30. Black Feathers, Red Blood
Chapter thirty
Black Feathers, Red Blood
Lei
My father’s movements were erratic as he raced to the Great White Blossom.
Damn it.
I didn’t hesitate.
My feet pounded against the tiles and I chased after him.
I kept Soaring Precious in front of me. “Now who’s the coward!”
Ignoring me, he reached the base of the tree and leapt up in this impossibly graceful way.
I almost tripped.
Shit. Not the tree.
He grabbed hold of the lowest branch and climbed up fast.
The crows exploded into motion and swarmed him.
“Fuck all of you!” He swung his blade in wild, vicious arcs cutting through the dark mass and climbing up the tree.
Goddamn it!
Feathers and blood rained down, mingling with the white petals that fell like snow from the tree’s branches.
Still, I didn’t stop running.
I reached the base of the tree, leapt up, and gripped the same branch he’d used.
The wood was rough beneath my fingers, slick with the crows’ blood and crushed blossoms, but I held firm.
Why can’t you just die!
I looked up to see where he went.
Above me, he climbed higher, his blade flashing as he continued to slice through the relentless crows.
Dead birds fell around me. Some of their lifeless bodies thudded against the ground as I pulled myself onto the branch.
I followed him into the darkness, tightening my grip on Soaring Precious.
I climbed higher and higher through all the crows and blossoms, shoving leaves out of the way.
The branches groaned under my weight.
Above me, my father moved with the feral agility of a man fighting both nature and fate. His blade flashed in the dim light, carving through the crows that swarmed him.
Feathers, blood, and broken blossoms continued to rain down.
Aunt Min screamed. “Be careful, Lei, and get him out of that tree!”
I didn’t need her warning to understand what she meant.
Another Sun Tzu lesson hit me.
Never fight on your opponent’s terms.
For anyone else, this tree would be overwhelming to battle in.
It would have been a clear disadvantage.
But for my father?
It was a playground.
In fact, I was sure that my father had chosen the tree because it would give him the advantage of height, vision, and unpredictability. Each branch was a weapon, a shield, a foothold he could use to maneuver around me.
He might be hiding something there too. I’ll have to be careful.
The crows, though relentless in their attack, only added to the chaos, getting in my way. Plus, their presence would mask his movements and obscure all his intentions. The uneven terrain of the branches would make every step treacherous.
Every miscalculation deadly.
I hoisted myself onto the next branch.
The bark bit into my palms. The faint scent of blossoms mingled with the coppery tang of blood and the earthy musk of the ancient tree.
My lungs burned from the climb but I didn’t stop.
I couldn’t stop.
Not until this was finished.
A dead crow tumbled past me, its wings limp and lifeless eyes reflecting the pale light of the moon.
My father’s laughter echoed above.
I looked up.
He was higher now, perched on a thicker branch that jutted out over the arena. From his vantage point, he could look down on the chaos below—the crowd, the bloodied ground, and me, clawing my way toward him. He had small wounds on his face as if a few crows had gotten him good before dying.
He grinned down at me. “Hello, son. How are you doing?”
You fucking piece-of-shit pyscho!
“I never thought you would follow me here. You’re persistent, I’ll give you that, son.” He laughed and killed a crow that tried to slam its beak into his arm. “But persistence won’t save you.”
I continued to climb up as he got to rest.
Granted, the crows kept him reasonably busy.
Once I got close enough to him, I rose and planted my feet firmly on the branch.
Fuck.
It was a battle in itself to keep my branch steady.
How the hell am I going to get him out of here?
Keeping perfect balance, he swung at a crow and the blade sliced through the air.
The bird shrieked.
But in that moment, I saw a crack in his rhythm.
Got you.
I surged forward, leaping onto a branch just below him. The wood cracked under the impact but I didn’t pause.
Two more crows charged his way.
Good. Keep him busy.
He tried to keep his attention on me and stop those crows from slamming their beaks into his face.
I pushed off the branch, propelling myself upward in a burst of motion. Soaring Precious gleamed in the faint light as I swung, aiming for his exposed side.
He twisted at the last second, narrowly avoiding the strike.
Our blades collided.
Branches and leaves getting in the damn way.
Plus, it was clear one of us would fall, if not the both of us.
Someone shrieked in horror.
I hope that’s not Moni. I’ll be okay, baby.
The tree groaned under the weight of the battle, its ancient limbs creaking as if in protest.
I landed on another branch, almost fell, then lunged again, Soaring Precious slicing through the air.
