FicWad

Roses of the Valley

Chapter Forty-One: Triumph



Gang lashed his arm out, his fist smashing across the jaw of an unfortunate soldier as a sick cracking noise tore through the air. Glancing to the side his hand darted out, clasping over the fist of a firebender who had falsely estimated an opportunity. His hold over the bender's fist tightened, the soldier crying out painfully as his free hand clutched helplessly at the bodyguard's wrist.

Lifting his foot he kicked the weakling away, waving his right arm back stiffly to catch another soldier by the throat. His arm lifted a bit, taking the attacker off of his feet before letting him drop heavily against the ground.

A desperate soldier swung his spear out, the tip tracing barely against Gang's cheek.

The bodyguard narrowed his eyes, admitting an annoyed snort as he focused his attention upon his assailant.

Regarding the strike as a testament to his own skill rather than a product of fortune, the soldier slid his feet into a wide stance. His focus was broken by curious sound of an approaching growl, turning just as Boots collided with him at full speed.

"Good boy," Gang smirked, turning to grab the face of an eager firebender.

Bo inhaled slowly, attempting to catch his breath. He had pushed his firebending to the limit, unleashing a steady barrage of lightning strikes against the invading forces. Studying the battleground, the corner of his mouth lifted in a gentle smile. The Fire Nation offered him no opportunity for celebration, two firebenders hurrying toward him.

His stance widened suddenly, his hands extending to either side as a shroud of fire spiraled around him, fading almost instantly to a rain of embers.

The two firebenders faltered, stopping as they searched for the traitor. Each looked toward the ground between them, feeling a sudden heat.

With trained grace his hands passed one another, extending to both sides as spirals of fire erupted from his palms. Drawing in a deep breath he rushed forward to meet the advance of several soldiers.

The Gouishi riders fought on, the guards of Wen Lan and Chin-Hwa at their side as they fended off the steady advance of the Fire Nation.

Feng's feet moved swiftly, dodging as he evaded each burst of fire directed toward him. His wrist twitched to counter, the flames reflecting briefly across the surface of his blade before striking down the attacker. What had been a thick patch of soldiers surrounding him had been rendered little more than a squad, his hand and body moving rapidly as it deflected the attackers and claimed all within its reach.

Where his partner demonstrated a natural grace and precision, Enlai displayed an inherent cunning and strength. The glaive cut down across the chest of a firebender, the rider clasping the shaft before thrusting the butt end into the gut of a soldier. Sliding the weapon forward he gripped the rear, swinging it out in a wide circle to dismay all who might think to approach him. This rhythm was broken by the sudden turn of his body, the glaive piercing forward into the torso of a firebender. Drawing it out he resumed the wide spin, alternating between the two as he struck down foe after foe.

Initially the soldiers of the Fire Nation army had assumed distance to be Seung's only strong point. The notion was dismissed quickly, the general's stone gauntlets striking firmly into each assailant.

Sweat poured off of the earthbender's flesh, the cloth of his armor nearly soaked as he manipulated the ground beneath to his will. Columns of rock plunged from the soil to strike his enemies, sheets of it draping over him to deflect the fire they set forth. Slowly he stepped forward, his arms motioning one over the other in a slow pattern as slabs of earth rose and fell before him, the gradual sweep permitting him a deeper penetration into the enemy's ranks.

The guardians of Bai-Jing fought on, so focused on the enemies that lay before them that only Bo noticed the reality of the scenario: The majority of the Fire Nation forces had been defeated.

The tide had turned.



The dragon tore savagely at the ground, Jung evading each strike as he steadily approached the admiral. Following each attempt it rose back rapidly into the air before plunging back toward its target.

"What do you hope to gain from this?" Kano growled loudly, the taste of his own blood infuriating him.

The warrior gave no answer, the shield covering his left arm lashing out to deflect the dragon as he hurried toward his adversary.

"What do you hope to gain!?" he howled, his hands rearing back as the dragon took on an incredible speed. The roar of flame tearing against wind sounded in the distance, growing louder with each instant.

Jung stopped just before the admiral, ducking and facing slightly to the right as the fire beast passed over his head.

The Dragon Tamer stifled a chuckle, wondering if the foolish warrior had really assumed that he would be caught in the path of his own creation. His hands changed positions, his gaze turning downward as he motioned the dragon toward where his prey had crouched.

He had used the movement of ducking to give his turn some momentum, his body spinning full circle as he lashed his right forearm up in a powerful back fist.

