Savage Divinity

The last vestiges of sweet slumber slipped away as Mila stirred awake to the sounds and sensations of disgruntled grumblings and gentle ministrations.

Blinking away the blurriness of a long night’s sleep, the world came alive to reveal the source of said disturbances, a sight which warmed her heart indeed. Looming overhead on two furry feet was none other than little Guai-Guai himself, scowling up a storm with arms raised high in a most adorably threatening manner. Uttering the softest of grunts, he struck with the speed of a slug and the strength of a fly as he slammed his paws on her shoulder without lifting his feet off the cot. Though intended as a strike, his monumental efforts resulted in little more than a light pat rather than the rude awakening he no doubt intended, disgruntled that she was still in bed instead of feeding him lunch as she was supposed to. Judging by how hard he was huffing his little chest, he’d clearly been at this for at least a minute, though thankfully Mila woke before he resorted to striking her face instead. This was their daily routine now, one in which Li-Li employed this most adorable of accomplices to help rouse Mila from slumber each and every morning. Though his efforts seemed wholly unsuited for this most arduous of tasks, Guai-Guai struck the perfect balance between gentle efforts and steadfast persistence which enabled him to not only succeed where so many others failed, but also avoid Mila’s inadvertently violent responses in the process.

A good thing too, for Guai-Guai’s efforts were a pleasant alternative to having Mama or Papa pull her out of bed, an indignity she would much rather avoid now that she was a married woman, but before Li-Li accidentally discovered Guai-Guai’s talents, only two others were capable of waking Mila so gently. Unfortunately for her, both said individuals were fast asleep beside her, her husband’s faint yet steady breathing wholly covered by Lin-Lin’s dainty snores, sounds so familiar they threatened to lull Mila back to sleep. Resisting the urge to sink back into a blissful stupor, she pulled little Guai-Guai close into a warm embrace and giggled as he grumbled and accepted her affections with indignant pique, though that didn’t stop him from nuzzling into her arms. Small wonder red pandas were called ‘bear-cats’, for Guai-Guai possessed the gruff disposition of a disgruntled bear and the ambivalent disregard for others that many cats seemed to share, an attitude that seemed entirely out of place in a creature so small and weak. This sort of personality would have been more suited to the massive red-panda Rain described seeing in Ping Ping’s Natal Palace, but this little tantrum only made Guai-Guai that much cuter.

Shifting closer to her comatose husband, Mila nuzzled his shoulder and luxuriated in his presence. Though bedridden for the better part of a month now, Rain still smelled fresh as a daisy and possessed velvety smooth skin to boot, a far cry from how it was during his last comatose stint. Back then, the lack of a Core meant having to deal with mild unpleasantness like body odour, acne, and other basic hygiene issues, on top of the more serious concerns like bed sores and muscle atrophy. As a Martial Warrior however, Rain still benefited from the cleansing properties of Heavenly Energy which made him much more pleasant to snuggle with, and Mila took it all in like a heady, addictive drug which she could no longer live without. Uttering a silent prayer to the Mother in Heaven, Mila implored Her to look after Rain and bring him back as soon as possible, and hoped against all hope that today would be the day when he woke again. She wanted nothing more than to see him open his beautiful eyes and flash his captivating smile, but when she raised her head to take him in once again, he continued to lay there in bed, asleep and unresponsive as ever.

No matter, she told herself, swallowing back her disappointment and clinging fast to hope. He would wake eventually, just not soon enough for her tastes, but she would stay strong and patient until he was able to rejoin the waking world. Kissing his shoulder ever so chastely, she couldn’t help but run her fingers over his chest and marvel at how soft and smooth his skin was, his body hair so sparse and thin it might as well not exist. A good thing too, for there was enough fur in Mila’s life that it was nice not to have a shaggy beast for a husband as well. She loved the sensation of his bare skin against her cheek and couldn’t imagine life any other way, because even though her husband was far from perfect, he was absolutely perfect for her.

