I could never really tell how long we were out from the crash, but it was night when I woke up. The strange craft was in pieces around us, and Zu and Dawn Star lay on the ground around me. They bore a few small scratches and gashes. As I shakily walked over, I gently shook Dawn Star shoulder. She groaned, holding her head. Zu must have heard us, as he began to rise himself. He began to speak as I helped Dawn Star up. "That was quite the crash!" He almost chuckled. "I wouldn't have left the marsh had I known we were headed for such a spectacular landing. It's a miracle we all survived unharmed." He paused. "Uh...we did all survive, didn't we?"

I half smiled at him. "I'm fine." I released Dawn Star and turned to her. "You okay?"

She nodded and dropped her hand, a small bit of blood smeared on her forehead. "I'm okay too. A little shaken up is all."

Zu nodded. "We were lucky—I thought we would be fine over a short distance, but obviously I was wrong. Only a fool braves the air currents without a proper wind map. You can't navigate the skies without them. Not safely anyway."

My jaw dropped slightly, and I sighed inside. "So I guess we're grounded until we find a wind map."

Dawn Star walked closer to Zu. "So where are we going to find a wind map of this region?"

Zu laughed hollowly. "Things are worse than you think. Look at our flyer. Even if we had a wind map, this thing wouldn't take to the air again."

I bit my lip. "So we need to find a wind map and a new flyer?"

"Ha, you make it sound so simple. Flyers and wind maps are rare things, even in the Imperial City. Out here they're all but unknown."

Dawn Star's head whipped back to him. "Gao and his pirates used flyers to attack Two Rivers and the Lotus Assassins who took Master Li had them too." I could hear frustration hardening her dulcet tones. "Somebody around here must know something about them!"

I put my hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry Dawn Star. I'll find a way to get us flying again."

She smiled and at. "I'm…I'm sorry to get upset, but every second we're stuck here, Master Li gets farther away from us."

I nodded, and Zu began to speak softer. "We're near Tien's Landing. It's a small village, but maybe someone there knows where we can find a new flyer. If nothing else, I remember a clearing suitable for a camp. And if we can't find a flyer, we can always follow on foot. To the south of the village is a forest. A trade route leads through it to the Imperial City. The village is across the bridge and beyond a large Marker stone. Look for the giant rock with a painting of a fish on it, and you'll know you're heading in the right direction."

With another nod I turned from him. "Alright, let's get moving Dawn Star, Zu."

I heard Zu almost stutter behind me. "Actually, I want to stay here for a bit, see what I can salvage from the flyer, just in case." He coughed and continued and I glanced back at him. "Besides, this place is not so different from the marsh. More of an impending sense of doom, but that could just be your influence." Chuckling deeply, he began to sort through the wreckage, completely missing the smile on my face. I turned to Dawn Star and we began to walk down the gently sloped hill.

The hill we had landed on was filled with wreckage besides that of our flyer—wreckage of houses, an old town completely overrun by tall grass and vines. Dawn Star shivered beside me as we walked, and stayed out in the old roadway as I investigated the old dwellings. They held nothing of value, and just as I walked out of the last house—on fire from what I assumed was our burning flyer passing through it—her strained voice cried out. "Something is here…Something that hates the living!"

Sure enough, three ghosts materialized. These ghosts were shirtless, wearing something akin to prison outfits I'd seen on the occasion outlaw captured and dragged through Two Rivers on the way to the Imperial City. Two of them wielded spears, and one used the ice style that I had acquired from the blue spirit. Quickly, I glanced at Dawn Star; she was already running towards one of the men with spears. I threw my head back to face the man with the ice style. From experience, I knew the style's weakness, its effectiveness if used correctly, and the dangers of its paralyzing technique, in a strange way I was glad for the time unconscious. It was like a nap, and my wounds were not bothering me as much-thought they still bled- nor did I feel light headed. A person could only throw so many blocks of ice before needing to charge the attack again. Circling him, I dodge until his attack ran out—about three. My average out of combat was five, and I'd never tested it in combat as my speed was drastically hindered by that technique. Which, in this battle like most others, I used to disperse the ghost as he recharged. One down, I turned my attention to the second of the spearmen; Dawn Star was still fighting her own opponent, luckily not breathing hard. Not much later, we had both finished off our ghosts.