Kano's eyes went wide, hands fumbling as his opponent's fist struck hard against his temple. His manipulation of the dragon held just long enough to brush its body hard against the fool's chest.

The pain was intense, yet negligible in comparison to the wounds rendered upon him in their first encounter. Fighting to ignore the pain gripping his flesh, Jung stepped forward with another punch.

Yelling furiously the admiral shot his wrist up, stopping the strike in midair. His eyes had taken on a psychotic rage, his teeth clenched as blood washed over them from a deep cut on his lip.

Jung simply stared, his face offering no expression beyond determined focus.

This only further infuriated the admiral, the heat in his fingers building to an intensity he had formerly restrained. His right hand shot up, aiming for his prey's throat.

Their hands entered into an amazing rhythm of unsuccessful attacks, arms moving with a speed that would have impressed any observer. For every attempt Kano made to burn his opponent the warrior's hands discouraged him, the admiral swatting aside every counter.

Feet shifting back and forth barely, neither gave any ground.

The Dragon Tamer lifted his leg, kicking back while positioning his hand carefully. A long whip of fire formed in his palm, cracking it toward his opponent.

Recognizing the technique as one that Bo had used, Jung brought his shield up to deflect it before launching forward.

A smirk crept over the admiral's lips as he turned his body, positioning his hand so that the fire whip consumed it. Turning back toward his opponent he thrust out a long tentacle of flame.

The warrior's eyes narrowed, slowing his approach as the technique took him off guard. His body tensed, the end of the fiery arm nearing his throat.



Shock gripped Enlai, his legs tensing as he looked at the komodo rhino charging toward him. Its rider glared from atop the monster, skin pale as blood seeped from a wound that the fighter's glaive had inflicted upon him.

Readying his weapon he aimed for the creature's throat, praying silently that he time it correctly.

With a mighty roar Boots slammed into the rhino from the side, his horn penetrating deep into the beast's hide. The rider flew helplessly to the ground, eventually rolling to a stop.

"Oh man," Enlai's eyes went wide with relief, his hold on the weapon loosening. "I'm gonna give you so many shoes to eat later." Laughing, he set his hand just beneath the steed's horn.

Boots snorted proudly, head tilting slightly as the rider pet him.

Gang pressed his knee hard into a firebender's stomach, dropping his elbow just between his shoulder blades. Turning toward a pair of soldiers he crouched to the ground, hands sweeping along it to either side as a trail of fire tore toward them. Feeling something press to his back he spun around, hand lifted to grasp the attacker's face.

Feng turned quickly, his blade lifting to his opponent's throat.

The two recognized their folly almost immediately, withdrawing their attacks. Silently, a wave of relief coursed through the rider. He had not known Gang long, yet was well aware of his reputation; he suspected the firebender would have had little trouble disposing of him.

With an equally thoughtful expression the bodyguard surveyed the battleground, looking for more people to fight.

Bo drew his palm from his assailant's stomach, the soldier's body dropping limply to the ground.

Breathing deep, Seung looked out over what lay before them. Caution filled his body, suspecting that they may once again be victim to some treachery.

The Fire Nation forces lay before them, defeated.

The soil of the ground lay littered with columns of stone and boulders, sections of the mountain torn away from hurried earthbending. Along the stones and grass were scattered scorch marks, patches of blood staining some of the fauna that had survived the Fire Nation's assault.

Seung's forces had been reduced by a quarter, fallen soldiers and earthbenders lying silently amongst the invaders they had fought so valiantly against. Another fourth had been wounded, groaning as they attempted to rise to their feet.

The Gouishi riders had lost a fair portion of their ranks, most of their steeds wounded too grievously to travel.

"Gang," the general called out, the soldiers around him helping to lift the wounded to their feet. "Kano..."

"Go," the bodyguard nodded sternly toward Bai-Jing, understanding the admiral to be the most dangerous element of the invasion.

"Sir, what do we do?" one of his subordinates asked curiously, looking out over the devastation.

"Arrest those fit to be taken prisoner; restore what you can!" he ordered quickly before rushing back toward the village. His forces were exhausted; he knew better than to command a party to accompany him. Hurrying past the remaining sections of the wall, he disappeared into the distant forest.

Turning toward the soldiers Gang grinned, triumph coursing excitedly through his blood. Lifting a fist to the sky, he cried out victoriously.

"We won!" his voice rang out through the morning, laughing loudly as he celebrated their accomplishment.

The exhaustion became negligible in the wake of that which they had done, a proud smile coming to the faces of the soldiers and guards. Lifting their fists to the sky, they cried joyously so that their voices would echo through the valley.

