The throne of dominance

Chapter 5: The Siege of Jing Lou, Part One

The four of them stepped out from the edge of Sogetsu Forest, where the shadows clung to the ground like remnants of a dark memory. They moved forward, and the sunlight hit their faces fully, warm and bright, washing away the chill of the forest. Jean felt the immediate surge of energy, the sunlight filling his limbs with a familiar strength, a comforting pulse he'd missed in the dim woods. The sky stretched wide and clear above them, a vast expanse of blue unmarred by clouds, and they drank it in, each of them grateful to be free of the forest's embrace.

They walked forward onto a path that wound gently through open fields. The ground beneath them was soft, covered in patches of thick grass that sprang back underfoot, dotted here and there with clover and tiny white flowers that shone like stars against the green. Wildflowers bloomed in clusters along the edges, their vibrant purples, yellows, and pinks contrasting sharply with the deeper greens of the grass. A warm breeze moved through the flowers, carrying their light, earthy fragrance through the air, mingling with the faint scent of distant pine.

The hills rolled out in front of them, soft and undulating, rising and falling like waves frozen in time. Each crest offered a new view, with the landscape unfolding before them in layers—low, grassy fields giving way to taller, rugged hills that stretched out as far as they could see. To their right, a cluster of trees stood together like a small forest on its own, their leaves catching the sunlight in flashes of green and gold. Birds soared overhead, small specks against the vast blue, their calls distant but clear, breaking the quiet rhythm of their footsteps.

The path led them gently downward, winding between tall stalks of grass that brushed against their arms as they passed. Sunlight danced on the tips of the grass, casting tiny shadows that swayed and shifted with the breeze. Occasionally, a rabbit darted out from the brush, a quick flash of fur and movement before disappearing into the undergrowth. Crickets chirped softly around them, their sounds blending with the hum of bees that flitted from flower to flower, their wings catching the light in faint, iridescent glints.

They came to a shallow stream that cut across the path, its water clear and cold as it rushed over smooth stones, casting ripples of light that shifted and wavered on the creek bed. The four of them paused, watching the water for a moment as it bubbled and whispered, a gentle sound that filled the silence around them. The stones beneath the water were smooth, colored in muted shades of gray, brown, and white, their surfaces worn down by the constant flow of the stream. Small fish darted between the rocks, their silvery scales catching flashes of light as they moved.

Beyond the stream, the land began to slope upward again, leading them toward a range of hills crowned with clusters of ancient trees. These trees stood tall and proud, their trunks wide and twisted with age, their roots snaking across the ground like the veins of some ancient giant. Moss clung to their bark in patches, soft and green, and the air around them was cooler, carrying the faint, earthy smell of damp wood and leaves. Sunlight filtered through the branches, casting dappled shadows on the ground below, and the sound of rustling leaves filled the space between their footsteps.

The path continued onward, leading them through a field of wild lavender that stretched out like a purple sea, the flowers swaying gently in the breeze. The scent was thick and calming, filling their lungs with each breath, a soft contrast to the sharpness of the sunlight above. Butterflies flitted among the lavender, their wings bright orange and black, hovering momentarily before moving on, like tiny pieces of sunset scattered among the blooms.

As they crested the next hill, the landscape opened up even further, revealing the distant mountains that framed the horizon. Their peaks rose high into the sky, jagged and snow-capped, standing watch over the land below. Between the hills and the mountains lay the vast valley of Jing Lou, a sprawling expanse dotted with small villages and clusters of farms, where tiny figures moved like ants in fields of green and brown.