Gray here. I decide to release this new chapter for my birthday. So that case, I'm close to finishing the second volume, and the rest, however, has already mapped and I will write many as I can. The year that spread the virus did strike slow, causing most of the delays I needed to keep in touch with family and friends. Hopefully, 2021 will be better.

I'm fixin' to edit some volume one chapters, so I'll be leaving my Author's Note down toward the end of chapter 11. Enjoy, gang!

- My big update: My main character, known to be the Dragon Warrior's next successor, the Nine's Leader Xing Chen including his nana Ming, they will no longer be "white tigers" anymore. Regarding appearances, I have a plan for my boy in one of the future volumes. As an example, instead of writing "The white tiger. . .", I use "The tiger. . ." instead. He's my little kitten and approves his silky chuffs. My first book A New Prophecy will take long to re-edit wherever my boy is and goes, and in Archive of Our Own (if I have my schedule to publish a few chapters to re-write there).

1/17/2021

Volume II: Eyes of Hate

Chapter XI

Khan's General

August 25, 1210 - Evening in Mongolia

Phantom followed Khan's messenger, where the brown condor soared amongst the rime ridges, his wings cloaked with snow specks while circulating in the chilly air. Her strength began to recover well during this long walk of traveling amidst the heart of Mongolia. This night whispered its ghastly rime winds, the snow on every warrior's feet breaking that you crushed the bread crumbs. The weather sprinkled many foxes' armor robes, which cotton was made for warm, stroking their furs. Phantom, dressed in her new armor that her servants reforged, became immune from hazardous storms.

Torches they bore for this night danced with dying embers; the black bear scanned this formidable terrain that sprayed with white mixtures across these mountains; the peaks only stroked the horizon. Ignoring these circumstances to care for herself, however, Phantom cast her breath, sweeping chilly surroundings from her servants. These soldiers relieved at once the brown condor circulating above the group announced his screech.

Deep down toward the rim of summits, Phantom observed these dimming torches, which stretched across twenty tents. The storm silenced its wails before the group reached the last ridge, in which the landscape marks scraped with multiple fractures. The last thing Phantom saw was the familiar face with a scar, its hoof spreading with zig-zags.

Mongols in winter dull pinned their halberds, and Khan's messenger billowed his feathers before landing ahead of them, the tattoos of his made bovines remind of their colleague. The lieutenant clarified to them that their successor requested the bear's presence, desperate for that matter. Both argalis stared at each other, and they eased their positions, presenting the group a welcome to the successor's yurts.

The night with a nimbus of fading white silks from ridges passed on, as Phantom perceived half of these Mongols remained their guards while the other half perched in their yurts to sleep; she and her group needed to restore their strengths by the time they hiked about a day travel without stopping. No sustenance, nor an hour break in each ten-mile walk. On this night, as Mingling could have done, Mongols treated guests with warm soups. As an ordinary being from lethal magics, Phantom was forbidding to unleash her enchantments, that her sensation and physical tenses might sting the Lady of Shadows, thanks to Kai's beloved blessing. After putting on the fire and spread some wood for the fire breathing within the guest yurt, she slept in her bed. Her doze remarkably soared her into the unconscious trance.

Not knowing how you appeared somewhere, you sometimes question yourself where you started traveling at the wondrous dream. Phantom entered the yurt chamber with tinge gray surroundings, which stroked on bamboo and wood with hay furniture, and a patched-colorful sheet from the entry billowed by deafened haze. Banners pinned on these thick surfaces with Mongol words "Genghis" and "The Great Khan," halberds and swords lied on a decorated table where a throne-like mat with spears above it was next to it, and the center of the tent stood its wrapped shrouds. Not the shape of the body, but something small that fitted over the bear's paw.

Mingling still wore her fanatic armor but altered with unfamiliar objects that she had: a metal helmet with a leather train. She reached for the center. A soft shake on her including the yurt returned her reality.

