Author's Note: Just a quick note that I forgot to address earlier. Dawn Star, Hou and Sky have not aged during the twenty years that they have been bounded. So they are currently the same age as they were at the end of the game. It's as if they were suspended between life and death.

Chapter 4

Two days passed since the group came to Moon's Point. Master Tong seemed delighted when Han Sing brought home friends. Since the village was sparsely populated and so out of the way, it was rare to have visitors. Master Tong allowed Sing and Wild Flower's friends to stay at their home so that they all could rest and recuperate before they set off on their journey. There were a lot of questions that they all sought answers for, but not without at least a couple of days' rest. It was now morning and everyone was tending to their own activities. Hou was diligently preparing breakfast in the kitchen. Not surprisingly, he was preparing what he did best: buns. Even after twenty years, he had not lost his talent as a cook. Sky was practicing his sword skills outside with Wild Flower sitting on the grass watching him. Kang spent the morning exploring the town. He had asked the locals if they happened to have any dragon powder for the Dragonfly's weapons, but no luck. Dawn Star had woken up only to see empty bed sheets around her indicating she was the last to wake up. She rubbed her eyes and tied her hair back into her usual ponytail. She noticed Sun Kin meditating at the other end of the room. His eyes opened at the sound of Dawn Star getting to his feet.

"Dawn Star, you're awake," Kin got on his feet as well. "Did you sleep well?"

Dawn Star yawned and smiled. "Yes, I did. It feels good to sleep soundly for once. I haven't slept for twenty long years, I almost forgot what it was like to sleep."

"I know what you mean," Kin said. "As Death's Hand, I was always alert. I was forced to be ready to carry out the will of the Emperor whenever it was required of me. To be honest, I had lost all hope of ever my spirit set free when Kun claimed my soul as his. Now that Sing has come, it is more than I could have ever hoped for."

"I know, but I am glad, Uncle Kin. Glad that I could have the chance to meet you and to know that you are not like my father and Sun Hai."

"Well, your friend does not seem to see it that way."

Dawn Star gave him a strange look. "Who said that?"

Sun Kin pointed out the window. Sky and Wild Flower were off in the distant field, catching up. "Your friend, Sky."

"Oh, Sky has his own demons to deal with. I think he was every bit as shocked as I was when Kun betrayed us for power. It's not surprising that he would have a hard time trusting anyone after that."

"What about you? Do you trust me?"

Dawn Star taken back a bit by that question. "Well, it's obvious your brothers tricked you in the past with their lies. I'm sure you would have tried to stop them if you'd known the truth, so yes I trust you."

"Thank you, Dawn Star, that means a lot to me," Kin said, but a second later he frowned.

"What's wrong, Uncle Kin?"

Kin shook his head. "Nothing, it's just that…whenever I look at you, it reminds me of your mother."

Dawn Star's eyes widened. "My…my mother?"

"Yes. You never knew her, I know. But there is something that I must tell you about her: Before you were born, she knew that your father's position as head of the Imperial Army would put his life at risk if he had ever gone into battle. She came to me and said that if anything were to happen to him or her, she requested that I look after you. I promised I would. Unfortunately, I met my apparent end during the siege at Dirge and soon after, your mother would have met her end as well."

"Uncle Kin…"

"But now that I've been given a second chance, I can fulfill the promise I gave to your mother," Sun Kin cut her off before she could say anything. "I promise I will do everything in my power to ensure that you are safe."

"Thank you, Uncle Kin." Dawn Star said. "Tell me, what was my mother like?"

Sun Kin thought for a moment, gathering all that he could remember. "Her name was Wei. She was a very beautiful woman and was always full of life, just like you. She was the sole ray of light in a family that was shrouded by corruption. She was kind and had a caring spirit. I remember she used to be a woman of the people. Despite living in royalty, she would frequently go among the common peasants and tended to their needs. Even now, I could not fathom how anyone could order the death of such an innocent and pure soul. If anyone, brother Hai deserved it."

Dawn Star was speechless. Even if she never knew her own mother, she felt the grief as if she had known her all her life.

