Archive of Our Own ^beta

The days are getting colder.

This was to be expected. It's dawn at the beginning of winter.

The dull sky was cloudy. A fog so thick and low to the ground it felt constricting. Wind rushes through the castle courtyard. A colorful assortment of flowers lay under a thin sheet of frost in the small garden areas. Heavy winds rustled the windchimes, loudly ringing through the area. All are placed on the border of a cement walkway that connects all parts of the courtyard.

The rich clanking of metal disrupted the pattern of the rustling winds. Walking alone was a human roaming across the yard, eyes fixated straight on the center palace. They wore silver armor with a lapis cape that flowed wildly with the wind. His long dark gray hair was tied in a bun with a streak of light blue that circled his head. Firm on his waist was a dao that remained in its scabbard. Deep bags under his black eyes, appearing that they hadn't slept all night.

Straight ahead were the Palace steps. Outside the commanding doors and under the awning stood a woman dressed in a slate hanfu and a black futou with long flaps, her clothes rich and noble. Her hair was in a simple bun updo as she tightly gripped her flowing dress, trying to keep her composure in the rough morning winds.

The sight of the approaching general was a reassuring one, as her face lit up with recognition, and exclaimed with joy,

"Ah! War chief!"

It wasn't his name. His records kept him as Xiao Qiang but over time it became obsolete. Every order, message, and directive was simply made to the chief. His name was a joke anyway. For holding such a high rank, it meant Little and Strong. If that wasn't enough, it was slang for cockroach. Said to be one of the most resilient pests that can come back after death, he still has his doubts.

The chief finally stopped a few steps apart and bowed in respect. She was one of the Emperor's many advisors, however, noble was the furthest thing away from how she acts.

"I apologize for the interruption, old friend. It’s a shame you operate out here all by yourself, the wind is terrible.” She looked around at the dimly lit plaza and smiled obliviously, “It’s so cold. Coldest it has ever been, I think. I'm sure you can handle it, you're out there all day.”

The chief took a moment before responding, letting the woman practically talk to herself. Out of everyone the chief had to interact with, the emperor's advisors tended to be tricky. Every exchange required him to calculate his next action. The closer to the top, the more cautious they had to be. (Even if they all were just the same ecocentric insensitive hive.)

"Not at all. What am I summoned for?" Xiao Qiang began, keeping his dao firm in his grip. Never quite feeling safe without it.

"Ah yes! A new update rather recently," Said the advisor, talking fast and her thoughts scattered. "Please, let's discuss further inside. It's dreadful out here, don't know how you can think, let alone fight." Without a second thought, the general pushed open the imposing doors with little resistance.

They both enter the palace, the outside howling of the winds barely audible. Their footsteps echoed through the empty halls. The general found himself shielding his eyes from the ambient lanterns illuminating the amber corridors. Everything was too bright and warm compared to the outdoors.

"Unsure exactly how much the messenger told you but, there's a visitor currently in the castle. Rumors had been circling around." She waved her hands absentmindedly as she spoke. Her face was very expressive compared to the general's blank stare. The chief was never much for gossip, and everything the advisors talked about tuned out to white noise.

"I don't have much interest in tourists. I assume you require my aid in guarding the meeting room?" Xiao Qiang kept his answer brief. His purpose is to keep the empire safe. Rarely was he ordered to engage in any other leisurely activity. He didn't expect today to be much different.

"Not quite," said the advisor, giving a wide smile of superiority, "The emperor specifically orders for you to attend the welcoming inside. He'd also requested the presence of some of your soldiers, a shame they're absent."

They didn't show it, but his thoughts were filled with concern. For the emperor to make such an order meant that this visitor was significant. Events like these were rare. The only answer he could make up for was a consultant from a neighboring territory. His mind kept focusing on the comments of his students. Despite her optimistic tone, Xiao Qiang understood what exactly she was referring to.

"Keep your worries at bay, I am certain I'll be prepared if there's an... unfortunate event." The woman only laughed at his response. So high pitched it rang sharply through the halls. A tear cornered her eye, threatening to ruin her makeup.

"Oh please lighten up the drab mood! She's not dangerous," The chief was unsure what was so funny about the possibility the stranger was unsafe. Still, he did not change his expression. The chief simply continued his stare.

The two made it to a large pair of double doors. The chief graciously opened them apart and took a step inside the Emperor's personal chambers. The warmth of a nearby fireplace quickly brings him relief.

For the first time, his neutral expression morphs into one of confusion.

Standing attentively beside the exit, the female advisor makes her way toward the Emperor and the rest of the council. They survey the scene of a curious ruler, his interested court, and an unfamiliar silently seething lady.

"My apologies. I just.. thought I might be of service."

She claimed she was an oracle.

A woman clothed in a robe similar to that of Ivory. She didn't have a name. At least not one that she gave to the court. Her voice was soft and barely audible. A silk scarf ribbon draped around her waist and floated over her head. Her hair was so long it barely dragged on the floor.

Though officially recognized as in court, Xiao Qiang stayed silent, knowing he was not needed in the conversation. Through observation, he gradually picked apart the lady's story.

Words. That's all it was. Words and delivery. The woman entered the empire in the middle of midnight with no other companions or possessions. She wasn't affiliated with any outside territories and refrained from even giving her exact age. She didn't have any power, she spoke entirely in charisma and charity. Only claiming she wishes to see the empire fulfill its destiny. A promise to be better. To aid in freeing the territory of evil, corruption, and imperfection.

Xiao Qiang knew his Emperor, at least he thought he did. He was infuriatingly stubborn and impulsively brash. Everything about her story was setting off alarms to exile her from the territory completely. Her lack of history combined with her naive demeanor.

Others have claimed that his intuition was nothing but severe paranoia, but it kept the empire safe and the people alive, and that's all that mattered.

However, her few nice words and uncertain promises were music to the Emperor's ears.

"You there!" The emperor bellowed. The chief immediately turned his attention back to his ruler. Silently scowling himself for getting lost in his thoughts. "Please guide our new guest north towards the inner court. She requests to see the library."

Every part of him wanted to introject. To warn him that a mere stranger was a liability to keep in the palace. Tactics like these were common on the battlefield and yet she's accepted like a wolf in sheep's clothing.

Before he can utter a single caution, she subtly turns her head to face the chief.

Her gaze is cold. The chief is aware they're both staring at one another, he gets the sense that she's almost looking through him. Though crackling, it feels as though the fireplace had dissipated. An instant chill runs through his soul. Although she's unfamiliar, he gets the strangest sense of deja vu.

"Of course, my lord." Is all he says. Opening the council doors, they escorted the lady out of the room and into the empty corridors. Daylight had still not peeked through the clouds, leaving the hallways to be illuminated by the hanging lanterns. He looks straight ahead, but his guard is tense the entire trip, the hallways feeling endless and somehow stretching.

They walk together, the Ivory Lady a few paces behind him. He concentrates on every small detail. Despite everything, he feels like she's the one guiding him. In the quiet, he can hear her breathing. But it's as if he can feel the heat of it against the crook of his neck, as if she's right there, behind him, watching his every move—

His emotions start to swirl and mix inside his skull. Frustration and caution as his whole worldview is flipped by one person. It wasn't a major change in his routine, so why was this unexpected event giving him so much anxiety? A stranger can appear at the gates, say sweet words and suddenly she's welcomed with open arms. He knew the emperor longer than her, why was he so quick to trust her? And why was he specifically requested to be summoned to the palace in the middle of dawn?

