From The Ashes

by Alexander, Ian; Graham, Joshua

  “Is that why Xieh Di wishes to subdue this entire region? Because of what might be? Haven’t you heard? The Sojourners have been all but extinct for centuries.”

  “And what about you? Are you not a Sojourner?”

  Before he could reply, a fierce battle cry flew up. Chi’s men rushed up the steps with their weapons aimed. The Lord Regent sighed, turned and pointed his crossbow at the peasants. He nodded over to his archers, “Dispatch them at once.”

  They were helpless against the arrows. In an instant, they’d all be killed. “Wait!” Ying tried to reach out and stop as many Chungan soldiers as he could, but could not move without getting a sword or arrow thrust through his body.

  And just as the bowstrings twanged, the arrows whistled through the air, something most remarkable happened.

  At first, Ying thought a bolt of lightning had lit the sky. It left him partially stunned and blinded. But the sky was blue and the only clouds that hung in the air were cottony white. The sound was neither a crack nor an explosion, but something that resembled a mighty wind.

  Just before his eyesight returned, the rushing wind blew over everyone with the force of a gale and the heat of a furnace. But from where? And stranger than the looks of bewilderment on everyone’s face, stranger than the enormous ball of fire which had grown from Mei Liang’s burning body into a monstrosity of flames, were the arrows which for a moment stood perfectly still, suspended in the air in front of Chi and his men’s bodies.

  In the space of a breath, the arrows turned to ashes and fell to the ground. At the very same moment—for this all took place in the time it takes to blink—the fire in the center of the arena burst out in all directions. A curtain of flames stretched up into the sky, its heat warming Ying’s face.

  Some of the Chungan soldiers cowered back and made frightened sounds.

  Even the Elder took a step back, “Courage, men! You are warriors, not children!” But the trepidation in his own voice betrayed him. The sight of the inferno whose flames resembled limbs groping for purchase, its crackling and howling wind struck awe in all present.

  All except for Ying, who heard her voice again.

  // COME TO THE FIRE, MY LOVE //

  Swords and other weapons fell to the ground. Many of the soldiers covered their eyes and faces because the heat was becoming unbearable. This left Ying free from the threat of their weapons. They didn’t even notice when he leapt up and followed the voice in his mind.

  As Ying passed over the heads of the soldiers, the Elder chastised his men and commanded them to pick up their weapons and shoot.

  All eyes were on the fire which writhed like a living creature of enormous proportions. None of them paid attention to Ying while he hovered above the ground just a few feet from the flames. Those Chungan soldiers and archers unfortunate enough to be standing too close now lay on the ground, their charred remains blackened with smoke rising up with the sickening stench of burnt flesh.

  Moh-Gwei, who had fallen by the fire, crept on all fours trying in vain to pick up his sword. But each time he touched it, the skin on his hand sizzled and he dropped it quickly. He looked at Ying with horror as he landed. “What demon are you?”

  “You ought to be more concerned with what will happen to you, now that the Elder’s plans have failed,” Ying said.

  Moh-Gwei sat exhausted and held up a hand. “I… I was but a pawn. They made grand promises…It was the Princess’s uncle, the Lord Protector. He approved …” Moh-Gwei put one hand behind his back as he steadied himself.

  “Move away from her,” Ying said, his voice low and threatening.

  “From whom?” He turned around and back. “There’s nothing here but these burning—”

  Before Ying could react, Moh-Gwei pulled a cross bow from behind his back—from a fallen soldier—and aimed it straight at Ying.

  But Ying didn’t move.

  He didn’t have to.

  A fiery tentacle reached out and wrapped itself several times around Moh-Gwei. The crossbow and its arrow incinerated instantly. Almost as quickly, the flesh of what had once been the Prince of Chungzhou began to melt like a candle tossed into the fire. The flaming tendril pulled him into the fire before Ying could behold the horrific site any longer.

  And then, the voice of the Elder echoed in the arena. “Young Sojourner, Surrender yourself now!”

  Ying looked up and found Chi and all the seventy peasants from his village surrounded by Chungan troops. They were still holding their weapons but were outnumbered.

