"Ba-dum. Ba-dum. Ba-dum, da-dum da-dum da-dum-daaa-dummm…"
Feels real silly to be humming the Pink Panther theme song as Cowie sneakily drives us away from the Abby horde, but what the Princess wants, the Princess gets. Not just because we love her, but also because if Chrissy feels like she needs sneaking music to stay on task while maintaining a Major Illusion to keep us hidden from Abby and Vanguard alike, then she's gonna get some sneaking music.
I only know the one sneaking song though, and even then, just the chorus, but she gets real into and bobs left and right as I 'ba-dum ba-dum' away while hanging off the side of the wagon. She's got her hood up, shoulders hunched, and cloak drawn tight around her torso as she bobs and sways in time to the rhythm of the song. One designed to mimic footsteps as the Pink Panther sneaks around on camera as I understand it, which is to say I don't. I seen big cats, or at least Illusions and carvings of them, but the Pink Panther don't look like any real animal I ever seen, nor do I understand why it would have to sneak around on two feet instead of four. Chrissy loves it though, so I keep right on humming the theme song as we put space between us and the Abby horde behind us while hoping them Vanguard get caught up in the whole fracas.
Don't much like leaving human enemies behind us, but as I turn about to check our six, Chrissy gives me a look, one that don't look all that different from her regular expressions but is just brimming with sullen displeasure. "Sorry," I say, giving her a little nod in apology before going back to humming, but I continue stealing glances back to see what's what. Don't much love the idea of leaving the family to their own devices with so many Abby scurrying about, but now would be a good time to slip away and see to it that them Vanguard who stirred up them Ferals don't make it out of the badlands alive. The three Scouts I got bound, gagged, and blindfolded on my Floating Disc beside me are lucky they still breathing, and the only real reason I ain't put a Bolt through any one of them just yet is because I'm trying to stay sneaky.
The first Scout I captured? Qian is his name, and he's a downright chatty fella who was true to his word and answered all the questions I put to him, though a lot of his answers were, 'This one does not know and dares not speculate'. Which is fine, because I was less interested in grand speculation and more focused on figuring out what I was up against, namely 10 Vanguard with 3 Scouts including Qian himself. After learning there were two Scouts watching the wagon's every move, I high tailed it back on my Floating Disc with my prisoner in tow and shadowed the wagon until I spotted both Qinks, then took them down the same way I got Qian. With stealth, speed, and the lay of the land to get behind them and catch them off guard. Neither one put up much of a fight, but in my experience, few ever care to when they know they got a gun pointed at their backs. You come at a man head on with gun raised and aimed, and most soldiers will dive for cover. Show up behind them unexpectedly though? They freeze, because that's the only move you got to make when someone in conversational range is holding a gun to your head.
If it wasn't for the fact that I done knew there were more Abby approaching, I might well have killed all three Scouts with a Bolt to the head, but even the silenced Rattlesnake is loud enough to attract all the wrong sorts of attention. Didn't want to give Abby any reason to hurry along, nor did I want to alert the other Vanguard lurking behind them, but now that the family is safely away, I'm thinking it's time to make a big old mess of things and take care of the little fatty's hit squad once and for all.
"Don't you do it," Aunty Ray whispers, speaking over Chrissy's head while Tina rides close by on the other side. "You saw the size of that horde and how big them Dreadmaws and Silverfish were. They ain't fresh off the factory floor, so chances are there's at least one Spellslinger among them. Gotta worry about them Silverfish in particular, as they real fond of Entangling Grasp which'll stop you and your Floating Disc in its tracks. You might be able to fight your way free, but not before them bugs catch you and carve you to pieces."
Yeah, Aunty Ray still knows what's what and can read me like a picture book. Knows I'm right hopping furious that them Vanguard tried to get us killed in an Abby ambush, but she also knows it's too risky to take a fight against 10 soldiers out in the badlands with so many Ferals roaming about. The second we give our location away with the sound of gunfire, that horde will descend upon us like locusts at an all you can eat buffet. Chances are, them Vanguard are gonna be in for a bad time what with that single shot they fired off, one that was pretty loud for a mechanically silenced gun and broadcasted their location for all to hear. If they ain't running, then they'll be dying soon enough, or at least there's a better than good chance that they will once that horde turns about to chase down the noise.
