Author's note: Sry bout the delay of getting it up, I was having some comp
troubles. This chapter was kind of short ^,^;; but I hope you like it
anyway! I delve a little deeper into Zhang He and Diao Chan's relationship, and there is an attack! Thanx for all the reviews and thanks to the guy who asked me to use Pang Tong in the previous chapter, I like
suggestions!
Enjoy!
Part 2
The Power of the Red Moon
Chapter 12
Blue Skies
At Sunset they reached the edge of the forest. The sky was turning pink and gold and the sun was just saying it's last farewell to the day. Bugs zipped by on their search for food and frogs could be heard croaking in the distance. Zhang He stepped out of the trees and surveyed the scene. Down below was a tiny village with its window glowing invitingly. Diao Chan stumbled out beside him, bruised and cut, and stood near him.
"WE'RE FINALLY OUT!" She cheered triumphantly. Zhang He laughed quietly and looked her way. She was really a mess, her clothes were torn and stained with blood, her hair was lopsided and had a few tangles, and she looked like she never wanted to hear the word "Forest" again.
"Better get used to it, were going to be doing quite a lot of walking through the wilds." Zhang He said in a less than eager voice. "Come on, we have to get supplies and food."
They made their way down the grassy slope to the sleepy little town. The hill leveled out and the ground became paved. Tired-looking villagers sat outside their houses and conversed with their families and the others. Everyone smiled and waved when they saw Zhang He and Diao Chan, a very good sign that they didn't kill visitors on sight in this village.
"Let's find an inn first of all, I bet your tired?" Zhang He said tranquilly.
"Yes, I'm due for a good sleep. and I'm hungry too!" Diao Chan said smiling at him.
"Yeah, me too. Do you have much money?" Zhang He asked, looking around for the pouch where he kept his money in.
"None at all . . ." Diao Chan said apologetically.
"Well, let's see . . ." Said Zhang He rummaging through the sack. "I've got about fifty Maru coins, and 100 Five-su's.
"That should be enough for the stuff we need." Diao Chan said, "Yuan Shao really paid you well."
Zhang He looked sadly at the ground. He could even think to himself about his old life yet, he didn't want to talk about it. It must've showed on his face because she clapped a hand over her mouth.
"I'm sorry, I won't talk about that anymore!" Diao Chan said quickly. For a while there was a long pause and Diao Chan suddenly brightened up. "I know a way we can get even more money!" She sped over to the side of a building and started looking around. She seized a part of her ruined clothes and tore it off. She then folded the fabric into a sort of a triangular bucket.
"What are you doing?" Zhang He said extremely puzzled.
"My father is very lazy and he used to make me do this to get money, just watch!" She said excitedly. She stood still and took a deep breath. Then she opened her mouth and. . .
I remember the heart that I left behind
Lying hidden, in the deep, in the deep,
Forest of my soul
Tired out, without strength,
Still searching for their hearts,
People disappear, into unending, into infinite
Darkness all around.
She was singing? Of course! This would bring people from all around! They
would love to hear her voice!
If it's so small, why does it still come to mind? Haven't I forgotten now?
I can see . . .
As we live on, we lose more of ourselves . . .
Shrouded in the lies, we stand frozen
Unable to cry, or reach another
How can we stand to live,
In this dream?
It was working; people were poking their heads out of their homes to see where the beautiful song was coming from. Some of the men stepped up and
tossed coins in the cloth bucket. What a great idea!
As the days come by, they pass, and the change
We never really see, how blue, how blue
The sky can really be . . .
When we overcome the lies and the schemes,
We'll live in the now,
And our old, rusted hearts begin to beat again!
Soon, almost everyone in the village came around to look at the mysterious
girl and her mysterious song. Everyone crowded around and watched Diao
Chan perform her pretty little dance and sing the wonderful, sad song.
If we can find the rhythm of our time, we can finally spread our wings and
fly!
As we live on, we lose more of ourselves . . .
Shrouded in the lies, we stand frozen
Unable to cry, or reach another
How can we stand to live,
In this dream?
