"Longwei! Longwei! Are you here? Longwei!"
T
he loud, unpleasant voice which could break any stone into two halves sounded throughout the dark cage.
The loud voice was the only thing which could be heard with the whistling of the wind.
The winter wind which was the constant guest of this place. Bringing nothing but coldness and the screams, this wind had its name, people called it "The storyteller." And indeed, this wind was always bringing with itself the screams of those who were in the battlefield, and those who were dying. Maybe that is why people called it "The Storyteller." It could tell stories, especially, one story, the story of life and death.
Shivering out of cold, half awake but half dreaming, covered in snow and thin layer of ice, almost deluded, someone was lying on the thin piece of some kind of material. The fading fire was burning next to the face. There was no use of the fire, because anyway, it was too cold and nothing could make everything warmer. Even the fire.
The quick and loud steps, like a giant was walking over the ground, echoed throughout the cave.
And then the big hand covered in fur sleeve reached out and pulled off the blanket.
"Longwei, get up. I know you are not sleeping. Get up. The head of the First clan is awaiting you. Get up!"
Despite of the loud voice, there was no answer.
Lying motionlessly, only the slight shivering was the sign that this someone was alive.
"Get up or you'll have problems and don't tell me that I didn't warn you."
Saying this he put his hand on the lying man's back and pushed it with all his might. Hearing the cracking of the bones he said, "It is painful but you are still stubborn. Alright then, I'll be stubborn too."
The massive hand pressed the lying man stronger but he made no sound.
"Will you get up or not? If you won't, I use more brutal force."
The man who was lying face down, finally uttered a word. His voice was weak and hoarse. "Master, leave me alone. I don't feel good today."
"You don't feel good everyday, but then once I look away you run away. I won't believe you anymore. Your cunningness has no limits."
"Master, I think I have a cold. I am not lying master. It is true. Here, my forehead is burning."
"Don't say nonsense. I know you are fine. Someone like you never gets ill. Get up now."
"What if I won't? What will you do?"
Saying this he covered his head with hands and was trying hard to hold his laughter.
"You're teasing me! You! Just wait and see."
"No! Don't touch me! No, Ye-Ying!"
Breaking into laughter, the man who was pretending ill suddenly jumped up from his bed and ran towards the exit. The fire finally went out making the cold cave even more darker than it was.
But outside the cave, it was even colder. Standing barefoot, only in nightwear, a young man with frightened face said, "Why are you always like this?! How many times should I tell you that I don't want to go there?! Why can't you understand that I am incapable of fighting, see? Look at these hands, they are incapable of holding the sword properly."
Indeed, these two hands which were blue out of coldness were delicate and almost fragile.
"And this, do you see? This wound is due to the fact that I couldn't defend myself and one of the warriors hit me right in the face with the sword. It still hurts."
Pointing at the wound on the left cheek, the young man whose face was very extraordinary among the others, extraordinary by all means. For example, his eyes were big enough to call him an owl and bright enough to call him the sun, his black eyebrows which made a perfect two lines were expressive enough to call him crybaby, and a lips which were redder on the background of his white, almost pale skin. The only thing which made his look a bit rude and brutal was his straight nose with a tiny, almost invisible scar on it. But it was so invisible that only the owner of the nose could notice it.
The man with a loud voice approached him, his face was covered with a black scarf. But even if his face was hidden, his black eyes were scary enough to make everyone shudder.
Standing face to face, the man with a voice said, "Don't call me Ye-Ying."
"How else should I call you? It is your name so I call you like this."
"Juts don't call me like this!" Ye-Ying shouted and the ice which was hanging on the tree branch fell down.
Standing among the tall trees and thick layers of snow, Longwei looked up at the sky. His eyelashes were covered with frost. Looking up he pointed to the pale sky, "Look! Today the sunrays can be seen through these heavy clouds! This day can be lucky then."
Ye-Ying raised his head up, the scarf fell down to his heck, revealing his rude, almost scary face where the deep scar was the first thing your eyes notice, breathing loudly as if it was hard for him to inhale, he said, "Lucky or not, but we should go. He is awaiting you."
"What does he need from me? Why can't he just leave me alone?"
Taking his elbow rudely, Ye-Ying said, "We should go now."
Noticing that his face was getting angrier, Longwei nodded his head. Because there was no use to talk to him like this. Ye-Ying was just one of the warriors who also was the right hand of the Head of the First clan. If someone disobeys, Ye-Ying without thinking will use his powers which is not so good to anyone.
Walking behind of him, Longwei said, "I forgot to take my coat."
"Leave it."
"Ye-Ying, there is no use to talk to you. Why are you so stubborn?"
Without answering anything, Ye-Ying cast an angry glance at him.
"Alright, alright, let's go."
