Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Tingyun stared out the port side window into the endless sea of stars that shone like brilliant beacons in the abyss that the the Starskiff sailed through as Madam Yukong piloted the vessel with a skill that only hundreds of years of piloting in the army could forge as they made their way towards the Xianzhou Xuling where she was to meet with the Marshal along with all six Arbiter Generals. A few months ago— Tingyun would have been over the moon whist trembling like a leaf in the wind at such a prospect. But now…

Tingyun sighed.

Ever since her resurrection, she’s become… so tired.

“Before I left, the Divine Foresight advised that it would be wise for you to chose a code name for the Alliance to maintain the element of surprise.” Madam Yukong spoke glancing towards Tingyun with nearly completely concealed pity.

Another acquisition. Tingyun was used to such things, ‘forsake what others fight for and take what others abandon’. So Tingyun refused to voice her discomfort that having to take a new name would be like Phantylia ‘won’.

“Don't worry, I’ll think of one.”

Back in the realm of dreams, Tingyun had resolved to use the connection she now possessed with the Emanator of Destruction who tried to steal her entire existence and somehow turn the tables and take everything from Phantylia with interest…

Tingyun had already seen the other side of the boundary beyond death, so she had nothing to fear… it was just the daunting road and amount of effort that it was going to take to get her there that she dreaded.

A selfish part of her wished she could go back to running the Whistling Flames. Contending Emanators and Aeons now had made her previous rivalries with pesky IPC representatives and petty vendors look like child’s play.

Her thoughts drifted to her friends in the Whistling Flames and those little flames she knew nothing of other than that she had a hand in their creation… would anyone ever tell them of what became of her one day? Will the Seat of Divine Foresight tell them the fate of ‘Tingyun’ who was killed by a Lord Ravager and whose likeness caused all sorts of trouble on the Loufu?

Or… will they know her as… whoever she was supposed to be now?

“Your thoughts are weighing you down.” Madam Yukong noted glancing towards Tingyun, “You can tell me anything. It pains me to see you like this…”

“I’m alright,” Tingyun tried to reassure her mentor to no avail before she relented, “Just a little tired… and… I’ve made my peace with the road ahead but sometimes…”

“Sometimes you miss the life you used to have?”  Yukong glanced towards her before returning her gaze towards the endless black ocean with small stars breaking through the dark waves,“Do you remember how I told you that I once ‘died’ too?”

Tingyun looked at her old mentor and silently nodded in acknowledgment. It was rare for Madam Yukong to bring up the war that took everything from her…

“By the time the remnants of the Lux Arrow had been collected from the battlefield. The thought of flying again terrified me so I threw myself into the role of bureaucracy… even though there was a swift and beautiful gunner who lost everything too and needed someone to pilot her Starskiff. She’d ask me to come fly with her practically every year. But I just… kept making excuses again and again until that gunner eventually chose a hot pot chef of all people to be her co-pilot…” Madam Yukong’s grip tightened over the Starskiff’s helm before she let out a exasperated huff. Seconds rolled passed in silence until she glanced towards Tingyun, “I know it’s hard but… don’t forget how to live like me, okay?”

“I… think I understand where you’re coming from.” Tingyun was absolutely sure that they wen’t talking about Starskiffs and looked away, “But I’ve already died once. I’m not sure if ‘living’ is going to be in the cards for me. And yet, a small part of me still wants to go home… isn’t that selfish?”

Madam Yukong shook her head, a long time she was silent and Tingyun thought that that was the end of their exchange and begun to stare out the Starskiff window again when the Helm Master spoke up, “…Do you remember the story of the Fox Clan?”

Tingyun blinked at the Helm Master bemusedly as to why she’d bring up such a thing.

What Foxian didn’t know the story of their people? When their eternal enemies, the Borisan’s delusional faith in the Plague Author reached it’s peak— they left their old verdant home, dragging the Foxians along in chains to bring the terrible misfortune of ‘Lupuswinter’ to other planets. The Foxians were only now free to live amongst the stars apart of the Xianzhou Alliance thanks to the Xianzhou Native’s dedication to The Hunt.

“During the era of bloodshed, the Borisin ordered their Foxian slaves to craft weapons for them, and to keep them from leaning how to recreate their forging techniques for themselves, they kept the Fox Clan trapped in the dark underbelly of their beast ships and dragged a few out to be their blade smiths... only to blind the Foxian blade smiths by gouging out their eyes.” Yukong elaborated as she kept her gaze fixed forward towards the approaching cluster of astroids their ship headed towards, “The Fox clan used those precious few seconds in the light to make note of the Borisin’s stronghold and create tools to bring back to the others so that when the day came that the Xianzhou Alliance broke through the beast ships’ blockades, the Fox Clan was ready to use every weapon the crafted for themselves and every trick they had to take back their freedom.”

Tingyun hummed thoughtfully looking back out towards the distant stars, whose lights felt unreachable, “How was their resolve so strong? To gamble their eyesight on that tiny chance that every detail they uncovered wouldn’t be changed by the time another Foxian was forced to labor away for the Borisin?”

“We Foxians live only about as half as long as the Xianzhou Natives who often devise long term strategies such as these. We have to cling to whatever it is that keeps us going through the darkest eras.” Madam Yukong spoke solemnly as she kept her attention fixed on the aerospace around their ship, “Even a notion as childish as hope.”

Tingyun turned her attention towards the vast sea of stars surrounding their ship, “I’m afraid I’ll need to be bolder if I want to bring THEM down…”

“No… You’ll be what the others put their hopes into.” Yukong spoke softly, “Which is going to be a much harder endeavor.

Tingyun chuckled dryly, “Good. I like a challenge."

“That’s why I know you’ll make a fine Helm Master one day.” Yukong let out a light huff as though being the Helm Master was still in the cards for Tingyun.

The thought brought a ghost of a smile to the Amicassador. As she glanced back towards the pilot. Curious, this is actually the first time I’ve seen Yukong fly a Starskiff…

A vaguely familiar shape from beyond the asteroids then caught Tingyun’s attention.

Tucked away amongst an asteroid belt that glittered like gems was a massive ship, one she’s never seen with her own eyes before but knew like the back of her hand from her years being the image of this ship during her academy’s history lessons…

…The Xianzhou Xuling.

Madam Yukong helped Tingyun off their Starskiff when they passed into the safety of the field used to maintain atmospheric pressure and air clearance. They were greeted with an rows upon rows of of inginium soldiers coated in pale green jade standing at the ready.

In addition to Yukong’s Starskiff, there was three other Starskiffs bearing the crests of  the Xainzhou Zhuming and Fanghu— along with a second Xianzhou Loufu Starskiff were all docked nearby.

Tingyun’s ears perked up when she heard a pair of voices she recognized and hadn’t heard in months…

“…Dad! Yunli’s a girl who happens to be my friend!”

“And that makes her your ‘girlfriend’?”

“Yes, wait! I mean—”

General Jing Yuan noticed Tingyun and Yukong and his relaxed smile widened Tingyun grinned and quickly strode up to them so that she stood behind his retainer.

“I must have missed a lot for you to have a girlfriend now?”

Yanqing spun around and looked at Tingyun wide eyed before glancing towards Jing Yuan and then doing a double take.

“Tingyun!? It— It’s you!”

“That’s me~”

The young Cloud Knight Lieutenant looked torn between dual desires of giving her a hug and maintaining his composure. After a few seconds of sputtering, restraint won over and Yanqing straightened up and cleared his throat before speaking in an even tone, “It’s good to see you, Miss Tingyun.”

Tingyun smiled…

…She sort of wished Yanqing had hugged her.

“It is good to see you again, Miss Tingyun.” General Jing Yuan greeted her cordially before his unhidden eye softened, “I understand what being here means for you. I look forward to the day we are reunited in our homeland.”

Tingyun nodded, as of now, she’ll be staying on the Xuling for perhaps the remainder of her life in order to use her abilities to their fullest. She knew full well when she made her decision and bowed politely, “Being able to walk aboard a Xianzhou ship is close enough to home for me.”

