Guardian of Godhood

Chapter 9

" These are chaotic times, my friend," Said the Prince of Jin, pouring Mian some more wine, " Humans become worse than animals and no one listens to reason. Families break apart and ally with sworn enemies. It is up to us, the rational, to retain humanity in this region."

" Right." Mian lifted his goblet. " A toast to that."

They drank.

" A pity you lost so many men to your brother, Your Highness." Mian said glumly. " Or else it should make finding my friend much easier."

" Clow Li?" Jin guessed.

" Precisely." Mian nodded. " He has these cards, magical cards, which gathered all the forces of magic and concentrated them to his will. He had come to Wen in hopes of sealing the final Wild Card, as he called it, when we were attacked and raided. I am fairly certain he is still alive."

" How do you know?" Jin asked.

" Because the Qin kept asking about him." Mian replied. " And the Dao Guardian he supposedly has within his care."

" Does he?"

" I do not know. I know this; we attacked the Qin in hopes of reducing their strength. Whilst there we rescued a young lad of no more than ten years. Clow was the one who brought him, and we never saw the child again."

" Could he have been a Dao Guardian?"

" His magical skills were phenomenal. Not to mention, Clow claimed shortly after he took the child that he had dreams of the symbol of Dao. Though he is very young, it is possible he might be one of them."

" Hm."

" He is a formidable sorcerer, indeed," Mian remarked thoughtfully, " If the Qin sorcerers could not locate him."

" Ah yes," Said Jin, " But, so long as all teleportation outside is annulled, we can safely assume he has not gone very far."

" Nay, he has two winged guardians to carry him through the skies." Mian shook his head. " Doubtless, they could carry him very far."

" Undetected?"

" Perhaps."

" He is our hope then." Said Jin, rising instantly. " We must find him."

Mian looked up, drinking from his goblet. " How?" He shook his head. " I can only provide you with a sketch. Beyond that, even with my magic, I cannot break through whatever spell he has that enabled him to avoid detection this far."

" Then we shall have to do it the hard way." Said the prince confidently. " After all, you magicians have the advantage of auras, but normal mortals have none. It can be done."

oO

Syaoran felt the bark of the tree and pressed against it to steady himself. " Kero! Where are you?"

" Right here!" Said the lion a few meters away. " Give me a second! Hwaha! I got you! Ne!"

" What on earth are you doing?" Syaoran called out.

But there was suddenly the sound of commotion, like a scuffle.

" A little—" Something bleated, " Busy here!"

" Be careful!" Syaoran called out, feeling along the bark. The smell of blood reached his nose.

" Haha! Who in charge? Who in charge?" Kero started roaring in delight.

" Kero!" Syaoran yelled. " Quiet! They will think something dangerous is in the mountains!"

" Oh, but something dangerous is in the mountains," Kero puffed out his chest, but all Syaoran could perceive was his ego. " It is I! The Mighty Kerberus! Look and know fear!"

" Kero!" Syaoran stumbled a little and finally tripped, falling on his face.

" Ooh!" Kero hurried over, lifting Syaoran by the back of the collar. " You alright?"

Syaoran wiped at his face to get the snow off. He laughed a little. " Wow. What did I trip over?"

" Root."

" Huh." Syaoran winced. " Can we go home?"

" Sure." Kero let go of him. " Let me just grab the buck." He scampered off.

Syaoran remained where he was, choosing not to risk falling over another root. The cold air blue at his face, making it feel numb. He raised his gloved hands to cover his cheeks and nose.

A sudden crunching of snow caught his ears. It was soft, but very unlike Kero's. Yue? No. He instantly stiffened. " Kero?" He called.

" Mmph?" Kero responded, in the other direction of the footstep.

Terror flooding him, Syaoran started a mad dash toward Kero. As he tripped, a pair of thin arms grabbed him, pulling him upright.

" Whoa!" Said a woman. " Easy there!"

" Who are you?" Syaoran demanded. He felt for Kero's aura, but Kero had suddenly disappeared.

" I am Taka Miya." Said the woman. " Who are you?"

" Why do you care to know?"

" Well," Said the woman, who had let him go at this point, " I find it strange that a child is by himself out here in the wild. And a blind one, at that."

Syaoran clenched his jaw. " What I am doing here is none of your business."

" Indeed?" Taka replied. " Alright then." But she showed no signs of leaving.

