“Snow?” he tried again, crouching down in hopes of looking less intimidating. “Everything’s all right. Just take a deep breath, okay? I’m really sorry I startled you.” The boy took another step back, his pale eyes like daggers, clearly wishing he’d drop dead where he stood. And since when could a Celestial emit such a murderous aura? Weren’t they all supposed to be peace-loving, innocent-looking, heavenly-sent beings? “I’m not going to hurt you. I just thought you were going to fall,” he tried to explain and released a deep sigh when another, much darker presence, approached them.

“Cut the crap, brat! Don’t make me go there and knock you out!” demanded an impatient voice right from behind him and the boy immediately jumped, transforming from a fierce animal about to pounce on his prey into a scared little mouse.

“You have such a foul mouth!” he complained, rising to his feet, and ZaiWin crossed his arms and avoided his gaze.

“And who’s fault is that?”

“Not mine, for sure! You never heard me use that kind of language!” ZenTar argued.

“Yeah. Except when you’re pissed.” The monster’s blue eyes turned to him again, bright blue eyes that showed nothing but despise and contempt. “Since you’re here, come inside. No one ever told you that it’s bad manners to eavesdrop?”

No. No one had ever taught him that, or anything much for that matter. No matter the case, however, he most definitely wasn’t going to go anywhere with those two, he thought shaking his head.

“Have you gone deaf or something? Get inside! Because you won’t like it if I have grab you and drag you in!”

Snow swallowed hard and lowered his head. So he was doomed, after all, he thought forcing his legs to move. The dark monster stepped to the side to allow him in and both men followed him, right behind him, making it impossible for him to escape.

His gaze fell on the man kneeling on the floor, bending forward, sobbing nervously. He recognized him immediately. The man that had fed him those horrible concoctions. The man that had burned his leg. The mere thought of it made his wound hurt and he couldn’t take another step forward, not even knowing that the dark monster was standing right behind him. Images of the men, women and children that he’d brought into his cell made his heart beat painfully. Men, women and children he’d been forced to kill without knowing how. And then the others that the man now kneeling on the floor had swiftly and coldly murdered. He had always seemed so big, so dangerous, so frightening. It was strange and sad seeing him kneeling like that, his body beaten, his shoulders shaking in fear.

“You know him, Snow?” asked the one with the fake smile, ZenTar, and he simply nodded.

At the sound of that question the prostrating man quickly turned back, his eyes widening when he saw the boy standing right in front of him.

“Little Lord! Sacred Lord! Please have mercy! Please have mercy!!” he begged, dragging himself on his hands and knees, and Snow quickly stepped back, trying to keep the distance. His back clashed against something hard that threw him off balance, but then a large hand with surprising long, delicate fingers was on his shoulder, steadying him. He didn’t have to look back to know who it was. In fact, he didn’t want to look back at all. All his life he had feared and detested the touch of others. They always brought him pain and suffering, and he knew that this time, too, it wouldn’t be any different. And yet, as long as he didn’t look back, as long as he didn’t face that dark monster, that hand almost felt good, offering him strength and support.

Stepping forward ZenTar kicked the man back, straight on his stomach, making him gag and throw-up, even though apparently there was nothing in his stomach.

“Know your place, scum!” he spat with despise and the man knelt down again, still coughing, still gagging.

“Mercy … mercy …” he kept on repeating, over and over again.

“You were telling me something about blood?” the low voice behind him calmly asked and Snow’s entire body went immediately stiff at the sound of that word. That’s right! He had to escape! But the moment the idea crossed his mind, the hand on his shoulder squeezed him ever so softly, but enough to let him now that there was no way he’d be able to leave that place.

“Yes, yes, Calzai! We all drank it! We all did!” the man replied in desperation. “That boy’s blood! It protected us! It healed us!”

Snow felt as if he’d just died. He could already see himself tied to a bed again. Or maybe chained on some dark place. His blood flowing out of his body, filling cups and bottles without end. There was no hope whatsoever.