"Had I had known the true nature of my brother's mission, I would have been there to protect both you and your mother," Kin continued.

Dawn Star looked him in the eye with compassion. Even after all the pain he had cause against his own will, she felt no animosity against him, only pity. "It's not your fault, Uncle Kin. The important thing is that we are here together now. I know you would have tried to save us if you could. Thank you for telling me about her, and…thank you for everything."

She walked over and gave her uncle a hug. He returned the embrace.

"You're welcome."

They let go of each other just as Hou walked out of the kitchen with two plate of steaming buns.

"Breakfast is ready, everyone!" Hou called just loud enough so Sky and Wild Flower could hear from outside. He looked at Dawn Star and Kin. "Hey, where is Sing and Master Tong?"

"They both went up a hill just north of here. Master Tong told us to eat first and to not wait for them," Kin explained. "Apparently they both had a lot to discuss."

"You have made me proud, Silent Star," Master Tong croaked. "Obtaining the amulet is no small feat. I can see that you have kept the lessons I taught you at heart."

The master and student sat alone together in a grassy field about a mile away from the village. The breezes were gentle and the silence was soothing. Sing, who was focusing hard on the amulet, relaxed his concentration and faced his master.

"Thank you, Master Tong. My mind and body is almost fully adaptable with the amulet. Once that happens, I will be able to transfer my spiritual energy to you and heal you. But there is something I would like to ask you first."

"What is it, my student?" Master Tong asked patiently.

"Well, as I was making my way into the palace, I was caught by Emperor Kun. I managed to suppress his godly powers with blood, but he still managed to use his martial skill against me. Through impulse, I made an attack on him but he didn't even try to defend. With one strike, I was able to kill him. With all due respect, Master Tong, you've taught me well but my training is incomplete. In terms of raw skill, it would be impossible for me to defeat him. Were there any special properties to the styles that you've taught me?"

Master Tong blinked once, then frowned. He turned his gaze away from Silent Star. He didn't answer at first. "Then it is true…My student, your training is complete. There is nothing more I can teach you."

Sing was not satisfied. "Even so, master, I must know, I can see that you do know something. Please, Master Tong."

There was a moment of silence. Sing could sense of bit of uneasiness in his master's demeanor. Master Tong used his cane to pull himself up. He staggered a few steps and stopped as he looked into the horizon. Sing waited patiently for an answer.

"My student," Master Tong murmured at last. "What you have told me has confirmed suspicions I have had for a long time. Now that they are, it is vitally important that you know the truth."

"What truth?" Sing pressed, getting up and walked to Tong's side.

Master Tong sighed. "There is nothing I have taught you that you do not fully understand. Given the circumstances, I have no choice but to tell you the truth about everything and your role in it. I am not who you think I am. The same is true for the Empire that you know. You see, I am just more than a humble master. I used to be a member of the Celestial Bureaucracy. But I was stripped from by position because I was 'neglecting responsibilities.' I was banished and was forced to live my days as a mere mortal."

"Master, you were a god?" Silent Star gasped.

"In a manner of speaking, yes," Tong nodded. "But the Bureaucracy is in turmoil right now. Ever since Emperor Kun came into power, the Bureaucracy viewed him as a serious threat. They believed that with the use of the Dragon Amulet, Kun's power would continue to grow until he was strong enough could be even challenge the heavens and overthrow the Bureaucracy! They could not agree on a way to stop him. The Bureaucracy felt that letting the natural order decide the outcome would ultimately lead to their demise, so they decided to take action."

Sing didn't know what to say. He was still stunned at the revelation his master had just told. "Then, how do I factor into all this?"

"The Bureaucracy did agree on one thing: Kun had to be stopped. Eventually, they concluded that he could not be allowed to possess the amulet any longer. If the amulet were to be taken away, it would remove the threat against the heavens. He would also not be allowed to hold the Water Dragon's power anymore. They felt it was time that that power must return to the heavens. Now that you have told me that you defeated the Emperor, I believe you were meant to be the one to carry out the will of the heavens."

"But why me?" Sing demanded, still not quite believe all this. "I am just a simple student; of all the people in the world, why is this burden put on my shoulders?"