Sharing in the success, the Gouishi riders cast up their arms. Jubilant laughter carried throughout the battlefield, the pain and loss fading briefly as the levity of triumph surged through them.

Beneath the cloth that concealed the lower half of his face Feng smiled, sheathing his blade.

Enlai grinned as he brought the glaive over his shoulders, folding his arms over it
while breathing deep. Battles exhausted him; he much preferred the celebration that followed.

A gentle smile crept over Bo's face, grateful that he had been able to fulfill his promise. Widening his stance he motioned his hand from side to side one last time, his fingers pointing skyward as a bolt of lightning pierced through the morning blue.

Despite overwhelming odds they made their stand against the Fire Nation, emerging victorious.



Chin-Hwa's eyes grew wide as the lightning stretched toward the clouds, his breath catching gently.

Xiu's hands rose to her mouth before embracing the old man, a relieved gasp escaping her.

Li Mei smiled, clutching her hands over her breast as the villagers emerged from the cave to witness what lay in the valley below.

Min smirked, silently thanking the old man for telling them everything was alright.



Jung clenched his teeth, his body tensing.

Kano grinned with sadistic delight, his other hand readying to form the same technique.

Turning his body with tremendous force, the warrior dodged the fire tentacle.

The admiral glared, teeth grinding as a blind rage consumed him.

Sparring sessions with Bo had improved his reflex speed, the speed of the Dragon Tamer's fire unable to match that of the old man's lightning.

Powerful flames draped his opposite arm, flailing it toward his prey as he drew closer.

Lifting his shield he deflected the tentacle, his body turning quickly to the left as he came within reach. His right fist lashed out horizontally, cutting hard through the air.

Kano ducked, his hand darting toward the enemy's gut as he motioned to drill a spiral of flame through his torso.

Bending his arm the warrior thrust his elbow between the admiral's eyes, thwarting the attempt.

Staggering back the firebender gripped his face, feeling the warmth of blood as it slipped between his fingers. He let out a false cry of anguish, baiting the trap.

Jung stepped in for a second attack, alarm ringing through him as the admiral lifted his hands away to reveal a maniacal bloody smile.

Stepping into the warrior's advance Kano unleashed a swift barrage of strikes with his palms, the heat leaving burn marks upon his foe's body with even the slightest touch.

Sustaining half a dozen of the attacks he clenched his teeth, swiftly evading the seventh as his left arm came down with tremendous force.

A loud cracking noise ripped through the air as the admiral's jaw broke, shattering as Jung drove his fist into it.

So potent was his rage that he ignored the pain, using it as an opportunity to stab his hand toward the fool's throat.

With a sudden turn of the body the warrior avoided the full brunt of the blow, the Dragon Tamer's armor leaving a rough scar as it brushed past his shoulder.

The two entered into a ferocious exchange of attacks, each moving quickly and carefully to dodge their adversary.

A howl of anger erupted from Kano's mouth, muffled by the broken jaw as he angrily shot his fist toward his prey's face, preparing to coat the collection of scars decorating it with a thick layer of burn wounds.

Jung's hand reached up, grasping the admiral's wrist before twisting it hard. Pinning it behind his opponent, brought his foot up to his back.

The Dragon Tamer's eyes went wide as he heard a disgusting cracking noise, the realization of what happened sobering him from his anger. Awareness arrived with pain in hand, the broken jaw and now arm of the admiral inspiring a tremendous agony.

His gaze shook as he looked up slowly, glaring as he locked his attention on the one who had bested him.

Motionless, Jung stared coldly while the morning breeze scraped over the wounds he had sustained in their fight.

"It seems," he nearly hissed, the broken jaw making it nearly impossible to decipher his words. "That I am a stronger fighter when I have treachery at my disposal."

The warrior said nothing, his fists tightening as he prepared to end the matter once and for all.

"Pity," he nearly whispered, a sudden glee filling his face. "Something to remember for next time, then!" He ended the muffled rant with a strike to the ground with his good arm. A thick blanket of flames spread between the two, lifting to the sky to offer him the same escape route he had used in their first encounter.

Jung glared angrily, stepping back as the flames clung to the ground. Quickly he positioned himself, preparing to leap through the blaze.

An inner cackle resonated within the admiral as he hurried toward the forest, the pain shooting through his arm and jaw making it difficult to retain consciousness. His escape was hindered suddenly, a wall of rock rising before him. Stopping before it he turned his attention to the right, glaring.