" What are you standing there for?" Syaoran demanded, alarm still thundering in his heart.

" How do you know I am still standing here?"

" I am not a fool." Syaoran spat. " I know you are standing there. Do you not have any other place to go?"

" Not particularly."

Panicking, Syaoran tried to think of what to do, but just then Clow came to his rescue.

" Son?" The sorcerer called. " Where are you?"

" Father!"

Syaoran rushed to the sorcerer's voice. He could tell Clow was fairly close, but he could not sense the magician's aura. That was fine, because just hearing his voice was enough. Clow caught him before Syaoran could crash.

" Where is Kero?" He asked. He looked up. " Who are you?"

He then did a double take. It was the woman that had been following him in the town. Up close, he could see that she was from the Hong Region, the same region Kwak came from. Her features were very hard, with a peculiar gleam in her amber eyes that was as intense as Syaoran's, but different somehow. More biting, and sinister.

" I am Taka Miya." She said. " I saw him playing in the snow, alone."

" He was not alone." Clow gestured at the dead stag. " I was hunting."

" Interesting wound." She noted the torn throat. " What kind of weapon would do that?"

" Teeth." Clow said smoothly. " It was killed by a wolf first. I scared it away."

Silence fell for a moment, as she considered him.

" You come from the town?" Clow asked."

" Yes."

" Did not see you there recently."

" Snowstorm makes it hard to go out."

" Did not stop the rest of the women in town."

" The rest of the women were not sick. Who are you?"

" Reed."

Clow had said this after a slight hesitation. He had discovered that if he said his surname without his given name, the interpretation spell translates it into the actual word for "reed".

For some reason, she pronounced " Galdae", which was Korean, something that contradicted her name.

She considered him after repeating his name. " You look foreign." She noted.

" I travel a lot." Clow held the boy closer to him, adjusting his cloak to cover Syaoran a bit from the cold.

" You speak our dialect very well for a foreigner."

" I learn fast." Clow was getting impressed by her clarity of mind, even as he was getting alarmed by the same thing. " What is a woman like you doing out here in the wild?"

" He asked me the same thing." Taka replied. " I was looking for herbs."

" Herbs, in winter?"

" Some are hidden under the snow."

" How do you intend to find it?"

" Smell." She said. " Who is the little one?"

" My son." Clow replied stiffly.

" Son?" She looked skeptical. " I do not see the resemblance."

" He takes after his mother."

" Does he." The woman still looked skeptical. " Not a very brave little one, is he?"

Angered by this, because cowardly was the exact opposite of Syaoran's nature, Clow retorted without thinking, " He has a good instinct when it comes to judging people."

Clearly a comment at her expense, Clow saw the woman bristle a little, her amber eyes flashing in anger, but she did not reply. He felt a little bad this time; this woman really seemed to be innocently asking questions out of curiosity. But he had someone to protect, and he was going to do it, at all costs.

" My son and I are hungry. You will excuse us if we take our leave." Clow let go of the boy and took his hand in case the woman tried anything. She did not seem magical, but Clow was not taking any chances. There were ways, after all, that one can outwit a sorcerer without magic.

" What?" The woman sniffed. " You will not help me then?"

Clow turned, a little unnerved by this, not to mention a general tendency to be kinder towards women than men, but Syaoran, having not developed this bias yet, spoke for him.

" Do you always expect others to help you when you demand it?"

" Sharp-tongued little brat." She remarked, clearly disliking the boy now.

" You are not so soft yourself."

" Huh." Taka's eyes narrowed. " Once Papa is here, the little one has developed a nerve." She said this in what might have been a hurt tone, though there was an edge that was harsher than expected.

Syaoran, obviously seeing no point in pursuing the argument, gave a light tug at Clow's hand and turned away from her. There was something in the child's expression, somewhat similar to the expression Clow had seen on Greek priests and priestesses–somewhat wiser than the other mortals, and more calm, that reminded Clow strongly that the little child he was taking care of was actually a young Daoist priest, whose ultimate task was to guard a powerful source. He followed.

Clow swung the huge stag onto his shoulder in a feat that defied laws of nature, though with magic this was easily done. Syaoran picked up the shivering Kero in his false-form in the snow and dried him. They headed back to the house. The woman did not follow.

oO

" She pretty?"

It was almost more a statement than a question.

" What makes you ask that?" Clow asked.