Tong finally faced his student. "The heavens act as they will, it is not our place to question their authority. I do not have all the answers, but I do recall the day Wild Flower and I found you as an infant just after your parents were killed by Rat demons. There was a falling star that made its way down to earth. But there was something strange about that star. When it touched the ground, there was no impact or sound. I believe that was an celestial omen…that is why I gave you the title 'Silent Star.' Perhaps the heavens granted you a heavenly gift that made it possible for you to defeat Kun."

"Did Wild Flower know too?" Sing said. Master Tong remained in silence and lowered his head as if in thought. That was enough of an answer for Sing.

"I'm sorry, my student…"

"Master…why did you both keep this from me for so long?" Sing's voice grew firm.

"Chai Ka was the one who told me about the current situation in the Bureaucracy. But I wasn't sure I believed it myself. I did not want you to be burdened with information that was not concrete. I did not want you risk your life sneaking into the palace, but since I acquired this sickness, you refused to sit by and let me die. But now, I am glad you did, for now your path is set, my student."

Master Tong slowly moved towards his student and placed his fragile hand on his shoulder. "Silent Star, you have been a excellent student. There is nothing left to learn from me. I have taught you techniques, but you must discover for yourself what it means to be a true warrior. You must find and retrieve the Water Dragon's essence, for as long it is lost, the souls of the dead cannot rest, just like during the rule of Sun Hai. The Bureaucracy will not be stabilized if balance is not restored. My student, your journey will have many hardships and you may encounter many enemies, but remember the knowledge that you will gain along the way. Remember all that I've taught you."

Master Tong coughed hard as he clutched his chest. His breathing grew heavy. Sing grabbed his master's arm, supporting him from collapsing. He reached for the Dragon Amulet with this free hand.

"Master, you need treatment now," Sing said, setting his master down on a nearby rock. "I think I am ready to use the amulet now."

"Wait…" Master Tong whispered through his wheezing. "First, I must I must give you something."

Master Tong reached into his pocket and pulled out two items. One was an orange gem and the other was a stone shaped like a pyramid. He grabbed Sing's hand and placed the two items in his palm and closed it. Sing looked at his master confused.

"Listen carefully, my student," Master Tong pulled Sing closer. "I have no doubt that agents of the Imperial Palace will be hunting you down. You must take extra caution. I want you to go to the Great Southern Forest near your hometown in Tien's Landing. Use the Pyramid Stone to perform a ritual at the ancient ruins to summon a heavenly realm. Upon arriving, you will come across a large stone tablet. Use the essence gem on it and someone will meet you there."

"Who?"

Master Tong shook his head. "Let's just say he is someone I know very well. I am sure he will help you. Now enough questions. You must not waste any time."

"Alright." Sing said. He wasn't sure what his master is in such a hurry for, but he decided not to question it any further. He knelt down in front of Master Tong with his hands on the amulet. He closed his eyes and concentrated on the amulet. The amulet began to glow white. In an instant, Sing reached out with one hand slapped his palm on his master's shoulder. He could feel the energy flowing from his body, but something was not right. He expected that his spiritual energy would flow from his own into his master's, but the opposite was happening. He was actually sucking Master Tong's own energy into his! Master Tong groaned in pain and Sing was shocked. He tried to pull his arm away but an invisible force would not allow it. Tong's spiritual energy continued to leave his body for Sing's. The energy was now flowing into the amulet, which caused it to glow even brighter.

"Master! No!" Sing screamed as he saw his Master grow weaker and weaker. His face was almost completely absent of any color.

"No…it…can't be," Tong's voice trailed off as he breathed his last. Not until then was Sing able to break free, but it was too late. Master Tong was already lifeless.

As Sing realized what had happened, his blood turned cold. For a moment he refused to believe what had just happened, until reality got the better of him. In his mind, he kept telling himself that this was just part of the healing process, but somehow, he knew the opposite was true. He ran to this master's side and shook him but he remained still. Sing touched his neck but could find no pulse. That was when he knew for sure. He let go of his master's body and buried his face in his hands and cried. How could this happen?