A sudden jolt from the bear made one of her fox soldiers jerk his head. Phantom had enough of her good sleep, which she had this odd trance, but happened so fast. No wonder she was inside the tent as if noticing the room was the warlord's, something to admire him that these people followed him. "Apologies, my Lady," Fengxian clasped his snow-white paws. "One of Khan's warriors is expecting you soon. He's on his way."

"Good. Fetch me a large soup, Feng."

"Right away."

After her breakfast meal, Mingling dressed her fine coverings, straightened her back, and bent her head in sideways, popping her neck twice. A tan sheet waved away and let two of the Mongol soldiers entered. They wore den and metal helmets with small leather drapes behind their heads. Mingling bent her light grin at the warrior with bulky furs and a fierce glance with sharp gold eyes entering the visitor's yurt. A Mongolian general in the leather garment and spike shield pads removed his intricate helmet, revealing cloud patches of silver and yellow. "Hello, Mingling."

"Batu," Mingling introduced, pawing her chest. "It has been a while."

"For five winters," the leopard agreed. "You used to come here and endure with your fellow soldiers before you trek to China. Where have you been, my old friend?"

Batu and Mingling hugged. "Been planning to do China fear another. I was hoping that I should have. How are you and the Khan?"

"My dear Mingling. I have such tales with him been grouping with other tribes and had fought against one of their own," the leopard general smirked. His head was slightly turned to one of his fellow Mongols beside him. "Odsar. Fetch us mugs with warm water. We'll have a good discussion."

Both tales of their prevailed at once Phantom started the rest, brought some questions to her that she did prepare Huoju's invasion, which planned as a whole to tear the rest anyone who rejected to yield to him. Batu could have wished to meet him as his advisor, but a Mongol warlord chose the leopard instead as if the black bear only stood the Prince of Darkness's side as Huoju's Commander. During his years of loyalty with Mongols, the leopard Batu regrouped with his tribe and his fellow brother, searched for one of Khan's brothers who departed from him, wanting to control his army on his will. Khan's blood brother chose death instead of reuniting with the leader.

The next, as Batu explained more, he, Genghis, and their tribes raided one of two of the northern province of China close to the Great Wall where Western Xia and Jin persisted. And down farther side lay Song. Captured the Western kingdom; however, the Lord of Xia begged mercy to Genghis, which accepted the cost of his own: sharing supplies of food and weapon, and his daughter to wed the conqueror.

"I suppose Genghis anticipates his legacy to be fulfilled, discerning that the Gods chose him well," Mingling determined. "I think he'll have more children, more warriors of his name that will remain forward across other countries."

"Yes. A new empire will rule," Batu agreed before taking his last sip from his mug. "Your partner Huoju was a Mongolian; at least he would have opened those walls for Khan's ancestors."

The bear massaged the edge of her cup. "Huoju should have focused on one thing to adapt his course. Something extraordinary from my beloved followed his passion, then later was uncontrollable."

"War. What killed him?"

"A chosen warrior destroyed Huoju. This tiger crushed my claw," she let Batu examine her hook that its silvery gleam landed on the reflection of his eyes. "China is not crucial to lead South, for now. Convincing Khan may help."

The leopard pinned his war helmet on his leg. "That, my dear friend, I must emphasize to you sympathetically. If you wish to be loyal to Khan, Mingling, your blood needs to be in bond with the strongest. Serving with him is a must, perhaps obliging your will against Chinese," Batu urged. "There's no such thing to request Genghis that he will bring you to China. If you aspire for Khan listening to you, earn his trust."

Phantom had to be obliged from Batu's conception. Moreover, that would have gone to an off start to her by simply a word trust meant to have years of dedication. While contributing no other decisions to revoke that matter, the Lady of Shadows was reluctant but to glance at the leopard who spoke truth and glory. The bear began drinking her last sip and placed her mug on the counter next to Mingling. "Before you converge to Khan, including his tribes, Mingling, you want to train with your soldiers, be ready. Let me show you to my men," Batu held his paw forward, which Phantom accepted hers with manner. They including Batu's guards left.