Just as I glanced over at Dawn Star I felt a strange sensation. Next thing I knew the blue spirit from the Spirit Cave was before me. She spoke immediately in that same echoing voice. "You fell from the sky, but despite the maddened spirit here you will benefit. A Spirit Monk was here long ago, fleeing the destruction that orphaned you. He carried a piece of your amulet. It was separated, broken apart, so your enemies could not find it easily. You have the first piece. It trains your abilities now. The second piece fell here with its minder, hidden until waters receded. A guardian protects it, waiting to test and serve you. The third piece awaits discovery in a distant lair." She paused. "These three pieces are physical, but there is one more. It cannot be found, only earned. This final piece is all that will save you in the end." As quickly as she appeared, she was gone before I could even begin to utter a question.

Dawn Star's face was the next thing I saw, hovering over me, framed by the stars in the dark sky. Shaking my head I stood. "Are you all right?" she asked. "You fell over after the fight. There was something here, but I couldn't see it clearly."

I bit my lip only momentarily—passing out after such an easy fight was embarrassing, but I knew I was still drained from earlier battles. "I had a vision…the same creature I saw in the Spirit Cave in the school."

Dawn Star's brow furrowed. "You saw another vision? Strange that I could not make it out…Strong spirits are usually quite clear to me."

I patted her shoulder. "Don't worry, I'll tell you all about it, and if I have any others, okay?"

She nodded. "Right, once we're out of here…it's not safe. There's so much pain and suffering in this place I can barely think."

We separated and I took the point. The hill ended in a ledge that overlooked a river many meters down. A small wooden fence bordered the ledge and the path that connected it. More empty houses appeared and a tall open gate. Zu had been right out the impeding sense of doom—but I think it was due to the spirits not my influence. Another four popped up, very similar to the three earlier, and again Dawn Star and I defeated them quickly. We passed under the gate into a clearing. To the right was a raised bridge over the river, inaccessible from this side, and to the left was a bridge. After a quick glance at Dawn Star to make sure she was okay, I passed into the doorway of the red-topped covered bridge.

The inside tilted up, and on that raised area were four men in Imperial Army uniforms. Before we could even open our mouths they jumped at use, weapons blazing. I drew my own, and attempted to tell them we were not a threat, but they wouldn't hear it. As I dodge a kidney strike by a man wielding a long sword, I began to use lethal force myself. It was regrettable to have to fight my own country's army; then again, my country did not seem as glorious as Old Ming and I used to believe. As the last man died and Dawn Star and I cleaned our blades I sighed. Partly because these men were such poor adversaries, partly under the realization of a dark underside of my people.

We continued and soon cleared the bridge. The clearing we entered had only one exit besides the way we came and we began to walk towards it and its accompanying gate. Suddenly, the softest patter of feet reached my ears, and before I could look for the source, it landed before me. A curvy shape in black cloth landed gracefully a meter before me. There was no mistaking her gender from her ample form, even with the veil covering the lower portion of her face. As she spoke, her eyes blazed with anger mirroring the hatred and arrogance in her tone. "Stop where you are. Death's Hand should know better than to send his minions out alone." Her voice was alluring, smooth and melodious even with the bite and patronizing tone. "It is clear that you are one of his hirelings, or perhaps one of Gao the Greater's marauding pirates. You will pay for the crimes you have committed."

Despite her appeal, I would not let her walk over me. "I do not follow Death's Hand," I said sternly.

She brushed me off. "Don't waste your breath on lies. I didn't get there in time to help anyone, but I saw you leave the massacre in Two Rivers. Clearly you were involved. Death's Hand went too far in ordering the village's destruction, and Gao the Greater sought to profit from it. My retribution will end with them, but it will begin with you."

