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 Posted: Sat Aug 27, 2011 11:29 pm
  This is a PRP between Huang-Fu Lee (Nyxtsuki Moon) and SiMa Li (Chrystali). Setting: Huang receives a mission to attack on the nobles and decides to take SiMa Li as his support when something goes wrong. Danger in enemy Territory!
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Posted: Sat Aug 27, 2011 11:50 pm
The orders were far more simpler then the actual mission he was preparing for. He had received them directly from the empire armies themselves. It required stealth and tactics that Huang was well known for. But he had to choose the right players to take along with him. The mission was to destroy a part of the Nobles base camp where they supplied their food and housed some of their weapons. Though it seemed like nothing at all, these mission were the most delicate to handle, it required going into the heart of the enemies camp and attempting to destroy a large chunk of it...without being caught.
Huang usually did these missions by himself, but the sheer amount of work and time crunch he would be on, he needed someone else to come with him. Someone he could trust that would handle themselves. He would've contacted Jianyu but after the wedding, Huang didn't want to interrupt the lovey dovey relationship that Yue and Jianyu we're having and so thought of his friends that he could take.
The answer was obvious though, the only person he knew that was of the Legions and could handle anything thrown at them, SiMa Li. Lady Li, Huang thought of her fondly as their last encounter had been a brawl in the middle of ally. She had proven herself to him as a person of earned respect and prowess. Though she was only a academy student, Huang though of her as a equal almost to himself and nodded. He would approach Lady Li then and see if she accepted.
It didn't take him long to prepare for the mission, small pack of supplies and weapons we're packed in the small sacks on his hips and back. He tucked the report from the Empire in his belt as he slipped out of home, sighing that it was starting to darken with Night time. SiMa liked to do nightly rounds in the town, just as Cais did.
He headed to the town first, looking for the flash of pale sandy hair and purple of Lady Li.
"SiMa Li!" Huang called out, he usually didn't want to bring attention to anyone, especially if they did something like she did nightly but....He needed to respond quickly and see if she was willing to aid him on this. "Lady Li?" He called out again.
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Posted: Sun Aug 28, 2011 1:39 am
It was a simple night, or so she'd thought. Li had taken her standard route for the nightly rounds, her footfalls fleet and measured in ease of practice and routine. It was a comfort, tending to the city to keep that which lurked in the shadows away from those who dared to walk the streets when the moon rose. She'd only come into contact with opposition three times and hadn't come out worse for the wear; bumps and bruises to be sure but nothing she couldn't handle. To Li, taking a little beating here and there kept someone else from suffering it instead.
Hearing her name called through the night, she bounded back a few steps and peered down the road, expression brightening as her amethyst eyes fell upon a familiar figure. "Lord Lee!" she exclaimed with mingled surprise and pleasure, turning on heel and padding towards her superior. "Good evening, Lord Lee," Li greeted Huang with a polite smile, "to what do I owe the pleasure?" Pausing a fair distance from him, she bowed her head respectfully before righting again, her expression peaceful.
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Posted: Sun Aug 28, 2011 11:14 pm
Huang was relieved when he saw the female come out. Still as strong and beautiful as before, Huang had always admired Lady Li for her complete balance in both being a woman and a fighter. Even know, He smiled at her as he came forward, pleased to see that she still remembered him.
"Hello Lady Li." Huang gave her a slight wave as he directed his path towards her, making his stride widened with his long legs until he could stop in front of her, looking down. "Sorry Hello again." He bowed to her as well before fidgeting. "I am sorry to have bothered you as you make your nightly rounds Lady Li, but I have something dire to talk about and well...I also need your help." Huang looked around before sighing, there wasn't even a person around and he was still hesitant on what to do.
"I know it has been far too long since we last spoke Lady Li, but this situation presented to me is very dire and I thought of no one I would rather ask for help than you." Huang needed before pulling out the mission details and handing it over to her. "It is a simple mission with stealth and team work that I cannot trust with anyone unless I know their fighting styles." He gave her a knowing glance, referring to their fight together before nodding again, "I would also safely assume that you won't cause me any trouble in the mission either, I don't have to worry about a spitfire personality. I'll rely on your intellect on moves to make as well. I know that you study your surroundings and calmly and coolly decipher moves to make next."