Training on his soldiers grasping their daos forward, Batu approached the battalion yurts, his lips spreading into patience. With this mysterious company's purpose, he deliberated the person with many names that most bandits convened the second-in-commander before. This new leader, after the collapse of the Gongmen Battle when this Prince of Darkness nearly destroyed the land of peacocks' fortune city, Batu was aware of the Lady with identities:

The Vicious Lady with Violet Eyes.

The Fondness of Death.

What does love represent when companions stick to them like the web and family they raised you well within the circle? Does Batu ever be forewarned to this matter when having an invitation to this Lady who can observe your memories, digging through affections? Rumors from his messengers depended on how severe it was, and Batu mainly rejected these reports, which seemed ineligible.

No wonder that Mingling observed the scenery, which stretched with a flat rime soil, where a group of Mongol fighters training each other. Their dens wrapped with belts for daggers and pelts. Their swords now became cleaver as the black bear perceived their weaponry. She led with her Mongol companion toward the clearing and near the training; bowmen unleashed their arrows after targeting eye marks which held on the wooden poles.

"Zur!"

Archers again nocked and aimed their bolts. Their Siberian ibex alpha waved his hoof. "SUL!"

Most arrows penetrated the targets while others were accurate toward centers, splitting other lines that bolts had flown. Batu demonstrated the bear. "These soldiers are well formed to follow Khan's successors. Obeying with him and his supporter grants their will to oblige. Now Genghis seeks his accord at once we will invade China and farther across providences out there to control, the Chinese have only a chance to submit once, or join theirs," the successor gestured his clouded paw toward one of the eye markers. The bovine with slight red scleras released his single bolt; the arrow hit into the deer's heart, letting the poor prisoner weaken his wail, slowly tumble toward the snow.

"This bastard boy, who killed your champion, who is he?"

"He is my concern to handle him when I return to China," she softly clenched her teeth behind her lips. "These peasants called this tiger a hero, while others naming themselves as powerful friends, they called him the Dragon Warrior's successor. His succession gave me that," she revealed her iron claw to Batu.

"As I have noticed twice," the general hummed. "Once and if you served with the Khan, by the time you must be vigilant, you have your will to focus on those walls. Every tower stands along with individual-made bricks. Whom controls the terrain there?"

"The Emperor's general and his army. They have eyes."

Batu beside the weaponry, drew the halberd. The black bear began positioning on the training soil where the ground had spread with dirt, maintained from these snows around the perimeter. The leopard tossed the spear to her as Batu roamed in and spun his halberd. The Mongols continued practicing on each sector as if the archers released more volley of arrows plunging in the target cores, mighty bovines slicing their blades while advancing their feet to one side and the other. The bear's group of foxes joined in, and Mingling's old canine ally remained on edge, sipping his hot mug.

"I suspect your people in all of China has their consistencies to protect their land from outsiders like us," the leopard general delivered his prosaic mind. "Once and if we reach for this wall, the people will invite their new ruler in."

"I assume you and Genghis can," the black bear approved while inspecting the halberd the general offered her. "When will I be ready, Batu?"

"When I see you and your soldiers prepare," Batu said. "Only then, the Khan will be ready to see new faces."

So it begins. . .

Both warriors tapped their halberd poles twice and advanced toward each other. Batu was the first to swing his weapon to the angel over her head. Mingling clouted her blade against his, tracing the leopard's next flow spinning his halberd; The bear deflected the other and swayed it, delivering a sudden back kick toward his chest. Sensing her boot that did not match his strength, Batu bent his half-grin, spinning his blade, and heaved straight under her ankles in between. As Mingling only lifted her good foot, the other slipped away, bowling her onto the dirt.

"Quite a rough start," Batu let his stiff snout out.

The black bear quivered her head and caught her weapon on guard while rising. "So it seems like the last time we practiced."