General Jing Yuan nodded solemnly while Yanqing glanced from Tingyun to the general, sensing the heaviness to their conversation, he added, “I still have some of the swords you gave me!”

The Lieutenant summoned one of the blades Tingyun had picked out for the child years ago that had made his face light up brighter than any of the popular toys the children his age played with at the time, “Though… most of them broke…”

Somehow, Tingyun wasn’t surprised.

“N-Not because of the craftsmanship or anything! We were sorta fighting Hoolay…”

“Hoolay?” Tingyun felt her other five tails fluff out at the sound of the wolf monster’s name that her parents used to say would break out of the Shackling Prison and drag her away if she didn’t finish her all of her vegetables as a child, “I thought that… thing was trapped in the forest of swords?”

“It’s—“ Yanqing hesitated, glancing from Tingyun and her five now-pink tails to Jing Yuan, “It’s a long story…”

Tingyun offered the Lieutenant a soft smile, she knew that she missed out on many recent happenings aboard the Loufu… the hollowness of what she missed remained.

“I can share with you over tea at another time…?” Yanqing’s offer was drowned out by a boisterous voice from above them.

“Whoa! You’re tail!” A girl who wore a hanfu in the popular style of the Zhuming  hopped down from the Divine Foresight’s Starskiff exclaimed and ran up to Tingyun with wide eyes filled with wonder.

Tingyun glanced down at her now five tails that were still swishing out and about, Ruan Mei once likened her many unusual tales to that of an outworlder folklore creature called ‘a kitsune’. It was rather embarrassing to be associated with an imaginary beast…

“Oh, they um… come out when I…”

When I sense danger like I’m about to die again, or when the evilest Abomination of Abundance is ever mentioned, or when it’s time for tail care before bed…

The genius mentioned that she redirected the power of destruction towards these tails to balance the equilibrium in her body, but Tingyun had no idea how that would be useful in any way…

“They come out to protect me.”

“They’re so pretty, they’re remind me of the sage paintings back home!” Rather than recoil in disgust, the Zhuming Cloud Knight looked like one of the little ones at the market who desperately wanted to pet her tail.

“Yunli…” An elderly Xianzhou Native that Tingyun recognized as the Flaming Heart spoken an admonishing tone as he gingerly trailed after his granddaughter, “Please allow our honored guest a moment of repose before badgering her on trivial matters such as presentation…”

“It’s okay, I don’t mind…” Tingyun once prided herself on her fluffy auburn tail. To have someone think her many unusual tails the same shade as pink lotus blossoms were all lovely dulled the constant ache that continuously throbbed in her chest.

She bowed politely to the elder, “It’s an honor to be in the presence of one with vast accumulated wisdom such as yourself, General Huaiyan.”

On their star-fairing voyage to the Xuling, Madam Yukong had given Tingyun dossiers on the Arbiter Generals to review so that she wouldn’t feel like a leaf lost upon being swept up in a torrent.

“Please, there are no need to waste time on formalities.” The elderly General held up his hand as Tingyun rose, “I’d rather use the remaining time I have

“Grandpa! Don’t say such things! The doctor says you have the heart and Core Esse of a sixty year old, you’re going to be fine as long as you avoid foods high in salt and fat!” Yunli chastised her chuckling grandfather.

Tingyun watched as both went to greet one another, subtly leaving their retainers to their own devices.

“Hey Yunli,” Yanqing straightened up to appear a couple of centimeters taller as he greeted the Yunli, “Meetings after a long parting are the most precious. It’s good to see you again.”

Tingyun hid a giggle behind her fan at the sight of little Yanqing trying to emulate General Jing Yuan.

“Ah, Yanqing.” Yunli cast a nominally interested look towards the Loufu Lieutenant, “Your swords are singing your praises this time. You might actually make for a half decent sparing partner now!"

“I— Pfft! I can take you on anytime, anywhere!” Yanqing boldly proclaimed before glancing towards, Tingyun and the generals, “Though now may not the best time…”

Tingyun’s ears picked up faint music from that new Idol Demon Hunter Immersia as a Xianzhou Yaoqing Starskiff sped towards the docking bay before skidding to an abrupt halt.

As soon as the ship entered the Xianzhou ship, the now blasting music switched off only to be replaced by a pair of bickering voices—

“Okay, so I know we’re a few hours late, but we’re not the last ones here and Jing Yuan and Huaiyan just arrived— Which means we’re right on time.”

“Actually, the meeting time I gave you was a three hours early than what had actually been planned…”

Tingyun felt a gust of wind brush past her before she sensed another’s presence behind her.

Turning around she saw a pair of Foxians— one with pale pink fur wore a red healer’s coat. When they turned to greet the Loufu Foxians, Tingyun saw white bandages covering his eyes that reminded the Amicassador of Yukong’s story and she felt her empty stomach twist… 

Guiding him, was A Foxian, who despite not having a tail— carried herself with an elegance rivaled by an overwhelming martial prowess… the Merlin’s Claw, the Vanquishing General of the Yaoqing, Feixiao. She flashed a grin with teeth that were white as pearls at Tingyun and Yukong, “Hey Yukong, we finally managed to meet in less than a decade this time!”

She’s everything you’re not.

“It’s good to see you again, General Feixiao.” Yukong eyed the blind healer for a split second before she saluted to the Yaoqing General.

Tingyun pretended not to notice her mentor’s chilled tone and followed suit in offering a polite bow to the Foxian General who eyed her five tails with the same aura of amusement as Yunli, causing a low burn to touch Tingyun’s cheeks.

“So you’re the Amicassador I’ve heard so much about! You had me worried there for a second when your trail led to Number 81 of the Genius Society. It looks like you’re not too worse for ware considering you’ve got a few more lucky tails on you!” When General Feixiao spoke to Tingyun, the healer accompanying her inclined his head curiously.

Wait, why would the Vanquishing General look for me of all people…?

Mirroring Yanqing from mere seconds ago, Tingyun looked from General Feixiao to Madam Yukong. The Helm Master looked at the inginium floor at their feet and cleared her throat, “While you were… away— I commissioned the Merlin’s Claw to look into your whereabouts…”

Tingyun didn’t know what sort of favor Yukong would’ve had to call in to get an Arbiter General to try and bring her home… but she knew that it made her eyes and cheeks burn… Thankfully, it was at that moment that the other two generals arrived to exchange pleasantries before Tingyun lost her fleeting grip on her composure.

“Greetings General Feixiao,” General Jing Yuan spoke as he and General Huaiyan moved to join them with their respective retainers, “Doctor Jiaoqiu. It is fortunate to to find you in good health once more.”

Doctor Jiaoqiu’s reply was cut off by a cold voice that echoed off the metal surrounding the Starskiffs.

“What part of ‘highly classified meeting between Arbiter Generals’ failed to get through to you three?” Tingyun turned to see a woman with distinct dragon features of the Vidyadhara storming towards the gathered generals. Her narrowed eyes were as thin as parchment paper like a grimalkin about to strike.“And what is the meaning of this?”

Tingyun instinctively stepped back— only to have Madam Yukong bear the brunt of the Seiche Queller’s scrutiny, But to her surprise, the target of General of the Fanghu’s ire was none other than Lieutenant Yanqing who held her gaze with a courage that Tingyun never would have thought a child such as he possessed…

General Jing Yuan quickly stepped between them, to shield the Lieutenant and faced General Xuanquan head on.

“To prevent the followers of the Plague and Ruin author from becoming aware of of our intentions, General Huaiyan journeyed here under the pretext of assisting his granddaughter in tracking a cursed sword.” Jing Yuan spoke up.

“Wait, there aren’t any cursed swords here?” Yunli whispered to her grandfather who quickly shushed her.

“…While the remaining Arbiter Generals are gathered here to attend your marriage to General Yaoguang. As we agreed upon.”

“Is it not customary to bring a witness to a union between two in the Xianzhou Alliance?” General Feixiao pointed out in an even tone, Tingyun noted that the way her retainer’s ears flattened while her own arms guarded her chest. There were more layers to the Arbiter General’s question, but they were lost on someone like Tingyun.

