Heavenly Battle

Shen's P.O.V

I had woken up from a painful slumber with a terrifying screech continuously piercing my ears. Bandages are everywhere in my body and damn did it hurt. That black fire did a toll on me, I can see that.

And there is that screech again.

LADY CHEN!

I get up, not minding the pain. I let my eyes search everywhere and there I saw, a bloodied Lady Chen and a wounded Master Zhao.

"Evacuate, child!"

"I can not leave you and Shen here, Master Zhao."

Tch! The heavenly bird stored qi on its beak, gathering even more to release another deathly black fire. Before the fire could hit those two, I had made myself as a human shield. Fortunately I was prepared than the last one.

*NHAAAAAAA*

"Stop it, damned bird!"

My ears were still ringing.

"Shen!"

"Master Shen!"

"Master Zhao, please grab Lady Chen and evacuate."

"What nonsense are you saying, Shen?"

I could not bare to look at Lady Chen's blooded situation. Her face and her hair are stained. She was wounded. I had let this happen. I had been not careful. I had only myself to blame. But my angel still looks like an angel.

"A knight's duty is to protect the beloved princess."

I grab the present the old hag has given me before she had left. I did not need so cut myself as I am already bleeding. I cut the cloth wrapped around my arm and wiped some blood using the seal.

"I am your owner, heed my call."

The seal lights up entirely, blinding us with its light. I close my eyes until the light was no more. A small smile had crept to my face when his face suddenly shows up.

"I-is that," Master Zhao could not believe who I had brought with me.

"Yes, the dragon mother had drove when she came in this world,"

"Sylviath."

"Lady Chen knows me so much," I joked.

*NHAAAAAA*

The heavenly bird was indeed angry. The Island of Grounds is demolished. Its wrath was not to be measured. If I remember correctly, a heavenly bird does not show any force not attack directly if the person had not done anything wrong to affect the heavenly bird.

*COUGH COUGH*

Blood? My body must be so torn.

"Shen," worry washed through Lady Chen's face and Master Zhao's.

"You need not worry. You are to be wedded this winter. I will send you back healthy and beautiful."

With Lady Chen to be wedded this winter in my mind, I was set to sacrifice my life for hers. I ride Sylviath with one regret in mind. If only I had came sooner.

"If I die and you survive, your new master will be Lady Chen, okay?"

"Ngrgrgrg,"

I stand as Sylviath flies nearer to the heavenly bird. I summon ice daggers and little fireballs. The bird notices us as we grow near it more. I bite the insides of my cheek, subtly making it painful.

I jump from Sylviath's body and spun around, confusing the bird but it did not work. It still spit out its black fire at me but Sylviath had shielded me before it could hit me. Sylviath drops his flight thus letting me send my attack. The fireballs and ice daggers did no damage whatsoever.

"Tsk. Why could I not breakthrough Heavenly Ace yet?"

I land on Sylviath's back once more as it flies around the heavenly bird. Sylviath is not a big dragon but he is very powerful. If his full power is unleashed, then no beast shall stand in his way.

"If I could just remember where it's core its,"

My eyes shot wide as it slapped me and Sylviath to where we were initially. We were sent flying and crawling through the ground.

"Oof,"

"Shen!"

My eyes went wide for the second time. The heavenly bird spewed its black flames at us. I grab Lady Chen's hand and carried her to the side, almost not making it in time before the fire could hit us.

"Why-why- goodness, Lady Chen! Had I not been clear a while ago?"

Oh, holy- we dodged again. The bird has the upper hand as it has cornered us. Goodness!

"Don't die, Shen."

Lady Chen is... crying? Well, my initial plan to become a sacrifice has now disappeared. I set Lady Chen down and sighed. I wipe the first tear to fall from her angelic eyes and smile.

I stand up, now all serious. I need to bring out my best.

I inhale deeply, concentrating on unlocking my inner demon. Pebbles float as the ground shook. My prominent aura now visible, deadly and powerful. My hair turned to that of an orange one as I feel my power release.

"You're almost at heavenly ace?"

"I ask for you to wait for my arrival."

I grab a pebble, kissed it and gave it to her. Like a flash, I was already face to face with the heavenly bird. I punch its beak. It made a sound as the intensity of my punch threw its face to side. It's beak had a dent.

"You have wounded the love of my life."

*NHAAAAAA*

It tried to attack me again, with its wings but I dodged both. But the bird was smart, it attacked me with its beak. I was sent flying across the Yingxiong Hall, forcing me to demolish the building. Blood was all over my clothes but I did not mind. The heavenly bird flew to me and landed beside me, on top if I did not roll to my side.

I whistled.

*NGAAAAA*

Sylviath gave the heavenly bird an electric blast. The bird spun around, almost hitting Sylviath with its tail. I pushed myself up using my hands and kicked the heavenly bird at the shin, if the bird has a shin. But it did not have. My kick merely made me stumble backwards. I jump to Sylviath and we ascend to the sky.

*NGAAAAA*

The bird followed us, angry. It shot its fire a few times as it chases us around.