" You were warming up to her."

" She might be no one of consequence."

" You wish that."

Clow stopped skinning for a moment. Yue and Kero watched with wide eyes, for once very quiet. The sorcerer looked over at the boy. There was an expression of resignation that alarmed him a little.

" You do not like her?" Clow asked, recalling old lessons of how keen children's instincts were. He had meant what he said earlier to the woman, no matter that he should not have said that.

Uncomfortable, Syaoran did not reply.

" Syaoran," Clow could not believe he was saying this again, " I would never risk you."

Syaoran heaved such a sorrowful sigh to that, Clow abandoned skinning altogether and laid his knife down. " Syaoran, I will not befriend anyone you do not wish me to befriend."

" That is unreasonable." Syaoran remarked.

" Not if it means something to you." Clow insisted.

Syaoran was silent.

" Syaoran..." He paused. " Has this happened to you before?"

Syaoran did not react at first, his face a blank mask. Then he spoke.

" There were people like you." He said, so softly Clow could barely here. " They meant well. But I do not know, something about dark women attracts them. The good ones always get found out and killed before they could smuggle me away. So many died to protect me. A whole group of sisters, once, all cut to pieces, because they were blocking the guards so I could run. Somehow when they are good they are less likeable. But they would send seductresses. And it always works." He had started sobbing. " They always think they are sweeter and daintier when they have sinister intentions. Then they think I was being ridiculous, and they throw me at their mercy and then the women slit their throats and try to slit mine, or threaten to..." He wiped his eyes. " It does not make sense. Forget I said anything."

" No, Syaoran." Clow gave the boy's hands a squeeze, mind reeling a bit from just how intense the struggle to capture Syaoran and dig the location of the pills had been. " You do not have to explain. Children have good instincts about people. They were fools to ignore you." Syaoran raised his eyes at Clow, and for a moment the sorcerer thought the child could actually see. He smiled a little. " I am hardly likely to be dazzled by a woman's charms at your expense, Syaoran."

" Why? You love another?"

" No." Clow chuckled a little, but he held Syaoran's hands tightly. " Because you are my priority. Everything I have done, I did with you in mind. I will never forsake you." He paused a bit to let it sink in. " You are my world."

Syaoran kept eye-contact, despite not being able to see, then lowered his eyes and nodded. He seemed convinced.

Clow went back to his skinning.

" How did you two meet?" He asked Syaoran.

" She came out of nowhere. I did not sense nor hear her."

" I did not smell her either." Kero provided his own input, speaking for the first time in about an hour–an incredible feat for this guardian. " Although, my nose had been filled with blood, so that probably means nothing."

Yue grimaced at this.

" She might be that sister the villager wanted me to meet. I do not recall his name. He might be a Taka as well." Clow blinked. " I can ask, assuming she told the truth. They should recognize the name. It is not a big village."

" Mm." Kero agreed. " Although a woman that could trek across snow unheard and unsmelled. That is pretty scary."

" We would have to be extra careful in that case." Clow replied. " I will put some trigger spells in the area, so that when anyone enters, at least we would know. In the meantime," He had finished skinning, " Yue, help me cut it up so we can roast this."

Yue headed over to help his master.

oO

Mian provided a description of Clow Li to an artist, who drew the face onto a sheet of cloth and showed it to the prince.

" He looks like someone from the far north." The prince remarked. " He has a large nose."

" He is half Western." Mian explained. " They all seem to have large noses over there."

" I see. In that case, he should be much easier to identify." Jin lifted the picture. " Accurate enough portrait?"

" Very." Mian nodded.

" We will send messengers out to try to locate him." The prince promised. " I doubt we cannot find him shortly." He sent out the commands for the portrait to be copied and for the copies to be delivered to the selected riders.

" Will they cooperate?" Mian asked. " I cannot imagine all civilians being friends of the Jin."

" They will not know we are Jin." The Prince replied. " Spies, after all, are not meant to be known."

Mian must have worn a doubtful look, for the prince suddenly laughed.

" The common people have their methods, my friend." The great man said. " Perhaps you should see, before you question."

" Hm!" Mian remarked. " Well said. We shall see. I do not doubt your willingness to find Li. He shall be a great asset, should he choose to aid us."

" He will." Jin replied. " After all, he cannot go home. He is already part of this war, whether he likes it or not."

