A lot has happened since March, including me finally getting a twitter, school, losing my job at Borders, Persona 4 things, posting new AFF stuff, and most importantly, yet another reprint of Shaman King is out in Japan under the Jump Remix imprint. It's printed on Weekly Shonen Jump-esque paper with the KZB artwork, minus the extras. They do however include "Remix Tracks," which are short stories that are supposed to show us "another side" of the Shaman Fight. From what I've seen so far, Takei is borderline OOC in some of them. But if the creator is making them OOC…does that mean they aren't actually OOC? –philosoraptor-
Thank you to those of you who sent messages of encouragement. Even though it's taken me so long, they really did help motivate me when I was frustrated.
As I've said before, I'm already working on other various chapters for down the (rather short) road. The alternate ending is also being worked on in hopes it can be released at or around the same time as the "True Ending".
And apparently A Gift of Love has a page on TV Tropes. Thanks to whoever decided I was worthy of that.
Happy fifth anniversary, everyone.
Notes: Lien's attack, Héhuā Wǔ Cì, means "Lotus Thorn Dance" in Chinese.
The chapter is named for the score, "Silver Will" from Legend of Heroes IV
A Gift of Love – Chapter Ninety-Six: Gold Will
I can't remember a time when I wasn't aware of my place as the scion of the Tao Family. Ever since I was a toddler, I knew it. I don't think my family ever meant to put so much pressure on me so early on. En was probably the worst about it. Father more than once told him to leave me alone.
Father, for his part, rarely spoke of it directly. Instead, he encouraged me to learn things as soon as I was mentally able. I can't say it didn't work. I learned to walk before my sister. Though we began speaking around the same time, I progressed faster, and my vocabulary was superior to hers by the time we were in kindergarten. I was reading at three, and tried to help her along before our parents noticed.
My parents were nothing but kind – my mother outwardly, my father in his own way. It was easy to thrive with the support they gave. They made me want to try, to succeed, to win.
I remember how I used to walk very quietly down the hall near their room or when I could hear the two of them alone. I'd peek around the corner and watch them together. For some reason, it calmed me. My father frightened me back then; I found him intimidating. He's always had this aura about him that's very emperor-like. Whoever could feel it knew that he was the patriarch, that within these walls at the very least, his word was law. To see my father, someone so strong and proud, touch my mother's face so gently, to willingly pull her close so he could kiss her sent a near-pleasurable shiver down my spine. I knew what I was seeing was private – that my father would never purposely allow anyone to see this sort of intimacy between them. I enjoyed watching them, mimicking my mother's bright smile as I did so, but I wanted to be held the way they held each other. I wanted that love.
At first I was confused, unsure of whether I would get the warmth from them that I wanted. My mother would sometimes look at me with a bewildered expression, as if she didn't know what to do with me. In the end, she would often just ask me what I was feeling. If I said I was sad, she would hug me and ask how she could make it better. If I was happy, she would hug me and laugh with me.
My father was a different story. I've always looked up to him, but as I said before, he could be very intimidating. He never needed to yell at us. Just a stern look would let us know that what we were doing was unacceptable. It was rare that he ever had to do it twice for the same action.
A smile from him was a rarity, a treasure. If he smiled at you, then you truly deserved it.
When I created my first oversoul, I received a smile.
But soon, for some reason, I began to think about taking his place more and more. It made me anxious. I was afraid I wasn't good enough. Not only that…
"A weak cry baby like you thinks he can be like Papa? In your dreams maybe!"
…the person closest to me didn't have faith in me, either. I needed some form of reassurance that it was possible, that I could be the patriarch of my family when the time came, and that I could make my father proud when I did.
Maybe if I found out something from my father's past, like maybe he was like me when he was younger, and just grew into the proud man that he was, I could feel better. I ran to my aunt, knowing that if anyone knew, it would be her.
"Aunt Jun, what was Father like when he was a child? Was he like me? Was he quiet and meek like I am?"
"Actually Ren, aside from being smart and prodigal like you are, the two of you couldn't be more different."
