Chapter eleven: the Shai officers.
"I got to know them one by one as time went by, and I started to realizing something, that all of the officers in the Shai army where a bit like me, unique in their own ways."
Flashback
Chu Sin arrives down at the courtyard wearing his purple leather jerkin armor. He looks at Nemai Zei and at his surroundings as they stand in the currently empty castle courtyard; he looks around seeing no one and wonders if this is some sort of joke.
"I'm here, where's everyone else?" Nemai Zei motions for him to follow as he starts walking back towards the castle exit.
"Gua Minori is currently training I believe, and Himiki is probably bathing. So I shall first introduce you to Gua Minori. Hopefully Himiki will be finished with her bath and in the dining hall for lunch." Chu Sin sighed and looked into the sky seeing the sun and how it was almost to the middle of the sky. Something though in the sky told him that trouble was on the way and as he looked down he nearly walked right into Nemai Zei. Startled, he fell back onto the ground in surprise.
"What, how, I thought you where still ahead of me." Nemai Zei chuckles and shakes his head.
"You where gazing into the sky so intently… What did you see?"
Chu Sin shrugged and holds out his hand letting Nemai Zei help him up, he then dusted himself off.
"I don't know I just got this bad feeling."
"What of?"
"Don't know, but I think something bad is going to happen soon." Nemai Zei chuckles and shakes his head.
"You remind me of Zi Shou. He always seems to know when something bad is about happen, but can never tell when or where." Nemai Zei looks at the confusion on Chu Sin's face and chuckles. "Zi Shou is another Shai officer, but he is on an errand at the time. The full Shai army is not here at present. There are six in all now including yourself." Chu Sin nodded, he was quite curious about this Zi Shou but was wondering whom else there was as well.
"So who's here and who's not?"
"Gua Minori is here, and Himiki is somewhere in the castle. The others, Chu Shen and Zi Shou, are occupied elsewhere at the moment.." Nemai Zei starts walking again and Chu Sin follows, he can start to see what looks like an old wooden building off in the distance.
"Is that where Gua Minori is training?" Nemai Zei nods looking back at Chu Sin.
"Yes that is the training facility, it is normally where we train in winter but some like to train year round in there."
Nemai Zei opens the door to the training facility and motions for Chu Sin to enter. As he does so he sees a man. The man's about six feet tall, he looks slender but strong and fast as well. He has deep black shoulder length hair that spikes at the ends. He's wearing a deep rich purple armor, which not only looks light and strong but is imprinted on both shoulders with dragons. The left dragon is a royal blue, and the other is a deep emerald green. He's wielding a glaive that's made of bamboo, the blade holder is made in the shape of a dragon with its mouth open, and the blade is made in the shape of the raging fire out of the dragon's mouth. He brings the glaive swiftly across an armored wooden dummy and leaves a large gash mark in the already battered armor where it struck. He pauses as small beads of sweet roll down his face and breathes heavily from what must have been a long training exercise. He sits down on the ground crossing his legs, then looks over at Nemai Zei and Chu Sin.
"Welcome friends!" Both Chu Sin and Nemai Zei enter and sit near Gua Minori, Chu sin looking into Gua Minori's eyes. His eyes were soft, deep and gray, and held more knowledge then they told. They seemed to pierce right into Chu Sins eyes and soul as Gua Minori matched his gaze. Nemai Zei looks at the two and speaks.
"Chu Sin, this is Gua Minori. I happened across this fine warrior as I was scouting southward." Gua Minori chuckles and nods.
"Yes upon which we where attacked by a fearsome group of rebels, I liked your fighting style and what you fought for. Hmmmm?" They all look at the door as it flies open slamming against the wall, there's a man standing in the door way, he's about five feet tall. Wearing purple leather plate armor, and fiery red gauntlets, both gauntlets of which have sharp claws instead of basic fingers, he stands at the door for a moment looking at every one there. He has long blond hair that's tied in a pony tail, soft silvery gray eyes, a hairless face, and lighter then normal skin.
He walks over to Nemai Zei and bows respectively; he has a sense of emergency about him.
"My Lord, I bring a message from the Emperor!" Nemai Zei looks thoughtful for a moment, then nods.
"Speak then. Let us hear what are Emperor has to say." The man nods and pulls out a sealed peace of parchment; he breaks the seal and reads from the paper.
"This is a notice to all major generals.
The religious sect known as "the way of peace" has started a rebellion. After countless failed attempts at quelling this uprising, it has been decided to send out a call to arms. The Emperor requests the assistance of any able man in order to end this rebellion before any more innocent people are attacked." He folds back up the paper and hands it to Nemai Zei.
"Lord I've seen some of these rebels. The main thing they all seem to wear is a yellow scarf around their heads, it sort of reminds me of a turban." Nemai Zei nods and ponders over the note. The man takes a look at Chu Sin and smiles.
Chu Sin notices the man taking a different pose now, he's resting all his weight on his right leg and has his right hand on his hip, he has his left hand on his chin as he tart's examining Chu Sin.
"You've chosen a cute body to inhabit this time Fu Xi." Chu Sin's eyes grow wide and he can hear Fu Xi's voice in his head.
"May I take over for a moment please?" Chu Sin nods his head and his eyes sharpen, he smiles and takes a look at the man before him.
"Pyre Fire, so it is you. I'm surprised to see you so soon Phoenix."
"They call me by my host's name here, and that's Zi Shou, so if you would call me that as well please." He looks over at Nemai Zei and stands back up straight. "Chu Shen has already engaged the Way of Peace; They were nearby the east castle with a decent size force. It looked to be about a thousand troop's sir." Nemai Zei looks at Zi Shou and nods.
"I see. Although I suggest we prepare to move out, I'd like to mention that I find it unreasonable to refer to them as a group of "Peace". By acting in violence, they have lost that name. As there really is no other way to describe these violent uprisers, We may as well call them Yellow Turbans." Every one around nods and Chu Sin speaks.
"Are we going to aid Chu Shen?" Nemai Zei nods.
"Yes. You and Zi Shou shall go out and aid Chu Shen. Gua Minori, Himiki and I shall meet with the Emperor and offer him our assistance. Let us hope for a swift and quick victory against these rebels." Every one nodded, Zi Shou put his arm on Chu Sin's shoulder.
"Come on the sooner we head off the better, How many troops shall we take with us?" Chu Sin looks puzzled and looks over at Zi Shou.
"I get troops to command in combat?" Nemai Zei nods.
"I assumed that would be sufficient, unless it was your wish to fight the enemy on your own?" Chu Sin shrugs and scratches his head.
"I guessed I would have been taking orders from some one else, like Zi Shou." Nemai Zei shakes his head.
"You are now a general of the Shai army. I have made this decision based on the skills and strengths that I can see within you. I have determined that you are indeed capable of leading troops into battle, and should have no difficulty doing so considering you will have Zi Shou and Fu Xi assisting you. If you disagree with that, then you are disagreeing with your commanding officer." Nemai Zei pauses for a moment as if waiting for a challenge, then continues. "You shall each take a thousand troops and aid Chu Shen. That should be enough to handle the situation." Both Chu Sin and Zi Shou nod and leave to rally there troops and ready themselves for battle.