Mulan scanned the horizon. Gone were the Lingbao School and the wooden hall that held the Sacred Jewel. Daocheng, Chuo, and Master Ge were nowhere in sight and Mulan’s heart ached with the possibility of never seeing them again.
They stood on the very edge of a cliff high above a valley painted in shades of dull green. A river meandered through it to the east, flowing towards rocky cliffs and scraggly trees in the distance. Wisps of dark clouds held the promise of a storm and a cold wind sent the hems of her clothes in a flutter, caressing her skin with its icy fingers through the rips and tears. They had to be at least a hundred metres above the ground.
“Are we in Hulunbuir?” she asked, turning to face the other way and finding the ruins of an ancient building stretched out in front of them.
Colossal columns once fashioned from glittering fine marble now lay collapsed on their sides, some on the ground, others resting precariously against matching pedestals. Large gaps in the stone walls let in dim light, casting odd shapes over the wreckage of what must have once been a glorious temple. Mulan could imagine throngs of people gathering there under the soft glow of candlelight and lamps, the smell of incense thick in the air, as they prayed to unseen gods. Now, the only prayers came from the building itself – why have I been forsaken? Above their heads, collapsed rafters twisted towards the sky like broken fingers reaching for the warmth of the sun.
Kang took a step forward, his boot snapping something on the ground. The sound echoed through the ruins. “We must be, or near to it anyway. Hulunbuir’s a big place.”
“Do you think the Khitans will attack us?”
“I doubt it. Officially, the Tuoba and Khitans are friends and allies.”
“And unofficially?”
“They know we’re stronger, but that doesn’t stop them from overstepping the line from time to time. Let’s try to avoid them.”
A shiver coursed down Mulan’s spine as they started stepping over fallen debris. She could imagine hungry ghosts lurking in the thick shadows. “We need to get out of here and find the cave.”
A groan of wood and stone echoed through the hallway, halting their movements. In front of them, a fallen column, perched on top of another, began to move. Dread slithered through Mulan as a dark shape emerged from behind.
A monster was the only word Mulan could use to describe it. Nearly twice her height, it stood on two legs covered in thick brown hide. Its arms were short and stocky but swollen with muscles that promised to rip their heads off if anyone came near. Two grossly mishappened heads with blazing red eyes the colour of molten blood sat on top of its shoulders, the neck just a thick stump only a few inches long. But its stomach area sent bile racing up Mulan’s throat. Where there should have been a belly sat a wide mouth with teeth sharpened into dangerous fangs, snapping and snarling. The creature stretched out its arms and released a deafening bellow that shook the dilapidated remains of the building.
Mulan and Kang stepped back, freeing their blades from their sheathes. “What in the eighteen hells is that thing?” she hissed, never keeping her eyes off it.
“By all the gods, I couldn’t tell you,” Kang replied, his tone coated in horror.
Using one arm, the creature picked up the fallen column and hurled it in their direction. Ducking, it careened over their heads in a rush of air and into the open air behind them a second before it came hurtling towards them.
Sucking down a deep breath, Mulan’s instincts clicked into action. Raising the jian high above her head, she raced forward, using a damaged marble pedestal to launch her forward, and brought the sword down.
The blade sank into the thick hide but didn’t penetrate. Tremors rushed down Mulan’s arms with such force she almost lost her grip. Ducking beneath an arm, she swerved out of reach as Kang whipped its attention to him.
His moves were nothing but a blur of speed and force. His sword ran like lightning through the air, leaving only a flash across her vision before disappearing once more. He swiped the blade across its chest, the sound of snapping jaws and the groan of debris shooting across the building accompanying it, but the monster kept on coming.
Clenching her jaw tight and levelling the jian straight as an arrow, Mulan rushed forward, aiming for the monster’s hairy back. Like before, the tip was unable to penetrate the hide and simply bounced off.
“It’s not working,” she shouted, falling backwards as it swung an arm around, the tips of its hairs tickling her nose as she fell. Pain blossomed over her back as the ground welcomed her into its grasp.