Me though? Much as I like those odds, I could always make things worse for the Vanguard by putting my thumb down on the scale as it were. Could track them down and light them up, both figuratively and literally with the Nanfoodle. Set one or two ablaze and show Abby where to find the miscreants who done disturbed them from their sleep, assuming I spot them before they spot me. Which ain't a good assumption to make of course, but I know their general location, or at the very least where they fired that shot from, while they've no idea where I am, so I got the upper hand there. Granted, they got ten pairs of eyes to my one, so I'm losing out on that front, so make of that what you will. Odds I'll gladly take, but Aunty Ray ain't so eager to see me run off again, and not because she wants me close by to keep her and her daughter's safe.
No, she's more than capable of taking care of business all by her lonesome, as evidenced by all the carnage she and the girls left behind them. Got them a fair few Abby they did, even Chrissy who let loose with another big Psychic Scream. Worrisome that, because she ain't exactly one for restraint, so I don't much like her getting used to slinging that Spell around willy nilly. Twice ain't exactly gratuitous, but it's more than zero, and it's clear she's been practicing it by her lonesome with no one else the wiser. Or maybe Aunty Ray cottoned on to Chrissy's practice and let it continue, wanting her sweet, silver-haired daughter to have some way to protect herself should the worst ever come to pass. I ain't found the courage to ask just yet, because there ain't no faster way to get Aunty Ray heated than to question the way she raising her babies.
Mostly because she's downright proud of us all, even if I been letting her down more often than not lately. She's a fierce mama bear who won't take no guff from no one about how she raising her own, because as far as she's concerned, we're all doing just fine thank you very much.
"Best if I at least took a look," I say, pausing my humming just long enough to say my piece and earn me a look of reproach from all three women.
"A look," Aunty Ray scoffs, while I get back to humming and give Chrissy's head a little pat of apology. Gotta work real hard not to shoot Tina a dirty look, because I could use at least one person on my side, but she knows better than to go against her mama who continues, "As if you could keep yourself from doin' anythin' more, even knowin' you'll have to contend with Abby too. You'll see a chance and take a shot, then make a big ol' ruckus that you won't feel safe bringing back to us, and it'll be hours at the very least before we see you again, assumin' you make it back at all. Howie darlin', you know I love you, but we both know that restraint ain't high on your list of strengths." If it's even on there at all. Discipline is all good and well, but restraint is a whole different sort of beast, as I got a sweet tooth that cannot be restrained unless there ain't no sugar to be had anywhere. Spent my first ever dollar at Ms. Dawson's Chicago-style Confections and Creamery, and many more dollars have followed since, to say nothing of all the sweet teas, candies, and now sodas I been making for myself with all the extra honey I harvested from all my bees.
Got a whole lot more flowers up at the quay for them to pollinate from, so production was up for the year even though I had to move them mid-summer, and the Aetheric Condenser can only take so much honey at once. If I brought the Condenser home with me, I could keep it topped up all the time, but even then, it'd only need to be filled maybe one or two times more over the course of the year. Doesn't take a lot to make Crystal Aether, just time and magic beyond my ken, with honey being the least important part of it all, so I been up to my gills in sweet bee spit and no idea what to do with it all.
Besides consume it of course, which is what I've been doing, while also supplying Clayton and his ilk with some for their own use. I suppose I could get in touch with Levi and see what he thinks about it, because I got so many acres of empty ranches to fill and a whole lot of bees that could use them. A matter to consider once we all home safe and sound though, so I focus on the task at hand while Aunty Ray finishes up her rant about how I'll start a big fight and stir up even more Abby until we got a whole army nipping at our heels which we'll then bring back to New Hope. "Now wouldn't that be something," she drawls, giving me a glare and all but daring me to give her any lip, "The first full-on Abby siege in the dead of winter, all because you couldn't keep your itchy trigger finger from taking that perfect shot you done lined up."
She ain't wrong, though I do think she's exaggerating quite a bit. We wouldn't get no siege. At most, it'd be a very brutal attack, with them Abby forced to go all in because they expended too much energy chasing us all the way to New Hope, with nothing left for it but to bring down as much of the walls as they can before they freeze or self-metabolize to death. Gotta burn a lot of calories to stay warm, so if they burn too much while they too far away from any goop reserves, they gotta either eat each other or go down swinging, and most will choose the latter without express instructions from their Proggies. That's what makes Ferals so dangerous; if all else seems lost, gobbos and their ilk will fight amongst themselves and bring the scraps home for their Proggies so there's as little waste as possible. Ferals though? They'll drive themselves into a feeding frenzy and try to fight their way out, not having done the math and wholly ignorant of the fact that they burning more energy than they can replenish fighting and staying warm no matter how much they eat.
