Disclaimer: GW not mine.
Snow Lotus Chapter 3
18 years ago.
"Who are you?" A pregnant young woman asked. She immediately sat up from her bed after sensing the presence of someone unknown to her.
"Zechs."
A long pause.
"I asked who are you, not just your name."
"Some call me Zechs the Silver Fox, some just call me a demon." Zechs sat at the table, helped himself with a cup of tea, which was already cold.
"It's late at night. Might I ask why a man appears in a pregnant woman's bedroom?"
"This was nice tea. It's a shame that you let it gone cold." After a sip, Zechs placed the cup on the table. He lighted the lamp next to the tea set.
The pregnant woman gasped. She got off her bed, "You.. Such hair on a youthful face, such eyes! Such foreign features. You are a real demon?"
"Yes. I am a silver fox. A demon fox." Zechs playfully curled a lock of silver hair with his finger, eyeing at the pregnant woman's swollen belly.
The woman reflexively covered herself with the wide sleeves of her sleeping gown. "You have not answered my question. Why are you here?"
Zechs sensed that she was afraid for the unborn child in her womb, but she was not afraid of him. "In your husband Chang Yi's absence, I have come to protect you and your unborn child. SaLi, your father-in-law has named your child Wufei if it's a boy, if it's a girl, Yanfei [flying sparrow]. Both are beautiful names"
SaLi was shocked that Zechs knew about her child's naming. Her father-in- law gave her earlier in the evening, where no servants nor anyone else were present.
"You came into my room in middle of the night, without notice, without permission. I do not need protection from a man who knows no manners nor shame. Get out!" SaLi opened her bedroom door.
Zechs gently closed the door.
"If anyone sees me leaving your room, you will have a lot of explaining to do. I will leave. If you are in danger or need help, just call my name. I will come. I promise." Zechs disappeared.
SaLi was dumbfounded. She had just encountered a fox demon, a creature existed only in legends. He mentioned her husband, also knew her name and her child's. She wondered if something had happened to her husband. Would he be home before the child's birth? She knew she could not sleep well for the night.
"Yi, where are you.." She sighed.
"I know where Yi is. He won't be home for your child's birth, because there won't be a childbirth." A voice spoke, as though Sali's thoughts were read. It was different than the demon fox whom just left. This voice made SaLi shiver with fear.
"Who are you?"
"Someone who will kill you tonight." A form materialized.
SaLi looked at the form. It was a man with foreign features as well, but different than Zechs. This man had short ginger color hair, eye brows slightly split at the ends, and blue eyes darker than Zechs'.
"Are you a demon fox too?" SaLi asked.
"So, Zechs has found you before me. But he's not here with you. Say your final words before I end your life."
"I have never met you. I certainly have no quarrel with you. Why do you want to kill me?"
"Your existence is reason enough."
"I have not doubt that you can kill me." SaLi lightly rubbed her swollen belly, "But my child is innocent, please..."
"Your child. Your child is another reason for your death."
"I do not understand."
"Yi has never mentioned about me to you, has he not?" He laughed, approached closer to SaLi, step by step.
"Even if he did, I wouldn't have believed him. Demon foxes only exist in legends." SaLi moved backward. When the back of her knee hit the bed edge, she turned swiftly and grabbed the sword hanging near the bed.
"Don't come any closer!"
"You want to scream for help, but you are afraid that whomever might come to your aid would fail, defeated, or even killed." He laughed again, coldly.
"Don't flatter yourself." She shot forward and aimed for the man's heart. The man disappeared before the sword touched him. She stumbled a few steps from the effect.
"You've had your chance. Now, die." The man reappeared, a light beam glowed on his palm. He threw it toward her.
"Zechs!" SaLi closed her eyes, half expecting a miracle would appear.
A miracle did happen.
Zechs appeared just in time to deflect the light beam.
"SaLi, I am here." He pulled her beside him. "Treiz, She does not know anything. You don't have to do this."
"She's the one who stole the love of my life. She's the one with child, his child! Yes, she does not know anything. But she has caused me so much pain that I can no longer endure."
"He will not forgive you, you know it."