I hadn't wanted to hear that. I had wanted her to tell me how much of my father she saw in me. I wanted assurance that I wasn't a failure or a disappointment, that they knew I would become someone strong like Father as I grew up. I sought solace in Lien.
"We'll rule the family together!"
It had made me so happy to hear her say that. I was afraid that she hated me. After all, she teased me and called me names all the time. Deep down, I knew why. That didn't mean it didn't hurt when she said them.
My sister has always been the most important person to me. Even as she berated me, I loved her. She's my sister – how could I not? I wanted to train with Father. I wanted to become stronger. I wanted her to finally tell me…
"Ren, I know you'll be a man capable of taking Papa's place."
Those words never came. Not to the real me, anyway.
Watching my sister, the most precious thing in the world to me, being tortured for being who she was, for standing up for me…I went insane. I usually tried to be like Father and look at everything logically, analyzing everything, trying to find the best possible outcome and how to achieve it. That sort of logic wouldn't work on our depraved classmates. Those useless guidelines didn't help at all.
1. Ask the bully to stop.
"P-Please can I have my coin back?"
"No."
2. Tell the bully a second time to stop.
"Let her go!"
"Oh look, he's crying!"
3. Walk away.
He was pushed down. The bully sat on his back.
4. If the bully persists, alert a teacher or other responsible adult.
"Someone tell a teacher!"
Everyone turned away and kept walking.
That logic didn't work. This wasn't just kids being mean; this was violence. No one would help us. I felt powerless, trying to find a solution all while fighting off the spirit's temptation.
When I saw my sister bleed, my mind snapped. Every other thought and effort switched from "Find a solution," to "SAVE HER!"
I couldn't resist anymore.
It was like being in a power-induced suit. I suddenly felt stronger. I was able to tap into that rage that I had always felt in the back of my mind and use it to overpower the bullies. They didn't stand a chance against me.
Lien was saved and I was relieved, but I hadn't anticipated not being able to take control again. I became trapped in my own body. The night of my rampage, it took all my strength just to warn my sister to run away. If I had to be like this, I couldn't allow her to die – I refused to become this way to save her only to murder her in cold blood later.
When she jumped, inside I was screaming, then desperately fighting to be myself. I needed to save her. I didn't want to die, but I didn't want to risk hurting her again. For the first time in months, I finally made a rational, well thought out choice. Even if I hadn't been revived I would not have regretted it.
I was surprised that I was able to wake up. Even after all I had done, my family forgave me. My mind settled. That spirit of hatred was no longer inside me, so I assumed that I would be able to be myself again.
I was mistaken.
The spirit had separated my anger from the rest of me. My heart and soul were split in two, like another person was living inside me and holding my true self captive. He never allowed me to live my life, dooming me to sit and watch without me in it. To know that every smile my mother gave me, every word of praise from my father, every look of yearning I saw from Lien wasn't for me…it killed me.
This sick life, this sick home movie…I didn't know how much longer I could take it. I hated it all. It was made worse by the realization of Lien's feelings. We – he and I – tried to ignore them, thinking they would go away. He told me he found it impossible to love anyone. Of course, he was my hatred, only with a certain bit of kindness and a stoic personality. I was the half that was able to have amorous feelings.
I tutored Lien as my father had done with our mother. I had the potential to be admitted to the most prestigious high school in the area. He and I agreed that we wouldn't go without her. As twins, it just made sense to go together. We wouldn't allow her to face her ignorant classmates alone. So for days upon days, nights upon nights, we studied. Every spare moment was dedicated to helping her pass the notoriously difficult entrance exam.
Her smile and her tears on the day we received our scores made it all worth it.
We weren't so naïve to assume that we would fit right in, but I couldn't help feeling surprised and disgusted nonetheless.
"Tao Ren. Sixteen years old."
As I sat down, I looked to Lien. She stared at her desk for a few moments before standing.
"Tao Lien. Sixteen years old."
