Wanderer’s head hurt. The constant rushing sound pricking his ears had only gotten louder as they approached Ninth Star City, and now that they had actually entered it, it felt like he was standing beneath a waterfall. It didn’t help that the city was full of people, the streets bustling while hundreds of voices mixed into a lively cacophony. If this was what it was like to enter a city then he could understand why Ching Shih and his crew spent so much time out in the desert, at least there it was quiet and peaceful.
«We’ll have to take two warp arrays to reach Doctor Yue’s clinic, but Wanderer, you don’t have to join us all the way, you can just move about as you want. You can bring along one of us as a guide, assuming you actually want to return to the ship once this is over.»
Ching Shih tilted his head slightly as he spoke, glancing over at Wanderer. This was a true city, it was far beyond the scope of the Sand Sovereign so it was far more likely for Wanderer to find his identity here. As such, there was a good chance that this would be where they parted ways, especially if Wanderer was intent on finding his identity and resuming his past life. Wanderer’s eyes were a bit narrowed so it looked like he was inspecting the people around them, but in actuality he was just squinting thanks to the headache, shaking his head lightly.
«Thank you, but I think I will stay with you for a bit longer. I can always start looking around once we’ve made sure that Bao has been cured.»
He wasn’t completely lying to them, he did indeed want to hang around until Bao was cured, they had traveled together for several days after all. But he left out the part where he thought that he wouldn’t be able to find out much in his current state anyway, the constant prodding distracted him to the point where he had to make an effort to stay focused. Once he left the group there would be so many different things he would need to focus on that he wasn’t confident he could maintain it.
«Thank you, Wanderer.»
Ching Shih displayed a soft smile as he turned his head away. He was honestly very fond of this youth they had picked up randomly, he was a good kid. But then again, the fact that he was a good kid meant that he probably shouldn’t be with people like them. A little bit was fine, but he would inevitably end up taking part in some of their other operations if he stayed with them long enough. And once that happened, would he still remain the same good kid?
The group moved quietly and quickly through the streets, clearly familiar with the path. The surrounding people didn’t move aside for them here so it didn’t seem like they were as famous here as they were in Skewer’s Rest. But that seemed to suit Ching Shih just fine, it wasn’t always good to be famous.
They managed to reach the warp array before too long, only an hour or so after entering the city. The array was guarded by a group of guards, some in charge of starting it while others were in charge of lining up those who wanted to use it. Wanderer’s group got in line and waited for their turn, Ching Shih addressing the guard when their turn came after a little less than an hour.
«The entire group to Station 18, please.»
«Understood. Step on the array and group up, don’t unleash an excessive amount of energy, otherwise there is a chance that you may disturb the process. Enjoy the trip.»
The guard’s face was covered by a metal helmet, but Wanderer could have sworn that he was looking right at him, a slightly sinister aura leaking out from within the armor. But the warp activated before he could confirm if his senses were correct, the nauseating sensation of both his body and the world around him twisting uncomfortably.
He couldn’t quite tell how long the sensation persisted, it felt almost eternal while he was enveloped by it, but the moment it ended it suddenly felt like it had just lasted a single instant. The twisting world around him returned to normal as the sensation faded, a new district of the city revealing itself around him. But as the world around him started to reveal itself, he heard a loud cracking sound, one that was quickly followed by a myriad of screams.
«We need to take cover! Yi Sao, Qing, I’m leaving Bao’s defense in your hands!»
Ching Shih’s slightly panicked but firm voice cut through the screams around them, Wanderer’s gaze drifting towards the sky. The cracking sound had come from above, and indeed, the entire sky appeared to have cracked open, shattered like glass. And a massive meteor was descending towards the city from that crack, the air around it violently distorted due to its weight and speed. Wanderer could feel his shoulders droop slightly just from the pressure the meteor brought with it as it fell. If that thing landed on the city then there was no doubt that it would wipe out everything.
«Why isn’t the defensive array activating?! Tch, Second Squadron, block it!»
