A Cruel God

Omi had taught Yen-Lì as much as he could without overwhelming her. During the long journey through the skies and across the nations, he instructed her with the regality of a worldly professor. She was a natural given her lineage, but her true power only came out during periods of mental instability. Omi did not have much time to remedy this, but he did what he could. Meditation was the first step. She needed to purge her mind of excess thoughts and feelings. The Enlightened Custodian's brainwashing was helpful on this point, but it wasn't a terminal solution. To have perfect mastery over her element, Yen-Lì would need to reach true nirvana on her own and that would take years. "We don't have time..." Omi would occasionally chastize her when his seemingly limitless patience reached its limit. The stress of his urgency, the dramatic height at which they flew, the buzzing of the bees, and the inevitable atmospheric reaction to her own anxieties made the lessons difficult and often painful.

But by the time they reached the Isle of Whispers, if Yen-Lì had put all her effort into their sessions, then she'd be rewarded with remarkable improvement in her ability to conjure storms. They'd still react to her feelings but the amount of power she could output through sheer will and focus would be greater than what she was previously capable of. Omi withheld praise on the subject. A fact that might cause his new disciple discomfort.

Good.

She would need to get used to being uncomfortable when it concerned Hizashi. Yen-Lì had a long way to go and if he inflated her self-esteem after her modest progress, then she might not realize just how high the Disciple's expectations were. Hopefully what he had taught her would allow for a worthy demonstration. Enough to buy him more time to train her.

The pair zipped through the clouds and began their descent to the Isle of Whispers. The island was shrouded in mist and ordinarily, those who set foot on its shores were driven mad. Omi had bestowed a blessing upon Yen-Lì to ensure that she kept her wits in-tact once they landed. The clouds of wind and bees slowly disappeared as they drew closer to the ground. By the time they had arrived, the technique of propulsion was cancelled allowing them both to land on their feet. If Yen-Lì fell, Omi would help her up. She needed to know that for this leg of their journey, he was in her corner. He had given Yen-Lì small pieces of advice and bits of information about the man they were to meet, but nothing so that she could form a defined opinion outside of what he wished her to have.

Do not speak excessively.
Remain focused and undisturbed no matter what is said or done.
Impress him as though he were me, for as far as you are concerned, he holds our fate in his hands.
He is older than he appears. Treat him with the deference you would a Clan Elder.

Anything more than that would lead to Yen-Lì trying to "figure out" Hizashi. A crime that was punishable by death. The Society's true leader was not a man to be tested nor trifled with. Many a promising operative had lost their lungs to their own hubris. Omi did not intend for Yen-Lì to join them. If she was who he believed she was, then Yen-Lì might be one of the few agents that Hizashi would work closely with.

"We must hurry. It would not do to keep Lord Hizashi waiting"

A name. A name that chilled his heart and made his blood run cold. It was the name of the man that had ripped him from his parents and tortured him into being little more than a glorified errand boy. If he shows Yen-Lì a shred more mercy than he showed me then perhaps there is a god...one not as foul as the being Honiko worships.

Omi would then walk Yen-Lì through the mist and across the island to the designated meeting point.

The long journey to their destination had been. . . eventful. Yen-Li had attempted to follow every instruction that Omi gave her, but as far as she could recall she had never meditated before. The closest she had ever come was when she had spent some time with Tsumi in the woods outside of Kumogakure, she remembered the young man had been surprisingly insightful in that regard. The entire ordeal with Omi however was much more intense than building a treehouse in the woods. She found the process frustrating, and then found it mortifying when Omi came to the ends of his patience.

The last thing she wanted to do was disappoint her saviour. Omi had actually saved her, from horrors and tragedies so terrible that his mere presence obliterated their shadow with his light. She never thought it was strange that she couldn’t remember what had happened to her, she just knew that he had been there as a shining beacon of hope that lit her way to safety. And with Omi placed on a towering pedestal it ripped at her heart to think that she might be letting him down.

Days of flying through the clouds, plasma dancing through the air as she tried to keep herself calm and channel her powers was exhausting. Yen-Li cried silently as she worked; the pain and turmoil causing her frustration and tiredness to prick at her eyes. She tried to hide it from Omi, she didn’t want him to think she couldn’t do it. With him at her side she knew she could do anything. When they finally touched down on the misty island, Yen-Li had not come even close to mastering the techniques that Omi had taught her - but she was more centered and calm. She had been sitting in the lotus position for so long that when she went to step down from the cloud, she stumbled as her legs were unused to the ground after so long. Omi was there to pick her up and she would smile and thank him as he did so.