"He will never find out."
"I know. I will tell him."
"Then, I will just have to kill you as well."
"I am not easy to kill, Treiz"
"I have never failed in a kill."
SaLi looked back and forth between the two fox demons. One wanted to kill her, the other wanted to protect her. One was silver like the moon, the other golden like the sun. The two of them were trying to decide her fate, as well as the life in her womb.
She could not let them to decide her fate, especially her child's. From her bosom, she took out a small round metal her husband gave her. He told her that the mirror had 'magical' powers against demons and evils. She took him for a joke, never believed in demons that which her husband firmly believed in.
The mirror shined under the small lamp fire. Both Zechs and Treiz screamed in agony. They disappeared.
"It actually works! Yi, you knew this would come and left the magic mirror to protect us!"
A sudden knocking at the door.
"My lady! Is everything alright? I heard some loud noises." It was her maid.
"I am fine. Just had a bad dream. Go back to sleep."
Outside. A grove and a hill away from the Chang mansion.
"He had her used the magic mirror against me. How could he after what he and I went through together!"
"Treiz."
"Leave me."
"You don't want to kill me?"
"I said leave me!"
"Fine. I leave you alone. SaLi has the mirror to protect her. I doubt you can kill her now."
"What's with you anyway? It's not as if you are interested in her or Yi. Why protect her with such urgency?"
"You will know when the right times comes." Zechs disappeared.
When Zechs met SaLi again, he answered to her call. She was holding an infant, standing back to back with a man that Zechs recognized as Chang Yi. They were surrounded by a group of veiled armed men.
The men seemed shocked by Zech appearing out of thin air.
"SaLi! Yi! You don't look well." Zechs spoke. "Who are these people?"
"Enemies." Chang Yi replied.
"Zechs, I am glad that you answered to my call. We do not have much time to live." SaLi said without looking at him, her attention was on the armed men. Her left arm was holding her child, her right was holding a sword.
"SaLi, Yi, your faces are ill-colored. You are poisoned. Tell me what happened later, for now, let's take care of these pests."
"Yes. You've said my thoughts." Chang Yi agreed.
"Don't' move. Other wise the poison will quicken its movement into your system. Let me take care of them." Zechs turned and glanced coldly at the veiled men.
"I recognize most of your scents. A famous bandit leader, several well known swordsmen personally known to the Chang family, a few officers, etc, etc. I can name you all if I have time. I will start attacking after I count to five. Now's the chance to go if you want to live." His words were cold as ice.
Change Yi and SaLi looked at each other, mutually acknowledged the feeling of betrayal by their family acquaintances.
"One."
"Men, attack! Now!" One of them ordered.
The armed men moved one step. They met Zech's cold stare. They hesitated for a moment, then turned and fled.
"Two."
"Hey! Come back here! I did not order you to flee"
"He knows us! He's a demon. Definitely a demon. We are fools to take on him!" one of the fleeing man responded.
"Three."
"If you don't take him out, he will reveal your identities!" The remaining armed man looked at his fleeing crew, then at Zechs.
"Four."
"Better be alive than revealed.." A distance voice replied.
The man dropped his weapon and ran after his men as fast as he could.
"Five." Zechs's arm waved in a circular motion. A strong wind began to blow. He heard distant cries as the wind lifted up those men.
"SaLi! SaLi!" Zechs heard Chang Yi screamed. He looked toward the couple. Chang Yi was holding his wife and child. He lowered them to the ground.
"My time has come. Yi, I really want to bring up Wufei with you, I really do. But.he drank my milk after I was poisoned..." tears streamed down on SaLi's cheeks.
"I wanted us to live as a happy family. SaLi, forgive me, forgive me for my incompetence to protect you and our child." Chang Yi's eyes became damp.
While the coupled were talking, Zechs took the chance to feel their pulses. He hopelessly shook his head. "The poison have gotten into your organs. There's no medicine that can heal you."
"Wufei, our child..he's just a few months old!" SaLi wept.
Zechs took Wufei into his arms. He looked at the child with adoration. "I can save him, I can only save him."