A thunderous shout rocked the city as the meteor approached, it seemed like the guards were already springing into action to make up for the fact that their actual defenses weren’t activating. The guards around the warp array they were standing on shot into the sky, a few more guards rising from other spots within the vicinity. They shot towards the meteor, wreathed in energy as they drew their weapons. They had to be close when they broke it, otherwise it would be hard for them to immediately control all the fragments that may scatter.
But a deafening boom blocked out all other sound before the guards could reach the meteor, tongues of deep violet flames erupting from within the meteor as it exploded. One massive boulder turned into thousands of smaller fragments, each one flickering with violet flames as they spread out and fell upon the city. The timing was just too perfect, you’d have to be an idiot to not realize that someone was controlling it.
«Fuck! Scatter, block as many as possible!»
The guard that had called out earlier cursed loudly as he spat out the new order, the guards rushing to stop as many of the fragments as possible. But the attack had been too sudden, there just hadn’t been any time for them to prepare. So they couldn’t stop it all, the rain of death crashing into the city.
Screams of panic became howls of pain and shrieks of grief, the bustling sound of life became the rumbling sound of ruin as the city fell apart. Buildings collapsed, lives were squashed, flames and dust rose towards the sky in a grim fusion of brown and violet. It was only through sheer luck that none of the fragments fell on Wanderer’s group, most of the guards that rose into the sky had originated from their warp array so the fragments closest to them were all blocked.
But the impact of the meteors was still disastrous, the earth cracked open even in areas where none of the meteors had fallen. One such crack had reached the warp array where Wanderer’s group stood, splitting their escape route in half.
«There’s another warp array a bit away from here, that’s our ticket out of here!»
Ching Shih immediately took charge of the situation. They had to flee, and they had to do so quickly if they wanted to remain alive once the day ended. The captain immediately started to guide the group away, leaving the unconscious Bao to Yi Sao and Liya Qing. They rushed through the chaotic streets, the smell of blood, smoke, and dust so thick that Wanderer almost felt like it was going to choke him.
Why did this happen? He couldn’t help but wonder, question. It was instantaneous, the change from peace to chaos. One minute these people had been going about their day in peace, and the next minute they were screaming, crying for those they had lost, crying as they feared for their lives. Why? If it was to further the war, why did these innocent bystanders have to suffer? If it was to get hold of a single person, why launch an attack that would involve the entire city? Why did they do it? What could they possibly gain from it? He didn’t understand, couldn’t catch a glimpse of what the atttackers may be thinking.
The cracks in the sky opened a bit more as his thoughts were rushing about, another meteor descending from one of the cracks. But this time it wsan’t just the meteor, people also appeared from within the cracks. A grim mixture between man and beast, twisted forms akin to Zin Yu’s. The one who seemed to be the leader had a lion’s head, two curved horns adorning the sides. His golden eyes looked down at the city, filled with nothing but the light of insignificance.
«Liang Chen! I know you’re hiding here! You’ve escaped for long enough, this time there will be no escape for you!»
His voice shook the entire city, Wanderer almost had to cover his ears due to how loud it was. So that was it. They had come here to kill a single person. Just one man. For one man they had ruined this city, for one man they were willing to bury millions. Women, children, men. Fathers, mothers, sons. All of them buried indiscriminately, all of them erased as if they didn’t matter.
Sad, that was the only word Wanderer could think of right now. It was sad that they were willing to go this far, it was sad that there were people who thougt so little of life, it was sad that so many lives ended for nothing.
But while that was the only word he could think of, it wasn’t what he was actually feeling. No, the emotion he felt right now more akin to anger. The embers in his chest were smoldering, the spark flickering as it screamed. He was angry. Angry that he couldn’t do anything, angry that people were willing to do this, angry that they were allowed to do this without any retribution.
«Wanderer! Focus, otherwise you won’t make it out of this hell alive!»
Yi Sao’s hand smacked the back of Wanderer’s head, forcing his thoughts back to the present. His steps had unconsciously slowed as he was distracted, a bit more and he would have been separated from the group. She pushed him forward, towards Ching Shih, who wore a grim expression as he surveyed the surroundings.