It was an important moment for Yen-Li; she had spent this whole time thinking that she was doing nothing but letting him down and then he aided her when she fell. A reminder that he was still on her side, still looking out for her - despite how hard he had to be with training her. She would take that quiet moment to squeeze his hand and speak. She spoke in a whisper, something about the island made her feel like whispering was appropriate. “Thank you, Omi. I won’t let you down.”

He had given her some short instructions and she intended to follow them to the letter.

Do not speak excessively.
Remain focused and undisturbed no matter what is said or done.
Impress him as though he were me, for as far as you are concerned, he holds our fate in his hands.
He is older than he appears. Treat him with the deference you would a Clan Elder.

She was glad that he had chosen to be succinct, it made it easier for her to remember them. As he bade her hurry, she did. Pulling herself up and straightening her clothing, she kept pace with the larger man and walked with him towards her destiny.

The closer the master and apprentice drew to their destination, the less the former felt like a person. It was as if the agency and subjectivity was being drained from him. The Lord whom he he served had stripped away his will to do anything other than execute the commands given to him. When he was in Hizashi's presence, Omi no longer felt like an independent being. He felt like an extension of Hizashi. A prop or tool to be used and then tossed aside until needed once more. Yen-Lì might notice this shift. It was subtle, but the connection between them made them more familiar with each other than some lovers were. However, there was nothing she could say to alleviate this tension in Omi's soul. It would remain with him either for as long as Hizashi lived or until Omi died. The Custodian knew which was more likely to occur.

Hizashi was standing beneath a fruitful apple tree. He was looking up at it as if it held the secrets of the universe. He examined each apple, the stems from which it sprouted, the limbs of the tree and the mighty trunk which was connected to the ground. Life did not have endpoints. It was a series of nodes which circulated and re-circulated back into itself. An ever-evolving paradox that could be understood and then further broken down into immutable principles. The world had forgotten those principles, but in time, it would learn them again. When Omi and Yen-Lì entered a range of two meters, Hizashi would hold up a hand. Omi would stop and place his hand on Yen-Lì's chest halting her forward momentum a foot from behind him. Even now, when he was at his most vulnerable, he protected her.

Hizashi had not yet acknowledged their arrival. He did not even bother casting a glance in their direction. He was still fixated on the apples within the tree. In the same way one might finally acknowledge a fly buzzing around their personage, Hizashi turned to the task of analyzing their chakra signatures. Hizashi possessed an uncanny skill in this regard. He could sense not just the energy source itself, but the emotions and thoughts connected to it. It was a masterful ability that he had passed along to Honiko but not Omi. He could feel the Wind Descendant's fear. He could taste it. The giant of a man made him seem small and yet he psychologically cowered in Hizashi's presence. Omi's devotion rivaled Honiko's but whereas her's was born out of love and consent, his was a product of terror and enslavement. This suited the Water Disciple just fine. The young woman standing next to him was a curiosity.

Yen-Lì's chakra tasted familiar. Familiar in the same way Honiko's was, familiar in the same way Omi's was, and familiar in the way Menza's was. The note and tone of her chakra made him raise an eyebrow even as he continued staring at the leaves of the apple tree. She was related to Raiun, that much was certain. Whether she was yet another mutt or a thoroughbred, however, was what today's examination was supposed to reveal. Hizashi's Mind's Eye also told him that Yen-Lì was anxious but devoted. The girl's soul was tied to Omi's and partially out of her own free will. Hizashi snorted as he realized why. It was the first expression he gave since they had shown up. He stopped looking at the tree and turned to Omi. The unmistakable look of disgust was written on his face.

"I see you've contaminated her"
"My Lord I..."
"Silence. I'll deal with you later, boy"

Hizashi then turned to Yen-Lì.

"What is your name girl? You who would call yourself my brother's issue."

This one reeks of fear...or is it uncertainty?
Either is preferable. It means that Omi has at least taught her one thing of value.

As they walked along Yen-Li could feel something was amiss. At first she had thought it was the misty island itself - it was a reasonable explanation, unknown terrain and all. But after walking for several paces she set that theory aside. The closer they came to their destination, the more unease she felt from Omi. It was very subtle, and not something that she could have put into words if she had needed to, but it was there all the same. There was no physical tell, no words or actions that gave her an inkling as to the issue. It was something in her gut, or rather in her heart that was telling her that something was wrong. She didn’t know what to do about it, and she tried to reason that perhaps she was just imagining it or maybe even projecting her own uncertainties about the unknown onto the man at her side.