Huang waved his hand, "Oh sorry, I was presuming that you already accepted this and I haven't given you a chance to speak." Huang smiled softly at her, "What do you think Lady Li? Mind making a nightly trip with me to the Nobles camp?" He chuckled at the way he phrased it, like it was nothing more then a simple visit when in fact, they could lose body limbs if nothing less of their lives if they mess up.
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Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2011 11:35 pm
She donned a smile for the polite Fighter, coming to a halt and again bowing her her head in acknowledgement to his flattering greeting. Suppressing a smile to conceal her mirth, Li watched Huang with great interest, taking not of each gesture and word to read more of what was being said than he was letting on. He was fidgeting, seeming so unlike the self-assured man she'd met twice before -- it wasn't that he lacked confidence, persay, but there was something clearly distressing the Lunarian. As he continued to lay out the situation, why he'd sought her out and what he needed from her, she could only look up at him with patient, attentive amethyst eyes, tipping her head from time to time to convey that she understood what he was saying while not interrupting. At the gentle joke and inquiry, she bowed her head for a third time.
"First, Lord Lee, you are never a bother. It's a pleasure to see you again." Righting herself, she brushed some of her pale hair from her dark skin, keeping her gaze alert but gentle as she took the orders from the Fighter. "Your words are the purest form of flattery there is -- I daresay you'd win a heart or two with such praise." Li uttered a soft laugh at that, knowing it spoke loudly of her lifestyle; most women liked soft and flashy things, whereas she was more flattered by recognition for her hard work. "You know my style well, I concur, and I would not get in your way. I understand that this is a mission from the Imperial Palace," there was a slight touch of awe in her voice as she finally lowered her gaze to look over the scroll in her hands, "and if you feel I am of use to you to carry out this trusted command, I will follow you without question." Carefully handing the details back, she stepped to the side, as though to indicate she was ready for his lead. "Sounds like the best way to spend my evening. I am at your side, Lord Lee."
She was simply a student and for a Fighter to think so highly of her bolstered her own confidence and resolve. It was good to know she was doing something right, and that her efforts would, in fact, be of use to the Legion. The mission was right up Li's alley -- destruction of wares and provisions rather than outright attempting to harm her fellow kin. It seemed if any Legionnaire understood the value of a life, it was the dark male before her.
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Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2011 1:23 am
Huang, after explaining the mission and his need of the student/fighter gave her a unusual thankful smile. Where he usually was very expressionless and aloof, he now radiated a certain joy and thankful aura for Li's acceptance.
"It is good that I am not a bother Dear Lady Li, hate to have to be beaten by you to leave you alone." He attempted to joke before shaking his head, that sounded ridiculous, he wasn't one for attempted jokes. Look at how he botched it anyways! He took a calming breath before setting his features back into that calm stoic look before opening magenta eyes to study her. "I only but speak the truth Lady Li." He cocked his head to the side, before waving his hand. He had no need of women's hearts after all and was not the...playboy sort after all. "I agree with your reasoning as well, Better to have a companion who knows you as well as you know them. After all, the most intimate way to know a person before spending time with them is to battle them. A lot was said in our battle after all." Huang nodded, remembering the brawl they had. Li had proven to himself to be a capable woman of strength after all. Even with her sheer amount of power though, she had a calm and collected mind. That was after all, the key to successful mission.
He took the scroll back and tucked it into the small pack he was carrying around before sighing in relief. "This is good then, Thank you for accepting Lady Li!" He looked past her, troubled eyes as he set them upon the forest to the sunken fields where all battle camps were set up. They currently we're on the Legion side and the one they wanted was on the noble. It would be easy enough as the tree's provided for cover and they we're both heading out at Night. He had a bad feeling though and rubbed the back of his neck before shaking it off. It was no time to get superstitious though he sent a silent prayer to the goddess for the mission to at least return them alive.