«Hell... No, hell doesn’t have innocent bystanders. This is war, Yi Sao, war has reached the desert.»
Wanderer followed Ching Shih’s eyes, taking in the carnage around them. Both of their gazes settled on the same thing, a building reduced to ruins. Blood and flesh was visible in the rubble, the dust thick like mud thanks to the streaming blood. Wanderer felt a pang in his chest as he looked at it, an ache in his core.
A mother, a father, and their son, all buried beneath the rubble, bodies broken by stone. The father was already dead, he had probably tried to shield his wife and son. The woman was still alive, at least for now. She held out her arms, pushing the infant boy she was holding towards Ching Shih’s group, her mouth open as she begged. But it was a silent beg, one without words. A stone had crushed her chest, her lungs were beyond ruined so she couldn’t even produce any sound to beg. She could only hold out her son, the child she and her man had protected with their lives, and quietly beg.
«Don’t look. If you look, you break. Steel your heart and look forwards, otherwise you will do nothing but join them in the dust.»
Ching Shih pulled his gaze away and used his hand to force Wanderer to do the same, his expression steely. War was cruel and vicious, just a miserable pile of sorrow. But if they allowed themselves to get too caught up in the carnage around them then they would just end up joining it. Ching Shih kept one hand on Wanderer’s back, quietly pushing him forward so that he would keep pace with the rest of the group. Wanderer wanted to look back, but the dust and fire around them already obscured the woman and her child. One spark in his chest, like a lone firework in the dark sky.
The group ran as fast as they could through broken streets and ruined buildings, through carnage and sorrow. An earth-shaking rumble hit the city as they ran, the second meteor had broken up and descended on the city. By now there were so many screams scattered throughout the city that they all mixed into one, a mess of sounds that was more akin to a rushing river than the death of a city.
From one district to the next, from one street to the other, from one death to the next. They ran without looking back, they ran without looking around, they ran while blocking out the screams and the carnage. That was how people lived, that was how you survived, you drowned out the screaming world to save your sanity. And eventually, as they protected themselves, they reached their target, another warp station.
But this warp array was clearly different from the previous one, it wasn’t carved into the ground in an intricate display of lines and runes. No, this was a comparatively simple drawing engraved onto a standing crystal hexagon, it almost looked like the glittering gate to a new world.
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«There! That’ll take us directly to the area where the groom selection is taking place! There’s no way they’ll have the guts to attack that place so we’ll be safe there.»
Ching Shih evidently hadn’t chosen this particular spot randomly, there would be fewer places safer than the groom selection, where the Wolf Queen should currently be present. This warp array was also sturdier than the normal ones due to the Wolf Queen’s high status, that was why he had been confident that it would still be standing despite the chaos in the city.
«Wanderer, you take Bao and go in first, move away the second you arrive otherwise we may crash into you!»
Ching Shih poured his energy into the crystal gateway, tossing out handful after handful of Spirit Stones to expedite the process, organizing the group at the same time. But Wanderer didn’t respond, glancing back at the path they had just taken to get here, biting down on his lips until they bled.
«I... I won’t go with you.»
That was the answer he had reached, the conclusion he had come to. This was it, this was as far as he could follow them. He wanted to stick with them a bit longer, but it seemed like the world had decided that it wasn’t meant to be.
«You...what? Are you crazy, Wanderer? Listen, I know that it’s bad, it’s absolutely atrocious. But if you go back into that hellscape then you’ll die. No more wandering, no more learning, no more joy. Just death and sorrow. Please, Wanderer, I know I advocate that people can do what they want to, but please...»
Ching Shih’s expression contorted as he spoke, no begged. This city was now the home of death, all life in it would just be ruined and there was nothing that any of them could do about it. Wanderer wasn’t an idiot, he had realized the same thing, flashing Ching Shih a somewhat bleak smile.
