Author's note: Well we finally meet the antagonists of this story. The fight scene that takes place is heavily inspired by the movie Sword of the Stranger. In fact one of the villain's fighting style and movements is based on the character, Luo Lang. The song Rasatsu No En also helped me write the battle that takes place.

It Rains Crimson

Dark clouds coalesced around the sky, blotting out the faint light of the moon and the stars. Rain cascaded down heavily on the earth, in such ferocity and quantity the sounds that emanated from the raindrops sounded as if it was actually hail pelting the ground. Every now and then a flash of lightning would appear like a deep crevice in the sky, accompanied by the thunderous roar.

The natives of Xing were smart enough to avoid going outside, and many of the businesses and stalls closed early for the night. The numerous pedestrians found throughout the night quickly dissipated, finding comfort in their own homes.

However in the outskirts near the mountains, four men walked, coolly unconcerned and indifferent to the heavy downpour.

The man that trailed behind the three was a behemoth of a man, over six feet tall. He wore a large straw hat and had a black cloak above his broad shoulders. He wore a dark, green changsham over his rotund belly, which was deceptively firm and full of muscle, along with matching baggy pants and boots. The giant held an incredibly large steel club too heavy for any normal man to pick up, which rested casually on his shoulders, the head shaped like elongated drum in a hexagonal shape.

An old, wizened man walked in the middle of the travelers, who held a black umbrella to shield him from the incessant raindrops. He had a hunched appearance, and was garbed in formal Chinese robs which were inappropriate for the weather. His calculating, and meticulous eyes focused on the destination ahead, appraising the possible risks and options from this clandestine meeting.

The two men that walked ahead wore matching straw hats and black cloaks. However the older one wore the same sleeveless shirt as the giant, while the younger man wore a long sleeved changsham. The older man was in his mid 30's with a thin mustache, and he rested an object, which towered above him, concealed in thick white cloth over his right shoulder. The middle-aged man had an easygoing and even gentle countenance.

The man raises and cupped his left hand, as the water began brimming over the hand, and let out an amused sigh. "Hell of a time to set up a meeting. What a pain this all is", he stated with no real ire in his voice.

The man glanced at younger man beside him, anticipating a response. However the younger man continued to walk, seemingly oblivious to his companion's statement. He had the face that could typically be mistaken as an adolescent by Westerners, but he was already in his late 20s. The stoic man had his head cast down, his straw hat cast a dark shadow that concealed his eyes. His mouth was a firm straight line, as if set in an eternally grim visage. His hand rested gently on the hilt of his wo dao, which he wore on his side.

When he did not respond, the older man closed his eyes, a smile on his face, shaking his head. He had been acquainted with the young man for many years, and yet he still did not know anything about the enigmatic individual, and only seemed to speak when it was relevant to their 'trade'. It had become something of a game for him, trying to get the nearly mute swordsman to open up.

"Quite as chatty as ever Tsyu", the man joked. He cast a forlorn and nostalgic glance upwards. "I didn't even get the chance to see my family. I was on my way back home before I got the urgent message to meet here. It was my son's 9th birthday 3 days ago you know."

Tsyu continued his trek, as if he did not hear his traveling companion, simply content to walk in silence.

It did not deter him and he continued on. "Still it's… strange. We always receive our targets through messenger hawks or at the drop points. It's even rarer, when it's necessary to work in pairs. So why is it now the Dashi summons the three of us out of the blue with no other information? The fact that the Dashi is here is even stranger. Since when do we… much less the old man, ever personally meet with clients? "

He inconspicuously looked back to see if the old man was listening, and then murmured to his silent companion. "Whatever this is, it's big. This client must be very well connected and powerful to be able to request a personal audience with the dashi, which also means that the termination of this certain target is extremely profitable, enough to catch the interest of the dashi. I don't like it at all, not that I even like this line of work to begin with."

He let the words linger for a while, and wondered if Tsyu was mulling over his words carefully.

A hoarse, shriveled voice emerged. "Patience, Jing Hu. Your questions will be answered in time. We're almost there".

Jing Hu looked behind, surprised.

The corners of the dashi's mouth turned upward. Though it was supposed to be a cordial, reassuring grin, there was something sinister and ominous behind it.

"I have unusually excellent hearing", he simply said in a friendly tone. His gaze became dark, a stern expression on his face. "You shouldn't be too curious, Jing Hu. Knowledge can sometimes be harmful, not only for you… but those you care about. You would be wise to remember that."

