Post by Zhao Yun on Apr 6, 2012 20:13:04 GMT -5
The White Dragon
Zhao Yun woke suddenly when a piece of wood in the fireplace let off a loud popping sound. He was laying on his back, shifting his eyes slightly to make sure all was as it should be in his small humble home.
Smoke from the fire slowly wafted by his nose and he remembered how much he loved that smell. He watched the shadows dance on the wall as his mind drifted. Suddenly, visions of burning villages and bodies forced their way in. He could smell and taste the putrid scent of charred innocents because it was so thick in the air. His eyes had closed momentarily during that vision, but they shot open when in it he saw the scattered bodies of women and children. Men such as Lu Bu cared not for the civilians that were slaughtered during war, but others such as Zhao Yun felt guilt and remorse for the losses.
He sat upright for a moment and stretched his arms as well as his neck. It was then that he heard a voice coming from outside. It sounded like his lord, Liu Bei, but it happened so quickly and he was still awaking from his sleep that he was not sure. He thought it unlikely that Bei would be strolling around so late though. Yun could see that it was still dark outside and the sound of crickets rubbing their legs together, like a violinist playing sweet music, was another indication of the time. It was, however, not entirely impossible. Bei in the past had sought him out on multiple occasions, late as it was now, to talk because he could not sleep.
Yun thought of how glad he was to not have the burdens of his close friend and leader. Though, he indirectly carried the same burdens because he was so close to Bei like his sworn brothers Guan Yu and Zhang Fei. They were all together through many hard times.
It was then that he heard it again, the voice from before. This time, he went to see for himself if anyone was there. He grabbed a green robe that was hung up on a rack and wrapped it around himself. He pulled his long hair over the back of the robe and the light glistened off the many gray strands which showed his age.
Yun walked to the door and opened it slowly. He peered outside, but nothing was there. He began to close the door when he caught sight of a shimmer of light in the distance. It could have been a guard patrolling the area, but an ominous feeling crept over him and his curiousity got the best of him. He turned to grab one of his weapons, but the only one available was his famed spear. The Sword of Light was gone. Was the glint of light that he saw the relection of the moon off of the blade?
Quickly, he grabbed the spear and darted off in the direction of what he had seen. He was running at full sprint for a few minutes, but soon his pace slowed to a fast walk and then to a complete stop. In his haste to leave, he had left his shoes back at the house and had taken no source of light. He turned to look back from the direction he came but could see only trees. When he turned again, to look forward, he noticed that it was snowing. It was still night, but the area was much brighter due to the blanket of white. He could now feel the cold under his feet and he looked down to see them slightly buried.
He turned back again to look and noticed the weather was the same behind him. A moment earlier it was a clear night. There was no time to understand what had happened because again he heard a voice. This time he clearly heard 'Zilong'. Again, he noticed the glint of light in the distance so he rushed toward it. The forest slowly opened into a valley as he moved and then he came to the base of a large mountain. In the side of the mountain was a gaping hole, a cave it seemed.
Yet again, he saw the shimmer of light. This time though, it was moving toward him. Slowly, a dark figure could be discerned exiting the cave.
"Liu Bei?"
Yun moved a few steps forward, but he stopped when Bei raised a weapon to him. It was the Sword of Light.
"My lord, I don't understand."
It was then that Yun noticed Bei's glossy eyes. It was as if he was in a trance or under a spell. A moment later the Shu leader lowered the weapon and Yun tried to approach again. This time he stopped, but it was not because of Bei. Instead, from behind him, inside the cave, Yun could see two insidious glowing eyes. They were massive and getting bigger as whatever it was moved closer to them.
"Behind you!"
Zhao Yun set his spear and watched as Bei threw the sword down, embedding it in the ground. A second later, a giant blue phoenix exited the cave and scooped Bei up in its mouth. The creature flew high up into the mountains as Yun yelled out to his companion.
"Xuande!"