As she ended the entire village erupted into applause. Whistles and cheers were heard, and people were still tossing money into the torn cloth. Diao Chan was bowing and smiling; it must have been a lot of fun for her.
"Hey, do you know The River Blue?" Yelled a villager. Diao Chan nodded and sang the happy little song for him. Afterwards, the man took a handful of money and dumped it in the cloth, which was overflowing. Suddenly, everyone was requesting songs, and Diao Chan was singing her heart out. When somebody asked for a song that was usually sung as a duet, Diao Chan tried to pull Zhang He out of the audience.
"Hey! No way! I can't sing, not at all!" Zhang He said, trying to escape desperately.
"You'll be fine! Come on! You know the song, don't you?" Diao Chan Said, putting up quite a good fight.
"Yes, but-" Zhang He tried to protest as she yanked him to where she was standing.
"Please?" Diao Chan said with huge puppy eyes.
"Alright . . . But I'm going to make a fool out of myself . . ." Zhang He said pitifully.
"Thank you!" She said happily. She began to sing the upbeat song in her pure voice. I'm going to ruin this song . . . Thought Zhang He. My voice sounds like a dying cat. He stood in agony, just waiting for his moment to come. How can she even think that I would do a good job! He heard the cue for him to start singing. This is it! He began to sing the first words, and nobody stopped and clapped their hands over their ears. He supposed he didn't sound horribly bad to them, so he relaxed a little. Why did he have to sing this particular song? This one was about love, he felt quite uncomfortable singing it with a girl. I guess it's not so bad . . . At least it's not another guy I'm singing it with. Oh, well, at least my friends aren't here, they'd bug me about this one for ages . . .
Finally, much to Zhang He's relief, the song ended, and to his surprise, people actually clapped and cheered. He guessed Diao Chan had covered up his terrible voice up with her beautiful one.
"Thank you very much everyone, it's my time to go now!" Diao Chan announced, as she gathered up the coins and they walked off towards the inn. Once inside, they got in line for a room.
"You were good, Zhang He, you have a very nice voice!" Diao Chan said, cheerfully.
"Thanks, but your just saying that . . ." Zhang He said quietly.
"No, I mean it, not very many guys have as nice a voice as that, you're lucky." Diao Chan said.
"Thanks, but I don't think I'll make a career of it." Zhang He said smiling a little. They stepped up to the counter and Diao Chan handed the man a fistful of money.
"I want a good room, and some food for both of us, please." She said to the man.
"Right this way . . ." The little old man said wheezed, whipping of into the building. They followed him into a fairly well sized room, and he left, shutting the door behind him.
"Not that bad . . ." Diao Chan Said, looking around the mostly empty room. Moments later, the man came back with some steaming bowls of rice. They talked in a sort of subdued manner as they ate; the reality of the situation was starting to set in. They were all alone in this harsh world, with nowhere to go but to war.
"It's odd. . ." Zhang He said softly.
"What is?" Diao Chan said.
"You spend a lot of time building up your life, getting to know people, getting a place to live, all these different things. It can take years and years, then you get used to it. But what most people don't realize is it can all be destroyed in seconds. In less than an hour your entire life can be ruined. Why do people even want to live with such a risk?" Zhang He said sadly.
"Well . . ." Said Diao Chan, thinking about it a little. "I suppose life is worth it just to love for that one little bit, to have a wonderful time, even if it's just for a second. If you never make any relationships or do anything with your life, what will happen to your heart? So cold and alone, I couldn't stand it. We live and love because it's our chance to learn . . ."
"Maybe. . ." Zhang He said. "Let's get some sleep, we've got a lot to do tomorrow."
In the morning, Zhang He woke Diao Chan early. They went out into the market and started shopping. They bought four small blankets, a pot, some flint stones, an axe, a bag of rice, a tent, and some satchels for carrying it all. With their pockets considerably lighter, they set off from the village into the great, wide world ahead of them.
They walked through many small valleys and fields. They day stretched on and on as they continued on tirelessly. Forever it seemed to go on, through meadows of tall grass, past majestic waterfalls, across roaring rivers and in small, quiet woods. The sun was starting to set, bathing everything in a pale red light. After climbing a particularly large hill, they took a break and watched the sun set. When it got dark, they decided it was best to sleep and not travel about at night. They set up the tent and cooked dinner, and then went to sleep.