Because of the thick layers of the snow, it was hard to walk. Especially for Longwei who was barefoot. But in spite of the cold, his feet got used to walk like this. The cold, was in everyone's veins here.
In this world where the Sun was the very rare occurrence, where only the constant blizzard was living, everyone does everything to keep their blood run and keep them alive.
"If you want to live here, you should move." This was the motto of the Frosty Mountain Peaks, the place which was the only house for thousands of people. Here, on the top of the mountain with nothing but constant blizzard, men lived with some hope that one day, the Sun will shine and the war will finally have an end. This was the only dream which was walking among these trees because no one even dared to dream about anything else. In such wilderness, people lived, survived, dreamed, and fought. For several centuries, this world which wasn't alike our world, had the same creatures who were living just like us. But the only thing which differed them from us was the ability to turn the cold into the warm, to turn the life into the battle and dream about the Sun.
Shivering, Longwei, a 24 years old man who was supposed to be the next warrior who will fight in the battlefield, differed from everyone not by the way he looks but also by his thoughts and too dreamy nature.
Being born here, on Frosty Mountain Peaks, raised by his father who died long ago, Longwei was the only dreamer who had enough courage to disobey and follow his own path.
Living in the cold cave which was hidden between mountain peaks, hidden behind the trees, he was leading the life of the lonely wolf. He had no friends, no one to talk to. He was lonely, but his loneliness was chosen by himself. The Nature was the only one who accompanied him in his life. The tall trees covered in snow, the mountain, and the pale sky. But even the lack of beautiful scenery did not stop him from admiring the nature around.
Ye-Ying who was walking in front, closing him with his massive body turned back, his cold like everything around, emotionless eyes looked at him. With a disgust in his face he said, "You should comb your hair. You look like a mountain beast."
"What? The mountain beast? Really?" He nervously began to comb his shoulder length hair with his long fingers.
Without saying anything Ye-Ying walked ahead.
"Wait! Ye-Ying! Master!"
Walking by the frozen waterfall, Longwei said, "One day, this waterfall will be singing, one day the water in here will be warm and at night it will be cool but still pleasant."
"You really think so?"
"Well yes. Master, the Sun will shine above and everything will be green and fresh. Just wait and see."
"Stop talking and let's go."
Longwei approached Ye-Ying, looking at his face, his slender body was making a big difference in compare to the warrior's massive body. "Master, can you tell me, why the head of the clan wants to see me? What does he want?"
"I don't know."
"You must know. You are his right hand. Come on, tell me."
"No."
Longwei frowned and said, "You have become like this mountain. Cold and rude."
"We are all have become like this mountain."
Without saying anything further, Longwei was silent until they have reached the house with only a door and without any windows.
When they were approaching the house nearer, Longwei noticed a few soldiers who were standing outside. Seeing him, they made a curious faces but remained silent.
Wearing a fur coats, their faces were covered with thick scarf, their eyes were almost red out of the frost. Moving from side to side, they were keeping their body warm, but one could notice that they were suffering because of this unbelievable cold.
Walking by them Longwei caught one of the soldier's gaze on himself, he wanted to say something but Ye-Ying took his hand and led him towards the door.
The house, inside, was a bit warmer but the blizzard could be felt even here.
Ye-Ying shook off the snow from his coat and did the same to Longwei.
"Let's go. He is awaiting you."
Longwei's eyes were wandering to and fro, because this was only the second time when he was in this house. Being born in as the soldier of the First clan, he was always living like he did not belong in here. Even though, the First Clan was his home.
Looking around, he said, "Everything is the same. Last time when I was here, these candelabras were in the same place, like no one lives here. And this stair, look, it still has the strange spot in the form of the bird. And the same smell of the hot tea. The smell of the frozen tree branches which turned into the hot tea."
Ye-Ying without talking, with his tensed expression looked at him.
When the stairs finally were left behind, Longwei's attention was caught by the black little wolf pup. Lying in front of the door, a little pup seeing two strangers quickly stood up and went up to Longwei.
Longwei, with his eternal kindness towards animals, with a happy smile on his face picked up the pup. Looking at the pup and stroking his black fur, Longwei said, "What a surprise! What are you doing here all alone? Are you lost? Or you live here? So beautiful. Tell me what is your name?"
Happily playing with the pup, Longwei did not even notice that the door was open and Ye-Ying was already standing next to the two tall men.
"I am happy to see you Longwei." The voice was heard from afar.
Longwei noticing that everyone was looking at him, let the wolf pup go.
The spacious hall with one long table in the middle, and many swords hanging on the walls, had the scent of the tea which was famous in this world. The tea which was made by frozen tree branches.
Several candles were burning on the table.
Feeling a slight warmth on his skin, Longwei stepped inside the hall. The door behind of him closed with the bang.
