The Beginning Of The End
Chapter 11.
Tiānshǐ awoke three days later to find Lu Xun sitting next to the bed. He looked as if he had not slept for those three days that Tiānshǐ had slept. "You have`nt slept have you Xun?" Lu Xun simply shook his head as he hugged her. " I was too worried. I could`nt sleep while being so worried." He kissed her gently before laying next to her. " Get some rest Xun. I`m fine. I just needed some sleep."
Lu Xun nodded and fell asleep without a word. Tiānshǐ however, decided to go and see Qǐ Shì lù and Liè Shì. They had probably been very worried about her. As she stepped out of the house she saw the two young warriors sparring in the courtyard. " Morning girls. " Tiānshǐ smiled before picking up a training sword. " Want a real challenge?" The girls looked at each other and smiled for a moment before charging.
As they struck though, Tiānshǐ stepped and the second sword that no one saw her pick up with the first was held at Liè Shì`s throat and the other at Qǐ Shì lù`s throat. " Double Kill. You need to work on your speed and watch everything your opponent does." She smiled as the two girls stepped back. " We have been practicing a lot lately but we can`t seem to move faster." Tiānshǐ simply smiled and put the swords away. " It is`nt that hard. You just have to watch your enemy carefully and act before they do. You will learn it in time. "
The two girls smiled and they walked to the palace so Tiānshǐ could talk to Shang Xiang. " We were all worried about you Tiānshǐ. I`m glad you just needed sleep." Shang smiled as they all sat down for lunch in the gardens.
As they sat talking, Lu Xun walked into the gardens and sat behind Tiānshǐ. " I thought you were sleeping Xun" Lu Xun smiled as Tiānshǐ spoke and he kissed her neck gently. " I was sleeping. But sleeping without you is rather difficult." Tiānshǐ kissed him gently and they sat and talked until around midday before Xing Cai and Guan Ping joined them.
Xing Cai sat beside Shang Xiang and Guan Ping climbed onto the branch of one of the peach blossom trees. He looked towards the horizon as the sun started setting. Tiānshǐ, Qǐ Shì lù and Liè Shì decided to stay up and watch the stars as everyone else went to bed. They sat and stared at the stars until around midnight. Tiānshǐ decided she wanted a bath so she walked home. As she sat under the waterfall looking at the stars she wondered how long this small time of peace would last...could it last forever? Or was forever just a child's prayer? A simple strand of hope?
She did`nt know but she was sure that it would not last forever. After-all no good thing ever lasts forever. She would find out one way or another so now it did`nt seem all that important. However she had a feeling that something was going to happen...soon. Perhaps a battle? Again she did`nt know but she sat under her waterfall and thought about it until dawn.
The Next Morning
She finished her bath and got dressed before climbing onto the walls of her house to watch the sunrise. It was a beautiful sunrise The sky was a light shade of pink as the sun shone over the horizon. She was lying on the wall as Lu Xun woke up. He was`nt worried that she was`nt in bed but he was curious about where she could be. There were not that many places she could go so she had to be close.
He decided to ask the two young warriors she was almost inseparable from. " Sorry Xun. We have`nt seen her since last night. She did say she wanted a bath though so she might be there" Lu Xun did`nt seem surprised. She did seem to have something on her mind the day before. As Lu Xun entered the gardens at they`re house, he saw Tiānshǐ sitting atop the walls looking towards the horizon.
He climbed up the same way she must have, a peach blossom tree that had overgrown the wall, before sitting next to her. " Are you ok? You seem distracted "
Tiānshǐ sat up and leant against him gently. " I've just been wondering how long this peace will last. I only just found my family and started my new life...I don`t want it to end. "
Lu Xun held her lovingly and kissed her cheek gently. " It won`t end. I promise. It will last until we grow old with a family of our own. " Tiānshǐ smiled and closed her eyes as he held her. His touch always calmed her.
They sat on the wall and watched what was left of the sunrise together before Qǐ Shì lù and Liè Shì walked into the gardens to see Tiānshǐ. " You two ok up there? You look like your lost in the sky. "
Tiānshǐ smiled and leapt down from the wall and looked into the girls eyes. " I just kept wondering how long this peace would last. I don`t want it to end yet but Lu Xun has put my mind at ease" The two young girls smiled happily and they all walked towards the palace garden to continue training. They stopped at Tiānshǐ`s house so that she could get her armor and weapons.
As she walked out of her house though, she felt a slight, rather unnatural breeze and she drew her blades and held one at her side and one to her front. " You may have been able to sneak up on me when we first met Zuo Ci but it will not work now."
Her friends looked surprised, as if she was talking to the wind itself. They were amazed to see a man appear in front of Tiānshǐ and looked between Tiānshǐ and the mysterious man who just appeared. " It seems I can no longer scare you young one. You have become a most fearsome warrior. I am very impressed."