The next few days went the same way. They covered a lot of land considering they were just walking. They would stay in an inn whenever they had the luck to come across a village by nightfall. It was already starting to warm up. Some of the leaves already started to sprout out of trees and show themselves. Bugs were everywhere; they had emerged from their long sleep underground and were ready to create another generation of their kind. The trees turned pink and let their lovely blossoms float down to earth one at a time. It felt like flora was dancing everywhere around them, the familiar sights and smells of spring were returning at last.
Diao Chan seemed dependant on Zhang He during this trip. She was obviously quite frightened of being out in the world, and she did her best to try and cope with it. There were some nights where she would trick herself into think something or someone bad was outside just about to attack. She would start to shake and whimper, then ball herself up in the blanket. It looked like she couldn't breathe very well, so Zhang He would move over very close and talk to her until she fell asleep. Even though it kept him up, Zhang He felt a lot better when she wasn't frightened. One such night, right after Diao Chan had calmed down something actually did happen.
"I kind of wanted to ask you about something . . ." Zhang He said a little softly.
"What?" Diao Chan said curiously.
"Well, I feel like I made you come along with me. I don't want to decide what you do for you, you didn't even want to fight in the beginning." Zhang He said.
"No, I want to stay with you. Wherever you go, I will. I have no place and nobody to go to besides you. You were the one who freed me from Dong Zhou; I am forever indebted to you. You are the best friend I have ever had." Diao Chan said meaningfully.
"Thank you, I am honored by your words." Zhang He.
"Also, if you don't mind . . . I can't really pay you in anyway, but I'd like to employ you as my bodyguard." Diao Chan said apprehensively.
"Of course I will!" Zhang He agreed happily. Diao Chan smiled broadly and looked in Zhang He's eyes. She truly was beautiful; her aquamarine eyes sparkled even in the dark. She started to lean forward towards Zhang He and her eyes closed. Zhang He drew a quick breath, what was she doing? Her pale face was nearing to his by the second. Something clicked in his head; he knew what he was supposed to do. He closed his eyes as well, and leaned forward too. Just when he thought they should come into contact with each other, there was a terrible ripping noise from above them. Zhang He jumped and looked up. The sharp point of a blade was tearing through the top of the tent. Diao Chan screamed and Zhang He made a mad swipe for his Talons. He snapped them on as quickly as he could and seized Diao Chan, speeding outside on his on his lightening fast feet.
Outside, a tall man with elbow long matted hair, a beard, and a crooked sword ran at them. Zhang He let down Diao Chan just in time to block he first attack. The man was an excellent sword fighter, he was quick and very precise, but Zhang He was determined to protect Diao Chan. Out of the corner of his eye, Zhang He saw Diao Chan run towards the bag in which she carried her things in and pull out her two lovely maces. She charged at the man from the back, and clubbed him in the back. He stood for a second, realizing what happened and Diao Chan ran next to Zhang He. He stood up and ran at them again, sword pointed directly at them. They both tagged teamed him with their weapons, performing spectacularly graceful moves. It looked as though they were beginning to take the upper hand in the fight. They beat him back until he was on the ground lying on his back. With his last bit of bravery, the man executed a sideways slash that cut into Diao Chan's leg. She dropped to her knees, but said she was fine when Zhang He tried to assist her. Zhang He positioned his Talons to register a final blow to the man, but a horrible pain cut into his chest. Zhang He looked down to see what had happened and gasped. The man had small metal claws attached to the tips of his fingers and he had dug them into Zhang He's chest. He smiled cruelly and twisted his hand to the left. Zhang He started to choke and pulled on the man's wrist with his shaking hands. He stood up and began to walk, dragging Zhang He on the floor behind him. Diao Chan shrieked and ran up beating the man feebly on the shoulders with her tiny fists. He delivered a massive blow to her head and she fell down unconscious. Zhang He felt a surge of rage and tried to lift his Talons to slash the evil man, but he was thrown again a tree. His head smashed against the hard wood and Zhang He was out cold.
troubles. This chapter was kind of short ^,^;; but I hope you like it
anyway! I delve a little deeper into Zhang He and Diao Chan's relationship, and there is an attack! Thanx for all the reviews and thanks to the guy who asked me to use Pang Tong in the previous chapter, I like
suggestions!
