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

Chapter 2: Holding On

What the hell happened? Shit! Where is everyone? Shit! Shit! Pei Yi! Mom! Dad! O God!

Jing Liang gagged on the choking smoke as she frantically ran through the burning town. People dead. Blood. Fire. Everything she had grown up with was going down in flames. Two Rivers was burning down for a second time.

Jing Liang dodged collapsing buildings and wild flames, making her way up to her house.

"JING LIANG!"

She whipped around at who called her name and saw Dawn Star running up to her.

"Dawn Star! What happened here? Where' my family?"

"I'm not sure. One moment I was asleep and then next I remembered waking up to a disturbing presence in the town and everything on fire."

"Did you see who did this?"

"No but I did see your mother and your sister being dragged off by…strange creatures. They had the body of a human but their presence…it was as if they had none. Like empty shells."

"What about my dad? Where's he?"

"I don't remember seeing him. Go check up at the house. I'm going for some help. Make sure you leave here as soon as possible. Then find me at the Imperial Palace. We'll discuss what needs to be done there. Take this."

Dawn Star handed her a small stone. Jing Liang remembered coming across a drawing of it in one of the scholars' books.

"An imperial favor? Where did you get this?"

"No time to explain. Find your father and then meet me at the Imperial Palace. That is your key in."

And with that Dawn Star ran off. Jing Liang began pursuit again clambering her way through the heat and debris to her home. She saw the large wooden gate to her house blown into small pieces, completely obliterated.

Who….what could've done this?

Entering the courtyard, Jing Liang saw everything that she once knew and loved slowly turn to ashes. It wasn't long till she spotted the limp body on the ground in the center of the training ring where her mother first taught them how to fight.

"DAD!" she cried as she ran to her fallen father.

She winced when she saw the damage done. A large gash had pierced through his stomach completely through.

"Jing Liang?" His voice was weak.

"Don't worry, I'll have this healed right away," she said as she started tapping into her chi for healing. She had nowhere near the amount of control of it as Pei Yi had but she had to try. But before she could use it a hand grabbed hers, stopping it.

"Dad?"

"Don't waste it…you'll need it later. We both know that a wound like this can never heal no matter how much chi you use…As long as you're here then I'm fine…My only regret was that I failed to protect her from him again…" Sky winced as he talked. He was rapidly losing blood.

"Him? Who did this?"

"He took your mother and your sister. But he missed you. You…you can save them. Find him, find them and rescue them."

"Where? Where do I go? Tell me what to do!"

"Go to Dirge…your mother…she was planning to take you there herself when the time came but…you're ready now and you'll need to concentrate more then ever. There…you'll meet your mistress. She'll guide you…protect you…when I couldn't…" Sky smiled at his lovely daughter as his last breath escaped him. His eyes became clouded and warmth left his body.

"Dad? Dad! C'mon…s-stop playing around…" tears began filling her eyes. "C'mon dad…th-this isn't funny. You can't die…you…you can't be dead…" Streams of tears rolled down her soot covered face. She collapsed onto Sky's body sobbing and still holding on as the flames grew larger and larger.

"What are you doing here?"

Jing Liang snapped her head up to the voice that shouted to her. A boy, around her age stood before her in the gateway. From the looks of it, he was a monk. He wore a dark blue robed outfit with golden linings and carried a long wooden staff.

"Hurry! This place is burning down!"

But Jing Liang would not let go of her father. The boy, seeing that she wouldn't move, jolted towards her. Jing Liang for a moment forgot of the situation and watched amazed. Never had she seen such agility and speed before other then her own mom. Within seconds the boy was in front of her, tugging on her arm to escape.

"No!" she cried in protest, "I won't leave him here!"

"And I won't leave you here!" he responded, "he's dead! There's nothing you can do for him except for escape with your own life!"

But Jing Liang still held on. The boy looked around and saw that everything was coming down. Whether she wanted to or not, he was going to get her out of there. Within one swift motion, he had picked her up and thrown her over his shoulder and started dashing towards the exit. Wall supports and roof pieces came crashing down around them as he tried his best to maneuver through. Suddenly a large pole snapped and fell with a crash in front of them blocking their exit. Fires grew rapidly devouring everything standing in the way of it and the boy and Jing Liang. Thinking as quickly as possible, the boy saw a rooftop that he could scale and jump over. However that would be easier if he wasn't carrying Jing Liang, who had been fighting and struggling against his grip the moment he picked her up. Jing Liang wasn't heavy but she was definitely a LOT stronger then she looked and her struggle put up one hell of a fight. It took a lot of strength to keep her subdued in his arms while scaling the wall at the same time. Soon enough they were safely outside the walls of the home.

"LET ME GO! PUT ME DOWN! I HAFTA GO BACK! I CAN'T LEAVE HIM THE-"

A large crash resounded as the house collapsed down and the hungry flames quickly claimed the feast. Jing Liang fell silent as she just watched it disappear. The boy noticed the effect it took on her and started leaping to leave the town as soon as possible. It was a lot easier now since Jing Liang had finally stopped struggling. He had come to the pathway to the edge of the forest and safely away from the burning town when Jing Liang finally spoke.

"You can put me down now. We're a safe distance from town."

Seeing that she was now calm, the monk lowered Jing Liang who gently sat herself down.

"I'll go get some water from the nearby stream," he said, knowing she would want to be alone for a little while. He started to walk away.

"Wait…"

"hm?"

"What's your name?" she asked looking up at him.

She was dirty from the soot and her face puffy from both the heat of the flames and her tears, but he couldn't help but notice how pretty her black eyes were.

"It's Zhong Seng."