  The Elder sneered at Ying. “Now, then. You will come willingly under my custody until I can think of how best to dispose of you.”

  “And why would I even entertain your demands?”

  “Because,” the Elder said, his eyes wide with what appeared to be madness, “it is only on that condition that I will spare the lives of your people.”

  Chi shouted, “Ignore him, Ying! We’ll not allow these fools to take this kingdom without a taste of our fury!”

  Ying understood. Chi had always said that if Bai Kuo ever fell, its surrounding villages outside the citadel would be next. And the closest was Xingjia, their home.

  Fight now or die later.

  “It appears I have no choice in the matter, Elder,” Ying said with a smile directed at his old friend. Chi smiled back, knowing full well they were about to die. “Our commander has spoken.”

  The Elder’s face twisted with annoyance. “Know that whether I kill you all now, or later, you have failed utterly. Even now, Chungan legions have entered the citadel with orders to kill every male adult and child, and keep whichever females they fancy as slaves.”

  And with that, Chi’s men let out a mighty shout and began to fight any enemy within reach.

  Two Xingjia peasants fell immediately.

  Ying flew up to join the fight, but it was hopeless. At this rate, they would be finished within seconds of his arrival.

  “Take heart, brothers!” Chi called out as he swung his sword and struck a Chungan’s. “Fight for your wives…!

  …For your children!

  …For Valhandra!”

  Then, at the very mention of His name, thunder pealed. A powerful heat scorched the back of Ying’s neck. Still aloft, he turned around and beheld the most terrifying and beautiful sight he’d ever seen.

  From within the flames that stretched up at least three stories in height, something that resembled massive wings of fire stretched outward.

  Then from its center—also ablaze—the crimson crest and golden beak of a wondrous bird.

  When it had fully emerged, it let out a cry so loud and melodious that if it didn’t pierce your eardrums, it would make you weep at its beauty.

  A voice which Ying knew, spoke. It seemed that all could hear it, though it resonated in his heart, not his ears.

  //ARISE, CHILDREN OF VALHANDRA. YOURS IS THE HOLY HERITAGE OF THE SPIRIT POTENTIAL. THE HARVEST IS COME. GO FORTH, REAP WHAT YOUR FATHERS’ FATHERS HAVE SOWN IN TEARS AND BLOOD //

  It was her—Mei Liang! But her voice was strong, majestic, like nothing of this world. Her blazing form rose up, the span of her wings stretched from one side of the arena to the other. When she clapped her wings once, the heated wind blew every Chungan soldier into the air like dry leaves.

  When they fell down on their backs, Chi and his men made quick work of them. Ying flew over and caught the Elder in his Talons and lifted him over the citadel.

  Beneath them, the enemy hordes had gathered the citizens of Bai Kuo, preparing to execute the men in lines of ten with swords in the back.

  “Call them off and command them to leave the citadel.” Ying said to the Elder.

  “Why would I even entertain your demands?”

  “If you don’t, I’ll throw you to the ground where your men will have to pick up the pieces.”

  He laughed. “And then? You think my soldiers will just go home?”

  “Call them off, now!”

  “I’ll show you what I will do
.” He reached into his belt and pulled out a dagger.

  “I will drop you!”

  “Go ahead!” And with that, the Elder put the point of the knife to his own throat, gave a loud grunt and slashed it.

  Swearing in frustration, Ying hurled the Elder’s body back down into the arena.

  The enormous firebird rose up into the sky regarding him closely. He had recognized her voice, but the form? Now he knew. This was the embodiment of the Feng Huang, the legendary Millennial Phoenix spirit, as prophesied in the tomes of the ancient Sojourners.

  For a moment, all fell silent in his mind.

  // FEAR NOT, MY PRINCE //

  // PRINCE? I AM NO PRINCE //

  // WHAT YOU APPEAR TO BE, THIS SIDE OF THE VEIL, DOES NOT DETERMINE WHO AND WHAT YOU TRULY ARE //

  // WHAT SHALL WE DO NOW? //

  // TAKE BACK MY FATHER’S KINGDOM, DEAR YING //

  But they were too few. Just seventy or so against thousands. “It’s not possible.”