“Yaoguang and I are not engaged—“

“Yes we are!” A voice called from the Divine Foresight’s Starskiff. Tingyun had heard that the Seer Strategist was a well known recluse, preferring to convert over the yellow bell communication rather than in the person. A trait that an Amicassador who relied on developing social connections for good business couldn’t understand, “I made Jing Yuan get certified for marriage ceremonies so now we don’t have to lie whenever anyone asks!”

“You lie all the time and now you’ve decided to concern yourself with morality when it’s most inconvenient for me?” General Xuanquan hissed as the great metal doors to the Xuling opened and a figure stepped through.

The Patina Justice was often described by the storytellers of the Loufu as ‘mysterious and fair’, but seeing her in person, Tingyun could only think of her as intimidating— if not absolutely terrifying! The Arbiter General of the Xuling carried herself like a towering inginium puppet as she nodded as stiff greeting towards the Generals.

The Merlin’s Claw greeted the Patina Justice with an unreadable smile as the tension between the generals grew to the point where it felt like every living being aboard the Xuling was locked inside a pressure cooker.

General Youwu glanced towards a shadow cast by the Yaoqing’s Starskiff beneath the florescent lights before turning back towards Feixiao and growled.

“Call off your attack dog…”

Is she… referring to the blind doctor…?

“And here I thought you were the one whose always wanted to see how far the ‘feral plague mark powered wolf’ was willing to go?” General Feixiao spoke with an air of indifference, but there was something different now, as though an aura beyond any of them had enveloped the Yaoqing’s general with all but Jing Yuan and Doctor Jiaoqiu reacting to the subtle display of raw energy.

“Jing Yuan.” General Youwu spoke the Divine Foresight’s name as both a request and an order.

The General himself however, remained where he was guarding Lieutenant Yanqing against General Xuanquan’s cold scrutiny which told the Patina Justice all that she needed to know.

“You made an alliance with Feixiao?”

General Jing Yuan shrugged his shoulders lightly.

“After what she did to your gazebo?”

“General Feixiao and I share a bond that runs deeper than earthly possessions.” General Jing Yuan replied, with his eye half hidden by his messy bangs glancing towards General Huaiyan, who looked as though he was silently willing his granddaughter to refrain from drawing her sword against the Seiche Queller.

“What have you done to this child?” General Xuanquan seethed redirecting her ire back to the Divine Foresight, “Desecrating his ears and removing his scales to pass for Xianzhou Native—“

Yanqing gritted his teeth as a chill sweep through the air, causing the fur on Tingyun’s tails to raise and her breath becoming visible puffs of faint clouds.

“High Elder Glaciator Marum, my retainer’s circumstances can be discussed at another time, in private.” For the first time in her life, General Jing Yuan without a trace of warmth in his voice when he addressed the dual High Elder and Arbiter General of the Fanghu

“That’s enough.” Those two words spoken by the Flaming Heart forced the Seiche Queller’s hand and she stormed off towards the Divine Foresight’s Starskiff, most likely to enter a battle of wits with the Seer Strategist.

“For now, we ought to focus on the matter that brought us to the Xuling to begin with.” General Jing Yuan spoke up in an effort to mediate. But Tingyun was taken aback by General Jing Yuan’s curt tone was as cold as the air around them.

The Patina Justice broke her stalemate with the seemingly laidback Merlin’s Claw to stab Tingyun with a glare of twin daggers.

“…You brought an Emanator of the Ruin Author here?”

Tingyun felt the gazes of the Arbiter Generals turn towards her with an intensity that rivaled that of an Aeon as the marks of destruction twisted inside her. She gulped down her nerves which did nothing to soothe her dry throat.

“M-My name is Tingyun—“ Tingyun’s voice cracked in the middle of introductions and she tried to clear her throat to recompose herself as Madam Yukong placed a hand on her shoulder and spoke in her stead.

“Tingyun has chosen to follow the path of the hunt to the end.” The Loufu’s Helm Master matched the scrutinizing glare of the Patina Justice with eyes that held pure blue fire, “Remember that.”

“The Marshal is about to summon us in thirty seconds,” General Yaoguang’s sudden announcement cut through the thick tension that had filled the docking bay, “Which a fight between the five of you would not be resolved by then.”

Tingyun let out the breath she was holding when the Patina Justice and Seiche Queller departed form the docking bay. Along with Yanqing while Yunli straightened up from her battle ready stance.

The Amicassador sensed a presence behind her— but by the time she turned around, the docking bay doors had already shut.

General Jing Yuan placed a hand on Tingyun’s shoulder where the marks of the Plague Author were the most densely concentrated and offered her a comforting smile as if to say ‘you did well’, “Your journey has been long, Miss Tingyun. The Arbiter Generals and I will meet with the Marshal for introductions while you may acquaint yourself with the Xianzhou Xuling with the retainers.”

Tingyun couldn’t be more relieved to be banished to kid’s table and nodded her thanks. The general and his retainer shared a knowing look before he turned and ventured further into the service station.

The Merlin’s Claw leaned over and whispered something to her advisor. Whatever she said caused his ears to twitch in response as he snickered before she followed Jing Yuan, tossing an arm over the other gathers’s shoulder to regale an epic war conquest.

“Well then~” Doctor Jiaoqiu spoke in good spirits, “Why don't we get started with a nice hot pot before we get started with all the formalities of assessing qi and how high potent the marks of destruction are within.”

Yunli, Madam Yukong, and Yanqing each groaned with varying degrees of vexation in response.

“Does this place even have a kitchen?” Yunli asked skeptically as she looked around at the metallic would surrounding them.

“Or fresh ingredients.”

All of Tingyun’s tails fluffed out when a trace of electricity cracked through the air and the shadow beneath the Starskiff from earlier took the form of a Xianzhou Native whose scent was saturated with blood and now stood next to her while none of the other retainers seemed to take notice.

“Hey Moze!” Yanqing greeted the hooded rogue with a fist bump as though greeting an old comrade.

“I almost didn’t notice you there!” Yunli exclaimed as she trotted up to the assassin to inspect his daggers, “Your short swords say that you've taken good care of them and made use of them quite often!"

'Made use of' meaning to carry out assassinations... Tingyun thought to herself.

“Yunli... Those are knives.”

“Knives are short swords!”

“Just because it has a bladed edge doesn't make it a sword!"

While the kids argued amongst themselves, Tingyun turned her attention back to the doctor, “Hot pot would be great.”

The past few nights, she and Yukong have shared the standard field nutrient bars and Tingyun had reached the point where she'd give just about anything for a spicy hot pot filled with fowl and oil... 

Hold on, didn't Madam Yukong mention something about hot pot earlier?

Before she could voice her question to Madam Yukong, the Loufu Helm Master was already ushering Jiaoqiu towards the hanger doors, “I will assist Doctor Jiaoqiu with preparing your treatment. You kids can use the training facilities in the interim.”

"You know, you can just call me Jiaoqiu—"



"Okay Doctor! I'll show you to the kitchen Doctor!"

"Do you even know where we're going—"

When the hatch slid shut, Yunli turned towards Tingyun, "So, do you have a sword?"



"I... I have a fan."

"Are there blades inside the fan?"

"No."

"Oh... that's too bad."

Tingyun followed the Generals' retainers through the vast world cyberpunk-esque world of the Xuling.

Tingyun had once heard that in a bygone era, Cloud Knights and artisans used to live aboard the Xuling and assist with its operations before arumatons took over such tasks leaving only the Marshal and Patina Justice to oversee the massive ship.

Now she could understand why no living being wished to remain aboard the Xuling.

Although the Xuling was a Xianzhou ship, the world primarily functioned as a repair harbor for the other Xianzhou ships in an effort to prevent the remaining Alliance ships from suffering the same fates as the Daiyu and Yuanqiao. After the Third Abundance War, the Fanghu had remained with the Xuling to repair their delves for a few years before the Marshal cleared the ship to return to the hunt once more.

The Xianzhou Xuling was an entirely different world compared to the Xianzhou Loufu. In a sense, it could be described as a ship where the Artisanship Commission held free rein.

