Author's Note: YAY! Part four has finally arrived. Due to bad planning on
my part, Samanosuke/Hyuga had to be moved to chapter forty eight . . . Gomenasai, Petta, but this time, I promise you with every ounce of life I have in me that He will be in chapter forty eight and he'll have a huge big part! Next thing up, it's almost summer again!! YAY! (ceeeeeelebrate good times, come on!) Which means I'll be able to update A LOT faster! I plan on having TOTSD finished by the end of June, start of July. Don't hold me
to that. . . but that's ma plan. Sorry this ones short lol lotsa
shockers, get ready kids... (and btw to Inu lover, sorry, I get a lot of stuff wrong lol but I'll keep his name Sima Hua jus' cuz everyone knows it
)
Enjoy!
Part 4
Fall of the Flaming God
Chapter 46
Round We Go Again
The aftermath of the wedding was enormous. The actual process took more than a minute; the phoenix and dragon candles were lit and each couple drank wine from golden goblets tied together with a red thread. They moved in a daze to the banquet hall where the first thing anyone heard was "NIIIIIIING!!" After wards, in a blur of motion, Gan Ning jumped on top of the all, producing a domino effect. Everyone was in a fit of laughter afterward.
Wine flowed freely that night and every celebrated and feasted. All the guests brought back thoughts of the Shi Dynasty to Zhang He, but it didn't let it bother him at the moment. Zhang He noticed Mitsuke looked a bit sad and concluded she must have been thinking of Jiten back in her home country but when she saw Zhang He she forced a smile. "Omedeto Gozaimasu!" She cheered happily and he thanked her, not knowing what she said but pretending to.
Gan Ning never ceased at making a spectacle of himself and made the party even more fun after he'd down four glasses of saké. Xu Huang sat at the table and told amazing stories of might and battle as Sun Quan listened with wide eyes. Sun Ce whispered to Zhang He that he was tempted to break it to his younger brother that Xu Huang was making it up. Huang Zhong, happily drunk and sleeping on the floor fell victim to Xiao Qiao and Sun Shang Xiang and their ink. His face was wonderfully decorated afterwards and everyone laughed. Ma Chao, Wei Yan and Pang Tong came from Ru Nan to be at the party and Zhang He was glad to talk with them again. Lu Xun ran around greeting people and write things down speedily on his parchment. Lu Meng sulked in the corner and drank. Sima Yi and Sun Shang Xiang sat together, conversing happily with one another and a more uncomfortably with Sima Fang and Wu Sheng. Zhang He sensed the sparks flying every since those two set eyes on one another and hoped to the Heavens Wu Sheng's temper wasn't as bad as her daughter's. Sima Hua was also one of the guest and "cordially" asked Sima Yi why he was having another wedding. The truth finally came out and Sima Hua took it . . . well . . .
He was drinking saké with Diao Chan, Sun Ce and Da Qiao when the pot ran dry.
"Will you go get some more, brother?" Sun Ce asked in a half drunken way. Zhang He nodded genteelly and head out the back door to where the Saké pots were kept. He grabbed the pot that looked about half full (He didn't want to get another headache the next morning) and turned to go back in. He almost walked back through the door into the warm glow of the inside, but a rustling noise and dark movement stopped him. He saw the shaded figure of a man standing near the underbrush.
"Who's there?" Zhang He called out, his heart beating a bit rapidly as he cursed the veil that covered his mind.
"Don't you remember?" Drawled an all to familiar voice. "All the good times we've had together and you don't remember me?" A snobby chuckle followed this.
"Show yourself." Zhang He commanded, feeling a bit scared. He couldn't react well while, even though he was only slightly intoxicated. The man, who was perhaps an inch or two taller than Zhang He, moved forward, his cloak billowing at his feet. As he moved into the light, a pale white face was revealed in the strip of golden light from the party inside. His fine black hair swept around his smooth skin, which was nearly the color of snow. His gray eyes flashed, looking similar to Zhang He's, but filled with malice. An elegant black hat was placed on top of his head and he wore fine black robes, which were shrouded in a cloak. Zhang He knew that face at once. It was Guo Tu.
Zhang He gasped and nearly fell over. He pointed at Guo Tu, too shocked to throw a punch.
"You!" Was all he managed to get out.
"Yes, me . . ." Guo Tu teased cruelly. "Did you miss me?" He mocked. Zhang He got a grip on himself and balled up his fist. He then threw a hook punch, which should've connected, but Guo Tu was quick. He grabbed Zhang He's wrist and pulled it down. Zhang He countered with another punch, but Guo Tu caught it with his other hand. Just then, another shock came over Zhang He; Guo Tu had both of his hands.
