Lotus Moon Chapter 16
Note: I have been busy with a ton of things in my real life, like finishing my undergraduate degree (almost!), applying to graduate schools, visiting graduate schools, looking for an apartment for graduate school, working on a Senior research project….that all my stuff got pushed back to the very last burner. I'm sorry for the lapse in updates and fic reading. But, such is life. I know this chapter is short, but I thought I just had to get some more out there.
Chapter 16
There is no end to the treachery wrought from within.
Niroto and I ran as fast as we could through the winding gardens of the palace, heading towards Teng's Shrine as fast as our feet could carry us. All around us were the cries of the dead, dying and fighting. How had this all happened so quickly? A few short hours ago, this palace was a tranquil paradise sheltered from the recent upheavals of the Western lands by insurmountable odds of luck as well as the benefit of vast distance.. But these weren't the human upheavals that plagued the western world. These were warriors who wore the skin of past comrades, our very allies who had helped us.
But they're gone. They're mindless things now. They strike swift killing blows, but simply move on to another target. The human servants that remain are scrambling away. The intelligent ones do so quietly and use back paths. The foolish ones scream and run into more attackers.
Niroto stops and looks around. She is panicking, but you'd never know it from the way she looks. But I can tell. Her personal nuances of fear and despair are creeping in. The twitch of her lip, the slight dilation of her pupil both indicate not only that something is even more horribly wrong than can be witnessed, but she is aware of something else, a danger on another level.
"Tso Lan-kun, our attackers may have been let in by Syra, but their goal isn't what we're seeing,"
I knew that. This is an elaborate and completely effective distraction. I breathe deeply.
"We have to get to the temple,"
I make the order. Not a statement.
Two shadows spring up from the ground in front of us. Four blazing red eyes glare at us from beneath their cowls. One of Niroto's tattoos glows, producing a spear. With a quick wave of the Chi weapon, both creatures dissolve into a faint, purple mist.
"Dark chi? Well, at least we're not dealing with Oni," Niroto sounds relieved.
How one can feel relieved at a time like this is beyond me. I hope never to encounter an Oni if this is what something less than they could create. All I know about Oni is what I have read in books that I am positive were out of date. None of them mentioned anything remotely related to this. Before I can ask any questions, Niroto continues her trek towards the temple at the rear of the palace.
I see another flash of green in the distance. Its lower to the ground and more haphazard, as if the Chi weapon is being activated by a child.
It is. Hikari is doing her best to fend off a shadow, but isn't doing much good. She's visibly tired. Behind her, a smaller, darker shape lashes out at enemies claws can't harm. Gods. It is His Wu. The two of them are fending the two off by themselves.
Before I can take a step towards them, Rumiko-hime appears suddenly and slashes the two into nothingness. She stands elegantly with a foreign sword in her hands. Apparently, she studied far more than ikebana in her homeland.
"Rumiko-hime! " Niroto calls.
Rumiko-hime turns, then, guiding the children to her and pushing them in our direction. I am relieved to see the three of them are alright. If We are the only survivors, I would be happy. If Teng Marzipan is still alive and I am sure she is, as I find it impossible to imagine her having a normal death, then I only truly mourn the loss of my father. I may sound cold, but in all sense of reality, everyone I love except Bai is here with me right now.
I suddenly feel better about our upcoming temple siege.
End Chapter 16
Hopefully, I'll be able to get these chapters out quicker this term. XD