While Tingyun had grown up beneath the peach and plum blossom trees of Starskiff Haven, surrounded by bustling markets filled with sweet and savory scents from food stalls and music played by street vendors— the Xuling was a cold metallic world filled with artificial lights and arumatons that emotionlessly flitted about the manufacturing areas with unnaturally perfect efficiency. Tingyun couldn’t even pick up the wind as though the air itself was filtered through inginium powered air conditioners...

Fortunately, Yanqing and Yunli's presence her from being swallowed by a void of silence.

“So, Little Gui's started a Ghost Hunting channel where she and her girlfriend and a Judge from the Ten Lords commission hunt Hilliobi, we should watch some of her previous livestreams sometime, they’re hilarious!” Yanqing was busy filling Tingyun in on all that she’d missed since she left the Loufu as they ventured further into the fortress, “Oh, and the Loufu finally has a new Cauldron Master, her name’s Lingsha and she just came back from studying abroad on the Zhuming— which reminds me…”

Yanqing took out a pouch of incense and politely offered the velvet bag to Tingyun, “Before I left, I asked her to make something to help you with uh… your new constitution. She says that a pinch of this in a burner will ‘quiet the mind and reinforce inner fortitude’, or something along those lines.”

“She sounds like she’d make a shrewd business partner…” Tingyun mused as she unwound the leather cord from the pouch, the incense inside smelled like sandalwood and jasmine.”

Yunli elbowed Yanqing in the ribs, “So… was Tingyun the only person Lingsha made incense for?”

Oh my, here we go…

“Ye— actually, I thought you’d like these instead!” Yanqing reached into his bag and brought out incense sticks, “I asked Lingsha to make them smell like berry pheasant skewers!”

Yunli’s pupils widened like a cat’s as she accepted the Lieutenant’s gift, prompting a giggle from Tingyun. The Amicassador's ears picked up the faintest hitch of a breath, but when she turned around, Tingyun noted that Moze had already turned his head so that his face was hidden beneath his hood.

Incense that heals the body and mind while also carrying unique fragrances would sell well on the market… 

”The new Cauldron Master sounds like she would have made for an excellent benefactor for the Whistling Flames…” 

Yanqing hesitated, “Actually Lingsha’s not big a fan of healers selling their wares like the other healers used to be on the Loufu— but I think you’d two’ll really hit it off when you…!”

If I ever return to the Loufu… Tingyun forced a small smile to ease the child’s mind.

And the Xuling is where I’ll be living for what will perhaps be the remainder of my life… Tingyun bit the inside of her cheek before her resolve had the chance to waver. 

Tingyun felt her tails writhe with when the realization hit her that the only other living beings here were the legendary Marshal and the Patina Justice, General Youwu...

She… was supposed to fight in a war amongst the Aeons when the most combat experience she possessed were a few defensive blocks with her fans—

Not that it actually did her anything for her against a Lord Ravager.

The flames of destruction consuming her whole and sending her to the nether realm flashed through Tingyun’s memory and her chest burned… 

Before she could panic, Tingyun glanced towards the generals’ retainers who were examining a nearby creation furnace and realized that she was in the presence of three of the best sword masters in the Xianzhou— who could easily make a fighter out of her if they managed to do so with March 7th!

Tingyun cleared her throat drawing the attention of the three retainers, “If you don’t mind, could we spar before I meet with the Marshal?”

Yanqing gasped and exclaimed with the same energy as a child who’d found out they’re about to go on a holiday, “I didn’t know you knew the way of the sword!”

“Actually… I not really a fighter— Yet…”

Yanqing’s positive energy left him as quickly as it appeared. 

“General Feixiao mentioned that the marks of Destruction have reached a delicate balance within you.” Moze spoke to Tingyun directly for the first time, “Wouldn’t fighting you cause them to unravel?”

“I’m…” Tingyun hesatated as she replayed every Ruan Mei had told her about how her body was now, “I’m not sure…”

“So, you want three of us to fight you, who lacks experience with your element and weapons?” Moze’s voice carried the barest hint of sarcasm.

Tingyun could already feel her cheeks turn a deep shade a pink, “I have a ‘fan’.”

“And how’s that going to hold up against a sword?” Yunli cut through her paper thin argument like a sword through paper, “Maybe we should wait to hear what Doctor Jiaoqiu and the generals have to say before we do anything that might be reckless.”

“Uh, yeah. Sounds good.” Tingyun spotted a nearby corridor and sped down the halls, away from the retainers, “I’m going to get some fresh air over there, okay?”

”This place only has air conditioning.”

”I know what I said!”

Tingyun fumed as she passed the Xuling’s Terracotta Army of pale green inginium puppets on standby in case another Abundance War occurs... which may be soon with the direction their hunt was headed for.

Tingyun paused and looked at her reflection through one of the jade soldiers and not Phantylia’s when her ears twitched when she noticed the Shadow Guard’s presence from his twin dagger stare that pierced into her back, without turning she asked, “Is something the matter?”

“… How are you?”

Tingyun turned around to see the Shadow Guard was right behind her.

“That genius… she used biological means that are beyond the Erudition to resurrect you.” Moze spoke his question matter of factly.

Everyone in the Xianzhou knew Ruan Mei was born on a planet cursed by the Plague Author and held no qualms with committing further sins against the Reignbough for the sake of her research. But the Alliance knew when to pick their battles and considering that the genius did the impossible to save one of them, now was not that time.  

“I don’t exactly know what her methods were for bringing the dead back to life…” Tingyun admitted as she ran her hand along her right shoulder where the marks of the Ruin Author were concentrated the most, “But I think you might be onto something...”

“Did it… hurt?”

Tingyun blinked before she shook her head.

“Good.” Moze turned on his heel and vanished.

Tingyun stared at the spot where he disappeared before she made her way upstairs towards another chamber on another level of the ship where she found a training room of sorts and strode over to the jade control panel.

Just what I was looking for! Tingyun delightedly thought herself. The Xuling was filled with arumatons, she could just program one to spar with her!

“Do you know how to use that?” Moze suddenly asked when Tingyun started to fiddle with the training room’s controls.

“I may not look it, but I know a thing or two about Artisanship manufacturing.” Tingyun matched Moze’s curt tone with her own as she tapped away at the holo-keypad when a chime echoed through the nearly vacant empty Xuling.

“Activating the ‘Modified Inginium Mecha Immersive Combat’ Simulation!” A robotic voice chimed as a jet black arumaton began to shift and take shape, a small flash of pale green light pulsed and Tingyun suddenly felt herself getting tackled to the ground.

The sound of an explosion tore through Tingyun’s ears causing the Amicassador to yelp in alarm as she and Moze tumbled to the ground outside of the training room and over the side of the walkway back to where the army of puppets were held. 

The Shadow Guard managed to catch her in a bridal carry and landed on his feet before they hit the ground. 

“Can you move?” Moze asked gruffly as he set Tingyun down.

“I’m alright—“ Tingyun answered as her tails flared with the fire element she gained from the marks of the Ruin Author, “I didn’t burn you, did I?”

Moze shook his head and took out his daggers, “Protecting you from that takes priority.”

Tingyun followed the Shadow Guard’s intense glare back to the upper level and wish she hadn’t as a gasp escaped her throat.

Towering over them was a mecha five times her size in the shape of the now dead Borisin War Head…

”If you run, he’ll chase you.” Moze growled as he disappeared into the shadows, “So you better learn fast.”

With nothing else to protect herself with, Tingyun grabbed her ruby hued fan as the arumaton lunged—

Chapter Text

Tingyun spun around to the melody of the Vidyadhara folk songs from Cloudcry Songbook jade abacus she begged her parents to buy for her, oblivious to the mournful concept behind the beautiful song notes in the innocence children possessed when raised aboard the Loufu.

“Tingyun will make a fine dancer!” Her mother had happily exclaimed as she recorded her daughter with her phone to remember this moment. 

“Funny how she chose the paper kite rather than the zither for her birthfate ceremony.” Her father noted as he picked up his daughter and ruffled her unusually fluffy ears affectionately.

“Please be careful not to tangle my fur.” Little Tingyun politely cautioned as she patiently waited to be put back down.