And don't nothing fight harder than a Feral with nothing left to lose. That's why so many Proggies go with the template even though Ferals are objectively the worst brand of Abby compared to gobbos and soulless. When push comes to shove, Ferals will go down swinging, while gobbos and Soulless will run away in hopes of living to fight another day. They got that dog in them, as Tim would say, though I get real confused by all the sayings people got about dogs. They're cute, loyal, affectionate creatures who are supposedly fearsome as all heck while simultaneously having a reputation for being both lazy and hard working. How can you call someone be lazy as a dog then turn around and say someone else is being worked like a dog? Make that make sense. I'll wait.
Course, I still feel justified in trying to explain my way clear, even though Aunty Ray's got her piercing big blues all locked and loaded for bear. "Just want to make sure they don't turn around and bring the horde right to us again," I say, though hardly convincingly given my lack of confidence and the fact that I gotta hum a few bars of the Pink Panther after the fact so Chrissy don't get cross with me too. Then and only then can I continue, "This ain't about killing Qin or takin' heads or nothin'. I still remember our talk. This is just me wantin' to make sure we all safe and sound is all. I'll keep the kiddie gloves on and everythin'."
"You gone soft in the head or something?" Aunty Ray snaps, reaching over to cup my cheeks and look me in the eyes. "Them men out there just wrangled up an Abby horde and tried to take a run at us. If you head out lookin' for trouble, then you best play for keeps mister, you hear me?"
"…I hear you," I reply, then because I might actually be soft in the head, I continue, "But… we had that whole talk about how them Vanguard were just people and not hatin' them and whatnot, so I'm just a little confused."
Patting my cheek as she straightens up in a huff, Aunty Ray purses her lips and says, "That was before they tried to do us in. This ain't about race or nation, just physics. What goes around, comes around, and sometimes you're what goes, and sometimes, you're what comes. Understand?" My blank stare says it all, so she explains, "I ain't tellin' you to hate them Howie, but they done messed with the bull, so they deserve to get the horns. Which by the by is why I don't want you goin' out, because you can't look me in the eye and tell me you ain't fixin' to go out there and start something." Before I can get a word in edgewise, Aunty Ray holds a finger up in warning and holds my attention for a good long second before adding, "And don't you give me no guff about how you ain't startin' nothin', just of a mind to finish what they done started. Lord knows my Raleigh used that line often enough, and you've picked up enough of his bad habits as is."
I'll never not believe Aunty Ray can't read minds, because she done stole the words right outta my mouth. Maybe all women can, and they're just smart enough to keep men from finding proof so they can keep us in the dark. More to the point is that even at 18 years old, I still don't got courage enough to defy the woman who raised me, except I also ain't entirely sure what it is she wants me to do. So I hum a few bars of Pink Panther while feeling utterly ridiculous and flummoxed to boot, until I find it in me to ask, "Soooo… I guess… I'll stay?"
Exasperated is the only word for the look Aunty Ray throws my way, while Tina stifles her giggles on the other side. Got no time to mind my sorta sister though, not while Aunty Ray has got me in her crosshairs. She ain't angry at me, just frustrated, stressed, and worried to boot, which is why she takes a long second to think her words through and takes a deep breath in, then out, before she finds it in her to speak. "You do what you think is best," she says, reaching out to squeeze my cheeks again, this time with tender affection. "I ain't here to tell you your job, because you know it better than me. If you think you should go, then go. Me wantin' you to stay shouldn't factor into your decision, because that's just emotion talkin', when we need to be operatin' on straight logic out here." Looking at me and seeing that my mind's already made, Aunty Ray deflates a bit and adds, "You just be careful out there, okay?"
"Always am," comes the reply, as I smile, wink, and reach out to squeeze her hand three times right quick, but it don't put a smile on her face. No, it brings a frown, a big, pouty one full of sorrow and grievance as she thinks about what she wants to say, if she gonna say anything at all.