A soft giggle interrupted Mila’s visceral appreciation of Rain’s physical attributes, and she opened her eyes to find Lin-Lin peering at her from the other side. There was a time when Mila’s cheeks would have erupted into flames at the mere thought of anyone bearing witness to so intimate a moment, but sharing this with her sister-wife was nothing to be ashamed of, for Lin-Lin loved Rain every bit as much as she did. “Morning,” Mila said, and Lin-Lin responded in kind, grinning as she pressed her pliable cheek against Rain’s chest and indulged in his presence with a similar lack of shame. There was no competition in her actions, no rivalry between them, just a mutual appreciation of their husband’s best traits, of which they both agreed there were many. They also agreed that waking to find him still beside them was one of the few benefits of their husband’s comatose state, as it was rare for him to stay in bed so late. Much as he liked to complain about having too much to do, Rain was never one to sit idle, for his curious and anxious nature would never allow it. Since the day he arrived in the village, he sought to make progress in every facet of life, harbouring an ambition to improve and advance in a way few could ever match. A large part of this was driven by fear, but recently, Mila had come to realize that her husband was a man of grand aspirations, and she loved him all the more for it. It wasn’t that he sought to become a great man, but rather that his nature demanded he become one, for only then could accomplish his heart’s desire and lead humanity into a new era of progress and prosperity.

As such, he was far too driven to lay around in bed until mid-day, though admittedly he had been sleeping in a bit more of late. Or at least he had until stupid Shuai Jiao’s political machinations drew Rain away from home and hearth, but for a few weeks, Mila, Lin-Lin, and Yan had enjoyed a blissful marital life with their amorous and insatiable husband, a teasing glimpse into what their lives would be like once they returned home to the North after all this unpleasantness. Of course, there was a chance this would never happen, as great men could rarely afford the luxury of a simple, quiet life, but Mila could still dream. No longer did she care to be a great hero and Warrior, for she’d seen how the Empire treated its own and found it a lacking reception indeed. All she wanted now was a quiet life back home with her husband and sister-wives, however many there might be.

With children to come when they were ready of course, though Mila felt far from it. Ready that was, because while Mama and Papa taught her everything she needed to know about the Martial Path and blacksmithing, Mila knew next to nothing regarding domestic affairs. It wasn’t their fault since she resisted learning anything outside of her two chosen disciplines and her parents were more than happy to spoil her in their own way, but her flaws were sorely felt now that she was a married woman. While Rain had no intention of adhering to traditional gender roles, which were admittedly outdated and chauvinistic, Mila still wanted to do something nice for her husband every once in awhile, not to mention take on her fair share of the household chores, but she lacked the skills to do so. She could barely steep a pot of decent tea, much less cook a meal or launder clothes, so how would she fare when raising a child of her own? Not well, and not just because she lacked the necessary skills, but also the patience and understanding a child would demand from her. She could barely keep her temper when discussing the Dao with Rain, as she always grew frustrated by her lack of answers, so how could she be expected to teach a child everything they needed to know about life?

She wasn’t like Lin-Lin, who would be an amazing mother when the time came, as evidenced by how patient and gentle she was while caring for comatose Rain, the very picture of a motherly saint as she hummed a cheery little tune while dutifully washing his face and checking his body for bed sores. She even knew how to brew medicine, which meant she could easily pick up the art of cooking if she cared to, not to mention how her natural aptitude at wrangling animals and getting them to heed her commands would translate to raising children. Then there was Luo-Luo, who probably knew a thousand different ways to swaddle a baby and could list out the circumstances in which each variation should be used, which would barely be scratching the depths of the knowledge she possessed. The trained Imperial Servant was no doubt well prepped to raise a child, not to mention so fortuitously equipped with the functioning organs needed to give birth to a child of her own, one that would be blood of her blood and more importantly, Rain’s as well.

Therein lay the crux of most of Mila’s fears, her inability to bear her husband’s children. What if he ended up loving his ‘real’ children more than his adopted ones? He wouldn’t do so with malicious intent, but even with his pets, it was obvious he favoured some over the others. Though he went out of his way to play with each and every one of them as much as he could, Aurie and Mama Bun were quite clearly the most spoiled of the lot, to the point where even diffident Jimjam could tell and harboured some resentment. Granted, the independent wildcat didn’t seem to mind too much, as he was content with only a bare modicum of affection from Rain and much preferred playing with his bear siblings instead, but Mila worried a human or demi-human child would not be so understanding.

Worse, what if she couldn’t love her child, the same way Guan Suo couldn’t find it in his heart to love her? Mother knows he’d tried, an indisputable fact Mila had come to accept in the months since his death, which was more than what most Ancestral Beasts could claim. While her circumstances were completely different, Mila wasn’t like Yan who cooed at babies and made faces at toddlers in passing, a woman clearly gripped by baby fever and unashamed to show it. Having a child always just seemed like an eventuality to Mila, a milestone in life the same way a Natal Palace was a milestone along the Martial Dao, but she wasn’t sure if she had it in her to love the child of a stranger the same way Mama and Papa loved her. While one needn’t look far to find heartwarming stories of adoption among the People, but Mila knew all too well that the less inspiring tales of failure and heartbreak were quickly swept under the rug and hidden from plain sight. If not, how could someone like Yan go so many years without finding a family for herself? She wasn’t the only one either, for there were far more orphans among the People than there were couples willing to adopt them, a harsh truth few cared to face.