With her last words she drew a long sword and stuck out, targeting me. I held my hand out to Dawn Star, telling her to hold off. Though I was weakened from all the fighting, I felt I could handle this new opponent. The mysterious woman's strikes were fairly quick, and she wielded the weapon with a skill similar to Gao the Lesser had. After a few passes, I had detected a weak spot and began to counter her strikes with my blade. Quickly, I had landed cuts to her arms, and multiple to her left leg.

"Enough!" She cried tartly, jumping back and sheathing her blade. "The way you move seems odd…a flaw I cannot see, perhaps? But you are…better than I expected. You might even beat me, if I allowed such insolence." I rolled my eyes and wiped my blade quickly before lowering it to my side. "You are too skilled to be just a hireling." She continued. "Death's Hand would view such ability outside his assassins as…dangerous, and Gao the Greater prefers his servants docile."

"I told you, I'm not in league with either Gao or Death's Hand."

She smirked. "So it would appear. You lack the Assassins' branding…but if you are not one of them, who are you? A monk? A mercenary? A bandit?"

I shook my head. "I am a student from a martial arts school in Two Rivers which was destroyed. I seek to avenge the dead, my family, and find those taken by the Assassins."

She raised an eyebrow. "You chase a great evil…larger than you realize. Leave, and you may survive. Others have tried to face Death's Hand but were destroyed, as Two Rivers was."

I stared deep into her eyes. "I will not give up, if only to prevent another tragedy as my home."

Soon her other eyebrow rose as well, and the tips of her lips followed. "Your honor sends you toward peril, but you do not flinch from it. A trait of fools…and perhaps the occasional hero. I also seek answers from Death's Hand and his minions. If you truly oppose him, you will need to find your way to the Imperial City. Of course, only the Lotus Assassins can come and go as they please, thanks to Gao. Travel routes by land and water are blocked, but the Assassins use wind maps and flyers to further their goals here and in the surrounding forest." She paused. "Perhaps, if you are capable, we will meet again. I wish you luck, but you will need far more than that to survive." She turned from me and jumped onto a ledge over my right shoulder—where I assumed she must have jumped from. "Farewell." She replied before she disappeared from sight.

My own eyebrow raised I turned to Dawn Star, who simply shrugged. "What can we do?" She said simply.

I smiled and nodded. We continued walking, passing under the gate. Before us was the Marker, a stone taller than any man marked with a giant fish and writing that read. "Tien's Landing." The marker stood between two paths, and pointed to the right path, which wound away out of sight. The left opened into the end of what appeared to be a large clearing with goats in the high grass, besides the baw-ing of the animals I could hear the chatting of men from the left and decided to investigate. As we entered the clearing, which expanded to the left with a small hut in the back and a large shut gate on the back right, I heard a voice yell.

"This area is off limits! Intruders will be executed!" The voice was gruff. I turned to its source and was met by three men, again armed and wearing the uniform of the Imperial Army.

I sighed. "Well, maybe you should have signs posted—I didn't have a choice about landing here anyway."

The man scoffed. "Do not whine to me, peasant! We have orders from Death's Hand himself. All intruders die!" They all attacked, and without hesitation I threw myself into the battle. Within a minute they were all dead. As I cleaned my blade another soldier in blood-stained armor ran out of the hut and towards Dawn Star and myself, unarmed. "Wait! Stop! I'm not your enemy! I swear by my ancestors, I am not your enemy. I'm not even a soldier."

Dawn Star and I put our blades away. "Why do you wear a soldier's uniform then?" I asked softly, not wanting to further terrify the man.

His shoulders slouched. "I promise, I am no soldier. My name is Chen Yi. I'm just a simple peasant from the town of One Stone." He looked at the bodies on the ground. "These soldiers passed through my village a few weeks ago. One of them angered the Lotus Assassin who was in charge, and the Assassin killed him! As I was coming back in from the fields, they grabbed me to fill his place. They put his uniform on me—blood stains and all—and told me I was in the army!"

I bowed to him to show my sincerity. "Do not worry, I never planned to kill you, but will you mind answering some questions?"