For the briefest of moments she would allow herself to just feel, and as unreasonable as she suspected it probably was, she tried to project her feelings of love and trust to her companion. She doubted it would do anything at all, but Omi had been quite clear about how she was to behave in front of Hizashi and she didn’t think attempting to hug Omi was part of that. She wanted to embrace him desperately, in part to ease her own worry but more so to offer silent support to him. Not that she thought he needed it, he was a paragon of strength and resolve. Finally deciding that it was nothing more than her own weakness that was driving her to be in his embrace once more she would let the idea fade away. Omi had warned her that her life was at stake, and more than that - both of their fates might be decided by this meeting. She knew this would require strength of will and if they lived there would be plenty of time to express her feelings later.

As they moved she saw a man standing and staring up at an apple tree laden with fruit. They were two meters from the man that she could only assume was Hizashi when Omi abruptly stopped moving and held his hand to her chest to stop her movement as well. She stopped immediately, taking the silent cue from Omi and feeling a skip in her heart as she realized that Omi had her back. Or her front in this case.

As time wore on, which Hizashi stared at apples, Yen-Li found herself growing impatient. She knew that this man was important, that her destiny lay in his hands, but she had not expected to be ignored for the first few minutes of their meeting. And it wasn’t as if Hizashi was conversing with Omi and so understandably she would have been made to wait while they talked. But this was not the case, instead both her and Omi were waiting in silence as Hizashi examined a fruit tree. She had made much progress on dampening her extreme emotions on their journey here, and it was that training alone that held her in check as she heard a disgusted ‘snort’ come from the man as he turned and spoke directly to Omi.

"Silence. I'll deal with you later, boy"

‘Boy?’

Yen-Li inhaled quickly through her nose as she fought her rising anger. She did not see Omi lash out and so she didn’t either, but her temper flared wildly as Hizashi belittled her saviour. Even the rude way he referred to her meant nothing compared to how he had just spoken to Omi, but she held her peace and locked her violet eyes on Hizashi’s eyes as she bowed and introduced herself. “I am Yen-Li, Hizashi-dono.” She heeded Omi’s words and spoke little and with utmost respect, even her bow was deep as one would give a Kage.

Pathetic. The anger Yen-Lì felt was not her own. It was a byproduct of the Custodian's technique. While he was indeed acting under Hizashi's orders to find and bring in the Lightning Disciple's descendant, he had not instructed the man to take short-cuts. He was well-aware that the task he had given to Omi was next to impossible to accomplish without the use of his "talents", but that was his servant's cross to bear. Hizashi regularly asked the impossible of his subordinates and if they achieved it in ways that displeased him, then his reaction was only marginally better than if they had failed altogether.

These weren't the expectations of a man, they were the expectations of a god.

Hizashi wanted Yen-Lì to serve him, but he wanted her mind whole. Right now she was little more than an empty vessel filled with Omi worship. Unfortunately, the hour of the Sage's awakening was near and he simply couldn't afford to start over. Hizashi decided that he'd work with what he'd been given. That was assuming of course, she was a full-blooded descendant. Once that was confirmed, he'd make Omi pay at a later date. Hizashi walked towards the young woman as he heard her name. The Mind Eye's of the Kagura allowed him to borrow deep into her soul. Omi's technique had erased whole chunks of her personhood but as experienced and well-versed as Hizashi was, he capable of piecing it all back together. Not for her benefit, but his own. He knew the name she had been given was not her real name, but getting her to part with it would be a troublesome expedition. Hizashi's view of of the descendants were strictly colored through his relations with their ancestors. It was why he was so close to Honiko, why he was so deferential to Menza, why he was so disrespectful to Omi, and why he was now looking at Yen-Lì as if she was a long lost little sister. After he closed the gap, he put his hands on her cheeks to examine her face closely.

The inspection carried on in silence for a few seconds before he spoke up.

"You did not personally damage her in any other way....this is good." Omi was as still as a statue. The human tank was paralyzed with fear and his eyes were downcast. He was too afraid to even bow. "Look at me when I talk to you Omi."

Omi obeyed. Hizashi was not looking back at him though, instead he was still looking into Yen-Lì's eyes. He moved her head from side to side and peered around. Hizashi's hands drifted to Yen-Lì's shoulders. He carefully rolled up her sleeves and saw the lightning marks across her body. He knew that Omi did not do this, but he'd needle the man about it all the same. He continued to talk while inspecting the descendant. "However, she is still hurt and your feeble and misguided attempt to heal her has only compromised her effectiveness. Do you take full responsibility for this?" At least two of the three parties present should know that the damage he was referring to was not physical. "Yes Lord Hizashi" "Excellent. Fortunately other than that on the surface she appears a model of what Raiun was....but is her actual ability as convincing as her genes?" "I believe so Lord Hizashi." "Time to put it to the test then"

Hizashi took his hands off of her and stepped back. He knew that disrespecting Omi would agitate her. Hopefully it would provide an incentive for a rather moving demonstration. Hizashi pointed to a wooden cabin in the distance.