There was such a sinister air about the Prince of Jin, that for a moment Mian wondered if he trusted the right man, but it passed quickly, and Jin gave him a smile.

" You have your villagers to avenge." The prince said. " I have my country to reclaim. Strange how hardship unites people, is it not?"

oO

" Sir! Jiko troops, four leagues out!"

" What?" Kwak turned rapidly to the marshal. " Now?"

The marshal, more used to such surprises, quickly ordered out, " All archers to the wall! Send the infantry to the front and west gates!"

" Yes, sir!"

" How many count?"

" Twenty-thousand, sir!

" Kwak! Quit sitting there like a fool and assemble your team!" The marshal was already out the front tent. " And for god's sake stop torturing prisoners!"

All the camp was in uproar. The winds were harsh and though it was not snowing, what was on the ground flew in all directions and into the men's eyes. Kwak rushed out into the open grounds.

" Four leagues out! Hurry up and prepare the fire powder! Kwak, set the traps out in front!"

" What if they come upon us?" Kwak asked, anxious.

The marshal gave him a dirty glare. " They are four leagues out. It will be another damn hour before they arrive. Your precious magicians will not die, unless you stand there like an idiot any longer!"

Spurred to action, Kwak called all the magicians. Some apparently were taking naps, for they wore groggy looks on their faces, which were quickly dispelled by Kwak's bad temper.

Fire traps, water, poison, sleep, waiting blasts and secret deaths, planted on the ground and from the trees. The walls were encased with blessings and the archers dipped their arrows in poison while the foot soldiers worried the ground with their feet. The marshal sent some of the soldiers outside the walls to hide in ambush. Their orders were to attack once the full troops assemble. Kwak divided the magicians so some were part of the ambush as well.

Before long, the hour was up, and the sounds of Jiko drums sounded, and the soft steps of horses and men. They were coming. Kwak hid behind the walls and peered over the archers to look out. He could not see them. He thought they were still far off, but a spell flew by and knocked one of the archers back. They were attacking!

" What is this?" The general yelled, while the marshal turned to Kwak with glaring eyes. " What is going on?"

" They have a cloaking spell!" Kwak cried, as he dashed down the walls. This was inconceivable! How could any spell be powerful enough to hide an entire army? Invisible arrows struck at the soldiers. The doors below opened to invisible assailants.

" Dispel the invisiblity!" Kwak ordered the magicians, who rapidly began firing cancellation spells. Only Kwak's spell worked, however. Everything else bounced off.

" Kwak, where is your poor excuse of a sister?" One of the sorcerers yelled at him angrily, and Kwak could not answer. He turned to see the furious Jiko warriors, with their banners red as blood raised high over their heads. They came, an unrelenting pulse of flesh and fury. He turned and ran.

oO

" Why are you still alive?" Qin asked.

Kwak wisely kept silent.

" A whole battalion." The King went on, " Erased from existence because you were busy wasting time using spells to rape women."

" Sire—"

" What?" Qin roared suddenly, and the sorcerer fell silent.

" We are the Qin!" The King thundered. " We are the mightiest race on earth! We do not distract ourselves with pointless indulgences! Our aim is not to destroy, but to build!" He then sank into an angry mutter. " Pointless killings. We kill soldiers, and civilians only when we have to, and even then, we do it quickly. A quick beheading. That is all. Who do you think you are?"

Silence again. Kwak knew, very well, this could be the last mistake he ever makes in his life.

The King of Qin regarded him for a moment. Such wisdom in those hard eyes. The cultured barbarian. " Where was your sister through all of this?"

" She was seeking Clow Li on her own terms."

" Again with this Clow Li!" The King slammed the table in rage. " Without a united empire, what point is there in immortality? Fool! Absolute fool! You not only lost a whole battalion, Master Kwak, you also lost an important base, one vital to our operation. You and your Daoist pills! Imbecile!" The King waved to the men. " Take him out! One hundred beatings, and not a single less! Let us see if you seek your pills yet!"

" Sire!" Kwak cried out in terror at these words. " Sire, please have mercy!" The soldiers grabbed him by the arms and tugged him forcefully toward the exit. " Sire, have mercy!"

" Oh, I am merciful yet! I should have your head mounted on my wall! Make that two hundred beatings!"

" Sire!" Kwak cried, but they dragged him out, and within minutes he was shrieking a different scream.