I made a boulder size fire and threw it at the bird. Because of the bird's size, it did not completely dodge the fire boulder. It injured its left wing but can still be deemed useless. I grit my teeth as it fires another load.

"Sylviath, spin."

Sylviath did as I told him.

"Fire, Sylviath!"

"Ngrrrrraaaaa!"

Sylviath's blast went everywhere. The bird could not dodge many because the blast looked like it came from everwhere. The bird grew confuse as to why there are many blasts. This was my chance!

I detached myself from Sylviath and went head on to the heavenly bird.

"You think you're the only one who can make a black fire?!" I shouted at the top of my lungs.

My body was already injured and my strength was draining. I needed to end this fast or else I will lose and die.

"Don't die, Shen."

Lady Chen's voice echoed through my mind. It was on repeat. Lady Chen. Lady Chen. Lady Chen.

"GAAAAH!"

I managed to make a boulder size black fire but I know that that's not enough.

"Sylviath! Quick! Thousand Breath!"

Sylviath did as told. As the thousand breath pass me, I released my black ball. The two powers mingled into 1, making it a massive ball. As the ball engulfed the bird, my body had turned limp. That black fire drained everything. Ah, why did I not practice for that?

Sylviath had caught me before I could splash myself on the cold ground. I look at the bird as it falls and made a loud thud on the ground. Sylviath put me on the ground.

"Good boy,"

I say clearly tired. My body started aching again. Goodness. I haven't felt this pain since I left my mother's hellish training.

"Shen!" Lady Chen's face came in to view, smiling while tears stream down her face.

*NHAAA*

"What a useless bird! Sacrifice your life and just kill a single person!"

*NHAAAA*

"Hurry up!"

With only little energy and power left, the bird gathered all of that's left and directed its beak at Lady Chen. I do not have enough qi to protect Lady Chen.

There must be something. There must be something. Hurry. Quick. Quick. I look to my side and saw mother's sword. I had no other choice but to go to it and try to get it out from the ground.

"Mother!"

*SHIIINGGGG*

*NHAAAAA*

Blood.

I had made it in time and I have sinned. The gods must be angry at me. I have beheaded a heavenly bird. I have committed a serious crime. I gripped the hilt harder, angry at the person who had forced an innocent being into such violent actions.

"Tsk."

My head turned to the side and within a flash, the sword was on his throat.

"How did you-"

"I am going to behead you, who forced the heavenly bird such wrong doings."

"You can't possibl-" I put the sword nearer his neck. Blood came falling down.

"I-I am only of acquaintance to the one who gave the order!"

"Shen,"

"You will never leave this place. Alive."

"Shen,"

I killed a heavenly bird. I killed it. It was my fault. I shouldn't blame this man. I shouldn't.

"Master Zhao," my low voice penetrated the silent environment. Pure venom was evident.

"Yes, Master Shen?"

"Imprison this monster," I tell him myself.

"Ma-master Shen, I can no-"

"This is an order from your master!"

Clearly shocked by my outrage, he agreed.

"Tie that piece of shit."

It has been three days since I locked myself up. I could not bear to look at anyone. I did not want to eat thus I am starving myself. People knew me as a hero but I deem myself as a monster. What would both my parents think if they knew that I killed a heavenly bird? Ah, even if they feel bad about it, they won't tell me straightly. In those three days, Lady Chen had visited me once. I could not blame her if she saw me as a monster. A murderer.

"You killed that heavenly bird. You're a murderer. You deserve to die."

"Master Shen,"

"Leave, Master Zhao."

"You have not eaten-"

"I don't care if I die. Just leave."

"Understood,"

Night came and so does the sorrow. The guilt increases as I dream of the bird, crying, asking for help as I cut its head from its torso. I could not help but cry as soon as I wake up. Ah, the heavens are angry. This is not something that I should be guilty upon, for I did it with resolve.

*FLUTEEEEEEEEEE*

A flute? At this time of the night? I look up to the hallway but did not find anyone. I look at the window above me and saw this beautiful woman with silver hair. Her tune had coaxed me in my despair. I closed my eyes trying to listen more.

"Shen,"

I gave no reply.

"Shen,"

She descends from the stairs and lands in front of me, her beautiful blank expression always give me chills yet it makes me infatuated even more.

"You should not be here, Lady Chen,"

"A princess needs her knight."

"I am no knight anymore, Lady Chen. I am but a murderer."

Lady Chen sits down on the ground beside me, leaning her head on my shoulder. Her scent. invading my nostrils as the wind passes by.

"You are my savior in my eyes."

Somehow, those words crept in to my heart, tugging at it ever so gently. Tears started to well up before it came down as if like a never-ending waterfall. She was prepared for the worst. She accepts me despite of what I had done.

"Beside, you battled like a knight."

"Lady Chen,"

I lift my head up, tears still streaming down my face. I inch our faces closer until it there was no more gap.

"That's..." Lady Chen's face was red but she did not object.

I taste her lips once more, quite guilty that my lips probably taste like tears.