"What destruction this sword has caused," Shāng Bù Huàn sighed as he pulled the brush from his sleeve. "It's time we tuck this away before the empire gets their hands back on this thing." He still didn't quite understand how this brush worked, but he knew it did work. The old man had gone to great lengths to break it down in the simplest of terms and show Shāng the spells required to use it and the Index. Most of it flew over his head, but at least he'd understood the end result and the motions to use it.

Làng Wū Yáo plucked the last notes of the song, suddenly stopping as he shifted his stance and fired off two musical attacks. The sharp sounds shot past Shāng on either side, impacting something behind him.

Shāng paused in the start of the spell, staring him at the dead bugs now falling from the air. Something buzzed right past him, impacting his hand and the sealing spell immediately dropped. He couldn't see what it was either, but the impact had caused the brush to crack just slightly. "Oh no." That wasn't good.

Mù Tiān Mìng stared at the crack in the brush as the ancient magic dripped from it. She leapt forward, attempting to grab at the sword but it skirted away from her grasp in a loud buzzing breeze. "Wū Yáo! The sword!"

Làng nodded, leaping up into the air. He had to be cautious as another cicada in the ear could potentially be the last thing he ever heard but not so careful that he lost track of a nefarious sword that could slice an entire town apart with a badly played tune. He twisted as he rose up, firing off musical blasts as he followed the sound of the buzzing. Dead insects fell from the sky, littering the ground.

He landed on a broken building, listening to the sounds as it began to grow loudly. Too loud for his tastes. She was trying old tricks again. Pulling the pipa's strings to destroy the insects buzzing before him, he leapt backwards, landing where Shāng stood.

Mù continued the assault on the cicadas. It wasn't hard to figure out where they were given they surrounded the sword itself, carrying it along. Each time she aimed directly for the sword, bugs swarmed in front of it to protect it. This would be troublesome. Now where was that bug assassin hiding? Knock the assassin out, the bugs go with her, but that sort of plan was easier said than done. Làng had leapt backwards and off the walls, likely sensing an attack on his own ears. She couldn't sense illusions like he could, but she could still fire off an assault. Taking a knee, she placed the guqin on it and pulled the blade over the strings, sending out massive waves of sound at the insects in hopes to catch Yīn by chance.

"Your ears alright?" Shāng questioned the musician with concern.

"She's trying to sneak a fast one up on this guy again!" Líng Yá replied. "Like we'd let that happen again, right?!"

Làng nodded.

"Can you tell where she is yet?" Shāng tucked the brush back in his sleeve.

Làng closed his eyes, letting his ears do the observing. He could hear everything around him, each strum of Mù's guqin, heels on the wall masked by incessant buzzing, the cicada that was trying to sneak up on him. He clapped it between his hands, squashing it. Not happening this time.

The buzzing was distracting his senses, but even in his attempts to tune it out hadn't been very successful in locating Yīn. "Barely. She is here."

"Why are you tucking that brush away?!" Líng Yá scolded Shāng. "Can't you hit it a moving target?!"

"It broke," Shāng frowned. "I'm not sure if Yīn Xiàtiān knew what I was doing but she definitely stopped it. We'll have to take the sword with us."

"Like that bug freak would let us do that!" Líng Yá fussed.

"But we shall try," Làng added, leaping back onto the building. The sword had been going in circles but hadn't yet left the city. Yīn had to be here somewhere. He could hear her heels on the wall, but the dance of insects had strangely masked her sounds. They had to be swarming near her feet as well.

If they could get her to show herself, Shāng could chase her while they chased the sword. He drew the pipa back, preparing to transform him into a sword. Yet he stopped when the sword's movements had changed.

The sword stopped on the walls just a ways down from where he stood. The cicadas screeched loudly as they became visible and drew together, forming Yīn Xiàtiān holding the sword. "Who knew that something like this would get you to sing, Wū Yáo~."

Làng wrinkled his nose. She didn't like how informal she was with his name. Not that she knew his full name. Not that he'd bothered to tell her his name either.

Yīn tapped the sword on her hand, observing the intricate design of the music-like appearance. Unlike the rest gathered, she found the design quite beautiful. It was more likely the association with Làng singing that had her admiring it more. This certainly was more useful than the Sorrowful Soul she still had in her possession.

"I will make you sing for me, my beautiful bard!" Yīn declared.

Làng tightened his grip on Líng Yá.

"Not happening," Shāng declared as he leapt up onto the building. He wrapped a hand around the hilt of his sword, taking an offensive stance. They had to get that sword away from her, not only because it would further her obsession but also if she returned to her master with it, he would possess a devastating weapon. They needed both weapons, but devastating one was top priority.