He broke out in a smile. "Thank you, noble one! You are most merciful and I honor you. My whole family honors you. I will do my best to answer your questions, but I don't know much. The Lotus Assassins just told us to guard the gate while they searched the ruins. That's all, I swear."

"What do you know of the Lotus Assassins?"

"They are evil. Pure evil! They forced me to serve them; they would have killed me if I disobeyed. I had no choice but to guard this door."

"Do you know what they were searching for?"

"I don't know, I've never been on the other side of the gate. Only the Lotus Assassins themselves are allowed into the ruins."

"Do you know anything about the ruins?"

He sighed. "No, nothing. Only that the gate leading into them was locked. The Lotus Assassins had to get a key from Sheng, the Imperial Minister in Tien's Landing." He paused, and looked around warily. "But I think…I think the ruins are haunted! I hear strange sounds coming from beyond the gates. But even the threat of ghosts can't keep the Assassins from their search."

I nodded. "Thank you. Now go home to your family; I'm sure they'll be happy to know you are well."

He smiled again. "Of course, great one! I will lead an upright life of farming and praying. Thank you for sparing me. Thank you!"

He ran off quickly, towards the town and Dawn Star turned to me with a smile. "You showed great compassion to that poor man. I love seeing that you can be merciful as well as strong—it is nice to be reminded of in face of all that has happened."

Pulling her into a hug I whispered. "Do you mind if I check out the gates and hut real quick?"

She pressed her lips together and began to walk towards the gate. "There is something dangerous beyond these gates. The spirits here are…troubled."

I had entered the hut, which was littered with a motley bunch of containers. As I looted them, I realized they must have been from the surrounding ruins and whatever lay beyond the gate. Most of it was useless to me, but I found a few gems that could prove useful, which I tucked into my purse. When I exited, Dawn Star was shivering with her back to the gates. Grabbing her hand, I led her out of the area and down the path the Marker indicated.

The path soon was cobbled and soon a stone wall appeared on the right side, mirroring the hills on the left. A rundown gate opened into a strange ruined structure in a clearing. Zu stood before the entrance. "Ah, you found your way. Good. I salvaged this gem out of some sort of power source. It was the only piece in decent condition, and I imagine you will have some use for it." He paused and led us into the main room of the complex. It was dirty, but it kept a roof over our heads, and had a place for a fire. "Now that we're here, we should see if anyone knows anything about flyers. Maybe whoever is in charge of the town can help us get underway again." He leaned against the farthest wall. "I will stay here at this new camp unless you need me. It seems like a good enough place to base ourselves out of."

Dawn Star settled on the softest piece of ground she could find. "I can't believe Two Rivers is gone. It was home…" She sniffed and I sat down beside her, snaking my right arm around her shoulders. "The people there were the only family I've know and now they're all gone."

Zu replied, his voice soft, as it always seemed to be when he spoke to Dawn Star. "I understand Dawn Star, but the path you are on may lead to even darker places. You still have your friend Liyan here for now, but who knows what the future will bring. You must prepare yourself."

She buried her head into my shoulder. "I don't want to think like that. We will set things right, we have to."

I looked over, up at Zu. "I won't kill needlessly Zu. More killing won't bring our friends back—but that doesn't mean I won't defend what I have."

He half smiled. "I'm glad you have some of your priorities straight. Of course returning your friends was never an option, but there are a great many more things you can lose." He seemed to stare pointedly at Dawn Star before finding the darkest corner to sit in. As he settled down, I turned to Dawn Star, who raised her head and eyes to mine.

"Are you doing all right, Dawn Star?" I asked squeezing her shoulder.

She smiled. "I'm fine, dealing with the destruction of Two Rivers as I'm sure you are. I'm glad you are here—we seem so far from anything familiar." She sighed.

"What do you think of this place?"

"I do not like the area around this place, around Tien's Landing. There is rot here, deep in the heart of it. There are secrets, and there has been much suffering." She paused. "Maybe I just feel this way because of what happened at the school or what I fear will happen to Master Li. I just know we must be careful."