"Zechs! You are not going to give him your energy crystal. You have done enough for us. There is no need to sacrifice five hundred years of your essence and memories to save an infant."
"I am connected to him. I have told you since your wife was conceived. My existence is meaningless without him. If my essence and memories can save his life, then it's well worth it." Zechs stared at the infant, who quietly stared back at him. A strand of his sliver hair fell into the infant's fist. Wufei pulled it out of curiosity.
"Why are they after you?" Zechs asked.
"They are after my family's priceless artifact, Snow Lotus." Yi replied.
"Isn't it well guarded in the Chang Mansion? This place is no where near your home."
"Our family have promised to bring it to the Shaolin temple every fifty years. This is the year. My wife and I bear the responsibility to deliver it. The delivery route was a secret. There must be an insider in the Mansion leaked information."
SaLi coughed. Blood came out of her mouth, it was purple.
"SaLi!" Yi exclaimed.
"She's taking a step ahead into death before I can kill her." A voice spoke.
"Treiz, you are here. Make your presence." Zechs said.
Treiz appeared. He threw a large bag down from his shoulder. The scent of blood was thick.
"Yi, these are the heads who plotted to kill you." He kicked at the bag.
"Treiz. I have learned much about you from my husband." SaLi coughed again. "When we first met, you accused me of stealing him from you. I did not mean to. I did not mean to. You have done so much for him, yet you only receive his rejection. Had.circumstances been different.." SaLi paused, blood in her throat choked her.
"Hush, SaLi, Don't say anything. Save your strength." Yi held his wife closer.
"No, Yi. This is my only chance to speak to Treiz." She turned her eyes toward Treiz, "You must have endure much pain in your heart. I cannot do anything for redemption in this lifetime. Perhaps, perhaps in my next life, if I am entitled to, I would bring you two together.." Her voice became weak, "Wufei.."
"SaLi!" Yi screamed his wife's name. But there was no response.
"Oh no, Wufei's pulse has become fatally weak. I better.."
"No, don't do it, Zechs." Treiz stopped him.
"If I don't do it now, he will die soon!"
"Let me give him the energy crystal."
"What?" Zechs seemed confused.
"This is the best resolution. Can't you see?"
Zechs understood. Treiz and him could save both Chang Yi and Wufei. But what would become of Chang Yi knowing his life was saved again by Treiz, whom he had always rejected mercilessly? The loss of his wife, the guilt of being alive without her. He would live on a day by day existence, far worse than death.
Zechs nodded.
Treiz knelt beside Chang Yi, "Yi, I know you will never accept me in this life. Never."
"Treiz, We are both men. It's never meant to be. Only if we were not of the same gender.perhaps."
"Perhaps in another life, if your reincarnation is a woman, then we can be together."
Chang Yi nodded.
Treiz smiled. Chang Yi did not reject him.
"I will look for your reincarnation. But I will lose my memories after giving up my crystal. May I give you sometime that would help me recognize you?"
Chang Yi nodded again.
Treiz rolled up Chang Yi's left sleeve. He placed his palm on Yi's upper arm. When he withdrew his palm, a mark resembled a rose appeared on Yi's skin.
"This is the rose mark in which you will carry into your next life. I will search for you, Yi."
Chang Yi had no strength to speak, he blinked at Treiz.
Treiz approached Zechs, who was holding Wufei. He lowered himself and placed his lips on Wufei's forehead. A light glowed between Treiz and Wufei, then disappeared.
As it disappeared, Treiz transformed into a golden furred fox, his true form. Everything around him suddenly became estranged, except a scent that he innately recognized. He approached toward that scent, which came from a man lied dying.
Chang Yi could only stare at the fox. Treiz found the rose mark on Chang Yi's arm. He sniffed and licked it.
Treiz, thank you. The last breath was drawn.
Holding Wufei in his arms, Zechs watched silently, until now.
"Treiz, go. Go deep into the woods. Collect the essences of the sun and moon. Attain a human form before you meet another person with the scent you recognize."
Treiz seemed as if he could understand Zechs. He turned and began walking toward the woods.
Holding Wufei closer against him in reassurance, Zechs watched Treiz's distancing figure.