Seung watched sternly from the distance, breathing deeply as he attempted to catch his breath.

Kano turned slowly, watching as the warrior leapt through the flames to pursue him.

Jung looked up at the wall, his eyes passing briefly to Seung before returning to the villain who had wrought so much terror on the valley.

"I say," he chuckled incoherently. "You're determined to see to my end, aren't you?"

Silently the warrior approached, the general stepping closer despite his obvious exhaustion.

"I refuse you the honor." The Dragon Tamer hissed, his good hand reaching beneath the shoulder pad of his armor for a tiny blade. It was smaller than a fingernail, an intricate golden dragon that had been presented to him as a gift from the Fire Lord for an amazingly successful raid against the Earth Kingdom.

Such wealth was not to be wasted on the downtrodden pigs of the Earth Kingdom.

Interpreting it as an attack the two launched forward, muscles tensing as they prepared to strike.

A psychotic smile remained firm on the admiral's face as he passed the blade swiftly over his throat. A thin line of blood form over his neck, the Dragon Tamer falling to his knees.

Seung and Jung stopped before him, gazing upon the admiral with a mixture of disgust and anger.

A silent cackle remained on his face as life slipped away, his face paling beneath the morning sky.

The two guardians stood in silence, the terror of Kano passing with the shadows of the morning clouds.

Beneath the glorious light of the sun, the roses stood tall.



"Eh? You're Jung's mentor?" Wen Lan's eyes grew wide as she sat facing the woman, a thin layer of water stretched over her back while Yakone healed the thin scar.

"That's me!" Ryoko grinned proudly, her arms folded as she leaned against a frozen firebender.

"It is an honor to meet you!" The young noble rose to her feet, bowing respectfully. Jung had mentioned the woman in the past, his tone indicating that he held her in high regard.

Startled by her sudden rise, Yakone's concentration slipped. The water fell from her freshly healed back, raining gently over the ground before him.

Shui stood nearby, feeling tenderness on the singed flesh of his arms as he folded them. He looked curiously toward the aged warrior, the concept of Jung regarding any other as a mentor completely foreign to him.

The forces that had been ordered to ravage Bai-Jing sat pressed against the sides of buildings near the entrance, frozen firmly in place. They were prisoners of war, waiting bitterly for the Earth Kingdom reinforcements that would eventually arrive to claim them.

"Hey hey, don't be so formal," she waved her hand at the girl to dismiss such etiquette. "Not my style. So you're this 'Wen Lan' girl Jung mentioned?"

The young noble blushed at the notion of Jung mentioning her to others, sheepishly shaking her head yes. A slight nervousness ran through her, hoping that someone so important to her beloved would regard her favorably.

The warrior stood up from the firebender, stepping toward the girl. Leaning forward, she stared into her eyes with what appeared an expression of careful focus.

Wen Lan froze, completely rigid as she realized she was being inspected.

Ryoko lifted her nose towards the young noble's hair, taking a quick gentle sniff. Circling around her, she looked her up and down. She brought her foot up, tapping it twice against her leg.

Confused by the spectacle, Shui and Yakone watched with raised eyebrows.

"I saw you fight, you were good." The warrior offered the compliment as she continued surveying the girl.

"Thank you," she nodded politely.

"Last question," Ryoko squinted as she lifted her head slightly; disregarding the fact that it was the only inquiry she had posed. "If I was looking to get some good sake around here, where would I go?"

"My lord Chin-Hwa keeps a selection of over three dozen unique varieties of sake, specifically for the arrival of guests. I am confident he would be more than willing to offer you some in exchange for the aid you have leant the village." She took the opportunity to offer the woman a gesture of hospitality, hoping to learn more and perhaps befriend her.

"I approve!" the warrior lifted her fist to the air, the prospect of so much sake exciting her.

"Wen Lan!" a small voice called out from the distance.

"Ah man," Yakone groaned as he glanced in the direction of the noise. "Things were just getting peaceful around here, too."

Shui smirked at the jest, watching as the citizens returned to the village. At the head of the group was Li Mei, waving excitedly toward them.

The girl leapt into her friend's arms, eyes warm with the prospect of tears as she smiled and embraced her.

"Did the journey go well? Is everyone safe?" the young noble looked up curiously as Xiu and Chin-Hwa emerged from the crowd.

The men of the village stepped toward the two teenagers, slapping their hands to their back as they offered their gratitude and pride for their actions. The women smiled and called out thanks to them, the crowd bustling with life. Bai-Jing stood strong, everything that had worked to achieve still standing.