All this and more weighed heavily on Mila’s mind as she wheeled her husband out of their yurt with Guai-Guai sprawled across his lap and a procession of laughing birds taking turns to fly down and greet him. A ring of other yurts formed a little courtyard of sorts, one under heavy Concealment to hide the fact that Rain was stationed out in the field among the Sentinels rather than ensconced inside the newly raised fort at Meng Sha. Security through obscurity, as Rain would say, though Heavens knew why he smiled every time he did, as if he’d said something particularly clever or witty. Still, it wasn’t the worst idea he’d ever had and staying out here meant they could bring him about in a wheelchair and take him for walks without having to worry too much about being seen, for the People looked after their own. Though likely crafted in one of his factories, this wheelchair in particular had been borrowed from the stocks of the Army Healers, who’d been quick to adopt Rain’s ingenious little contraption and were thus far his biggest customers. Healers knew better than most that injuries taken in the line of duty were not to the body alone, but also the mind and spirit as well. Many a recovering soldier could benefit greatly from fresh air and sunlight, and these chairs allowed them to partake in the outdoors without having to suffer the indignity of being carried around like a sack of rice, yet another manner in which Mila’s husband had reshaped the world around them.

A shame Rain’s mind and spirit was unable to revel in the fresh air and sunlight, or at least not in any discernible way. The animals were more than happy with the arrangements however, with free access to the beach and dutiful Li-Li to bring them over to play each and every morning before returning to wake Mila and Lin-Lin for lunch. Still sopping wet and indifferent to everyone’s desire to avoid the same, the bears bunny-hopped over in gleeful greeting, one Mila intercepted on behalf of her husband since Baloo had a habit of resting his head on Rain’s lap. Comatose or otherwise, even the People would whisper if it looked like the Legate of the Outer Provinces had wet his pants, though Rain himself would probably get a good laugh out of it. Forced to settle with resting his soggy chin on Mila’s hand instead, Baloo gingerly settled back on his haunches like an ungainly dog sitting with legs splayed out in different directions, chortling all the while as he enjoyed his vigorous head-rubbing.

Grinning like a fool and unable to hide it, Mila looked away from Baloo’s half-lidded gaze for fear of melting into a puddle and greeted her sister instead, who was strolling over with Mama Bun coddled in her arms. “Morning Li-Li.”

“Morning.”

It wasn’t much, but knowing Li-Li was finally able to casually greet her in a less than formal manner made Mila’s heart swell with joy. “You have fun at the beach?”

“Yes.” Though still somewhat stony-faced, there was a slackness to her brows and a faint, almost imperceptible curve to her lips that told Mila her sister was inwardly smiling, a message even her Aura of love and contentment could not wholly convey. “Banjo and Baloo are a sight to behold as they splash around in the water, and Rakky is becoming more confident with each passing day.” If there was one thing the warhorse-sized tiger didn’t need, it was more confidence, but Mila let it slide as she watched her sister bask in her joy. Cat-ears fluttering with delight, Li-Li hugged Mama Bun even tighter and nuzzled her softly, but the rabbit was having none of it, wiggling this way and that in an effort to escape so that she might go greet Rain as well. “Mama Bun spent a good hour trying to fill the sea with sand though. She wanted to join in on the fun, but still hasn’t learned how to swim.”

Rain had told them all about the rabbit’s adventures in his Natal Palace, where he conjured up a magic raft that kept her afloat no matter where she hopped. Alas, poor Mama Bun didn’t understand the difference between the real world and Rain’s Natal Palace, so she suffered through several self-inflicted dunkings before she finally accepted that the raft would not appear. Giving up on keeping the rabbit to herself, Li-Li gently placed Mama Bun in Rain’s lap beside Guai-Guai and sighed as the forlorn floof stared into his eyes, a ritual she repeated several times a day ever since he lapsed into a coma. Patient as ever, Li-Li knelt beside Rain’s wheelchair and stroked the inconsolable rabbit’s ears, a testament to her compassion and understanding. She too would make for an outstanding mother, a tender and empathetic soul who just had so much love to give, but had yet to learn how to properly express it without Aura.