The wave of dark fury that enveloped him stole his breath away. The hand that had held him in place disappeared and, in the next moment, the monster was no longer behind him but in front of him, grabbing the sobbing man by his throat, holding him high in the air as if he weighted nothing. The man screamed, and kicked, and clawed at his hand, but nothing could stop that angry beast. Even ZenTar stepped back with a resigned expression on his face.

“You know? He can still be useful, show us around Weiin and so on. It would make it much easier to find the place where Snow was being kept,” he tried to argue but the monster didn’t even look at him.

“This filthy piece of shit? Useful? I think not.”

The sound of bones cracking was followed by a deafening silence. When the monster finally let go of the man he fell at his feet like a broken doll and didn’t move or talk again.

ZenTar sighed and then looked at the boy still standing there, pale eyes glued to the dead man lying on the floor in front of him.

“Don’t be scared, Snow. He was a bad man, right?” he tried to rationalize and ZaiWin gave him a critical glare.

“How old do you think he is? You sound like you’re talking to a six-year-old!”

“Are you an idiot?” ZenTar bit back. “Don’t you know how all Celestials abhor all kinds of killing and death? Do you want to damage his mind more than it already is?”

“Yeah, I know just how much Celestials hate killing,” the monster snorted ironically and then his blue eyes were on him again. “Hey brat! Don’t you dare become all weepy, crying on account of that piece of trash. He’s dead and that’s that! Good riddance! If you dare try to make up an excuse for what he did I’ll spank …” Snow shook his head and then remembered that the monster normally became angry when he didn’t reply in words.

“I won’t …” he whispered, his voice raspy. “He was … bad …” he added, and the monster’s eyes became longer, glowing coldly, as if he were smiling.

“See? The brat gets it!” ZenTar sighed again. “Well, it’s good that we’re all here. Zen, sit there,” he demanded, pointing to a chair, and ZenTar gave him a suspicious look but, as he didn’t receive any other explanation, and probably wouldn’t receive one no matter how long he waited, he crossed the room and sat down as commanded. “Good. Now, come here brat!” the monster went on, beckoning him to approach him and Snow obeyed. It wasn’t as if he had any other choice, he thought, cringing when that large hand covered his shoulder again.

The monster pushed him towards ZenTar, now sitting right in front of him with a suspicious expression on his face, and then pushed him down.

“Kneel!”

The sudden pain that pierced his chest made him blink. The hand on his shoulder kept on pushing him down, making his legs shake, but he remained standing.

“Nox! What are you doing??”

“Shut it, Zen!” the monster practically growled and his blue eyes turned to the boy standing right in front of him. “Is what I asked you to do something that hard?” he asked coldly, clearly annoyed, and the boy quickly shook his head. “Good. Then kneel!” Snow nodded, unable to deny him, but his knees simply wouldn’t bend. “Brat! Don’t test my patience! Or I swear I’ll beat you up to the point where you won’t be able to stand up! You’ll be kneeling for an entire week!!”

Snow swallowed, beads of sweat sliding down his forehead, down his back. He wanted to obey. He really wanted! And not only because he was afraid of him. Even though right now he was more than terrifying, something inside him really wanted to obey his command. And yet, no matter how much he ordered his legs to bend, no matter how much they shook, weakening beneath his pressure, they still refused to obey him.

“Want me to break your legs? You’ll be kneeling in no time!”

Snow shook his head, tears filling his eyes. His chest hurt so much he could hardly breathe.

“Nox …”

“Fine! Since you’re unable to obey my command I’ll help you!” the monster declared and a sharp pain to the back of his knees, added to the pressure of that heavy hand, finally forced his legs to bend. In the next moment the entire world was gone, lost in a deafening silence, and then everything went black.

ZaiWin looked down at the boy lying on the floor at his feet and nudged him with the tip of his boot.

“He’s out cold …” he noted appreciatively and ZenTar jumped from his chair, kneeling beside him, placing a hand in front of his nose to make sure he was still breathing.

“You’re such a beast! I thought we had agreed not to kill him!” he argued angrily and ZaiWin sighed.

“I didn’t kill him, did I?”

“Are you satisfied, then? With this little test of yours?”