Dust billowed into the air, choking her as tiny particles rained down and splashed into her open mouth and scattering over her eyelashes. Spitting, Mulan rolled onto her side and jumped to her feet. A second later, Kang flew backwards through the air, his body crashing into the remains of a stone wall hard enough to bring another large slab crashing down by his feet. “Kang!” she cried.
The monster turned its attention back to her. At its belly, its horrifying mouth opened in a silent scream, the weak sunlight glinting off its razor-sharp teeth. Fear rippled through her as it barrelled towards her, its arms outstretched for a deathly embrace.
Rolling sideways, Mulan jumped to her feet, swinging her jian upwards just as a fist the size of her lower arm pummelled into her arm. A scream tore from her throat as she staggered backwards but she kept her fist tight around the hilt. Ducking as another fist swung over her head, Mulan spun the blade through the air so fast she could hear them slice through the air.
But no matter what she did, the blade refused to pierce the monster’s hide.
Out of the corner of her eye, she caught motion and prayed it wasn’t another of these things.
A second later, Kang’s sword appeared behind the creature. Determination blazed furiously over his face as he plunged the blade down.
The monster let out a piercing bellow, sending a foul stench hurtling over Mulan’s face. Trying not to gag at it, Mulan stepped out of arms’ reach. It turned, facing Kang and swung its arms ferociously at his face. Dark blood oozed from the several inches long wound down its spine, and for a moment, relief swelled in Mulan’s chest. If it could be wounded, it could die.
But the relief morphed into dismay as the wound slowly knitted together again.
“It’s healed,” Mulan shouted, slicing her blade over its back. It had no effect.
Kang ducked beneath a fallen column. “What?”
“The wound. It’s healed.”
The monster struck the column with such force it shattered the marble into two. Dust coated the air. “Fuck!”
Mulan’s jian continued to dance through the air in time with Kang’s, slicing and dicing through the creature’s hairy body but having little effect. More dust clogged the air as columns exploded into fragments, and Mulan breathed it in, her lungs screaming for clean air. Exhaustion flowed through her limbs, but forced herself to ignore it, the monster still coming towards them.
Kang sailed through the air, landing on its back. “Keep it busy,” he shouted.
Trying not to cough with the taste of dust accumulating in the back of her throat, Mulan swiped the blade over its eyes, the tip missing them just by millimetres. With a roar, it struck out, narrowly landing in Mulan’s left side.
Gritting her teeth against the pain, she continued to strike out, putting all her strength and weight behind the hilt. Kang wrapped an arm around its neck, then the other, and squeezed, his jaw tight with fortitude. Maybe if they couldn’t hack it to bits, they could strangle it.
Mulan sliced the jian down its arms, trying to keep its attention away from Kang, but it proved useless. Doubling over, it suddenly shot upwards, sending Kang crashing several feet away.
Then its fist came hurtling out of nowhere and Mulan’s vision of the world morphed into nothing but a blur of shadows and light. Pain exploded through her head seconds later and black crept along the corners of her vision. A clang of metal on stone rang through her ears.
A cold seeped into
her back as she realised she’d been thrown into one of the columns. Chunks of marble lay around her body, fallen maybe only seconds ago or thousands of years. Who knew? Shaking her head to clear away the darkness and sucking in as much air as she could, Mulan lifted her gaze to find the monster racing towards her, its double heads snarling as two sets of red eyes flashed with rage.
Hands empty, Mulan’s fingers scrambled for her sword but found only chunks of marble. Grasping one with trembling fingers, she shoved it up. A roar thundered through her ears. She caught sight of the rock stuffed into the creature’s belly-mouth, the ends of the fangs clicking against the material, a flash of a hairy fist, then found herself flying backwards into the corner.
Skidding on her front, she finally came to a halt where she’d first appeared. Cold wind slapped her face, and suddenly the long drop of the valley beneath came into sight. An idea popped into her mind.