“Aw… so cute!” Her parents chorused. They knew they were blessed to have a daughter who was nothing like the rambunctious Foxian cubs who’d run all over the Loufu and pull on each others ears and tails, so they were more than happy to spoil Tingyun every once in a while.

A shadow passed overhead making little Tingyun look up. Her eyes widened at seeing the magnificent flying ships of the Xianzhou Alliance Starskiffs for the first time. And in that moment, the small child knew what she wanted to devote her life to…

“I wanna touch the sky…”

After her coming of age ceremony, Tingyun enrolled in the Sky Fairing Commission’s pilot academy with hair pins adorning her fur.

…Half a year passed before her flight instructor advised her to pursue other careers.

“I won’t mince my words, You’re velocity is too slow, you hug the ground while you're flying, and the most your lightning element can generate is a few static shocks between your fingers. If I were to pass you and let you fly, you will never make it home alive.” 

Her teacher’s words crushed Tingyun. Her face burned and she willed herself not to cry in front of anyone and quickly left the academy in shame. And despite wishing for a moment of repose, the Helm Master who inspired her to spread her wings and fly found her at her lowest and offered her consolidation.

“Hey kid… I can tell your thoughts are heavy, if you want, I’ll listen.”

Madam Yukong silently ordered a pot of soothing tea as Tingyun described the first time she tasted failure, and how bitter it felt. When she ran out of tears to shed a was able to recompose herself, Yukong offered these comforting words.

“The era of peace that we live in doesn’t need fighter pilots anymore. There are other ways for you to fly in the Sky Fairing Commission.”

Tingyun looked up at the soaring ships as they sailed towards the Jade Gate to worlds beyond the Loufu.

So she strode back into the Sky Fairing Commission, ignoring the coos of the staff of how ‘cute’ and ‘fluffy’ she looked and submitted transfer papers to the merchant class.

By the end of the year, the Whistling Flames Guild was born and she finally could see the distant worlds beyond the Loufu from the view of a Starskiff. Within ten years, her Whistling Flames Guild grew into one of the major trading guilds of the Skyfairing Commission alongside Yanming’s Celestial Guild, Changqing’s Securocrat Guild, Changwen’s Goldstream Guild, Zhiyao’s Plainfeather Guild, Yunling’s Firefly Guild, and Zhongchu’s Aquaglider Guild. And Tingyun was ready to venture further. 

And—

And flames of Destruction consumed her and her ship.

Suffocating red and orange fire surged all around her, ready to engulf Tingyun at any second. A giant shadow loomed over the flames, ready to end her life again.

Tingyun’s scream was cut short when the Shadow Guard scooped her into a bridal carry and dodged the bladed claws that sliced at the ground where they stood but a second ago. A a cold, mechanical arm slammed into them. And the the Amicassador felt pain blossom along her right side as she and Moze were slammed into the wall on the far side of the assembly bay.

Struggling to stand, Moze spat on the ground and wiped a trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth, “Finally. Now I’m able to do what I should’ve done that day…” 

“I-is that really Hoolay?” Tingyun asked as she stood on shaking feet and opened her fan and tried to fan the flames she conjured like she’d done before to set the malfunctioning mecha on fire once more. All her efforts managed to do was make the flames that coated giant mechanical wolf grow with no other debilitating affects to the arrumaton.

Rather than answer her, the Shadowguard clicked his tongue and when Tingyun blinked, he vanished. When she turned her attention back to the mechanical wolf, Tingyun gasped when she saw that it was covered in lightning infused slashes and throwing knives.

Now’s my chance! Tingyun thought as she tried to harness the the fire that coursed from her five tails—

Sickening pain, as though her entire body fell into hot lava seeped through her bones taking her back to when she first regained her senses at Ruan Mei’s laboratory causing strangled sounds to escape her throat as uncontrollable flames coursed through her many tails, whistling past the mechanical wolf and setting the the jade soldiers standing guard ablaze.

The mech molded after Hoolay lunged towards Tingyun. Yelling out as panic surpassed the pain, she stumbled back as lightning sliced through the mech’s clawed limbs. Moze reappeared next to Tingyun and turned towards her, “…I told you so.”

Tingyun turned towards Moze and blinked.

“That’s a mimic of Hoolay. And that’s why I told you not to touch anything.”

The Amicassador glared at the Shadowguard as more fire coursed through her five tails. Some catching onto the false Hoolay— but most flames were caught by the jade soldiers. Tingyun pushed aside her indignation and focused again, when the giant arumaton sprinted on all four limbs towards them—

A great sword burning hot like a freshly forged blade from the Artisanship Commission’s creation furnace slammed into the Mecha’s head. Before TIngyun was allowed a moment to react, a shout rang over head. 

“Is that Hoolay!?”

Tingyun looked up to and saw the silhouettes of Yanqing and Yunli peering down at them. The Zhuming Sword Hunter looked from Tingyun to the smoldering Borasin mech that now had Old Mettle imbedded deep in it’s outer shell.

“What in the actual nightmare fuel inducing heck happened here?”

“Uh… freak manufacturing accident?”

“Tingyun broke one of the Patina Justice’s training arumaton.”

“I did not!” Tingyun insisted, she felt the fur on all five of her tails raise. She felt a shift in the air and ducked right when she felt something hot brush against her ears—

Yunli and Yanqing yelped as Old Mettle was flung directly at them. The Cloud Knight Lieutenant leaped from the runway and used on of his flying swords to catch himself before he hit the ground below. Yunli shifted her stance and withstood the attack head on, when the smoke cleared Tingyun saw that she opted to catch her own sword. How the Sword Hunter managed to muster the strength to withstand the impact was beyond Tingyun.

“Hoolay…” Yunli muttered under her breath, “Why did it have to be Hoolay!?”

Moze appeared next to Tingyun and threw another handful of throwing knives before adding his two strale, “Subconscious fear?”

“Yeah, if this thing was copying our fears, it would’ve turned into a mean swordswoman with silver hair growling ‘unworthy’.” Yanqing quipped as the Lieutenant froze the Borasin mech’s joints with ice.

“That’s… oddly specific—“ A sound akin to glass made Tingyun painfully aware that the borisin mech had broken out of Yanqing’s ice. The Amicassador opened her fan in an effort to manifest her flames of destruction—

The bright red fire slithered up her arm like serpents and her fan fell to the floor when she gasped, “Ah!” 

The mecha Borisin’s limbs buckled from underneath it skidded past Tingyun before it was carved up with daggers belonging to Moze and then sent flying across the training deck courtesy of Yunli’s great sword. A glint of light caught Tingyun’s attention and looking down, she saw that a nearby puddle of water were reflecting her flames— which made no sense for an autonomous repair station until Tingyun looked beyond and saw that the ground had been coated with ice.

Familiar footsteps approached Tingyun and helped her stand, Yanqing glanced at her tails before he asked, “Are you okay?”

Through gritted teeth, Tingyun answered, “It— It burns…”

“I’m afraid you’re going to experience this pain for the rest of your existence.” Ruan Mei’s cold voice did nothing to alleviate burning in Tingyun’s throat.

A chilled hand clasped one of her flame covered hands. Tingyun looked up to see Yanqing’s eyes, as bright as the sun, completely unbothered even when suffering burns from just being around Tingyun— 

“Don’t push yourself,” Twelve ice coated swords gathered around Yanqing and he grinned up at Tingyun, “we’ve got this!”

The young lieutenant dashed towards the mechanical Borisin before, creating a wall of ice between Tingyun and the YAoqing and Loufu retainers and their arumaton opponent.

With some effort, Tingyun managed to stand and joined the sole retainer on the other side of the ice wall. Tingyun chanced a quick glance and saw that Yanqing and Moze were holding off the mecha Borisin… but every cut they made in the armor was repaired automatically. In a war of attrition, they’d surely lose unless another element was added to the fray…

Yunli was busy bottom mashing one of the terminal’s halo light terminal panels near the jade warriors standing guard.

“If we can get these things up and running, we might have a better chance…” Yunli muttered as she tried to brute force the holo-light controls to grant her access until a chime echoed from the halo-light panel.