"Alright Lady Li, We won't have much time if we are to do this." Huang gestured for her to follow him to the sunken fields as they entered the battle scarred fields. Ducking into the woods with the stealth of a killer, he made sure to keep his pace so that Li could keep up with him. He had to do his best to make sure she remained somewhat protected while they did this. "Once we reach the camp, I'll leave the destruction of provisions to you. I'll be a distraction so that you don't get hurt." Huang rubbed the back of his neck. Why was he so jumpy? It was like his instinct was off for some reason as they made their way silently through the woods. He just couldn't shake the bad feeling. He looked over at Li and only calmed a fraction of a bit, somehow the girl made it easy for him to reason that his bad feelings were nothing more then jittery mission feelings.
He stopped as they came upon the first camp. Sending her silent signals about how to avoid the nobles as the continued to move on. "We'll be getting close soon. Look for the flag of the camp that bears a resemblance to that of Snake coiling around a medallion."
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Posted: Thu Sep 01, 2011 1:16 am
The joke earned a quiet laugh from the young woman, shaking her head and flicking an ear fin with amusement. One of the things she'd come to accept of Huang - whether it was normal or not - was that the man enjoyed teasing her. First, Little Lotus and now a question of being beaten into submission for her ire. As he continued, a soft sound of agreement escaped her lips, nodding curtly. "I couldn't agree more, Lord Lee. A fine conversation we had with so few words." Another smile flicked over Li's lips, brief, but not without warmth, recalling their brawl. Huang was a tough opponent for her -- she knew he'd be eight times a threat against the Nobles.
With another tilt of her head in acknowledgement, she followed on his heels as quickly as she could. He was fast -- Lunaria's grace, the man had the wind at his heels and the silence of the night as a cloak! -- and while she could tell he was allowing time for her to stay at an even pace, she was not near his speed. Li was still mindful of bypassing patches of fallen foliage or areas too close to trees for brittle branches, but even her footfalls sounded noisy in her ears by comparison to the Assassin. It was as fascinating to follow Huang as it was enlightening, easily seeing the gap between where she was in the training and where he stood. It was easily a berth she wished to cross.
As their speed came to a more cautious pace, her attention again turned to Huang, attentive and donning a neutral expression. Emotions had no place in enemy territory, even if her stomach was fairly devoured by ravenous butterflies. "Please be careful," she murmured unnecessarily, still feeling the need to say it out loud, "I will be cautious." And then she fell silent, offering no spoken words as acknowledgement, nodding to indicate she understood. A snake coiling around a medallion, she repeated inwardly as the dimly lit camp came into view, brows lowered over her bright eyes to quickly adjust.
Keeping her body partially bent in half as she moved, she was fleet of foot between tents and supplies, her dark attire helping her in this situation (though not so much her hair). Provisions are generally inner sanctum, clear path for transport, the facility should be larger than--ah, there! She glanced back to try and tell Huang she'd spotted the main hold, but he wasn't immediately in sight, causing her to simply move forward. Li knew she couldn't lean on him for everything - she was the foot-soldier, but she had her orders and she'd carry them out. Slipping between the establishments with little problem, easily avoiding the patrols or those simply returning to their beds for the night, she came to a stop once her back was to the tail end of her target.
Li had to steel herself and remind herself to breathe before she peeked around one of the crates to the side of the provision hold, seeing a few Lunarians in the distance but none that were an immediate threat. Lunaria protect us all, she prayed silently before taking quick, messy steps around the side, eradicating her footprints as soon as they were made. If they had to do it again, she didn't want their route to be so easily discovered! Li almost slid into the room when she realized she didn't have anything to destroy it with. Pausing in the glow of one of the torches, she pulled it out of the ground with ease and ducked into the generously sized space.