Written and spoken in Chinese, our names are identical. Our family and friends who know Japanese and thus katakana will put an emphasis on the "Li" in Lien's name, making it two syllables instead of one. To outsiders however, there is no distinction.
"Jeez, did their parents run out of names or something?"
"Or were they smoking some shaman herbs and were just too high to remember what they named the first one?"
"You're giving them too much credit! I bet they're just pants-on-head idiotic in the first place!"
Lien was doomed from the start. Her appearance, inherited from our father, made her female students jealous. I did the best I could to ward them off, but if I excused myself even for a minute to use the lavatory, she would have fallen victim to them by the time I returned. Thanks to their parents, some of which had gone to school with ours, they became aware of our shamanic heritage, and we suffered for it, her more so than I. This double standard still enrages him.
My other self became bored and joined the martial arts team to take up a few hours of afterschool time. With some encouragement, Lien began playing the piano, enrolled in gymnastics, and auditioned for the school plays. She succeeded in each, but eventually gave them all up for various reasons.
She quit gymnastics, telling us that her chest hindered her ability to get winning scores. Though our tailor offered to modify her leotard to help with this, she insisted that she no longer had a passion for it. Xue, the one who had initially suggested she try, eventually forced the truth out of her.
After winning the role she had rightfully earned during the auditions, she almost gave up her part to someone less talented because her classmates told her she didn't deserve it. Though Father persuaded her to keep it, she hasn't tried out for any productions since then.
Father bought her a piano and put it at the end of the corridor near his study. Despite the fact that he often keeps the door closed while he is reading, when she played it was always open. When she found out he was listening to her, she quickly abandoned it. There are few occasions were I've seen him look as disappointed as he did then.
I tried to convince her to return to it, but she refused. The darker me hates that part of her; he doesn't understand her unwillingness to stand tall and be proud of who she is. This is true – Lien doesn't see that accentuating her faults only makes her stand out more. Still, I feel apathetic about her decisions when I'm not sad about them. I suppose that makes sense when it's impossible for me to feel anger.
All those times she gave up something she loved, my heart broke for her. He on the other hand gave her semi-harsh words. Each time, she gave him the same glossy look. It was only a matter of time before we realized what those eyes meant. I found myself staring at her, laughing with her, feeling for her. He buried his feelings entirely.
"I-I like you! I have since last year! Please accept my feelings!"
"Sorry. I'm not interested in relationships right now."
Every single girl who has confessed their feelings has met with that line or some variation of it. I never minded. None of them ever even took the time to befriend Lien, probably afraid of becoming a target like her. But logically, that would have been the easiest way to get to me. It's laughable that these girls think I'd honestly court someone who didn't get along with my sister. The one woman who does can't confess her feelings for me. That's fine. For now it's easier to live without distractions like that.
The one thing I can be thankful for is that I've been able to fulfill my duties as scion of the Tao family. It's kept Father content and Mother…I suppose 'happy' would be the best term.
She hasn't changed in her treatment of me even though I'm not meek anymore. To her, I'm still the son she would cradle and read to at night. To her, her children will always be her precious darlings, even when they're grown with families of their own. Even Father is treated like a precious gem - I remember when my mother told me how highly she thought of the three of us.
She stood by a window, looking out across the estate before turning to my six year-old self.
"Mama, why did you name both Lien and me after Father instead of just me?"
She thought for a moment, then smiled.
"You all have the same character for your name, which means 'lotus', as in the flower. Do you know how amazing a lotus is?"
I had always known what my name meant. Whenever it was mentioned, Father usually looked displeased. He was so strong and proud; why would he relish in being named after a flower? I shook my head. She sighed wistfully.
"You see, a lotus is one of the most resilient flowers. Its roots are deep within the mud of rivers, but it pushes itself up through the murky water to the surface. After doing so, it blooms a beautiful flower that floats atop the river, high above the hardship it endured. Your father withstood so much pain when he was younger. Instead of giving up, he persevered and overcame his strife. He's become so strong because of all he's been through. I believe that you and Lien will overcome your trials, too."
She looked away, her voice quiet.