"How? How did you-" Zhang He asked, spellbound.
"There are simple ways to return flesh, Zhang He, all I needed was a mage . . ." Guo Tu scoffed. He picked up his knee and pushed it into Zhang He's stomach then let him fall to the ground. "I didn't come here to fight. I came here to give you fair warning. I have no intention of breaking up your lovely little wedding . . . But just to let you know your new wife won't live very long. She's one of the ones . . . as are you . . . Ki will take care of you . . ."
"What are you talking about!? You won't lay a hand on Diao Chan!" Zhang He yelled, filled with rage.
"Oh, I don't intend to . . ." Guo Tu spoke lightly. He then kneeled next to Zhang He. He grabbed the front fabric of Zhang He's shirt and pulled him forward roughly. "We are more closely connected than you think. Things are going to get terribly hard for you soon . . ." Guo Tu threw him back down. "Enjoy . . ." He then walked off into the darkness from which he came. Zhang He sat in stunned silence for a moment, not doing anything. At last he decided there was no immediate threat and there was no need to cause a panic. He eventually went back and enjoyed the rest of the night. Well, almost enjoyed. This event didn't exactly put him in a good mood, but he forced himself to forget it for the time being.
Once all the guests had left for the night, everyone felt tired to say the least. A carriage was sent and in about an hour's time they reached their house. All the girls were surprised and very happy. They spent about two hours searching the place and talking excitedly among themselves. While this was going on, Zhang He found it a perfect time to discuss things with Sima Yi. He located him and they both went into a corner to talk over matters privately.
Zhang He told him everything that had happened and Sima Yi looked a bit pale.
"What do you reckon I should do?" Zhang He asked and Xiao Qiao burst into her and Zhou Yu's new room, squeaking happily. Sima Yi shook his head.
"I'm not sure. I think you should probably be on the lookout for strange or suspicious happening around you and be on your guard constantly. We can send spies to find out all we can, as well . . ."
"What I don't get is how he knew that we were all here tonight. It's not like we announced it, or something. He must have heard it from one of the guests . . . perhaps he's in an alliance with one of them . . .
"Anything's possible at this point, but for now, I'm going to bed . . ." Sima Yi stood up and straightened out his clothes. Zhang He laughed almost wickedly. Sima Yi blushed a bit, knowing exactly what he was laughing at.
"Are you going to be able to get through the night alright?" Zhang He asked, smiling wryly.
"Shut up . . ." Sima Yi spat, an embarrassed grin on his lips.
"Careful with those nosebleeds . . ." Zhang He smiled, walking into his own room.
"You'd better quit it before I throw something at you . . ." Sima Yi answered, disappearing behind the door. Zhang He smiled and shut the door. Needless to say, not many people in that house slept until later on . . .
After his wedding, Zhang He and the others had somewhat of a silent agreement on a vacation. They spent four months living a perfectly normal life at their house. Now that Zhang He's birthday had passed again, he was seventeen years old. Wu Sheng and Sima Hua came to live in their house as they no longer to wished to live alone.
It was a peaceful autumn morning and Sun Shang Xiang, Zhang He, and Sima Yi were sitting on one of their many balconies enjoying the fresh air and conversing lazily. Wu Sheng drifted onto the balcony, humming something. Zhang He suddenly remembered the things he wanted to ask her, but she spoke before he could get anything out.
"Oh, yes, I meant to ask you Sima Yi . . ." She said, as if remembering something as soon as Zhang He did. "Why wasn't your mother at the wedding? Mai Xeng and I go way back, you know." Sima Yi's eyes swam a bit and he looked over at her in a puzzled way.
"She . . . She passed away a long time ago, my Lady." Sima Yi said respectfully with some sadness in his tone. Wu Sheng Suddenly backed up against the wall, a look of terror overcoming her.
"What did you say?" Her scared voice like the squealing of a rabbit about to be crushed.
"She died . . ." Sima Yi said, looking alarmed. Sun Shang Xiang turned to look at her mother, equally confused.
"No! T-that can't be. . . then I'm the only one left . . . then. . . oh, heavens . . . How did she die?" She shrieked. Sima Yi was taken aback. "Answer me!"
"S-she got cut in half with a sword!" Sima Yi yelled standing up.
"NO! It's holding true! It's coming back to get us! I'm next! No!" She backed up against the wall, shut her eyes and shaking her head.
