Chapter 668 unedited unmemed

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Q9MxS-TA1OyVwCFSkWjbgrsI74R2AbADTcnaaNFUkjY/edit?usp=sharing

A blur of motion and a glint of light.

This was the adversary Nian Zu faced, two unseen killers intent on claiming his life. Honed reflexes and ingrained movements were all that kept him from death, for his eyes were of little to no use against these creatures of air and shadow. The dark blades chimed as they impacted against his Spiritual Mace and Runic Shield, the latter gifted by Baatar on behalf of his comatose son, and were it not for this princely prize, Nian Zu might well have already died. Were he alone, he would have fled to fight another day, but Yuzhen stood behind him and he would not leave her here to die. Though she herself was a Martial Warrior, she stood no chance against these seemingly ethereal foes, not without a Domain of her own to show here where they might be. Even Nian Zu, a Peak Expert and survivor of dozens, if not hundreds of assassination attempts was stuck on the back foot and could only struggle to survive long enough for aid to arrive.

It was almost embarrassing to be pushed this hard by mere Wraiths, who were rarely all that skilled in actual combat, but these foes were unlike any he’d ever faced before. Though their Concealment should have been rendered useless by the deployment of his Domain, they still kept it up in order to fool his senses with a dizzying illusory assault. Usually, Concealment was used to direct attention away from the subject, but these Wraiths were instead using it to draw his attention elsewhere. Through some unknown twist of the skill, they made him think they were moving in ways they were not, a trick he’d seen before by the Bloody Confessor when they faced off in Sinuji, and again when he took part in the assault on the Citadel. The first time he encountered this, Nian Zu saw through the Confessor’s subterfuge with relative ease, because the traitor only hid his arm movements and left his body posture in plain view, but these Wraiths were masters of Concealment and left him unable to differentiate reality from illusion. To his eyes, these two Wraiths each appeared like a man with four heads, eight arms, and eight legs, ones able to split off into four different people capable of moving independently from the rest and even splitting off into more illusions, albeit temporary ones as the number of shadows always quickly normalized to four. Even though they slipped into one another and overlapped more often than not, this was not enough to rule them out as illusions, because it could well be one real Wraith overlapping with an illusion.

Thankfully, they only had one blade each, else Nian Zu would be at a loss to block all their possible attacks.

Further questions would have to wait, for he had no countermeasures for this dizzying offensive, not when even a single scratch could easily set off a chain of events that would lead to his death. To make matters worse, even his Domain was unable to uncover which of these shadows were real, for his foes utilized their own Domains to make it seem as every shadow was real by giving them each a ‘Domain’ of their own. Most Wraiths were not so far along the Martial Path, but these ones were good enough to be considered Peak Experts, fooling Nian Zu’s convention and mystical senses with almost laughable ease. By counting the number of attacks that actually connected, he knew there were only two foes facing off against him rather than the eight he saw and sensed, but even then, he was unable to differentiate his real foes from the illusions as the dizzying assault of disinformation left him reeling in confusion. Only instinct and luck had kept him alive as he defended against a barrage of attacks while waiting for help to arrive, and in this intense and harrowing moment, his life flashed before his eyes.

As a younger man, Nian Zu had tread the Martial Path with relative ease after cutting ties with the Society, forging ever forward out of a desperate need to not only survive in battle, but to also emerge victorious against the many challengers and killers who came for his head. Having been betrayed by the parents who birthed him as well as Clan and Society, he trusted no one and forged ahead alone and without allies or companions. Others called him a prodigious talent, but Nian Zu never bought into it and worked harder than any three of his peers combined, and for this, the Mother Above rewarded his efforts with Insights aplenty. Core Creation had come easily to him, like learning how to breathe in a different, yet wholly natural way, and after signing his life away to the Imperial Army, he quickly moved up the ranks thanks to his many high-profile duels against Society adherents and speed progress through the Martial milestones. Aura Condensation and Natal Palace Formation were both easily achieved, to the point where he hardly even remembered how it happened anymore, with success arriving as naturally as facial hair upon his chin or swelling muscles along his frame, just another facet of his life as a Martial Warrior.