"If only I had been born a lotus as well."
I've never known the reasoning behind her last statement. I've also never asked. Though arguably much daintier than Father, 'weak' isn't a word that can accurately describe her. Was she saying that she has never endured a painful experience in her life? Or did she, but wasn't strong enough to completely leave it in the past? She is usually open with us – if she felt it was important for us to know, she would said it by now. Father is probably the only person who knows, and I have no objections to that.
I don't think she believed for a moment that I was guilty. Her insistence that I was innocent gave me what I needed to keep going through the torture. Haha…The one time I was in control of my own body again, and I was physically chained down instead of mentally.
I never wanted to admit to myself that I'm useless without my angry persona…but it's the truth. Even upon hearing her screams when she discovered Father in his maimed state, I wasn't able to break the chains or keep control over my other self.
Now that's all gone. That other me has been devoured, replaced with someone even more angry and hurt. I can't tell if he's noticed yet that he is not alone in this body, so again I watch in silence – watch those I love be slaughtered before my very eyes.
I'll bide my time until I feel the moment is right. With any luck, this body will die, taking two tortured souls with it.
In any other scenario, assisting my sister and protecting my family would earn me a smile.
I have a feeling that Father won't be smiling.
Without wasting a moment, Lien pulled back her Kwan Dao, then whipped it forward. A strong surge of furyoku flew toward Hao. Unmoved, he prepared to deflect it.
Lien gave a small smirk. "Héhuā Wǔ Cì!"
The moment he touched it, the attack shattered, the furyoku turning into petals. They hung suspended in the air for a brief moment before simultaneously attacking him, slicing his body.
As they began to disperse, Lien charged at him. Hao looked up just in time to block a thrust to his midsection. They entered a deadlock, both too stubborn to back down. Her Kwan Dao was locked sideways, making it impossible for her to hit him. She knew this couldn't go on forever, but she didn't want to create an opening by backing down. After devising a quick plan, she released her weapon.
"Li-Ling!" The spirit gathered in her left hand. "Hyoi Gattai!" She quickly pushed the ball into her chest. This is imperfect since Papa never finished teaching me, but at times like this it's worth a shot!
Predictably, Hao took the opportunity to swing at her. She barely dodged. He tossed the Kwan Dao to the side, leaving her to fight weaponless.
"Stupid girl."
Lien remained silent as she lunged at him. When she was in front of him, she swiveled, slamming into him with an outward block and her palm under it facing toward him. She slammed it into his side, emitting a small, quick blast of furyoku. It was enough to stun him, and she saw her chance; she landed a palm-heel strike to his face, then executed a roundhouse kick, letting out a bit of furyoku with each hit.
With Hao down, she ran and retrieved her weapon, oversouling it again. After exhaling deeply, she rushed at him.
As thunder met her ears, a glow caught her eye. She looked to her right to see a wall of fire approaching her. Not having any other options available she flattened herself into the mud. The flames swept over her. She could feel the heat on her back, causing her to tense.
It's just the heat; it'll go away in a few seconds. Just stay calm.
When it didn't fade, her eyes shot open, not needing to look behind her to know what had happened. As she had seen her brother do, she rolled over to flop onto her back in an effort to smolder the small flame that had been ignited. But her pain didn't end – she had only been able to roll onto her side. Her body froze.
She slowly looked up to see her brother glowering down at her, eyes flashing. He was holding onto something that she couldn't see. Before she could even begin to consider what it might be, the pain intensified. It only got worse as he pulled the weapon from the ground, that which had blocked her from fully rolling. She felt his oversoul slice her deeply across her shoulder blades. The last harsh movement sliced her diagonally, causing some blood to fly from the wound.
Once it had left her she lay still for a few moments, then began letting out a scream – it started off raspy, then became loud and bloodcurdling. Hao kicked her, intensifying the pain and rendering her near helpless as she tumbled across the ground. Her limbs twitched as she tried to control them, to force herself up so she could keep fighting. Her wide eyes shifted to see him advancing toward her. She frantically stumbled to her feet, trying to feel around for her Kwan Dao. Not finding it, her head shot up.