It took mere seconds, but it felt like a lifetime to the Legionnaire. Locating where the dry rations were kept, she'd set fire to them and the boxes she could find, especially the drapes that yet covered the crates and perishables. Li quickly made her way out the back as it burned, leaving the torch within. With any luck, the fire wouldn't catch the exterior immediately, which meant the Nobles wouldn't even be aware they'd lost everything until there was no hope of redeeming it. Satisfied with her work, she retraced her steps and made her way to the indicated rendezvous point from earlier, her eyes bright and her chest feeling light. It was dirty work but it was much more gratifying to strike in a meaningful, lasting manner!
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Posted: Fri Sep 02, 2011 7:36 pm
He smiled at her laugh and waved his hand off. Li understood him after all, while not of the same spirit, they shared a similar one. He would and probably could go on about how great she was but why would he need to? He knew and she knew, and thats all who was present. Why was he thinking over such silly matters anyways?
They we're in the pit of the Snake's nest as most liked to say. sleeping Rattlers all around and one call to each other could alert the whole camp of their coming. He wouldn't allow that to happen. He sped through the forest, stopping for Li to catch up, his specialty was that of course of remaining unseen to any others, something he hadn't thought of for Li.
"I'll be Careful Lady Li." He brushed a piece of her hair from her face before patting her on the head, "Be cautious yes, If it comes to it. Choose flight instead of Fighting Li." Huang nodded to her, "Your to return to your home alive and safe." he said to himself more then her. If anything, he would make sure she would survive this mission. He watched as she slinked away towards the main goal of the mission before preparing his needles to distract an enemies. His first target was a patrolling guard, the next another one who had come to rush to the others aid. Both had been hit by his poison tipped needle's, this batch of course more potent then that of the ones Bataar had felt. He dragged the bodies away, laying them on the ground and signing them the sign of the goddess for a restful passage to the after orld. It wasn't long that the two guards missing had been noticed and Huang was overwhelmed with Enemies. He drew them into the tree's sending Needle's flying everywhere he could to slow some down.
"Hurry Li!" Huang gritted his teeth before he caught the whiff of smoke in the air. He smiled in relief as faced an enemy head on, a noble fighters small group held on to his tracks as they were drawn from the camp. He only needed moment more before Li could escape, just a few minutes tops of the nobles away.
"Fire! Someone's set fire to the camp!" A voice called out and Huang's face paled for a fraction of a moment. Li had enough time to escape now, she should've been gone. He would rendezvous with her at the spot, If he could get these damn Nobles off him. Only half of the group had split after all.
"It was you wasn't it? Setting fire to our camp?" The man who he faced now cracked his knuckles and lunged for Huang.
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Posted: Sat Sep 03, 2011 10:20 pm
She had plenty of time to flee, but her sense of morality kept her nailed to the ground. Li sucked in a deep breath and glanced around the gate - she was hidden just at the side of it - staring in pointed alarm at Huang. He was expecting her to run, to let him catch up, and while she might not have challenged that before, something was wrong. She knew she couldn't disobey Huang, being her superior, but he never gave her explicit instructions to run - advice, perhaps, to choose flight over fight, and had she been in danger on her own, she would have honored that. Seeing the one she respected and looked up to in the Legion in immediate danger of every Noble in the camp pouring onto him, Li could not put her own well being above his. She would not abandon the one who had faith in her.
More than that, she knew the Legion would feel his injury or - Lunaria forbid - loss far more than hers.
Seizing one of the torches that was staked into the side by the gate, she yanked it out and ran light-of-foot towards the man who was lunging at Huang. "That would be me, sir--" she said calmly as she swung the torch against the Lunarian at the lunging man's side, knocking him to the side. Using her momentum, she threw herself beyond him and into the semi-circle of Noble's that surrounded the Assassin. Her feet slid over the earth and stopped herself next to Huang, brandishing the torch towards one of the other Nobles. "At your side, my Lord," she murmured to Huang, careful not to use his name, her back to his.
She trusted his judgement; if he said to fight, they'd fight, just enough to flee to fight another day. Li would not let Huang down.
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Posted: Sat Sep 10, 2011 11:21 pm
Huang was trying to gauge the enemies that rained down on him mercilessly. It was as if the nobles had forgone their fire trapped provisions and had come fully to take his attack. Some attacked him personally while others waited in the back to see if he would make his escape.