He feels trapped as the walls of the hallway seem like they're growing thinner. Every rough howl of wind coming from outside made him jump. The hairs on his neck stand up as he hears the softest giggle from behind him. She was laughing.

"Something amusing, my lady?" He asked, turning his head slightly back to face her. Voice stern and calm, never breaking his persona.

Staring deep into her eyes, he could see a shimmer of scarlet leaking through. Something he would have to investigate, but did not push. Taking a breath, she kept a smile and looked at him. “My, what a wonderful champion. A shame the Emperor wastes such burning fire on imperfect earth.”

He sneered, keeping his head held high. "You think our realm requires support? You hardly stepped foot here."

“I'm aware of a lot more than you assume. There are many moves I'm excited to put at play.” In an instant, he barely blinked and she was much closer. Nearly breathing down his neck, he can see every detail of her pale face.

The chief's temper reaches a boiling point. Before he can think his fight or flight overtakes him. The lady finds her body slammed against the wall and a blade pressed to her throat. The hanged paintings swayed from the sudden force.

"An uprising!" He growled, inches away from her face, "I'm not easily blinded like that old fool! What is your purpose in seeking refuge in our empire?" A fit of horrible bitterness ran through him at her arrogant smile. Something burning up inside made him scream. It didn’t matter who heard. God, he hoped someone heard him.

The ivory lady kept her calm appearance. Her utter lack of surprise at the current situation only made the general more upset. "You and I are after the same thing, war chief. A world no longer plagued by pain. I'd hope you were as smart as me to realize it."

"My empire does not need saving from a cryptic outsider."

The chief narrows his eyes as he examines her, looking for an ounce of deception that would give him the excuse to kill her right here right now. Their mind raced as he pinned her against the empty corridor, her skin so cold and a lack of a heartbeat in her chest. She looked so incredibly fragile and elegant. Like a rabbit tangled in a snare.

Her grin spread wider, “Your blind loyalty will be your downfall. Fighting it only seals your fate, you would live longer if you'd take your directive from me now.”

He hesitated to press the blade further, “Why would I work for you!?”

“Because they'll abandon you at the slightest threat!" She hissed those words violently. Spitting them out like poison, cutting through the red haze in the chief's mind. "Replaced and left for dead, alone for eternity! Especially if they find their commander standing over their guest's blood."

There's a heavy uncertainty from the general. He searched his mind for any assurance that the ivory stranger was the secret traitorous danger he knew her to be. The only thing he could come to was a bleak icy-cold realization. The blade is slowly retracted from her neck and they step back, giving a generous amount of room between the two.

"You better pray your right, otherwise I'll have your head before the spring." He states. The two were in a deadlock. Both equally unstable, ready to sink their teeth into one another.

Without another word, the general continues down the hall, motioning for the lady behind him to follow. His hand never leaves the dao.

The two continued down the hall in silence. The roar of the wind outside never lets up. The only difference was how the chief's nerves had entirely gone away. Both of their masks were off, and the knowledge of transparency outweighed their feelings of vulnerability. The hallway walls felt a little less constricting, the only doubts coming from his mind, which were slightly easier to press down.

Finally, they'd made it to the library doors. A wave of relief falls over him now that his task is over. With a slight bow, he opened the entrance and bowed his head. Eager to escape her presence.

It didn't matter. She'd be welcomed to stay in the palace for three nights before she would be thrown out. As is the pattern for any other naive visitor seeking refuge in the empire. Nothing unexpected, nothing out of line.

Turning away, the lady began to leave him be, only to pause and turn over to him once more.

"Your devotion is curious. I look forward to our next meeting. Might I urge you to work on your... appearance. You should smile more often."

Xiao Qiang did not react as she finally left him alone outside the library doors. Looking down, he reflected on his emotions. Stalling before making his walk back to the training grounds.

His appearance was empty and hollow, showing no expression. Not that he had reason to. He was always like this. At least for as long as he remembered. It didn't bother him all that much.

But he did feel. He wasn't a robot, he only acted out the emotions others had wanted of him. He had the capability of grief and excitement just like so many others, it just needed a different push. Was it wrong that every emotion he showed was essentially false?

Did it make him a traitor? Was he deceiving? To know that none of his external appearances was genuine? Maybe that's why it's easier to stay neutral.

He felt his hand instinctively hold his head. A migraine? This early in the day? He walked away from the library, not as though he needed anything from it. He could be fine.

He could be fine. The empire will be fine. As long as he kept the facade and told them it was. That's all it is. Words and delivery.

-------------

The days are getting colder.

This was to be expected. It's late morning in winter.

A week had passed since the ivory lady's entrance, her presence almost haunting the palace. They both hadn't been able to exchange more than a few glances to one another. Rumors had quickly circled the inner quarters. Some claimed there were multiple of her, and how quickly she appeared around every corner. Others claimed she was a spirit, how she never requested food and her meals always went cold.

Whatever she was didn't make any difference. The chief had personal matters to attend to. No matter how much her words echoed in their mind.

Outside it was still cloudy. The sun faded in and out of the sky. The winds had calmed, although the breeze still carried a cold air. Chief Qiang knelt on the grass, beside the edge of a riverbank. Miles away from the center of the empire, no chatter, and no people.

Trees towered over him. Their leaves flutter in the gentle wind. The river nearby trickled and calmly ran its course, stretching on indefinitely. Fish swam in the clear body. The ground was slightly damp from last night's snowfall. Nothing terrible, barely an inch covered the ground and it's already melted away.

In the chief's hands were a small knife and a thick trunk of wood from a nearby dead tree. His armor was on, and the scabbard hung from his torso. However, his hair was worn down, the long dark gray locks flowing in the peaceful winds.

He absentmindedly hums an old tune, pushing their dagger through the soft slate wood in his hands. He hadn't been given any directives yet and the cruel energy inside his chest needs to go somewhere.

The project is simple, a rabbit. Admittedly, it's the eighth one that he's made, telling himself that this time he'll finally be satisfied with the result.

The chief knows not to cut towards himself, so when his knife skips over the dead tree wood and bites down on his other hand, he has no one to curse but his ignorance.

“Damn thing.” He hisses. It would've cut his stomach if it weren't for his horrible posture. He stretches his back and grabs a clean gauze from his pocket and winds it around his left hand.

The cut stings with the cold winter air. It’ll scar soon. The scab will break every time he uses his hand. Over and over. It wouldn't be the last injury. Another scar to add to the story. If he were at the training grounds he would be surrounded by medics to patch him up. It felt oddly comforting to have no one worry for him.

For now, he just enjoyed the silence as he looked up at the moving clouds. He's terribly thirsty. A part of him wants to return to the palace and the other part fears the instant routine that would take over his life. For now, he could enjoy the illusion of being free.

The frigid winds picked up, and the sound of dead leaves snapped behind him.

The first time she came to visit him.

She was behind him. Stood so that her shadow fell across his face. He tried to adjust his posture so he would be in the warmth of the sun. She made sure that it wasn't. In her hands held a large Pipa, its delicate wooden frame white as ivory.

