains that housed a hidden city there was a boy. The boy sought adventure and excitement. His cousin did not share his sentiments. She sought a life of comfort and safety for all. That day, her failure to tame him awoke fate. She was forced to walk her pre-determined path.
Her safety had gone.
我想你的
He slipped up the hill and over the bridge without attracting any attention. However, as he stepped on to the plaza he found one of two guards watching him. He strode over to the other side without hindrance. The moment that he stepped off of it the two guards came over. They bowed just as the woman had done but then they came closer. They stopped him from passing.
He glowered haughtily. "What are you doing?"
They shared an exasperated glance. Neither seemed willing to speak to him.
The one on the right spoke eventually. "You cannot pass,"
Sasuke's jaw almost dropped. "Why can't I?"
The second sighed. "You don't have permission,"
He clenched his fists. "What do you mean I don't have permission? Don't you know who I am? This village will be mine!"
The first shook his head. "Not yet. You need your mother's permission. We can't let you through otherwise, kid,"
Sasuke looked up. The great statue of Nǚ Wā loomed overhead. She stood proudly in her body of stone. Her long tail slithered out from the bottom of her dress to her right.
He folded his arms and puffed out his chest. "Izumo, Kotetsu, stand down. Let me through,"
Izumo scowled. "We already told you. No. Go home,"
Sasuke sucked in a deep breath. "In the light of the shadow the world is dreamt. One lives, one dies, none know the glory of governance. Where the dream is conjured soon follows the mud of the heart of the world. The mud made bones, made hearts, made minds. All that is, was once, now is, forever will be, the will of another, the fantasy of a dream. We look to the pillars holding aloft the vast sky of our forefathers. We look always to ourselves, the creations of the will of Goddess Nǚ Wā, and know the fate that holds us. Our peace is of the ages. Our wars are of the timeless years. The shadows that are cowered from, yearned for, gazed upon are all in time a grain of sand or a fortified will. The darkness beholds perseverance and the prosperity of an age that none of the mud shall know but their ancestors shall forever gaze upon in wonder. In life we are one, as in death, as in all that lies between,"
His dignity was forgotten as he heaved in sharp breaths. His chest burned with the extreme expulsion of air. His hands rested on his knees as he peered up. He hoped fervently that neither guessed that he had only overheard his mother speak it to his father when he was only in infanthood. His heart hammered at his chest. He hoped the words were true.
"Very well," Kotetsu responded reluctantly. "Come with us."
They turned and strode swiftly to Nǚ Wā's left. Sasuke took another gulp of much needed air before racing to catch up. They led him to where the shadows were ever present. A large door stood tall. Sasuke gaped at it. It was crafted of steel. A great crystal sat towards the top. It had been carved to an exact shape but he didn't recognise it.
"I can go from here," he said as confidently as he could. "You may return to your place. I need no escort."
Izumo shrugged. "You're entitled to wanting that. We're entitled to wanting to do as we were told,"
He turned. "I'll tell my mother,"
Kotetsu placed his hand on his partner's shoulder. "We should go back. What can he do anyway? He's too stubborn to be reasoned with,"
When they eventually turned away Sasuke stuck his tongue out. When they were out of sight he turned back to the door. A deep sigh cascaded from his lips. He folded his arms. His eyes grew worried.
"I'm sorry, Rin," he mumbled. "I can't tell mum what I did…. I can't do it…"
He looked at the door. There was no key. There was no handle. It was of a substance too heavy to be pushed. He took a nervous step forward. His right hand rose. For a moment he watched how he trembled. If Izumo and Kotetsu knew that he didn't know how to get in they would report him. He couldn't face the silence of his mother's disapproval.
He bit his lip. "I'm sorry,"
He threw himself at it in desperation. The crystal lit at the touch of his hand. The door thundered and grumbled as it moved away to the side.
"Oh?"
Rin smiled. There was discontent in the depths of her eyes. She nodded.
"I think… I think that I like it," she murmured. "Yes, I do. It's very good."
The leaves crunched. The sun quivered and light withered for a moment. The clouds were summoned as shields before it could settle to normality. Even the flowers and trees turned away.
Rin nodded. "All that is good shall wither too soon,"
The petals that she gazed upon faltered. The flower's face was turned to the soil.
"Rin," a commanding voice called. "Come to me."
Sasuke staggered. He clutched at his left arm. Blood streamed down it. It was the only warmth that he possessed and it was rapidly cooling. He made a whining sound in the back of his throat. There was a gash on his right leg.
Thunk
He whipped around. The darkness was almost impenetrable. The many creatures that lurked in the dimness prowled about with snapping jaws and lightning claws. A violent shiver shook down his spine. He clutched at his arms and hurried on. He was sure that whatever shadows the beasts stalked would be close enough to be tempted by his blood.
The ground grew swiftly rockier underfoot. He staggered and stumbled often. His arms shot out so frequently that his shoulders ached. He could only grit his teeth and move onwards. The snarls and growls became fainter and fainter. He beamed with deliriously insipid glee, yet he strode on faster and faster and faster.
"Ah!"
He tumbled to his knees. His wounds spurted sudden crimson. He groaned, rocking back onto his knees. His eyes turned upwards. The sky was invisible but he dreamt of the vivid blue and purest clouds. A great aching of his heart beat louder.
Then, there was a draft.
He shot up. His wide eyes darted wildly. He wandered to the wall that he had unwittingly stumbled into. His hands reached out. They felt along its rough surface and soon came across something that wasn't stone. He pressed against it and with a loud groan the doors opened. He took some tentative steps forward. A wooden contraption bound with ropes that came from high above hovered just above the ground, swaying lightly.
He peered up. A small ray of light came down. Sasuke put one foot on the wood. The whole structure lurched. He yelped, arms flailing out. His hands caught the ropes moments before they began moving. He leapt onto the platform and watched in amazement as it rose higher.
It took no more than a few minutes to reach the reach level. He stepped out onto stone. It felt safe and reassuring beneath his feet. He stared at the six torches - three on each side - that lit the pathway. He was standing in a small space that was carved like a room but without doors. He raced ahead, but not before checking for the presence of the platform.
It was still there.
The chamber beyond was enormous. He was standing on a thick stone path over a cavernous drop. A great statue stood in the middle, stretching up to the almost invisible ceiling and to the ground far below. There were small bowls hanging from above by thin ropes where fires blazed. The stone looked to have cracks where light filtered in and to his right there was a carving of what seemed to be a beast's head. It was squat but long. Its mouth took most of its length and great rows of teeth filled its aggressive maw.
"What is this place?" he gaped. "It's… It's…"
As he looked closer he noted how the statue in the middle mimicked a sword. He noticed also great, thick chains that each came from one corner of the room that spread towards the stone sword. He took a step closer and the world swayed viciously. He glanced down. He was standing on a short wooden bridge. His gaze returned upwards. The statue was still ahead of him.
The light seemed to dance, he noticed. As he peered at the cracks in the wall he realised that he had been wrong again. There weren't any holes in the stone. They were symbols that glowed pale blue. He shivered: cold with fear. Sasuke retreated when his eyes were drawn to the statue of the beast's head once again.
There, he noticed something else. It was huge and looked less than friendly.
Author's Note: I, perhaps, had wanted to use the actual translation. Unfortunately, my knowledge of the language is terribly little. I could do little but notice the word 'one' and I may have heard mention of Nǚ Wā. I made it up! I'm quite happy with it. I think it's a fun game too. Can you say all of that in one breath really fast without making a mistake? I can't.
There is a reason why this chapter is shorter. It's a really good one, I promise. You'll have to stick around to understand why.