Quickly stepping towards the candle he extended his cold hands and sighed with relief.
Without paying attention to soldiers who were guarding the one who was standing in front of the long table, he continued to behave like there was no one.
And only then when the head of the First clan, an elderly man with long white beard and long white hair behind, Xing - Fu said his name, Longwei looked at him.
Xing-Fu, the head of the First clan, was the one of the best warriors among the Three Clans. In his great past, he was well known for his martial abilities, there was no one stronger than him. The one who saw him could easily give up out of fear that he would destroy them. And even now, in his age, he was still the one with whom no one dared to talk. His always serious face was making an impression of an angry and dangerous man, but in fact, he had a very kind heart.
Xing-Fu was the best friend of his father. In the past, they were fighting in the battlefield together, and there wasn't the stronger friendship in the whole world. But then when Longwei's father had died, Xing-Fu lost the connection with him. Living far away from everyone, leading the life of the lonely wolf, Longwei never talked with him. Expect the days when he was a child and the day when he entered to this house for the first time.
And now seeing his father's best friend made his heart ache, but without showing it he smiled and gently bowed his head in sign of respect.
Xing-Fu lighted up a few more candles, and now his face and expression could easily be seen.
This was the face of the one who had seen many cruelty in his life. The face which was distorted by cruel fate of the warrior. The deep scar just above his brow was still fresh, the dark eyes were shining but they weren't showing any liveliness. And this cold, frozen weak smile in the corner of his mouth which can not be changed even under the pressure. This was the best warrior among all, Xing-Fu, the man whose name was known in every house.
"Longwei, I haven't seen you for ages. Where have you been? Where did you find him Ye-Ying?"
Ye-Ying, "I found him between two mountain peaks, in the forest. He was hiding in the cave."
Longwei protested, "I wasn't hiding! I live there. It is my house."
Xing-Fu slowly approached him, his long black coat was noiselessly following him behind.
He extended his hand, the cold palm without two fingers slightly touched Longwei's face. As if frightening to any other physical contact, Xing-Fu walked away. "You look like your father. When he was the same age like you, he looked just like you. Especially your eyes. The eyes of the dreamer."
Longwei said nothing.
Xing-Fu turned towards him, his quiet voice was very pleasant to the ears after Ye-Ying's hoarse voice.
"I guess you are cold. Where are your shoes and your clothes? Ye-Ying, you woke him up and did not even give time to wear his clothes?"
"He didn't want to go. He was refusing to go as usual. If I gave him time to wear his clothes I think he would run away again."
"You're right. You are absolutely right. This young man can run away faster than the wolf. You, yes you, go bring my shoes and my fur coat."
The young soldier without saying anything quickly hid behind the columns.
Pointing to the chair Xing-Fu said, "Please have a sit."
The cold chair made Longwei shiver even more. Noticing this, Xing-Fu poured down the hot tea from the iron kettle.
"Here, drink this and you'll feel warmth."
Longwei, with one gulp emptied the cup and gave it back to Xing-Fu. "So, what do you want from me? Why did you want to see me?"
After taking a few sips, Xing-Fu said, "This tea, you know how it is made?"
"Yes. People use the branches of the Green tree. I haven't seen these kind of trees myself but I think they are very beautiful. In spite of not having the green leaves, it's branches and the trunk with bark are all green colored. It is like this tree lives by its own laws. It doesn't need the summer to paint itself green. It has the summer inside."
"You talk like your father. He was also talking like that. Talking about all kind of things, about his dreams and poetic delusions. I even feel like I am talking to him right now."
Longwei continued, "But I don't like the fact that this tea is tasteless."
"But it is very useful. As you said, it has summer inside, so when you drink it, you too, have the warmth of the summer inside."
Looking at Xing-Fu and at the man who sitting behind him, in the corner, without being visible, he said, "So what do you have to tell me?"
Xing-Fu sighed and put the cup aside. His expression became serious now. Even scary. "Longwei, the reason why I wanted to see you is very simple. And I think you already know the reason."
"You want me to join your army and became the soldier?"
"Yes. But it is not the only reason." Moving his chair closer to him, his eyes were still showing some gentleness, "Longwei, you are 24, soon you'll turn 25. And I think you know what you should do when you turn 25."
Longwei quickly stood up and said aloud, "No! I won't do that. I respect you but Xing-Fu, I won't join your army and I won't create a child. All this time I was living by myself, so let me like this for the rest of my life. I promise that I won't harm anyone and I won't disturb anyone."
Xing-Fu smiled, leaning back to the chair he said, "So you're disobeying me?"
"Yes."
"What should I do with you then?"
The next moment the soldier came back holding the pair of shoes and long fur coat.
Xing-Fu commandingly said, "Wear this and let's go with me."
