Chapter 7: New Perception
The flying imps had flit past her in screeching blurs, their squeaked voices closing in from all sides. One would have to be a little more than nervous right now, but she refused to let fear corrupt her, not with so much at stake. As she stood her ground, they forged a circle around her, assaulting her space as the endless cackles swept through. They smelled like Tengu, inheriting his strong, putrid scent.
Another imp neared to swipe its daggered claws at her, and Lei Fang's reaction could not have been any slower. The blow sunk home, grazing across her torso, bringing forth small trickles of blood to exude from her side, emitting a small stinging pain. With this, the glare residing in her eyes surged a sudden flicker as she bounded her teeth together. She had taken too much abuse. Enough was enough.
"That does it!" She hissed.
Her flustered hands clutched onto the imp's wrists, nails plugging into its veins as it jerked back and forth in defiant squawks. Lei Fang yanked it down to her level, refusing to set the creature free as feathers fell from off its wings, fluttering everywhere.
She scanned all sides from the corner of her eye; another imp flew into sight, quickening its pace with the intent to claw her. As it neared her, she swung the other she held in a spin, hurling it at the approaching grunt. Their heads collided with a hollow sound, falling before Lei Fang as she relished the sound of their daunting cries. That took care of the first two, but there was still more to handle.
She felt the rush of tension mounting inside with the drummed beat of her heart, anticipating the next pair of fiends shooting toward her from the left. Their tiny eyes reflected that of crimson, glowing like bright, burning spheres of fire. Lei Fang would not allow them to get their way. Leaping off the dirt, she grounded both of them with the sudden strike of her spinning leg. Now she had taken down four.
Once close enough, she caught the hands of another attempting to bite her, flinging it straight into a wall with great effort, watching the beast twitch at her feet. She turned her back for a moment, licking the warm taste of blood off her lips, watching Hitomi hold her own. The German launched her gloved fists into the noses of the winged cretins, punishing, reeling them back as they let out painful cries. The battle was not yet over, but Lei Fang foresaw a potential victory coming about.
Before another blow struck, Jann Lee's random battle cry shot through the air, catching both Lei Fang and Hitomi's attention as they turned heads. He descended from one of the pillars above, landing on both feet as he threw his fist at the first threat that dared to approach him, the others scampering back.
Lei Fang grumbled at his sudden return, but then felt something peck at her neck from behind, attempting to latch its claws into her. Jann Lee grabbed the nuisance by the throat and flung it straight into a wall, reducing it into a pile of ooze and feathers that almost splattered onto his shoes. It was almost over as only one imp remained, cowering away the very moment it realized the rest of its kind had been defeated.
Jann Lee clutched the wound on his chest as he stared at the retreating foe, spitting out the blood and saliva formed on his lips. "Tell your friend, Tengu, that he's next."
The creature flapped away with a whimper, dropping a trail of feathers in its place as it struggled to keep elevated on one wing.
Lei Fangs lips curled into a pout at Jann Lee as her shoulders hardened. He had stolen the moment from her yet again, just as he did long ago, aiding her when it was unnecessary. "Nobody asked for your help! Why did you spare that thing? And where did you come from anyway?"
"Like it matters. Who said I was helping you?" Jann Lee reflected her expression, his left cheek twitching as he viewed her.
Hitomi walked over, breaking between pants and sputtered coughs as she wiped a hand across her forehead. "Come on, guys. This isn't the time or the place."
Lei Fang ignored the German's plea, waving a fist in Jann Lee's face in warning. "Stay out of my way." She gave him a slight shove before storming off, hoping the message had gotten through, though his silence failed to tell her otherwise.
Far from surprising, Tengu was gone again. His frequent retreats were getting tiresome. No matter, he was going to get his soon enough.
They were almost through the gorge as Lei Fang could spot a clearing up ahead. A pair of footsteps sounded from behind, putting her thoughts aside. Hitomi's voice had caught up with her. "Lei, I don't think he meant anything by it. I think you should…."
"I think I should focus on what's important. I do not need someone else telling me what to do. That includes you. So do us both a favor and back off!" She adverted her head away from the German, still traveling toward the path as her sweat soaked dress hugged itself close to her skin.
The sky grew darker with every step, nightfall shifting in place of the sun. It seemed the day had cut itself short. Tengu's lingering trail of body odor and prints were no longer fresh. He had gotten away again. Lei Fang could only kick herself for missing the chance.
Over yonder and down the hill she came into the woods, surrounded by cold air, and decayed tree branches. Hitomi had caught up with her again, removing the ripped gloves from her soiled hands. "We should rest for the night. We can continue in the morning."
A cold sweat ran down Lei Fang's leg. "Rest? Here? You can't be serious."
"Someone isn't afraid of sleeping in the wilderness, are they?" came Jann Lee's provoking tone as he neared her.
She stared into those battle ready eyes of his as she tightened her wrists. "N.n.n…no."
He turned his back with a grunt, seating himself upon a fallen tree branch. "Then quit your whining."
That harsh remark almost made her want to strike him, but a soft breath brought Lei Fang away from the thought. The day had concluded, leaving not much accomplished. She could only sigh and try to suppress the blood that poured from her wound. There was no choice left. She had to stop the bleeding; otherwise, it could only get worse.
"We all have to make sacrifices," she thought.
She tore off a piece of her dress from the middle and put it to her arm, wrapping it around as tight as it would allow. Sure, it was no bandage, but it was all she had and it did fine at stopping the blood leaks. However, the pain was still there, stinging and burning in just about every place on her body where the imps had clawed her.