And so, when he encountered his first bottleneck in Domain Development, he’d been at a loss on how to proceed.

How silly it all seemed now, looking back on it from his current perspective, but a single year without significant progress was all that it took to send him spiralling into depression. Hardly surprising at all, considering the Martial Path was all he had, for he lived an empty, meaningless life devoid of joy and good company. By day, he served on the Wall while training and duelling in his spare time, and by night, he trained alone in a bastion occupied by half a million soldiers, admired by some, mocked by others, and shunned by all who were wary of the Society’s long reach. He had peers and subordinates, but no friends or even comrades in arms, a quiet, lonely existence in which he played his part and did nothing else. Not a problem so long as he lived in the moment, caring not where he was headed or what goals he hoped to achieve as he proceeded ever forward without aim or direction.

And then he stumbled along his Path and might well have fallen if not for the support of three men.

The first was his drill sergeant, who taught him how to be a soldier. The next, Nian Zu met in a run-down bar that he frequented because they kept their drinking room well-lit and he enjoyed going there to read. It became his haven while he tackled the mysteries of the Martial Path, and he even came to enjoy the watered-down drinks since it kept his head clear and his thirst sated while he pored over a myriad of personal journals and academic dissertations on Domain Development. It was his hope that he would find some clue or Insight in those readings that would help him break through his bottleneck, one which had plagued him for many long, arduous months, but none of it had helped. It all boiled down to becoming ‘One with the World’, the details of which were scarce and at times contradictory. Some likened it to a shell of Chi deployed around one’s self, while others used more flowery and poetic language to describe how they perceived it, like being adrift in a sea and aware of all the currents, or weaving a web and becoming the spider upon which it sits, a bunch of meaningless hogwash that still stuck with him today because of how ridiculous it sounded. Nian Zu had been reading yet another one of those documents in a barrack bar-room when an old man approached him unseen and remarked, “You won’t find the Truth in someone elses writing, son.”

To which Nian Zu had testily snapped, “I am not your son, and if I were, I would curse the Mother for saddling me with a sneaky bastard of a father.”

Of course, when making that remark, he’d been half-drunk and unaware of who he was speaking to, but the old rogue had a sense of humour and replied, “All fathers are sneaky bastards. They get that way by stealing faithful daughters, which is how most become fathers in the first place.”

The old man joined him without asking as ordered himself a drink, all while Nian Zu glowered at him without effect. The only reason he didn’t chase the old rogue off was because he cut straight to the crux of the issue, without any further preamble. “Two men watch a play together,” the old man had said, the memory ingrained in Nian Zu’s memory and as clear as the day he experienced it. “Sitting side by side, they see, hear, smell, and feel the exact same things, but when the play is over and done with, they discover that one of them loved it, and the other loathed it. Which of them is right, and which is wrong?”

“Neither,” Nian Zu had replied, at the time unsure where all this was going.

“Exactly.” Clapping his hands with undisguised glee, the old rogue stopped to accept his drink and toss back a cup before explaining, “Two diametrically opposed facts which are both true, because the answer is subjective. You can agree or disagree with their opinion, but there is no correct answer, not in the grand scheme of things, only their own personal Truths.” Gesturing at the pile of documents atop Nian Zu’s table, he said, “All these? They are the same. You’re here reading and trying to form an opinion on a play you have yet to see. Just go watch the play and decide for yourself.”

“If only it were so simple.” By now, Nian Zu had realized the old man across from his was not normal, but he had yet to figure out who it really was. “How am I to Develop a Domain if I do not know what the process entails?”

“And there’s your problem.” Forgoing the effort of pouring another cup, the old rogue took another pull straight from the jar. “The play is not the Martial Path. The play is life itself, and despite how hard you fight to survive, all you hold is a life you refuse to live.”

