The Bitterness Within

Clan Leader Kang sat in his chamber meditating. Without food or water, he sat for the last twenty-four hours, nothing but the mind pacifying aroma of musk incense and himself. There had been many issues that had resulted, and clan leader Kang had been at odds with where he stood, what else could he do, but to calm his mind to think clearly. Although he relaxed while focusing on the aroma, it was not so easy as an argument he had, had with his son continued to play over and over in his mind.

"You wanted to see me Father?" said Kang Lei as he bowed to his Father who sat on his throne in the main hall.

Clan Leader Kang opened his eyes, his brows furrowed like always, "You will go to the village of Xitang, some things of question have arisen."

"What things?" said Kang Lei quite curious.

"The remains of their dead have been exhumed." Said Clan leader Kang.

Kang Lei's brows suddenly rose as he exhaled heavily, "but Father that…"

"Has nothing to do with the Kang clan." Clan leader Kang interrupted his son, already knowing what he would say.

"Do the other clans know, shouldn't we discuss this matter with them?", Kang Lei asked.

"Do you think the other clans will believe that this is not our doing? I will not involve them.", said clan leader Kang in a firm tone.

"But Father, we are the fourth main clan now, it is a mistake to…" said Kang Lei, but he suddenly stopped talking as his Father yelled at him.

"Are you the next clan leader!? Where should your true loyalties lie!? Not with the other clans or anyone else! Were you not treated like a dog during the entire banquet? Demon eyed child of the Kang! As the next clan leader, you will only place your trust in the Kang clan! The other clans are simply a necessary means for the future the Kang, nothing more!", his voice roared, filling the main hall.

"….." Kang Lei lowered his head and furrowed his brows, them twitching as he held them quite close together while he tightened both of his fist that were resting on his lower back. The incident that had taken place during the four-day bonding banquet had rubbed clan leader Kang the wrong way, but surely doing things on his own was not the way to go.

Clan Leader Kang exhaled deeply, calming himself before saying another word. "You will go and find out what you can."

"And what shall I do with that information, should I run into any others?", asked Kang Lei, only because he was curious as to what his Father would say.

"This business is our own, keep it that way.", said clan leader Kang.

With his head still lowered, Kang Lei brought his hands from behind his back, opening one fist and cupping the other, "Yes Father.", he responded and turned to leave, but his Father stopped him.

Taking a glance at Juntuan on Kang Lei's hip, clan leader Kang glanced back at his son, "A-Lei, why do you insist on carrying that sword around with you? Where is the sword that I had crafted for you, is no sword good enough for you except for Kang Yu-Huan's?" said clan leader Kang, irritation in his voice.

Kang Lei turned back around to his Father, still not looking him in the eye, "I mean no disrespect Father. Like you, I simply wish to carry on Grandfathers legacy, nothing more." Kang Lei responded.

Taking another quick glance at the sword that was once his Father's, clan Leader Kang sighed, he often wondered why Juntuan was left to Kang Lei and not himself. "Off you go.", he said to his son and like that Kang Lei turned away with a nod, power walking out of the main hall.

As the memory had passed, clan leader Kang squeezed his eyes that were already closed, was Kang Lei, right? Could that brat have actually been the logical thinker when his Father was simply bitter about losing face for having to take an early leave from the bonding banquet? Clan leader Kang was use to being the enemy so that was the role he would always play. His son tried to be the voice of reason then and here he was in that situation again allowing anger to control him. Clan leader Kang had new power to use as a main fourth clan leader, he shouldn't have allowed his equals and his own pride to run him out of the sacred sect of Mount Grace.

Still with his eyes closed, a knock suddenly sounded on the door, but clan leader Kang did not respond, he had told all his disciples and servants to leave him be until he emerged from his chambers. The knock sounded louder the next time and the already annoyed clan Leader Kang jumped to his feet, quickly walking over to the door, "I asked to be left alone!", he yelled, roughly sliding open the door to see Kang Nana, a servant girl and Kang Yu-Huan's personal hand maid cowering before him.

Feeling quite shamed for frightening a cute young girl no older than his own son, clan leader Kang calmed his temper, "Why do you knock knowing I do not wish to be bothered?"

Tremblingly Kang Nana stood up, staring at the floor, the large man standing at least three feet above her, "I…It's Great Master Kang, sss..something is wrong.", she stuttered.

"I have no time for such futile matters, be gone!" clan leader Kang, said firmly as he proceeded to shut the door, but Kang Nana stopped him.

"Clan Leader Kang!", she shouted, her timid side had suddenly gone out the window. "Great Master wanted me to come get you! He will not stop shouting that young Master Kang is in danger!" Clan leader Kang's knitted brows suddenly rose, becoming uneasy by those words, he suddenly darted out of his chambers toward his Fathers and Kang Nana followed, her short legs trying to keep up with clan leader Kang's long strides.