  // FOR MAN, IT IS NOT POSSIBLE. BUT FOR VALHANDRA, NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE. BEHOLD… //

  She directed his attention to the entrance to the arena. What he saw below took him by surprise. Dozen by dozen, a stream of various animals came rushing out, some on foot, some flying. There were horses, tigers, leopards, bears, hawks, hounds, and too many other kinds to tell.

  // BEHOLD, YOUR BRETHREN…THE SOJOURNERS… THEY HAVE RETURNED //

  When Ying looked down to the ground, he noticed that his own shadow, outlined by the fiery light of the Phoenix, had also transformed into that of a great eagle. It was then that he understood. “The spirit potential.”

  // YES //

  It was yet another voice, inside his heart. “Xue?” He had met with his spirit potential and was now manifesting in all its power as a great eagle, the size of a young elephant. Everything he and Xue had experienced together became a common memory. Every skill that Xue had possessed was now his. They were no longer two, but one in spirit. It seemed they had always been.

  Ying flapped his expansive wings and let out a shrill cry that resounded throughout the citadel. At that, the citizens and Chungan soldiers looked up.

  Fear struck the hearts of the enemy troops and they all scattered.

  Until their commanders shouted orders to kill the citizens.

  It was then that the transformed Sojourners attacked with the speed and ferocity which only animals possessed.

  The Phoenix flew off to the western hills.

  // WHERE ARE YOU GOING? //

  // TO AWAKEN THE REST //

  Ying didn’t take another moment to ask about it. He simply flew down and clutched at every Chungan soldier about to execute a Bai Kuo citizen. He quickly threw the soldiers against the wall, stunning them or injuring them fatally.

  The hundreds of soldiers that could still do so fled out of the citadel gates and the people cheered. In pursuit, the army of transformed Sojourner beasts flooded out of the gates as well. Ying landed in front of them all and returned to his human form.

  Each of the villagers he’d known and some he’d only met once or twice in Xingjia took on their human forms again as well. Only now, they didn’t appear a provincial brood. As though they’d just awaken from a dream, a dignified look of courage and wisdom came over their faces. They all stood a bit taller, their eyes clearer than before. All in a line facing their fleeing enemies, they stood shoulder to shoulder some raising fists in the air in victory.

  “Have you ever seen such a frightened lot?” one asked.

  Chi, who had transformed back into a human form from that of a black warhorse now surveyed his men. Once a disorganized band of low-born rustics, now they stood as an army of proud warriors whose true heritage had been resurrected by the return of the Millennial Phoenix.

  “Still refuse to believe?” Ying said, placing a firm hand on Chi’s shoulder.

  “I never stopped.” The smile faded. “I am sorry about the Princess.”

  “Did you not see the Phoenix?”

  “I did, but—”

  “It’s her! Mei Liang has become the Millennial Phoenix!”

  Chi rubbed his chin and his eyes drifted deep into thought. “So that is why she hastened her own death. Just as it has been told in the Sojourner tomes.”

  “I never imagined it would be Mei Liang that was to awaken the spirit of the Sojourners,” Ying said, turning to the valley where the remaining Chungan soldiers had fled. “And I never would have dreamt that we were the remnant of the Sojourners themselves.”

  Chi smiled and laughed ironically.

  “What do you find so amusing?” Ying said.

  “He uses the simple to confound the learned, the humble to confound the proud, and the weak to overcome the strong.”

  “That sounds familiar.”

  Chi clapped Ying’s shoulder. “It’s in your book.”

  As they spoke, some of the Sojourners stirred. Then they began shouting. “Chi! Ying! It has gone bad!”

  Ying turned to look. If a few hundred Chungan soldiers seemed an overwhelming number, what he now saw flooding the valley was immeasurably worse.

  These were the ten-thousand troops the conspirators had mentioned when he overheard them in the woods.

  The alluvial plains darkened as thousands of horsemen and chariots blanketed the sand in deadly waves.

  “Let them come!” said Hua Zong, flames rising from his fingertips. “I’ll roast them like pigs!”