Enjoy!
Part 2
The Power of the Red Moon
Chapter 12
Blue Skies
At Sunset they reached the edge of the forest. The sky was turning pink and gold and the sun was just saying it's last farewell to the day. Bugs zipped by on their search for food and frogs could be heard croaking in the distance. Zhang He stepped out of the trees and surveyed the scene. Down below was a tiny village with its window glowing invitingly. Diao Chan stumbled out beside him, bruised and cut, and stood near him.
"WE'RE FINALLY OUT!" She cheered triumphantly. Zhang He laughed quietly and looked her way. She was really a mess, her clothes were torn and stained with blood, her hair was lopsided and had a few tangles, and she looked like she never wanted to hear the word "Forest" again.
"Better get used to it, were going to be doing quite a lot of walking through the wilds." Zhang He said in a less than eager voice. "Come on, we have to get supplies and food."
They made their way down the grassy slope to the sleepy little town. The hill leveled out and the ground became paved. Tired-looking villagers sat outside their houses and conversed with their families and the others. Everyone smiled and waved when they saw Zhang He and Diao Chan, a very good sign that they didn't kill visitors on sight in this village.
"Let's find an inn first of all, I bet your tired?" Zhang He said tranquilly.
"Yes, I'm due for a good sleep. and I'm hungry too!" Diao Chan said smiling at him.
"Yeah, me too. Do you have much money?" Zhang He asked, looking around for the pouch where he kept his money in.
"None at all . . ." Diao Chan said apologetically.
"Well, let's see . . ." Said Zhang He rummaging through the sack. "I've got about fifty Maru coins, and 100 Five-su's.
"That should be enough for the stuff we need." Diao Chan said, "Yuan Shao really paid you well."
Zhang He looked sadly at the ground. He could even think to himself about his old life yet, he didn't want to talk about it. It must've showed on his face because she clapped a hand over her mouth.
"I'm sorry, I won't talk about that anymore!" Diao Chan said quickly. For a while there was a long pause and Diao Chan suddenly brightened up. "I know a way we can get even more money!" She sped over to the side of a building and started looking around. She seized a part of her ruined clothes and tore it off. She then folded the fabric into a sort of a triangular bucket.
"What are you doing?" Zhang He said extremely puzzled.
"My father is very lazy and he used to make me do this to get money, just watch!" She said excitedly. She stood still and took a deep breath. Then she opened her mouth and. . .
I remember the heart that I left behind
Lying hidden, in the deep, in the deep,
Forest of my soul
Tired out, without strength,
Still searching for their hearts,
People disappear, into unending, into infinite
Darkness all around.
She was singing? Of course! This would bring people from all around! They
would love to hear her voice!
If it's so small, why does it still come to mind? Haven't I forgotten now?
I can see . . .
As we live on, we lose more of ourselves . . .
Shrouded in the lies, we stand frozen
Unable to cry, or reach another
How can we stand to live,
In this dream?
It was working; people were poking their heads out of their homes to see where the beautiful song was coming from. Some of the men stepped up and
tossed coins in the cloth bucket. What a great idea!
As the days come by, they pass, and the change
We never really see, how blue, how blue
The sky can really be . . .
When we overcome the lies and the schemes,
We'll live in the now,
And our old, rusted hearts begin to beat again!
Soon, almost everyone in the village came around to look at the mysterious
girl and her mysterious song. Everyone crowded around and watched Diao
Chan perform her pretty little dance and sing the wonderful, sad song.
If we can find the rhythm of our time, we can finally spread our wings and
fly!
As we live on, we lose more of ourselves . . .
Shrouded in the lies, we stand frozen
Unable to cry, or reach another
How can we stand to live,
In this dream?
As she ended the entire village erupted into applause. Whistles and cheers were heard, and people were still tossing money into the torn cloth. Diao Chan was bowing and smiling; it must have been a lot of fun for her.
