Legacys Tale
Chapter 24Dawn
Despite trading the mules in for fast horses, the nine warriors were still impeded by weather condition.
Rimururu was extremely agitated and somewhat frightened, she worries for those in Kamui Kuten. Her friends are in danger should ChunLi choose to attack them. All she is concern about is getting to Kamui Kuten in time and make sure that her friends are safe.
Nakaruru had taken the opportunity to rant and rave about why she believes that ChunLi should die. Her sister had kept saying that there had to be a way and even argue with her that she was letting the issue become personal.
And in answer Nakaruru told the young girl that the only good demon is a dead demon. And that made Rimururu retreat into silence and question herself on whether her actions on finding the truth are justifiable.
Haohmaru just hope that the village is still in one piece by the time they get there. And judging from whatever progress they have made in the past week they will likely arrive in Kamui Kuten by evening. Maybe then the two sisters would finally shut up for once. Spurring their horses the nine rides on.
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Kamui Kuten.
Nearing evening and the sun is setting soon, the sky was ablaze with fiery red clouds.. Tension was thick in the air of Kamui Kuten for the past few days. The habitants had to be careful not to do or say anything wrong that would incite the Jiu Dao Nu into a fight.
Even the young children in the village were told not to go outside to play or make too much noise. There was simply too much at risk. They worry too about what would happen when the time comes.
Arm in arm Ryu and ChunLi emerge from their hut most causally. They carry the air of a couple in love and taking a lovely evening stroll, completely oblivious to the cautious armed inhabitants of Kamui Kuten.
Youre enjoying this arent you. Ryu whispered to ChunLi as they stop by a fish pond.
Let them. Let them be the ones to make the first move. ChunLi gazed wistfully into the pond, playing splashing a bit of water around.
How long? Ryu asked as he squats down by her.
Soon. She got up and starts pulling him away, towards the main temple as they both ignored the villagers who eyes them with caution
Out of nowhere a young girl ran out and bumped into ChunLi, falling the girl cried and that raised a silent alarm to villagers. They got their weapons at ready waiting for her to make her move. Even if they lose their lives they had to protect the children.
The air was tense as only the sound of the crying child fills the air. ChunLi and Ryu glanced at each other in silent conversation. From afar the howling of a wolf was heard. ChunLi squatted down by the child and help her up.
What is your name? she asked as she dusted the dirt off the girls clothes.
Sumiko. There was no hint of fear in her voice, only curiosity.
Your friends?
Hiding.
And why are you out here? Arent you afraid of me?
Pretty lady didnt me hurt me just now.
Go join your friends and make sure none of them come out till tomorrow morning. ChunLi smiled despite the puzzled look on Ryus face.
Okay. The girl ran off. ChunLi watches as the girl ran into house near the well.
The villagers were momentarily stunned by the fact that ChunLi had left the girl alive that they werent sure to attack or not as she leads Ryu into the main Temple.
Why? He asked her
Are you questioning my judgment? she asked firmly.
No. the answer was from his heart. He would never question her motives, never had and never will.
Think of it as a backup plan. My warm warrior. ChunLi ran her hand though Ryus hair.
I see. I understand. He nodded as she spoke to him with just that one action.
They came to a halt at the stone altar where Ryu proceeded to push to heavy block aside revealing a stairway down. Together with Ryu leading the way they followed the passage to one, which greet them with two paths.
Wind screamed through the path on the left at them, fear and anger directed at ChunLi. Something in there knew she was here, something in there was afraid of her. Ryu reached up for his sword but ChunLi slides her hand up his arm and with a firm look indicated him to return to their present task.
The followed the path on the right and that leads them into a room. There were craved stone lamps and pieces of tablets around. ChunLi was not interested in most of the stones, not the ones plated with gold or set with gems.
The one she seeks she found on the furthest shelf. A seven color stone that contains an indent in the middle. Seven creatures, each within a specific color. The moment she took that tablet a heavy stone door drops down sealing their escape. On the shelf that held the tablet a small platform rises up indicating that the weight that held it down was gone.
Placing another tablet of somewhat equal weight didnt seem to have any effect. ChunLi frowned while Ryu wondered over to the stone door. Replacing the stone tablet still yielded no results.
Li. Here. Ryu called out.
Upon closer examination, ChunLi found three indents about the size of pendants
And that the only way to open the stone door again was by putting all three keys on the indents. But that is not likely to be possible as the keys are all outside. The couple looks at each other shrugged.