Glancing over her shoulder and through the tendrils of hair falling over her eyes, she observed as Kang jumped in front of the monster, forcing his attention back onto him. Blood spilled in red streams over the side of his face, white dust painting the rest. His sword swished through the air near the thing’s burning red eyes.
Stumbling over the bits of fallen debris, Mulan raced to find her sword. The metal glinted near where she’d fallen only moments ago. “Kang!” she called, pointing to the edge of the ruins. “Get the thing over there.”
A quick flick of his eyes where she’d pointed informed her that he understood her plan. He kicked into reflex, his sword a blur of silver light as he forced the monster backwards. Mulan raced forward, her jian joining in the dangerous dance. Slowly, they manoeuvred it back, until only a few steps from the edge.
The wind sent the creature’s brown hair flying in all directions, and its foul stench assaulted Mulan’s nostrils. Every breath they sucked in echoed through their ears. Mulan swept her blade low, the metal finally penetrating its thick hide enough to make it bellow. The monster staggered backwards another step.
With a war cry worthy of any battle, Kang jumped through the air, twisting his body at unnatural speed. His legs struck the creature’s head, sending it flying. A roar shot from its mouth, his arms flailing as Kang landed gracefully on his feet on the edge, facing Mulan. Relief shone through the sweat coating his face.
But the relief morphed to shock as a thick hairy hand clasped his ankle and pulled.
“Kang!” Mulan screamed, rushing forward as he slipped past the edge of the cliff, dropping the blade and reaching out as far as she could.
Dust-covered fingers grasped her in a vice-like grip. Kang’s face stared up at her, his brown eyes round with fear, his jaw tightening with determination to cling on. Dangling behind him was the monster, its double heads etched with only one intent: to take him with it.
Gritting her teeth and digging her heels into the rock, Mulan strained to pull Kang up. The monster yanked on his ankle, sending Mulan forward several inches, her head now over the edge. Small rocks fell, smacking into Kang’s face and then further down.
Kang kicked out, his boots smacking into the creature’s fingers. Grunts echoed on the wind as Mulan fought against the panic lodged within her throat.
Each movement caused the monster to swing precariously. With one last kick, it finally released its grip and plummeted to the ground. Seconds later, the sickening sound of a heavy crash reverberated up to their ears.
Using all her strength, Mulan pulled, her own grunts mingling with Kang’s. As his arms emerged over the edge, it became easier to get him to safety. When Kang finally scrambled several inches from the side, they both collapsed, exhaustion and relief consuming every inch of their bodies.
Then Kang’s hands gripped her elbows and his mouth claimed hers. She grabbed a fistful of his ripped clothes and melded her body to his as if she couldn’t get close enough. After everything that had happened, she never wanted to be more than an inch away. All she could think was how close he’d been from death.
If death wanted him, then death would have to deal with her first.
Kang’s hot mouth burned through her, down past her skin and into her blood. Heat blazed through her veins as the cold wind blew around them. His hand ran down her back, and the flames burned wildly.
Finally, they pulled away and stood. Slowly, they made their way to the edge and peered down. The monster’s limbs bent at awkward, unnatural angles at the bottom a hundred metres below, dark blood seeping into the ground.
Kang’s hand encircled hers. “Let’s get out of here before that things decides it can heal that.”
Mulan bent down to retrieve her sword. “Don’t even joke about it.”
Carefully, they made their way through the ruined building, listening and looking for any sign that it wasn’t alone. Thankfully, nothing came rushing back to their ears except for the sound of their pounding hearts.
A doorway stood at the far end, its wooden doors rotting on the ground after so much time being ravaged by the elements. It seemed the temple stood on a lonely cliff standing at the edge of a small mountain, a rocky slope leading downwards. Sheathing their weapons and with caution leading the way, Mulan and Kang slowly climbed to the bottom.
The monster’s body continued to lay still, but trepidation still lingered in Mulan’s body as she glanced wearily at it. “What now?” she asked, panting and glancing around.
Kang pointed into the distance. “The river,” he said. “We’re bound to find something if we follow it long enough.”
It was a better plan that anything she had, which was nothing.