Only then did Nian Zu ask for the man’s name, who then introduced himself as Major General Feng Dao De, the current Commander of the Northern Wall. This post was where military careers went to die, so new commanders were in and out every few years. Feng Dao De was the fifth such commander in the fourteen years of Nian Zu’s service, so he’d long since stopped paying attention to whoever was in charge, so this was the first time he’d seen his commanding officer in person, despite having served under him for several months. A social pariah himself, the eccentric Warrior took a keen interest in the black sheep of the Society, and thus was the first to notice Nian Zu’s struggle, even though at the time, he’d been nothing more than a promising Major.

“I hear things,” Fend Dao De continued, ignoring Nian Zu’s flustered and belated salute with an irritated scowl. “And I hear about the black sheep of the Society who is the talk of the Wall. Now, I didn’t ask for this job, but I’m not a man who shirks his duty, so I looked into the things I heard and hear some other things, things that ring more true than the first.” Taking another swig from the pitcher, his gaze softened as he looked upon Nian Zu and threw a Sound Barrier up around them. “They’re right to call you their black sheep. The sheep didn’t choose its colour, and it can’t change it either, so it stands out without meaning to, but that don’t make it less of a sheep than the others. You’re the same way, son. You think being different means you’re nothing like the rest of us, and it’s true, but we’re all different in our own way, because that’s how the Mother made us.”

Though the Major General’s words sounded nice and Nian Zu desperately wanted to trust him, he was still not yet capable of trusting anyone. “I’m afraid I don’t know what you mean.”

“Sure you don’t, and that’s what I’m talking about.” Gesturing at the documents again, he said, “I’m sure you’ve read the phrase ‘One with the World’ often enough. What’s that mean to you?”

“To accept the world and be accepted by it, just as I accepted my weapon and became one with it.” The answer came easily, because Nian Zu had spent many a night agonizing over it, but still had nothing to show for it.

“A perfect, textbook answer,” Feng Dao De declared, nodding as he studied Nian Zu’s expression.

“And even better, you believe it. You’re halfway there, but overlooking one important question; how can you expect the World to accept you, when you reject yourself?”

It was here, Feng Dao De left off their conversation, only to pick it back up after giving Nian Zu ample time to think. Since he still didn’t trust the old man, he simply put the encounter aside as something to be wary of and continued as per usual. A few days later, they had their second encounter, as Feng Dao De sat down at Nian Zu’s table yet again, appearing out of nowhere like he had the first time. “Everyone loves to quote Huang Shaotian,” he began, eschewing any greeting and preamble. “Even illiterate commoners can quote him. ‘Know yourself and know your enemy, and you need not fear the result of a hundred battles’. What few fail to realize, even educated nobles like yourself, is that the true lesson is hidden in the next bit.”

“If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.” Nian Zu rattled off the quote with ease, for the Three Hunting Strategies were required readings for field officers, and he was nothing if not diligent.

“Already knew you could read and speak, but how’s your basic comprehension?” Gasping in delight after a long pull of wine, the old rogue smiled and asked, “So what happens to a soldier who knows his enemy, but does not know himself?” Nian Zu didn’t know, and he said as much, but Feng Dao De merely shrugged and moved on. “What about a soldier who knows himself, but denies it?”

“He lives without living,” Nian Zu had answered, the words slipping out in a fit of frustrated honestly.

“That you do.” Nodding sagely, the old rogue poured Nian Zu a drink, which was the most potent, foul tasting thing he’d ever tasted. “But you knew this already. Question is, what are you gonna do going forward? Keep on pretending to give face to people who won’t have you? Or be the man you know you are and walk your own Path?”

And so, it was on this advice that Nian Zu abandoned his readings and went out in search of purpose and happiness, and he would forever be grateful he did, for this eventually led him to the third man who supported him to his lofty heights; Shing Du Yi, future Marshal of the North and the love of Nian Zu’s life, but that was a tale that had long since ended.