"Conjure a storm and destroy that cabin child. Hold nothing back."

Yen-Li had a myriad of emotions flowing through her as Hizashi approached her. Anger still bubbled beneath the surface of her calm, and as the man’s hands touched her that anger was joined by fear. She had no idea what Hizashi was capable of, but she had been warned to behave a certain way and she suspected that behaving any other way would end in tragedy. She was also aware of the raiton chakra that flowed and sparked over her skin and threatened to lash out at the man as he touched her, and she quickly suppressed it as it began. She was momentarily confused as to why that was occurring, but let it go as she felt Omi’s presence nearby. She had no memory to solve the riddle of her body's unconscious defense mechanism, those memories had been taken from her, and fortunately replaced with the assurance of security from her saviour.

She felt very much like a prize sheep at a rural fair as she was inspected, Hizashi turned her head as he held her gaze and examined her from all angles. When she met with people in the past, which honestly had not been often, they had never scrutinized her so thoroughly. Nor had she been so angry as far as she could remember. Hizashi continued to berate Omi for an apparent failure, though from the way Hizashi spoke it sounded as though somehow they had both failed. She bristled at the idea that Omi had somehow made her less effective. She knew that was not the case, if anything she was certain that Omi had helped her become more effective. She knew it in the depths of her very soul and the more Hizashi continued with his disrespectful barrage, the more her fury rose. Around her dark clouds gathered in seeming response to her rage, darkening the skies further.

Having Hizashi roll up her sleeves was mildly uncomfortable, and she fought to suppress her Aegis once more. She could see in Hizashi’s eyes and manner that she was not currently in danger, he seemed familiar with her as though he had known her his whole life. For her though she had known him only a few minutes and was already angry and frustrated with how he spoke to who she considered the most important man in the world. She listened quietly while she seethed, the two of them exchanging words about her apparent state of health. She very nearly cut in, jumping to the defense of Omi. The words ‘There’s nothing wrong with me, I’m not injured.’ screaming through her mind. But she stayed silent, her mouth would open and then immediately clamp shut again. She knew that obeying Omi was more important than her vain presumptions about her own well being.

When Hizashi finally told her to conjure a storm and destroy something she was very near the limits of her self control. With a hard edge to her voice and one last intense look at Hizashi she would step around him and focus on the cabin in the distance. “Gladly.” Was all she said in reply to Hizashi’s command as she closed her eyes for a moment and felt the world around her. The gathering dark clouds around the island made it all the easier to conjure a storm, practicing what Omi had taught her she focused on a single piece of reality; the storm. She could have focused on the cabin, or Hizashi or even Omi - and while any of those things or people would have been excellent foci they were not the thing she was trying to manipulate. She could smell the ozone as raiton began gathering, feel the wind as it rushed over her now bare arms and hear the rumbling of thunder as it responded to her will.

But it wasn’t enough.

She knew it wasn’t.

Storms were not focused, or at peace. Storms were fury and chaos and destruction. Storms were Nature’s way of making room for fresh life, of sweeping away the stagnant and dormant and beginning anew. Storms were change.

As she focused on the storm she was gathering she also heard Hizashi’s voice in her mind, the terrible way he treated Omi and she allowed her fury to rise. What had started as dark clouds and distant thunder quickly ramped up as her emotions took over.

‘How’

Thunder cracked and shook the air, rain fell in razor streams as the wind whipped the drops violently.

‘Dare’

She would raise her hands, her violet eyes flashing dangerously as she poured her fury into the storm, lightning and plasma streaking across the sky and casting an eerie glow in the stubborn mist.

‘You!’