"Mother!" Sun Shang Xiang ran to her side.
"You don't understand! My time's up! It'll be any second now, my time's up! I know . . ." She ran into the house still yelling "My time's up!" All three trailed after her, shocked and inquisitive. Suddenly, there was a blood-curdling scream.
Zhang He ran to find what was going on and turned the corner to another stunning sight. Wu Sheng's sleeve and caught onto one of the metal braziers that lined the halls and it started to ignite. Sun Shang Xiang was sitting in the corner, her eyes blank, her body still. When Zhang He and Sima Yi ran forward to help, they both became paralyzed. They fell where the stood, minds very much alive, but everything else disabled. Wu Sheng tugged at her sleeve and cried miserably. Her entire arm ignited and she finally gave up struggling.
"I knew . . . It would happen this way . . . The ropes, the blades, the waters the flames . . . They don't want you to know . . ." She looked at Zhang He, Sima Yi and Sun Shang Xiang, "They're trying to stop it. But you've got to win. It's in my room. Use it to find the lost village. And never, ever, forget that song! NEVER FORGET IT!" She yelled finally before a sudden burst of flames over took her completely. Once again the entire place was thrown into panic and grief, the Sun Family suffering yet another loss. Sun Shang Xiang didn't look as miserable this time, she looked more angry.
"Something did this to her . . . Some force . . . it killed all of mothers, don't you see?" She told them all one the night before Wu Sheng's funeral. "Sima Yi, Zhou Yu, Zhang He . . ."
"Well, I actually don't know exactly how my mother died . . ." Zhang He admitted. The room fell silent.
"She was hung . . .," A dark voice said from the corner. It was Zhang Liao. Zhen Ji was at his side, a worry line on her forehead. "By our father . . ." Now it was Zhang He turn to be shocked.
"What?" Zhang He asked. "You told me she died of an illness!"
"That's what I told you." Zhang Liao said, maintaining eye contact with his shoes. "I lied to you because I didn't want you to remember. You were so traumatized by it before, you made yourself forget it. I thought if I reminded you, you wouldn't be the same person."
"What was so bad about it? I've seen dead people before, you know . . . I've killed people . . ."
"Because it was so brutal. Father went into a trance, just like Sun Ce, Sima Fang and you three did. She was trying to escape, but Zhang Fei beat her around. A lot of violence happened and she didn't look very pretty in the end, let's say. She was tied to the tree once around her neck, then her wrists, and then ankles tied together onto the ground. And her eyes . . . they were still open . . ." Zhang Liao shuddered. Zhang He felt a little sick to his stomach, but said nothing.
"There's something going on . . .," Sima Yi almost whispered. "I can feel it. It's on the tip of my memory but I just can't seem to unlock it. It's got something to do with that 'Kaze no Mori.' That song . . ." Sima Yi hummed a bit of it. "We all know it, but from where?"
"Well, let's gather all of our clues . . ." Zhou Yu said systematically. "We know that my mother, Wu Sheng, Huang Chen Rai, and Mai Xeng knew one another. We know that people that knew and loved them were forced to kill them. We know they all got this song through to us, for some reason . . . We've got to be connected in some other way. Our meeting was no coincidence. All of us. We know. . ."
"That something that is going to lead us to the answer to all these questions is in her room." Sun Shang Xiang said severely.
"We've sent the servants to look in there, but they found nothing." Sima Yi said to her soothingly. She stood up suddenly.
"If you want something done, do it yourself!" And with that she swept angrily from the room. A trail of people immediately followed after her.
The door was opened to the lonely room in which Wu Sheng once occupied. Her worldly possessions that once meant so much today were now just gloomy reminders, still standing in their ready positions for their owner who would never return. The ten of them searched the room up and down. Zhang He check under her futon mattress and Sima Yi checked the lining of everyone of her robes.
Suddenly Sun Shang Xiang stood.
"This is it . . ." She breathed, looking at something in her hands. Everyone crowded around her to see. She held a collection of yellowed papers that were bound together so they looked something like a book.
One the first page was a painting of a river. The water was black and looked troubled. A tiny depiction of a house was on a hill nearby the water. The river meandered through dark woods, then off the page. A line of red ink
(Blood, thought Zhang He)
followed along the rivers edge. Sun Shang Xiang turned the page. A crude charcoal drawing showed a woman with long hair in a black dressed stuck to a piece of wood, her arms out to either side.