“No! don’t—“

Tingyun’s warning was cut short when the jade army seized for a moment. And then… hundreds of the jade coated soldiers all turned towards the  before turning towards the Amicassador.

Are… Are you kidding me!?

Without thinking— Tingyun kicked off her high heels and broke into a break neck sprint. Behind her, Tingyun felt rather than heard Yunli fending off the jade soldiers who registered the Amicassador as a threat 

If only I was a real threat! Tingyun thought miserably, Then I wouldn’t need to bother everyone with saving me! 

Ruan Mei, the Astral Express, and now the retainers of the Arbiter Generals were all investing their lives for her and she had nothing to show for it!

A jade soldier crashed in front of Tingyun— and in that moment, fire erupted from her tails. The arumaton was coated in a wall of fire as it charged towards her. But to TIngyun’s relief, the jade arumaton’s movements slowed as it drew nearer before collapsing by the time it reached her.

The sound of glass shattering slit Tingyun’s eardrums. She looked back in time to see the ice wall has shattered with Yanqing and Moze’s bodies being thrown across the training grounds with the Borisin arunaton lumbering towards them.

“Okay— new plan!” Yanqing shouted as he helped Moze stand, “Split up! They can’t track all of us!”

“And what about the one it does chase!?”

“Uh…”

Yunli slammed her sword into the last of the jade warriors before hurling Old Mettle at the mecha, “If we keep standing still— we’ll all be dead!”

With that, Moze melted into the shadows while Yanqing, Yunli, and Tingyun each picked a direction and broke into break neck sprints. Tingyun sprinted down a corridor where the Xuling’s Starskiffs were manufactured. She entered a delve vaguely resembling Cloudford— if Cloudford had been dismantled and filled with Starskiff parts. The Amicassador’s ears picked up the sound of metal screaming and fearfully glanced back to see the mechanical Borisin clamoring on all fours after her.

“It’s tracking me!” Tingyun shouted praying to the Reignbough that she doesn’t stumble, “I swear if this is because this thing’s mimicking a Borisin—“

“It probably is!” Yunli shouted from somewhere above her. 

Lightning shot out aiming to slice through the hinges on the mecha Borisin’s limbs when the arumaton suddenly twisted away from Tingyun towards the Shadow Guard.

“Moze— Look out!” 

Yanqing intercepted the inginium claw by placing himself and a wall of ice between mecha Hoolay and the Shadowguard. The ice soon cracked and shattered under the pressured the metal arm slammed into Yanqing and Moze, hurtling the two retainers into a cargo container.

Tingyun ran toward the two as the forced themselves to their feet. It looked like Yanqing took the brunt of the impact as he was leaning heavily against Moze’s frame.

“Yanqing!” Moze all but shouted as he shook the young Lieutenant’s shoulders, “Are you alright?"

Yanqing blearily opened his eyes and spoke with slurred words, “Hey kid… I’m glad… I’m so glad you got away…”

The Shadow Guard stiffened momentarily before he let out a small breath and answered, “Yeah… we both got out. Everything’s okay now.”

“I’m… so glad…”

A defiant yell echoed through the Starskiff assembly delve as a heavy glaive burning like a freshly forged sword slammed into the center machine. Tingyun’s breath came out if puffs of clouds as the great sword was joined by a dozen ice sword slicing through the machine’s joints followed by more lighting infused throwing knives than Tingyun could count imbedding themselves deep into the metal skeleton.

And finally, the machine collapsed…

Yunli leaped down from a conveyer belt from up above and ran towards Yanqing and Moze. 

Tingyun closed her eyes and let out a breath before she felt a shadow cast over her followed by a trio of shouts—

“Tingyun!”

The Borisin arumaton song its claws at Tingyun as her tails blazed as she leaped back. Fire coursed from her as melted gold dripped from the arumaton. But despite Tingyun’s best efforts, the mechanical Borisin continued to stand as it raised another clawed arm to attack while the three retainers charged a second too late—

“Hey Hoolay!” Fire coated anise pierced the arumaton’s neck, upon impact, they small star shaped weapons burst into a cloud of flames, knocking the mecha beast away from the Cloud Knights.

Tingyun turned and Doctor Jiaoqiu standing at the shipyard’s entrance. The healer lit another set of anise on fire and asked, “Remember me?”

The mecha Borisin let out an earsplitting roar before charging straight towards the blind Foxian. Moze shouted for the doctor to get out of there.

“Yeah,” Jiaoqiu huffed as he threw his bladed tipped stars, “I thought as much.”

When the anise hit the mecha beast, the imaginary infused arrows, shot out at the opposite side, igniting the flames and knocking the machine away before it could reach Jiaoqiu.

Tingyun gasped with relief when she saw where the arrow’s path came from. Madan Yukong stood atop a Starskiff before she hopped down to help guide Jiaoqiu to cover.

“Madam Yukong!” Tingyun ran towards the other two Foxians, “How did you find us?”

“Yukong saw you on the security cameras.” Jiaoqiu answered and with a flick of the wrist, another wave of flames crashed into the mecha and he added with a hint of cheekiness, “I followed the sounds of panicked screaming.”

“We were not panicking!” Yunli balled her fists as she shouted.

“Yeah, my level of concern’s a three at most.” Yanqing huffed, shifting his weight form foot to foot, clearly dizzy while Moze emerged from the shadows and proceeded to glare at the healer— despite the effort being completely lost on Jiaoqiu.

“You shouldn’t be here.” Moze all but snapped at the blind healer.

“It’s okay, I left the the cauldron on a low simmer.”

While the mechanical Borisin slowly pulled itself back together and howled. Moze pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed, “You’re a fool.”

“What? Were you expecting me to freeze up?” Now that his eyes wen’t covered by bandages, Tingyun saw Jiaoqiu roll his amber eyes that were glazed a pale grey as he flicked his ears in indignation, “I’ll have you know my mental fortitude’s stronger than Wind Mantle infused corallium—“

The Foxian healer was cut off when Moze pressed their foreheads together.

The healer grinned at his subordinate wryly while the the Helm Master turned to Tingyun, her eyes were filled with worry. 

“Are you alright?” Yukong asked as she notched another arrow, “You’re bleeding…”

Tingyun looked down at her palm and blinked when she realized that what dripped from her hand wasn’t melted gold that coated her palm— this was ‘her blood’…

“The marks of Destruction’ are maintaining a relative balance within you.” Ruan Mei had told her before but the reminder that she and Phanteliya were all but one and the same made her stomach roll the way Yukong used to fly her Starskiffs.

“It’ll be alright.” There was no way Yukong had any way of knowing that, but the confidence only a Helm Master could carry did much to soothe Tingyun’s nerves. The sound of metal grinding together made the fur on Tingyun’s five tails stand on end. The Amicassador turned and to her horror she saw that the mimic of Hoolay was already repairing itself…

"How are we supposed to destroy this thing!?" Yunli demanded as she helped Yanqing stand.

A light caught Tingyun’s eyes from up above, when she saw the source, memories of her excursions to the Artisan delves of the Loufu to deliver materials her guild acquired from the various planets the Whistling Flames traded with.

“We need to lure this thing into that Creation Furnace!” Tingyun exclaimed, pointing up towards the great blazing furnace, “If we can’t break it, then let’s make it down into something new!” 

Everyone (sans Jiaoqiu) looked over towards the Creation Furnace. Yukong clicked her tongue as she notched her bow, “Trying to lure an arumaton with the instincts of a Borisin into a trap like that is a risky move… But plans without risk rarely ever work.” 

“When has anything ever been easy for us?” Moze muttered under his breath, yet his words were till loud enough for the Foxians to hear him.

 
“Poisoning Hoolay was easy.”

“Jiaoqiu—“

They poisoned Hoolay too… ? Tingyun thought to herself as she glanced down at her pink tails, Another story I’ll have to catch up on… if we manage to make it out of this alive—

“Alright!”  Jiaoqiu’s upbeat candor cut through Tingyun’s fugue, “It’s time to lock on."