Tiānshǐ smiled and stepped forward slightly. " Glad to surprise you Zuo Ci. To what do I owe the unique pleasure of your presence?" She sounded teasing, as if they were very old friends.
Even though they had only met on one occasion before now they spoke like they had known each other for years. " I just came to check on you. Don`t want such a defined warrior straying off her destined path now do we? " He smiled as he once again vanished and Tiānshǐ sheathed her katana`s. As Tiānshǐ stepped back again her group of friends looked at her in awe. " Who was that? "
Tiānshǐ smiled and continued walking to the palace. " Just a guide. He was the one that told me i had a destiny outside the dungeon he found me in. " As they reached the garden they noticed Shang Xiang and Guan Ping sitting on the branches of one of the peach blossom trees.
Tiānshǐ thought she would scare Shang so she drew her bow and aimed for the branch above her. As the arrow hit the branch, Shang Xiang fell out of the tree. " Ouch! Tiānshǐ! Why did you scare me like that?"
Tiānshǐ smiled and hugged her sister gently. " I`m sorry Shang. I simply could`nt resist. " They both laughed before sitting in they`re usual picnic spot.
They sat and talked until late afternoon before Tiānshǐ decided to go find Lu Xun. She found him in the palace war room studying tactics. " Working hard my love? How long have you been studying? "
Lu Xun looked at her with very tired eyes before speaking sleepily. " All day. I still haven`t slept." Tiānshǐ looked concerned so she took his hand and they went home to bed.
That night Tiānshǐ had a dream that was much like the one she had back in her cell before Lu Xun took her to the Wu lords.
This one however seemed to be of an upcoming battle. She saw herself surrounded by Wei soldiers.
Lu Xun and the rest of her family were nowhere to be seen. The battle appeared to be a fools fight.
It looked like pure suicide. One girl against an entire army of Wei soldiers and generals.
She saw a look of hatred in the eyes of the soldiers. As she drew her blades she felt a sudden surge of hopelessness.
This battle could only end one way. It seemed inevitable.
But she would not give up without a fight. As she charged the soldiers she woke up sweating.
" I have to tell Xun about that dream. I don`t want to wake him now though. I`ll tell him tomorrow. " Breathing heavily she sat awake for a while before calming and going back to sleep.
Was this dream just that? A mere dream? It had seemed so real. Perhaps it was a slight glimpse into the future. As she fell asleep she thought about what it meant. Perhaps it was just an instinct telling her something? She did`nt know.
She would figure it out later. First she had to tell Lu Xun and the rest of her family. Surely they might know what it meant.
The Next Morning
Tiānshǐ awoke alone and after getting dressed she walked to the palace. She found everyone sitting in the main hall talking.
As she entered, Sun Jian stood and spoke. " Ah..Tiānshǐ we were just talking about you" Tiānshǐ looked surprised. " About me father? Have i done something wrong?" As she sat down she noticed a man in green robes with a tall staff sitting beside Sun Jian. " Not at all Tiānshǐ. This is Pang Tong of Shu. He says that Liu Bei has sent him here to teach you magic."
Before Tiānshǐ could speak Pang Tong stood and spoke to her directly. " My lord Liu Bei sends his deepest apologies for the misunderstanding in Shu. He feels that magic may be a very useful asset when combined with your heightened combat abilities. It is his wish that i teach you everything i know if you accept this offer." As surprised as Tiānshǐ was she stood and bowed. " I accept your offer Pang Tong but what magic could you teach me?"
Pang Tong chuckled slightly. " I can teach you how to use the elements around you to aid you in battle. I cannot teach you to control them but you will be able to harness them when you need to. It will be difficult to learn however."
Tiānshǐ smiled as she sat back down. " I would not be the Dragon Of Wu if i walked away from a hard trial. I accept. I can do this. I will learn this magic and use it to defend my people and family."
Pang Tong nodded slightly as Tiānshǐ spoke about her strange dream. " Such a dream is very concerning. It is not often a person can see a glimpse of future events but the future is ever-changing Tiānshǐ. Do not pay it much attention. Just because you have seen that piece of the future does not mean that it will come to pass. " Pang Tong spoke wisely and everyone agreed with him. Tiānshǐ decided to ignore her dream for now.
She knew it meant something more but she did not want to argue with anyone now so she simply agreed and walked with Pang Tong to the gardens. " First i will teach you wind. You can use the wind to give you speed in battle or to slow your enemies. You must concentrate and feel the air around you." By late afternoon she had learned to feel the air around her. She still had a lot to learn but she was catching on fairly quickly.
As the sunset loomed on the horizon, Pang Tong advised her to go to bed and rest. " You need your sleep Tiānshǐ. Learning the elements is physically and mentally draining. Get some rest. Tomorrow we will continue your lessons. " Tiānshǐ bowed and went home to bed with Lu Xun. She slept soundly that night and nothing woke her during the night.
With new abilities being learned quickly, Will Tiānshǐ be able to prevent the future that is haunting her dreams?
Find out in future Chapters ^_~
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