Lessons Mila would benefit from taking part in, as she was unsure what to say here except to try and solve the problem for her sister, which apparently wasn’t always the best decision. Still, she gave it a try knowing Li-Li would at least recognize and appreciate the effort. “If she’s so unhappy about going to the beach, you could always leave Mama Bun with us in the mornings. I doubt she’d object to more time spent snuggling in bed.”

“Perhaps.” Except Li-Li meant no, judging by the way she tensed up and refused to look at Mila, as she was reluctant to flat out disagree. Though she’d come a long way in these last few years, there was still much healing to be done before Li-Li wholly recovered from her ordeals. “Letting her roam free seems to help. After her tantrum, she spent the rest of the morning grooming her children, which she hasn’t been doing all too often of late. A set routine is good for all the animals, as they crave structure and familiarity. To them, new and unfamiliar are synonyms for danger first and foremost, rather than the adventure and excitement many people desire.”

This wasn’t all that different from how Li-Li saw the world, which explained why she understood the animals so well. Now that Mila thought about it though, the floofs did seem happier with a schedule to adhere to, with no sign of the mopey, downcast expressions they all had the last time Rain fell into a coma. Back then, Li-Li had tried all manner of activities to try and cheer them up, like running obstacle courses, taking walks through the market, and exploring the District and bamboo grove, but nothing she tried had worked. Now it appeared as if she’d learned from her failures, which explained her strict adherence to their new daily schedule. The bears in particular seemed more assured and undaunted, happy to run ahead of Li-Li rather than stick closely to her heels, while Aurie, Jimjam, and Sarankho were all relaxed and splayed out about the makeshift courtyard, lazing without a care in the world as if they were wholly safe and content. The rabbits... well, they never seemed to have any fear whatsoever, and the same could be said of the laughing birds, which was ironic considering their places in the food chain compared to the bears and wildcats.

“Well, you know best,” Mila replied, to which Li-Li’s ears wiggled in surprised delight. Though Rakky had no need for more confidence, Mila’s sister was another story and she would do everything she could to help her along. Acquiescing to Princess’s demanding grunts, Mila gave Baloo one last pat on the head before lifting the weasel-bear into her arms like a baby to rub her floofy belly, which set the sweet girl’s feet to paddling in delight. Thankfully, the weasel-bear was not fond of swimming and preferred to burrow herself in the sand, which left her coat softer and shinier than ever before, and most importantly, dry. Thinking to change the subject and fill the silence, Mila asked, “So have you decided on a new Spiritual Weapon yet?”

A question she regretted the instant she voiced it, because to Mila it was merely idle conversation, but to Li-Li it was a topic rife with struggle and indecision, and the last thing she wanted was more pressure. Then again, perhaps a little pressure was needed given their current circumstances, occupying a newly raised fortification in Enemy territory with an Imperial offensive soon to commence. Though Mama had yet to say anything on the topic, it was clear to each and every soldier in Meng Sha that the wheels were turning and deployment orders forthcoming, for their beloved Legate had not sailed them all this way to merely hold a few harbours. No, the goal was to retake the West, and regardless of anyone’s personal opinion regarding the feasibility of such a grand undertaking, they all knew they had to at least try. The Enemy had come a-knocking and now occupied a full fifth of the Empire, a fact which weighed heavily on the pride of all Martial Warriors, if not their conscience. The least they could do was spit in the Father’s eye before giving up the West for lost, if only so that they could say that they didn’t give up the West without a fight.

After all, not all Warriors were as callous and indifferent as the Emperor Himself, who had done just that without thinking twice. There would be a reckoning in days to come, for Rain’s crusade to retake the Western Province was in express defiance of the Imperial Mandate which closed the borders some two years ago, and Emperors were rarely known to accept defiance without reprisal. A matter for another day however, but one Li-Li would not be likely to see if she sought to do battle without a Spiritual Weapon. The Enemy would have their eye on her now that she’d revealed herself as the only Warrior capable of countering their Demonic Aura of dread and terror aside from the monks, who were unreliable at best. Li-Li was so important now that even Tenjin and Tursinai were not enough to protect her on their own, so Mama arranged for an entire cadre of Peak Experts to guard her day and night, an elite force led by none other than Yaruq herself, a Warrior on par with Father-in-Law Baatar, or close to his level at least. To say Mila wasn’t jealous would be an outright lie, as what Warrior didn’t dream of being a pivotal piece on the board, one capable of turning the tides of battle alone? Unfortunately, Emotional Aura was not so easy to learn as neither Rain nor Li-Li were able to wholly explain it in any meaningful manner, while the monks of the Brotherhood were unwilling to guide anyone along the Martial Path without including a hefty heaping of pontification on the side.

