Fallen Prince, Risen King - Where Lies Hide

Chapter 6 - The Shadow

The white monks continued to chant through the streets of the capital. They rounded all who kept secrets from someone and made them plead it out. "The empress is coming!" shouted one of them. They led Empress Wēi, Lord Tyron and a couple of her guards to their leader. He was in a black cloak and his cowl hid his entire scarred face.

"I was hoping to speak with Father Shí Huà." declared Empress Wēi when they approached him.

"Father is busy repairing our fortress that the lying prince destroyed, he left me to handle the cleansing." explained the man in the black cloak.

"Then why do you were black if white is to represent cleanse?" asked Lord Tyron.

"I'm showing my deeds, my true colors of all the dirt I've done. It's what we want for people to know, my actions and my deeds." replied the man.

"Then perhaps I should tell you something so that you can leave." offered Empress Wēi.

"We're staying till we have your daughter." stated the man.

"Then I should inform you, she's gone. I had her flee from here, she should be out of your grasp by now." stated Empress Wēi.

"Nothing is out of the Prophets of Truth's grasp, you must have had her fled east. There's not much out there but places to hide, unfortunately, I know where to look." declared the man.

"Who are you?" asked Lord Tyron, something was familiar about the man.

"I'm the Shadow and I'll hunt down all who hides in it." stated Shadow. He turned to the monks and said, "Round up all who refuse and bring them back to Father Shí Huà, have a few more go with them as witnesses. The rest of you will come with me, we have a party to catch."

Princess Zhen flew from tree branch to tree branch just like Zhōng taught her. Her mended dress still went down to her calves in the back but at the front, they went down to just below the middle of her thighs. The fabric was light and the stitching was strong as twigs couldn't rip the material. She finally dropped down almost on top of Zhōng who was expecting her to. His blades flashed like lighting, blocking her attack. They were like vipers, each had both of their blades armed. However, the fight didn't last long as Zhōng quickly overpower her.

"Controlling both blades in a fight is more difficult than one, you can't think just act on instinct." taught Zhōng, helping her up after she lost.

"How long did it take you to master two?" asked Princess Zhen, putting away her blades.

"Perhaps a month, just two weeks before we met in your room that night, I've finally mastered the basics." said Zhōng. He was referring to the night he snuck into the palace to warn of the incoming threat and to rescue his uncle. "I'm not as good as I want to be, practice and actual fights are two different things. One results in a loss and criticism, the other pain and perhaps death."

They continued to travel east, Zhōng planned to reach the forever winter mountains, Iarnă Mountains. They were ranges of mountains stretching from the southwestern border of the Spartan Empire, hovering over the shores of the ocean that revealed the neck of the continent, and between the borders of the Ninja and Viking Empires, stopping halfway. There were passes that merchants travel through and a harbor where the Ninja, Viking, and sometimes Spartan Empires share. Zhōng planned on following the ranges through a pass that led to the Viking Empire.

"If there's one empire that the monks can't get influence in, it's the barbarians of the east." stated Zhōng when he told his plan to Princess Zhen.

"Why not go north to the Spartan, Indian, or even the Medieval Empires?" asked Princess Zhen as they traveled.