Chapter 16: Chapter 16: Journey Across Dust

Fei-Lu led the group in a single file line through the camp. She sat confident on her steed, her eyes focused on the fence’s gates. Lysa sat behind her, wrapping her arms around the tactician’s waist. Xiwaoans stood by their tents and watched in silence as the band marched through the empty alleys of tents. 

“It’s going to be a long ride,” Koya whispered to Yaihan as they stopped at the gate. Fei-Lu talked with the guard at the edge of the camp, brining their travel to halt. “I don’t blame you if you want to get some rest.” The kunoichi tilted her head behind her. Cyrus sat on his horse, awaiting Fei-Lu’s next command. A long wooden wagon attached to the rear of the saddle with a single cloth draped over it to cover their supplies. “There might be room on that if you want to sneak in a moment of shuteye.”

“I’m not tired,” the cultivator replied with a whisper.

Koya smirked. “I guess you really are something. You don’t need to eat. You don’t need to sleep. You can’t get hurt.”

“None of that’s true,” Yaihan replied with the same quiet and stern tone. “I’ve just learned to subdue my bodily and earthly feelings.”

“Well, if we somehow win this war, you should open up a school. I guarantee you at least one student that will pay you a steep fee to learn just a fraction of your skill,” Koya said as she gestured towards herself with her thumb.

“I don’t plan on opening a school,” Yaihan replied. Koya gave him a perplexed glance until he extended one hand and pointed at the front of the procession. The gate opened wide and Fei-Lu waved for the group to follow. Koya flicked Midnight’s reins, and the horse trotted forward. 

“What? Why not?” Koya said as she kept her eyes focused on trailing Fei-Lu. “Do you know how much... Wait. Never mind. I think it’s safe to assume that you’re not interested in money, either.”

The cultivator shook his head. “Not in the slightest.”

“I guess living on a mountain and eating nothing but kelp makes you appreciate the finer things in life.”

“I can’t teach if even my training isn’t even done.”

The kunoichi glanced over her shoulder, her shocked face apparent in the soft glow of the full moon above. “You can’t be serious.”

“I am.”

“You’re able to rip Onis limb from limb, yet somehow your training isn’t complete?”

“I’ve only practiced my craft for a decade.” Yaihan turned his head to the rear, staring into the direction where her first set foot back on Xiwao. “I was supposed to continue on for at least another twenty years... but more pertinent issues came to my attention.”

“I see,” Koya replied somberly. “Well, here’s to hoping a reversal of fortune. I’m both intrigued and terrified of what you’re able to become if you manage to reach your true potential. You... could rival a god.”

“Perhaps,” Yaihan said as he faced forward once more. “But only true cultivators exist in legends.”

“Yeah, everyone in Xiwao is familiar with the tales.” A cold gale passed through, sending small clouds of dust rolling across the horizon. “Men who could move mountains. Fly through the air. Live for centuries.”

“All of that is true. However, one that powerful hasn’t existed in thousands of years. Long before written word was the norm.”

“After meeting you, I believe it. Do you think you could have been one of those... mythical cultivators?”

“It’s possible. My training and meditation were going quite well.”

“Damn. Maybe you should have waited another month or two to return. If you’re able to do everything that you can now, you might have been able to stop that entire Oni brigade by yourself.”

“If I had meditated for another month, there wouldn’t be a Xiwao to protect.”

The kunoichi shrugged her shoulders. “That’s a good point.” Up ahead, Fei-Lu turned to the rest of the group and signaled for Koya to catch up to her side. “Looks like Fei-Lu wants to talk to us.” She navigated Midnight, to catch up with Zephyr and trotted by his side.

“We’ll need to pick up the pace,” Fei-Lu said as she kept her eyes focused on the plateau that lined the horizon. “This is not meant to be a reconnaissance mission. We have to intercept Valiax as soon as possible.”

“But Midnight and Zephyr have been running all day,” Koya said. “They’ve barely got the stamina to walk towards the canyon, let alone going with a full-on sprint.”