"Everyone is fine," Chin-Hwa nodded slowly, grateful for the success of the endeavor.

"Except when the old pain almost got us lost," Xiu muttered, glancing toward Min.

"We weren't lost; it was a shortcut," the old woman insisted bitterly, refusing to believe that she had led them astray.

"Ah, lord Chin-Hwa!" Wen Lan bowed politely to the old man as she motioned a hand toward Ryoko, introducing her. "This is lady Ryoko; mentor to Jung."

"You were the one responsible for his training?" the old noble's eyes widened slightly, astounded by the notion. He had never dreamed that the guardian of Bai-Jing might have a master, much less one so fair.

"Hey, wait. You're the Chin-Hwa guy? The one with all the sake?" she pointed a finger toward him, recalling that which Wen Lan had said.

"I believe I match that description," his eyebrow lifted curiously.

"Lord Chin-Hwa, lady Ryoko helped tremendously in our efforts to safeguard Bai-Jing. I mentioned that you might be willing to permit her to sample from your selection as a token of gratitude," the young noble explained with a gentle bow.

"Of course, of course," the old noble smiled as the situation became clear.

"So let's go see that sake selection she's talking about. Lead the way!" Ryoko grinned as she threw her arm up over his shoulder, always enjoying a strong drink to follow a strong fight.

"Of...Of course," Chin-Hwa nodded, stepping in the direction of the Yang estate.

"Hey, lady Wen Lan!" Gang called out excitedly, the Earth Kingdom soldiers behind him setting the Fire Nation prisoners down beside the ones Yakone had secured.

The citizens turned toward the Earth Kingdom army, crying out happily as they hurried to give them a hero's welcome.

The soldiers and guards smiled as they were met with warm reception, the enthusiastic greeting a welcome end to the chaos of the day. The Gouishi riders followed close behind, their mounts waiting patiently near the entrance to the village as they nursed their wounds.

"Alright men!" Enlai called out from the head of the group, motioning a hand out over the village. "Your mission tonight is to celebrate and have some fun! If I see you not smiling I get to kick you," he smirked, folding his arms.

"Please maintain some level of etiquette. You represent the honor and pride of the Gouishi riders," Feng added.

"But have fun," His nodded as he reinforced the point.

"Responsibly," he corrected.

"Right, responsibly, yeah. Go on guys, go have some responsible fun!" Enlai turned back toward them, silently mouthing "Just have fun."

The riders grinned and hastened their pace, silently understanding that they would be best off heeding both orders. They preferred to avoid the bad side of either of their leaders after seeing them in action on the battlefield.

Bo smiled as he walked beside Gang, pride swelling within him as he saw the two teenagers standing beside one another unharmed, save the burn marks littering Shui's arms.

Li Mei turned to face the soldiers returning from battle, her head bobbing from side to side as she searched for their former traveling companion.

Shui smiled, relief surging through him as he hurried through the crowd toward Bo, Li Mei following his lead.

He stopped as they stood before him, offering a reassuring nod to confirm his safety.

Gang smiled as he watched the girl hurry past him, wrapping her arms around the old firebender's waist.

He patted her back reassuringly, his attention turning to Shui. Glancing toward his arms he offered a slow nod of the head, conveying pride.

The teenager's mouth lifted into an unshakable smile, bowing deeply to his master. It was his training that had enabled Shui to stand effectively against the Fire Nation, the techniques he had imparted keeping him alive.

Yakone stepped out from the crowd, staring attentively at the wound on Bo's arm. Without a word he drew some water from his water skin, running it over the cut as it slowly mended.

"So you really do care," Li Mei teased, resting her hands on her hips.

"Shut up; I'm just helping the old man so he can train the idiot here to be a better firebender. You should've seen him in the fight; I had to do practically everything for him," he smirked as he brought the liquid back in to the water skin.

"I'm the only reason you weren't burned alive," Shui growled, refusing to permit such a boastful insult to pass without protest.

"Yeah yeah," he grinned as he muttered, winking at a trio of girls before stepping back into the crowd. He reached his hand as he passed a familiar child, ruffling Jiao's hair.

She placed her hands on top of her head, smiling curiously as she looked about for who had done it. Finding no one Jiao returned her hand to her mother's, smiling as they made their way to a cluster of soldiers to offer thanks.

"I'm not finished with you," the firebender called, hurrying after him.

"Both of you get back here!" Li Mei scolded, chasing the two.

Bo smiled as he watched the three bicker, turning his attention to a familiar face as it approached him.