All three men were now dead and gone, but the lessons they’d taught him still remained, lesions Nian Zu leaned heavily on now. No man was an island, meaning even if the guards he’d left outside were already dead, more would be coming soon enough. Du Yi taught him there was joy to be had in life, and Nian Zu was not yet through with his, nor would he let Du Yi’s daughter die here today, so he fought on without giving into despair. As for Feng Dao De, he taught Nian Zu to be true to himself, but more relevant to this current situation, he taught him to look at every problem and solution with a critical mind and examine all the angles, even if the answer seemed obvious.

And so, Nian Zu widened his perspective and took in the overall battlefield, Yuzhen’s cramped, personal office she only ever used when working alone or having the most secretive of discussions. Today qualified as the latter, for by some strange quirk of fate, Nian Zu found himself fighting side by side with his greatest adversary, disposed former Patriarch of the Situ Clan, Rang Min.

Oh how it must grate on the man to be beholden to Yuzhen, and Nian Zu wished Jia Ying the best of luck in the years to come, for Rang Min was not one to take his losses lying down. That was a matter for another day however, for today, they were allies by necessity as they guarded each others flanks, Nian Zu on the left and Rang Min on the right. With shield and mace, his options were limited as any attack would bring him forward and leave him open to a counter, but Rang Min’s longsword was under no such limitations, darting out to strike at his illusory foes and even sometimes connecting with their weapons. Strange as it might seem, having a shield limited Nian Zu’s options inside these close confines, restricting his movement and vision for his foes to take advantage of.

Behind him, Gerel stood guard in front of Yuzhen, a devoted husband fighting to protect his beloved wife, but the young man did not seem up to the task, already bleeding from a wound inflicted by his foe and hard pressed to recover from his surprise. Thankfully, Nian Zu could tell most of the Wraiths in the room were focused on himself, as well they should be, though it sit poorly with him to notice Rang Min put himself at risk to keep Nian Zu safe. More than once, the man’s longsword moved to threaten one of Nian Zu’s shadows, enough so that the foe had to take him into account when planning their attacks, a detail which until now had been lost in the chaos. As Rang Min’s sword drew back to ready another strike, Nian Zu eliminated two shadows before him for the sole reason that they were left vulnerable to Rang Min’s next attack. Charging shield first at two overlapping shadows, he lashed out at the remaining two and was rewarded as he connected with both strikes. Though unable to grasp the timings to Amplify his attacks, he took no half measures and had gambled heavily on this working, a wager which paid dividends as he sent one foe crashing into the wall while his mace smashed open the other Wraith’s skull.

The tides turned in an instant as Nian Zu moved to threaten the remaining shadows and Rang Min exploded into action, his longsword darting out to pierce through the darkness and claim the lives of their foes. With no time to celebrate, Nian Zu turned to help Gerel and Yuzhen, only to stop short in his tracks as he watched Gerel flick blood off his sword after having already taken care of his Wraith. The handsome young man paid dearly for his victory, his tattered silk robes now stained in blood and Wraith poison coursing through his veins, but he paid his injuries no mind.

Paying no mind to the guards arriving on scene, Rang Min watched Gerel with rapt attention. “So the rumours are true,” he muttered, eyes widening ever so slightly in muted surprise. “The Legate’s prowess in Healing is not due to phenomenal talent, or at least not his own.”

Only then did Nian Zu notice Gerel’s injuries had already mended, and the sour-faced man grimaced at Rang Min’s words. “You speak as if one -” he began, but then stopped short to look at his wife.

None too pleased, Yuzhen did a fine job appearing calm and in control as she stood by her husband’s side, but her white-knuckled grip on her sword gave the game away. “The Bekhai have several young talents of note,” she declared, her icy glare doing little to faze Rang Min. “The Legate and my husband are but two of many.”