The man narrowed his eyes, but did not retort and simply looked forward, traveling in silence.

As they made their way through the area, the path gradually got steeper. On their left was a solid, wall of stone that made up one of a series of mountains, and on their right was the top of the cliff, which offered a view of the vast expanse of forest below the rock surface.

The two men that led the way ceased their movements once they reached a plateau encircled by several tall, ridges and cliff faces, and the rest followed suit. They could not see the man they were meeting, but sensed a dense array of qi just in front of them, indicating that the client had at least a dozen men with him.

"Wait here", Tsyu said. His voice was cold and laced with tinges of morose and indifference.

"You got it fearless leader", Hu Jing quipped. Though he joked his face was entirely serious and glanced behind. "You heard that big guy?"

The largest of the bunch simply nodded his head.

Tsyu continued on, and stopped once he reached the middle of the flat bedrock. His left hand calmly rested on the hilt of his sword.

The elderly man walked ahead to stand by Tsyu's side, and bowed his head in respect, one fist placed gently in the open hand of the other. He said in a neutral tone. "I am here as you requested. You should know I am a very discreet, reclusive individual which is especially important due to the business I take part in. However your very generous proposition intrigues me, and it is rare for even me to have a client of such prestige… Duke Yang".

The man walked toward the elder, his gait displaying the confidence and arrogance only seen by high ranking nobles firmly set in their beliefs of their superiority and destiny for greatness. He was entirely bald , save for a long, braided pony tail on the back of his head, and was endowed with a long, regal beard. A servant followed him, holding an umbrella to shelter his lord.

The noble was followed by a company of six men on each of his sides. They were dressed in dark black garbs, and their entire face, save their eyes were concealed by a black mask. Each and every man had a dao that rested on their sides.

"I am honored by your presence", Yang said, his voice a confident, deep baritone. "However you appear to have me at a disadvantage, since I do not know how to address you."

"Please, simply call me Dashi."

"Very well, Dashi", he nodded. "So you're the founder and mastermind of the most notorious assassins' collective in all of Xing. Rumors say that your organization hasn't failed to terminate a target yet. To be perfectly candid, you're not what I expected."

"Deception can sometimes be more dangerous than the point of a sword, Duke."

The corner of his mouth quirked upward in amusement. "Indeed", Yang replied.

"You were very detailed in what you could offer me, however I still don't know what you want from me."

"My spies have informed me that a certain young noble has something in his possession that he plans to give to the Emperor. Something important enough to influence the line of succession as the ruler of this country. Obviously, that would be detrimental to my right as Emperor."

"So you wish to kill him before he gives this gift to the emperor."

"No, I'd rather that he succeed… at least for now."

Yang analyzed the features of the old man for any signs of surprise or confusion. If he was taken aback by the duke's reply, he did not show it, his face as firm and unyielding as granite.

"Just what are your intentions, Duke Yang", he coldly replied. He was not amused by Yang's mind game.

"Before I reveal more I have to be certain that your assassins are as good as you say they are", Yang stated. He matched the old man's steely gaze with his own. "From what little I was able to gather, the stories always tell of the prowess of your group in the art of war and assassination. But… they're just rumors, nothing more. I did not survive this long putting much faith in rumors and stories. I need to test your stock, and see for myself if there's any truth behind the fiction."

Dashi nodded his head in understanding. "Very well. What did you have in mind?"

"The men that I have brought forth are Hebei bodyguards loyal to the Yang clan. They are highly disciplined and their mettle has been tested in the last civil war. It is said one warrior of Hebei is a match for five strong men", the duke recounted evenly. He stepped forward a few steps, and the servant clumsily followed, prudent that the rain not tarnish the garbs of his master. Yang gestured to the men behind him. "If your prized assassins manage to defeat all of my men, I will be certain of your abilities. Whether they kill or merely incapacitate my men, I leave up to their deference."

The soldiers did not flinch from hearing the cold, indifferent tone of their master and merely looked forward.

"You are willing to let your men die to test us?", the dashi questioned.

The duke quirked his lips upward, amused at the dashi's certainty of the outcome of the inevitable battle.

"The lives of common men are trivial and unimportant. They only exist to serve as sustenance and nourishment for the powerful", he intoned casually. A malicious smile formed on his face. "These soldiers are tools of power and destruction that I can use at my leisure. Their entire existence is dedicated to serving me. What I do with them, are for my reasons alone and not for anyone to judge."