He just needed time after all, as long as Li made it out safely he would be alright. A punch came at his face, he dodged the pierce of a sword and fended off enemies as the pummeled into him. Slowly ever so slowly though, he was thinning the crowd down. The one's left were more cautious though, careful and probably aware that his strength was starting to fail him.
Huang was sure he was going to die as he saw the man lunge at him, screaming about the fires when he was knocked aside by a torch. Swiveling his head, he caught the famalier scent of Li and stood shocked when she roundabout her way into the fray. Gritting his teeth, he looked to her before sighing. She was strong, this was true.
"I told you to run My Lady." Huang repeated the same gesture before kicking an incoming enemy away from her. "Don't leave my Side, less they get us separated they'll will spare no expense in punishing you just as badly as they would myself. Here you aren't a academy student Lady. They will show no mercy though you are a child." Huang flipped a needle into the neck of an enemy headed at Li before looking back down at her, "Fight your way out and then we break for the woods." Huang motioned to the woods that were so close. So close he could smell the pine and dirt that would lead them into a safe haven.
Even as he thought that, Nobles poured in and he felt himself shoved to the ground as they took Li away from his protection. "Li! No!" Huang shouted till his voice was hoarse on the ground as they took him from his vision. He viciously fought them off but being overwhelmed left him too busy with his own enemies. He was too focused on Li to notice that his strength would slowly fade soon.
"Worry about yourself Legionnaire! What you've done to our camp we'll return tenfold." A noble said as he kicked Huang's side in.
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Posted: Thu Sep 15, 2011 2:41 am
"Of course, my Lord," Li responded softly to Huang's instruction, listening intently even though she already knew what he was chiding her over. She should have obeyed and fled, but she had a harder time acting the mindless soldier when someone was in danger. The Student was obedient, but she would not put her orders over the well-being of a fellow Lunarian, least of all one she respected as much as she did the dark-haired man at her side. "Yes, sir--" she lunged towards another Noble that got too close, brandishing the fire-laden long-torch at them and driving them back.
Unfortunately, that lunge cost her, as the time she settled back to her heels, the Nobles had seized her Fighter companion. "Lord--!" Biting back the Legionnaire's name, Li's impassive mask cracked in the slightest: fair brows knitted over her violently bright eyes, her lips pulled taut over a slight show of a teeth. She had stopped for him, she had disobeyed to make sure this didn't happen--! The rest of the Nobles that weren't attacking Huang encircled Li, forming a crescent-moon of bodies between her and the assassin. We all fall down, she thought to herself in a frustrated haze. Without time to waste - without waiting for the attack - the young woman once more lunged at one of the Nobles. Having gauged the distance they stood from each other, she picked one that was closer to another in the central most part of the group, anticipating that he would try to help his comrade. As the one she feigned at moved to the side, she was rewarded with the other coming to his rescue; the effort earned him an abrupt, hard crack to the head with the burning portion of the torch, the pitch catching on his hat and setting it ablaze.
You'll have scars on your fins if you survive this, she thought to herself, tucking away the mental note. She couldn't see faces very well, only able to put injuries and lasting marks to her opponents in case she should run into them again after the fight. It was confident of Li to think there'd be a time beyond now, but there was no other way for her to press through the panic. One of the Nobles came at her from behind, but she had none of it, jerking the long torch back and jabbing him sharply in the sternum. Breathing problems, she noted of him before swinging the burning portion around and slamming another in the temple again -- the same one she'd hit when she originally joined Huang. Concussion. With two others trying to help the one that was on fire, she had six to deal with immediately, which was five more than she was comfortable dealing with. With Huang's voice still ringing in her ears, she once more attacked, giving no quarter.