It must be back over with Hao…!
Lien turned, intending to return and retrieve her weapon. All she saw was Hao speeding toward her. She could only watch as he leapt into the air. She was defenseless.
Just as it seemed that she would be dealt a fatal blow, a bright flash of lightning lit up the sky, momentarily illuminating her brother's face. As she looked up into it, she could see wide, fearful eyes. His body stiffened as if the bolt had actually hit him and frozen him instead of frying him.
The light vanishing, she realized what had happened.
"Papa! Papa, look! A thunderstorm!" Lien cried pointing out the window at the dark clouds.
Her parents strolled up behind her, Pin-Mei silently embracing Ren's arm.
"This is so cool! How does it do that? It's so amazing!"
Lightning flashed again, and she leaned on her husband's shoulder.
"It's so beautiful, yet so powerful," she whispered. "I love things like this."
Her eyes shifted upward and met his. A small smile crept across her face when she sensed that he understood the emotions behind her words. He suppressed a small blush before turning back to the window.
Another flash. Lien's eyes lit up. "Wowww! This is so awesome!"
She giggled and turned to share her glee with her twin, but his spot was vacant. She turned and looked behind her, scanning the room. As thunder rumbled, a clump of blankets cringed. She frowned and tugged on her father's blazer.
"Papa, Ren's hiding like a chicken again," she whined.
Ren glanced down at her, then behind him. Pin-Mei did as well. She released him and he walked over to his son. He sighed as he stood before the lump of covers.
"What are you afraid of?"
There was a beat of silence that was interrupted by more thunder. The boy's small body shook again.
"Lightning can kill things…It can start fires and make houses burn down…You can never tell what it's going to do…That scares me…"
Ren ripped the blanket off him. His son timidly looked up at him, eyes still wide with fear.
"It's not unpredictable as long as I'm here," he said firmly. "You never have to fear it hurting you. I won't allow that to happen." They stared at each other. "Do you trust me?"
The young Tao bit his lip and nodded.
"Alright then. So you agree that there's nothing to be afraid of." He held out his hand. When the boy took it, he led him back to his mother and sister.
Pin-Mei lovingly stroked his hair, smiling down at him reassuringly. Lien didn't so much as look at him as she continued to watch the show. Her brother grasped her hand nonetheless.
"Baby."
Thunder rumbled, and Lien stood, wanting to investigate, yet knowing that her objective was to arm herself. Inside, she was happy. This involuntary lack of movement was proof that her brother really was still inside. He had always been terrified of thunderstorms no matter how much he tried to hide it at times.
Hao fell to the ground, waking her from her trance. She quickly sprinted to retrieve her weapon. Part of her wanted to wait, hoping that when the young man rose, he would be the brother she knew and loved. The other part kept her firmly rooted in reality; there weren't any easy fairy tale resolutions. She had to stop deluding herself.
With her Kwan Dao safely in her hands again, she pulled it back to ready her attack. She launched another furyoku charged attack at him, but flames blocked its path and prevented it from doing any damage. Before they had completely dissipated, he rushed through them and began thrusting the fiery oversoul at her – aiming for her limbs, chest, and stomach. She frantically parried him, desperate to prevent any more injuries that would turn the battle even more in his favor.
He faked, pretending to go for her shoulder but switching back to her stomach. When she tried to follow up with a block, the wound on her back sent a strong surge of pain down her spine, rendering her immobile. A strong flinch was the only thing that prevented him from stabbing her vitals. The fire burned and cut through her left hip. She let out a small cry, still unable to retaliate.
Hao grinned as he fisted her bangs, pulling her to a stop. He kneed her in the face, then tossed her across the clearing. She rolled, slamming into a tree before stopping.
"Are you starting to realize it now, Tao Lien? It doesn't matter what sort of mentality you have when you fight me. Even before tonight, your brother was leagues above you in terms of power." He paused, as if consulting the boy's memories. "He always held back tremendously when you two sparred. It was almost painful for him to do so."