She released the storm entirely, directing all of her rage and hatred at the wooden structure, all of her muscles clenching as she let out a guttural scream. Bolts of lightning and plasma slammed into the cabin and it’s flimsy wooden planks exploded in a shower of sparks and rain soaked splinters. She didn’t stop there. She continued to channel her ranton into the destroyed building as she let loose a violent torrent of emotion. In her mind she kept herself fueled as she waged a war with her instinct to protect Omi versus her instinct to obey him. ‘He saved me, from things unimaginable. How dare you speak to him that way. If he asked I would strike you down in an instant. I would do anything for him. ANYTHING! I love him, and I will kill anyone that hurts him.’ She continued channeling her chakra into the destruction of the building, until all that was left was a pile of charred and obliterated wood in a small crater formed by the incessant strikes of raiton and ranton. The storm around the three of them would continue even as she lowered her hands and turned back to face Hizashi and Omi. Previously she would not have stopped at all, but the training that Omi had given her helped her retain some semblance of control. That control was tenuous and she still trembled with rage as she faced the other two, her eyes still sparking with raiton as the wind whipped at her making her look wild and almost feral. As long as she remained in a state of heightened emotion the natural storm around them would continue, although Yen-Li was not consciously aware of that. In a voice strained by passion and anger, Yen-Li bowed once more and upon rising spoke as evenly as she could.

“What else do you wish me to destroy?”

Like Raiun, Yen-Lì's rising anger manifested first in the skies. Then, it was transferred into her own body. She had been suppressing it for his sake, but even if she hadn't, none of it would be enough to harm him. He knew this restraint was likely a product of true meditation albeit he wasn't about to give Omi credit for this achievement.  Hizashi knew that his open disrespect of Omi was enraging her. It wasn't the object of his intentions, but it was a welcome side-effect. He needed to bring out all of Yen-Lì's raw power. He could filter, control, and re-direct it at a later time. All that he needed at the present moment was a gauge of her output capacity. It was critical for his future goals that she be able to shake the heavens with her storms. So far what he saw and sensed was promising, but the allotted time for this era was coming to an end. He had no desire for promises only results.  The dark clouds that she summoned in response to his command rumbled. He watched intently as she channeled her chakra and focused on the cabin near them.

She was in full control of its energy, but through his Mind's Eye he could tell that the cabin was not the target she desired to strike down. Yen-Lì's vindictiveness towards him was amusing. He did not fault her for it. His examination was fairly invasive and the way he treated her "savior" was bound to make him her enemy. He'd undo the curse that infested her mind once he had the luxury of time, but until then, he was content with his status as her adversary. Yen-Lì's eyes flashed with electrical energy and she raised her hands to the sky. Omi's gaze had shifted to Yen-Lì and internally his heart swelled with pride. She had resisted the urge to try and fry his Master. Now she was putting his lessons on meditation and right-mindedness to work. Omi could tell by the curvature of the sparks, formation pattern of the clouds and even by the sound of the thunder above, that Yen-Lì was in full control of the environment. She had not wasted his time or forgotten what he had told her. She used her anger as a chance to focus and she purged all else from her mind. The resulting blasts of plasma annihilated the cabin and sent Hizashi's hair fluttering in the breeze. It was a direct hit with enough juice to take out a city's grid. Omi did not dare smile or openly express his joy, but hopefully, Yen-Lì could feel it.


In contrast, Hizashi's expression was neutral. It was a clean and direct hit with nothing but a crafter left. He had sensed every joule of energy and savored every particle of chakra that made up the attack. He sighed as he ran a few calculations in his head. It was good, but simply not good enough.

You're too hard on the girl....
Yes. But the time for soft play is at an end. We've waited a millennia for this. There won't be any second-chances.

Hizashi turned to Yen-Lì and shook his head.

"Nothing. It'd just be a waste of your time and mine. You have a powerful spark Yen-Lì but a spark is just a spark. Perhaps when this world dies, I will see you on the other side. We might need warriors like you to help us rebuild." Hizashi turned to Omi and the moment the two made eye contact, Omi's face contorted in horror. He knew this look. "You've failed me for the last time boy."

Omi took a single breath in fear. Then another, then another. Each time sounded more raspy and difficult than the last. He sank to his knees and coughed out a stream of water. No! NO! Omi tried to speak. He tried to explain himself. He tried to request mercy for them both, but it was too late. All that came out was water. As the substance filled his lungs, Hizashi knew that he would try to fight back out of sheer survival instinct. Omi was stronger than he knew and so he would give the man an honor that few who died from this method received. Every single apple in the tree, except one, shriveled and fell to the ground. They were now empty husks. Hizashi had drained every nano-liter of water from them and conjured a bright blue stream which wrapped around Omi's head. He had tried to use Wind Release to force every water molecule from his lungs but with Hizashi's additional move, he was a dying man. No matter how much wind he tried to conjure, he felt his chakra network sputter and all that he could call forth was a powerful gust. Enough to blow Hizashi's cloak but not much else. Omi was now sprawling on the ground drowning to death before Yen-Lì.

As her savior struggled to breathe, Hizashi turned back to her.