When Clan leader Kang and Nana arrived at Kang Yu-Huan's chambers there was certainly a lot of shouting coming from the inside.

Clan leader Kang roughly opened the door to see his Father's head shaking back and forth as he cried. "A-Lei is in danger! A-Lei is in danger! Bring my son, bring A-Shu!", he yelled over and over.

"Father, I am here, I am here!", clan leader Kang yelled, overpowering his Father's frantic yelling as he kneeled down beside the bed.

As the voice louder than his own sounded, Kang Yu-Huan suddenly quieted, turning his head toward his son. "A-Shu.", he said, lifting up his weak arm, he tried to touch his son, but could not.

"What is the matter Father, why do you speak of A-Lei?", said clan Leader Kang, his voice deep, but gentler than Nana had ever heard, as she watched with worry.

"Where is A-Lei?", said Kang Yu-Huan.

"A-Lei is not here, he's on assignment." Clan leader Kang answered.

Kang Yu-Huan's eyes grew wide with fright again, "bring him home, bring him home, bring him home, he is in danger! A-Lei, A-Lei! He is in danger, danger, danger, danger!", the old man began to yell again, as his voice deepened, suddenly splitting into two and then three, a strong wind suddenly blew around the room.

Clan leader Kang jumped up off the floor, snapping his head toward Kang Nana, "Wait outside!", his deep voice roared, and Nana rushed out of the room, slamming the door behind her, she crouched, covering her head.

"The heir must die! The heir must die!" The old demon filled man on the bed screamed as his feeble body struggled to get up.

Pulling a talisman from in between his two robes, clan leader savagely bit his own finger and began blood writing on the talisman, placing it between his two fingers he tossed the talisman, it landing on the old man's forehead. Pulling out another, clan Leader Kang continued this for quite some time while Kang Yu-Huan let out ear aching screams, his many voices still present. Without hesitation, clan leader Kang continued flinging the talismans all over the body of Kang Yu-Huan until the dark spirits inside of him were contained, he did not care if his Father was in pain or not.

"The night flower, the night flower will save A-Lei. The night flowers." Kang Yu-Huan whispered as his heavy eyelids forced themselves closed and the old man was once again peacefully resting.

Lighting sandalwood incense, clan Leader Kang took one final look at his Father to make sure that he was back to normal before exiting the room and closing the door behind him.

Clan Leader?!" said Kang Nana nervously jumping up from her crouching position as he emerged from the room.

"Do not enter this room until I have permitted it!", said Clan Leader Kang firmly before he walked away, and Nana nodded. Watching her clan leader leave, Nana still had a worried look on her face. Something like this had happened before and clan leader Kang had to come and subdue the situation, so it was not Kang Yu-Huan, Nana was worried about. She was hoping for any type of reassurance about young Master Kang, but as a mere servant girl, that was not something she would get.

Nana was from a poor family that came from a far land wanting to be disciples of The Unholy Sect. After being accepted, Nana's family worked under discipleship and soon gave birth to generations of children of their own. She and young Master Kang had grown up playing together, as Nana's Mother was clan leader Kang's wife's personal hand maiden before she died. Although he only saw her as a sister, Nana had grown quite fond of the young Master, she could not bear it if anything happened to him.

Entering into his chamber, clan leader Kang pulled out another stick of musk incense, lighting it and placing it beside the other that had been burning for a while. He then placed himself back onto a cushion, trying to meditate like he had been before Kang Nana had interrupted him. For a moment he sat, sighing as many thoughts plagued his mind. With his brows knitted tight together, clan leader Kang finally sighed before he opened his eyes back, his mind had been too far gone for there to be any peace at the moment. Letting out another sigh, clan leader Kang stood, exiting his chamber. He walked out to the main hall, many disciples greeting him as he walked by saying nothing in return. Clan leader Kang stood at the top of the steps leading to his manor, raising his pointer and index fingers, tightly locking them together he closed his eyes, summoning his messenger raven. After a few seconds it appeared, the large black raven and its black ominous looking aura swirling around it.

After a few moments, clan Leader Kang had connected the bird to his thoughts and sent it away at once. He had received the messenger hummingbird of Mount Grace days ago, but the bitterness he was feeling caused him to do nothing but send it away without a reply. Clan leader Kang sighed heavily; it was finally time to give clan leader Hai the response he deserved.

"Kang Yixing!", called clan leader Kang and the man rushed over, his most trusted disciple.

"Clan Leader!" Kang Yixing cupped his fist, bowing respectfully.

Closing his eyes momentarily, Clan Leader Kang was quiet for a moment before he spoke, "Yixing, find my son."

Kang Yixing cupped his fist loudly as he bowed, "Clan leader.", he said firmly before making his way down the stairs.