“What is the chief doing in the forest?” A voice low and warm inquires from her.

He turns his head, squeezing the wooden figure. The familiar feeling of constriction comes back, and despite being outside the surrounding trees felt claustrophobic. Still, his neutral expression did not change.

"I'm lost, would that get you to stop haunting me?" The ivory lady only laughs at the mockery. On instinct, he lowers his dagger and feels for his scabbard. "It's a two-hour journey from the palace to the outskirts. And yet you don't look the least bit out of breath."

"Save your interrogation general, it's only the two of us here. You don't have to keep up the facade." She gestures to his tense posture and furrowed brow.

"Come to stab me in the back then?"

"Rest your paranoia, I only wish to play my music in peace." She said, Walking closer and knelt beside him. Her ribbon swayed in the wind as she fiddled with the four-stringed instrument. "It's been a while since we've been able to talk alone, hm?"

In the morning light, he can finally get a better look at the palace's new visitor. Her black hair was almost a dark blue in the daylight. Faintly he could see the stress lines on her cheeks and bags around her eyes. She was beautiful, a kind of elegance one would kill to possess.

Xiao Qiang did not indulge in the question. Simply looking down he continued to whittle away small cuts in the wood. The lady keeps to herself as she absentmindedly plucks the strings of her pipa.

For a moment, a calming tune strums through the riverside. The instrument's strings rattled and twisted to create a melancholiac melody. The chief catches himself humming along to the music.

"Your project looks cute. Where did you learn to carve?" She perked up. The chief didn't look up from his work as he spoke.

"Advisors warned I needed a leisurely hobby. Said the war was getting to my head." The exact memories flashed in his mind. Ringing loudly like the explosion of gunpowder. An advisor saw his condition and pulled him aside. They could have pulled him out of the war entirely, if anything this hobby was just a blanket over it.

The chief gave no further words, but the ivory lady was satisfied with his answer. She gave a silent nod of understanding as she continued her music.

"Where did you learn to play?" Qiang inquired, still not looking up from his work. His lady sighed at the question.

"I practice in the palace but your Emperor insists my music has meaning rather than enjoyment." She spoke those last words with a hint of annoyance. A note in her song noticeably played sour. "Urging me to play during those pointless ceremonies."

Xiao Qiang tried his best to stifle a chuckle at her grievance. "I warned you the old fool was easily blinded."

"I'm confident I'll guide him to be better. He's the key component for what I need to achieve."

"You'd have better luck teaching fish how to fly." A sly grin stretches across his face and his lady instantly notices. They both look at each other for only a moment, before laughing.

The small exchange finally gets the general to break down the damn he built up, laughter spilling forth between the both of them like water. Their shared sentiments bring comfort to one another. It's the most honest the Chief's been, in a forest, miles away from the empire, bringing him warm solace.

The ivory lady continues her melody as the cold winds pick up. The strings of her pipa rang loudly through the quiet riverside. "I suppose I could wait till he retires. See if the next one will be wiser."

“An Emperor doesn’t retire. They die.” The chief states simply. However stone their words appear, a hint of malice slips through. A hint that the ivory lady hooks and doesn't let go.

"How long has he been on his throne?" She inquires. The chief shrugs his shoulders as he continues carving the wood.

"Memories are foggy. I've been under command as far as I can remember. I try not to dwell on the past."

"It's a shame you have to endure such pain. Isn't warfare often a policy of last resort?" Her tone is genuinely sympathetic. The general takes note of her concern, it's not often someone was worried about him.

"There is a strategy of paying off our neighbors with tributes of silver and silk. Peace cannot last forever though." He stops his work for a moment to brush off the wood chippings on his leg. They flutter away in the cold winds as the older woman has a look of pity on her face.

Her voice is soft as her music slows. "What is this all for?"

"Expansion. Riches. Unlikely I'll see the fruits of my labor within my lifetime." He answered with apathy in his voice, like they accepted their life long ago. "Sometimes I dream that I could be immortal. A child's notion, isn't it?" He smiled at the mere thought of it. To see the future and the peace his empire would bring. To finally see the end of the war and what it was all leading up to. How others would remember his name.

"Why do you stay?" Her quiet words cut through his skull. It was a true question. The chief looks up at the flowing riverbank. It's wide, almost six miles, and flows fast with the wind. It would freeze one of these days.

"I can't leave my empire unless I'm directed to battle." It was the oldest directive he was given. If there was one thing Xiao Qiang was good at, it was following through with his orders. The lady's music suddenly goes silent.

"You can just... swim across."

Xiao Qiang's heart skips a beat as he stops carving the wooden figure. Her voice sounds like whispers, echoing in his skull. He would be lying if the impulsive thought had not crossed his mind before. To abandon the empire, it left something dangerous sinking into his stomach.

"You could swim across the river and keep running. Leaving everything behind and begin with a clean slate."

"...But even that wouldn't end it now, would it? This feeling of being controlled?"

"No, it wouldn't. No matter where you run, we would have to escape everyone to be at peace."

The ivory lady soon resumes her music. The chief continues to look into the distance, his hands carving on their own. Across the river stood a dense forest. He never explored it, as he had with the multiple in his empire, simply passing through as he headed toward the next battlefield. The pattern never changes as he repeats the routine like a puppet on a string. He could have left, but the chains that bind him, call them honor, loyalty, or obligation, wouldn't let him. If he escaped, it was only a matter of time before the world locked him up again. What was he exactly fighting for?

"It's true, isn’t it, that rabbits eat clover?" The ivory lady said, expression still solemn as she played her piece.

"Yes, that is true."

"I am glad." But she did not smile. "Then it follows that they also eat their own litter." The general stopped his work for only a moment to make sure he heard her right. The ivory lady took notice of his confused gaze. "While they're still young, whether it be from fear or desperation. They'll kill and eat the runt of their litter to save their hide, despite being herbivores."

"That is correct," He said, "Excuse me, why the morbid question?"

"Carve me something that will eat a rabbit," She said suddenly. "Carve me something that can eat anything." The chief thought about her request. He'd only carve for himself and it was rare people asked him for something other than warfare-related demands.

"I'm not sure about anything. I suppose after my work I can carve a spider. Stubborn, annoying things, they'll survive in almost any climate."

With the final scrape of the wood, his project was finally finished to his liking. It still had aspects he wasn't satisfied with, and truth be told he's not sure if he'll ever be satisfied with his work. With curiosity, the ivory lady paused her melody and looked over. He handed her the wooden rabbit and she smiled. She held it delicately like fine jade. "Are there no rabbits where you come from?" The chief asked her.

"Everything is dead where I come from." She told him. Not a single bit of sorrow or joy in her tone. She held the doll close to her face, admiring the details. She attempted to give back the puppet but the chief waved away the offer. He was already sick of his attempt, it didn't feel worthy enough to be in the collection of the other seven.

The sun was entirely hidden behind the clouds as the frigid winds only picked up. The two took the upsurge in weather as a sign to return to the heart of the empire. The ivory lady gathered her pipa as she stuck the carving in her hanfu sleeve.