Still, seeing Li-Li’s silent distress made Mila’s heart ache with sorrow. Her sister was a strong, capable Martial Warrior, so this lack of self-confidence was almost criminal to behold. That being said, confidence built on a shaky foundation was worse than no confidence at all, so Mila left off rubbing Princess’s belly and wrapped her arm around Li-Li instead. “Sorry,” she whispered, kissing her sister’s temple to convey her love and support in spite of her burning desire to solve the problem for her. “Ignore the question. Take all the time you need, as a Spiritual Weapon is not a decision you want to rush.”

Li-Li’s slight nod of the head spoke volumes to her indecision, unable to bring herself to agree or disagree with the statement, but thankfully, Yan arrived on the scene with Grandpa Du and Kyung to save Mila from this awkward lull of her own devising. Skipping over in what could only be described as girlish delight, Yan scooped Lin-Lin up in her arms as she passed to twirl her about, and by the end of it, they both wore matching toothy grins. Brimming with envy as she watched their dainty exchange, Mila wished she had the confidence to express her femininity in so public a manner, because while the courtyard here was under a cloak of Concealment, Yan had skipped all the way over without a care in the world for who might see her. Time and time again, Mama had stressed the necessity of stoic decorum to Mila, for only then would other Warriors see her as a soldier and officer rather than just a silly girl playing at war. She’d seen it time and time again as reputable women of note were disparaged for doing things that no one would blink twice at if they were a man, like taking more than one lover or dressing in fine clothes while out on campaign. Even someone as talented as Da’in had to walk the fine line between Warrior and woman, while the powerful and accomplished Exarch Erienne was often criticized for ‘flaunting’ her femininity. To be fair, the woman wore scandalously little and seemed to enjoy the extra attention it afforded her, to the point where she once even tried to entice Rain into her embrace, or at least that’s what he claimed. But Yan? No one seemed to blink twice at anything she did now, and she was all too happy to push her limits as far as they would go. There were no disparaging scowls when she wore her form-fitting outfits, jokingly referred to her soldiers as her children, or leapt into Rain’s embrace in public, but Mila could never find the courage to do the same, not when even Mama kept her distance from Papa in public.

It was silly and unfair, but such was life, or at least so Mila had thought until Yan proved herself the exception to the rule. Quashing her feelings of bitter envy, she instead tried to share in her sister-wife’s joy, a feat which was not too difficult to accomplish given how infectious her smile proved to be. “You seem in a good mood,” Mila said, grinning from ear to ear like a fool as Yan came over to tickle Princess’s feet and set the weasel-bear to squirming.

“I am.” Wrapping her arms around Mila’s waist, Yan pulled her close into an intimate hug so similar to how Rain held her, causing her heart to flutter in confused excitement. Perhaps that’s why Yan got away with flaunting her femininity, because it went hand in hand with the inexplicably masculine habits she’d picked up along the way. “Not without reason though. I just Formed my Natal Palace.”

A girlish squeal slipped out and Mila gave thanks to the Experts Concealing her, for she would have melted in shame if someone else had heard her. “Congratulations! I knew you could do it!”

Li-Li and Lin-Lin chimed in with their acclaim, which Yan soaked up with glee, and Mila was genuinely delighted for her. The half-deer was a talented Warrior few could match, for she’d rivalled Mila without any real dedicated guidance. Knowing without knowing, that was how Mama explained it, so even without a Mentor, Yan would have found a way to progress along the Martial Path and excel in her career. This was why Yan had been left to her own devices even after Mama saw her struggling with her Awakening all those years ago, because she was confident the talented young girl would eventually find her own answers and be stronger for it. In fact, Mila had harboured a mild resentment over how Grandpa Du had snatched Yan up to claim credit where none was due, but that all changed when she saw how much the old man loved Yan and how hard he worked to guide her along her Path. Now it would seem his efforts had borne fruit, for one only needed to look at his glowing expression to know that he’d had a hand in Yan’s most recent success. If he hadn’t, he would still be happy, but much less proud and more like he’d swallowed some bitter medicine instead, the same expression Mila had seen on his face during parts of Yan’s wedding.

In contrast, Mila was struggling to find her own way now that Mama was no longer able to guide her in the same direct and precise manner she’d grown accustomed to, a fish floundering on land and desperate to find the water once again. Though she’d long since formed her own Natal Palace, Mila was so desperate for direction that she wanted to hear everything about Yan’s experience to see how it matched with her own, but when asked, Yan turned to Grandpa Du first rather than saying anything. Hiding a smile of approval, the old veteran stroked his beard and milked the moment for as long as he could before saying, “So long as everyone present already possesses a Natal Palace, then I see no harm in sharing your tale.”