Lien's bangs covered her eyes as she tried to stand. She had known for a long time that her brother had always taken great care when training with her. It was easy to see the difference between how he sparred with her and how he did with their father. There was nothing to say. She was the weakest member of the family.
"There's no need to continue acting so tough. No one can see you here. Feel free to break down and cry as much as you want when I take what's mine. In fact, I encourage it."
She trembled. In truth, she wanted to cry so badly, but she knew that now wasn't the time. If she didn't fight, it would all be over. If nothing else, she had to wait until her mother came. Maybe she would have a plan…Maybe…
"Putting aside how that woman is barely a match for this body, do you honestly think she'd fight me as long as I have the face of her beloved son? Your father's hesitation is nothing compared to what hers will be. She isn't the hope spot you seem to believe she is."
Pain overtook her, and she fell to her knees. Panting, she looked down at the gash in her hip. Her pants were torn, revealing her skin.
Hao sneered and her weakness, but the smile slowly faded. "What is that?"
She looked up at him with tired eyes.
"That mark on your thigh!"
As if getting a sudden burst of energy, she grinned, slipping her hand into the rip. "Oh, you mean this?" She stood again, fisting and pulling at the fabric. A large chunk was ripped off, the waist being spared. She let the piece go. It was grabbed by the stormy winds, flying away against the grey sky. "This is my homage to my family; namely, my father and brother."
He squinted. Carved into the young woman's hip and thigh was a taijitu. Also visible were thick lines and sharp edges that encased it, making up what seemed to be the Tao family emblem. He tried to quickly scan his host's memory for the significance of the mark being on the girl, but came up with nothing.
"He doesn't know about it," she said in a low voice. "No one does. It's something I've kept to myself. If Papa knew, he would try to have it removed." Her head drooped. "But I can't exclude myself from our family's curse. My father bore this emblem on his back before he met Mama, and my brother bears it now. It's like they're trying to shelter me from everything the Tao family is based on." She clenched her fist. "I refuse to be left out. I'm just as much of a sinner as they are.
"I'm proud of who I am. I'm not perfect. I no longer try to be. I know that compared to my twin, I'm a failure in terms of fighting and shamanism, but I try to ignore it as much as I can. All I try for is to honor my heritage and please my parents – to make them proud of me." She looked him in the eye. "I can't allow someone like you to sully our name." She used her thumb to point at her heart. "You'll have to dig this out of me before I'll simply cry and surrender." Her yellow eyes narrowed, reminiscent of her father. "Do I make myself clear?"
Lien snapped her fingers and began running at him. Her Kwan Dao flew to her hands and she pulled it back.
"Here's one of Papa's techniques I can actually do…CHUUKA ZANMAI!"
Hao didn't seem phased by her rekindled courage. He dodged the blade as he had before, finding little difficulty in it. She swung the staff around, meaning to hit him in the ribs. He caught it. She tried to kick him in the chin, but he used the opening to kick her in the stomach. Lien fell back, unwillfully letting go of her weapon. Hao waited for her to stand before jabbing at her and hitting her in the chest with his flaming weapon.
"Too cocky – just like your father," he snickered.
He gave a harsh movement that launched her from the oversoul. Her eyes were wide open she looked up into a flash of lightning that graced the sky.
Is this…really it? Have I lost?
She landed on her right shoulder, skidding through the mud before coming to a complete stop. She disdainfully stared at the ground.
Everyone…I'm sorry…This is all my fault…If only I had been smarter…If only I hadn't fallen in love with Niisama…If only I had just accepted Tadashi's feelings…If only I…
"Are you done?" Hao called over. Glee was filling his eyes. At first she had annoyed him, but her silly pride and imaginary power-ups had begun to amuse him. It was already clear that she was powerless against him, but he wouldn't mind cutting her down to size once or twice more. He picked up her Kwan Dao. "Oh Lien…"
She picked up her head to look at him, her body tingling with pain. He nonchalantly snapped the bo in half. The look in her eyes was priceless. It projected exactly what she was feeling – hopelessness and defeat. She had nothing else to fight him with. That pathetic furyoku-powered hand-to-hand combat was no match for him, putting aside the fact that he could barely feel any furyoku coming from her direction. Checkmate.