"It's the Lady in Black!" Screamed Zhang He, falling backwards as his heart thumped uncontrollably in his chest. They all studied it a bit more.
"No . . ." Xiao Qiao said slowly. "It looks more like a doll of Her. . ." They all agreed to this. The wood post she was drawn on poked out of what had to be tall grass and Ravens flew away from her. Sun Shang swallowed nervously and turned the page again. This one depicted a girl in mask, shrouded in darkness. The mask had two black ellipses paint upon it, suggesting eyes, and another for a mouth. Her hair was wild and black and she wore a dark robe. She held a doll of the Lady in her left hand.
"What is this?" Da Qiao asked, holding onto Sun Ce's arm. "It's really creepy . . ." Without answering, Sun Shang Xiang flipped to the next page. This was definitely the most disturbing of the bunch. Four women lay in twisted positions on the ground. One was tied with ropes, around the neck, wrists and ankles; the next had bleeding slash marks all over her and was sitting with an anguished look on her face in dark blood. Next to her was a women lying dead in a pool of water, some of it still damping her hair and draining from her mouth. The last was a screaming woman who was engulfed in flames. All of them were being swallowed by The Lady in Black.
Zhang He was now breathing audibly. He backed against the wall, fighting the urge to yell.
"Th-the Lady . . . She'll kill us all! SHE'LL KILL US ALL!" He panicked. Diao Chan went down to him and calmed him a bit.
"What does this mean?" Sima Yi asked breathless.
"It's . . . It's a map . . ." Zhou Yu said, gently taking it from Sun Shang Xiang. He flipped back to the first page showing the dark river. "If we follow along the bank of a river, we'll probably find this doll of the Lady in Black and that will lead us to the answers of the rest of these drawings. Before anything else could happen, a cry was heard from the entrance garden. It sounded pained and miserable.
"SIMA YIIIIiiiii....." It cried, full of vibrato. "SIMA YIIII! I need Sima Yi!" Zhang He screamed again.
"It's the Lady in Black! She's come for Sima Yi! Heavens, save us all!! AHH!" Zhang He kicked his feet and hid his face with his hands.
"No, Zhang He, that's a man's voice . . ." Diao Chan said soothingly, running her hand up and down his back soothingly. Zhang He stopped at once, feeling embarrassed. "Oh . . ."
Sima Yi rushed to the window and looked out. He suddenly bellowed with rage. "AHHH!!!" He screamed, running towards the exit and grabbing his Black-Feather fan as he went. "I'll kill him! I'LL KILL HIM!!" Zhang He and the rest followed, running towards the crumpled figure on the ground that was being surrounded buy servants and other like them.
"Out of the way!" Sima Yi roared, pushing people aside roughly. He put the wailing man in a headlock and Zhang He saw the black light glow from his fan.
"No! Sima Yi!!! Don't kill me!" He heard the tortured voice say, now riddled with panic.
Zhang He tried to see, but everyone was in the way and no one would let him through; they obviously didn't know it was him . . .
"Move!" He yelled fiercely and they parted, looking frightened. The man Sima Yi had in a headlock was badly injured. There was nearly blood all over him, staining his white and green silk robes. His fluffy had, which had two or three rips in it and a dirt smudge or two had fallen to the side. An arrow stuck out of his arm and leg and his clothes had tears littering them up and down. His fine face was pulled into an expression of terror and misery had a thin moustache on either side of his lip and a long, pointy goatee. His long dark hair, now in mats and tangles swung to either side as he struggled.
"Give me one good reason you shouldn't die at this very moment!" Sima Yi spat, a vein throbbing on his forehead.
"Please! You don't understand! It wasn't me that made the decision, it was-"
"Incoherent." Sima Yi said shortly. "You die." His fan glowed brightly and Zhang He thought he would actually do it when Sima Hua, of all people, stepped in and yanked Sima Yi off. "Grandfather! What are you doing! Stop it! He's the enemy!" Sima Yi fought but he got tossed to the side.
"Are you alright, Zhuge Liang?" Sima Hua asked, going to the battered man.
"That's Zhuge Liang!?" Zhang He asked, dumbfounded. This ruined scrap of a man looked nothing like the high, refined and excessively snobby man he'd met before. But he saw definite resemblance; it had to be him . . .
"Oh, master, master . . ." Zhuge Liang wept, touching Sima Hua's feet with his dirty and bleeding hands. "Save me, please . . . you're my only hope . . ."
"We'll listen to your story later for now we've got to get you to our infirmary . . ." Sima Hua said, supporting Zhuge Liang as the walked off.