Just then, he heard a rumbling sound. Sing realized that it was coming from the amulet on the ground. He got up and cautiously moved closer. The amulet was glowing white again. Soon the glow flashed so brightly, it blinded Sing for a moment. When he regained his sight, the glow was gone. In front of him, was a man kneeling on the ground. He wore white robes that signified that nobility and had fiery red eyes in the shadow of his long black hair. The glow of his eyes pierced through Sing's mind. The man smirked and got up to his feet.

"Free at last!" The man in white yelled in delight. "You have my thanks for releasing me and getting rid of that old goat at the same time! I must say that his spiritual energy was quite invigorating."

"You! You're the one who slew my master, you lummox!" Han Sing roared. "Who are you?"

The man smirked again. "I am the Grey Jackal, the trickster god of illusion. I am but a minor deity, but do not underestimate me, for I am full of surprises. Just like how I goaded you into freeing me from that damned amulet. I simply reversed the focus and fed on the old man's power when you intended to save him. When I had enough strength, I was able to break free. I will make sure Kun pays dearly for putting me in there."

"He's already dead, but why did you kill my master? Answer me!"

"There's not need to yell. Your master has caused the Bureaucracy great irritation. That is why he must be removed. But you say that the Emperor's dead? My, you seem to be quite of ahead of me. Perhaps the Bureaucracy was right about you."

"What are you talking about?" Sing demanded harshly, he was getting impatient. "Stop talking in circles. I want some answers now!"

Grey Jackal's eyes glittered. "You really have no idea what is going on do you? What did the old man tell you? That he was once part of the Bureaucracy? That he was thrown out because of incompetence? No. Like he said, things are not as they seem. But no matter, you've done your part. Now you're of no use to us anymore. There is no need to waste my breath telling you the truth now that you will die!"

Sing had heard enough. Consumed by rage, he charged toward the trickster and kicked him square in the chest before Grey Jackal could react. Stunned, the trickster god could not counter the flurry of punches that followed. A haymaker sent him reeling to the ground. Jackal shook the daze out of his head and countered with attack own. A green stream of mist escaped his hands and Sing's face was covered in it. Jackal struck the distracted Sing in the stomach, knocking the air out of him. Sing opened his eyes; he did not see his enemy, but an image of Master Tong flashed in his mind. It was the image of his dying breath playing over and over again in this mind. Over and over, Sing was forced to watch his frail and old master jerk in pain. The sound of his groans and cries ripped through his ears. Each time, his body would cause a large thump as it collapses on the ground.

"No…NO! Stop it!" Sing clutched his head and fell to the ground, tossing and turning trying to get the images out of his head. "What did you do TO ME?"

Leering at his helpless foe, Grey Jackal unsheathed a dagger from within his white robe and raised it high in the air. But before he could even bring it down, he felt a sharp strike from his back that sent him flying forward. Frustrated, he fought to regain his posture. The images in Sing's mind began to fade just in time.

"Don't you dare take him for yourself, Jackal," A familiar female voice taunted. "He's my prey."

"YOU!" Jackal's teeth clenched. "What are you doing here, you vixen!"

"Please, call me Silk Fox," the woman in black said. "Or did you forget who I am after all these years?"

Grey Jackal glanced at Sing, who remained silent and watched from the sidelines. Then he glared at Silk Fox. "I haven't forgotten. In fact, I still remember your annoying smirk just seconds before your precious husband imprisoned me. Now that I am free, I will get my chance at wiping it off your face, assuming that is what you have behind that mask of yours."

Silk Fox had her face covered by a black veil from the nose down. It was hard to tell what expression she was carrying but one could see it in her eyes. "You ungrateful dog! I had opted to have you killed right then, but the Emperor insisted that you be kept alive for his own purposes. If it were up to me you'd be a forgotten corpse by now. A jackal may be sly and crafty, but a fox is most dangerous when it is cornered."

"Enough!" Jackal yelled. "If you want to kill him yourself, fine! I have better things to do than to fool around with you. But make no mistake, I haven't forgotten you, Fox."

With that, a cloud of smoke enveloped the trickster god and as it cleared, he was gone. Silk Fox sighed and turned to Sing.