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“They’ll have to make do. We can rest once we reach the top and we get a better idea of the distance between us and Valiax.” Fei-Lu cracked the reins again, making Zephyr tilt his back and let out an exhausted neigh. The horse moved with an swayed gallop, leaving the others behind. Cyrus followed the tactician’s order and passed Yaihan and Koya.

“You seem hesitant to follow her command,” Yaihan said as he watched the other two horse venture further into the distance. The kunoichi placed a hand on Midnight’s mane and brushed his hairs. 

“I can tell Midnight is exhausted. I... feel terrible to push after all he’s been through these past few days. Poor thing hasn’t had a good night’s sleep in over a week.”

“Just push him a little further. Once we make it to the top of the plateau, then we can rest. I’m sure Midnight has it in him to go all the way.”

Koya tilted her head so she could look the horse in the eye. It was half-closed while his neck hung low. “All right,” the kunoichi said with disappointment. She gave Midnight a gentle rub on his neck before pulling back on the reins. “Just a bit further, Midnight!”

The horse snorted as he tilted his head back. Without hesitation, Midnight sped up to a swift gallop and caught up with the rest of the group. Together, they headed in a straight line towards the jagged horizon. A metallic scent travelled through the cold, night air. The blood of the previous battle still stained the dry dirt, carrying its usual odor. Everyone kept their eyes on the destination, ignoring the grim reminder of the previous encounter with the Oni. 

It wasn’t long until the camp was a spec in the distance. Koya turned around to look past an impassive Yaihan to gaze at the last of the Xiwaoan strongholds. As her eyes drifted towards the distance, she couldn’t help but look Yaihan in the eyes. Despite the hour, his eyes had the same unwavering determination as when he first entered battle.

“Everything all right?” he asked the kunoichi, speaking loud enough to overcome the horses’ gallop.

Koya nodded before facing forward again. “Yeah,” she replied. 

“Are you tired? If you need me to take control, I can.”

“No. It’s not that. Besides, Midnight isn’t too fond of having other riders control him.”

“You seemed upset. I saw it in your eyes.”

There was a brief silence as Koya navigated Midnight over jagged terrain. “It’s... a lot of things. But everyone feels the way that I do. No point in trying to go too deep into it.”

“Worried about how the other Xiwaoans will handle themselves?”

Once Midnight cleared the rough ground, Koya sighed. “What if... after all this... we come back and there is no one to protect? I think we made a mistake by brining all of us along.”

Yaihan nodded his head as he placed a hand on Koya’s shoulder. “I meant everything I said back at the assembly. I have faith in Fei-Lu’s decisions.”

“I do too. But that doesn’t mean I can just shrug off this lingering feeling... of absolute dread.” Koya’s upper body shook with a slight shiver. “It’s a new feeling. Even when the Oni-Zhen first started taking over the country, I didn’t feel such terror. But now that we’re on our last legs... it’s just a sensation that I can’t avoid.”

“I never would have guessed that by your demeanor.”

The kunoichi tilted her head back and returned the cultivator’s statement with a small grin. “That’s my way of coping. You know, being a Purifier isn’t just about the power. We have an image to protect, too. No one’s going to follow us into battle if we look timid.”

“But you’ve earned your confidence,” Yaihan replied. “You’ve slain many Onis. Very few can say that.”

“Right. But that will only get us so far. We’re fighting a losing war. And this feeling deep in my gut tells me that this will all be over. Sooner... rather than later.”

“That feeling of yours is right,” Yaihan said calmly. The kunoichi raised an eyebrow.

“Is that so?” she replied. “You seem sure.”

“That’s because I am. These Oni were once men. They have the same flaws that so many of my peers had. Overconfident. Arrogant. Shortsighted. Their being on the verge of victory is the very thing that will bring them down.”

Koya focused on following the group. The size of the plateau came into view, growing larger with each passing moment.  “I hope you’re right, Yaihan. I really do.”

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