Legacy's Tale Ch. 16
By Iwa

Still on the road eastwards

< Ryu san seem so different….. > Nakaruru thought as they all rode eastwards still.

In a short span of just two days since the nine planets had align. The group that Nakaruru was traveling had changed much especially those who she thought are from the Inner Circle. Like Ryu they had became somewhat more sullen. The four were blindly following Ryu while the rest were following blindly in hope of keeping the others from doing anything foolish. The blind is leading the blind to nowhere.

Even Rimururu was greatly sadden by what's happening to the others. The young girl who took it as a job to brightened up the team with a smile was no longer smiling herself. Nakaruru shook her head, the general gloom of the group was all cause by one woman who would bring on doom to this world.

But she's dead now. Does that means that they would face her when she rises from the dead? Nakaruru didn't want to think as her horse picks its way gingerly through the bodies of the bandits on the ground. All this destruction caused by one man alone.

Nakaruru looks towards Ryu again, still she felt he'd changed since that day. She watches as Ryu wiped the blood off ChunLi's slim blue blade using the clothes of the dead bandit.

< He's changed. > Nakaruru thought once more. She remembered for she was the first to notice the change in Ryu's eyes when she went to remove the ropes from his wrists and ankles yesterday morning.

His eyes seem devoid of compassion and life. A sad look of mourning and yearning had replaced them. His heart broken and cold for the fire that once warms it was gone. Eating little and drinking more wine than Haohmaru, A beard was starting to form slowly around his chin. Then again that was because he felt no reason to groom himself for anybody anymore.

What scares Nakaruru was how little Ryu seem to value his life. Only moments ago the little group were chance upon by a horde of bandits. And with a roar, Ryu had leapt off his horse and rushed straight into the bandits wielding ChunLi's blue blade, not caring if they outnumbered him. Not caring if he would lose his life or limbs in the process.

Hacking and slashing at everything that moves with a rage that was both bloody yet strangely beautiful. Oddly not a drop of blood stained his white attire, he had come out the melee with sadness and disappointment written on his weary unshaven face.

Sadden by the facts that there were no opponents worthy enough to defeat him, disappointed by the fact that despite the fact that he had left himself open and vulnerable they were still not good enough to kill him.

Ryu got on his horse with a heavy heart and continued east. Despite the fact that the answer seems clear. He would still avenge ChunLi's death and hopefully he would die in the process of vengeance somehow. Life means nothing without ChunLi, his heart was broken by the lost and now he was but a hollow shell devoid of the will to live.

But what if he was still alive by the time he kills the one who left him without his 'heart'. Ryu decided that it would then be in his best interest if he take his own life with ChunLi's blade.

< Blood will have blood. Those who had hurt Li will die and those who get in my way shall regret their foolishness. > Ryu thought as he blindly headed east

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Demon's Island

The object of Ryu's love is still alive if only he knew. But then how could he considering she was more then just slightly change by the Ritual. He couldn't sense her was due to many reasons. Of one was because of the dormant Tianzai in her body and it had changed her chi signature.

Physically she remains the same, the nine drops of black inky liquid remains on her forehead like the mark of a tattoo. But it vanished from her skin when she was calm and appears like burning black fire when she is enraged.

Mentally most of her memories were locked away and replaced with this strange need to fulfil some kind of destiny. A need to head to a place call Witches' Grove. A need to rip out someone's heart for some hazy reason.

Two paths were laid out for her and all she needs to do is choose, she would choose but not now she had to see what was offered to her first. Of the memories that remain were places that she needs to be and people she needs to kill.

The soulless sword is now but a tool, without the dark spirit it had turn from a very ugly sword that looks like just a piece of work created by an severely drunk amateur sword smith on a creative rampage. Only someone who appreciates oddities would even look at the sword and buy it at a dirt-cheap price.

It is now a sword that was only marginally satisfactory to look at, the sword seems to have taken on a bit of its wielder's beauty. The black sword seems to be filled with the grace, beauty and power of a black panther on the prowl for prey.

