Knee on the ground, fist on my chest and an oath on my heart -await my return- I caressed both the stones of my father and my mother, -I will come back when I become a man worthy of being your son- after a slight bow I stood up glancing over the mountains of the west, slowly yet firm I walked into the roads, greeting caravanns and soldiers, I dont travel alone, the tapping of my scabbard against my leg, the rustle of the cleaver and pans, the slight weight of a jade seal on my chest; these weights don't slow me down, they drive me further making me remember the lessons and the mission I was given, I wrote on a small scroll my journey, "I have no clues, I have no contacts and..." GROWL... I sighed and muttered to myself -the only thing I have is an empty stomach and all these herbs scent only make it worse, but like mother said, an army walks on their stomach- i took out a small wooden box and took a big munch of a rice cake -not bad...- a lone tear streamed down my cheek -but not quit as mom's...- after exhaling a breath I didnt know I was holding I rubbed my eyes harshly -the time to cry has passed, now comes the time for justice- I munched the cake rapidly -and justica can't be brought by weaklings, i took an old scroll out of my bag, "this is one of dad's last gifts, when he tried to teach me martial arts I was too young so he wrote all he knew in this scrolls" I gave the scrolls a sad determined smile as I ran a hand over the yellowed paper -JUST YOU WATCH YOU TWO! YOUR SON WILL PLUNDER THE HEAVENS AND SHAKE THESE MOUNTAINS!- -HAHAHA Bold words for someone so young, but I guess there is no better time for boldness than youth- I startled as I heard the throaty laugh resonate from behind me, my face reddened "h-he heard me?", a bearded man slowly galloped on a brown beautiful horse, he was in the front of a long caravan of silks and herbs, twenty or maybe thrity people with big boxes on their backs in the small pass sorrounded by nature, I was speechless for a few seconds until the man spoke again -hey! Don't feel ashamed for having goals, after all, what is a man without ambition or objectives?- I gave the man a nervous nod -Yes, sir-, he suddenly halted his horse when he was just in front of me -where are you going, boy? I am heading west through the snow passes, if it fits you, you can join us, you look a bit lost...- he is right, I only know the man scaped west and some sights placed him around the Hengduang mountains but they are too big even for a whole army to cover -Sir... if you were an asassin where in the Hengduang mountains would you hide?- the man visibly off balance choked with his own spit -Y-you ask wierd questions young one, might I know... why you seek to know that?- he said slightly suspicious with a hand near the handle of his swords as two guards slowly approached -No! N-no, I didn't mean it like that!
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-I see, that is what happened- the man slowly caressed his long grayish beard as he sat on a fallen tree trunk -I feel your loss, kid, but vengeance is no life for a boy like you... I'd daresay vengeance is no way of life for any man...- he stands up to his full imposing height, spreading his arms and large back -Just look at this rich land, can you even think of slaughter when the sun bathes such beautiful plants, animals and rivers?- I stood up mirroring his stance, unlike him my shoulders are tense and my breathing is ragged -she is everywhere... in the birds we won't hear sing, the rivers we wont swim in, the herbs we won't study... in here you see beauty, in here I only see reminders, but fear not I dont seek simple slaughter, to do such under my mother's name would be a dishonor, I seek justice, I will stop them from harming others for I couldn't stop them from harming my mother; I understand if you can't help me, you've done enough for me- I hastily swung my bad over my right shoulder and turned around -Hey... follow us until night, tomorrow you can take your own path, it will be too dark the moment you reach the peaks- I sighed and dropped my bag -sorry sir... I got a bit carried away- the man simply tapped my back and got back on his horse -I understand you more than you think boy...- after that, he galloped back to the front of the resting caravann, weren't it because I can see the silks he carries I would picture him as a general leading an army column -READY UP! WE ARE LEAVING!-.
The hours went on in sepulchral silence, I walked between the caravan avoiding contact with everybody, when the sun began to set we approached a narrow pass as the mountain walls constricted around us like an ancient beast snout awaiting mice to enter willingly, "something's off.... the old man said these places are dangerous but I never saw a soul to even consider this other than disolated..." -OUCH!- my head slammed against the box of the person in front of me -H-hey dont halt like that!- the man in front of me was trembling, the whole bag was shaking so hard it shrieked -L-look- he pointed a trembling finger above the narrow walls, a hundret figures stood sorrounding us from the darkness of the ravines, I turned around but it was too late, we were heavily surrounded from all the walls, I squrried all the way into the lead -SIR WE ARE SURROUN... ded...- just when I reached the leader I noticed his gaze fixed on the pass forward, a single figure galloped slowly to us, black wolf fur, mask in face and piercing eyes, a slim yet poisonous figure - What is it you seek?- growled the old man dismounting and unsheathing his dao, the one edged sabre glinting with the faint light of the full moon -My my, such crude methods, worry not oldie... if you lower your weapons and goods I will spare you and allow you to return from where you came... Maybe...-