28 _ Weak.

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Lucian turned his gaze into the stars as an attempt to clear his mind of his line of thoughts. His mind wandered back to Kaya and he felt a pang of guilt for leaving her behind. He justified himself on the basis that he had just met her and was doing the right thing. She was never supposed to come on their journey in the first instance.

Hikaru rolled up his map and deposited it in the inner folds of his vest. "We can camp here tonight. At this pace, we will be at the Kindjuki Peaks in no time , given that there are no more interruptions."

He sighed and placed his hand on his companion's shoulder. "Stop thinking about her. It was the right thing to do and you know that. She is not coming back and you may never see her again. You have got to accept that."

Lucian nodded and he decided to go for a brief walk. He moved through the light green bamboo and rested against a large tree. A light breeze blew through the trees , as leaves broke off from their branches and swayed about him .

Lucian lowered his eyelids , and he heard the sound of metal scraping the dust. He took a deep breath and opened them. "Dai Xiu ..."

"I told you we would meet again..." He replied as he gripped his staff, a long rod , coated with red and the symbol of a Phoenix. "And now , you are going to die."

"You are going to regret this Dai . Walk away now and I might spare you." Lucian drew out his sword.

"Oh no." Dai Xiu grinned. "It is you that shall regret this."

He ran towards the man and their swords clashed , thrusting their blades at each other , each trying to defeat the other. Dai Xiu brought down his staff and Lucian moved away and the iron steel hit the dust. He snarled and began attacking wildly and Lucian found an opening in Dai Xiu's defences and thrust his blade at him. This attack was deflected by the quick movement of his staff and both weapons caught each other in mid-air.

Dai Xiu stepped back to a safe distance , testing Lucian's reaction without placing himself in the path of danger. He drew out his rod and made to strike Lucian and Lucian swung his blade to parry his attack , but then the cunning man dropped his weapon and attacked from the other side. Since Lucian's blade was too far away , it did not respond in time and he was pushed back by the sudden impact.

He felt his side and it hurt.

"You never give up do you?" Lucian sighed as he used the back of his hand to wipe off the blood froth from his mouth.

"You killed Hanji, my right hand man , You disrespected me." Dai Xiu said as he held his iron staff . "And for that reason, you are going to die here and now Lucian...And I am the one to do it."

"So you have finally decided to get a backbone and face me like a man?" The other man derided and smirked jeeringly. "It was about time."

"You have a great deal humor for a man that is about to die." The trifling thief spoke. He extended his weapon in Lucian's direction and posed a question to him. "Have you ever felt the impact of a rod, crushed against your skull?"

His opponent scoffed as he placed his sheath in front of him and drew out his sword , that gleaned in the limelight of the lunar star.

"Indulge me."

Lucian drew out his sword and snapped it forward so that it was pointing towards Dai . He placed his left hand on the grip just below the right. He charges towards Dai Xiu, at the last moment drawing up his sword over his head , bringing it down on Lucian. Dai blocks his blow giving Lucian chance to make a quick sidestep and slashed His shoulder.

Dai Xiu hollered in pain and Lucian turned away from him. "Go now! Before I change my mind !"

He began walking towards the camp when he felt a blow at his back. So unprepared he was for this , Lucian fell to one knee , trying to pick himself up.

Dai Xiu struck Lucian on the side of his face , and he fell to the ground. His sword lay a few inches away from him but he remained motionless.

"Never turn your back to an enemy." Dai Xiu spoke smugly, looking triumphant as he brought down his staff on the weak man that lay before him, striking him multiple times. Blood oozed from Lucian's forehead , and his breathing constricted as more than one of his ribs were broken and collapsed against his lungs...

His body broken...

His strength shattered.

"All that boasting for nought." Dai Xiu laughed as he placed his staff on Lucian's stomach and he groaned in distress. "You are weak. Bruised and broken" He raised his voice, pushing it in as Lucian shouted and blood rushed down the sides of his mouth. The sinister man took up his sword and raised it above his head , ready to end Lucian's life when he was dealt a powerful blow from behind.

Dai Xiu jumped back taking his staff along with him and looked back to see who had attacked him .

"How on earth did you get here ?!" Hikaru asked. "How did you find us?!!"

"I have come to settle a debt , that is to be paid in blood." Dai Xiu motioned towards Lucian.

"If you want to get to him you have to pass through me." He spoke calmly as he positioned his sword.

Lucian body throbbed terribly , as groaned aloud. Hikaru has set his sword down on Dai Xiu , trying to subdue him , while he laid there doing nothing.

'Get up ', He told himself but his body refused to obey his command as his eyes slowly began to close.....

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"AGAIN!"

"AGAIN!"

"I can not do this anymore Father!" Ten year old Lucian panted as he lay sprawled on the ground, foaming at the mouth, his blood splattered on the ground.

He and Li Huang were at the the training grounds , where his father imbibed in him various fighting skills and techniques...

Or was a way of beating the innocence out him.

"You are weak!" The Emperor said walking towards him, dragging his long staff behind him. "Get up and fight!"

Lucian splurted out some more blood and got to his feet. If he did not meant more thrashings for him. He drew back his fist and made to strike a blow at his father but Li Huang was quicker and struck him with his staff instead, sending Lucian to the ground , whimpering in pain.

Lu Huang looked at him with detest as he continued hitting him with his staff , commanding him to be a man, to get up and fight.

"Please..." Lucian muttered incoherently. "Rest..."

"Rest?!" The Emperor responded coldly. "You will only rest when you learn Lu. You are the future of the Kanerria Dynasty. Emperors do not rest . They fight . They fight for power , they fight for every thing that they want and will not stop until they achieve that goal."

Lucian forced himself to his knees trembling with fear. He felt a sudden rush through him as he shouted. " I did not ask to be an Emperor!!! Why me?!!!"

"From the second you were brought into this world, the moment you became my son and the heir to my Empire, You had no choice Lucian and you will never have any choice! You are empty Lu. No friends, no love, no talent , nothing at all. The only thing that can make you do complete is me. You are Broken ...and pathetically Weak as well." Li Huang snarled.

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'You are weak...

You are weak....

Bruised and broken...

"No...." Lucian growled in a low tone. "I am not weak!" He said as his eyes went blank and dark flames consumed his body. His body seething with pure , raw anger and hatred. The wound on his head began to close up as , his broken bones began to mend themselves. A dark rune of the celestial dragon appeared on his left arm gradually spreading upwards , as strange markings were seen on one half of his face. Lucian stood on his two feet as the pressure from his energy, broke into the ground.

"Dai Xiu!!!!" He shouted.