Ryu walked over to the stone door. Closing his eyes his left hand slowly roams around the door. His hand stops at the middle right side of the door and he half turned to look at ChunLi. She smiled her permission.
Ryu drew back his right hand and hold while charging his qi. With a roar he let his fist flies straight into the place where he marks with his left hand. But instead of shattering, left side of the door slams in to Ryu and sent him flying as it rotates.
As quickly as she could ChunLi placed a few stone lamps and anything she could to hold the door open. Without the keys it seems that the door itself was built with a couple of traps. She then moves over to Ryu and sat down beside down him and eases him into her arms as she strokes his face.
Ryu. She called him, no answer. She sighed and waited for a little while longer, just a minor inconvenience and nothing more. That or she has no intention of dragging him out.
Some time later Ryu wakes to the feeling of soft hand caressing his face, when he open his eyes he was showered with little kisses on his lips.
You okay? You big fool. She resumed stroking his face.
Ill be fine. He slowly got up with ChunLi aiding him. He shook his head a little to regain his orientation.
This time ChunLi lead the way, not much problem since they didnt lose much time. But the stone altar had sealed the stairway once again. Apparently they are try to stall her and make her miss the Gathering. The couple moved a few steps back.
A look of boredom on her face as ChunLi gathered a ball of qi in her hand. With a lazy yawn she tosses the ball of qi upward towards the bottom of the stone altar. The ball of qi seeps into the stone altar and nothing happens.
A crack appears at the center of stone altar, it snakes out and grows forming little veins of cracks throughout the stone block. One wave of her hand, the air underneath the stone block ripples and smashes the stone block up into the air before it explodes.
The flying stone shrapnel wounded those who are unfortunate enough to be in the Main Temple as the block explodes. As the rain of stones ended, ChunLi supported Ryu up the stairs and through the wounded with an air of nonchalance.
The main door of the Temple, the inhabitants of Kamui Kuten gathered around with weapons in hand. Two swipes of the air with her free left hand and the air in front of her ripples and rushes towards the inhabitants ramming them and clearing a path for her,
A third wave of her left hand and fire burns on the thatched roof of the house near the well where she believes the children were hiding in.
The children or the tablet. Your choice entirely. ChunLi said in a clear voice.
The villagers were unsure some wanted to put out the fire and some wants to stop her. A few parents throw down their weapons and ran over to the well to draw water. Seeing the fire being fanned on by the wind the remaining villagers dropped their weapons and ran to help put out the flames
Unhindered the couple slowly made their way to the stable. They left the village on a brown mare. Barely a few steps from the village they came to a halt as they met up with their nine companions who blocks the road lining the horses up horizontally. On seeing ChunLi the horses felt uneasy, beginning to snort and stomp the ground with their hooves.
ChunLi leans back into Ryu, she smiled on seeing the look on Nakarurus face. She could tell that the young woman wants a shot at her now despite wanting to go help put out the fire.
DIEE!!!! Nakaruru shouted bringing her short blade out and urging her horse into a gallop towards ChunLi.
Youre not worth it. ChunLi said causally as she slaps the air. The trees rustles and leaves swirl around Nakaruru, frightening her horse to rear and paws the air with it front legs. The frightened horse threw Nakaruru off its back and ran blindly into the forest.
That had spurred Galford into action but ChunLi was prepared, her fingers wriggled as her hand cuts through the air, the ground beneath her mounted companions started to tremble violently. Throwing the younger ones off their mounts. Zannah and Haohmaru had a hard time trying to make sure their mounts do not stomp those who had fallen.
Taking the opportunity, Ryu spurred their horse on, ChunLi held on tightly as the horse picks up speed. At the fringe of the miniature earthquake the mare makes a powerful leap over the heads of Nakaruru and Rimururu.
Not now! Not ever! Ah ha ha ha ha ha! ChunLi laughs as their horse landed on the ground and made a turn to face their nine companions.
On Ryus spurring their mare reared and pawed the air with its front hoofs. On landing the couple turned and rode away, ChunLis insane laughter subsided only when they were well away.
The ground stops trembling and the nine looks at each other in silence and rushes into the village. By then the fire was put out and the children are safe. Other those wounded by the exploding stone altar there were no casualties. It was like ChunLi wanted leave them alive so that someone would think twice before taking her on again. Nothing hurt but prides.