Yukong covered her mouth with the back of her hand to hide her snort while Yanqing and Yunli exchanged quizzical looks. Moze hid his second hand embarrassment from beneath his indigo hood.

Tingyun glanced at the healer bemusedly before speaking up,“Uh, Doctor Jiaoqiu, the term's actually ‘lock in’.”

“Really?” Jiaoqiu’s ears turned upright, “Well, that certainly explains why the general keeps snickering every time I’ve said that—“

An artificial howl cut their moment of respite short. Tingyun was the only one who jumped with a small gasp escaping from her lungs. For a moment she felt rather silly to lose her composure so easily until she remembered that she was surrounded by people who’ve served on the front lines in the war against the Plague Author to some degree.

Oh, oh. That’s right, they’ve all had plenty of fighting experience already… 

Yukong glanced over Tingyun’s shoulder grimly before and flicked her ears towards the Yaoqing healer, “Stay with Jiaoqiu, he’ll take care of you.”

Before Tingyun could argue, another wave of searing agony of unending destruction coursed through her muscles and bones. Seemingly unbothered— Yukong rose, notching another arrow and joined by the retainers of the Zhuming, hoisting her great sword over her shoulder. The Yaoqing, unsheathing finely sharpened twin daggers before disappearing into the shadow of the Helm Master. And even little Yanqing from the Loufu, raising a single sword with shaking hands…

The Amicassador’s focus was drawn back to herself Doctor Jiaoqiu placed his hand over her left wrist to assess her qi. His glazed eyes widened momentarily.

“You have an affinity for fire… Do you by any chance have a fan?”

“A folding fan— but it’s of no use here.”

“Nonsense!” To TIngyun’s surprise, Jiaoqiu withdrew a feathered fan symbolizing his status as a counselor with a flick of his wrist, behind the healer, a line of fire was drawn between the mecha beast and the Helm Master as she fired another arrow. To Tingyun’s amazement, the combination of fire and imaginary energy knocked the mechanical Borisin off its feet, “Any fan is perfect for fanning elemental flames. Just like how a chef would fan the flames of a hot pot.”

“I- I don’t know how.” Tingyun looked down at her red kitsune fan, before her resurrection, her elemental affinity was a weak trace of lightning. She wasn’t a fighter then and she was foolish to think she could fight the emanators that took her life from her now—

While he worked on applying antiseptic and healing balms to her lacerated hand, Jiaoqiu suddenly asked, “Is there anything you enjoy? I find that it’s easiest. To focus on something that I like.”

“Like hot pot?”

“Precisely. Now do you like to cook? Because all of my teaching strategies are going to be hot pot analogies.”

“Well… I like to dance.” 

“Eh, that’ll do.” Jiaoqiu shrugged as he finished tying off the bandages around Tingyun’s hand, “When you move, try and let the fire flow through you with your movements. The more you try to control the flames, the less control you’ll have.”

Tingyun swallowed and nodded as she stood.

One step at a time… Tingyun thought as she readied herself into an old dancing stance and centered herself, tuning out the harsh sounds of fighting when she opened her fan and continued with her steps—

Seering pain blossomed along her shoulder, Tingyun faltered and nearly dropped her fan. She saw that Yukong was leading the char

“Don’t force it back.” The healer cautioned, “I know it hurts, but you have to let the pain flow through you or the destructive forces will keep building up.”

Never had Ruan Mei offered such advice during her recuperation at the space station. But with little else to go off of, Tingyun breathed until her breaths became even and steady and continued with her dance. 

The pain, the fire, her memories— she allowed them all to move through her.

As she spun, she felt the flames gather at her tails and in a moment of clarity, she released them when the timing felt right. When she opened her eyes, she saw that the mecha of Hoolay was consumed with fire, as it was knocked several meters away into the open Creation Furnace and consumed by a brilliant fire that was so bright that it carried every collour of the rainbow within it’s flames. 

Tingyun stared awestruck as Moze sliced through a chain that made the Creation Furnace’s hatch slam shut before the mechanical monster could claw it’s way back out.

“Well,” Jiaoqiu let out a huff, “I don’t know about any of you, but I think we’ve all earned a nutritious meal after burning through all that energy!”

"What in the name of the Reignbough Arbiter is going on here!?"

Tingyun turned and saw the Flaming Heart, the Merlin’s Claw, and the Divine Foresight had joined them in the Starskiff manufacturing delve— most likely drawn to the sounds of fighting and shouting…

Tingyun glanced over her shoulder and was greeted with the sight of burning Starskiffs already broken beyond repair before their first flights, lightning and imaginary burn marks decorating the walls and floors of the processing delve, and shattered ice coating the ground like broken glass.

The one who asked the question, General Feixaio looked at the burning furnace and then to the battered and disheveled lot of Cloud Knights scarcely standing before her. 

“Yunli, did you challenge Yanqing and Moze to a Zhuming dual again?”

“I did not!” Yunli fumed with eyes burning brighter than a smelting forge, “And why is it that every time disaster happens you automatically assume I had something to do with it? Moze makes attempts on General Feixiao’s life regularly.”

“Ah, you make a good point. My apologies.”

Tingyun glanced down and saw that all five of her tails had finally folded back into one…

And it only took almost dying again!

As TIngyun searched for the right words to explain that she was the cause of this destruction— Yunli found something fascinating on the ceiling while Moze glared into the ground… and Yanqing couldn’t keep his attention focused on a single thing for more than one second. Only Doctor Jiaoqiu and Madam Yukong held each of the general’s gazes— though it may be because the former because he couldn’t see the intensity of their stares…

“We were conducting training and one of the arumatons malfunctioned and threw itself into this Creation Furnace.” Madam Yukong replied with a straight face.

The knowing look General Feixiao sent to Madam Yukong easily conveyed that she didn’t believe her. Tingyun let out a small sigh when General Feixiao shrugged her shoulders and strode over to her subordinates from the Yaoqing.

“Perhaps we can table the events that transpired here for another time.” General Jing Yuan suggested before he added, “And besides, the security cameras ought to tell us all that we need to know.”

Tingyun paled. And before she could say anything to absolve the retainers of any blame, General Jing Yuan turned towards her, “But for now, we have more important matters to discuss. The last time we met, we weren’t able to finish our introductions 

The Arbiter Generals waited patiently as the heartbeats passed for the taciturn Foxian girl to make a name for herself. Lost in thought, Tingyun thought of the certain points in her life that made her who she is now— riding aboard a Starskiff for the first time, establishing the Whistling Flames… and then there was the point where her life ended only to be brought back by the whims of a merchant and a genius… and ever since then Tingyun felt a little different. 

It wasn’t bad nor good… she was just different now. And there was only one word she could use to describe that feeling.

The young merchant carefully smoothed the ruffles out of her dress and spoke, “My name is Tingyun, but for now, until our enemies who’ve been scheming against the Xianzhou in the shadows have been all dragged into the light of the Reignbough’s arrow, you may call me ‘Fugue’.”

General Jing Yuan nodded as one would in acknowledgment to witnessing the proof of her resolve before during his attention to Lieutenant Yanqing, who had been staring at General Jing Yuan without blinking for several seconds before he suddenly said, “I think I need to lie down.”

“And why is that?” General Huaiyan inquired lightly with a tilt of his head.

“Because I’m either reliving my past lives or I somehow traveled back in time. Because, like, why else is Lieutenant Jing Yuan so old?”

The spices used in the hot pot before here were far spicier than anything Yancui had made for her.

And Fugue loved it.

After Doctor Jiaoqiu confirmed that Fugue’s body and mind weren’t tampered with by either Phantylia or Ruan Mei and that Yanqing was not at risk for brain damage and merely had a light concussion that could be treated with light rest and to avoiding sleeping for the rest of the day. Fugue met with the Marshal to discuss the role she would play in the Xianzhou’s hunt against the Plague and Ruin Authors.

Fugue was no fighter. To her, the battle plans discussed by the generals sounded like they were speaking in tongues to the merchant, if it weren’t for General Jing Yuan offering his counsel  on military stratagems before and after the discussions, Fugue would’ve been little more than a speck of dust lost in a storm…

That, and the energy rejuvenating properties of insanely spicy hot pot helped Fugue remain focused in the weeks since her arrival aboard the Xuling.

