Note: All names are written in Pinyin. This story takes place after Bewitching Melody of the West and before Season 1.

His soul had cried out for a song. He knew the power of his supernatural voice and the effects it had on people, yet they were deep in the woods at the moment, not a person outside their own group to hear it.

His voice rang out in the quiet forest, singing a sorrowful tune. It was one his mother had him play over and over again until he was beaten black and blue. Something about this song had sung to him that morning, though he was hardly feeling sorrowful. He had finally taken his life for himself, freed himself from being used by evil people, and taken a journey with the only two people who had ever shown him kindness. It was a dangerous path, but it was far better than the previous one.

Làng Wū Yáo heard the footsteps approach, plucking the last of the strings and cutting the song short.

"You didn't have to stop singing that song, you know," Shāng Bù Huàn admitted sheepishly. "We could've waited until you finished."

"You aren't exactly quiet when you walk!" Líng Yá teased. "We'd have to play much louder to drown you out!"

Làng placed a hand on the pipa, though he didn't silence it. Shāng wasn't exactly soft-footed. "There was an urgency in your steps," Làng said, rising to his feet and turning to face his new companion.

"Ah well," Shāng scratched at his cheek. "We've located a mystical sword in the closest town. Seems some imperial agent is trying to cause a ruckus with it to call in the imperial army."

"Those bastards!" Líng Yá hissed. "I bet they just want an excuse to slaughter everyone!"

"That is definitely what it seems," Mù Tiān Mìng agreed. "The town is mostly locals who don't want to submit to the empire, though there are some Xī Yōu citizens in the town as well."

"When did that ever matter to those imperial bastards?!" Líng Yá shouted.

Làng frowned just slightly. He'd seen the cruelty on both sides now, from his own experiences as the caged songbird in the royal court to the destruction by the mystical swords in the hands of the imperial court in the outside world.

"We should head out before the army is called in," Shāng suggested.

"You know this could just be a trap!" Líng Yá pointed out.

"Between the three of us, I think we can handle them," Shāng said reassuringly.

Líng Yá didn't have a smart response to that one. They'd stomped the imperials into the ground before, leaving Xiào Kuáng Juàn screaming in anger as they left with the Index. A second time wouldn't be a problem, even if they arrived first.

As Shāng turned, Mù placed a hand on Làng's shoulder. "That song you sang was sorrowful, Wū Yáo. Are you alright?"

He looked up at her, a calm expression on his face with not a trace of sorrow. "A memory of a caged songbird," he replied simply.

Mù Tiān Mìng patted him on the shoulder. "Hopefully not a reflection of the present."

He placed a hand on Líng Yá before the pipa could answer for him, shaking his head before following Shāng through the forest.

…..

"There it is," Mù announced as the town came into view. "Beyond those walls is the sword we need to retrieve before this gets worse."

Làng closed his eyes, listening to the nearby sounds. There was a bustle of activity within the walls, a market of some sort but in chaos as people moved about erratically and violently. The movements sounded forced with the irregular steps.

Mù peered at Làng for a moment, noticing he was listening. His hearing was supernatural, much better than either of his two companions'. "Do you hear the guard already, Wū Yáo?" she questioned when he opened his eyes again.

He shook his head. "Something has affected the town already."

"They've made their move," Shāng frowned.

"So what does this sword do anyway?" Líng Yá questioned.

"When a person is struck with the sword, it plants deep and dark desires in their hearts," Mù explained. "We haven't been able to figure out if they're completely planted or were there the whole time, or if it simply flips their desires from yin to yang."

Làng frowned. That explained the movements he'd heard.

"These people aren't truly evil," Shāng shook his head, "but they'll likely act like it until they're freed from the sword's control."

"These things are dangerous!" Líng Yá exclaimed. "Where do they keep coming from?!"

"Most are from the War of Fading Dusk. Some made to stop the demon realm, others probably from the demon realm. We think others may be older," Shāng replied. "Either way, the Xī Yōu empire shouldn't have them."

Làng tapped his fingers quietly on the side of the pipa. The evil in the empire was much more deeply rooted than what that sadistic princess was capable of doing. The short time with Shāng and Mù was enough to tell him that. It bothered him how much they abused their own people, sacrificed them to gain power and control. It needed to be stopped.

"But not all hope is lost," Shāng added. "If it's anything like previous controlling swords we've encountered, it may be possible to free the people from control by knocking them out, striking them with the sword, or finding something more powerful."

He glanced at Làng for a moment before turning back to the road leading into the town. There hadn't been any sign of activity on it, no signs of anyone in or out for some time. Perhaps that meant they still had time to act before the imperial guard showed up. They still had Huò Shì Míng Huáng's assassins to contend with, but they would be harder to track. Làng seemed better at spotting them than either Shāng or Mù could.

"The sword is called the Sorrowful Soul," Mù continued with the explanation. "Survivors from the previous town affected by this sword mentioned a song before everything went berserk." She placed a hand on Làng's shoulder. "Wū Yáo. Your voice might be able to overpower the effects of this sword."

"And what if it doesn't!?" Líng Yá protested.

"Then perhaps you can entrance them into not fighting one another," Mù replied.

"Not everyone is affected by that song!" Líng Yá continued. "Like you two!"

"These are ordinary people," Shāng replied this time. "They likely do not have trained qi."

"This could still be a trap!" Líng Yá added

"We're aware," Shāng understood. "It's just a distraction until we can seal the sword just like Tiān Mìng did at the palace."

"This may not be an easy request," Mù Tiān Mìng added sympathetically. "I know you are highly sensitive to evil and these people may very well feel that way under the sword's spell. And then there's the risk of your song if this takes longer than expected. If you don't want to do this-"

Làng placed a hand on her shoulder, before emerging from the forest's edge.

"You see, he'd already made up his mind!" Líng Yá shouted from Làng's hands. "Just don't go die or get possessed while he's singing because he'd really really hate it if he had to fight against the only friends he haa-iiiiiyaaaaa!" The pipa cried out as Làng violently plucked the strings. "Okay okay! It's time to sing!"

With that Làng could agree. His soul cried out for a song.

...

Author's musings

After watching the second movie, it really had me thinking. How DID they actually build the Index? What happened during that time between Bewitching Melody of the West and Season 1? This story explores the budding friendship of the group and how much trouble mystical swords can actually cause. I hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!