Though on the surface, it appeared as if he was giving Yan permission, he ended his statement with a none too subtle sideways look at Lin-Lin, who was none the wiser as she was too busy nuzzling Tawny One to notice. As rude and prying as it might be, Mila had to admit that he wasn’t the only one deathly curious as to Lin-Lin’s Martial status, which was still a mystery even now after all these years. Though she’d always known her best friend was hiding much of her talents, to hear that sweet, dainty, carefree Lin-Lin had somehow redirected the attack of an Ancestral Beast was a surprise to say the least, but even Rain wasn’t willing to come out and demand answers from Lin-Lin or his teacher, so who was Mila to say otherwise?

It took long seconds for Lin-Lin to notice all their stares, at which point she merely cocked her head in question. When Yan explained why they were all looking at her, Lin-Lin nodded in understanding. “Oh, don’t worry about me,” she said, flashing the most innocent of smiles without even having to try. “I’m not a Warrior like the rest of you, so it’s not like you can affect my Dao or anything, ya?”

Neither an answer nor a denial to the question they wanted answered, but it was enough to stymie their curiosity for now. Having been given the go ahead, Yan launched into a rendition of this mornings’ events and how she came to Form her Natal Palace, with only a few minor interruptions from Grandpa Du to keep her from going too deep into the specifics. Unfortunately for Mila, nothing Yan shared was similar to what she herself experienced, which gave rise to all manner of doubts and insecurities. Never before had Mila heard of anyone Forming a Natal Palace from what Yan termed a ‘Concept’, for how could one anchor something so broad and expansive like the wind in memory at all times?

The more she thought about it however, the more Yan’s experience made sense, for what was Mila’s own Natal Palace if not a working proof of her own personal Concept? She’d long since arrived at the conclusion that the bamboo grove within her Natal Palace was the embodiment of her Blessing of the Sun, a representation of how sunlight affected the physical world in so many different ways. The only difference was that Yan’s understanding of the Concept of Wind lacked a proper visual representation, but that didn’t make her knowledge any less real. As for Mila, she identified several of her own Concepts to ponder, such as the way shadows and light interwove to form something else altogether, or how water caught the light and distorted it as it passed through, or how bamboo and grass relied upon sunlight to grow. These were but a few of the Concepts present in Mila’s Natal Palace, and now that she recognized them for what they were, she finally had a lead that might point her towards the answers she was so desperate to find.

Answers which would not reveal themselves so quickly, but even as Mila resolved to think this all through later, she was struck by a sudden epiphany. Does the moon need directions to follow the sun? Do shadows need direction on where to stretch and shrink? Does a plant need direction to grow? No, they simply strive to survive, and the rest sorted itself out as time progressed. A lack of direction was not the same as a lack of progress, but Mila had allowed her feet to fall idle rather than move aimlessly without direction, a grievous mistake that she only just now realized. The goal was important, but as Mama once told her, the Martial Path was not just about reaching the Peak, but rather the culmination of the steps one took to arrive there.

So what if Mila was lacking direction? So long as she continued to strive to improve, then she would sooner or later find the right Path forward. All this time, she’d been too afraid to move for fear of making a mistake, when instead she could have been more like Rain and looked forward to learning from her mistakes instead. Was that not how she formed her Natal Palace in the first place? She had no direction or plan when she set out to accomplish what she did, just a general idea of what she wanted and the knowledge that whatever she created had to adhere to Balance. Though she lacked a clear image of what she wanted and the words to describe her inner vision, she still strove to create her Natal Palace through a process of trial and error, painstakingly setting every blade of grass and pebble of stone in their optimal place until the myriad of cascading, interacting forces holding her Natal Palace together matched with what she knew to be true in the real world. While the end result was far from perfect, it was still more than suitable for her needs and far more complex than most Natal Palaces needed to be, so why was she so afraid to take this same approach with the Martial Path? Sure, she might take longer than otherwise necessary, but so what? With Rain around, Mila could only ever strive for second best, so why did it matter if others should overtake her for now? Everyone must forge their own Path to the Peak, and while some routes might prove longer than others, the important thing was that Mila had the confidence to see her own Path to the Peak.

The mere act of acknowledging this single thought was enough to relieve Mila of her hefty burdens of fear, doubt, and frustration, a welcome relief after suffering under them for so long. Regardless of the trials and tribulations before her, she would tackle them as they came, and while some planning and preparation would still be needed, she didn’t have to go at it all alone. She had her supportive family, two sister-wives, and a devoted husband to help her, and between them all, there was no calamity they could not overcome together.