The Lunarian closest to her front received a torch to the face, deflecting it in his flailing to get the fire away. It opened her up for a blast of pain to her temple - she'd been hit by a club, but with the darkness and swirling torch light, it was hard for her to make anything out - doubling her vision. When the club-wielding Lunarian swung around to hit her again, she ducked and let his momentum carry him over her head, allowing her to fall back on one hand and kick at his knee sharply. She felt it dislocate (Limp) and immediately swung her leg to the side to throw herself back into a standing position. Raising the torch, she deflected and over-head attack of another torch, lifting her foot and planting it hard in his stomach, kicking him back. Something hit her in the side, making her spin and jerk the butt of the torch towards her attacker. It successfully pierced the Lunarian's shoulder (Bad arm), but when she yanked the torch back, it snapped under the pressure.
Stumbling back a few paces, she tripped over the man whose leg she'd attacked, the motion acting in her favor as another swung torch narrowly singed the tips of her ear-fins. Li caught herself, brandishing the shorter, burning edge of the torch, now disorientated and turned around. She wasn't sure what direction Huang was in, her equilibrium on the fritz from the blow to the head. The assassin's muffled voice reached her, making her turn to face the sound -- and finding only the backs of the Lunarian's that were attacking him. Her attackers weren't down yet, but if she could get in the middle of the ones hurting Huang, she might be able to break them up enough to afford an escape. Unfortunately, her reaction time was down and the few seconds she hesitated cost her.
There was a sharp, uncomfortable pinch in her back and the strangest sensation of pressure just beneath the front of her ribs, followed by a sickly sort of wetness that could not bode anything good. Li tried to suck in a breath, and that's when the pain bloomed. Seeing stars from the blow to her head and the sudden onslaught of agony that ripped through her torso, she turned her wide-eyed stare to the Lunarian who had shoved the broken end of her torch through her body. It was the one she'd stabbed in the shoulder, no less, looking at her in an almost shocked manner as if he hadn't thought it would work. The flaming portion of her torch fell to the ground, illuminating her body and the smooth shaft that impaled her from the middle of her back to beneath the front of her ribs. Blood darkened her already deep colored bodysuit, warming her in its slow trickle that was staunched by wood, but leaving her cold where the wound itself was. Breathing was becoming increasingly difficult, her forearms and fingers tingling as she wrapped her fingers around the front of the broken weapon.
If she pulled it out...she'd die. If she stood there, one of the others would finish her off. Even if they let her be, she'd bleed out before sunrise. Summoning her ebbing strength, she called out hoarsely for the assassin to run, to save himself, but all that came out was a choked wheeze. With her adrenaline on high, all Li could do was grip the wood that speared her and look at her attackers in a numbly shocked fashion. She knew she'd have mere minutes before her life began to fade, and yet, all she could do was try to process what was happening. Huang, she thought to herself, her legs beginning to feel weak beneath her, I have to get him out of here.
"Run," she whispered. But there was nothing she could do.
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Posted: Thu Sep 15, 2011 10:30 pm
Huang's body vibrated with hit after hit as the Nobles reigned their tenfold justice on him. He couldn't see Li anymore as they separated them from each other. Each was left to fight their own hoard of people.
Huang had never experienced though, the deep wrenching fear in his gut for the safety of Li. He never experienced just the pit of despair, so confident in his skills that he was, he never needed too. His mind was reverting in attempts to help him cope with the fear and thus as he broke from his enemies, he showed no mercy.
He got a glimpse of Li holding her own among the many noble men deigned to serve their justice on them. If only Huang could reach her, but every time he thought he broke through the ranks of the enemies, more crowded in for their shot at him. He felt the bite of a sword on his leg, the stab of a halberd into his shoulder. Blood pooled in his clothing from the sheer amount of weapons that sliced at him, never mind the onslaught of fist and kicks.
One was foolish enough to rush straight into Huang. Using the momentum of the attacker, he flipped around the man and used him as a human shield as his own alliance members stabbed blindly at him. Swinging around the now dead shield, he slit the throat of the next member mercilessly. His eyes, if they got close enough looked empty and dead pan as he slowly destroyed the battalion around him. Pain felt nothing, Time stopped in its tracks as he finally saw Li. Just a few more and he would get to her, just a few more and she would be safe and they could leave. Huang's determination set in the closer he got.