Tsyu had his head slightly lowered, his eyes directed to the ground. After hearing the duke speak, the silent swordsman raised his head staring at Duke Yang calmly, his words having some effect on him.

The Dashi glanced at Tsyu, trying to discern the thoughts of the young man. Though intuitive and perceptive, he could never properly read the man. His eyes were concealed in shadow, and his hat was dipped in front, preventing a person to look into his eyes. Though he would never admit it, it disturbed the dashi to a degree.

"Very well Duke Yang", he intoned. "Jing Hu, Xu! Step forth!"

The two warriors walked forward until they were beside Tsyu.

"Please Dashi, stand beside me. I wouldn't want you to get caught in the middle of this battle", he stated with false sincerity.

The dashi obliged and stood beside the taller noble. His eyes directed at his assassins, knowing of how this conflict will end.

Duke Yang suddenly uttered a command, and the soldiers behind him sprinted forward, swords drawn, ready to engage the three men. Their footsteps more pronounced and louder in the rain-soaked ground.

As they neared, Xu stepped forward and swung his mace horizontally to catch three of the soldiers. However the three flipped back to avoid the weapon, while the fourth jumped to his opponent's flank. He prepared to land a fatal strike on the large man, but Xu simply grinned, and with alarming strength and speed, stopped mid-swing, raising the mace up high, to smash the soldier. The attacker switched to defense and raised his sword up to protect himself, but to no avail. The mace broke the sword with ease, and crushed the man. A sickening crunch could be heard as his bones cracked like toothpicks from the immense pressure, and the force of Xu's attack so great that it caused the ground beneath his victim to break, forming a deep depression on the ground.

The three soldiers were stunned by, the man's seemingly inhuman strength and speed in wielding such a large weapon, and before they could find their resolve, Xu swung his mace in a sweeping arc. The warriors were sent hurtling to the mountain side, and as they slid to the ground, large red streaks canvassed the rocky surface.

Five men were heading toward Jing Hu. The man grasped the white cloth and threw it at soldier, closest to him. The soldier was enshrouded in the cloth material, blocking his sight, and Jing delivered spinning heel kick to the man's face, rendering him unconscious. The concealed item in his hands was a guandao, and he spun the weapon in his hands with the practiced efficiency and expertise known only to a master.

In a series of fast and gracious movements, he landed the flat of his blade on his three opponents, instead of cutting them down. One soldier managed to get behind him and swung his sword toward the back of his head. Jing turned quickly and released his weapon, and as it gradually fell to the ground, kicked it, the staff portion hitting the attacker square in the head, and rebounding back in the waiting hands of its owner.

The remaining three men were engaging Tsyu. One man jumped upward and swung his sword in a vertical arc. Tsyu caught the blade between his hand, and with a simple turn of his wrists, sent the man falling forward in the opposite direction. Another tried to capitalize and swung his sword. Tsyu effortlessly ducked underneath and delivered a small kick to the back of his knee. The man grunted in pain and unconsciously fell down, leaving his head exposed, and Tsyu placed his hands on the man's head and snapped his neck.

The only standing soldier was able to swing his sword three times at Tsyu, but the man dodged the attacks with practiced ease, delivering a forceful punch to his throat. The impact was enough to cave in his throat, obstructing the trachea, leaving the man to die a painful death.

Tsyu turned his gaze toward the soldier still on the ground, who was scrambling forward to reclaim his weapon. When the soldier grabbed his weapon and turned around, the last thing he saw was a dao circling toward him before it embedded itself on his head.

Jing with a honed warrior's instinct, sensed an immediate threat to him. He spun around and with a flick of his wrist gracefully caught the object aimed at his head. It was an arrow.

"Archers!", Jing yelled.

A multitude of arrows whizzed through the air, aimed directly at the three assassins. Jing spun his guandao in a rapid motion, flicking and cutting down any arrows aimed at him.

Xu managed to raise his arm to protect his face and neck, as the arrows pierced his forearm. The man grimaced out of mere annoyance rather than in pain, and brought his large mace in front as a shield.

The archers were all scattered at the mountainside, unrelenting in their barrage. There was rarely a pause, as the soldiers expertly picked an arrow and had it taut on the bow string seconds after the previous arrow was fired. Jing mentally noted there were thirteen total.

The dashi looked up at Yang, who continued to spectate the battle with great interest. His expression was puzzled.

Yang seemed aware of the old man's confusion and smiled. "You're wondering how you were not able sense the presence of those archers at those cliffs. My clan had developed a concoction many generations ago, that allowed a soldier to dampen and conceal their chi. It has proven quite useful from time to time."