"You'll get better. And your leg?"

"It's nothing for me to be bothered. My strength is crucial."

The leopard general gave his throat humming in regard. "Again."

Their spears pointed as they rotated around the square, eying on the next elemental move to which could deliver. Plenty of Mongols and half of Phantom's fox group at the edge embarked watching their leaders interestingly. One of the Mongol bulls shove his bow to the snow fox's chest, and Fengxian nodded to his new archer mentor. The bear and the leopard thrust their sharp blades.

Later that day, as the sun reached for the celestial midday, the fox Fengxian let his bolt loose after the archer expert hailed his group. Plenty of arrows hit these marks; some were under and toward the rim, while only two on each target landed at heart. As Feng's fox partner beside him walked toward targets where his arrow hit under the mark, the ibex flickered his throwing ax. "Dooshoo!" The ibex hurled and landed in between the arrow's line, shredding its wood in half. The canine had ducked before this dramatic skill appeared, glancing at the Mongol deer who chuckled. "Always keep your head down when you hear that shout, and one of those arrows and small hatchets will fly. See how those people down there in China can catch with their bare paws."

Meanwhile, a brown Chow Chow chieftain emerged from the front barrier along with his group of exiled dogs wishing to attend to the leopard general's presence. Pondering of these banished guards who defied China's Emperor before, Mingling could use them acquiring much need to sharpen more steel and iron, as they formally became the blacksmith in Forbidden City. To the black bear's insight, they, including their leader General Fang had worked for one of the conspirators that tried to poison Huangdi and nearly resigned him by accepting another as a tyrant ruler. Only the first plan to the chieftain's lizard lady whose responsible for the assassination almost caused, but gladly a member of Emperor Huangdi's family scented his honey and rice wine from his cup and shoved it away from him.

The same goes for Chow Chows to be worthy and loyal to the Khan, Batu volunteered these outsiders to partner Mingling's foxes. Each group of Batu's Mongols stepped forward toward their recruits using three choices to master: swords with shields, long halberds, and archers.

On the night after the wind gave its harsh whispers across the midst of ridges, the black bear sat with Batu and Fengxian ahead of the fire, offered a warm mug from one of the ibex Mongols they cooked. The three unmasked their grinning spirits, the melody from three ibexes and one bull chanting while fiddling their horns, including a large instrument, hailing for their Khan. Mingling followed one rigid shout near the yurt with horns before taking her sip, which the water silkened her throat. A Chow Chow chieftain rounded his halberd to his argali mentor, whose steel shield shove the blade.

The next day slightly improved the bear's persistence. While the dawn cast its crepuscular hues touching the training ground and yurts, Mingling grasped her halberd with her good paw, nodding to the leopard general. Batu glanced at his mentors along with their foxes and chow chows as they awaited for his mysterious talent. Wielded his dull sword and the other as the small steel stone, he ground the edge with a spiral motion, emerging the sword's sparkling fire. Most of the recruits over the training shared their awing expressions before the bear and the leopard general advanced.

Mingling bowled to the side from Batu's fire sword slashing downward, which the flame made its bellowing sheets flap. Each swaying to the other, the bear countered most angles where the leopard continuously clouted near her head and her feet. After enough of his rough jabs against hers, Mingling slid her halberd under Batu's feet twice, propelling her acrobatic downward slice toward his iron shield. Once somersaulted backward and using his shield above his head, Batu charged and propelled to her body; the bear rolled back up and shook her disorienting glance that rang her ears.

There's my chance. Mingling's stupefied.

The corsac fox Fengxian kept his posture state beside his loyal soldiers and now two chow chows. The chieftain was the only guard dog widened at this spar, giving to this much credit and ideal that could have the potential to learn new tactics for him and his companions. He crossed his limbs to satisfaction, witnessing the Mongol general spring forward with his fiery sword.

