Original characters, places, and storyline are © to Microsoft and BioWare.

Chapter 1: Enmity Renaissance

"Rise up. The time has come. Vengeance pumps our blood. Hatred is what we breathe. The time has come to finish what we started and claim what is rightfully ours."

The ground shook. The crumbled stones in the old ruins began to tremble. A hand shot up from the ground. A dark looming body rose from the dirt, decomposed for 20 years.

"My my…look at us. There's no way we can be reunited, not in the state with worms eating us through and through. No matter. I can still connect through you. It's better if we use the young for the young and the old for the old. Best way of not being discovered in my opinion. Let's go, there's no time for me to be talking to myself. There's much we must do."

"So…after all these years, that's what he was planning. That's how he avoided his soul from crossing over. I should've predicted as much. There was no way he would die so carelessly. But…my warrior is not as strong as she used to be. With age, her strength wanes. But perhaps there is hope with the new spirit monk…"

Pei Yi jolted straight up from her mattress bed on the floor.

Man…what a nightmare…she thought as she felt placed her hand on her head.

The cold sweat rolled down her face causing shivers to run down her back. She reflected on what she had just seen. Dawn Star had often told her that her dreams were much more important than they seemed. She remembered seeing fire. Lots of fire. With flames that reached to the sky. She saw her mom…scared. That was a disturbing thought. She saw Jing Liang. She was…crying… Pei Yi tried hard to remember why but her memory escaped her. She looked to the window and saw that the sky was still dark.

The horizon is defined. That means it'll be dawn soon.

She gently turned to her side to wake up her sleeping companion when she found the mattress next to her was empty. It was unusual for Jing Liang to be up before Pei Yi. Pei Yi stood up and changed into her outfit. She then quietly left the house, carefully making sure that she would not wake her parents while guaranteeing that breakfast would be ready when they got up.

The air was still brisk and chilly and some stars were still out. No doubt Jing Liang was in her usual private field beginning her morning exercises. So Pei Yi started heading out to her quiet hideaway to meditate. Through the small woody area on the side of town Pei Yi came to a clearing with a small pond and a willow tree draping over. She found her usual normal spot and began meditating.

As close as they were, Pei Yi and Jing Liang were two of the most different people to ever come across. Although she was quite skilled, Pei Yi did not care much for fighting and only learned styles that would protect her. She preferred meditating peacefully, connecting to her surroundings.

Jing Liang however was not as mild and peaceful as Pei Yi. She always had a passion for strength, both physically and mentally, and would spend most of her time perfecting her fighting styles or debating theology with some of the few scholars that lived in the town. She was full of energy and never did she ever keep a smile off her face for too long.

Their relationship would often be compared to the moon and the sun. Jing Liang was the sun, giving energy to the world and light to the moon to show off it's full potential, and the moon to become a more calming light to watch over those who needed rest when the sun could not. While the two were very different, they also depended greatly on each other. Without Jing Liang, Pei Yi's light would dim. Without Pei Yi, Jing Liang would lose control. One's qualities always complemented the other and together they defined their importance.

Pei Yi sat reflecting as she sensed unnatural warmth in the air.

So…the final test for us both is how to survive without the other…

Jing Liang landed gracefully on the soft padded ground as she had completed another perfect form. The field she was in was on the outskirts on top of a large hill that overlooked the town. Everyone knew of the secluded hilltop and knew that only Jing Liang should use it. Jing Liang was always highly respected around the town. Children admired her strength while adults praised her maturity. Many claimed that Jing Liang would become just like her mother, making both her and Wu very proud.

There was a sudden change in the temperature of the air and realization that dawn must be rising instinctively crossed into Jing Liang's mind. Pei Yi surely must've been up by now at least. She recalled how a bad dream had woken her abruptly in the night. Not being able to go back to sleep, she decided to get an early start in her training schedule for the day.

Wait…dawn wouldn't rise this early…not yet… she thought to herself. Then Jing Liang smelled a disturbing scent wafting through the air. It was the odor of smoke laced with something rotting. Jing Liang hurried to the edge of the field and looked towards the town. She froze, stunned. The town was in flames. Burning.