The German eyed the spiky haired individual, smacking the dirt off her hands from sticks she gathered from the ground. "Jann Lee, where were you? Why'd you take off so fast without me and Lei Fang?"
He sighed with a scowl. "Obviously, I was hunting for that beast. There was no point in waiting for you two. You'd only slow me down."
"That and trying to hog people's glory." Lei Fang crossed her arms.
Jann Lee rolled his eyes and knitted his brows down even further. "It's not my fault you two are so weak."
"So weak? Did you see what I did back there?" Lei Fang frowned, rubbing at the sore on her arm.
He turned his head the other way, eyes distant from hers. "Yes, yes I did, and it was pathetic. You call yourself a fighter? It's no wonder you lost the tournament. I would have finished off all those creatures long before any of you if I would have ran into them first."
Now he had gone too far. The anger deepened within as her tone rose, almost thundering through the chilled air. "Excuse me, but last time I checked… you lost too! I doubt you would have made much of a difference."
His voice hushed, sitting as he closed his eyes, leaning against the tree bark. She guessed he was through with arguing for the day.
As flames shot up from the bonfire, Hitomi brought her hands closer to it as the smoke wafted through the air. "Well, looks like I got it right this time. I got the fire started."
Lei Fang's hands found comfort upon her slumped knees, looking at the twilight sky. Her eyes fell closed at the appeasing silence, only to shoot back open at the sonorous sound of Hitomi's voice. "Lei Fang?"
"Hmm?" The Chinese girl raised her head.
"Is everything ok? You seem a little…distraught. If that's the word."
She did not answer as the German's gaze left the fire, lips parting, scooting to her side. "I see. This is about Tengu, isn't it? Lei Fang, please speak to me. I don't wanna feel like I'm talking to a mute."
The college student nodded, hands trembling as they went to her waist. "With every minute that passes, I can't stop thinking about that creature. I will never forgive him for what he's done."
Hitomi poked a stick into the fire as she leaned forward. "I understand your pain. I almost lost my father and…."
"Yes, but he's still alive, Hitomi. You at least have him, but what about me? Can I get back what I have lost? Those people that died don't have a second chance at living. They're gone, Hitomi. Gone, and they will never come back!"
She slammed her fist atop her knee, wrestling with the regret felt inside. The tears that had threatened to surface fell from her eyes with a slight sniffle as she ran a finger across her nose.
Hitomi looked the other way, the stick shacking in her hand, her voice growing softer. "My father's alive and I'm glad that he is. Those people are gone, yes, and if I had the ability to fix things and make them better, I would. Grieving won't bring them back, Lei, but I can't tell you not to grieve."
She had her point, but Lei Fang could not cope with the facts. There was no intention to place blame upon anybody, but the struggle to endure the torment felt inside had failed. She wanted everything to be well again, as if nothing had ever happened. Of course, such a thing was not feasible.
Her weeping had lasted over a minute, ceasing the moment Hitomi's soft hand had reached her shoulder. Tears had flooded her eyes too. Perhaps she had held the waterworks back and waited for the right time to release them, but there was no reason for her to cry too. She had not lost anything.
Arms entangled around Lei Fang as she found Hitomi's head digging into the material of her dress, clutching her close.
"I don't blame you for feeling bad, Lei. I've seen the same thing happen before. Long ago, my father's martial arts school caught on fire. A few were trapped inside and couldn't get out. By the time the fire department arrived, it was too late. The people that died in that incident were special to me as well, just as the people in Beijing were special to you."
Lei Fang gasped as her eyes widened, mouth hung open from the shock. "I…I…I didn't know."
Hitomi brushed back another tear and separated herself from Lei Fang. She was silent for a moment before she spoke again. "Sorry, I could not control myself there. Usually, I have my dad to hug, but he's not here right now."
Lei Fang put her hands at Hitomi's shoulders, moving closer. "You should have said something earlier. I felt I was all alone in this, as if nobody else could relate to me. I'm just upset, Hitomi, and its hard to get over with everything that has happened. Tengu has to pay. He must be stopped."
Hitomi smiled again, coming to stand on her feet as her arms reached skyward in a stretch. Her frown returned. "I understand. Death is not something I like to witness, Lei Fang. I've seen it once before…twice in this case. However, the causes were quite different." She bit her lip as she looked at Jann Lee. "I can't say much for him, but I know these days must have been troublesome for you since that time. And if you need anyone to talk to... I'm here for you."
Hitomi yawned again, scratching at her hip. "But what do ya say we stop discussing this? I'm sure its not making either of us feel better." She turned back to the sleeping Jann Lee. "He seems to have the right idea. Don't you think?"
Lei Fang nodded as she too stood, wiping away the tarrying tears. "Yes, a long needed rest would do us both some good."
Hitomi walked over to the nearest log and nestled down against it. "Don't worry, Lei, we'll get him tomorrow." She crossed her legs with her head at a tilt. "Well, goodnight."
Lei Fang faced the popping bonfire, feeling the warmth of the brewed flames. "Goodnight."
Now she had a moment to herself as her comrades slept. Jann Lee, for once in his life, seemed peaceful as she watched him lay still. Never would she have thought she would be sleeping next to the very man she had trained so hard to beat. It was a true first experience for her. Of course, he would be right back to his grumpy self by morning.
By tomorrow, she would have rested and the hunt for Tengu would begin again. As she witnessed the fire die down and consume what was left of the twigs, her stern look returned.
"I'm coming for you, Tengu. You will pay for your atrocities."