The Awakening of the Awakener

Part 18

Lu Ping tensed, readying himself. He knew that this fight would be the hardest that he had done. He did not practice his martial ability. It was not like he could, and he had very few chances to be alone when XiFan stared him down every second that he could. So he would admit, he was more than a little bit rusty. Not even just that, but he was too scared to really practice either. He knew that it was stupid, especially considering the dangers, but really he was in danger whether he practiced or not, but just...more so if he did. So he had kept it quiet when it came to meditating and working to try to keep everyone from figuring out that he had martial power. Really all of that work just went down the drain at this moment, but he had to make some sacrifices. He supposed in the end since they would all likely die anyways it would not really matter. He just wished that he could have done something other than die because of the Mountain and Sea gang, but then again, he was never given any sort of allowances, he had known that they would find him eventually. This was just the eventually that he had been waiting for, and dreaded.

Lu Ping entangled himself within the fight, he knew that he was running on borrowed time and had to push himself far more than he had ever done so before. The first key was getting the spiritual weapons away from their owners. It took probably about a minute of his sudden clash with the two members of the Gang before XiFan and the others finally jolted, and jumped into gear, backing him up as he caught with them up close and personal. Ripping the woman's weapon from her and tossing it behind his back to one of the junior disciples, he continued to engage, ignoring the bruises that he was sure were going to show up from the constant hits he sustained, and ignoring the pain that jarred his back and shoulders and face. Forcing himself to continue to fight them, with every last moment of strength that he had. XiFan to one side and the Juniors on either side of XiFan as he went up against two of the, perhaps not most powerful but definitely powerful in their own rights, members of the Mountain and Sea gang. He came out worse for wear but it took but a moment of weakness on their ends, once they both were disarmed and Lu Ping had them.

He moved instantly, his eyes flashing purple as he controlled them, sending them to sleep. For a moment, he had thought about wiping their memories, but the Leader would know a memory wipe when he saw one, Lu Ping was one of the few that had the ability, considering his...position. As such, they would know one way or another that he was alive. Not to mention there were not many who could fight the two of them and live to tell the tale. These two had razed entire towns to the floor and burned them to ash. It would not take long of questioning and they would be after him again. At best he could try and run, but in all reality there was very precious little that he could do, and it scared him. At least, for now, he was free of their influence, but not for long, he was not an idiot, he knew that.

Lu Ping caught a flash in the corner of his eyes, and moved in front of them, blocking the steel sword with his own. XiFan glared at him in anger and hate radiating off of him, overtaking the shock and surprise that came with Lu Ping protecting them. His hatred of the Gang was overcoming his rational though, and Lu Ping knew that. He understood the desire to murder everyone that was a part of the Gang. He understood having that thought, and more than once he had even fantasized about a time when he would no longer have to look over his shoulder, worry and anxiety rushing through him any time he saw someone that even slightly resembled the Leader, or any of his lackeys. Still, he was not stupid, and he would not allow his emotions to rule him either, as it would seem that XiFan was allowing his to do.

"What are you doing?" XiFan hissed, anger lighting his eyes, sparking a dark rooted emotion. "Let me take them out before they do anything more! I would have thought you would understand."

"I do," Lu Ping said simply. "But killing them will do far more harm than good. We still have their token, and...it wouldn't matter if they got it back anyways. We fought them, we lived to tell the tale. Not to mention that I..." Lu Ping paused, swallowing and biting his tongue. He had let loose too much information, which would definitely be getting back to Leader. Even if they killed him, it would not take them long to figure out who exactly was behind it and they would search for him with a renewed vigour. "If you kill them now, Leader will only exact revenge. On this town, on the people here. Sure, I understand the want to kill them, but are you willing to sacrifice everyone else for your desires?"

"They will kill everyone in the town anyways."

"No," Lu Ping said with a certainty that startled XiFan. "They won't." He lowered his sword, causing XiFan to lower his own, and they simply stood, staring at each other, the two disciples watched them with uncertainty. "If you kill them, it will not exactly be a shock as to who did it, then they will come after all of us and hunt us down along with everyone that is associated with us. At least, keeping them alive, they will come after us directly, more especially you, and I, possibly the two idiots who decided they wanted to stay and fight, but as long as we burn the registry, and all evidence of the people who lived here, everyone else that has ties to the WindTakers will be safe, at least for a little bit. Enough for them to run, or change their names and hide." Lu Ping tilted his head to the side. "Should we not give them that opportunity? However, if we kill them? There will be nobody to attest to who it was that stood against them, and therefore the anger of Leader will rave everything and everyone in close proximity to this place to the floor. The least we can do is give him a target for his anger, and at least try to lessen the casualty." XiFan listened to Lu Ping's earnest words.

He knew that the other was correct, even if he did not like it but then again, he did not have to like it. He just had to follow. He knew that the younger was right, and as a Senior Disciple, to do anything other than what Lu Ping suggested was a failure at his duty. He backed down, giving the other a small nod to show his compliance, and Lu Ping gave him a bit of a tilt back. More focused, Lu Ping seemed to know the inner workings of the Mountain and Sea gang far better than even him, the way he addressed the person "Leader" not the leader, not their leader, Leader. It drew a bleak picture, and one he did not find that he liked too much. Yet, was Lu Ping a victim, hostage, a runaway, or something else? Was he an escapee? He doubted that. It was more likely that he was a victim or hostage that had managed to flee than it was that he was a member that ran.

It made things even more sad when he thought on it. He did not know that the Mountain and Sea gang took hostages, he had never heard of such a thing, but then again, there were bound to be exceptions to the rule. He wondered...and contemplated.

Exactly who was Lu Ping, and who was he to the Mountain and Sea gang, and to their leader?