She does in the end, squeezing my hand three times right back before giving me a smile of her own, a soft one so full of pain, sadness, and empathy, because I'm the reason for those first two emotions I see there. "You and I both know that ain't true," she says, holding my hand so tight like she's afraid to let go. "You used to always be careful, but then you let your guard down and got hurt. You put your guard back up, but also started lookin' for trouble where there wasn't none, and findin' it all the same. Started with brawls with kids your age, then moved to looking over the bounty boards each week, and escalated to the point where you're now livin' in a village all by your lonesome so you know that when you pick a stupid fight with some smugglin' gangsters, there ain't no innocents around to get hurt. That ain't enough though, because you've also been needlin' fools like Dave and all but daring them to draw just because, and even though you'd probably be legally in the right if they did, that'll be cold comfort for us all if we gotta put you in the ground or write letters to send to you in prison."
Ain't got nothing to say to that, because she right on the money about it all. Feels like my run in with the pedophile rapist merchant moving product for Wayne happened over a lifetime ago, as I been getting beat up by life ever since. Kicked off my long string of bad luck from which I'm still recovering, but can't blame on my misfortune on bad luck. Could very well be my fault, as I've been so much angrier of late, always ready for a good fight and more than happy to spill blood. That sort of energy is contagious really, because when a stranger sees you like that, then they get all primed and ready for the violence you might bring, which you then pick up on escalate. From there, it goes back and forth until the both of you are powder kegs of rage and testosterone just waiting to go off.
It's sorta like a self-fulfilling prophecy. You go out looking for trouble, and more often than not, trouble will come find you, and I been looking real hard real often these last few years. Even more so since Josie died, because even though I got no business laying down the law when even the Feds don't care enough to get involved, I can't stand the thought of standing idly by while a bunch of mobsters and criminals make moves right there in plain sight. If them smugglers landed their boats a hundred meters up or down the coast and steered clear of my streets, I wouldn't blink twice about it, but I ain't about to let them use the docks my daddy built to carry out their crimes.
And truth is? I welcome any excuse to kill some fools. Not because I don't much care for any criminal scum, though that much is true. No, the main reason is because a not so small part of me just yearns for the thrill of the fight, and I get real cranky if I go too long without one.
Can't rightly admit that, even though I get an inkling that Aunty Ray already knows, just like she knows I'm burning with a righteous fury to head out and slaughter those Qinks who done just tried to kill us. It ain't the killing that bothers her though. It's how I run headlong into the fight all full of rage and lacking concern, because that's how I done lost my hand and took three Bolts to the back. Those are just the highlights too, and she knows better than most that any fight against other people is never simple or easy. Abby are formidable, but predictable, while humans have fought tooth and nail to claw their way to the top of the food chain using every dirty trick in the book and then some. More to the point, she's knows good and well how outlaws, gangsters, scavs, and mobsters all got nothing against trained soldiers who know how to fight as a unit, and the Vanguard have shown themselves to have some of the best training on the Frontier.
This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
Easy to see why she don't want me riding out, but like she said, I know my business, and the objectively right move here is to head out and make sure them Vanguard ain't gonna follow. While I'm out there, I might as well finish what they started, and while I might have to kick off another fight with Abby in the process, then give the pack the run around and maybe take care of them too, I can't just stick with the wagon and give them Vanguard a free chance for a second try. Better to take the fight to them here and now, on my terms rather than theirs, so all I can do is squeeze Aunty Ray's hand back three times once again, and she lets me off easy with that.
She don't tell me to be safe, or to come back alive, because that goes without saying. All she says is, "Be less like my Raleigh, and more like your daddy, you hear? Calm, cool, and collected. Take risks if you need to, not because you want to, and if you get into trouble, then don't think twice about comin' right on back to us. We ain't no damsels in distress, so it's high time you stopped treatin' us like we a bunch of porcelain dolls that'll shatter the first time someone so much as looks as us awry."
"Yes ma'am," I say, snapping off a cheeky salute that earns me a mild glare, though only to hide her smile. To spare me any more tough talks, I lean in to touch my head to Chrissy's and say, "You keep on keeping your mama and sister safe, Princess. You doin' a great job hidin' us while we move, but if you start feelin' tired, you just say so okay?" Chrissy nods, pressing her head hard against mine and refusing to back off, so I gotta do it gently and stop her from leaning all the way out the side of the wagon. "I'll be back before you know it," I say, though I'm not entirely sure that's true. Was a real big horde of Abby out there, and them Vanguard are ready and waiting for me, but I'm still game for a fight if they are. Got a few new tricks up my sleeve too, and a bunch of old favourites I'm always happy to break out, so it's high time I made myself scarce and set out to work.