And now with Tianzai in hand she was dancing around Tower that was built over Point of Evil. Slow circular swirls and slashes, a mix of dance and swordplay. ChunLi dances in a clockwise manner around the Point of Evil. No emotion on her face, but now and then she gracefully cuts a line or rune on the ground with a certain rhythm.

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Watching from the balcony of Gill's chambers are the two brothers, bandages were wrapped around Gill's forehead while his right arm was in a sling. The fall from the tower had not broken him much. But his pride was somewhat hurt by it most of all.

"What is she doing?" Gill asked as he watches the lithe figure cutting a formation in the ground as she dances. He was mesmerized beauty of the woman even more. He noticed that ChunLi had abandon the kimono and gone back to wearing a dark blue shirt and tights under a dark blue wide cuff silk dress coat with ankle length gathered skirts (think Vice and Mature).

"Dancing." Urien answered his arms were folded in front of his chest. He was studying the giant rune formation that Jiu Dao Nu was creating in her dance. He had a bad feeling about it.

"I know that! But why?!"

"Severing ties. She feels a need to leave this place." Urien answered watching the dark clouds gathering around the tower. Seems to him that Jiu Dao Nu can control the elements.

"But I thought the spell rendered her docile and subservient to me?" Gill asked, his face in pain as he accidentally hit his injured arm when he turn to face his brother. "Legrene left out a few line and a rune or two it seems. That woman has her own agenda I believe. You unleashed her, you handle her." Urien lied without so much a change in his expression.

"Should never had given her that much gold. I'm going to stop her." Gill said as he left his chambers. Urien smiled but decided to watch at a distance. He had no wish to get to close when it happens.

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The giant rune formation of lines and squiggle was completed by the end of her dance, ChunLi wipes the perspiration from her forehead. One element still remains before she could leave this place. The hair on the back of her neck stands a low growl from her throat when she felt someone approaching.

"I forbid you to leave." He said.

"You and what army?" ChunLi turned, Gill was standing a few meters away from her. In front of her about twenty soldiers carry long pikes

"Make me stay then." ChunLi strapped Tianzai to her belt. She waved her right hand in a straight line from left to righ with her plam facing outwards. Four soldiers who were ordered to approached her stop in their steps with a jerk. Looking down they saw they feet held down by stone and it was spreading upwards. In a matter of moments the soldiers were life-like stone statues.

ChunLi titled her head to the right, boredom shows in her eyes. Five more soldiers approached her. She slaps the air causing a strong gust of wind to blow them across the courtyard slamming them against the walls. The others hesitated and back away slowly as ChunLi slowly walk towards them. Two arm's length away from Gill, she took Tianzai out.

Gill was unable to tear himself away from those beautiful dark brown eyes, like a deer trapped by bright lights he stood his ground oblivious to the fact the ChunLi had poked the tip of Tianzai into his well muscled arm. Turing the sword slightly she drew blood, she pulled it out and swung it behind letting Gill's blood drips onto the rune. Like oil catching fire, the rune blazes.

The dark angry clouds gather as ChunLi stabs the sword into the ground. She lifts her right arm over head, two fingers pointing at the sky. Electrical energy sizzled as her fingers circled the air thrice. Her hand cuts the air as she lowers her arm swiftly.

The lightning burst from its reins in the clouds and claws its way to the tower, striking it to its foundation. The tower trembled and started to crack, ChunLi didn't bat an eyelid as the stone blocks crumbled behind her. As the dust dies down, she looks up to the balcony, her eyes narrowed on seeing Urien, she curtsied then walks towards Gill.

"And you hope to achieve what?" She patted his face twice, took Tianzai and walks off towards the pier

The soldiers were reluctant to stop her for they feared her, she continued on her way, followed but untouched. The end of the pier and no boat in sight, she frowns slightly then raised her hand to stomach level. The water rises to create a platform for her. Stepping onto the water, it didn't even wet her boots.

Her wrist turned slightly and the water platform she was on moves like surf that crashes towards shore. ChunLi didn't even cared when she crashes through the fishing boat. The men tried to swim ashore when they boat capsized. But still she headed west.