A lesson Li-Li would do well to also learn, and one Papa was too enthusiastic about delivering. Arriving in a flurry soon after lunch, he pulled Li-Li aside for a secretive meeting Mila couldn’t help but join for the sake of her curiosity. “Don’t neither of ye tell yer mother about what I say next, ye hear?” Papa began, kissing Mila and Li-Li on the temple to take away the sting of his demand. “Most times, she knows best, especially when it comes to the Martial Path, but she also don’t rightly know how to admit she might be... wrong.” Looking left and right with wide, conspiratorial eyes, he gently took Li-Li by the shoulders as he knelt to look her in the eyes. A comical sight it was, this massive, scarred Warrior bending his knee before a slender girl half his size, but Mila was warmed by the sight of it, and Li-Li seemed to be as well. “Listen here lass,” he rumbled, hunching his back and slumping his shoulders to look both non-threatening and serious at the same time. “We’re fighting a war here, and action is soon coming, so there ain’t anymore time fer dawdlin’. No way I’ll let me girlie go into battle with naught but cold steel to fight with. Fer heaven’s sake, ye don’t even have a bow to keep ye safe and away from the fightin’.” Reaching into his robes, his hand emerged with a bundle of wrapped leather which he unfurled to reveal a varied selection of swords, though contrary to his words, they were all mundane in nature. “Now I made these so ye can get a feel fer how the end result will handle, though there might be some minor differences in the end product when it comes to weight distribution and balance. Can’t be helped, as ye never fully know how Spiritual Hearts will take to steel, especially not with something as rare and unique as the Spiritual ore I got me eye on. It’s light as a feather it is, but tougher than steel even before it’s been refined, and I can’t think of a better material to make yer weapon out of, but I need ye to pick a design before I start.”

Urged on by Papa’s demands, Song cautiously pulled out the first sword to test out, but Mila had already written it off in her mind. Though similar to the sabre Li-Li had lost, it was too long and sharply curved for her to comfortably quick-draw. Papa knew that of course, but he didn’t want to limit Li-Li in any way whatsoever, so he included various examples which didn’t suit her current style in case she should want to switch. A sweet thought, but hardly necessary as everyone knew Li-Li was a creature of habit.

The next few swords were similarly unsuited for Li-Li, but try as she might, Mila could not find a weapon wholly compatible with her sister’s style, not even the perfect replica of her old sabre which Papa had forged. Though undoubtedly familiar to Li-Li, one must not forget that Grandpa Du had not put much thought into what weapon to bestow upon his slave, if he’d thought about it at all, so now was a perfect chance to rectify past mistakes. Though modelled after Grandpa Du’s style, anyone with eyes could see that Li-Li had taken what she learned and modified it to suit her own needs, which meant using the same style of thin, long sabre was not entirely optimal. While Grandpa Du focused on grand, sweeping two-handed attacks delivered with explosive speed and power, Li-Li’s style put more emphasis on one-handed fencing with more reliance on grace and finesse. Though capable of delivering the same overbearing attacks, she was also capable of defeating her foes with little more than good timing and proper footwork, a true duellist in contrast to Grandpa Du’s overbearing battlefield prowess.

In combat, Mila’s style was akin to a rhino, powerful, unstoppable, but lacking in flexibility. She could attack, she could defend, and she could run roughshod over her foes, but the moment she encountered someone she could not catch or overpower, then she had no moves left to play. Li-Li on the other hand was far less domineering, but no less deadly or dangerous, for despite being weaker and less durable than Mila, she was more capable of taking on foes who were stronger than she. One only needed to look back at their time in Sanshu to understand, for while Mila had been helpless against the teleporting Demon Bei, Li-Li adapted to the circumstances and dealt the monster a fearsome blow during their first exchange. The long and short of it was that Li-Li encapsulated her wildcat nature almost perfectly. She wasn’t the most dangerous predator roaming the lands, neither the strongest, fastest, or most durable, yet under the right circumstances, there was no prey she wasn’t capable of taking down on her own, which meant she needed a weapon flexible enough to allow her access to the full range of her innate talents.

Yet another example of a Concept, but one that applied to fighting style rather than Martial Dao. Another curious thought to explore later, when there was more time to get into it.

“Sister,” Li-Li began, tugging on Mila’s sleeve and putting an end to her inner tirade. “What are your thoughts?”