Mingling spun her weapon, landing deflections against Batu's fire sword that clang with sparks and grinding flickers. She poled the dirt, delivered her uppercut kicks to his chest and shield. He tilted his body while kneeling on the soil, slashing his fire under her feet. The bear immediately sidestepped back, and two flicks of fire seared her ankle wrappings.

Fengxian gasped with his ears downward.

The fire is not my enemy.

Mingling masked her pain in front of her opponent as she spun her halberd, grimacing her wicked grin. Once the leopard's sword died its hissing fire to a cold steel metal, Batu advanced his shield in full force, and the black bear parried to her left, her pole sliding his ankle from behind. Tumbled at once again that made Mingling surprised, the leopard general rose and parried her halberd, which plunged above where his limb wielded it. She disarmed his shield to the dirt.

Left with only a handful of his agile blade to use, Batu ward off against curves and swirls; Mingling swerved her spear, thrashing the counterparts of his sword. Her resilience strength strained to an exposed position as she gave out her opposing lunges. Batu shouldered his sword over her sides, including her head once more, allowing the black bear to parry while recovering her next move. During his fifth swing from him, Mingling's half pole clouted his chest. Wobbling once and then starting to storm against her, Batu slipped onto the dirt; the bear heaved her halberd first. Mingling gyrated her weapon and sprang her body after hailing her cry. Her halberd nearly struck her old friend's neck.

Most Mongols and Batu's group gaped at this spar while the two fighters pressured their panting breaths.

"Novsh gej!" The Siberian ibex goggled, along with Fengxian, and both chow chows beside him.

Giving time to relieve her harsh breaths, Mingling dazzled her red eyes at Batu. "You fought well," Mingling admired, panting. "I think I've won this fight."

"That makes two of us."

The bear leveled her puzzling posture after angling her halberd under the leopard's throat. A cold tip of Batu's sword tapped on her upper body, straight where her heart was, resulting in a draw. Most of the Mongols spread their applauses as including the recruits joined them. Both warriors gestured their respective bows. A chow-chow warrior Fang next to the fox clapped his paws. His fluff fur that aged brown, blended with gray. "She's one hell of a fighter, don't you think?"

"Agreed," Fengxian bobbed while crossing his limbs in approval. "This training is just the beginning to storm South someday."

"And will go there in day one," Fang promised. Giving a good glimpse of his new teammate's feet to head, he patted his paws on his sides. "I don't think we introduced before during archer and sword training yesterday. I'm Fang. Used to be the Emperor's General when I was in service with him and his daughters in Forbidden City. What's yours?"

Fang and Fengxian offered their paw shakes. The canine's grip was firmly dominant than the fox's, whose fingers locked into the chieftain's grasp. "Fengxian. I'm one of Mingling's best soldiers who fought along with her and the Prince of Darkness in Gongmen. So, what's your story, Fang?"

Author's Note:

- As you have found one familiar character in the novel, the Chow Chow (or Tibetan Mastiff?) from the Paws of Destiny, he and his former Emperor guards won't be part of the supportive roles, which by bringing more baddies like Shi Long, Jindiao, and others we know (but Kai, Shen, and Tai Lung are major roles) might be a wrong move. Otherwise, I am picky about minor and cameo characters from trilogy and both series (I only saw some episodes of LoA, and I won't make it legit as canon in my books. I chose some who I prefer: Peng, Temutai, Fung, and his crocs, maybe some royal characters).

- There's likely going to be a few Chow Chows from the PoD series, who used to work for the lynx Emperor in the Forbidden City. Using them in my version (only mentions and brief appearances), my water buffalo character Emperor Huangdi exiled them to Mongolia. The iron machine-like monster White Bone Demon never happened in Gray's Universe.

- Our gangs and plenty of my OCs are our focus of the Mightiest Warriors, Book Two. Stay tuned to see our old friends: The one-eyed wolf pledging the Nine's Oath and the Mightiest Warrior paying respects in the next chapter. I hope y'all enjoyed this so far! I like to read new reviews! How do you like this chapter?