No doubt they were speaking about the rumoured Healing method, one so simple even an uneducated Warrior could pick it up. Yet another miracle which sprang from their victory on the second lines, one of many that had yet to be explained. The Healers of Central had yet to come to an agreement on how the technique worked and understand how to put it to use, as most Warriors capable of utilizing this newfangled technique lacked the education necessary to properly describe it. They only knew it was now possible to Heal without possessing an in-depth knowledge of the human body, and Yuzhen had per-empted Gerel from accidentally revealing Falling Rain knew how to use it. Still, the minor slip was enough for Rang Min to draw his own conclusions, and the snake of a man no doubt filed away this knowledge for future use.

While they played their games of lies and half-truths, Nian Zu took control and declared Yuzhen’s office his command centre from which he would oversee the defences. Standard protocol during a Wraith attack was for high ranking officers to remain in place and await sufficient reinforcements before moving to a central location, a measure to make sure they were not to be ambushed en route, but it grated on his nerves to sit here while soldiers under his command fought and died. Ten soldiers had already died for him, six of Yuzhen’s guards and four of Nian Zu’s, including one of his best and brightest, Singing Spear Shi Yukun. To think, this humble Warrior and Hero of the Empire, a man who’d taken up arms at Sinuji and Castle Jianghu and survived two of the bloodiest battles to date, would fall here in the heart of the Citadel where the Empire was strongest. The poor man’s family would be inconsolable, for his parents would now have need to bury their son, and his children their father, twin tribulations no person should ever have to experience, all because Shi Yukun had pledged to keep Nian Zu safe.

This death marked yet another debt to be laid at the Enemy’s feet, one of many incurred on this bloody day. The Wraiths who succeeded were quick to fade away, blending into the shadows where they were invisible to all but the keenest of inspections by Warriors considered high priority targets. Since those were all under lock and guard, the Wraiths were all but free to pick and choose their targets as they pleased, and they did not limit themselves to Elites. They slaughtered soldiers and civilians with little rhyme of reason, set fires to warehouses full of much needed food and equipment, and one Wraith group even targeted a stable full of warhorses, though that ended poorly as their improved Concealment proved to be of little use against the well-trained beasts.

It gave Nina Zu some small measure of satisfaction to learn the two Wraiths were kicked and stomped to death by a Spiritual Warhorse when they approached her without caution. A better death than they deserved, though it raised more questions regarding this new type of Concealment.

Over the next half day, Nian Zu’s people clashed directly with the Wraiths five more times, three of those attacks led by Akanai herself. Considering her formidable strength and ability to match the monstrous Bai Qi in single combat, Akanai was high on the list of assets to protect, but the woman refused to ‘hide in a box and wait for death’. Instead, she set out to hunt the Wraiths and used herself as bait, with her elite Khishig guards proving themselves more than a match for their foes. These were not the leather-clad, bow wielding, quin-riding Khishigs Nian Zu was familiar with, but a small, elite group of veiled Warriors whose origins he was uncertain of. Gerel was no help there, simply shrugging when asked and nothing more, and even Yuzhen was of no help here. “He won’t even tell me,” she Sent, and Nian Zu detected a hint of petulance in her voice. Du Yi had spoiled her rotten, and it would have been a miracle if she turned out even half as competent as she did. “But I believe they’re independent from the Bekhai, and only loosely associated with the Khishigs. I would look to the Medical Saint for answers, as I suspect it is he is their tie to the Bekhai, but this is only my personal conjecture.”

Despite Akanai’s heroic efforts, Nian Zu’s tally of the dead grew as the hours passed by, and still the Enemy forces had yet to be caught. It wasn’t until mid-afternoon that he finally felt confident enough to call off the search, but not before ordering his people to remain under heavy guard at all times. It was only then that he had time to consider the implications, sitting behind Yuzhen’s desk with Akanai across from him. “This morning you claimed the boy came under from Wraiths,” he began, drumming his fingers across the desk in barely concealed unease. “Is it possible these attacks were carried out by the survivors?”