She looked amazing as she brandished the torch, now broken as she broke enemies limbs in her own attempt to freedom. When he called out for her, he saw her head swivel to meet his, their eyes locking before he watched in horror as one of her attackers ran her through with the bottom of the torch. Huang eye's widened as he saw the blood pool, sliding down the weapon that pierced through her body, protruding from her back. She held the piece of wood in shock as the enemies around her stared, also shocked.
"LIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII." Huang shouted so loudly that the heads all swiveled at him. Rage, Fear and Adrenaline pushed him towards her, slashing at enemy stupid enough to get near him. One lost their head, another barely managed to keep his arm. Blind fury had him reaching her in moments as he got to her. When he heard her whispered breath, his heart clenched in fear. "I got you Lady Li, I got you." He looked down at the wood piercing her and hitched a breath, if he removed it, he would kill her. Summoning whatever strength he could, he picked her up. His body protested from the strain of the battle but Huang didn't listen. He looked at the Nobles who stared at him now and held his sword out. So close to the edge of the woods he was now that he could use the only magic he had learned to use. Their bodies disappeared into the forest shadows. The only remainder of their visit was the dead or severely injured soldiers and the smell of fire.
He raced through the woods, passing the checkpoint in almost godly speed as he rushed to get her to the Lee's Legion home. Healers, Don't die Li, Healers, Please Goddess don't let Li die. Huang cradled her so close to him that he felt her blood seep into his clothes, staining them not only with his own, the enemies and now hers. The mission he had brought her for had failed and now, as he held the girl's limp body in his, he was terrified to have caused his friends death. It would be like Yuan all over again.
When his home was in sight, he banged on the doors for them to open and when they did, rushed pasted his sleepy guards and straight to the medical room, "Call the medics!" Huang shouted hoarsely as he entered the room. Guards ran past him rousing the team of priest and doctors from their sleep. When they shuffled in with tired faces, Huang looked up at them desperately, still holding Li's body in his arms. "Help her please!" His eyes pleaded. They looked into their master's eyes and began to move, attentive and alert.
"Lay her here Master Huang." The doctor said as Huang moved to lay her gently on the cot. Looking at the wound on the girl, the doctor grimaced before moving.
---
It had taken hours and yet it felt like months for Huang as the doctors worked. They had stabilized her, keeping her under with magic as the removed the piercing wood. The injury, thank the goddess had missed internal organs and so, with work and magic they begun to heal her as they could. He had been ushered out of the room once to be tended for his own injuries but returned to Li's side only moments after, holding her hand to make sure she came out alive.
"Forgive me Li." He said as he waited....and waited.
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Posted: Sat Sep 17, 2011 2:26 am
She could hear a sound, but it was distant, vague. There was a great deal of weight, it felt, over her lungs, a pressure near her stomach that didn't feel like it was supposed to be there. Despite the fevered heat of her skin, she felt chilled, anchored by a tether around her hand; it felt like she was fighting, clawing her way out of a hazy darkness into a light that was no less clear. She didn't understand how she'd gotten there, hanging on the edge of consciousness between dark and light, but she knew something was wrong. The sound became louder, still indistinct but...familiar, somehow. Li tightened her grip around fragile hold she had on her mind, though the gesture made her torso ache in a way that told her she'd been hurt. The liquid warmth against her skin told her she'd been bleeding--
--we all fall down--
--and she saw injuries, a leg popping out of joint, a shoulder bone pierced, and slowly, the memories began to piece themselves back together. Fragments, at first, bits and pieces of a light flickering across her vision and attacking other Lunarians. The shattered recollections melded and formed together, building the light into a torch in her hands, filling the air with the scent of smoke, piecing together the image of her superior in the mission. When she recognized Huang, she also realized the sound she heard was her name in his voice; as the understanding dawned, she recalled the broken spear in her chest, the final piece being her dipping her head against his chest, clawing against the encroaching darkness --
---
"--run!"