"Empress Lian," Sing began. "How did you find me? What happened to you? I never thought a stuck up, arrogant noble like yourself would go so low as dressing like one of the Emperor's lowly concubines."

"How dare you!" Fox snapped. "You attacked the Emperor and the Palace, that already is the most heinous of all crimes. You have a lot of guts to insult me like you did! My network of Lotus Assassins has done a fine job of tracking you down. I knew the best places to look would be the most unlikely ones."

"What do you want? You'd better leave before I make you leave."

"Ha! You would make me leave?" Silk Fox sneered. "Don't make me laugh! I just wanted to repay for what you took from me! My husband is dead because of you and now I will enjoy seeing you suffer by taking something dear from you."

"What are you talking about?" Sing demanded.

"Turn around and find out."

Sing felt a compulsion to comply. He felt his eyes betray him once again. Off in the distance, he saw a stream of smoke rising to the sky. At the base of the smoke was glowing orange.

Sing's pulse stopped. "No…my home!"

"It hurts doesn't it?" Silk Fox mocked. She was obviously enjoying it. "You see what happens when you defy me? You brought this upon them. This has happened because of you."

Sing fell to his knees, burying his face to the ground, consumed in grief. The thought of all those innocent people, even the women and children dying as they were torn away from their families was too much to bear. Silk Fox knelt down low enough to whisper in his ear.

"Don't worry, this will be completely painless."

Sing could hear the sound of a blade flying into the air. He was too much in sorrow to care anymore. He couldn't wait for blade to come down and end it all. Instead, he heard a female scream in pain. He brought his head up and saw his friends all lined up side by side just ten feet in front of him. In the middle was Sky, whose hand was engulfed in flames. They all stared hard at Silk Fox, who was recovering from the magic strike. The princess that was once their ally was now their bitter enemy whom they believe has been corrupted by Kun's promise for power. They could never forget the day she stood by Kun's side and betrayed them when they decided to poison the Water Dragon's body.

"You've really crossed the line, this time, Lian!" Dawn Star hissed. "What you have done is absolutely unforgivable."

"You can thank your friend for this consequence, dear cousin of mine," Silk Fox shot back. "If it wasn't for him, those people would still be alive."

"I don't want to hear your justifications, Fox!" Wild Flower yelled. "Those people had nothing to do with this! I never imagined you would be so heartless. But don't think you can count on your Lotus Assassins to back you up! We made sure none of them would escape the village alive after what they did."

Silk Fox ignored her and her eyes caught on to Sun Kin. "Ah, dear uncle. Did you betray the throne and side with these peasants as well? No matter, I'll dispose all of you and find someone else to take the place of the armor. I don't need a weakling like you. We're not finished. We'll meet again!"

A bright purple column of light consumed the Empress and she disappeared once the light was gone. They all saw Han Sing, still on his knees watching the horror of this only home burning in the horizon. His childhood memories originated from there, were now up in flames. Wild Flower knelt down beside him. The both had grown to know a lot of good people over the years. They dreaded the thought of them being gone.

"Can't believe it's all gone, Wild Flower," Sing said emotionlessly. "Master Tong…the village…everything."

"Sing, I'm sorry…" Wild Flower murmured, she could feel tears forming in her eyes. The two embraced cried together. The rest of them watched in sadness. Dawn Star especially knew what it was like to lose a hometown. A few minutes later, The Marvelous Dragonfly swooped through the skies and landed near the group. Kang ushered everyone to get on.

"Sing," Wild Flower said between her crying. "Let's bury our master first. He deserves at least much."

Sing nodded reluctantly. They both turned to the spot where Master Tong's body was. But something was wrong. The body was missing…

"What?" Wild Flower said as she pointed at the stop. "He was just there when we got here, now he's…gone."

"What the hell…?" Was all Sing could say.

Whew! That was quitea ride! I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter and I hope it was dramatic enough. I would greatly appreciate reviews and feedback from you guys. Seriously, my goal is to make this story as enjoyable as possible for you guys and I can't improve without your guys' input. I like praise and constructive criticism! Thanks!