Strife

"Commander Wen!" the men roared against their Commander and they were not backing down. Lee Fe anxiously glanced back and forth at the men circled around them, egging him on, this was not going to end well. Lee Fe glanced once more, and his gaze met with Ja Shu's, whose eyes were full of rage.

"You think you could command better than me?!" Ja Shu yelled as the men around them quieted.

Lee Fe dimmed his eyebrows, "If need be." He responded firmly.

Ja Shu began to slowly pace back and forth, not taking his eyes off his friend. "My own childhood friend has conspired behind my back with the men of my village. Aren't I the fool to have ever trusted you!" Ja Shu yelled, his voice vibrating with rage.

"I have done no such thing! You know I would never ask for this!" Lee Fe yelled, offended by Ja Shu's outrageous assumptions. Never being anything, but loyal to his best friend and Commander, Lee Fe was furious!

"Hahahaha!" Ja Shu burst into a fit of laughter, "Are you the victim? Do tell me how someone has betrayed Lee Fe Wen the great, blood of the flame, respected by all even though he is only a second!"

Lee Fe squinted his eyes, "....."

The wind around Ja Shu roared, everyone around him shielding themselves from its raft. "Over your dead body you say? If you think you're going to take Commandership from me, then over your dead body it shall be!" Ja Shu shrieked as he aggressively placed his palms inches apart, his hands opposite from each other as a ball of wind increased in size between them. Ja Shu suddenly released it, thrusting it at Lee Fe with full force.

Lee Fe's eyes widened, as he hastily spun around, pulling his arms back, thrusting his hands forward and stopping the ball of fury Ja Shu had just thrown at him. "Ugh!" Lee Fe groaned as the spinning ball of wind struck him, his hands down to his forearms feeling like they were being sliced and grinded all at the same time. The men around them gasped and backed up, realizing Ja Shu wasn't going to hold back.

Lee Fe began to slide back from the force as he struggled to hold the spiraling ball in place, for if he let it go, an innocent person was going to pay the price. "Ughhhhh!" Lee Fe yelled loudly as he slowly brought the ball of wind into the air above him, sending it up into the dark sky as it dissipated.

The men around them gasped and whispered at what they had just witnessed. Ja Shu's anger had grown even greater as he glared at Lee Fe, it seemed like he had effortlessly sent his attack away.

"You mean to kill me Ja Shu Han?!" Lee Fe shouted angrily, his breath heavy. He could've beaten Ja Shu in hand to hand combat if he wanted to, but using your gift was another thing and they were friends weren't they?

"If you do not wish to meet your end, then defend yourself!" Ja Shu shouted as he charged toward Lee Fe, sending this time two spiraling balls of wind at him. Lee Fe flattened his palms, and stiffened his arms, sending the two spiraling balls of wind up into the air. While Lee Fe was focused on redirecting the balls of fury, Ja Shu attacked again, punching his fist forward and sending out a surge of wind that hit Lee Fe into the chest, sending him flying.

Lee Fe hit the ground roughly, his knees were weak, so he got up slowly holding his chest as he coughed somewhat gasping for air. Lee Fe coughed again, and blood forced itself from his mouth, he spat aggressively and stood up, positioning himself into a defensive position.

"Is this your great Commander, the blood of the flame?" Ja Shu said loudly with a smile, to the men that were around watching the fight, all of them silent now. "You were afraid during the Midnight King crusade and now you are afraid to use your own power? Where is your flame now oh great one? You are nothing but a coward! Hahahaha!" Ja Shu yelled and laughed, finding joy in belittling his once best friend.

Lee Fe glared at Ja Shu intensely, his blood boiling, and his robe was soaked with sweat.

"Lee Fe! Lee Fe!" Sai Yu called out in the distance. He brought his hands up to his face, as they shook with rage, and a spark sprang from his palms. At this point Lee Fe was ready to give Ja Shu what he was asking for when suddenly he noticed the men of the village surrounding him, although things were different, this was somehow familiar, where had he seen this before?

Lee Fe!" Sai Yu Called out to him again and his eye widened, "My nightmare!" he thought. He could never loose control or he could hurt someone! Lee Fe squeezed his eyes shut and fell to his knees as he tried to calm himself, but he didn't know if he could stop it now!