Li bolted upright in bed -- and immediately regretted it, hissing sharply and slowly, very slowly lowering herself back down. Her grip tightened, drawing her unfocused eyes towards her fingers and seeing that her tether had been someone else's hand. Looking up, she saw -- Huang? "--Lord--?" It dawned on her that she didn't know where she was, which immediately told her two things: first, Huang was okay, and second, she was alive. It could only stand to reason that they'd gotten out safely, and judging by the crescendo of pain in her body, she'd been tended to by healers. They were...safe. The mission had been a success, except for her blunder that almost cost them both their lives.
Though weak, her grip tightened on Huang's hand, taking a few steadying breaths before turning her head to look at him. "Sorry," she breathed, the word as cracked as dry as her throat felt. Li wouldn't ever be able to make up her infraction to Huang, but she wanted him to know -- she needed him to know that she knew what he did for her and that she'd not forget it. Smiling in a small, tired manner, she croaked out thickly, "...good to...see you're...okay, my hero."
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Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2011 10:58 pm
Huang feared through the night of Li's stabilization. She had gone under many times, just as much as she seemed to wake. She developed a fever that had cooled almost instantly as it had developed. She had lost a lot of blood from what the healers could tell him. Her skin already a pale had almost sheet appearance through the night. He had changed clothes and sheets, stayed with the healers and barely gotten any sleep through the whole night.
He finally rested in the chair, sitting stiff with only his eyes closed as a sign that he was asleep. His ear fins moved with every sound made as the healers continued to shuffle in and out. He felt the hint of morning on him as sun warmed him. He awoke instantly though when he heard the meek sound of Li's voice, eye's shooting open as he shot up out of the chair and came closer to her, gripping the hand he hadn't let go through the night in hers tightly.
"Sorry?" Huang looked over her, shocked at the words from her mouth before his face shut down. "You didn't listen to my order Li." Huang breathed out as he brushed a bang from her face, "In doing so, you saved my life and almost lost yours. I told you to run Li..." His voice hitched with emotion though his stoic-ness remained, "Do you realize how close you came to dying? I almost lost you." Huang shook his head, "This isn't a good time though." Huang flushed at her words before smiling softly, "Nothing as serious as you Li, my injuries are nothing. Please, I am not a hero." He eyes the sheet instead. "How is your pain? Does it hurt to move much? If not I can carry back to your home with a personal healer to attend you while you heal up."
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Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2011 11:19 am
The sight of the dark-haired male by comparison to her fever-dream just moments before was a soothing warmth, his worried countenance making her feel both guilty and comforted. It was unusual, having someone look out for her for a change. Without really thinking, she pulled the hand that was holding hers to her collar, using both of her own hands to hold the assassin's just over her heart -- one that still beat because he hadn't given up on her. Smiling as her hair was brushed back, Li's eyes lidded, apology still writ on her features but relief also visible in the curve of her lips. "I couldn't leave you," she murmured softly, her voice still wispy, "forgive me."
She listened then, hearing his words and the thoughts behind them, somewhere between disbelieving and completely flattered that Huang was so distraught. It would have been one thing if he were in her place, but she -- had felt inconsequential, and she surmised that's part of why she had fallen. If the assassin could believe in her, why couldn't she believe in herself? Lifting his hand once more, she gently - politely - touched her lips to his knuckles. "You saved my life even when your own was in such danger. I know no other definition of a hero." Li felt her words were more stable, her breath not so hitched; while she still hurt, she knew she could move, even if slow and careful. Drawing in a testing breath, feeling her lungs strain only in the slightest, the young woman nodded. "I can move with help - you needn't - you needn't carry me, Lunaria's grace haven't I imposed on you enough?"
And she laughed, a soft, low sound that wasn't as vibrant as her usual mirth but still was unmistakably her. The injury and circumstance hadn't stripped her of her ability to find humor in her position or show her prideful nature. Squeezing Huang's hand in both of hers, she relaxed, resigning herself to Huang's protective care. "I am forever in your debt, hero," she finally conceded softly. "Thank you."
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