They set off, keeping one eye on the creature just in case it just needed longer to heal. Wisps of dark clouds gathered close, turning the sky grey and blotting out the sun. No birds sang in the air, nor could she hear the scuttle of animals. Trees forced into twisted, grotesque shapes by the wind lay scattered along the valley. It seemed bare, a blank canvas, as if some artist had simply forgotten to make it lush with life.
They walked for a few miles in silence, Kang’s hand still wrapped around hers. The ruined temple faded into the distance as the river came closer into view. Thirst parched her throat and hunger stirred in her belly. Mulan’s mind wandered back to earlier events of the day. “Do you think the others will be safe?”
“Chuo and Daocheng have proven themselves capable warriors,” Kang said, his tone low and soft. “I’m sure they’ll be fine.”
A weary sigh escaped from between her lips. “Those Rouran sorcerers have great powers and Master Ge said the jewel wouldn’t be able to transport anyone else for a month. What if they kill them all?”
Kang stopped and pulled her close, his breath warm on her forehead. “Listen to me. Your friends can hold their own against those worms. Ge Hong has enough tricks up his sleeve to help.” When she didn’t say enough, he placed a gentle finger beneath her chin and forced her to look up at him. “After we’ve destroyed the seal, we’ll go back and find them.”
“And Zong?”
“Him, too.”
A weak smile tugged at the corners of Mulan’s mouth. They began walking again.
“What will you do when this is all over?” he asked. The words came out casual, but Mulan could hear a hint of tightness to them.
Screwing her face up, she thought. “I don’t know. My parents will most likely kill me for running out on my wedding, let alone for bringing shame to the family for taking my father’s place in the army.”
Kang shook his head and chuckled softly. “You’ve got to be the only woman I know who had the balls to do that.”
Mulan shrugged. “My father is a hard man. He lives his life with honour and raised his children to do the same.” The memory of him collapsing in front of her the night she ran away filled her mind, sending waves of sorrow rushing through her. “I didn’t want him dying on the back of a horse surrounded by strangers. He deserved better than that.”
“Xuan Wu was right.” Mulan turned to him, her face furrowed in conf
usion. “You are honourable.”
Once again, she sighed. “Was it honourable to flee a marriage the night before the ceremony took place?”
It was Kang’s turn to shrug. “If you hadn’t, I would be dead, and my family would have whatever power lays within the ancestral cave. The world would be on its knees, bathed in blood. Mulan, you may think your actions weren’t honourable, but it’s given us a chance to save our people. Don’t forget that.”
Mulan said nothing, his words swimming in her mind. Would her parents think the same? Did she, for that matter? All she’d wanted was to save herself from Wang Luwei’s vicious attentions and to save her father from dying without his family by his side. Was there any honour in that? She inhaled deeply, then exhaled. “Maybe when this is all over, I’ll let you say that to my parents,” she half-joked. “They may believe you.”
Kang squeezed her hand. “You’ll see them soon.”
“Maybe. Maybe not. Kang, we have both the Rouran and your family after us. After everything we’ve been through in the last few weeks, there’s no guarantee we’ll survive.”
Silence fell between them once more. Mulan tried to brush away the images of her friends’ dead on the floors of Lingbao School, Rouran sorcerers laughing over their bodies, but still they lingered.
They made it to the river and drank their fill before continuing. A few more hours passed, and the sky darkened further. Night was preparing to sweep its inky cloak over the horizon. The wind blew cold, making Mulan shiver.
Eventually, Kang brought them to a halt. He pointed into the distance. “Look over there.”
Smoke wafted on the air, the scent of roasting meat trailing not far behind. Mulan’s mouth salivated with it as the outlines of several tents appeared on the bend of the river maybe a hundred meters away. The wind carried the sounds of horses but nothing else. A frown took up residence on her brow. “Is that a Khitan camp?” she asked. Like her ancestors, the Khitans were a nomadic people, following rivers and the herds with the seasons. A people connected with the land, her father would say.
Honour, She Obeys Page 38
