Scions of Heaven - Calamity

Chapter 10

He had heard Dijun was one to act with quick precision...he wanted to see how Dijun would go about tidying things swiftly. - Pillowbook 2, page 136.

—-----------------------------------------------Zhe Yan---------------------------------------------------------

Bai Xuan had finally found his parents, Fox Emperor Bai Zhi and Fox Empress Ning Shang.

Bai Zhi was a drawn, weary figure; he looked easily as devastated as Bai Yi, shock and disbelief turned their countenances pale. While Fox Empress Ning Shang was clearly heartbroken, her barely restrained fury gave her a sharp aura compared to her husbands' muddled one.

But even though his grief was intense, Bai Zhi was not the Fox Emperor for no reason. He did not ignore the odd interlopers near the entrance to the fox den, nor the fact Bai Zhen and Yu Shi both still had their weapons drawn.

"What is this?" Bai Zhi spoke, as he turned his gaze to the messenger and Yu Shi.

Instantly Yu Shis' water sword lost its form and disappeared and the High God bowed in greeting to Bai Zhi, "Fox General." was the verbal greeting from Yu Shi that accompanied his bow. The bow was lower than what was customary between High Gods, but not low enough to be a full waist bow; it the bow of a junior to an elder.

Before anything further could be said Ning Shang turned to her eldest Bai Xuan, "I don't have time for this, Xuan Xuan, take me to your them."

Bai Yi and Fengjiu were being watched over by her third son Bai Qi. Without saying a word Bai Xuan immediately obeyed his mother and the two entered the fox den. Bai Qian hadn't gotten her temper from nowhere after all. Before anyone had really reacted to the sudden departures Bai Zhi noticed the token the demon was still holding.

"Xiang Xu?" Bai Zhi's surprise and confusion was filtered through shock and weariness.

Bai Zhi's recognition of the emblem had been swifter than his own. That was to be expected, Bai Zhi had continued to fight on the front-lines for hundreds of thousands of years after Zhe Yan had sworn himself to healing. At least Zhe Yan wasn't the only one confused and worried about why these Generals had emerged from seclusion now of all times.

Perhaps sensing impatience, the messenger was swift to explain, "Fox Emperor,", "I am here by the order of Lord Shaoyang to deliver a letter, and a report. I was instructed to have you read the letter first."

Two scrolls sealed with purple wax were removed from the thin marble casing. Zhe Yan had expected the pattern on both to be Dong Hua's personal seal, the foling flower.

But the seal on the smaller letter was different. A silver sun on a purple field. It was old, ancient; Zhe Yan had last seen it in person half a million years ago. Even now he could still picture the battle worn banner, it's silver threads shining defiantly through the ash and blood as it was whipped around by dark winds.

There was a faint strain of music in the air, who was singing at a time like this? Bemused he blinked and was lost in memory.

The proud battle-hymns Zhe Yan's clan had sung days ago at the start of the carnage had changed in tone, then stopped altogether. Now all he could hear was the endless screams and wails of the injured and dying as they were pushed back, outnumbered and overwhelmed.

The tortured screams of those the enemy had captured early on had not helped morale.

On the third day, their defiant songs had been drowned out by a sudden cacophony of horrifying shrieks.

They'd been tortured into insanity, mindless amalgamations of malevolent energy. All fury and hatred and bestial cunning. Many had died hesitating to strike them down, seeing friends and family in the twisted remnants.