Sima Yi was not pleased.
my part, Samanosuke/Hyuga had to be moved to chapter forty eight . . . Gomenasai, Petta, but this time, I promise you with every ounce of life I have in me that He will be in chapter forty eight and he'll have a huge big part! Next thing up, it's almost summer again!! YAY! (ceeeeeelebrate good times, come on!) Which means I'll be able to update A LOT faster! I plan on having TOTSD finished by the end of June, start of July. Don't hold me
to that. . . but that's ma plan. Sorry this ones short lol lotsa
shockers, get ready kids... (and btw to Inu lover, sorry, I get a lot of stuff wrong lol but I'll keep his name Sima Hua jus' cuz everyone knows it
)
Enjoy!
Part 4
Fall of the Flaming God
Chapter 46
Round We Go Again
The aftermath of the wedding was enormous. The actual process took more than a minute; the phoenix and dragon candles were lit and each couple drank wine from golden goblets tied together with a red thread. They moved in a daze to the banquet hall where the first thing anyone heard was "NIIIIIIING!!" After wards, in a blur of motion, Gan Ning jumped on top of the all, producing a domino effect. Everyone was in a fit of laughter afterward.
Wine flowed freely that night and every celebrated and feasted. All the guests brought back thoughts of the Shi Dynasty to Zhang He, but it didn't let it bother him at the moment. Zhang He noticed Mitsuke looked a bit sad and concluded she must have been thinking of Jiten back in her home country but when she saw Zhang He she forced a smile. "Omedeto Gozaimasu!" She cheered happily and he thanked her, not knowing what she said but pretending to.
Gan Ning never ceased at making a spectacle of himself and made the party even more fun after he'd down four glasses of saké. Xu Huang sat at the table and told amazing stories of might and battle as Sun Quan listened with wide eyes. Sun Ce whispered to Zhang He that he was tempted to break it to his younger brother that Xu Huang was making it up. Huang Zhong, happily drunk and sleeping on the floor fell victim to Xiao Qiao and Sun Shang Xiang and their ink. His face was wonderfully decorated afterwards and everyone laughed. Ma Chao, Wei Yan and Pang Tong came from Ru Nan to be at the party and Zhang He was glad to talk with them again. Lu Xun ran around greeting people and write things down speedily on his parchment. Lu Meng sulked in the corner and drank. Sima Yi and Sun Shang Xiang sat together, conversing happily with one another and a more uncomfortably with Sima Fang and Wu Sheng. Zhang He sensed the sparks flying every since those two set eyes on one another and hoped to the Heavens Wu Sheng's temper wasn't as bad as her daughter's. Sima Hua was also one of the guest and "cordially" asked Sima Yi why he was having another wedding. The truth finally came out and Sima Hua took it . . . well . . .
He was drinking saké with Diao Chan, Sun Ce and Da Qiao when the pot ran dry.
"Will you go get some more, brother?" Sun Ce asked in a half drunken way. Zhang He nodded genteelly and head out the back door to where the Saké pots were kept. He grabbed the pot that looked about half full (He didn't want to get another headache the next morning) and turned to go back in. He almost walked back through the door into the warm glow of the inside, but a rustling noise and dark movement stopped him. He saw the shaded figure of a man standing near the underbrush.
"Who's there?" Zhang He called out, his heart beating a bit rapidly as he cursed the veil that covered his mind.
"Don't you remember?" Drawled an all to familiar voice. "All the good times we've had together and you don't remember me?" A snobby chuckle followed this.
"Show yourself." Zhang He commanded, feeling a bit scared. He couldn't react well while, even though he was only slightly intoxicated. The man, who was perhaps an inch or two taller than Zhang He, moved forward, his cloak billowing at his feet. As he moved into the light, a pale white face was revealed in the strip of golden light from the party inside. His fine black hair swept around his smooth skin, which was nearly the color of snow. His gray eyes flashed, looking similar to Zhang He's, but filled with malice. An elegant black hat was placed on top of his head and he wore fine black robes, which were shrouded in a cloak. Zhang He knew that face at once. It was Guo Tu.
Zhang He gasped and nearly fell over. He pointed at Guo Tu, too shocked to throw a punch.
"You!" Was all he managed to get out.
"Yes, me . . ." Guo Tu teased cruelly. "Did you miss me?" He mocked. Zhang He got a grip on himself and balled up his fist. He then threw a hook punch, which should've connected, but Guo Tu was quick. He grabbed Zhang He's wrist and pulled it down. Zhang He countered with another punch, but Guo Tu caught it with his other hand. Just then, another shock came over Zhang He; Guo Tu had both of his hands.