Just to be safe, I toss the bound prisoners into the back of the wagon before Ritually recasting Floating Disc to refresh the base duration before loading two Floating Disc Sleds on top. With that done, I skate on over to follow alongside Cowie, who's huffing a little harder than usual and lacking that customary pep in his step that says he could do this all day. Which he already has, and the better part of the night to boot, which means he's coming up on his limits even with 4 Floating Disc Sleds going full blast to help lighten the load. Feel a little bad taking two for myself, especially since I only want them just in case I can bring more Abby corpses back to add to his burdens. The horses are only faring a little better, but they'll be fine since they ain't carrying much.
Meaning it's mostly on Cowie to get the family away safe, so I sling a Bolstering Compliment his way while giving his flank a firm pat. "Lookin' sharp partner," I say, and he throws his head up to look proud and happy for a bit before lowering his head again to conserve his strength. "When all this is over, we'll have a good few months back in the quay until Spring comes around, and maybe new trails to blaze down west. Sound good?" He blows a raspberry in reply, because smart as he is, he don't really understand English, but he knows I always smile when he makes that noise. Even tired as he is, he's looking out for me and mine, which is why he's the best partner anyone can ask for out here on the Frontier. "Yeah," I say, reaching over with both hands to give him a good scritching before sneaking him a candy from my tin, because he's got a sweet tooth same as me though he prefers molasses to honey.
Once Cowie's all sorted I skate around to have a word with Tina who's now riding Ivory since Winnie, Sunshine, and Fifi are all tuckered out. "Not seeing anything out ahead for round about two klicks," I say, craning my neck to look up at her as we talk. "Don't mean theres nothin' out there though, so keep your head on swivel and avoid goin' over any cracks in the ground or down into any pits. As for the prisoners, leave them be until I get back. Don't do nothing for them, no food, drink, or bathroom breaks no matter how much noise they make. They push too far, then just dump them and their gear a few hundred meters apart, minus their weapons of course."
"Got it," Tina says, looking uncharacteristically subdued as she tentatively reaches out for my hand like she's afraid I'll slap it away. My fault, not hers, because I've been harsh on her these last few years without teaching her much of anything at all, so I can only strive to do better moving forward. Taking her hand in mine, I hold it tight as she gives me three quick squeezes, then do the same in reply, before flashing her a smile and a wink to lift the mood. She smiles to see it, then darkens right back down while refusing to let go of my hand. I don't pull away though, and give her a minute to sort herself out as I float alongside her with a smile.
And when she's finally ready to let go, I hold on for a few seconds longer, which puts a smile on her face too. "You got this," I say, nodding to reinforce the fact. "Remember your training and rely on your gut. You done great so far, so just keep doin' what you been doin'." Can't lie and say everything will turn out great, but she gets it. Can't no one guarantee anyone's safety out on the Frontier, so ain't no sense making empty promises we both know ain't true. With everything said and done, I let go of her hand and wave goodbye before zooming off to where I last spotted them Vanguard. Just like that, a flip switches inside me and Howie and all his issues get put on the backburner as the Yellow Devil comes out to handle his business.
Because them Qinks didn't just try to kill me. They tried to kill my family, and while I wasn't lying when I said this was about making sure we all safe and sound, Aunty Ray was bang on the money. Them Vanguard, they didn't mess with the bull. They fucked with the Yellow Devil, and now they gonna pay by becoming an object lesson to anyone else who might think to try the same. I know who I am, and while my daddy wouldn't have wanted me to go to war with the Qin, I ain't the man he wanted me to be, and I've long since made my peace with that.
So like I was about to say to Aunty Ray before she said it for me, it's high time I finished what they done started.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The minutes ticked by in agonizing silence as Ao Tian and his team prepared for battle, but battle did not come.
Not from the horde of rampaging Yao Guai milling about in the distance and frantically searching for the trail of their lost prey, nor from the traitor who was no doubt still lingering in the darkness. Ao Tian was no faint-hearted fool to stand frozen in fear, and had long since given the order to move out and relocate to a better defensive position, all while keeping their trail hidden and profiles sheathed in shadows. There was precious little cover here in the badlands however, so chances were high that the traitor knew exactly where they were and was watching them close for his opportune moment to strike. It could be he was waiting for the horde to disperse, or perhaps even now he was drawing them over towards Ao Tian's team, for they would not fare well in a footrace against Swarmlings.