Zhao Yun dropped to one knee and wept for the loss of his friend. It was then that the Sword of Light started to glow. He gathered himself and approached the famed blade. It was as if the sword was calling to him so he grabbed the pommel and was filled with an overwhelming sense of strength. He yelled out in pain as swirling energy encircled him. Slowly, he closed his eyes and could feel himself being lifted at great speed.
When he reopened his eyes he noticed an incredible view. He was atop the mountain, looking down at the snow covered land. Then, he noticed something bizarre. The snow stopped falling around him. His eyes shifted to the side as if he knew something was behind him. He turned to see the giant blue phoenix in front of him. It was breathing heavily and was the cause of the melting snow. Its hot, foul, breath was enveloping the area and he noted how it stunk like the scent of death.
Then, he noticed Liu Bei's body on the ground laying under the creature's mouth. Yun started to, at first, fill with anguish and then it turned to pure rage. He still had both of his weapons so he readied his spear and hurled it toward the phoenix. The creature exhaled its putrid breath and the spear disintegrated before his eyes. The wave of dark energy then engulfed Yun and he yelled out in agony as his flesh began to burn.
The screams of pain from his friend woke the unconscious Liu Bei. He struggled to see what was happening, but soon he saw Yun on one knee with the Sword of Light in front of him, holding back the dark force. Bei cried out to him.
"Zilong!"
Zhao Yun's eyes shot open and he fought through the pain to see that Bei was still alive. It seemed the creature took notice as well so it turned its attention back to him while Yun reeled in agony. The blue phoenix took off into the air and soared high above the two men before turning back. Its eyes started to glow and it looked to be swooping down for a final attack.
Zhao Yun looked on in horror because he could not move. In that instant, the memories of their history flashed through his mind. Their struggles, their accomplishments, their friendship....Liu Bei looked to him and smiled for he had lived a good life alongside his loved ones.
"Noooo!"
An aura of strength started to surround Zhao Yun. He roared with all of his might and what sounded at first like a man changed into something else entirely.
Liu Bei looked up at his fate approaching with talons set. However, a blinding light overtook him and he could then see nothing. With all that was happening, he blacked out momentarily and when he awoke there was darkness. One point of faint light could be seen through a veil of sorts. It was the Sword of Light. His eyes were fixed on that point as the veil lifted from around him.
It was then that he noticed Zhao Yun was gone from behind the sword, but his thought was cut short by a strong wind gust that kept him pinned down to the ground. Above him, rising into the sky, was a majestic white dragon. He was awe struck, but somehow he knew it was his friend.
"Zilong."
When the phoenix had first attacked Zhao Yun, the Sword of Light protected him. However, when Liu Bei's death was imminent, Yun transformed into a dragon and raised a mighty wing to save him. The phoenix had been sent reeling backwards with its talons crushed and injured. It was then that the white dragon rose into the heavens and that was the powerful gust of wind that Bei had felt.
Both creatures hovered over the mountain, flapping their huge wings, high above Liu Bei's head. He struggled to see what was happening when the two engaged, but the screams of pain sounded as if one had landed a fatal blow. Suddenly, both of them tumbled from the sky. They were intertwined and it looked as if the dragon had the phoenix' neck in its jaws. They fell past Bei who got to his feet and ran to the edge of the mountain peak.
The two monsters kept falling until they disappeared through the cloud cover. Soon after, Bei heard an extremely loud crashing noise. He waited anxiously for a few minutes before tears started to form in his eyes. He fell to his knees and wept like a child for the loss of his friend as the Sword of Light slowly disappeared behind him.
Zhao Yun woke up at the bottom of the mountain. He squinted due to the sun in his eyes. He got to his feet, which were sore from running barefoot, and he could hear someone yelling for him.
"Master Zhao Yun! Where are you?"
Yun noticed one of the servants that tended to his home. He had told Liu Bei that servants were not necessary, but Bei insisted. The thought of his lord reminded him of something and he looked up at the mountain.
"There you are! What is it, my lord?"
The servant was curious as to why he was staring upward. Then, she noticed that he was covered in dirt from laying on the ground.
"Come now, let us get you a change of clothing. I will do my best later to get that dirt out of your white robes."
Yun looked down and indeed he was wearing white robes.