"If you truly care about him...strike me down. If you cannot conjure enough force to make me stop then I will make you bury his body" Hizashi crossed his arms and waited. If this would not bring out all she had, then nothing would.

Yen-Li could feel the pride at her efforts from Omi, in the same intrinsic way that she had felt Omi’s apprehension earlier, a fleeting and mercurial knowledge. She looked towards him and saw no sign of it however, only the stoic and serious expression that he usually bore. Not seeing that pride apparent on his face did not bother her though, she didn’t need to see it to know it was there. Her hopes about whether she had done enough were dashed the instant Hizashi shook his head. She was stunned, what she had just done was no less than effective and somehow it still wasn’t enough for the insufferable man.

Yen-Li had no knowledge of the true extent of torment that Omi had been put through by Hizashi, so she had nothing to lead her to believe that Hizashi might actually kill the Wind Disciple. She viewed Omi as the most powerful person in the universe, someone strong enough to withstand anything. She had earlier referred to him as a god, and as such she thought nothing could ever take him from her. As Hizashi turned from admonishing her to look at Omi, her gaze would follow and for the first time in what felt like a lifetime of knowing the man; she saw horror on his face. She didn’t know what was happening at first, she had no context other than his warnings that her life might be forfeit if she failed. For a moment that was how she interpreted what she saw; she had failed Hizashi and so of course she would be executed now. She was unhappy with the prospect of dying, however she had known the risks when she had taken Omi’s hand, and for his sake she was willing to accept her death.

It only took her a second more to realize what was actually happening as Omi gasped for breath and sank to his knees. Time froze. Just seconds, but also an eternity as she watched Hizashi choke the life from Omi right before her eyes. She had been told very clearly to not react no matter what happened. And her mind saw the logic of that, her heart however did not. This was Omi. No rule or law of men or of gods would stop her. Her mind went blank and filled with nothing but the savage need to kill the man who had dared to lay a hand on Omi.

Part of her heard Hizashi speak, a part that would remember his words later if she survived, but there was nothing in her conscious mind save for her rage. What had been an impressive storm before turned deadly as she screamed at the man and advanced. What raiton and ranton she was not using for her own purposes ripped through the skies and destroyed the earth around them. Streaks of lightning exploded rocks and trees, the sky was black and then bright blue as the storm matched her frenzy. She was going to kill him, there was no question in her mind as she reacted. This time instead of directing the lightning and plasma at her target she channeled it from the skies and into herself, redirecting its power through the gauntlet on her wrist. She used herself as a living lightning rod and amplified the power of the storm through her arm. She never stopped screaming as she advanced, keeping a steady stream of ranton flowing directly at the man - her intention was to bore a hole straight through him. “I will kill you! Don’t you fucking touch him, who the fuck do you think you are?” Her ranting was incessant and peppered with colourful language, she was beyond reason now and all thoughts of being focused, calm or respectful were gone from her head.

Hizashi offered a dull glare as he looked into Yen-Lì's eyes. He watched her chakra nature shift from apprehension and disdain to pure irrational rage. He didn't need to command her. She was going to try and kill him regardless and she'd muster every ounce of power in her veins to do it. Hizashi did not even brace himself as the tempest grew even more violent. Raiton and Ranton swirled around her in preparation for her all-out assault. The excess made short work of their surroundings. Rocks, trees, and the earth itself was torn asunder as the full might of Yen-Lì's wrath was laid bare. Yes.....that's right. Show me. He could see her now. A visage of all the trauma she had experienced was emanating around her. It told him of the abused girl she had been and more importantly, the awesome warrior she could become. Yen-Lì's true potential was not in some silly exercise to obliterate a cabin. It was in her desire to protect those she cared about. When fueled with that kind of drive, what she had done to the cabin, she could do to a city.

Hizashi did not move as the earth split around him and the apple tree he stood under was torn from its roots. He made no attempt to dodge the strike she aimed at his center mass. Instead, he merely held up a hand to block the blow. The kinetic force of the strike generated a gale wind that caused the Isles itself to howl. The earth cracked between the two warriors, but Hizashi did not give a single inch. The electricity that she had conjured continued to spark and crackle against his flesh but it did not travel a nanometer passed his palm. Yen-Lì would likely feel a soreness in her hand and arm. It was as though she had just struck a brick wall.

“I will kill you! Don’t you fucking touch him, who the fuck do you think you are?”
"A God."

Hizashi's hand closed around her fist and then squeezed. Yen-Lì would most likely find herself locked in place and from there, she'd probably experience a great deal of pain. A delightful pop would then be heard.