"It seems you're out of options."
Lien stood, her hand over her right shoulder. "It seems like you're a smug bastard," she said glaring at him.
Hao raised his eyebrows minimally at the retort, then grinned again. "Are weak words the only weapon you have left?"
Lien said nothing, trying to stay strong. Everything ached. It almost felt as if her limbs, muscle and all, were going to detach and fall to the ground. She squeezed her eyes shut as she tried to think.
I can't lose…I can't give up…I won't…I won't! There has to be something else I can throw at him!
"Neechan! Don't give up, Neechan!"
She froze, then opened her eyes to see Níu-Năi and Chun standing before her. The children smiled as if they were unaware of the danger they were in, like innocent mice wandering into a cat's bed.
"Níu-Năi…Chun…What are you two doing here? Can't you tell what's going on?" she yelled, hoping a raised voice would scare them away. "This isn't some game! You guys have to run! Get out of here now!"
Her younger brother's youthful eyes hardened. "Don't worry about us, Lien," he said, his voice similar to how he had spoken to her on the night all the chaos had begun. "We know what's going on here, and we're here to offer you one last trump card. If it doesn't work, then yeah, go ahead and panic."
Da-Xia nodded. "Yes. We have one last option for you. It may be hard for you considering how depleted your furyoku is, but it is much better than doing nothing." She turned to the boy beside her. "Yi, explain it to her, and keep the witty banter to a minimum if you please."
"Alright, alright." He turned back to Lien, whose eyes were wide with disbelief. He sighed. "I'll explain the circumstances later, but in a few moments, you're going to have to call upon Ren's spirit."
Lien breathed deeply a couple times, frantic that this ray of hope was fruitless. "I've already tried that! He wasn't strong enough!"
Yi threw his hands up in the air. "NO! THE OTHER ONE! THE COOL ONE!" Lien stared at him, utterly clueless.
The small girl patted his back. "Darling, she just doesn't know. She's not the heir. Just outline it quickly for her while I get things ready." She looked over her shoulder at Hao. The probability of him allowing such a long explanation to be given was extremely low. He may have enjoyed toying with the heiress before, but at this point, it was clear that he just wanted Lien as close to death as possible.
The evidence was in the forced smile he had been maintaining. "Now you're bringing children into this? They're not a weakness of mine. I don't discriminate."
Da-Xia elbowed Yi in an effort to motivate him to begin and end his instructions within the next minute or so. He nodded and quickly turned to his unknowing descendent while she rushed into the bushes. He spoke as quickly as he could while still being intelligible. Lien just nodded dumbly, trying to soak in as many of his words as possible.
"Be all triumphant about it, too. Make Ren proud of you. Or embarrass him if you're in the mood to entertain. Anyway…"
She zoned out momentarily. Make Papa proud…Even if he's gone…I can make him proud of me…
Yi whistled and snapped his fingers in front of her. "Yo! This isn't a class you should be sleeping through! Listen up!"
As he captured her attention once more, there was a cry from behind them. Lien looked up to see that the little girl had jumped onto Suo's back and was now reaching into the witch's robe. The woman was trying to shake her off.
"You brat! Unhand me! Foolish human!" She folded her fan and began whacking her with it. Da-Xia persevered and finally produced two slips of paper. Suo's eyes widened. "N-No! Those are-!" She tried to snatch them back, but her ancestor childishly crumpled them up into a ball and stuck it in her mouth. "Y-YOU!" She gave one last tremendous whack, and Da-Xia fell off of her like a crushed mosquito. Suo batted her back to the Taos, confident that she had incapacitated her.
Yi firmly stood in front of Lien, fighting the urge to turn and aid his partner.
"N-Níu-Năi…" Lien whispered.