"How? How did you-" Zhang He asked, spellbound.
"There are simple ways to return flesh, Zhang He, all I needed was a mage . . ." Guo Tu scoffed. He picked up his knee and pushed it into Zhang He's stomach then let him fall to the ground. "I didn't come here to fight. I came here to give you fair warning. I have no intention of breaking up your lovely little wedding . . . But just to let you know your new wife won't live very long. She's one of the ones . . . as are you . . . Ki will take care of you . . ."
"What are you talking about!? You won't lay a hand on Diao Chan!" Zhang He yelled, filled with rage.
"Oh, I don't intend to . . ." Guo Tu spoke lightly. He then kneeled next to Zhang He. He grabbed the front fabric of Zhang He's shirt and pulled him forward roughly. "We are more closely connected than you think. Things are going to get terribly hard for you soon . . ." Guo Tu threw him back down. "Enjoy . . ." He then walked off into the darkness from which he came. Zhang He sat in stunned silence for a moment, not doing anything. At last he decided there was no immediate threat and there was no need to cause a panic. He eventually went back and enjoyed the rest of the night. Well, almost enjoyed. This event didn't exactly put him in a good mood, but he forced himself to forget it for the time being.
Once all the guests had left for the night, everyone felt tired to say the least. A carriage was sent and in about an hour's time they reached their house. All the girls were surprised and very happy. They spent about two hours searching the place and talking excitedly among themselves. While this was going on, Zhang He found it a perfect time to discuss things with Sima Yi. He located him and they both went into a corner to talk over matters privately.
Zhang He told him everything that had happened and Sima Yi looked a bit pale.
"What do you reckon I should do?" Zhang He asked and Xiao Qiao burst into her and Zhou Yu's new room, squeaking happily. Sima Yi shook his head.
"I'm not sure. I think you should probably be on the lookout for strange or suspicious happening around you and be on your guard constantly. We can send spies to find out all we can, as well . . ."
"What I don't get is how he knew that we were all here tonight. It's not like we announced it, or something. He must have heard it from one of the guests . . . perhaps he's in an alliance with one of them . . .
"Anything's possible at this point, but for now, I'm going to bed . . ." Sima Yi stood up and straightened out his clothes. Zhang He laughed almost wickedly. Sima Yi blushed a bit, knowing exactly what he was laughing at.
"Are you going to be able to get through the night alright?" Zhang He asked, smiling wryly.
"Shut up . . ." Sima Yi spat, an embarrassed grin on his lips.
"Careful with those nosebleeds . . ." Zhang He smiled, walking into his own room.
"You'd better quit it before I throw something at you . . ." Sima Yi answered, disappearing behind the door. Zhang He smiled and shut the door. Needless to say, not many people in that house slept until later on . . .
After his wedding, Zhang He and the others had somewhat of a silent agreement on a vacation. They spent four months living a perfectly normal life at their house. Now that Zhang He's birthday had passed again, he was seventeen years old. Wu Sheng and Sima Hua came to live in their house as they no longer to wished to live alone.
It was a peaceful autumn morning and Sun Shang Xiang, Zhang He, and Sima Yi were sitting on one of their many balconies enjoying the fresh air and conversing lazily. Wu Sheng drifted onto the balcony, humming something. Zhang He suddenly remembered the things he wanted to ask her, but she spoke before he could get anything out.
"Oh, yes, I meant to ask you Sima Yi . . ." She said, as if remembering something as soon as Zhang He did. "Why wasn't your mother at the wedding? Mai Xeng and I go way back, you know." Sima Yi's eyes swam a bit and he looked over at her in a puzzled way.
"She . . . She passed away a long time ago, my Lady." Sima Yi said respectfully with some sadness in his tone. Wu Sheng Suddenly backed up against the wall, a look of terror overcoming her.
"What did you say?" Her scared voice like the squealing of a rabbit about to be crushed.
"She died . . ." Sima Yi said, looking alarmed. Sun Shang Xiang turned to look at her mother, equally confused.
"No! T-that can't be. . . then I'm the only one left . . . then. . . oh, heavens . . . How did she die?" She shrieked. Sima Yi was taken aback. "Answer me!"
"S-she got cut in half with a sword!" Sima Yi yelled standing up.
"NO! It's holding true! It's coming back to get us! I'm next! No!" She backed up against the wall, shut her eyes and shaking her head.