"A part of me dreads having to go back to visit your emperor, I fear my words might be lost on him. I'm relieved to know you can at least uphold a decent conversation." The chief sheathed the carving dagger as he didn't know if he should take her words as a compliment. She's silent for a moment before continuing, "War Chief, what is it that you fear?"

He feels as though this whole exchange has been an interrogation. A question of loyalty and he knows he's already failed. Even though she's not an advisor, he curses himself for not choosing his words more carefully. He's already been this genuine. What's the harm in being honest when talking with a spirit?

"I fear that I did my best." They start, "I tried my hardest and my efforts weren't enough. I left this world a worse place than how I found it, or worse, I left it identical." Useless is the term his mind finds, but it doesn't capture the desperation he feels. “That's why I'm fighting, right? You claim you're an oracle, surely you know if my efforts mean anything?"

"In due time you'll face your destiny." If his answer pleased his lady, she did not show it. She simply nodded in satisfaction and took note of his reply. "You look thirsty. Perhaps if you carve me a spider, I will share some tea with you."

"...I'll start on the project as soon as I can." Accepting her proposition like any other directive. He looks back across the river again. The dense, foggy forest on the other side. For a moment, the desire to swim across runs through him before disappearing. He shakes the impulsive thought away and sighs in defeat. "Shall I escort you back to the palace-?"

He turns back only to see an empty forest and grass around him. She's gone, not run away, she vanished. No prints in the grass nor any crunch of fallen leaves are heard. As quickly as she appears, she disappears, leaving no trace that she was ever here.

In the icy winds, he feels his head pulse with another migraine as he makes his trek back to the castle on foot. He thinks about their exchange by the riverbank as he tries to dissect his feelings for the empire's new mystery.

In a way, they were accomplices. The chief was loyal, but did he have that same faith in his emperor? He knew the Ivory Lady had aspirations that ran deeper than charity, but Qiang couldn't bring himself to double-cross her.

It didn’t matter whether she was an enemy. She was somebody he sat down and was honest with. She was somebody who understood the flaws in the empire while still hoping for the best. She was somebody who could be talked to. More than anyone else he's ever met.

The chief keeps one hand on his dao and one tightly on his cape. Uselessly wrapping it close as his teeth start to chatter against the cold air.

-------------

The days are getting colder.

This was to be expected. It's late noon in the heart of winter.

Two weeks had passed since the ivory lady's entrance, her presence made known throughout the empire as if she was a ghost story, and that meant the soldiers were very aware of the Chief's mysterious 'acquaintance.’ The chief and she had exchanged brief conversations with each other on multiple occasions, but that was their extent.

Wartime, ironically, was Xiao Qiang's least favorite.

He was not referring to the deaths or fighting. He didn't care. He wasn’t tortured by some trivial concept of drowning in the blood of his victims, or the fire searing his soul to ash. Too desensitized, he can barely remember when death used to be tragic.

The only thing he cared about was the noise. Battles were always loud. After each war, his ears rang with a graining high-pitched ringing. He tried years of fighting inconspicuously, and nothing changed. Whenever battles were over, the chief always needed a moment to be alone.

The thick clouds hung close together as the winter air seemed to drop lower and lower every day. They were somewhere up in the northwest mountainside, very far from the heart of the empire. The wind carried with it the stale smell of gunpowder and copper. The ground had a subtle crunch to it as a layer of frost covered the dirt.

The battle had been quick but brutal. A gathering of demons had been spotted on the outskirts of the territory, threatening any nearby village's safety. They won, that's all that would be counted. In the aftermath, his soldiers had set up a hidden camp in the woods, some ways off from the field. The chief was the only person not on base.

Halberds and spears were stabbed into the ground as arrows littered the battlefield. Dried scarlet stained the earth as every body had been pulled out from the area. In the empty graveyard were a tall black horse and the Chief of war.

The Chief dismounted the steed as he surveyed the area. He leaned against his horse and picked a ragged cloth from the satchel, clenching his teeth and wrapping it around his leg. He fastened a knot and tightened it in an attempt to stop the bleeding. The pain is something he's used to now, and he hardly notices it. Not the worst wound he's received, but no doubt this would impact his ability to walk properly for a few days. Another scar, another story.

In the cold air, the chief could see every breath he took. He reached back into the satchel and gathered a few items. A small brown pouch tied with a string. A silver spade. As well as a flask of water. Taking a few strained steps toward the center of the battlefield, the smell of death was still fresh.

Wood carving was not the only skill the advisors taught him in an attempt to calm his temper. They wanted him to spend time in nature aside from being a warrior. From the long line of leisurely activities, he showed a fondness for flowers. A war chief like him wasn't cut out for gardening, but if they wanted to soothe their emotions after a battle, it proved to be slightly more bearable than outright admitting it.

Xiao Qiang knelt down and went about his work confidently, armor still worn and knees in the dirt. They dug holes, poured water, and planted the fragile seedlings. The work was messy and seemed to get messier every time. As they dug, the dirt mixed with the dried blood. Strands of hair slipped out of place as he planted, and he swept them back carelessly, intent on his task.

His horse huffed loudly in the quiet area. He looked up from his work for only a moment, surveying if there was any curious wildlife. There shouldn't be, the gunpowder would have scared them off. The chief frowned as their sight was slightly obscured by a thin cloud of fog. Their skin prickled as the air became a little bit colder.

The wind stopped for an instant before suddenly changing directions. The crunching of dirt behind him didn't startle him, as he somehow already knew who the guest was.

The second time she came to visit him. The spirit found him knelt on the ground of a stained battlefield. She was right behind him, and Xiao Qiang didn't bother to turn his back to face her.

"You're not subtle with your mystique." The chief called out, a slight amusement in his tone, more relieved that it wasn't an enemy they missed. "It's a three-day journey to get to this field, perhaps you could teach me how you appear anywhere without needing to walk."

"Good afternoon to you too, General" The ivory lady greeted, ignoring his quip. She bowed respectfully with her ribbon flowing hypnotically in the wind. "Three days?"

They simply nodded as he didn't look up from his gardening work. "The emperor states that our battles are brief and the army returns in due time. Apologies if you wanted to see the performance, the fight is already done." The ivory lady subtly shakes her head as she studies the chief.

"I hadn't seen you in a while, your advisors offhandedly commented that you were sent off to fight. I wanted to check in." She explained. "You're injured."

Xiao Qiang kept his gaze on the ground and shook his head. "I'm fine."

"No. Your wound is bleeding through the cloth."

"I have been hurt wor-"

The chief looks up from his work as he lets out a shocked gasp. Instantaneously, the Ivory Lady appears in front of him, much closer for his own good. He instinctively crawls backward to create some distance. She looks down at him, eyes lidded.

"I am only trying to help you, you’re being paranoid." She kneels to the ground as she motions for the chief to remove the ribbon in his hair. After a moment of hesitation, he carefully undoes his bun and sits up straight. With his leg resting on her lap, the woman gets to work unraveling the messy cast and properly healing it.

"You're lucky you have me out here. Your wound would have become infected and you would die.”

Xiao Qiang puts up an amused smirk. "Do you care about me, my lady?" He could see the way her eyes crinkled when he smiled. He let out a small laugh. "That's very human of you... even if you're not,"

At this moment it suddenly occurred to him how completely alone they were. There was not a human anywhere, not even the sound of a bird's song. In a place like this, the danger of a hidden ambush was small. It was the quietest hour of noon. The wind howled, every breath visible between them. Xiao Qiang's hand absentmindedly held his dao as the invasive thoughts struck him...