"So. You kept your promise," Min stared up at him, arms folded.

Nodding slowly, the old firebender could not help but smile.

"...Good," she nodded, closing her eyes. Softly, she patted a hand against his arm. "Let's go get some tea."

Nodding, he followed after her. The bustling life of the village street inspired a tender joy in him, the sun above having long passed its zenith.

Gang laughed loudly as he slapped his hand on the back of one of the guards, pointing toward another as he recalled his performance on the battlefield.

"Gang," Xiu called for him from behind.

"Yeah?" he turned toward her, unable to suppress the grin that victory had inspired.

"...Gang...Where's Seung...?" Her voice was soft, whispering the words as she looked worriedly at him.

The old bodyguard's enthusiasm faded, noticing Wen Lan standing behind the girl with an equally nervous expression.

"...Seung went to go find Kano toward the end of the fight. We took a quick look for him after we took care of the Fire Nation troops, but..."

The two girls watched his face as a minor distress began to swell within them.

"I'm sure he's..." Gang's words were interrupted by a loud clamor from the village entrance.

Xiu stepped forward, praying quietly that it was him. Her hands remained in front of her, stiff as she held her breath.

The congratulations and enthusiasm traveled down the street like a wave, her heart pounding as it drew closer to her.

The figure stepped out from the crowd, smiling as he thanked them for their strength and spirit.

Seung looked over the street, his gaze stopping almost instantly on her as he smiled.

He took three steps before she hurried to embrace him, her hands clinging to the cloth between the plates of his armor as tears of relief escaped her.

Placing his hands on her shoulders he pulled her close, resting his forehead to hers as he whispered tender words of reassurance.

Xiu offered nothing to confirm whether such words fell upon deaf ears, sobbing silently as she swam in the joy that he had returned to her.

Wen Lan approached the couple, standing a few paces off as she resisted the temptation to ask where Jung was; to know whether the one she loved was safe.

"Why didn't you come back with the others...?" Xiu asked quietly, the back of her hand brushing under her eyes to wipe her tears away.

The general stared at her, arguing inwardly as to whether such a topic would be appropriate or not. Understanding that she would be hurt more by any lie, he offered the truth.

"...We didn't want to bury Kano in the valley. We carried him just outside of it, where his spirit will never haunt us."

"We...?" Wen Lan whispered, here eyes hopeful.

The earthbender looked toward the noble, his attention turning toward the entrance to Bai-Jing as a sudden silence grasped the citizens.

The noise died away as soldiers, guards, riders and civilians each turned to face the figure walking along the street. The crowd parted as he drew near, the spectacle stunning all who laid eyes upon it.

The soldiers dividing them stepped aside, the villagers staring.

Jung stood amongst them with no mask, body draped in burns and cuts from what would be later regarded as one of the most epic fights to ever take place within the valley, its story passed along by word of mouth and carried vast distances by travelers.

Wen Lan stared, lip quivering as she watched him. The life and celebration surrounding her seemed to slip away, nothing registering to her beyond the man who stood before her.

His mask had been lost, his shield stripped away.

His body was littered with wounds, old scars disturbed while new ones took form.

Her eyes grew moist, struggling to maintain her composure as a tear fell gently along her cheek.

The warrior's eyes searched briefly through the crowd, his mouth open slightly as he saw the young noble before him.

She brought her hand to her mouth, stifling a sob as she found herself overwhelmed with relief and joy.

His gaze remained fixed upon her, the same sensation surging through his veins.

There was no pain in that moment, the exhaustion fading from his body almost instantly as a subtle strength resonated. Standing across from her he knew only love and triumph, smiling gently.

Wen Lan broke out into a sob, running toward him at full speed as she lifted her arms.

Jung brought his arms up to greet her, embracing her tightly as he fell to his knees. His left hand rested against her back, his right sifting through her hair as a warm tear crept down his cheek.

Clinging to him she took solace in his embrace, her cheek pressed to his chest as she felt his fingers brush over her hair. Indescribable joy coursed through her as she rest in his arms.

Closing his eyes he set his chin atop her head, his arms cradling her. His spirit took a calm serenity, knowing only peace in her presence.

They remain there, holding one another until the setting sun had painted the sky a golden orange.

The night would bring with it incredible jubilance, the villagers commemorating their escape from the threat of the admiral Kano with song and dance. Honoring the guardians of Bai-Jing they would offer cheers and toasts, their laughter carrying through the valley so that the earth and sky would share in their triumph.