Or Silverfish and Dreadmaws, but the Swarmlings would get them first unless there were Razorscythes to support them…
Most Ferals were faster than a man on foot, in short bursts of speed at least. Even with Floating Discs all Conjured and ready to carry them away, their chances of escaping the Yao Guai horde on foot was slim to none. So why was their foe giving them so much time to prepare? To wait out their Defensive Spells like Barkskin and Cat's Grace which only lasted an hour each? Or maybe he was waiting for morning to come so he could shoot them all dead from outside the 200-meter effective range of the Dragunov rifles without any need to rely on Darkvision. This was of course assuming he knew all there was to learn about them, having been informed by that turncoat Qian or perhaps one of the other two missing Scouts, but if that wasn't the case, it could be that the traitor was in the process of torturing them for information even now.
If so, then the right move would be to leave now and return home with all haste, which didn't sit right with Ao Tian for many reasons. He could always claim it was because no Vanguard was to be left behind, not alive in enemy hands, or that he was eager to do battle with the traitor and settle things once and for all, but the truth was he had no other choice. He could not return home in failure, for then he would have nothing left. Prince Gong was not a magnanimous man and was sure to cast Ao Tian aside, if not blame him for the failed mission entirely and throw him at the General's feet as a sacrificial lamb. Then where would Ao Tian be? Consigned to the labour camps at best, a rising dragon turned trampled carp never to leap over the gate to become a dragon once more.
Better to die in honourable combat than to return home in disgrace, so why was the traitor refusing to show himself and fight?
The rush of adrenaline soon faded to be replaced by the cold chill of winter's bite, and Ao Tian was left standing in darkness with nine comrades and a decision to make. Assume their foe had moved on and leave their somewhat defensible position to go rest and recuperate before making another attempt on the traitor's life? Or hold firm to the notion that he was still out there, watching and waiting for an opening to strike, and remain where they were and force him to come to them?
If only they had a single Scout to call upon, because sending one, two, or even a trio of his comrades out into the night was all but serving them up to die. The traitor knew these lands better than they did, and there were still plenty of Yao Guai wandering about, furious Yao Guai who would instantly pick up on a roaming group of Vanguard without Settle in Shadows and Pass Without Trace to keep them hidden away. No, strength in unity was their only way out of this, whether they were up against the traitor or Yao Guai alike, so whatever decision he made, he would be deciding for the entirety of his team at once.
"We move out," Ao Tian whispered, unable to meet the eyes of his comrades and instead peering out into the darkness and seeing nothing at all. "Skirmish formation. If the traitor strikes us while we move, then we fight to the last. If not, we head west, make our way past the watchtowers, and kill the traitor after he returns home to his village by the lake." The plan came together in his mind even as he said it, for there in his home, the traitor would lower his guard and become easy prey. How easy it would be to kill him in his sleep, or pick him off from afar as he wandered about the empty streets doing whatever it was he did while home and alone. Then they could simply set fire to one of the homes and leave with the traitor's corpse in tow, with no one the wiser of what really happened until Ao Tian returned home to report his success.
He could still have it all. The fame, glory, and family name as he kicked off his meteoric rise as the True Dragon of his generation, the hero who would one day conquer these lands in the name of the Republic. He watched it all unfold in his mind's eye, saw the heights he would one day reach after this singular success, a victory that was his for the taking so long as he dared to reach out and grasp it. The traitor had run off, slinking away under the cover of his Illusions and too afraid to fight. Perhaps it was the sizable Yao Guai horde which scared him away, or the prospect of facing trained soldiers as opposed to unruly gangsters without so much as a shred of discipline to their name.
Yes, that was it. Ao Tian and his comrades were no impulsive, reckless criminals to run roughshod over. They were trained soldiers of the Vanguard, killers, hunters, and survivors one and all, with more average Spells known per soldier than any other military force on the Frontier, so the traitor was understandably wary of taking a fight. While he might have run into a few talented Magi before, he was facing ten coordinated Spellcasters who were ready and waiting for the fight, one in which he had no confidence of victory. The weak fear the strong, the strong fear the fierce, and the fierce fear those with nothing to lose, and Ao Tian was both fierce and without anything to lose. The traitor knew this, so of course he would turn tail and flee, run home to the safety of his precious Federation and hide from the Republic's wrath.