"Mother!" Sun Shang Xiang ran to her side.
"You don't understand! My time's up! It'll be any second now, my time's up! I know . . ." She ran into the house still yelling "My time's up!" All three trailed after her, shocked and inquisitive. Suddenly, there was a blood-curdling scream.
Zhang He ran to find what was going on and turned the corner to another stunning sight. Wu Sheng's sleeve and caught onto one of the metal braziers that lined the halls and it started to ignite. Sun Shang Xiang was sitting in the corner, her eyes blank, her body still. When Zhang He and Sima Yi ran forward to help, they both became paralyzed. They fell where the stood, minds very much alive, but everything else disabled. Wu Sheng tugged at her sleeve and cried miserably. Her entire arm ignited and she finally gave up struggling.
"I knew . . . It would happen this way . . . The ropes, the blades, the waters the flames . . . They don't want you to know . . ." She looked at Zhang He, Sima Yi and Sun Shang Xiang, "They're trying to stop it. But you've got to win. It's in my room. Use it to find the lost village. And never, ever, forget that song! NEVER FORGET IT!" She yelled finally before a sudden burst of flames over took her completely. Once again the entire place was thrown into panic and grief, the Sun Family suffering yet another loss. Sun Shang Xiang didn't look as miserable this time, she looked more angry.
"Something did this to her . . . Some force . . . it killed all of mothers, don't you see?" She told them all one the night before Wu Sheng's funeral. "Sima Yi, Zhou Yu, Zhang He . . ."
"Well, I actually don't know exactly how my mother died . . ." Zhang He admitted. The room fell silent.
"She was hung . . .," A dark voice said from the corner. It was Zhang Liao. Zhen Ji was at his side, a worry line on her forehead. "By our father . . ." Now it was Zhang He turn to be shocked.
"What?" Zhang He asked. "You told me she died of an illness!"
"That's what I told you." Zhang Liao said, maintaining eye contact with his shoes. "I lied to you because I didn't want you to remember. You were so traumatized by it before, you made yourself forget it. I thought if I reminded you, you wouldn't be the same person."
"What was so bad about it? I've seen dead people before, you know . . . I've killed people . . ."
"Because it was so brutal. Father went into a trance, just like Sun Ce, Sima Fang and you three did. She was trying to escape, but Zhang Fei beat her around. A lot of violence happened and she didn't look very pretty in the end, let's say. She was tied to the tree once around her neck, then her wrists, and then ankles tied together onto the ground. And her eyes . . . they were still open . . ." Zhang Liao shuddered. Zhang He felt a little sick to his stomach, but said nothing.
"There's something going on . . .," Sima Yi almost whispered. "I can feel it. It's on the tip of my memory but I just can't seem to unlock it. It's got something to do with that 'Kaze no Mori.' That song . . ." Sima Yi hummed a bit of it. "We all know it, but from where?"
"Well, let's gather all of our clues . . ." Zhou Yu said systematically. "We know that my mother, Wu Sheng, Huang Chen Rai, and Mai Xeng knew one another. We know that people that knew and loved them were forced to kill them. We know they all got this song through to us, for some reason . . . We've got to be connected in some other way. Our meeting was no coincidence. All of us. We know. . ."
"That something that is going to lead us to the answer to all these questions is in her room." Sun Shang Xiang said severely.
"We've sent the servants to look in there, but they found nothing." Sima Yi said to her soothingly. She stood up suddenly.
"If you want something done, do it yourself!" And with that she swept angrily from the room. A trail of people immediately followed after her.
The door was opened to the lonely room in which Wu Sheng once occupied. Her worldly possessions that once meant so much today were now just gloomy reminders, still standing in their ready positions for their owner who would never return. The ten of them searched the room up and down. Zhang He check under her futon mattress and Sima Yi checked the lining of everyone of her robes.
Suddenly Sun Shang Xiang stood.
"This is it . . ." She breathed, looking at something in her hands. Everyone crowded around her to see. She held a collection of yellowed papers that were bound together so they looked something like a book.
One the first page was a painting of a river. The water was black and looked troubled. A tiny depiction of a house was on a hill nearby the water. The river meandered through dark woods, then off the page. A line of red ink
(Blood, thought Zhang He)
followed along the rivers edge. Sun Shang Xiang turned the page. A crude charcoal drawing showed a woman with long hair in a black dressed stuck to a piece of wood, her arms out to either side.
"It's the Lady in Black!" Screamed Zhang He, falling backwards as his heart thumped uncontrollably in his chest. They all studied it a bit more.