“This is your decision to make,” Mila replied, the answer leaving her lips on reflex, for Mama had stressed the importance of letting Li-Li find her own way. Though they would always be there to support her, Li-Li needed to learn how to take charge of her own life and make decisions for herself, a fact which Mila wholeheartedly agreed with.

“Bah.” Flicking her all-too-gently with his massive finger, Papa snorted and said, “One look at yer scrunched nose and pinched face is enough to know ye got words to say, so say it. Yer an accomplished enough blacksmith now, and only a fool would dismiss yer advice, so if ye see somethin’ I missed, then be quick to point it out. No need to spare my feelings girlie, I’ve made more mistakes smithin’ than you have total hours lived, so it won’t be anything new to me.”

Alternating between her sister and father, Mila wrung her hands and tried not to look or sound too afraid as she replied, “But Mama said Li-Li needed to decide for herself.” It was ridiculous, as Mila was a woman grown with a husband of her own now, so there was no need to fear her mother so, but there were some constants she worried would never change.

“I have decided,” Li-Li declared, much to Papa and Mila’s surprise. “I have decided to seek advice from my father and sister who are both Divine Blacksmiths of note. Papa has said his piece, so now I would like to hear what you think.”

While probably not entirely what Mama had intended, it seemed like Li-Li had found her confidence after all, the confidence to admit her own ignorance and seek help from experts who knew more. A lesson Mama could use as well, but Mila would never have the courage to say so out loud, and she pitied the poor fool who dared do so. “Well, I have given it some thought,” she began, beaming as she squeezed Li-Li’s hand and wrapped her other arm around Papa’s. “See Li-Li, your greatest strength isn’t speed or power, but rather your ability to adjust how much power or speed you use at any given time. Most Warriors fall into a rhythm, but you dance to your own tune as you please. That isn’t to say you don’t favour certain habits, but your ability to switch things up at the drop of a hat can easily catch an opponent off-guard, so I think you need a weapon that will play to those strengths.” A familiar and welcome sensation came over Mila as she spoke, and recognizing it for what it was, she released her hold on Li-Li and Papa and took up one of the discarded swords to use as a pen. Scrawling pictures and characters in the dirt for fear of forgetting any of the information coursing through her head, Mila let the words flow out of her as she gave herself over to the throes of Divine Inspiration. “Nothing too unfamiliar of course, but with a few adjustments...”

The world blurred around her as everything faded out of focus save for what she needed to work, the sword, the dirt, and sometimes Li-Li and Papa offering their own input to the mix. Soon enough, Mila had her plans all laid out, a welcome relief after committing to a haphazard approach to the Martial Path, but then Papa showed her the Spiritual ore he intended to use, and all of her best laid plans went awry. If she proceeded as is, her work would only end in failure as she produced a sub-par product lacking the proper balance, for she failed to factor in the unique density of this ore. As such, Mila took up brush and parchment to make the necessary calculations once again to ensure her sister’s weapon would be perfect for her and her alone.

This was Mila’s Path, she understood this now, something she’d known all along yet resisted because she had different aspirations. She wanted to be a great leader and commander like Mama, but also a talented craftsman like Papa, yet she never took the effort to bring her two chosen Disciplines together into one, singular Path. It was always her dream to be a Warrior first and Divine Blacksmith second, but what need was there for differentiation? This was her Path, one unique to her and her alone, and one bound for inevitable failure if she tried to follow in another’s footsteps. A simple truth, merely a different way of saying one must forge their own Path, but now Mila finally had the courage to move forward once again and see her current Path through to the end.

And when she took up her hammer, ready to forge the weapon itself, Mila felt the Divine Hand of the Mother reach down to guide her actions from on high. A sign from the Heavens that Mila was on the right Path, but a sign she did not need, for she now knew why she sought strength. Not for the sake of strength itself, or even to emulate her parents, husband, or anyone else. No, Mila desired strength so that she could support the people she loved most, her parents, her husband, her sister-wives, and everyone else she cared for. That was her ambition, above all else, to see her loved ones succeed, and her first course of action now was to forge a weapon for Li-Li that would aid her in combating the Defiled threat.

One step at a time, walk before you can run, and yet as Mila fell into the rhythm of the hammer and bellows, she felt herself progressing by leaps and bounds as the Heavenly Dao unveiled itself before her. All Paths lead to the Peak, yet another truth she knew but failed to comprehend until now, and with this, she hoped to soon stand alongside her husband once again at the forefront of their generation. Not to overtake him, but to better support him just like Mama and Papa supported one another, which turned out, was the greatest lesson Mila’s parents had ever imparted upon her, and one she would do well to never forget.

Chapter Meme