“Not only possible, I would say it is likely.” Seeming utterly at ease and unperturbed by the attacks, Akanai looked none the worse for wear after a long day’s work. The woman was something else, and he’d long since petitioned to have her raised to the rank of Colonel General, but the matter was out of his hands. The Emperor’s Seal was required in order to appoint anyone to the rank of General Officer, meaning Major Generals and higher, but the Imperial Clan cut off all communications after Legate Shen ZhenWu’s injury and Yang Jixing’s death. No doubt they were still discussing how to best discipline their ‘barbarian subjects’, but Nian Zu cared little for what the Imperial Clan thought about them so long as the promised gold kept coming. The Outer Provinces would have long since beggared themselves paying for the Western Wall and the soldiers to defend it, though according to Yuzhen, the future looked promising as these investments began paying dividends, especially after Falling Rain cut out so many middlemen by populating the border with millions of working class families.

Nian Zu was stalling for time, letting his mind wander because he did not want to have this difficult conversation, but there was nothing to be done about it. The words had to be said, and from the looks of things, Akanai knew it as well. “If this is the case,” he began, wishing he’d asked Yuzhen for help choosing his words, just like he used to ask Du Yi, “Then how is it Rain still draws breath?”

Thankfully, Akanai was a frank and forthright woman who took no offence at his straightforward question. “I asked myself the same question and can only hope it is because he was stronger than they were.”

“Stronger than twenty-six confirmed Wraiths?”

“At least forty,” she corrected, looking both sickly and proud at the same time. “We assumed he killed between seven to ten Wraiths out by the district, but that was before we knew these Wraiths carried only one blade each., Now we can assume he killed at least fourteen, as that is the number of unique shattered blades we uncovered, and we know there were more on scene to remove all the bodies.”

Fourteen of the elite Wraiths Nian Zu just fought... two were enough to give him trouble, so how could Rain, even a version of him capable of slipping past his guards unseen and unleashing the Mountain Collapsing Stomp, manage against fourteen, much less a combined forty. “At least now we know why they removed the bodies.” These killers looked no different from a regular Imperial Warrior, and could’ve simply strolled through the gates in plain view to avoid the patrols of Experts on high alert for Concealed individuals. Had Akanai warned them in advance, Nian Zu might have been able to keep these Wraiths from entering as easily as they did, since they had measures in place to prevent infiltration as well.

“Enough of this dancing about,” Akanai said, shaking Nian Zu from his thoughts. “Speak your mind and be done with it.”

It was easy to forget he was speaking to a senior, rather than a fresh faced girl only a little older than Yuzhen. Feng Dao De would have like Akanai, though perhaps a little too much considering the man was survived by twelve wives and forty children. “Are we certain,” he Sent, resisting the urge to cradle his Runic Shield, “The Wraiths Rain fought were there to kill him?”

“His injuries would support that theory,” she Sent, not at all put off by what Nian Zu was suggesting, meaning she had already considered it herself. “The boy took several near fatal wounds, and might well have died if he wasn’t so proficient at Healing. I’m told he ate quite the hearty breakfast and lunch as well, though that means little considering how healthy his appetite was yesterday.”

“So we have a recently recovered Rain who is strong enough to single-handedly see off a forty Wraith attack, only for the survivors to run rampant in the Citadel.” Heaving a sigh mid-Sending, he shook his head and added, “You understand how this looks?”

“Indeed. I too fear that the boy has turned or worse. Perhaps the Wraiths were sent there to collect him, much like the enemy has been collecting Demons and other Defiled talents.”

How could anything be worse than turning Defiled? Stifling the urge to ask, Nian Zu stayed on point and Sent, “You fear. Not feared. So you have yet to clear him?”

