BOOK 10. There are two tales at the beginning. Zhao Yunlan is searching for a lost artefact while Black Robe is searching for the same thing in a different world. One story is partly an illusion, while the other is very real and when they merge...
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Shen Wei knew this cave so well that he could draw it with his eyes closed, every crack in the rocks and dent in the walls.
"Why are you hiding Young Prince?" the Spirit asked, because he felt at ease talking to this host, they had been together for a very long time, even though the prince was still considered young.
"Mother is talking about my future again and I don't want to get married, it's not in my fate to be a husband to anyone."
"My young host, you are so right about some things, but so wrong about your fate," the Spirit said knowingly.
"Sometimes, I really don't understand you at all. I trust you Black Robe but I can't imagine ever wanting another person enough to marry them ... I have to choose my personal guards today, the ones who will go with me. How will I know what ones to pick?"
"Listen to your heart Young Prince, choose your lead guard and he will do the rest. His choice will be the best and they will follow you until they die."
"No Black Robe, I will never be happy at the thought of anyone losing their lives to save me, so more practice, sharpen my skills, I must be better than I am now."
The prince left the plateau and came down to the nearest village where there was a market and knew that he would be welcomed. The local traders were always glad to see him because he never took their free gifts, he always paid for everything, but this afternoon it was either bad timing or fate.
When he reached the market, there was an angry gang of thieves, stealing while turning over the displays, sending fruit rolling into the gutters and destroying housewares. Shen Wei charged into the middle of them while swinging his guandao, listening as Black Robe corrected his moves and suggested alternative actions. He never saw the thief with a hidden knife, who lunged at him from behind but was stopped by a stranger with the ability to deflect objects from their targets and he spun around when he heard the blade hit the ground as the thief ran away.
"What's your name stranger?"
"Guo Ying My Lord. I am one of the Royal Guards, it's my day off, I was passing by and I saw the sneak attack."
"I thank you for your actions. How long have you been a guard?" Wei asked, as he studied the way this guard stood and answered with respect. He was in complete control of his skills and would be able to defend himself easily.
"I became a guard after my father died. Time is not important to us, there will always be one guard in our family."
Guo Ying knelt before the prince and rose before turning and walked away quietly, while Wei stared after him. The local merchants approached to thank the prince for defending them, but he just smiled as he nodded and walked back towards the palace. He knew he couldn't avoid this discussion with his mother before he would be leaving as one of their ambassadors to the new world of humans which had just recently been discovered.