He blocked the strike but the force of the blow sent him stumbling through leaves and branches. His foot slipped on the blood-slicked bark.
Wait a minute. I know how I will get him out of here.
Instead of him, I slammed at the branch he was on.
He lost his footing completely.
I hit it again.
A crow scratched the back of his head and as he tried to get his balance, he dropped Imperial Lament.
Yes!
Then, I jumped and got up on that branch. My feet barely felt steady.
How the hell did he stand on this?
Doing my best to remain up, I spun and slashed my blade at his exposed side.
He twisted, but not fast enough.
Hell yes!
Soaring Precious bit into his shoulder.
He roared in pain but instead of him stumbling back, my father hissed, clutching his shoulder where I’d struck him and his expression wasn’t one of defeat.
It was cunning.
What?
Then, with a move so fast I barely had time to react, he grabbed a thick branch above him and swung it at me.
“Shit!” I tried to duck but the uneven footing of the branch beneath me made it impossible to maneuver quickly.
No. No.
The branch slammed into my side with brutal force, knocking me backward.
Leaves and blossoms slapped me in the face.
Sharp pain erupted in my ribs, stealing my breath.
Soaring Precious was still in my hand but the force of the impact made my own blade twist against me. The edge bit into my side, a shallow but stinging cut that sent a warm rush of blood soaking my pants.
Oh God. No.
I gritted my teeth.
Before I could recover fully, he was moving with a burst of speed that defied logic, leaping down from his branch and landing on mine.
Ignore the pain and don’t die.
I swung Soaring Precious up, aiming for his throat, but he was already too close. Next, his hand shot out and I felt a sharp prick against my forearm.
“What the—”
He jumped away before I could retaliate.
I glanced down at my arm and saw it—a thin needle embedded in my skin, its tip stained with something black and viscous.
A sick, cold dread coiled in my stomach as the realization hit me.
Poison.
I yanked the needle out and slung it to the ground but it was too late.
The effects hit me instantly.
My father stood a few feet away on another branch, grinning like the devil himself.
My vision blurred, the edges of the world smearing together like an oil painting left in the rain.
I blinked. “You cheated.”
“This battle isn’t about honor, son. It’s about who wins.”
My heartbeat thundered in my chest.
Erratic and wild.
“No, Father. . .this is about. . .you. . . running from death.”
The branch beneath my feet swayed dangerously or maybe that was just my body betraying me.
My lungs struggled to draw breath as a hot, stinging sensation spread from the puncture site, coursing through my veins like liquid fire.
Focus.
Uncle Song’s teachings surfaced in my mind like a lifeline.
“No poison is unbeatable. The body has its own defenses. Learn them. Use them.”
I dropped to my knees, clutching Soaring Precious in one hand as I used the other to move my fingers instinctively, seeking out the pressure points Uncle Song had drilled into me during those grueling, endless lessons.
The hollow beneath my jaw.
The ridge just below my collarbone.
The sensitive spot at the base of my spine.
I pressed hard, ignoring the stabbing pain that shot through my limbs as I fought against the creeping numbness overtaking my body.
“That’s right, son,” my father’s voice taunted from somewhere above, dripping with sadistic glee. “Expel the poison from your body. Let’s see if you’re strong enough.”
My heart hammered erratically.
The poison was everywhere now, burning through my veins like liquid fire but I forced myself to focus.
To breathe.
To push.
Find the rhythm. Work with your body, not against it.
My thumb found the hollow of my wrist, pressing hard against the tendons there.
A wave of nausea rolled through me and I gagged, my stomach heaving as the bitter taste of bile coated my tongue.
Then, thick black liquid spilled from my lips, splattering the bark beneath me.
“But” His voice was closer. “Can you expel the poison and not die?”
I couldn’t see him. My vision was still blurred, the world spinning around me like a cruel kaleidoscope.
But I could hear him.
The steady crunch of his boots against the bark and the faint rasp of his breathing.
He was coming for me.
I didn’t have time to recover. The poison wasn’t out yet. My limbs still felt heavy, my chest tight but I couldn’t let him finish this here.
Not like this.
I lashed out blindly with my foot, kicking hard in the direction of his approach.
Thank God, my boot connected with something solid, and he grunted, the sound satisfying in its briefness.
I got him!
The force of the kick sent him stumbling back, the rustle of branches and a muffled curse confirming he’d lost his footing.
Further off, he yelled. “You’re only prolonging the inevitable, son!”
I ignored him and moved my hands with renewed urgency, pressing into the spot beneath my ribs, where the diaphragm met the solar plexus.
Oh God. What sort of poison is this?
