No Longer Spring - Writings of Yesterday

September 23

Many things could go wrong, yet there's one thing that I'll never be able to accept, which brings me to question—where are you? I refuse to believe that they won against you. You had beauty, but you also had power—a power that even I have lost against countless times. You moved with the wind as your hair waved around you. Your sword was sharper than one could even imagine, so how could you lose? How could I never see you again?
No sight of the stars brought me any joy, no dish was good, and as I dreamt of you, I turned in my sleep. I couldn't wait any longer. I had to try something different. As I turned in my sleep, I made a plan. As joy faded from my body, I walked around the town, ready to face anything. Ready to fight anyone who was keeping you away from me, and when I finally heard the news about you, I grew impatient. All of that just to be met by a harmless woman and her child.

The white-eyed lady stood in front of me, curious to find out what business I had come bearing. The two of them wore plain white robes, matching and large, seemingly part of a religious sect. Their hair was kept in a low ponytail, humble yet mysterious. I knew who they were- who she was. The power and influence that she once had, just to be resumed to the person I was seeing that day. Before, she used to be complicated, angry. Now, however, she nothing but an older person held down by the claws of fate.

"I'm looking for someone," I said, trying to hide how utterly desperate I was.

Even though she was blind, her eyes always landed in my direction. She might have actually seen me, for all I knew.

"One of my connections told me about you, of all the things that you've accomplished, and he also told me stories of your sect being hand in hand with the HuoLong* Sect."

"I've no idea what you mean," answered the woman, shifting her weight. The child watched me from a distance, taking in every move of mine; no ordinary family, it wouldn't have been hard to tell even if I didn't know the details.

"This sword isn't a toy, and I know that your kind doesn't like getting their hands dirty. How else would your God deem you worthy?"

It was a rushed threat, but it was empty. I simply had no time to spare, even though you'd have laughed at me for saying such words. She was able to fight, but I had to seem in a way that would stand out. It shouldn't have been very hard to make her give in, knowing the things that the HuoLong sect had done to her family.

"I'm looking for someone. I believe she's been kidnapped," I said on a kinder, more elevated tone.

The woman sighed and waved a hand dismissively. It was a rather hot day, and they must have been boiling under those robes. You could see the glorious shadow hiding under who she wanted to seem like.

"Not the first person and won't be the last, if that's the case. I never agreed with their methods... and that's why I'm telling you this." She gave in so easily that it felt like a trap, regardless of anything.

"Do you know where they operate? Few people find their way to the so-called mountain. I'm not looking to create more chaos than needed." I did not add how much I wished to burn them alive if they did anything to you. All the things I was capable of doing, I buried within.

"Are you really willing to do this?" She started walking farther from the child, "It's isn't just about them, its about every other sect that's on their side."

The grass shifted with the wind as I moved towards the trees. You see, their house was a temple-like building. It was right next to the forest that we used to haunt in, right next to the memories we made. Back when we were together, this place was nothing but a house waiting to fall into ruin. Now, it was a home. My heavy heart had finally started to feel a glimpse of hope.

"It's in the south. The extremity of Fog City," as she spoke, her hand went to one of the pockets of her robes and revealed a pouch. "You might want to follow one of their people and find your way through them. It's a rather long and twisted road."

I nodded as she avoided one of the trees, handing me the pouch. For her, opening up was an act of rebellion and revenge.

"My brother made this, soon before he was taken. While you shed blood, let this part of him seek the revenge it desires so strongly."

Not finding anything suspicious as I looked it up and down, I took it. It was heavy with sorrow, a dark aura surrounding it angrily as if it knew what I felt. As if it, too, was ready to tear them apart.

"I will do it. Thank you for the information. My connection told me that you might be willing to help."

Then, her expression shifted to a more serious one.

"I may want them dead, but their curse still lingers," she took out a sharp, short blade. "I'm bound to kill anyone that poses a threat, and the Gods did not deem me worthy of their help."

She must have trained a lot before going blind, way more than I have expected, for the fabric of her robe moved elegantly as she came towards me. She took the step, but she didn't attack with the blade. I knew better than to let my guard down as, with a swift movement, she produced a wave, managing to push me back a few inches as I jumped out of its range. I took out my sword as she engaged.

"I have to protect them. My body has to," the woman said as I countered another attack.

Right as I was about to flee from the sloppy battle, a voice called. Killing her was not in my interest nor did I want to leave a child without his mother. She might have told them of me for all I cared, but they already had countless enemies wanting to put an end to them. My presence was not going to be surprising to anyone.

"Mother?"

The woman stopped and looked behind, as I took some distance. Not attacking seemed to be a hard thing to do as her whole body had been tensed up, but she still managed to hold on and wait.

"Are you fighting someone?"

And so, with pity in her eyes, she told him, "I was just showing this young man the way to the city," with that, she seemed to relax bit by bit.

As she spoke, I took the freedom to disappear, moving calmly behind the trees and deeper into the forest.
I only saw the blade being thrown into the tree I had watched from, trying to hit no other place but the heart. She was never going to detect me now that I was gone from the perimeter, since she didn't actually care for a fight, nor did I care to be found.
Being a shadow was still one of my best skills. She might have been kept in invisible chains by the HuoLong Sect, but her heart belonged somewhere else. Even with that on the table, a curse is like a God. It dictates your body and is in full control when you come face to face with its purpose, just as her God was of the land. I was surprised by her will to pray, seeing that there was still no one coming to her aid. Perhaps, if I freed her brother, she'd thank the skies instead. I laughed to myself, not really wanting to understand what she was doing with her life. All I knew was that it wasn't a happy story to tell and that this chapter wasn't coming to an end yet. The only moment when it will be over is when I have finally found you and got to talk to you again.

The voice of my friend resounded in my mind as I started reviewing the plan, walking the same old paths from before. I got news that you have been sighted in HuoLong territory. I was going to investigate and infiltrate, and if you are actually there, I'll tear them apart.
It's good to have a dangerous name, but of what use is it when, in reality, you're just a man with a sword?
I was training daily, waiting to find you and call upon our allies. We had to take our old lives back and, if that wasn't going to be possible, we had to make new ones, way better than what we used to have. I was afraid to hope, in a sense. I didn't want to lose myself again and feel like a fool for falling into a trap, but I just couldn't find it in me to care. I had to try again.

*HuoLong;
huǒ / 火 - fire
lóng / 龙 - dragon