"THIS ISN'T ABOUT ME! THIS IS ABOUT YOU! NOW SHUT UP AND LISTEN!" he cried desperately, as if trying to convince himself that the victim behind him was meaningless.
Da-Xia groggily raised her head and looked back at Hao. He had something in his hand. She squinted at it, noticing how it was reflecting the lightning off it. He threw it.
There was no decision to be made. After realizing who the other was, the two children had agreed that no matter what happened that night, no matter what sacrifice needed to be made, they would put the lives of their descendents above their own.
Yi could feel her small body collapse against his. He clenched his fists, knowing that once again, she would die first. Bloodlust in his eyes, he looked up at Lien.
"Got it?" She nodded. "Alright." He turned to hold his wife again before setting her on the ground. He had no weapons, but he wasn't about to let that interfere with his need for revenge.
He picked up the soggy wad of paper she had dropped. Knowing all eyes were on him, he smiled brightly and smoothed the tags out. He held them horizontally.
"Fuck you. All of you."
Yi triumphantly ripped them in half. Once. Twice. Thrice. He threw the pieces in the air like confetti.
"WOO! PRE-EMPTIVE VICTORY PARTY! YAY!"
His eyes narrowed as he stared at Hao. They both knew what the pieces of paper had been. The demon looked about ready to kill Suo right then and there for allowing such a blunder to occur, but first he had to rid himself of the nuisance in front of him.
With serious eyes, Yi grinned. "Hey, it's a party. You know what that means? We gotta dance."
Lien watched in horror as her little brother rushed at Hao, biting his ankles before being impaled by his family's sword.
Yi didn't look concerned. He stared up at Hao, his amber eyes flashing in satisfaction as he grinned. "Just try to stop her. We dare you. You've already lost."
Hao grit his teeth angrily. He set the boy aflame, then tossed him into the woods. "We'll see about that." He turned to Lien. "Come on then. Show me what that fool taught you."
Her face pale, Lien straightened, standing with her feet shoulder width apart. She closed her eyes, trying her best to remember Yi's instructions.
Hao smiled at her. "Going vogue on us, Tao Lien?"
For once, his voice fell on deaf ears. His taunts had no effect on her. She was too focused on her task. This was all she had left. There was a high chance that she could die from this, but it hardly mattered. She would die in a few moments anyway if she didn't succeed. There was absolutely nothing to lose.
She took a deep breath.
"Sp—"
She stopped. Can I do this? She shook her head quickly. Papa wouldn't hesitate like this. I…I'll make him proud…I'll make Papa proud!
Hao leaned in. "Hm? What was that? I couldn't hear your voice over your clouded mind," he taunted.
Lien smirked. She raised her right arm, ignoring the pain radiating through it.
"SPIRIT OF LIGHTNING! I SUMMON YOU!"
Her breathing hitched. It was almost like she could hear her father calling alongside her. Her eyes filled with tears as his voice rang in her ears. Papa…
The sky instantly lit up. Lightning bolts descended from the clouds, joining in the space just behind her. After some brilliant flashes, she could feel a small explosion hit her back. She didn't even need to look behind her.
The Spirit of Thunder stood behind her, its body glowing with the power of one hundred million volts of electricity. Hao stared at it, obviously surprised that the girl had been able to accomplish such a feat. Being able to summon an elemental spirit wasn't something that just any shaman could do. It took a tremendous amount of focus and furyoku to do so. His eyes widened.
That means…
Lien smiled at his muddled expression. It was wonderful to see her enemy in such a state of confusion that he was speechless. She closed her eyes again before looking up to the heavens.
"Papa…" she said aloud, her voice soft. "Papa…Can you see me? Are you proud of me…? Am I a daughter you're proud to call yours? Am I…"
Dizziness overtook her as her furyoku depleted, fatigue setting in. Her eyes closed. She began falling to the side, a contented smile on her face.
She didn't hit the ground. A strong arm grabbed her, holding her under it like a puppy.
Hao tensed, looking up at the person who had caught her.
A sincere smile.
"I am proud of you, Lien. So very, very proud…"