He had broken her wrist, knuckles and fingers in one fell swoop. The act was hopefully enough to render that hand useless for the time being, and if his gauge on her constitution was correct, the pain would prevent her from further offense. Hizashi's hand was smoking and though there was not a scratch on him, sparks continued to dance along his fingertips. The man raised an eyebrow in surprise as he realized what this odd sensation was.

Numbness. She had numbed his hand. It was nothing more dramatic than what one might feel if they sat on their hand for too long, but for Hizashi it was a pleasant surprise. He hadn't felt this sensation in centuries. No Raiton user had even come close to producing such an effect. Hizashi would then attempt to backhand Yen-Lì while she was still potentially stunned by the breakage of her wrist. The act would bring feeling back into Hizashi's hand and for the first time since the two had arrived, his expression approximated something close to satisfaction.

"Well done."

He raised his hand and the water that was covering Omi's head evaporated. The Enlightened Custodian coughed up more water and drew in a grateful breath. His massive chest heaved up and down as he took in the oxygen that he had been so painfully denied. If not for his superhuman constitution, Omi would have certainly perished. He knew that if Yen-Lì had not performed adequately, Hizashi might have cut his losses and ended his life right then and there. Or at the very least, deprived him of air long enough to cause permanent damage to his lungs or brain. It was a cruel act, but he served a cruel god.

Hizashi towered over Yen-Lì. If she tried to fight back or give further demonstration of her rage, then he would show her just how little patience he had for defiance. Hizashi stomped down on Omi's chest breaking several of his ribs. The already exhausted custodian coughed up more water along with some blood.

"You are a full-blooded descendant of my Brother Disciple Raiun of the Lightning. It seems his power has received a worthy heir. I can teach you more Yen-Lì. You need not suffer under my servant's tutelage any longer. The choice is of course yours but know that if you do not progress quickly...I will have no choice but to finish today's lesson"

The threat was clear. If Yen-Lì did not meet his expectations in a timely fashion, then she and Omi would perish by his hand. She should know that his ancient being was not one to bluff. Hizashi focused on Yen-Lì's thoughts the whole time. He felt he knew what the answer would be even before he asked the question. She was almost certainly going to reject his offer and that was perfectly fine. He'd allow her the freedom to choose her own teacher. This offer was for Omi's benefit not her's. He wanted this bastard to know how little he regarded him. For Omi was the only descendant that he did not respect enough to give a choice. Honiko, Menza, and even Yen-Lì each could choose their own destiny. Omi could not. The freedom that his ancestor so glibly extolled was robbed from him.

Hizashi could think of no sweeter revenge.

"A God.”

Hizashi may as well have been, for all that Yen-Li could discern.

She had never seen a god, she had thought she had once and was quickly corrected by said almost-god. But if she had to describe the sorts of things gods were capable of; being able to withstand more power than she had ever thrown at anyone without even receiving a scratch - that would be something she thought gods were capable of. She kept advancing as the world around them shook and exploded, her arm and hand tired as she moved, the effort seeming fruitless as she struggled to make Hizashi stop. To make him die.

She didn’t have a hope.

She didn’t know she wasn’t strong enough to fight him, nor would it have mattered even if she had. Knowing what she knew now, that she wouldn’t even be able to mark him, she would have done it again exactly the same. Even as Hizashi’s hand closed around hers and squeezed, she knew she would do it again. She glared at him with hatred as he held her fast, roaring with fury and pain as he snapped her knuckles, fingers and wrist in a single instant. She hated this man with every fibre of her being, but hate did not dull pain. Only storybooks told it like that. She wanted to be brave, to endure for Omi’s sake. She wanted to continue to fight back and defend him, she wanted to protect him. She even flexed her fingers on her right hand to try to form a hand seal, to no avail. It wasn’t the pain that stopped her, things just wouldn’t move. It was a confusing sensation that when mixed with her anger about Hizashi attempting to murder Omi as well as the pain she now felt, it left her basically stunned.

The backhand from Hizashi was more insulting than anything, it hurt of course, but nowhere near how her wrist and hand felt. She reeled with the strike and against her will fell to her knees, mistakenly putting out her hands to stop her fall. She grunted in pain and instantly drew her right arm up and cradled it against her chest. She would look over as she heard ‘Well done.’ and saw Omi finally able to breathe. With him safe she could calm and spend a moment to assess how much danger she was in.