The pressure sent a sharp, shooting pain through my chest but I gritted my teeth and kept going.
Another wave of black liquid surged up my throat, spilling from my mouth in thick choking bursts.
I gasped for air, the taste of the poison still clinging to my tongue.
Duck yelled. “Lei, watch out!”
My vision cleared just long enough to catch my father kicking me in the chest.
“Ahh!”
The force was a wrecking ball, knocking the air from my lungs and sending me sprawling forward.
The world tilted.
“No!” Falling off the branch, I accidentally dropped the sword.
He caught it and laughed.
Tumbling down, I tried to grab branches. My fingers scrabbled against the bark but it was slick with blood and blossoms, offering no grip.
“No!”
The scream wasn’t mine but I knew that voice anywhere.
Moni.
The wind howled around me as I fell and the ground rushed up to crash against me.
Some cheered.
Others cried out in worry.
Terror laced Duck’s voice. “Get up, Lei! He’s climbing down!”
I tried to move but I couldn’t.
Maybe, it was my body still fighting the poison.
Or perhaps, it was the impact of the fall.
Did I break something?
I blinked trying to look up but my neck and back screamed in pain.
More important. . .is this my end?
Moni’s face flashed in my mind, her dark, soulful eyes filled with love and fear. I thought of her touch, the way her fingers felt against my skin, grounding me even in my darkest moments.
I can’t leave her. Not like this.
Summoning every ounce of willpower left in me, I clenched my teeth against the pain radiating through my body.
The taste of iron filled my mouth as I pushed myself up on shaky arms, the world spinning around me in a dizzying dance of color and light.
"Fight, Lei!" Duck's voice echoed through the arena. “Imperial Lament is six feet away!”
But I can barely see.
I nodded, though my movements felt sluggish, as if I were stuck in a dream.
My father was right about one thing: everything hinged on survival. It wasn't about honor or fairness anymore. It was about living to see another day—for Moni.
But I fell back down.
No. No.
Aunt Suzi cried, “No, God. Leo don’t! Please!”
A battle of some sort must have happened in the stands as Aunt Suzi and whoever surely must have been trying to come out into the arena!
It was impossible to ignore—the roar of voices shouting over one another, the panicked shrieks of women, and the deep guttural bellows of men locked in some unseen battle.
Get up. Come on. Get up.
I blinked again and could see better.
Then I vomited black liquid.
Thank God. Get out of me.
Yet, the sound in the crowd carried through the night like a relentless storm, crashing and rebounding off the stone walls of the arena.
I heard Aunt Suzi’s voice rise. “Out of my way! Lei needs us! Leo is almost down!”
Her voice was followed by a scuffle—a series of sharp, irregular thuds as if someone had been thrown against the wooden seats. The screech of metal scraping against stone sent a shiver down my spine, followed by the distinctive sound of something heavy falling, the impact reverberating through the arena like a muffled explosion.
Who’s fighting?
The crowd added to the madness. Their voices an erratic symphony of gasps, curses, and cheers. Some were undoubtedly spectators caught in the crossfire, their panicked cries mingling with the aggressive shouts of those determined to fight their way down.
Ignoring the throbbing pain in my side and the fire still burning through my veins, I forced myself to stand.
My legs shook beneath me and for a moment, I thought they'd give way.
Not yet. Not yet.
My vision was still a bit blurry but I could see better.
Where is the sword?
Uncle Song roared from the crowd. “Get back, Min! You cannot help!”
The sharp clang of steel against steel followed his command.
Aunt Suzi’s voice cut through again. “You think you can keep me from my nephew? I’ll kill you myself!”
I spotted the sword and stumbled forward.
More black liquid spilled from my mouth.
Right as I dove for it, a sword slashed at my back.
“Arrhh!” I fell to the ground.
Me father laughed. “Where are you going, son?”
Someone shouted. “Hold her back! Hold her back!”
I rolled over and braced myself just as he lunged at me with Soaring Precious raised high above his head.
No!
I barely had time to react but my instincts kicked in. I managed to roll away just as the blade came crashing down, slicing the tiled ground where I'd just been.
The impact was so powerful, it sent fragments and dirt flying into the air.
Ignoring the pain that lanced through my body, I struggled to get back on my feet. My legs were still shaky and didn't want to hold my weight.
But I couldn't afford to stay down.
My father had Soaring Precious in the air, then something odd happened. Uncle Song yelled out and his voice was filled with horror. “LEO, WATCH OUT!”
What?
We both turned his way—my father and me.
Oh shit!