'she could kill me.'

'no one would be able to pinpoint it was her.'

'how long would it take for anyone to notice.'

'it's not safe she's not safe —'

"There we are." The Ivory lady tied off the cast with a satisfied smile. The chief flinches away from her touch, backing up and trying to create a safe distance between the two. The woman takes notice of the tension as her smile dissipates. Her brow furrowed in confusion. "Is something wrong, war chief?"

They stare at her, eyes wide like a deer. He's filled with an overwhelming floating sensation as he sits in the cold, the grip on his dao shaking. Studying her barely scarlet eyes for the slightest hint that she would backstab him.

Whispers. It cuts through his thoughts, quickly and inaudibly. They don’t sound like they’re coming from around them but from within. With mixed judgments, his nerves twitch with suspense. He pushes down those premonitions.

He sucks in his breath. Shaking his head as he sits upright. “Nothing, my lady. I don't feel right, I- I'm tired, I suppose." That sounded decent, and they settled with it. "Yes. I'm tired."

"I would assume so, this battlefield is dreadful. I'm glad to know you're alright." Still knelt on the dirt, she looks around at the dead trees and lack of flora. Everything around them seemed to be in a shade of gray. The nature itself is dead and lifeless. The thick winter overcast sky didn't help as it made the afternoon dim.

He’s thinking too much. She’s not dangerous. She’s only trying to help. They’ve both shared distasteful beliefs about the empire and she hasn’t done anything criminal. If anything she's right, if she wasn't here, his leg wound could've been worse. He just needs to get back to work.

"Thank you, my lady." He replies, a small smile appearing on their face again. "It's... strangely comforting. I can fight every battle, wondering if it will be my last, but I know you’re the one thing constant.” Sitting back upright, he takes out the flask from his pocket and waters the potted spots. The windy silence is the only thing between them, the ivory lady stands from the r and looks around at the empty battlefield.

"What exactly happened here?" She asks, melancholy in her voice. The chief begins with a defeated sigh.

"A short battle on our northwest front. The recent opposition was a community of demons that were terrorizing the outskirts. Those who do not fight have their possessions taken, residences torn, and imprisoned." They told her plainly, turning back over to the woman sitting next to him. She has a faint distant look in her eyes. The chief knows she was listening, but her mind is wandering. She seems… angry.

“Your emperor sends out his soldiers on cold nights like these? Are you telling me you live this same cycle your entire life?"

“This is the calmest one, at least,” He quickly defends. This is just how war is, nothing he can do about it. “There are lots of other worse battles we had, but… I don’t remember them as well.” There’s another silence between them as she looks away from him at the forest around them. She isn’t saying anything. “...My lady?” He prompts her.

“...How on Earth do you cope with a lifestyle like that?” The amount of loathing and anger in her voice is startling. It catches the chief off guard. She’s almost shaking.

The chief hesitates to respond, looking around for a moment before speaking, “I... garden. Planting flowers, they're Snowdrops."

The lady doesn't look a single bit reassured by their words. They keep talking, just to avoid the silence between them again. “Although I don’t visit as often. I have someone visit and show them care now and then.”

"You send your soldiers, to watch over flowers." Her tone was flat and judgmental. The chief felt small, out of place, and hyper aware of how much space he took up. He stood from the dirt, looking down at his flower plots, it seemed like such a menial task compared to everything else. It's not like this helped the war effort in the slightest, what was he changing?

"Perhaps the hobby is a waste of time." He mumbled, tying up the small brown pouch and screwing on the cap of the flask. He fidgeted with his hands while he talked. "I hoped to lay to rest the unfortunate memories here. To spread a better foundation for nature."

The ivory lady’s frown stays, rolling her eyes over the frosted ground. "The field's ruins should be left as is. I don’t like the “nature reclaims” talk."

“My lady—”

"Nature cannot reclaim it. This land is polluted by blood, shed by two power-obsessed monsters who spilled poison and infected every inch." She asserted, loudly in the deserted forest. "Those flowers will wither."

That statement made him pause, and Xiao Qiang turned to fully look into her eyes. Her hands were clenched at her sides, and they saw the callouses on her hands. Saw the dark scuffs in her dress and the cheapness of her glamor.

He cowered, analyzing her entirely. The Ivory Lady looked the part of a noble, but with his observations over the few weeks, her criticisms didn’t come from a place of entitlement but of warnings. This was a message of caution.

She continued, quieter this time, "Chief, I hope you reflect and know you cannot paint over this 'mistake' like you try to do with every other battle. The remnants will stay and it will make you sick. No amount of pretending will hide what happened here.”

The wind picked up, making his skin crawl. He broke eye contact with a sigh, “Then what do you suppose happens? It’s not right to leave such painful memories here forever.”

"It is not sufficient to cover it up. For any garden to prosper, it must start with a clean slate." Her words were blunt but the chief still had a look of tension on his face.

His words were lost on him, she needed to get to the point. "Chief. What if you return to your empire and find your Emperor dead?" She started. “How quickly will you blanket the past and pretend that his effects had never happened?"

“No use." He said loudly. Voice cutting through the wind so clearly that her eyes widened. "If we kill the emperor, they’ll put another one on the throne. The problem isn't him, it's the empire. If the cycle continues, I see no use in trying to revolt against everyone."

He says those last words with a sigh. Anything regarding the emperor left him uneasy. From one perspective, perhaps his lord didn’t have his best interests. That said, he was the commanding chief, and his morals weren’t clean either.

"I suppose... the thing you miss is that we could." The lady says quietly, almost in a whisper. She’s looking curiously, and she seems a lot calmer than how she was acting earlier. Her mellow tone was such a contrast it almost got the chief thinking.

He shouldn’t be entertaining a hypothetical that’s not going to happen. The chief rolled his eyes and dismissed her claims. “I don’t understand you.”

There was a smirk on the older woman's face. “That’s not true. You understand me more than anyone I’ve ever met, which is curious for how you barely know me.”

That reminded the general that he had met her a little more than two weeks ago. It didn’t seem possible. But loyalty was Xiao Qiang's fatal flaw.

He shouldn’t trust her. He didn’t. He was a fool for sharing so much of his feelings. He was waiting for the day the lady left without explanation. When the chief pushed her boundaries too far. Was too loud, too careless, too prideful.

And she would leave, just like everyone else had.

But Qiang couldn’t bring himself to push the lady away. They connected so effortlessly, their meetings almost felt like fate. He was here. No matter how much it would hurt when she left.

He was wasting daylight, the sundown was close to blanketing the grey sky in darkness. Picking up his supplies, the only thing he could think of was the base his soldiers were left at.

"I must return to the camp. I don't like staying out when it gets dark." It would be a while until nightfall but the unfamiliar forest was starting to feel constricting. The ivory lady simply gave a nod as he walked back to his horse. Unexpectedly, the chief gave a surprised shout.

“Before you go-! I made you something,” Digging through the satchel attached to the horse, he palms the small object in his hand and walks eagerly towards the older woman. The ivory lady slightly tilted her head expectedly.