Snow Lotus Chapter 3
18 years ago.
"Who are you?" A pregnant young woman asked. She immediately sat up from her bed after sensing the presence of someone unknown to her.
"Zechs."
A long pause.
"I asked who are you, not just your name."
"Some call me Zechs the Silver Fox, some just call me a demon." Zechs sat at the table, helped himself with a cup of tea, which was already cold.
"It's late at night. Might I ask why a man appears in a pregnant woman's bedroom?"
"This was nice tea. It's a shame that you let it gone cold." After a sip, Zechs placed the cup on the table. He lighted the lamp next to the tea set.
The pregnant woman gasped. She got off her bed, "You.. Such hair on a youthful face, such eyes! Such foreign features. You are a real demon?"
"Yes. I am a silver fox. A demon fox." Zechs playfully curled a lock of silver hair with his finger, eyeing at the pregnant woman's swollen belly.
The woman reflexively covered herself with the wide sleeves of her sleeping gown. "You have not answered my question. Why are you here?"
Zechs sensed that she was afraid for the unborn child in her womb, but she was not afraid of him. "In your husband Chang Yi's absence, I have come to protect you and your unborn child. SaLi, your father-in-law has named your child Wufei if it's a boy, if it's a girl, Yanfei [flying sparrow]. Both are beautiful names"
SaLi was shocked that Zechs knew about her child's naming. Her father-in- law gave her earlier in the evening, where no servants nor anyone else were present.
"You came into my room in middle of the night, without notice, without permission. I do not need protection from a man who knows no manners nor shame. Get out!" SaLi opened her bedroom door.
Zechs gently closed the door.
"If anyone sees me leaving your room, you will have a lot of explaining to do. I will leave. If you are in danger or need help, just call my name. I will come. I promise." Zechs disappeared.
SaLi was dumbfounded. She had just encountered a fox demon, a creature existed only in legends. He mentioned her husband, also knew her name and her child's. She wondered if something had happened to her husband. Would he be home before the child's birth? She knew she could not sleep well for the night.
"Yi, where are you.." She sighed.
"I know where Yi is. He won't be home for your child's birth, because there won't be a childbirth." A voice spoke, as though Sali's thoughts were read. It was different than the demon fox whom just left. This voice made SaLi shiver with fear.
"Who are you?"
"Someone who will kill you tonight." A form materialized.
SaLi looked at the form. It was a man with foreign features as well, but different than Zechs. This man had short ginger color hair, eye brows slightly split at the ends, and blue eyes darker than Zechs'.
"Are you a demon fox too?" SaLi asked.
"So, Zechs has found you before me. But he's not here with you. Say your final words before I end your life."
"I have never met you. I certainly have no quarrel with you. Why do you want to kill me?"
"Your existence is reason enough."
"I have not doubt that you can kill me." SaLi lightly rubbed her swollen belly, "But my child is innocent, please..."
"Your child. Your child is another reason for your death."
"I do not understand."
"Yi has never mentioned about me to you, has he not?" He laughed, approached closer to SaLi, step by step.
"Even if he did, I wouldn't have believed him. Demon foxes only exist in legends." SaLi moved backward. When the back of her knee hit the bed edge, she turned swiftly and grabbed the sword hanging near the bed.
"Don't come any closer!"
"You want to scream for help, but you are afraid that whomever might come to your aid would fail, defeated, or even killed." He laughed again, coldly.
"Don't flatter yourself." She shot forward and aimed for the man's heart. The man disappeared before the sword touched him. She stumbled a few steps from the effect.
"You've had your chance. Now, die." The man reappeared, a light beam glowed on his palm. He threw it toward her.
"Zechs!" SaLi closed her eyes, half expecting a miracle would appear.
A miracle did happen.
Zechs appeared just in time to deflect the light beam.
"SaLi, I am here." He pulled her beside him. "Treiz, She does not know anything. You don't have to do this."
"She's the one who stole the love of my life. She's the one with child, his child! Yes, she does not know anything. But she has caused me so much pain that I can no longer endure."
"He will not forgive you, you know it."
"He will never find out."