“Not satisfied at all! Taking into account how much of a freak he is, I had this little hope that he might kneel for just anyone,” he confessed.

“And you had to test it on me? What if he had knelt? Want to condemn me to death?” ZenTar countered angrily, to which ZaiWin simply shrugged.

“Do you seriously think they will spare you when they kill me?”

“Fuck you! I can always try and make a run for it, can’t I?! Who are you to take away from me that small chance of survival?”

ZaiWin smiled and pulled an armed around the older man’s shoulders.

“As if you’d be able to leave me behind.”

“You’re an obnoxious, conceited, self-important brat, did you know?”

ZaiWin smiled again and sighed, looking at the boy, still on floor.

“So he’s the real deal …” he commented, suddenly serious, and

ZenTar sighed as well.

“Yeah …”

“Gods damn it! Why me? I never wanted any of this!!”

“You’re asking me?” They were both silent, for a while. “What now?”

With a deep breath ZaiWin stepped over the boy and sat down on the chair ZenTar had occupied.

“I can’t stay here.”

“Agreed. You’d be like a sitting duck waiting for your execution.”

“I can’t accompany the prisoners to the palace, either. They’d murder me on sight. And I can’t go home.” ZenTar nodded. “NimRen … NimRen is waiting for me …” he added with a sigh, averting his gaze. “I promised her that I’d find the damn prince and put an end to that shameless marriage arrangement.”

“You can hardly worry about that now!” ZenTar declared. “You’ve fulfilled your part! The Demon Clan is free. Besides is not like NimRen-lar is completely defenseless. I’m sure she and her brother will be able to argue her cause once the prisoners reach the Palace.”

ZaiWin sighed again, the image of the young red-haired woman looking pleadingly at him, tears glowing in her golden-green eyes as she silently watched him leave, still fresh in his memory.

“Let LaoTar return to the palace in your place. He will accompany the prisoners and present a full report about how we freed them,” ZenTar suggested.

“Are you sure? LaoTar is your brother. They won’t allow him to leave once he steps foot inside the Palace grounds.”

“But they won’t kill him either. He’s too useful alive.”

“He’ll be a hostage,” ZaiWin argued.

“He’ll be a spy,” ZenTar corrected.

ZaiWin remained silent, pondering for a moment.

“What if they do kill him? How are you going to live with that?”

ZenTar smiled coldly at him, a bitter, sour expression he’d rarely seen on his face.

“Haven’t I lived through much worse? Haven’t you?”

Memories of a snow-white gown slowly soaking in bright red blood made him avert his gaze, as if that were enough to wipe those images away.

“Don’t worry,” ZenTar went on with a confident smile. “My brother knows how to take care of himself. I’ll talk with him.”

“But you won’t force him. I want it to be his decision.”

“Fine, fine,” ZenTar sighed, waving one hand dismissively. “So we’re going to Weiin, then,” he guessed and ZaiWin nodded.

“We need to know where this brat came from. Besides, a certain Priestess is station at the Central Temple, there. There are a few questions I’d like to ask her.”

“You’re kidding, right?”

“Do I look like I’m kidding?”

“That woman is a freaking menace!” ZenTar argued and ZaiWin smiled.

“Yes. I’m sure she’ll be delighted to see you as well.”

Language:

Calzai: Literally cal (bright) + zai (blade), or Blade of Light. It can be translated in common language as General, one of military leaders of the Empire. Each Province has it’s own Calzai.

LaoTar: Literally lao (strong) + tar (wind)

Weiin: Literally wei (crystal / precious stone) + suffix in (center), meaning the center of the Province of Wei, in other words, Wei’s Capital. All Capitals of all Provinces are named as such.

ZenTar: Literally zen (silent) + tar (wind).

Daitai: Literally dai (light) + tai (mark), or Holly Markings, considered Heavenly Blessings. They’re the source of power.

ZaiWin: Literally zai (blade) + win (chaos)

NimRen-lar: Literally nim (gentle) + ren (river) + suffix -lar (lady). The same as Lady NimRen, being a respectful way to address someone of importance.