A Wuxia Tale: Blades and Flowers

A Different Time

(AHRAN)

Its like the time has stopped all around the Middle Kingdom. As I stumbled away from that chamber where everyone is lying unmoving, I know I will be no help to anyone if I will just stay there and mourn for ShuYin and Adda.

I have to move if I want to save everyone. Even if I have to crawl, I need to do something. I need to find a source of water to replenish my energy and think of what I can do to fix all of these. It might not be easy though.

I have an unseen enemy. Someone who is out to change their fate and is killing everyone to get what they want. What is it that they want? How are they manipulating these events? Those are the things I have to find out to be able to start to think of a solution to this.

I felt frustrated as I moved slowly to the dark and eerie hallways of the Imperial Palace. Curse this huge place. There are so many steps to be made just to be able to cross one length of a hallway. Why people love scheme their way to to be able to live in places as big as this will be a mystery to me.

Coughing up blood every third step or so is also not helping my case. All I have as an advantage is the fact that I feel like time has frozen in this place and I am the only one moving. Is it a curse? Did someone curse this kingdom to stand still? For what? Ah, my head and chest are killing me.

I welcomed the refreshing feeling that the rush of wind gave to me once I got outside the walls of the Palace. On the Palace ground, I looked for the nearest pond or any source of water where I can jump and submerge myself. I found it on the Moon Pavilion after what felt like hours of walking slowly while trying to keep my blood inside my body instead of coughing them all in the ground beneath my feet.

"W-water..." I wade into the still pond of the Empress' garden without thinking. The surface of the water rippled as it touched the middle of my thigh. Its not too deep but it is enough. This water might not be the cleanest but it could give me respite. Water is my source of energy. I am most powerful when I am in any body of fresh water or near it.

I swallowed the cough and blood mixed with my saliva before taking a deep breath and dropping my whole body in the water's comforting embrace. The wetness sooth my pain and I let it cleanse my confusion. I closed my eyes and willed myself to find the one person I know who could help me.

Take me to Wang Dao. I need him...

As I thought of the man who holds my fate, I felt the water around me swirling and shifting. A familiar feeling of when I am traveling through time, and maybe even dimensions. The last one is still a theory. The first one is absolute. I know I can travel through time. I have that power.

When I opened my eyes, I saw light filtering through the surface of the water. Then a hand appeared in front of me, waving.

Take it! Master AhRan!

Every cell on my body jolted when I heard Adda's familiar term for me. I took that hand and gasped for air when my head pierced the surface of the water. I blinked when I saw a figure looming over me and whose hand I am holding.

"What are you waiting for? Get out of there and lets run! Quickly!" Adda, I think it is Adda, pulled me from the pond and then drag me as she run. I am soaking wet but I moved with her. As fast as I can. I trust Adda with all my being. If she said we have to run, I will run with her.

"Adda, where are we going?" I trust her but I still have to ask.

"Anywhere. As long as its far from here. Maybe in the West." Adda is not even panting while running agile through the ground. "They are all crazy. They will drive you crazy. He will drive you crazy. We have to get you away from him!"