  One of them who had transformed into a sharp-tusked boar turned to Hua and grunted angrily.

  Hua smiled. “It’s just an expression.”

  Chi lifted his hand, clenched his fingers into a fist and announced, “We’ll meet them in the valley! Citizens of Bai Kuo who are able, take up your weapons and keep the high ground. Sojourners who take the form of leopards and tigers, harass the horses first and finish their riders when they have fallen. Birds of prey! Collect large stones and throw them at the front of the enemy lines.” Chi transformed back into a horse and everyone followed.

  “For Valhandra!”

  From high above, Ying—now in eagle form—looked down with a thrill as the Sojourners leaped, flew and climbed over the citadel walls and then poured into the hills like water. The mighty men of Bai Kou ascended the towers and readied their weapons.

  Ying flew to the crags that surrounded the valley below and in his talons took hold of a heavy stone. He flew down towards the valley where clouds of dust rose into the sky behind the attacking armies. When the Chungan troops that had fled Bai Kuo saw their reinforcements coming, they turned back to face the oncoming Sojourners. Dropping to one knee, each of the Chungan archers drew their bows.

  Before Ying could react, a dozen or more stones flew past him and down at the archers, either crushing their skulls or knocking them off their feet. Even as a number of stray arrows launched, a squadron of giant falcons soared ahead down to the bodies of the archers.

  But one bowman remained. Hidden behind the body of a fallen comrade, he aimed his weapon straight at the black horse leading the Sojourner charge. Chi!

  From that distance, Chi would never see his assailant in time to evade.

  Ying dove straight at the lone archer and threw his stone at his head.

  But it missed.

  At the crashing of the stone next to him, the archer glanced up, around, and because his helmet impeded his view he removed it. Just then Ying clawed at his face and the archer dropped his bow.

  Grabbing him by the neck, Ying lifted him off the ground and high into the air. All the while, the archer writhed, clutched at his neck trying to pry Ying’s talons from it. He gurgled and strained in pain.

  About six hundred yards from the Sojourner front line, the enemy troops gathered. Then the commander, accompanied by several others in the row, charged with his sword pointed forward. Behind them, bringing up the rear, one blew a horn and another held the green flag of Chungzhou emblazoned with a black dragon.

  Ying, uncertain what to d
o next flung the archer down at the commander of the troops leading the onslaught. The archer’s body struck the commander with such lethal accuracy it not only knocked him off his horse, but three other mounted fighters in the row, as well.

  However, though the flag fell, another soldier snatched it off the ground and it flew once again. The falling of the commanders did nothing to stave off the attack. As if nothing had happened, the troops rode forward, mounted soldiers and chariots alike.

  Within seconds, the sound of swords clashing, men shouting, and animals roaring rose up from the ground below. The leopards and other great cats fell upon the enemy chargers, taking them down by the neck, the legs or by any other means. The Chungan horses screamed and kicked, throwing their riders from their backs.

  The rest of the Sojourners in the form of bears, boars, wolves, elephants and rhinoceroses came next and gored, ripped, rammed and trampled the fallen enemy soldiers before they could even return to their feet.

  Ying flew up to get a better view.

  Chi had become a human again and drew a sword from a dead Chungan’s side. With the weapon raised high, he commanded the Sojourners to meet the next wave: Chungan chariots.

  With a squadron of falcons at his side, each armed once again with large stones in their talons, Ying reached out in his mind to them.

  // WE MUST GO BEFORE THEM ALL AND PROVIDE COVER //

  He led the squadron over Chi, who had mounted a lone Chungan horse and turned it around against the incoming army. Again, the falcons hurtled stones and toppled the riders out of their chariots.

  This had been effective the first time, but now the great birds had lost the element of surprise. This time, some of the chariot riders were prepared. The ones who had not yet been struck by stones fired arrows at the falcons, some even stabbed the few who had flown close enough.

  One by one, falcons fell.

  After Ying released his stone, it struck and snapped the spokes of one of the chariots. The vehicle toppled. Its rider spilled out and was quickly trampled by other horses and colliding chariots.