«I know. There is nothing left but death and sorrow in this place, some people have wasted away the life and joy, spilt it like water between their fingers. But still... I need to go. I... I want to go, I want to do what I can. One way or the other, I want to make a difference, even if it ends up being insignificant. The smoldering in my chest...I fear that it may just turn me to ash otherwise.»
He felt it in his chest. He wanted to act, he wanted to do something, even if it ended up being nigh on pointless. The embers in his chest smoldered, they wanted to burn, to rage. And if he didn’t follow his heart this time then he feared that those flames would turn on him, that he would turn on himself. So he listened, turned his body back towards the merciless carnage he managed to escape. One spark, glittering alone like a firework in the nightsky.
«Wait, Wanderer, wai...fuck! Yi Sao, bring Bao and the others to safety, I’ll catch up later!»
Ching Shih cursed once again as Wanderer broke away from the group, broke away from safety. He quickly chased after Wanderer, spitting a few orders to Yi Sao to make sure that the rest of the crew present would at least get to safety. Yi Sao and the others grimaced as they looked at the two running people, exchanging a few glances before they eventually spat out a collective sigh.
«Part of the ship, part of the family.»
The creed. Their creed. This was the rule by which they lived their lives, this was the rule by which they died. He was a part of the ship, he was a part of the family, it was their duty to witness his life and choice. Four of the people in the group positioned themselves around the wagon that carried the unconscious Bao, picking it up so that they could share the load. And then they all started running after the two people that were vanishing into the dust and fire.
Wanderer ran. He retraced his steps, jumping over rubble and corpses as he moved, the cacophony of screams rushing through his ears and adding onto the rushing sound that was already giving him a headache. The sound of an explosion, or a different sound from a particularly powerful attack, would occasionally rock the city, the only thing to break up the discordant melody that currently haunted him.
His chest felt tight and warm, embers smoldering crimson as they threatened to explode. What would happen if they ignited? What would happen if that solitary spark touched the embers, what would become of him? He didn’t know, and honestly, he was a bit afraid. But even so, he ran. For the choice he made, for the call of his heart. He was afraid, death was all around him, caressing the back of his neck as it waited for him to take a single wrong step. But even so, he ran. Because he had chosen it, because he wanted to make a different, no matter how small it may be.
The fire raged around him, violet tongues reaching towards the sky as they crept over the rubble, swallowed the corpses. The flames would occasionally reach towards him, a searing sensation running through his body. But the embers in his chest were hotter, the spark burned far brighter.
It didn’t take him long to run past the death, past the lost who could no longer cry. And there he saw his target, a crying mother who couldn’t even let out her voice to beg, a silent scream that no one would ever get to hear. She was still holding her infant, still reaching out with him, but now towards the sky. She begged those she couldn’t see, be it the gods, be it the heavens, be it the rulers that controlled everything. But just like her scream, the world was silent.
«Miss! Please stay as still as possible, I’ll see what I can do!»
But Wanderer wasn’t silent. He dashed over to her and crouched down at her side, his nose clogged by the scent of smoke and blood. He didn’t immediately accept the infant and instead started to pull away the debris that was crushing the woman, slowly making room for her to move. But the more rubble he moved, the more carnage he saw.
The woman’s chest was completely crushed, and everything below was mangled into an unrecognizable mess. But she could still be considered the lucky one. There was more than one family in the house, Wanderer realized that now, saw them now. They hadn’t even gotten the chance to let out a silent scream, they had been silenced before they even got that pitiful right.
Wanderer grimaced as he continued to move the rubble, the situation was bleak. And it seemed like the woman also realized this, she didn’t even try to move, didn’t even look down at her own body, she simply pushed the infant in her hands towards Wanderer, begging silently, praying quietly. Wanderer’s grimace only got bleaker as he looked at the woman, at the crying baby. A spark in his chest, rising in the darkness like firework.
The ground trembled while Wanderer’s face contorted, rubble and corpses getting thrown into the air. A being had landed not far from their position, elephant legs breaking the ground beneath them while lizard-like limbs used their sharp claws to cut apart the surrounding rubble. Hawk-like eyes scanned the surroundings, latching onto any signs of life they could find. Once they spotted signs of life, the arms swung out and cut it down, energy tearing through the air like sharp blades.