"How pathetic!" Ja Shu shouted and suddenly an eerie horn sounded. Everyone began to look around confused.

It was quiet for a moment and the horn sounded again, "It's the Midnight Kings army!" the gate Keeper shouted.

"To your positions!" Ja Shu shouted and everyone scattered.

"Burn them all, burn them all!" voices whispered in Lee Fe's head over and over, refusing them he shouted "No!"

"Burn them all, burn them all!" the voices clamored in Lee Fe's head again and suddenly things went silent, then dark.

Lee Fe's eyes opened, and his head was spinning, "What happened?" he said in a lethargic voice. He closed his eyes, opening them back and slowly stood up from the ground, what he saw brought him back down to his knees again. Every inch of the village had been burned to the ground. Nothing but ashes were left and melting figures of obsidian, some big and some small. Lee Fe's heart had broken as he looked around, the village he had been born and raised in was no more. Lee Fe jumped up, stumbling and ran toward his house, but when he got there it was the same, nothing but smoldering ash was left. "Sai Yu! Sai Yu!" he shouted, tears streaming down his face. Sai Yu!" Lee Fe called out once more as he fell to his knees. He couldn't have done this could he? The Midnight Kings army had lead an attack, but even they were gone, they had been melted down like everything else, what had happened!

Four days had passed, and Lee Fe had done nothing more than lay in the center of what use to be his village. He hadn't slept, hadn't eaten and he hadn't drunk, all he wanted to do was wallow in this very spot. His poor wife Sai Yu and their growing child had been slain by his own hand, "what kind of monster am I?" Lee Fe thought as tears streamed down his face, running backward past his ears and into his messy hair. Lee Fe closed his eyes and suddenly he heard footsteps. His eyes snapped open and he almost jumped up, but his will hadn't meant for him to, so he laid still. If it were the Midnight King, he would do nothing, but welcome death. Closing his eyes again Lee Fe laid there, feeling sorry for himself ready to meet his end.

The footsteps stopped in front of him and he flinched, but the person did nothing but stand before him. "Get it over with! Kill me already!" Lee Fe blurted out; his eyes still closed.

"If it's death you want, you won't get it from me.", said a familiar voice.

Lee Fe's eyes snapped opened again to see the old man he had talked to earlier that night without a scratch. Lee Fe slowly sat up; his body feeble from not consuming anything the last few days. "But how…how are you still alive when everyone else is dead? Slain by my own hand.", Lee Fe said looking down, as tears streamed down his face.

The old man turned his back to Lee Fe, walking a few steps forward, "Most night's after everyone is settled, this old man likes to go for a stroll. Blessed by the God's, I was not present at the time."

"....." Lee Fe said nothing.

"However, I witnessed the flame of Wen for the first time in my life. Yes, you set the village a blaze, but that was after the Midnight King's army had destroyed everyone. Slaying only the Midnight Kings army of beast, you alone triumphed." Said the old man.

Lee Fe slowly looked up at the old man, "How is this considered triumph when I am the only one left? My wife….my child!" Lee Fe yelled, his voice shaky and his eyes watering as he fought his face from balling up.

"The blood of Wen survived and that alone matters. I can help you, but first you must bury your fear, then you must bury the one in your way. Three days, three days and I will leave this place never to be seen again. The Midnight Kings fate rest in your hands as does the fate of the world." Said the old man taking one glance at Lee Fe and slowly walking away. Lee Fe slouched onto his side, his body weak as he screamed and cried loudly, for he couldn't hold it back anymore.

This night Lee Fe hunted himself some dinner and found fresh water to drink. On the second night Lee Fe cleared the center of the village, preparing graves stones for the dead. On the third night Lee Fe stood tall, putting his palms together, saluting his fallen brethren, the life of his Wife and unborn child. "Sai Yu, I will avenge you and all of our people, I swear it!" said Lee Fe with his eyes closed as tear's streamed down his face. This would be the last time he would ever show weakness again. The old man slowly began to walk out of the village that was no more, and Lee Fe followed closely behind.