"I know. I will tell him."
"Then, I will just have to kill you as well."
"I am not easy to kill, Treiz"
"I have never failed in a kill."
SaLi looked back and forth between the two fox demons. One wanted to kill her, the other wanted to protect her. One was silver like the moon, the other golden like the sun. The two of them were trying to decide her fate, as well as the life in her womb.
She could not let them to decide her fate, especially her child's. From her bosom, she took out a small round metal her husband gave her. He told her that the mirror had 'magical' powers against demons and evils. She took him for a joke, never believed in demons that which her husband firmly believed in.
The mirror shined under the small lamp fire. Both Zechs and Treiz screamed in agony. They disappeared.
"It actually works! Yi, you knew this would come and left the magic mirror to protect us!"
A sudden knocking at the door.
"My lady! Is everything alright? I heard some loud noises." It was her maid.
"I am fine. Just had a bad dream. Go back to sleep."
Outside. A grove and a hill away from the Chang mansion.
"He had her used the magic mirror against me. How could he after what he and I went through together!"
"Treiz."
"Leave me."
"You don't want to kill me?"
"I said leave me!"
"Fine. I leave you alone. SaLi has the mirror to protect her. I doubt you can kill her now."
"What's with you anyway? It's not as if you are interested in her or Yi. Why protect her with such urgency?"
"You will know when the right times comes." Zechs disappeared.
When Zechs met SaLi again, he answered to her call. She was holding an infant, standing back to back with a man that Zechs recognized as Chang Yi. They were surrounded by a group of veiled armed men.
The men seemed shocked by Zech appearing out of thin air.
"SaLi! Yi! You don't look well." Zechs spoke. "Who are these people?"
"Enemies." Chang Yi replied.
"Zechs, I am glad that you answered to my call. We do not have much time to live." SaLi said without looking at him, her attention was on the armed men. Her left arm was holding her child, her right was holding a sword.
"SaLi, Yi, your faces are ill-colored. You are poisoned. Tell me what happened later, for now, let's take care of these pests."
"Yes. You've said my thoughts." Chang Yi agreed.
"Don't' move. Other wise the poison will quicken its movement into your system. Let me take care of them." Zechs turned and glanced coldly at the veiled men.
"I recognize most of your scents. A famous bandit leader, several well known swordsmen personally known to the Chang family, a few officers, etc, etc. I can name you all if I have time. I will start attacking after I count to five. Now's the chance to go if you want to live." His words were cold as ice.
Change Yi and SaLi looked at each other, mutually acknowledged the feeling of betrayal by their family acquaintances.
"One."
"Men, attack! Now!" One of them ordered.
The armed men moved one step. They met Zech's cold stare. They hesitated for a moment, then turned and fled.
"Two."
"Hey! Come back here! I did not order you to flee"
"He knows us! He's a demon. Definitely a demon. We are fools to take on him!" one of the fleeing man responded.
"Three."
"If you don't take him out, he will reveal your identities!" The remaining armed man looked at his fleeing crew, then at Zechs.
"Four."
"Better be alive than revealed.." A distance voice replied.
The man dropped his weapon and ran after his men as fast as he could.
"Five." Zechs's arm waved in a circular motion. A strong wind began to blow. He heard distant cries as the wind lifted up those men.
"SaLi! SaLi!" Zechs heard Chang Yi screamed. He looked toward the couple. Chang Yi was holding his wife and child. He lowered them to the ground.
"My time has come. Yi, I really want to bring up Wufei with you, I really do. But.he drank my milk after I was poisoned..." tears streamed down on SaLi's cheeks.
"I wanted us to live as a happy family. SaLi, forgive me, forgive me for my incompetence to protect you and our child." Chang Yi's eyes became damp.
While the coupled were talking, Zechs took the chance to feel their pulses. He hopelessly shook his head. "The poison have gotten into your organs. There's no medicine that can heal you."
"Wufei, our child..he's just a few months old!" SaLi wept.
Zechs took Wufei into his arms. He looked at the child with adoration. "I can save him, I can only save him."