Fate was on his side, of this Ao Tian was certain, because just as he was about to set out, he spotted movement on the horizon. Raising a fist up to call for silence and stillness, his Eagle-Eyed vision honed in on the flitting shadows to reveal the culprit in question. For a moment, there was nothing but darkness, and even as he wondered if he'd imagined the movement, he spotted it again, a head poking out ever so slightly from overtop of a ridge and highlighted by the night's sky behind it.
It disappeared as quickly as it appeared, so fast Ao Tian would've missed it if he had been looking anywhere besides directly at it. For long minutes, there was nothing again, until the head poked out again a third time towards the northern edge of the ridge. Though it disappeared just as quickly once more, it wasn't long before the silhouette of a man stood atop a Floating Disc revealed itself on the horizon, zipping across the open ground for lack of any cover to hide behind. Had Ao Tian and his team remained where they were, or gone north instead of south in search of cover, the traitor's movements would've been completely hidden from them as he made his careful approach to where they'd fired off that warning shot.
Meaning that if not for a quirk of fate, Ao Tian would've never seen his foe coming. The Heavens were smiling down on him, arranging the threads of karma to unfold in his favour, and more importantly, reveal that the traitor was unaware of their actual location. As well he should be, for Pass Without Trace and Settle in Shadows were both powerful Spells of Concealment, and while the traitor might well be a first-rate Scout familiar with the Classics of Changes, that still wasn't enough to see through the combination of both Spells and the training in stealth every soldier of the Republic received.
Just like that, the mantle of the Firstborn unravelled before Ao Tian's eyes, his foe no longer a dragon among men but merely a pheasant among chickens. He had his skills and courage enough, and to be fair, had made no mistakes, for this 'error' was far from egregious if it could even be classified as such. What was the alternative? To move forward without checking your surroundings? To simply rely on luck and happenstance to keep you hidden from watching eyes? No, if the traitor made any mistake here, it was returning now instead of striking as soon as Ao Tian's team revealed their position, because he'd given them time to reposition and hide without his notice.
Meaning that at the end of the day, the traitor Hao Wei was just a man, one who would bleed and die like any other. No longer was he the titanic Firstborn, the Imperial Dragon who stood head and shoulders above them all. He was simply a peer, a rival, a foe to be brought down by the Hidden Dragon and future Sword Saint Ao Tian. He had no reason to feel inferior to the traitor, no cause to hold his opponent in such high esteem, for they were but two men only a few days apart in age and not so far apart in skill.
This was not to say Ao Tian would underestimate his foe. The traitor was still highly skilled, flitting about like a ghost that might well have gone completely unnoticed if not for Ao Tian's luck. He'd simply had the fortune to have picked out this position and been staring off into the distance at that very moment. No, not luck and fortune, but fate, karma and kismet coming together to give him the advantage once more, because it was his destiny to bring down the traitor and do away with the old ways before ushering in a new era of prosperity for the Republic.
"The traitor has returned," he said, pointing out the movements for his comrades to see, and they all broke out into hushed whispers as they strove to spot him for themselves. Not all of them would, as there were different limits to their vision, but the sharpest eyed among them confirmed Ao Tian's declaration. "He is unaware of our position, but readied for battle all the same. Our foes is formidable, but mortal all the same, and we hold every advantage. Move out in silence, close the distance between us, and seize the opportune moment to strike. By Bolt or by blade, he dies tonight, and with his blood, we will secure the future of the Republic."
"For the Republic," came the hushed reply, one sentence uttered by nine mouths in perfect synchronicity. The sharpshooters readied their Dragunov rifles, while the rest checked their weapons and gear as they waited for the two soldiers maintaining Settle in Shadows and Pass Without Trace to give the signal to move out. It was their efforts that would keep them all concealed, so no one even thought to rush them as they each closed their eyes in quiet meditation to better focus their thoughts and Spells.
