Legend of The Young Master

Chapter 225: Endless Wave

Li Xian lay injured, content in knowing that he had performed a marvelous feat of warrior—one of which men would speak for hundreds of years in this kingdom. He had achieved the goals that his master had asked of him he made some mistakes but master had told him to get glory. His cousin had left him; a correct action, as the battle continued and the king's group was advancing.

He lay pillowed on the legs of his attendant, Tanwu, who had also taken a terrible wound.

The pain was so great that Li Xian could barely register thoughts—and yet, he was in an ecstasy of relief to be in the service of the heavens with every waning beat of his heart. The massive damage to his side—the great puncture wounds that sucked air and spat blood and bile with every breath—left him satisfied that he had killed the demons against the righteous.

His only regret was that there was so much more he might have done. He reviewed how he might have swayed his hips a little farther, evaded the flying serpent's blow, and carried on unhurt. So very close.

His master's manifestation took him by surprise.

"You fool," the master said softly—and with considerable affection. "Proud, vain, arrogant fool."

Li Xian looked towards the glowing aura in human shape. He did not have any idea how his master looked, but he had reverence in his eyes.

"Master!" he said.

"You were quite, perfectly brilliant." The master bent and touched his brow. "You were worthy," he said. Li Xian still couldn't see the face, only white light in human shape.

The touch was so tender.

The words cheered him.

"You fought demonics and did great," the master said. "But you will have a difficult time in acquiring this kingdom. There is a subtle philosophical difference between killing and letting die," he said softly. "And thanks to you, all my plan is in ashes, and I must build a new edifice to make certain things come to pass." The glow seemed to be smiling.

"You were supposed to fight with valor get glory and get the king injured, not yourself. But you overdid it."

Li Xian spoke, "I am sorry for disappointing you, master."

The human-shaped head made of light shook. "Perhaps," he said. "But I think you should live a while longer, and perhaps learn to listen to me more clearly next time." He bent low, and a hand ran along Li Xian's body. That touch struck Li Xian like the shock of taking his first wound—and lo, he was healed.

He took a deep and shuddering breath and found no pain at the bottom of it. His master, after healing him, was about to leave.

"Master," Li Xian spoke. "Many of my men got in danger and suffered because of my impatience."

The master turned his head. "You are the most demanding mortal I have ever had," he said.

Li Xian sighed. "I will beg, Master, if that's what you require."

The being of light nodded. "I grant you their healing—those who have not already passed around the curve of life into death. And I grant you great glory this day—for why would I visit you except to bring you great power in battle? Go and conquer, arrogant little mortal."

"But I tell you that if you ever choose to match yourself against the greatest powers that the Demonics have ever bred, they will defeat you. This is not my will, but Fate's. Do you hear me?"

"I will not be naive anymore, master," Li Xian said.

"Hah," said the Master. "Good to see you grow up!" The master waved his hand over the beaver meadow.

A hundred warriors and as many attendants, apprentices, and servants were cured, their pain washed away, their bodies made whole. In many cases, they were better than they had been before the battle. A peasant-born low warrior from Lanxiang had the permanent injury to his lower left leg healed and made straight—an attendant missing one eye had his sight returned. All in the wave of a hand.

Several dozen wounded talons were cured as well.

"Go get more glory," the master said. "If that is your will."

No one could see the master. But the miracle surprised all, and they knelt and prayed.

✶ ✶ ✶

Wuyi could see the king riding for the bridge at the head of his group, and he could see the king's battles—each with more warriors than he had ever commanded—coming down the ridge. He rode along the trench—a trench currently occupied by two hundred archers and attendants of his own group, and all the farmers from all the out-villages.

His sanguine surety that the enemy had made a tactical error was gone, blown away on the wind, and now he watched an endless line of Swamplings crossing the open ground toward the trench with something akin to panic. It was hard to breathe.

Master Zhang of the Lotus Order was sitting on his horse with Baijian, in the non-shade of a burned tree. Wuyi rode his horse over to them and then wasted his strength controlling his young war horse as the stallion sought to make trouble with Master Zhang's stallion. Finally, he curbed the big horse using harmony.

"Why can't all these horses be like Haruki," he said to Baijian.

"Bet Zhen doesn't like Haruki, that horse is too difficult for him. He should be happy with this one while handling your horses," Baijian said. He looked back over the sunlit fields. "They're coming."

Wuyi nodded. Overhead, the stone throwers disgorged another load of small stones. Cast from a height, it smashed into the oncoming tide of demonics and ripped a hole in the enemy line. The hole closed almost at once. Ballistae fired arrows, but they were starting to run out of arrows.

"It's so stupid," Wuyi said petulantly. "When he burned the farms, he did all the damage he needed to do." He turned his head to where the king's Royal Guard was pouring into the trench, led by two hundred purple- and yellow-clad crossbowmen from the kingdom. "And his attack—whether it carries this trench or not—won't take the fortress."

The endless wave of Swamplings, and larger, worse things, swept across the burned plain towards the black line of his trench. The reinforcements were not going to make the near end of the trench in time. The farmers and the merchants were spread too thin, and they knew it. And the inexperienced purple and gold Tianqins were halting, only a third of the way along the trench, and loosing bolts.

"The farmers will hold," Baijian said. He was chewing on the stem of a flower. It was an oddly disconcerting sight. "The merchants will break. They've broken before."

Wuyi looked at Master Zhang. "Lord, you are so much my senior—in years, in experience, and in this place—guide me. Or command me."

Master Zhang let his horse put his head down to munch grass around the heavy bit. "Oh, no, you don't. You have led this force to this point—you think I'm going to change leaders now?"

Wuyi shrugged. "I wish you would," he said.

Baijian was watching the oncoming line. "You know we have to charge that line," he said. "If we charge the line, we should buy—hmm—ten minutes or so." He was wearing a grin that made him look like a small boy. "A hundred warriors—ten thousand Swamplings—and Dushas, and Yingmo, shadowreapers..." He looked at his young master. "You know we have to."

Master Zhang looked at Baijian, and then back at Wuyi. "Is he always like this?" he asked.

"Pretty much," Wuyi said to the older man. "Will you come? I'm not at all sure any of us will come back."

Master Zhang shrugged. "You are lucky," he said. "And luck is better than any amount of skill or genius. I can feel the unique in you, young man. And I think your presence here is heaven's will, and heaven is telling me to go where you go."

Wuyi rolled his eyes. "You're making this up," he said.

"Did you speak so to the Pavilion Mistress?" Master Zhang said.

For once abashed, Wuyi looked away.

"We will follow you," Master Zhang continued. "If this fortress falls, our order will have lost everything in Tianqin."

Wuyi nodded. "Have it your way, then. Baijian, we'll file across the trench on the two bridges and form a line on the far side in open order." He looked around—to see Meiying, Jia, Xueqin Yang, and Xuanli Ye all looking pale with exhaustion. "Kill whatever comes under your sword," Wuyi said with an edge of sarcasm. "Follow me."

The king entered the Bridge Castle's courtyard to find his advisor, Xilai, kneeling by the princess. He was examining a wound in her back, and Lady Ronghua put a hand on the king's shoulder and kept him from approaching any closer.

"Give him a moment, my lord," she breathed quietly.

"Here they come!" called a voice on the walls.

Crossbows began to release in a series of flat snaps.