"Hey, do you know The River Blue?" Yelled a villager. Diao Chan nodded and sang the happy little song for him. Afterwards, the man took a handful of money and dumped it in the cloth, which was overflowing. Suddenly, everyone was requesting songs, and Diao Chan was singing her heart out. When somebody asked for a song that was usually sung as a duet, Diao Chan tried to pull Zhang He out of the audience.
"Hey! No way! I can't sing, not at all!" Zhang He said, trying to escape desperately.
"You'll be fine! Come on! You know the song, don't you?" Diao Chan Said, putting up quite a good fight.
"Yes, but-" Zhang He tried to protest as she yanked him to where she was standing.
"Please?" Diao Chan said with huge puppy eyes.
"Alright . . . But I'm going to make a fool out of myself . . ." Zhang He said pitifully.
"Thank you!" She said happily. She began to sing the upbeat song in her pure voice. I'm going to ruin this song . . . Thought Zhang He. My voice sounds like a dying cat. He stood in agony, just waiting for his moment to come. How can she even think that I would do a good job! He heard the cue for him to start singing. This is it! He began to sing the first words, and nobody stopped and clapped their hands over their ears. He supposed he didn't sound horribly bad to them, so he relaxed a little. Why did he have to sing this particular song? This one was about love, he felt quite uncomfortable singing it with a girl. I guess it's not so bad . . . At least it's not another guy I'm singing it with. Oh, well, at least my friends aren't here, they'd bug me about this one for ages . . .
Finally, much to Zhang He's relief, the song ended, and to his surprise, people actually clapped and cheered. He guessed Diao Chan had covered up his terrible voice up with her beautiful one.
"Thank you very much everyone, it's my time to go now!" Diao Chan announced, as she gathered up the coins and they walked off towards the inn. Once inside, they got in line for a room.
"You were good, Zhang He, you have a very nice voice!" Diao Chan said, cheerfully.
"Thanks, but your just saying that . . ." Zhang He said quietly.
"No, I mean it, not very many guys have as nice a voice as that, you're lucky." Diao Chan said.
"Thanks, but I don't think I'll make a career of it." Zhang He said smiling a little. They stepped up to the counter and Diao Chan handed the man a fistful of money.
"I want a good room, and some food for both of us, please." She said to the man.
"Right this way . . ." The little old man said wheezed, whipping of into the building. They followed him into a fairly well sized room, and he left, shutting the door behind him.
"Not that bad . . ." Diao Chan Said, looking around the mostly empty room. Moments later, the man came back with some steaming bowls of rice. They talked in a sort of subdued manner as they ate; the reality of the situation was starting to set in. They were all alone in this harsh world, with nowhere to go but to war.
"It's odd. . ." Zhang He said softly.
"What is?" Diao Chan said.
"You spend a lot of time building up your life, getting to know people, getting a place to live, all these different things. It can take years and years, then you get used to it. But what most people don't realize is it can all be destroyed in seconds. In less than an hour your entire life can be ruined. Why do people even want to live with such a risk?" Zhang He said sadly.
"Well . . ." Said Diao Chan, thinking about it a little. "I suppose life is worth it just to love for that one little bit, to have a wonderful time, even if it's just for a second. If you never make any relationships or do anything with your life, what will happen to your heart? So cold and alone, I couldn't stand it. We live and love because it's our chance to learn . . ."
"Maybe. . ." Zhang He said. "Let's get some sleep, we've got a lot to do tomorrow."
In the morning, Zhang He woke Diao Chan early. They went out into the market and started shopping. They bought four small blankets, a pot, some flint stones, an axe, a bag of rice, a tent, and some satchels for carrying it all. With their pockets considerably lighter, they set off from the village into the great, wide world ahead of them.
They walked through many small valleys and fields. They day stretched on and on as they continued on tirelessly. Forever it seemed to go on, through meadows of tall grass, past majestic waterfalls, across roaring rivers and in small, quiet woods. The sun was starting to set, bathing everything in a pale red light. After climbing a particularly large hill, they took a break and watched the sun set. When it got dark, they decided it was best to sleep and not travel about at night. They set up the tent and cooked dinner, and then went to sleep.