And when they set out, they did so slowly, moving step by careful step across the badlands while keeping to cover as best they could. Settle in Shadows was no Invisibility to keep them completely hidden and concealed, merely an Abjuration Spell that smoothed out the darkness around and over top them, so any quick or jarring movements might well give their location away. The traitor appeared a few more times as he skated north, then south, then north again in search of Ao Tian's team and no doubt growing frustrated by the lack of success. His ignorance bolstered Ao Tian's spirits, and the spirits of his team, for this was the first indication of the traitor's inexperience, unused to tracking men as opposed to Yao Guai. He clearly had no fear of the Feral horde, knowing exactly where they were and moving accordingly to keep out of their sight, but he might as well be carrying a lit mirror box for Ao Tian and his team to see. Were it Qian in the traitor's place, the Scout would never have moved about at such speeds without aim, because doing so only increased the chances of discovery. Instead, he would have found an elevated perch overlooking his target area and settled in to wait, as there was a better chance of seeing through Settle in Shadows if you were readied and watching while the targets concealed within were moving. Far more difficult to discern moving shadows if you yourself were also in motion, leaving the traitor wholly unaware that the targets he was so desperately looking for were converging upon his position.
Hubris. That would be the traitor's undoing, because his actions declared that he was not afraid of being spotted by his foes. He was all but daring them to come at him, challenging them to a fight, one that would be closer in range than he would like.
Or perhaps not. The traitor was nothing if not volatile, so after a quarter-hour of searching, he turned about atop his Floating Disc and zipped away westward. Ao Tian's first instinct was to give chase, but he restrained himself and his team to keep moving with stealth and concealment in mind. Which was the correct move, because their foe was no fool, reappearing a few minutes later to check his trail for pursuit. Just as one should not overestimate their foe, it was equally important not to underestimate him either, for the traitor was still an exceptional soldier trained by one of their very best. The stories of the Yellow Devil Ming had spread far and wide, both because of his skills and his son's claim to the title of Firstborn of the Frontier, meaning most people in the Republic knew of them both long before the General learned of his relation to Ao Tian's quarry.
Patience and persistence, that was the key to victory here tonight. Ao Tian kept his team in check and moved slowly but surely in pursuit of their foe, who doubled back no less than three times before finally disappearing into the night, all without spotting the tail he'd picked up so early in the night. Then and only then did the traitor finally return to his people for the night, and Ao Tian knew this because his quarry's last heading was in a different direction compared to where he'd been heading towards all night. A clever foe, but not careful enough, and this would be his undoing. Yes, Ao Tian could see it now, him and his team tracking down the traitor's camp and encircling it while he slept, with his sharpshooters taking elevated positions while the rest of them moved in to engage up close. Withing 200 metres and 10 metres both, the optimal range for his success, the best of both worlds and an advantage Ao Tian would make the most of.
How sweet it would be to trap the traitor in place, to hold him and his loved ones hostage and force him to accept a challenge. Single combat with blade or fist, and Ao Tian would even let his opponent choose so that he could defeat the fabled 'Firstborn' on Recording for all of the Republic to see before bringing the false dragon's head back to Fuyuan to show all what fate awaited all traitors to the Peoples' cause. Even better if the traitor resorted to using Spells during the challenge and defying the sanctity of a custom laid down by the Venerable Tian Zi himself, who often gave his foes the same choice when presented with overwhelming odds. Resist and die to the last, or face him in single combat with no Spells to speak of. Wise and powerful though the Venerable One might have been, he was still little more than flesh and blood, so his skills with sword and spear were trained the same as any other, and his millennia long record of undefeated victories a legend unto itself.
One way or another, the traitor Firstborn's tale would end here tonight. By death in honourable combat, or in disgrace after being gunned down by his men for refusing a challenge or breaking the rules therein, it mattered not. Ao Tian would return home in glorious victory, and begin his ascent to the peak of power as the Firstborn Son destined to lead the Republic to conquer the Frontier, and perhaps even beyond to bring the battle to the Great Devourer's hordes of ravenous Yao Guai scattered across the middle realms.
Long Ao Tian, the Venerable Tian Zi's successor, one blessed by the Heavens above and the true dragon of a generation. This was the start of his tale, and the Firstborn would be naught but a footnote in the first chapter of his humble beginnings that would kickstart his meteoric rise. "Ancestors watch over me," he intoned, quietly under his breath. "Father. Today, I will make you proud and avenge your death."
Soon. It could be minutes, or could be hours, but regardless of how long it took to find the traitor's camp, their conflict would end tonight.
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