"You never said that you had more men hidden away", the Dashi recalled.

"I never denied it either. All I said was that your assassins had to defeat all of my warriors", Yang stated in a nonchalant way.

The Dashi was not perturbed and simply looked on. While he appraised that the Duke's soldier's were very well-trained and experience, he was not afraid.

It doesn't matter. The outcome will still be the same.

Tsyu grasped the ends of his cloak and spun around, using the force of his cape to ward off the arrows. He spun and pirouetted with the grace of a dancer. He continued to do so, moving forward until he reached one of the corpses and grabbed one holding it in front of him. He then ran rapidly toward the archers, using the body as a shield, unfazed by the weight of his burden.

The archers alarmed, focused their attack on the assailant.

Xu was about to join Tsyu, a vicious grin on his face that yearned for more bloodshed, but stopped when Jing clasped a hand on his arm.

"That won't be necessary big guy", he calmly said. "He won't even break a sweat with that number. They'll all be dead before you get there."

"There's a reason why he was chosen as the leader of our little group by the old man. Out of all the years I've worked with him, I've never seen him once wounded in battle. Whether the target was a state alchemist, Drachman volk, or a Xingese master… there's nothing that his blade hasn't cut down yet", he said seriously. Jing had a solemn look on his face, and his gaze was unreadable as he stared at the back of Tsyu.

Several arrows flew past Tsyu as he marched forward. Eventually one arrow found its mark on the corpse's body, and another on its neck.

There was a moment of trepidation and fear as the man managed to breach their perimeter. Using that reprieve he dashed forward to the closest man, dropping his human shield and clasped his right hand on his wo dao. In a lightning swift motion he drew his sword, slashing the soldier in front of him subsequently followed by a forward flip over the falling body, his cape billowing in the wind.

As the body fell to the ground, Tsyu simultaneously landed on his feet, immediately dashing up the mountain top. He moved past all the other soldiers in the bluffs, ignoring their bewildered and stunned expressions. His targets were the two archers at the highest point.

When he was close enough, he used an outcrop of rock to launch himself high into the air. As he descended, his cape gusting behind him, and his sword running red, the assassin looked like a dark angel promising death to all in his proximity. He somersaulted once in the air, and landed on a soldier's chest, bringing his sword forward, piercing his chest. Before the other could retaliate, Tsyu brought the sword up and pivoted toward his next opponent, while subsequently slashing. A deep gash opened on the man's chest, but for extra measure, Tsyu spun around again delivering the fatal blow. The archer yelled out in pain and fell back from the precipice, screaming as he fell to his doom.

Tsyu did not pause and jumped off the edge to engage the 10 remaining henchmen. The body fell with a bone-crunching thud, followed by Tsyu who landed on a crouch. His right hand was raised above his shoulder, the sword's blade resting lightly between his shoulders, and his other hand placed on the ground.

There were seven that made their way on the ground, once the assassin breached their perimeter, while three remained on the cliffs. They were wary and vigilant after seeing firsthand of the swordsman's incredible skill. The warriors had their swords at the ready, and circled around him waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

The skilled assassin slowly stood up, his blade still resting languidly on his shoulders. He turned to his side, and with his free hand he grasped his cape concealing his body. In a sudden motion he spun around, two hands now grasping the sword charging toward his next enemy.

The soldier raised his sword arm ready to strike, but Tsyu with one swift motion severed that arm. He performed a quick sword flourish, making the next target second guess his movements and Tsyu performed a spinning slash, killing him.

Another attacked from behind, and Tsyu countered by twisting quickly, rolling off the opponent's back. The soldier turned around to face him but Tsyu delivered a killing stroke before he could retaliate.

Tsyu raised his sword to the next combatant, who also had his sword poised to strike. The assassin's sword hand was much faster though, and he severed the soldier's hand followed by a quick slash to the jugular.

The swordsman looked like a maelstrom of death and destruction, as he cut down these battle-hardened soldiers within seconds. The three archers could not get a proper bead on the one man killing machine, and drew their swords to assist the remaining survivors.

The assassin flanked a soldier's side, attacking his back, and pivoted until he was at his front, striking the chest. Tsyu ducked underneath the incoming blade of another soldier, and cut his neck open. The young man then delivered a powerful strike on a man's sword, disarming him. The sword spun away from its owner, and Tsyu kicked the man square in his chest causing him to fall.