The next few days went the same way. They covered a lot of land considering they were just walking. They would stay in an inn whenever they had the luck to come across a village by nightfall. It was already starting to warm up. Some of the leaves already started to sprout out of trees and show themselves. Bugs were everywhere; they had emerged from their long sleep underground and were ready to create another generation of their kind. The trees turned pink and let their lovely blossoms float down to earth one at a time. It felt like flora was dancing everywhere around them, the familiar sights and smells of spring were returning at last.
Diao Chan seemed dependant on Zhang He during this trip. She was obviously quite frightened of being out in the world, and she did her best to try and cope with it. There were some nights where she would trick herself into think something or someone bad was outside just about to attack. She would start to shake and whimper, then ball herself up in the blanket. It looked like she couldn't breathe very well, so Zhang He would move over very close and talk to her until she fell asleep. Even though it kept him up, Zhang He felt a lot better when she wasn't frightened. One such night, right after Diao Chan had calmed down something actually did happen.
"I kind of wanted to ask you about something . . ." Zhang He said a little softly.
"What?" Diao Chan said curiously.
"Well, I feel like I made you come along with me. I don't want to decide what you do for you, you didn't even want to fight in the beginning." Zhang He said.
"No, I want to stay with you. Wherever you go, I will. I have no place and nobody to go to besides you. You were the one who freed me from Dong Zhou; I am forever indebted to you. You are the best friend I have ever had." Diao Chan said meaningfully.
"Thank you, I am honored by your words." Zhang He.
"Also, if you don't mind . . . I can't really pay you in anyway, but I'd like to employ you as my bodyguard." Diao Chan said apprehensively.
"Of course I will!" Zhang He agreed happily. Diao Chan smiled broadly and looked in Zhang He's eyes. She truly was beautiful; her aquamarine eyes sparkled even in the dark. She started to lean forward towards Zhang He and her eyes closed. Zhang He drew a quick breath, what was she doing? Her pale face was nearing to his by the second. Something clicked in his head; he knew what he was supposed to do. He closed his eyes as well, and leaned forward too. Just when he thought they should come into contact with each other, there was a terrible ripping noise from above them. Zhang He jumped and looked up. The sharp point of a blade was tearing through the top of the tent. Diao Chan screamed and Zhang He made a mad swipe for his Talons. He snapped them on as quickly as he could and seized Diao Chan, speeding outside on his on his lightening fast feet.
Outside, a tall man with elbow long matted hair, a beard, and a crooked sword ran at them. Zhang He let down Diao Chan just in time to block he first attack. The man was an excellent sword fighter, he was quick and very precise, but Zhang He was determined to protect Diao Chan. Out of the corner of his eye, Zhang He saw Diao Chan run towards the bag in which she carried her things in and pull out her two lovely maces. She charged at the man from the back, and clubbed him in the back. He stood for a second, realizing what happened and Diao Chan ran next to Zhang He. He stood up and ran at them again, sword pointed directly at them. They both tagged teamed him with their weapons, performing spectacularly graceful moves. It looked as though they were beginning to take the upper hand in the fight. They beat him back until he was on the ground lying on his back. With his last bit of bravery, the man executed a sideways slash that cut into Diao Chan's leg. She dropped to her knees, but said she was fine when Zhang He tried to assist her. Zhang He positioned his Talons to register a final blow to the man, but a horrible pain cut into his chest. Zhang He looked down to see what had happened and gasped. The man had small metal claws attached to the tips of his fingers and he had dug them into Zhang He's chest. He smiled cruelly and twisted his hand to the left. Zhang He started to choke and pulled on the man's wrist with his shaking hands. He stood up and began to walk, dragging Zhang He on the floor behind him. Diao Chan shrieked and ran up beating the man feebly on the shoulders with her tiny fists. He delivered a massive blow to her head and she fell down unconscious. Zhang He felt a surge of rage and tried to lift his Talons to slash the evil man, but he was thrown again a tree. His head smashed against the hard wood and Zhang He was out cold.