Wanderer’s chest felt tight as he saw it. They were looking for a specific person, just one single man. And yet they were killing this indiscriminately, wiping out any signs of life for no good reason. Life had no worth to them, or perhaps it was just that none of these life had any worth to them, only their death did.
«Wanderer! We have to go, now! If you want to make a difference, bring the baby! It’s too late for the mother, but at least you can save the kid, that’s the only thing you can do for her!»
Ching Shih reached him while Wanderer was looking at the distant beast-man, lifting him up while shouting to be heard. But sadly, it was this very same screaming that alerted the beast-man to their presence. The hawk-eyes locked onto them, nothing but indifference revealed in them as he swung his arm, indistinct slashes cutting trough the air as they flew towards them.
The target was Wanderer and Ching Shih, as well as the crew that was rapdily catching up to them. But in-between Wanderer and the beast-man was the woman and the infant, they were the first in line to getting shredded. Wanderer had already seen the corpses, but seeing their disregard for all life, even one as small as this, firsthand made his chest clog up even further. The infant had done nothing, it hadn’t even gotten a chance to live so how could it possibly deserve a fate as horrible as this? A spark in his chest, a tiny light barely visible in the darkness.
There was a thump in his chest, a light thud. He understood, or perhaps it was better to say that he decided. He sprung into action and broke free from Ching Shih’s grasp, hopping over the woman and the infant, placing himself in front of the incoming attack. One spark, rising quietly and alone to futilely light up the dark.
They did not care about the weight of life, they spilt it like they spilt water, nothing but a grain of sand in the desert. But life wasn’t like that to Wanderer, it was heavier, worthier. And if they didn’t understand that, or didn’t want to accept that, then he just had to show it to them, force them to understand it. And if they refused it even then, well then he would just have to abandon them, he’d just have to value their lives as lightly as they valued the lives of others. Perhaps it was a selfish desire, a tyrannical one even. But he still embraced it, accepted it, because that was the weight he saw in life, the worth it held.
His heart thumped as he saw the attack approach him, felt the sharp wind on his skin. But he remained steadfast as he strode forward, it would have to go through him if it wanted to reach the woman and the child. He wasn’t afraid, there was no longer room for fear in his chest. He would stop the attack, and then he would stop the beast-man. This was what he had decided, this was what he would do.
One spark danced in his chest, one lone firework struggled against the night. But the nature of fireworks was to explode and propagate. One alone may not be enough to light up the dark sky, but a firework was never alone. The spark exploded. It burst within his chest and spread out. One spark became a hundred, a hundred became ten thousand, and ten thousand became a million.
The dark sky was swallowed by the erupting sparks, flickering lights blotting out everything else. And as Wanderer expected, the sparks inevitably hit the smoldering embers in his chest. One spark wasn’t enough to light the fire, but with how many sparks were constantly being born in his chest, it barely even took a second for enough sparks to land on the embers to ignite them.
Fire was born in Wanderer’s chest just as the attack was about to reach him, violent flames bursting forth from the embers. But there wasn’t any pain, just a familiar comfort, a familiar sensation of soft sorrow. And then the fire spread, one tongue of flame becoming an inferno that immediately swallowed Wanderer’s entire being. One spark became an inferno, and Wanderer was embraced by the oh-so familiar flames.
--
Ching Shih was perhaps the first to notice a change. He felt it in the air, a quiet change. The screams in the city, the rumbling of chaos, it all seemed to simply fade away. The air seemed to tremble slightly all of a sudden, it also got thick and heavy, making the simple act of even breathing hard.
«Wanderer... are you okay...»
His voice was a bit stifled as he asked. He could only see Wanderer’s back, but he could feel a change in him, a fire. And above all, the merciless attack that should have ripped him to shreds simply hung there in the air, a mere handful of centimeters from his chest. Wanderer raised his hand slightly without turning his head, his hand landing on the frozen attack, which simply faded away into the wind.
«I wander no more.»