And now… it was time to part ways. For now at least.

Madam Yukong and Generals Jing Yuan, Feixiao, and Huayian along with their retainers wished to share one last meal with Fugue before they departed back to their respective homelands. Right now, the Foxians were all who remained at the table.

Fugue was surly going to miss Doctor Jiaoqiu’s home cooking since the meals prepared on the Xuling were artificially made…

Fugue glanced towards the blind chef who moved about the foreign kitchen with ease and her memory mingled on that of the first time she harnessed her new abilities.

“Doctor Jiaoqiu…”

“Please, we’re all friends here. You can call me Jiaoqiu. Or Jiao, or Qiu. Just anything other than what Yukong comes up with…”

“Okay, okay. So um… back when we were fighting that mimic beast, how did you know what it was that I needed to do in order to harness the destructive marks within me?” Fugue asked the Yaoqing healer as she set her empty bowl down.

Before he answered, General Feixiao clasped her hand around Jiaoqiu’s, to which he smiled and said, “I’ve had practice.”

“Will you be alright on your own?” Madam Yukong asked as she set down her chopsticks. Fugue could understand her worry, after that disaster with the arumatons mistaking her for an enemy, she had to wait for the Xuling’s systems to update before she was permitted to test her limits in training again.

“I’ll be alright.” Fugue reassured her old mentor, “The pain’s a lot more bearable now and I just have to remember to keep moving forward.”

“I’m glad to hear that, but what I meant was… will you be alright remaining rooted to the Xuling? Where the next time you’ll be able to leave will be for a campaign more daunting than anything we’ve faced before…”

Fugue stared at her empty bowl for a moment before she looked back up to her mentor and smiled, “For a long time, I felt as though I was a step behind everyone else and that I needed to run to catch up… But I think that even though my journey’s been a round about one… I’m right where I need to be. And now… I can keep up with all of you.”

“The Path of the Hunt isn’t an easy one to tread.” General Feixiao noted wistfully, “I find that rinding something to run towards is a great way to keep from stumbling.”

Fugue regarded the Merlin’s Claw’s words thoughtfully. There was a dream Fugue once had— one where she reclaimed her name ‘Tingyun’ returned to the Loufu just in time for the new year festivals and celebrated with her friends while fireworks lit the night sky…

She’ll hold onto that fantasy… until it becomes her reality.

“Alright!” General Feixiao exclaimed as she hopped out of her chair, “It’s time.”

 The Foxians entered the Starskiff Bay that Tingyun and Yukong first entered when they arrived aboard the Xuling. General Xuanquan has long since departed from the Xianzhou Xuling, citing that her return trip would take longer since she had been ordered to return General Yao Guang home to the Yuque. Marshal Hua and General Youwu were also absent, most likely not ones to share in Fugue’s sentiments. 

Generals Jing Yuan and Huaiyan were seemingly conversing, pretending not to be listening in to what their disciples Yanqing and Yunli were chatting about—

“I’ll let you know if there’s a cursed sword near the Loufu.” Yanqing spoke to the Sword Hunter, “Maybe we could hunt it together?”

“Are you saying that you need my help to melt cursed swords without getting corrupted by the hilliobi within them?” Yunli teased the other Cloud Knight who huffed indignantly,  prompting her to chuckle at Yanqing’s expense, “Just kidding! And I’ll let you know when I forge a masterpiece on par with Full Mettle.”

“Heh, it’s a deal…” As Fugue drew closer to the pair, Yanqing glanced over to a nearby shadow and exclaimed, “Oh yeah, Moze, Lingsha wanted me to give you this.” 

Moze materialized out of thin air, akin to a Ditting presented with a treat as Yanqing reached into his pocket handed the Shadow Guard a slip of paper sealed with Cloud Hymn magic. 

Moze unsealed the parchment and Fugue watched his eyes flit over the letter’s contents and noticed that his upper cheeks were now dusted with a faint shade of pink. Fugue felt her ears perk up. She wasn’t just imagining it! There was something between the Shadow Gard and the Loufu’s new Cauldron Master!

The Shadow guard quickly looked away. Seemingly oblivious to Fugue’s light steps until she stood behind him with her hands clasped behind her.

“The next time you see her, give her these~” Fugue withdrew a bundle of herbs cultivated on a distant oceanic planet that she had bartered from an outworlder merchant during her travels aboard the Astral Express back during a time where she’d have done anything to feel ‘normal’ again and haggled with every merchant she came across in a feverish frenzy.

And now she had an overabundance of rare curios that may or may not be useful.  And today one of these treasures has proven to be useful so it’s fine!

Fugue nimbly placed the palm sized pouch into the Shadow Guard’s gloved hands.

“I— there’s no reason to—“ Moze sputtered right before General Feixiao appeared out of thin air and elbowed her subordinate in the ribs before she vanished without a trace. Caught off guard, Moze paused to recompose himself before he cleared his throat, “I appreciate your… assistance.”

And like master like disciple, Moze vanished into the scarcely shown shadows.

“The four of us should spar again sometime!” Yunli suggested 

Fugue pointed to herself, “And me?”


“Of course! You’re Helm Master Yukong’s protege, right? And you can hold your own now so you can spar with us anytime!” Yanqing exclaimed before Yunli elbowed him in the ribs, “But Yunli here already has a bout reserved just for her.”

Ah, the struggles of the paramours… Fugue smiled softly as she turned to bid farewell to the remaining Arbiter Generals.

Fugue felt a familiar brush and glanced down at her five tails that had folded out like a fan again. For the first time in her second chance at life, she hasn’t minded having so many of them now. The Amicassador noticed that the Foxian couple were  conversing a ways away.

“I can tell you’re staring…”

“I am looking respectfully.”

“You know, I’ve been having some difficultly combing the knots out of my fur lately, must be the water quality on the Xuling…”

“...Oh?”

Fugue hid a giggle from behind her fan, choosing to say her farewells to General Feixiao and Doctor Jiaoqiu at a later time before venturing to say her farewells to General Jing Yuan, 

“Thank you for putting your faith in me, General Jing Yuan.”

“Miss Tingyun, you have always been— and always will be a reliable benefactor to the Loufu.” General Jing Yuan replied before he added thoughtfully, “Is there anything I can do for you before it is time for us to meet again?”

Fugue’s ears perked up, “I can have anything?”

“Of course."

Seizing the opportunity presented before her, Fugue quickly stepped forward while withdrawing her phone and snapped a photo of the two of them together. Photos of the Divine Foresight were rare and worth a small fortune. When she returned as the Whistling Flames Amicassador, Fugue would be set for this life and the next!

Or perhaps… she’ll keep a photo as precious as this safely tucked away… whatever happens next will be for her to decide~

After saying her farewells to the trio, Fugue summoned a gift she meant to give her old mentor a long time ago.

“I present to you, a war bow crafted from the most advanced artificial intelligence weapons manufacturer of the Xianzhou Xuling.” Fugue announced as she presented the glossy inginium bow to Madam Yukong filled with the latest aiming and target tracking technology before she added, “I had them use the left over metal from that mecha beast after it was melted down…”

Madam Yukong dropped the bow and enveloped Fugue in a gentle hug. 

“Farewell, Tingyun.” Madam Yukong whispered to her. A small smile tugged at her lips as she returned the hug.

Fugue watched as the Starskiffs soared like shooting stars back towards the Xianzhou Ships sailing across the cosmos. To her surprise, the sense of longing wasn’t as profound as she was expecting. 

What she felt more than anything was a sense of excitement knowing that she’ll see her friends and comrades again.

A set of footsteps drew her attention towards the approaching Patina Justice.

“The next battles will be hard fought. You’ll have a lot of training to do in the interim,”  General Youwu spoke somewhat less coldly as she turned on her heel and strode back towards the training deck, “I’ll make a warrior out of you by years end. Come, we’re already behind schedule.” 

Fugue allowed herself to linger for a while longer as she looked up at the brilliant stars and listened to the sound of her own still beating heart before she set forth on her new path.