Extending out his hand, Xiao Qiang holds a small, hand-carved wooden spider. It’s modeled after a black widow, its eight legs modeled with such delicate detail, an hourglass was painted on the abdomen with black ink.

The ivory lady holds it gently. Like aging glass handling it with a gentleness that the chief doesn’t see in her often. Her eyes are full of wonder and a smile stretches on her face as if it’s the first genuine gift she’s received in years.

The chief notices her trance and he beams at the positive response. "It's the carving you requested by the lake. Stubborn things that can survive anything, its venom is rumored to put you in a trance." He says that last part with a bit of pride.

"I adore it." She praises. Her smile outlines her cheekbones as her whole face brightens up. "I truly adore it, you have such talent for even the most futile things," Her tone is still positive, eyeing the wooden carving so carefully.

Satisfied, the chief turns back and takes a few steps back to his horse, buttoning back up the satchel. "I spent the week preparing it, I was worried you weren't going to acce-"

The chief trails off as he looks back. She's gone. A faint fog where she once was.

His horse huffed loudly, eager to leave the smell of blood far behind. The chief ran his fingers through the horse's black mane. He reached upwards to grasp onto the saddle and hoisted himself up. Sharply gasping as the movement agitated his leg wound.

Xiao Qiang took a breath before taking the reins and setting him forwards to find his remaining warriors. Leaving the freshly planted garden all alone.

-------------

The days are getting colder.

This was to be expected. It's evening in the late winter.

Three weeks had passed since the ivory lady's entrance, and everyone was very aware of her existence. The chief and she had become very close, as there was not a moment where one wouldn't be seen without the other. Whispering. Watching.

A booming drum rhythm echoed in the air.

A grand thrill ran through the village. Upbeat music was playing through the streets as the stars shinned in the sky. The breeze of winter made the trees dance to the music. Lanterns were used as decor for the surrounding empire. Children giggled and parents laughed at their joy. A celebration festival was always a sight to behold.

The toughest battle had been won. A nearby westward expansion had just been captured. A goal that had been fought brutally with another empire a few ways beyond the mountains. The news had run through the streets like magic. With the battle won, the end of the war was in sight! Everyone was with their families celebrating. (those who managed to survive.)

All except the General were with their companions.

He was in the highest place in the palace. He stood on the balcony, their arms rested on the railing as it gave them the full view of the empire. His armor still worn and his hair tied back with ribbon. The dao hung at his side, hidden in the casing. Warm amber lanterns hung from the awning. Xiao Qiang gazed at the majestic sight. The streets were lined with stalls, from food to toys. Massive puppets and costumes lined the streets.

With its upbeat tempo, Qiang hummed to the music. He didn’t dance, but his mind was racing, mentally he was with the crowd, cheering himself deaf. They looked down at the plentiful empire. A colossus that towered the world. The rock against the hordes of enemies could never be brought down. A sanctuary that he vowed to protect.

It was a scenic view, giving him the soothing feeling of being alone.

Almost all alone. He was waiting. And as if on cue, the winds picked up. His soft smile grew wider for the exact company he was expecting.

The fourth time she came to visit him. The lady found him alone on the rooftop.

She appeared behind the General with a smile, the warm lanterns illuminated her face. Her hair was beautifully done, with large gemstone hair pins that had the locks swaying in the winds. "Congratulations on your victory, my champion." She praised, her makeup detailing the smile on her face. The chief laughed as he waved away the compliment.

"Gratitude like that should go to the Emperor, not many even know my name." He dismissed. The lady frowned at his response.

"No, I mean it! It's unfair how little you are regarded here."

The chief wanted to agree, or discuss the empire and its murky traditions. But a part of him pushed it away. It was a rare moment where he could escape his title and purpose. A moment where he could disappear and simply watch from afar.

"Ahem!" He quickly changed the subject. "I have a gift for you, my lady. I was planning on scrapping it but once I finished, I thought of you." Xiao Qiang reaches into his coat pocket and digs for a moment. The ivory lady waits patiently, taking in the warm hues of the festival.

The chief pulls out a large carved wooden figure. Hand cut and fully painted, it was a large ivory white key. The head resembled a skeleton and the stem was a maze of parts extending out. The ink was bright white, blue, and brown. It was incredibly.... unique in its design, not looking like any traditional key.

The ivory lady was entranced by the carving. Tuning out everything else around her. She found herself gently grasping the figure and savoring the rough wooden texture.

It wasn't useful. With the way it was carved, it made it awkward to hold. What appealed to her was not its beauty but the act of being given something at all. It was pleasing because of its uselessness, for being called a 'key,' such an object couldn't have the ability to open anything.

But it was hers. A gift just for her. With no purpose or use, the key was shared with her specifically in mind. She relished in the feeling and smiled.

"I adore your carvings, my chief. This one just might be my favorite." She slid the key into the sleeve of her hanfu.

"Stay with me for a while. I always watch the fireworks from this spot." They both leaned against the cold railing. Looking down at the village, all the people looked so tiny. Moving around, so small like pieces on a chessboard.

"Shouldn't you be celebrating down there?" The woman interjects the sound of the music. "I'm sure one of them is curious to see their champion."

"I don't have anybody." They said sternly. "Bureaucrats, scholars, and the peasantry are never keen on war. They endure conscription, taxes, and have their farms invaded. No one wants to surround themselves with the commander of it." The chief pauses for a moment, his tone going quieter. "They'd much rather forget the misery and enjoy the celebration."

There was a sharp feeling down the chief's spine as they stood together, taking in the scenery. A sense of anticipation hung in the air as the dao felt heavy at his side. There was a faint announcement from below them, where most people were gathered in a crowd to see the fireworks. Staying away from the firing area so that they don't run toward danger.

The first firework shot into the air, exploding in a cloud of red smoke. There were gasps of wonderment from the people below, even while the two remained silent. More fireworks went up and exploded in flashy forms of smoke.

"Chief, did you know?" The ivory lady finally broke the silence.

"Hm?"

"Although the winter season is plagued with snow, the trees, brush, and buildings are in their driest state. It sure looks arid down there, doesn't it?" The lady's grin was crooked. Her face was illuminated by the lanterns and occasional firework flash.

A violet firework boomed in the sky. "Yes, it does."

"The cold absorbs moisture from wherever it can, leaving dry elements all around that are waiting to go up with the smallest spark." She continued. "Despite being scattered, the ash from a firework can still flare."

The chief stares, and suddenly his throat feels dry, "Where are you going with this?"

"If your empire were to go up in flames, do you think you would finally be free?"

The chief stares at her. Pure disbelief, the mellow in her voice as if they were talking about something mundane. It takes a moment for him to process the question.

"Excuse me?"

"Free! You explained it yourself, there's no use in trying to help anyone! The emperor isn't the key, it's everyone that is preventing a proper future! The world has an opportunity to reach its destiny, we don't need the emperor, we merely need to clean the slate!"

The chief can't believe her words. She explains it so smoothly, like she's been considering this for weeks. They stare into her wide scarlet eyes. It catches him off guard, they fumble with their hands.

"...You're proposing a fire, powerful enough to wipe out an entire empire?" He repeats the proposition more quietly. As if he was afraid of someone all the way out there hearing them.