Tsyu quickly saw the three remaining men were near the edge of a cliff, and capitalized on that. He dashed forward and initiated a powerful vertical strike and kicked him toward his companions. At the same time he brought his cape in front to shield him from the incoming blood spatter, from the grievous wound he inflicted.

The victim moving back from the force of Tsyu's kick, knocked into his two companions, and they fell into the depths of the chasm.

The man that was previously disarmed looked on in shock, feelings of awe and fear mixed together at the assassin's impressive sword play, his style a perfect blend of power and finesse.

Crumpled bodies pooling with blood and mutilated limbs lay at the assassin's wake. The dense, red liquid that congealed together gradually diluted from the heavy rain.

One of the men whose arm was severed held the stump above him, howling in pain from the sheer agony. Tsyu was standing beside him and without looking simply inserted the blade downward into his cranium, which ceased the soldier's cries.

With a quick flick of his sword he removed the residue of blood from the blade and proceeded to walk to the remaining survivor. He stood only a few feet away and simply stared at the warrior knelt on the ground.

"Pick up your sword. A man that has experienced the rigors of war should not die on his knees", he coolly voiced. The tone of his voice was detached and completely devoid of human emotion.

The He Bei bodyguard involuntarily chilled, and felt goose bumps around the base of his neck. From his peripheral vision the soldier saw the sword was beside him. He slowly grasped it, wary of the manslayer next to him, stood up and took a few steps back.

Tsyu did not act and simply stood there, his sword pointed away from his feet.

The lone warrior steeled himself for the conclusion to the battle. He knew that he was going to die that night, but his warrior's pride refused to let him die like a simpering coward. Even though the assassin killed his comrades with ruthless efficiency, he was at least thankful that the manslayer allowed him to die fighting.

The vassal sprinted toward the enemy with reckless abandon and yelled out a battle cry. He was a professional and unleashed a combination of attacks on his opponent's critical areas, but the assassin did not even parry and merely dodged the blade, which where inches away from hitting him, which demonstrated his poise and confidence.

Tsyu brought his sword across his chest ready to strike, and the soldier seeing this attempted to counter. The two warriors simultaneously stroke, and the lightning illuminated the sky at that moment.

The two combatants had their backs away from each other, still holding their respective swords in position after attacking. The man's blade broke off in two pieces and suddenly a burst of blood sprayed from the soldier's chest and he collapsed.

After the battle concluded, Xu scoffed in annoyance, irritated that he didn't have the chance to crush more enemies. Jing Hu had a melancholy expression on his face and almost looked penitent for what had transpired.

Yang's face betrayed nothing, his eyes slightly widened in surprise after the conclusion of the battle. The assassins went above his expectations, he was intrigued by the swordsman. The He Bei warriors were his elite guard, and respected in the Xingese military. Yet the assassin slew thirteen of them within minutes, and made all of them look like novices who just got conscripted into the army.

The duke often plotted and schemed in the shadows, and rarely saw battles up close. However it was quite clear to the noble that the mysterious swordsman possessed unusually exceptional mastery over his blade, and that there were only handful of warriors in Xing that could possibly match or beat him.

"Who is that man?", Yang questioned.

The dashi smirked and replied, "He is called Tsyu, the strongest of my Black Lotus."

"Tsyu huh… it suits him well."

The dashi silently agreed with Yang. "I trust that you are satisfied with the results. Please, tell me what do you have in mind with the prince?"

The duke brought his hand up next to his servant. The servant reached in between his robes and pulled out a large scroll, placing it on Yang's open palm.

"All the information you need is in that scroll Dashi", he tersely replied. He gave the scroll to the older man and proceeded to walk away.

When Yang devised his stratagem, he knew that it would only reach fruition with warriors of exceptional skill. After seeing the assassins in action, he became certain that the throne will be within his grasp soon.

You should have learned your place little prince. Your arrogance and ambition will cost you greatly. Soon, your dreams will come crashing down in fire, with you lying battered and bloody at my feet.

Duke Yang smiled at the thought.

End note: Well I hope you enjoyed the chapter. More LingFan in future chapters. Also Yang's plan will be revealed in due time.

Tsyu is a bit of an enigmatic character and you'll gradually learn more about him. His main purpose though is to act as a foil to Ling Yao

Terms

Dao: a single-bladed broadsword

Guandao: a type of Chinese halberd

Wo dao: a single-edged blade similar to a katana with a Chinese hilt.

Dashi: Teacher

Name meanings

Tsyu: Crimson

Jing: Peaceful, tranquil

Hu: Mustache