"Zechs! You are not going to give him your energy crystal. You have done enough for us. There is no need to sacrifice five hundred years of your essence and memories to save an infant."
"I am connected to him. I have told you since your wife was conceived. My existence is meaningless without him. If my essence and memories can save his life, then it's well worth it." Zechs stared at the infant, who quietly stared back at him. A strand of his sliver hair fell into the infant's fist. Wufei pulled it out of curiosity.
"Why are they after you?" Zechs asked.
"They are after my family's priceless artifact, Snow Lotus." Yi replied.
"Isn't it well guarded in the Chang Mansion? This place is no where near your home."
"Our family have promised to bring it to the Shaolin temple every fifty years. This is the year. My wife and I bear the responsibility to deliver it. The delivery route was a secret. There must be an insider in the Mansion leaked information."
SaLi coughed. Blood came out of her mouth, it was purple.
"SaLi!" Yi exclaimed.
"She's taking a step ahead into death before I can kill her." A voice spoke.
"Treiz, you are here. Make your presence." Zechs said.
Treiz appeared. He threw a large bag down from his shoulder. The scent of blood was thick.
"Yi, these are the heads who plotted to kill you." He kicked at the bag.
"Treiz. I have learned much about you from my husband." SaLi coughed again. "When we first met, you accused me of stealing him from you. I did not mean to. I did not mean to. You have done so much for him, yet you only receive his rejection. Had.circumstances been different.." SaLi paused, blood in her throat choked her.
"Hush, SaLi, Don't say anything. Save your strength." Yi held his wife closer.
"No, Yi. This is my only chance to speak to Treiz." She turned her eyes toward Treiz, "You must have endure much pain in your heart. I cannot do anything for redemption in this lifetime. Perhaps, perhaps in my next life, if I am entitled to, I would bring you two together.." Her voice became weak, "Wufei.."
"SaLi!" Yi screamed his wife's name. But there was no response.
"Oh no, Wufei's pulse has become fatally weak. I better.."
"No, don't do it, Zechs." Treiz stopped him.
"If I don't do it now, he will die soon!"
"Let me give him the energy crystal."
"What?" Zechs seemed confused.
"This is the best resolution. Can't you see?"
Zechs understood. Treiz and him could save both Chang Yi and Wufei. But what would become of Chang Yi knowing his life was saved again by Treiz, whom he had always rejected mercilessly? The loss of his wife, the guilt of being alive without her. He would live on a day by day existence, far worse than death.
Zechs nodded.
Treiz knelt beside Chang Yi, "Yi, I know you will never accept me in this life. Never."
"Treiz, We are both men. It's never meant to be. Only if we were not of the same gender.perhaps."
"Perhaps in another life, if your reincarnation is a woman, then we can be together."
Chang Yi nodded.
Treiz smiled. Chang Yi did not reject him.
"I will look for your reincarnation. But I will lose my memories after giving up my crystal. May I give you sometime that would help me recognize you?"
Chang Yi nodded again.
Treiz rolled up Chang Yi's left sleeve. He placed his palm on Yi's upper arm. When he withdrew his palm, a mark resembled a rose appeared on Yi's skin.
"This is the rose mark in which you will carry into your next life. I will search for you, Yi."
Chang Yi had no strength to speak, he blinked at Treiz.
Treiz approached Zechs, who was holding Wufei. He lowered himself and placed his lips on Wufei's forehead. A light glowed between Treiz and Wufei, then disappeared.
As it disappeared, Treiz transformed into a golden furred fox, his true form. Everything around him suddenly became estranged, except a scent that he innately recognized. He approached toward that scent, which came from a man lied dying.
Chang Yi could only stare at the fox. Treiz found the rose mark on Chang Yi's arm. He sniffed and licked it.
Treiz, thank you. The last breath was drawn.
Holding Wufei in his arms, Zechs watched silently, until now.
"Treiz, go. Go deep into the woods. Collect the essences of the sun and moon. Attain a human form before you meet another person with the scent you recognize."
Treiz seemed as if he could understand Zechs. He turned and began walking toward the woods.
Holding Wufei closer against him in reassurance, Zechs watched Treiz's distancing figure.