"Who cares about the empire? I mean the world! Who would you consider taking down first?" His lady looks down and laughs. "Could pick one, then go one by one, and just-" She trails off, and the chief can see her malicious grin. It's deadly. It makes him sick.

"Um," They look down at the city. In the small figures, he could make out some nobles and advisors in the crowd. They're all so tiny, such insignificant pawns in the grand scheme of things. He knew as well as they did that this celebration was nothing but a distraction. The empire thrived off of the war, the fighting wouldn't end anytime soon. The emperor seemed like he'd be difficult to take down, and even harder to...

The chief feels sick to his stomach. Their hands go clammy, shuddering at the feeling. Why would he consider such a question?

"You're sick for even thinking of such a thing."

"Is your emperor really making a true difference in the world?" Her voice is cold, "I thought you were smarter, you don't understand how easy this can be."

The festival fireworks keep echoing through his mind. The chief's heart stills as he studies the crowd. "An empire like this couldn't fall in a night." The chief interjects, sounding like he's trying to convince himself more than her.

"It's winter. Most of their supplies are being funneled to the war effort, aren't they?" The chief almost doesn't want to answer.

"Yes,"

"What about the surrounding river? Is it secure?" The chief looks out in the distance, beyond the woods. Beyond the houses and into the horizon line.

"...It encircles the entire territory, it's almost six miles wide." He answers honestly and he’s in shock at how easy this is.

"Sitting targets," The lady comments. The chief wishes she didn't say it like that. "Can they get over it?"

"They can't, too cold to travel through."

"Perfect." Her honeyed voice angers the general. Her utter lack of humanity for the people that are caught in a crossfire they don't know about. It felt like a sin talking about such a traitorous subject in the open air. If the emperor knew about such a discussion he would be imprisoned.

“Do you have any idea how many people will die?” Xiao Qiang asked. The lady couldn’t help but notice the clenched fists and locked jaw. "There are thousands in this empire."

“Sacrifices we have to make,” She said simply. “We can rest easy knowing they serve a bigger purpose.” The chief couldn't believe her words.

"I don't kill innocent people-"

"Don't put yourself on such high ground, you only kill the guilty ones. Destiny cannot be delayed for the sake of a few mortals."

Her apathy finally pushed him over the edge. Immediately, Qiang's cheeks flushed, and their expression became rigid as he turned towards her. Grabbing the lady by her collar, he pulled her close to his face, gritting his teeth.

“You might have lost your humanity but I am not so heartless as to sacrifice hundreds to some imprecise concept as destiny!” His voice grew louder, “My empire still has a future! I've long accepted the role I am meant to play. I am condemned to serve as their war chief, what am I if I don't aid my people!” His voice was bitter, rage pounded in him like a drumbeat. Qiang wasn't a good man, but he was loyal. He couldn't do this. Couldn't give up on the land he fought his entire life for. Not when there was still a future for him. There had to be a future for him. He had to see what the fighting and war and bloodshed were leading up to.

Her expression still stayed neutral. “Your emperor holds the role of serving as guardian, but the cycle of destruction only continues. It's in that cycle that will kill you. You won't have a future as long as this place is still standing, out of the thousands that reside here, you are the only one who understands that.”

Her voice is calm and collected. She spoke like she'd rehearsed this exchange before it even happened. Her plan wasn't something spur of the moment, she ruminated on this. She gave the empire so many chances, this was a last resort.

The chief's grip softened, enough for the Ivory lady to create some distance between the two. There was a stern look on the war chief's face, untrusting, the thin seal of faith between them breaking. The cold winter air stung his skin as he felt for the dao at his side. She wasn’t coming to her senses, but she seemed more aware of what he meant.

"There are souls all around us. Dead from famine, disease, war- and nobody grieves. They celebrate those who managed to survive and leave the memory of those dead to be forgotten. The value of human life in this rotten world has diminished. You say you're condemned? So is the rest of the world." When she spoke her voice was gentle and patient. She had the mood of a teacher. Stern to explain and persuade rather than to retaliate.

Xiao Qiang could still hear the festival music. He could see the amber lanterns and smell the smoke of the fireworks. There was a metallic taste in his mouth. He couldn't do this. No matter how much sense it made, there was a small part of him that clung to hope. That the world didn't need to be perfected. That the war would one day end. He turned back towards the balcony doors.

"Why are you leaving?"

"Beforehand, I was notified of urgent news from the emperor. My soldiers and I are needed at the front at midnight tonight." Don't think about the pain it would cause. Don't think about how many more battles he would need to fight after this. He had been a weapon his whole life, what was one more fight?

"I wish you luck in your battle." Her tone seems defeated. Whatever goal she tried to convince him of, it didn't work. "I enjoy our talks. You remind me of myself, except that you happen to be flawed. I take concern with you because you are worth it."

Before he opens the doors back to the inner walls of the palace, he stops. The chief takes a deep breath, contemplating her words and his role in the empire. The only thing she desired was compassion, and out of anyone, she only shared her sentiments with him.

"...Just promise me, oracle, that there is a future out there for me. That at the end of everything, you'll help me."

"That's a promise, dear chief. I only wish for you to fulfill your destiny."

Destiny. That sounded safe. That sounded hopeful. To be freed of this pattern. Of direction and task. Of worrying about the slightest flaws and defects. He will no longer have to be constantly performing. He'll have a fresh start.

For the first time, he was the first one to leave the conversation. The ivory lady continued to look back at the festival celebration. Overcast clouds started to cover the stars, and a familiar frosted wind would have the palace covered in snow soon. He exited the balcony, the warmth of the palace almost overbearing. He would survive.

He just needed to never break.

-------------

The night is frozen.

The chief was never warned of this. The surrounding forest is shrouded in darkness in the bleak winter.

They had fought in cold climates dozens of times. They'd braved dark midnights before and made it through alive. They covered themselves in cloaks, fought the battle as quickly as they could, and survived until the storm died down long enough that they could go back home. Sometimes the storms were forgiving enough to only last a few minutes.

This blizzard was not very forgiving to him this time.

As the Chief's midsection burned with pain.

He could feel his consciousness flickering on and off. Static seeped into his vision as he sprinted across the dark snow forest. He limped, his entire right leg almost dragging behind him. He could barely see his hands in front of him. It was a mistake to send a brigade in the darkness of night, he tried to warn the emperor. It was a miracle the frostbite alone hadn't picked them off day one.

His mind shifted to the rest of his soldiers. He condemned himself for being a coward. He ran. Ran away from the war. Ran away from his army and the enemy. Ran until he was lost. The further he traveled, the more distant his army became. Where were they? Where was he? Who'd done this? How did he get here?

He can barely remember the ambush. Campfire smoke and snow. An ear-shattering boom, the smell of gunpowder, his scabbard gone, so much adrenaline, so much fear. Just a moment ago he was surrounded— and now isolated.

He had to get out of here. Whatever happened, it hadn’t been good. He couldn’t stay here. He had to keep running. It’s not safe.

He saw small clouds in his breathing and their throat burned when they inhaled. He struggled to remain upwards, hands digging into the stray dead tree wood. His eyes felt heavy, and his hand, soaked with crimson, held his stomach. The wind howled so violently that it made it hard to think.