"I wonder what they call this blade," Yīn mused as she drew it over her head. "I think I will call it the Caged Songbird!" She slashed downwards, the sword's strings vibrating and sending forth a devastating blast of sound.

Shāng and Mù both leapt away, their potential landings quickly being crumbled away by the sonic impact. They landed further back on the taller building.

Yīn turned her attention back to the redhead musician. "Come, Wū Yáo~. Come with me and they won't have to suffer."

"Get lost, you obsessive freak!" Líng Yá hissed.

"I didn't ask you, you obnoxious pipa!" Yīn fussed at him.

Làng replied instead with several sonic blasts of his own. He was no one's caged songbird and he hated the name that sword now had. It was a reminder of everything he purposely left behind. Not that he'd let that distract him as he leapt in the air to avoid the sword's attack. Another attack would've sliced him had he not shifted and used Líng Yá's music to create a barrier. The impact pushed him backwards, and he barely caught his footing on the crumpling town wall. It managed to support its weight, the massive cracks snaking up the foundation.

He didn't need to look to hear that Shāng and Mù had moved. They leapt off the crumbling building, heading through the plaza towards where Yīn now perched. Làng was a very good distraction. He'd played the part before, though the stakes were a bit more dangerous than an angry crowd throwing noodle bowls.

Yīn laughed shrilly, clearly noticing nothing other than her songbird target.

Good. Làng curled his legs a bit, maintaining his balance on the broken wall. Turning the knobs to change the tune on his pipa, he pulled at the strings. For a moment, he considered distracting her with a song, but he had no desire to give her the pleasure of hearing his voice. That had already gotten them into this mess.

He plucked several notes, throwing sonic attacks at Yīn who quickly retaliated with several attacks of her own. The exchange crumbled the walls and flung bamboo in all directions. Shāng and Mù quickly dodged the shrapnel, attempting to close the gap with Yīn.

"Don't interfere!" Yīn hissed, throwing several attacks towards the sneaky pair.

With several quick notes, Làng sent sonic waves in the direction of the attack, diverting most of it though a small note managed to snag Mù in the leg before she dove behind the barrier.

"Tiān Mìng!" Shāng exclaimed.

She quickly ducked behind the wall, grimacing. Her leg was bleeding pretty heavily but it was still in one piece at least. "I'll be fine!" That wall likely wouldn't stand for long given the sword they were dealing with but if Shāng took her out while Làng was deflecting attacks, this wall would be enough. She placed her hand on her ankle, pushing qi into it. "Take her out quickly."

Shāng pursed his lips together, hesitant to leave her behind a crumbling wall. But his decision was quickly made as a hunting horn resounded over the falling rubble and sonic attacks. Of course they were here. This sonic sword was yet another imperial ploy no doubt.

"Ah it's those imperial stalkers!" Líng Yá observed.

Yīn took her eyes off Làng for a moment, noticing them in the distance. They sure had poor timing. She knew if those imperial soldiers got hold of her new toy, she wouldn't be able to make him sing for her. She could get rid of them, but she would also have to deal with Shāng and Mù attempting to take the sword as well. "I hope you enjoy your respite, my dear Wū Yáo~."

"Stop calling him that!" Líng Yá screeched.

"I'll make you sing for me for the rest of our lives soon enough!" Yīn slashed at the wall next to Làng, kicking up a large amount of dust and blasting the leaves from the trees. She leapt backwards, disappearing into a swarm of cicadas. Làng fired off a quick sonic attack, snagging her in the leg as she fled. A number of cicadas fell dead along the walls, but Yīn was gone. Pursuing her wasn't quite an option without a means to track her, but he had more important things to worry about. His companions.

Làng leapt off the building to join the others while Líng Yá fussed in his arms. "Had it not been for those stalkers, we might've gotten her!"

"Things are trying to work against us," Shāng frowned. "Let's leave before they realize we're here. Though they probably already know we're here, given the battle."

"I'd rather not wait around and find out." Mù took one last look at the scene. She handed Làng her guqin before Shāng hoisted her on his back. It was a literal bloody mess, and they hadn't found a way to get the sword that caused it. Something always had to interrupt them, but with that Fox nipping at their heels, this was bound to happen. For now, they needed to repair the brush and themselves.

...

author's musings

I imagine that if the Index can break, so can the brush. Shang really needs to be more careful with this thing! But it seems everything is going wrong for them. No sword, broken brush, injured Mu, and an imperial search party. What a mess.