Stage Set (2)

Chapter 51: Stage Set (2)

Two wings raised and fell like a sea wave. Sharp sound followed, and then again, to the heavens and to the ground.

A shapeless blackness was flying through the sky, its red eye hysterically shifting around. At last, it fixed on something, and the bird dived down, the large case in its claws raised to the sky, unable to keep up. Finally, a light of many torches touched and embraced the pure black stork as it suddenly landed with the square object under its long legs.

"The task is complete."

It said in a rather monotone voice and lowered its head before a grey wolf of great stature in leather armor.

"Good." Answered Mo Guang, lifted his paw and clenched a fist with his clawless hand. Immediately the torches around extinguished, and the landing place melted into the pre-dawn darkness with the rest of the forest.

Strangely, the blue spark has not left the wolf's eyes, as if the light found a refuge in them.

"You are free, Jia, you deserve a rest."

He said, however, the stork has not moved. It's red eyes looked down, at the box.

"I am sorry Lord Mo." He said in an apologetic tone.

"It seems I have caught this lord's interest." His voice became slightly amused.

"Interest? I see…" Mo Guang almost instinctively put his hand on the sabre, but stopped just a centimeter before it.

"Why you, we can use humans. We have already prepared a perfect vessel for the revered guest. If he wants a flying creature, we can find someone stronger and not sentient."

The blue shine got stronger, so strong that one could not see the expression on the wolf's face.

"Forgive me, Lord Mo. But I am only telling what he ordered me too, I have no questions there, neither objections."

"No questions… What do you wish for, Jia? Ask for anything, all your desires will be fulfilled."

"Lord Mo." The stork's red eye reflected the blue shine, but more importantly, the grey wolf behind it.

"I only ever wished to be a good servant for the Emperor. I just wish for you to endure. Please, turn back, it might be unsightly."

"I… I see." At last, the grey wolf clenched his paw around the machete, the only place still free of blue light. However, he didn't do anything after. The stork suddenly thrust its beak into its own stomach, cutting a straight line from which blood flowed. Then it went deeper and dug something with the same motion with which birds are cleaning themselves. First, it was something red, then slightly whitish and long, the stork was pulling it out for a long time, bit by bit.

A little hummock of the bird's insides was lying before him when Jia finished disemboweling himself and, at last, fell with his wings spread wide.

Slowly and emotionlessly, Mo Guang carefully took his corpse with one hand and opened the case with the other, breaking a steel lock. Chains fell down, inside was but a pure darkness; however, that darkness was as if alive. Like an octopus, it crawled out its tentacles.

"…" Without a word, the grey wolf placed the stork into their embrace, and in less than a moment, it was swallowed inside.

"Crack!" The box closed once more.

Then it trembled, once, twice, and slowly opened again. A black stork flew out and landed on its edge. Completely unharmed, alive, only his eyes changed. They were like two suns during an eclipse.

It twisted its head around, seemingly breaking the neck, and then back, at the wolf.

"A slave… I wish to see your master." It said with its eyes, and a strong headache made Mo Guang grasp his head.

His brother too could speak like that; however, he was like a gentle stream flowing through his head, this being, however, as if cracked his skull and written the words on his brain.

Soon, he heard his brother's answer.

"I certainly would have loved to met you right away, master, however, we are very busy at the moment. Please, you can visit my dwelling.."

"Acceptable, I shall do it immediately."

The stork spread its wings and suddenly vanished. Mo Guang could detect only a little black shadow before his silhouette joined the dark cloudy sky. Then, came silence.

Something jolted in his mind, and the blue shine vanished. Mo Guang's expression suddenly changed, to an amusement, and then into a rage.

"Aaagh!"

His jaw opened wide, his voice made the leaves tremble and in less than a moment, his sabre was unleashed. However, his left hand that was holding it remained unmoved, while the other became a fist and slashed through a thick three. The force of the attack made the severed trunk flew and crash at the hollow case and over it, into the earth. The inertia glided the case several meters after until it crashed at the same three-trunk.

Trembling all over, Mo Guang put the sabre back under his belt. His head turned to the edge of the sky, blue eyes reflecting the bleak daylight.

"Brother, believe in me…" He said, memories blinking in his head. The childhood, the shackles, the humans, the madness, and the blood. The promise under the rain and his duty.

"Brother, it won't be in vain. Nothing will be in vain. The fallen will be avenged, their graves will be made out of humans bones, decorated with demons hearts. They will see, they will see the rage. Everyone who was a slave shall be revered after."

He breathed it, so strongly that fur around his nose bent. Then lowered his head.

"And if you fail…"

The lonely dark silhouette of the wolf was standing before the sun, stronger and stronger, its white radiance smoothing his edges until only pure darkness remained.

"If you fail…"

The wolf licked his right palm, the blood flowing from it, something strange, disturbing in his eyes before the sun swallowed his silhouette whole.