"Don't worry Dawn Star, we'll pull through. Be strong."

"I will...but I can't help worrying, or thinking about what has happened to Master Li."

"It will be okay," I said as strongly as I could. "We will save him."

The smile appeared weakly on her face again. "Yes, of course. I am glad you are strong in the face of all the death and destruction we've seen."

I gave her shoulders another squeeze. "Will you be okay if I go talk to Zu for a while? I'll come get you when I'm ready to go into town."

"Of course; I'm anxious to get moving. I'll be fine."

I smiled and walked over to Zu's corner. "Yes?" he asked as I entered the shadows. "Is there something you want?"

"I have some questions about you and the Lotus Assassins." I said as controlled as I could.

His voice was straight. "I can assure you that I no longer share an allegiance with them. It was a short dalliance that ended on poor terms."

"Why did you leave them?"

His tone hardened. "I won't discuss that. Perhaps I will say more when I know your motives better, but for now my past is my own."

"Understandable, but don't expect me to stop asking." I tried to keep my tone joking, just enough to seem concerned about him, but not about his loyalty. "I'll get the full story from you sooner or later my friend."

I couldn't even guess his facial expression at this point. "I wouldn't have much respect for you if you simply accepted that answer, but that is all I'm going to offer now. I am not concealing anything that will harm you or your cause. You and Dawn Star have my full support."

"I have questions about our enemies."

He chuckled. "Our enemies…the sure sign of an effective fighter is that he has many enemies. Which are you most curious about?"

"All of them, but I'll start at the bottom. Tell me about Gao the Greater."

Zu scoffed. "A small man. He bears a grudge against the world because his wealth cannot buy him the status he wants. At least, that is my estimation of him. If we encounter him in his holdings near Tien's Landing, I doubt he will be very welcoming. Not after he learns the fate of his son."

"Okay, tell me about Death's Hand and the Lotus Assassins."

"There is little to tell that would affect you now. The assassins are fanatically loyal to Death's Hand, and he uses that influence to do as he wishes. He also controls the Imperial Army, but they are no longer in his favor it seems. Mere guards in comparison to the Assassins." He paused. "Death's Hand was just beginning his rise to power when I left the Lotus Assassins. I do not know much more about him."

It was my turn to pause before I spoke. My next thoughts I had not shared with anyone, even Dawn Star. I was sure the thought would scare her too much, and it was better for her this way with all that had happened. "I want to know about Emperor Sun Hai."

Even in the shadows I could tell he was shocked. "You name the Emperor among your personal foils? You have a grand opinion of yourself. Don't be so quick to link Sun Hai to the destruction you have seen. Death's Hand my still answer to him, but it is a long leap from that to assuming the Emperor approves of what the Lotus Assassins have done."

I sighed. "Is it really? It seems to me that either he approves or he has lost power."

Zu's voice turned cold. "Both of those possibilities will be hard for people to swallow. The emperor is the Emperor. He is above weakness or viciousness. To question that is to question the nature of the Jade Empire and I am not…not many people are willing to do that."

I shrugged. "He is a man…all men have flaws, weaknesses. Most gods have flaws and weakness…why is it so hard to believe?"

"The Emperor is the foundation upon which we build. If he is weakened, we all fall."

"Then perhaps we need to build a new foundation," I muttered, not quite sure or quite caring if Zu heard. "Good bye for now." I said louder. "And thanks."

"Good bye, then."

I settled in my own corner by the old fire pit; I had a feeling we weren't the first to use this area to camp. I took out the gems I had found at the army base and the one Zu had given me. The five I had found were stronger than the ones I had currently. But Zu's teal gem emanated the strongest I'd felt yet—a combination of body and mind. Taking my amulet out I exchanged my gems, placing Zu's gems in the middle, most prominent place. It was still dark outside, probably a few hours from dawn. My body was still beat from fighting Gao's lieutenant. Though the wound felt better, it had bled through its bandage. I grabbed some of the native plants I had learned about from Old Ming and made another bandage. Laying my head on the ground, I feel asleep.