"No . . ." Xiao Qiao said slowly. "It looks more like a doll of Her. . ." They all agreed to this. The wood post she was drawn on poked out of what had to be tall grass and Ravens flew away from her. Sun Shang swallowed nervously and turned the page again. This one depicted a girl in mask, shrouded in darkness. The mask had two black ellipses paint upon it, suggesting eyes, and another for a mouth. Her hair was wild and black and she wore a dark robe. She held a doll of the Lady in her left hand.
"What is this?" Da Qiao asked, holding onto Sun Ce's arm. "It's really creepy . . ." Without answering, Sun Shang Xiang flipped to the next page. This was definitely the most disturbing of the bunch. Four women lay in twisted positions on the ground. One was tied with ropes, around the neck, wrists and ankles; the next had bleeding slash marks all over her and was sitting with an anguished look on her face in dark blood. Next to her was a women lying dead in a pool of water, some of it still damping her hair and draining from her mouth. The last was a screaming woman who was engulfed in flames. All of them were being swallowed by The Lady in Black.
Zhang He was now breathing audibly. He backed against the wall, fighting the urge to yell.
"Th-the Lady . . . She'll kill us all! SHE'LL KILL US ALL!" He panicked. Diao Chan went down to him and calmed him a bit.
"What does this mean?" Sima Yi asked breathless.
"It's . . . It's a map . . ." Zhou Yu said, gently taking it from Sun Shang Xiang. He flipped back to the first page showing the dark river. "If we follow along the bank of a river, we'll probably find this doll of the Lady in Black and that will lead us to the answers of the rest of these drawings. Before anything else could happen, a cry was heard from the entrance garden. It sounded pained and miserable.
"SIMA YIIIIiiiii....." It cried, full of vibrato. "SIMA YIIII! I need Sima Yi!" Zhang He screamed again.
"It's the Lady in Black! She's come for Sima Yi! Heavens, save us all!! AHH!" Zhang He kicked his feet and hid his face with his hands.
"No, Zhang He, that's a man's voice . . ." Diao Chan said soothingly, running her hand up and down his back soothingly. Zhang He stopped at once, feeling embarrassed. "Oh . . ."
Sima Yi rushed to the window and looked out. He suddenly bellowed with rage. "AHHH!!!" He screamed, running towards the exit and grabbing his Black-Feather fan as he went. "I'll kill him! I'LL KILL HIM!!" Zhang He and the rest followed, running towards the crumpled figure on the ground that was being surrounded buy servants and other like them.
"Out of the way!" Sima Yi roared, pushing people aside roughly. He put the wailing man in a headlock and Zhang He saw the black light glow from his fan.
"No! Sima Yi!!! Don't kill me!" He heard the tortured voice say, now riddled with panic.
Zhang He tried to see, but everyone was in the way and no one would let him through; they obviously didn't know it was him . . .
"Move!" He yelled fiercely and they parted, looking frightened. The man Sima Yi had in a headlock was badly injured. There was nearly blood all over him, staining his white and green silk robes. His fluffy had, which had two or three rips in it and a dirt smudge or two had fallen to the side. An arrow stuck out of his arm and leg and his clothes had tears littering them up and down. His fine face was pulled into an expression of terror and misery had a thin moustache on either side of his lip and a long, pointy goatee. His long dark hair, now in mats and tangles swung to either side as he struggled.
"Give me one good reason you shouldn't die at this very moment!" Sima Yi spat, a vein throbbing on his forehead.
"Please! You don't understand! It wasn't me that made the decision, it was-"
"Incoherent." Sima Yi said shortly. "You die." His fan glowed brightly and Zhang He thought he would actually do it when Sima Hua, of all people, stepped in and yanked Sima Yi off. "Grandfather! What are you doing! Stop it! He's the enemy!" Sima Yi fought but he got tossed to the side.
"Are you alright, Zhuge Liang?" Sima Hua asked, going to the battered man.
"That's Zhuge Liang!?" Zhang He asked, dumbfounded. This ruined scrap of a man looked nothing like the high, refined and excessively snobby man he'd met before. But he saw definite resemblance; it had to be him . . .
"Oh, master, master . . ." Zhuge Liang wept, touching Sima Hua's feet with his dirty and bleeding hands. "Save me, please . . . you're my only hope . . ."
"We'll listen to your story later for now we've got to get you to our infirmary . . ." Sima Hua said, supporting Zhuge Liang as the walked off.
Sima Yi was not pleased.