“...I cannot say for certain,” she began, her tone cautiously optimistic, “But I believe it is still Rain in there, the same boy the pup brought home from the mines. What this means for us, I am not sure, but... I have faith in him, and believe he would never hurt the people he loves and cares about.”

“Then I hope you faith is well placed.” For if Falling Rain had turned Defiled, then the Empire might well be on its last legs.

The office door opened and an Imperial Messenger entered, his chest heaving with exertion from the journey as he knelt and bowed his head. Though he’d left orders not to be disturbed, the Imperial Messenger arrived bearing a scroll sealed with the emergency signet, which meant he carried news of the utmost importance. Dismissing the Sound Barrier around them, Nian Zu came to his feet and prompted the Messenger to speak. “Suihua Harbour has come under heavy attack and Brigadier Zheng He requests reinforcements.”

Damn it all to hell. The Wraiths were a precursor to an attack, one meant to knock him off guard. “Send word to Major General Han BoHai,” he commanded, even while Sending to the man himself. Lacking the necessary details, he frowned at the still kneeling Messenger and said, “Hand me the scroll, soldier.”

“By your command, General.”

That was all the warning he had, a single slip of the tongue, for though Imperial Messengers were allowed much leeway while carrying out their duties, they were also sticklers for protocol. Leaping back as the blade slashed through empty air, he drew his mace and flung it underhanded into his assailant's chest, his attack arriving just as the disguised Wraith’s head toppled off his neck. Barely able to keep his jaws closed, he nodded at Akanai in thanks, for even if he hadn’t noticed, she would have taken the Wraith’s head off before his attack landed, saving Nian Zu’s life in the process.

Two more debts he’d incurred today, different from the ones laid at the Enemy’s feet, but just as important to pay back.

Grimacing as he picked up the discarded scroll, he looked it over and with a scowl. “The Messenger was a Wraith, but the armour, banner, and message are all real. The harbour has truly come under attack, and now I must wonder if any other Imperial Messengers bearing vital news were also intercepted.”

After a short pause, Akanai responded to the rhetorical question. “Unsure, but there are attacks being carried out all along the Western Border even as we speak, small Defiled raiding parties looking to slip through and cause chaos.” In answer to the unasked question, she shrugged and Sent, “I set up a Khishig Sending line as soon as I arrived last year. One can never be too careful when it comes to military intelligence.”

Making the woman a Colonel General would be a disservice to her skills, but it was the highest rank the Empire had to offer. “Your insight and advice would be appreciated in these troubling times,” he said, acknowledging her as his intellectual superior for the first time ever. Pulling out a map of the Western Border, he held it out for Akanai to inspect and said, “If you could mark down the locations of each attack?”

Despite a long and stressful day spent hunting Wraiths, Nian Zu’s work was not yet done, for the Enemy was on the offensive once more. There would be bloody days ahead, but this meant there would be plenty of opportunities to collect on his debts and interest to boot. The mystery of Falling Rain would have to wait, but so long as he didn’t try to seize control of the defences using his Office of Legate, Nian Zu supposed it would be fine to sit and wait.

After all, there were many reasons why he couldn’t simply order the boy killed, the least of which was because he really didn’t want it to come to this. Like Akanai, he also had faith in Falling Rain, for Nian Zu truly believed that boy was the Chosen Son of the Mother Above.

And if he had truly turned against them, then the Mother will have forsaken them all...

AUthor's note: I had more plans regarding the whole... Feng Dao De bit, but then I got to the part where it all ties back to chapter's start, and I was like... wait... that doesn't make any fucking sense.

derped hard, i did.

SO now it just looks like a bunch of backstory crammed in for nothing, and IM not entirely pleased, but maybe i can fix my gaffe and make it fit. who knows. 

Sorry for the late chapter, but those apologies are sounding hollow even to me. Gonna keep trying, but cant make any garuntees. Enjoy the chpater tho, and thanks for reading