His legs finally gave away under him. Breathing heavily, they hit the thick snow and hugged their rapidly-bleeding wound. The hot, wet liquid pouring out felt strangely comforting as it warmed his torso.

He pushed himself along the ground with his good hand and leg, leaving a messy trail of bloody snow behind them. Their vision was beginning to tunnel. If he loses consciousness, it means he's dead.

He managed to pull himself to the side of a thick tree trunk before deciding he was wasting his time. He wasn’t getting anywhere, and even if he did, he was as good as dead weight.

He was alone.

The blood in the snow was already being erased under a hail of snowflakes, and after an hour, it would look like none of it had even happened.

People knew the snowstorm would get worse. It was suicide to send a search party. Everyone saw it coming. Everyone saw him deteriorate after every battle. He was a vessel who lived in violence, and it would be in violence that his life would be taken. Everyone knew it, him most of all. But no one did anything. They taught him to carve. They told him to plant. They lit fireworks. Waiting for when he would arrive from battle just to send him back.

The only curiosity will be 'I wonder who will take the chief's place?'

Staring up into the falling snowflakes, he longs for just a little bit more time. Time that isn't there, that he can pretend is left. He wants to scream out, how he doesn't deserve to die yet. It's not his time, he had a future. There is so much he has to do and it is always time that gets in the way. How could war be this cruel? How could the world be so flawed it would deny him any hint of closure?

He uselessly watched the ice fall with a glassy stare. Even the shivering had stopped. The frost numbed his senses until everything was a static haze.

His vision dimmed until something changed in the frosted ivory landscape.

Blue.

The world was painted in blue. Blue light, blue trees, and blue fog swirled around him, all forming a glowing blur in his dead eyes.

The last time she came to visit him. The demon found him on the coldest night of winter, but she brought no help with her.

Her face was smooth and unlined, but her hands were skinny and wrinkled, like the hands of a skeleton. Like the hands of someone who is running out of time.

He looked up through his ice-crusted eyes, her dark hair perfectly contrasting the white snowy landscape. She was beautiful, almost otherworldly. He pressed his bloodied hand under his torso as he worked out if he was looking at a celestial or a hallucination. He realized that he genuinely couldn’t tell.

"What..." The words are stuck in their throat. None of this feels real. He's dreaming, which is what he wants to believe. He's in the infirmary, rescued and mindless with a high fever. "...is a demon doing in the forest?"

"You're lost," She told them. "You and I have always been lost in one way or another, haven’t we?” She sounds as if she's miles away from him, and at the same time, it melts in his ears. The feeling, that it didn't matter if she was an enemy had come back. She was someone he could talk to. And if he wanted to stay alive, he needed to keep talking.

"How did you get here?" They asked her. The words barely make it out of his mouth. "Where do you find help?" He knew those questions were useless. She must have help with her, she must know where warmth is because the coldness doesn't stop her. The injury is beyond saving. She has no other companions, no one else to carve for her. What would she gain in watching him die?

In her silence, the chief begs the question again. "You... you promised I'd get my destiny. You must have help?"

"A promise I did not break, my dear chief. This is your destiny."

Her words echoed in the forest. Destiny. Alone. Cold. Immobile on the ground. Injured and his legs bound dead. Surrounded by no one and left to be forgotten.

"My lady, I stayed by your side. I did everything I was supposed to-"

"I am not here for mercy. Cast aside your stubbornness and fulfill your fate with honor."

"You liar! Is this my reward for trying so hard-!?"

“Xiao Qiang.” The demon warns. There's static in the air. He thinks he might be crying. He can’t bring his hands away from his stomach to check.

His head was full of slow-moving blood. He's unsure why he's still conscious. Every breath felt like it should be his last. In an instant, he barely blinked and she was much closer. She crouched down close to them, caressing his cheek with the back of her palm as if she was checking his temperature.

"You kneel beautifully," She said. "Almost as well as you fought."

Her hand cupped his chin, studying the dying man. This close the chief could see the bright scarlet in her eyes. The bones in her skin.

"You are not what I am looking for, but you have a fire in you that would be a shame to let die out so soon." She gently tilted his head and smiled very fondly, as if she loved them.

The chief felt his head sharply yank upright as the demon grabbed his long gray hair to face her, digging nails into his scalp. He breathed heavily.

"Your army has left you behind. Your emperor has forgotten you and it seems this snowfall will erase the very memory of you from this world.

"I will save you," She promised, "Because I am the only person to think of it. When you find an abandoned gem, it is yours. When you discover an abandoned city, it is yours. I will rescue you, because nobody else has come back for you."

"What will you do with me?" They said with his mouth full of ice.

"I can offer one more chance of purpose," She said. "And I will put that loyalty in your soul and lock it with a key. I will save you, and I will make you perfect."

"Is that it?"

"It's enough," She said. "Remember how fragile you are now, and how I made you strong. My champion."

He took a deep breath of cold air and tried to find the right words, but he couldn’t. It didn't matter. Because no matter how what happens to this earth, he would rest knowing she would always be the one thing constant.

With a harsh shock, a large radiant spell ring enveloped him as the numbing cold faded to burning, excruciating pain.

His entire body tensed and snapped. Kneeling on the ground, knees in the dirt and hands clutching his sides, bowing himself before her. With a surge of power, bright blue souls pierced into his spine. He lets out a sharp cry as the wound stitches itself back together, until it reaches the deepest parts of him and freezes over, infecting him, crawling under his skin and into his mind. She entangles him like a rabbit caught in a snare.

She hears him gasp as the surge of power suddenly stops. He breathes, heavy and ragged, his eyes dimmed from the bright glowing white. The blue spell rune slowly goes out.

He can no longer feel the cold air as his entire body is numb. He looks around with blank eyes, they're a pale snow white. what color were they?

The cold sunk into him, bleeding into his bones. His fingers are stained with dirt. He’s damp, a chill sunken deep within him. It’s sealed into his heart and stained his organs, rotting him from the inside out.

She cooed sympathetically and a soft smile spreads across her face. The chief felt a hand resting in his hair, and, somehow, beyond his control, he felt complete. Or maybe something inside him finally broke. As the sickening taste of metal reminded him of what he already knew.

She was compassion. She was protection. She was destiny. If she wasn't here, he’d be dead. Dead by her absence. His memory erased from this world. He’d miss her. Like the rotten fruit missing the flies.

This second chance was not mercy. In a way, he was still dead. He knew his final resting was inevitable. Didn't matter if it was in a forest or underground or even surrounded by people. This was only delaying his fate. Biding on borrowed time. It's time that killed Xiao Qiang, leaving a shell behind, plagued by a past he couldn't change.

He is new today. There is a long journey, but they are fated to walk it together. And he is her instrument, her sapling, her vessel. And one day, the slate will be clean, they will be happy, and they will be perfect. And they will do whatever it takes to reach that destiny.

With that realization, they rested their head on the demon's shoulder, arms around her as they knelt in the snow, and smiled. A grin spreading ear to ear. Falling into her embrace, squeezing her as if he held the demon tight enough she wouldn't leave them.

And the demon held him just as close, hugging his body as a burst of desperate tragic laughter wracked him and echoed through the forest.

Around them, the snowstorm raged on as the night finally froze over.