Yenn would have known where she stood at the moment. She would have known long before Omi was in danger, and much longer before she was injured. She would have seen the signs, the very subtle tells that even Hizashi would give off. But without her memories of her tragic past, of all the years spent chained and beaten and tortured, she had nothing to warn her. Omi had seen the signs; in his anxiety as they approached, the way he sought to guide her physically in Hizashi’s presence. He had been able to tell the difference, even unconsciously, between a stern gaze and a stern gaze filled with the promise of pain. These were things that only those that had experienced these abuses could see. They were bright flashing signs in a dark landscape and over time became easier to pick out and sometimes even avoid. Yenn would have seen it coming. Yen-Li did not.

Yenn would have also known when to back down. She would have seen the warning of further pain and even death. She would have stayed quiet with eyes downcast, doing everything in her power to not anger the person who she knew held her life in their hands. She wouldn’t have sworn or fought back, there would have been no glaring or threatening. Yenn had understood her place in the world and her place was at the mercy of those above her.

And everyone was above her.

Yen-Li was at least smart enough to know when she was beaten. She didn’t cry or whimper, she clenched her jaw to keep quiet as she looked up from the dirt at Hizashi - the cruel god. He stomped down hard on Omi’s chest and Yen-Li could hear the cracking of bones as he did so, and she tried her best to keep from wincing in sympathy. She had just heard the same noise from her mangled hand and wrist and so soon afterwards to hear that noise. . . she knew exactly what that brand of pain felt like. Doing her best imitation of stoicism she watched as Omi coughed up blood. She knew a decent amount of first aid, but she was no med-nin and she was worried. While Omi was no longer in danger of drowning in water, she knew that drowning in blood was still possible. She was now frightened of showing how much she cared for the man; Hizashi may not have known how deeply she cared for Omi at first, but he certainly did now. It left them both in a dangerous position. One that people less cruel than he had taken advantage of before.

With that thought in mind she returned her attention to Hizashi and she tried to soften her glare. The resilient and unabused Yen-Li refused to back down, but she hoped that the tyrant that towered over her would settle for silence if not obedience and cowering. As he explained what all the testing had been about, Yen-Li was largely unmoved. She suspected that this was supposed to be something akin to ‘approval’ or perhaps even ‘praise’. But she didn’t care. The only thing she cared about was currently beneath Hizashi’s heel. Literally. The threat he issued was not missed however and she knew that without a response she might as well have allowed Omi to die moments earlier. For a brief second she considered choosing to train under Hizashi, it was a fleeting thought, but it did give her pause. If she chose him then her successes or failures would not be tied to Omi, and in theory he would not suffer for them. It was an idea that could work, but as she looked over the scene before her she knew it was a fool’s hope. Hizashi had attempted to kill Omi, and even after she had succeeded at his ‘test’ Hizashi had further injured Omi. In that one act she knew that there was little she could do to actually spare the man further torment. Save for killing the supposed ‘god’. And that she could accomplish with or without Hizashi’s tutelage.

Looking Hizashi in the eye, her broken wrist still gingerly cradled by her left hand, she summoned her strength and answered him clearly. “Your lesson was understood, and will not need to be repeated. I will study with Omi. And you will not be disappointed.” There were a good many other things she had wanted to say, but none of them were respectful. She wanted to tell him that he should be grateful that she was choosing Omi and not him, for if she studied under him it would only be to learn how best to kill him. But she imagined he already knew that without her needing to say it. He was smart enough to use her love for Omi against her, so it stood to reason that he would be smart enough to foresee his own demise.

Even without his sensory abilities, Hizashi could tell that Yen-Lì was trying (and failing) to conceal her concern. He had injured Omi and right now she'd give the world to keep him safe. Hizashi could use this to his advantage and he would. If Yen-Lì ever balked at a task or an order, all he needed to do was torture Omi. Yen-Lì would have no choice, but to comply if she wanted her so-called savior to be safe. She would hate him but only for as long as she had that infernal infestation in her mind. That troublesome bee would be removed one day and when it was, Yen-Lì would look at him with new eyes. Eyes filled with wonder and adoration. Hizashi did not care if the world worshipped him. He did not need their prayers nor their love. His fellow Sages and their off-spring, however, were a different matter. He genuinely cared for them for they were to be his acolytes and junior partners in the new civilization. They'd break bread at his table, oversee his lands, and the put the true meaning of Hagoromo's teachings into the hearts of future generations. All of them would receive a crown in that day. All, except one.

Hizashi looked down at Omi and shook his head. He removed his boot from Omi's chest once Yen-Lì gave him an answer. As expected, she rejected his offer and opted to train under Omi. He wasn't sure if she'd be brought up to par in time, but he had been surprised before. The descendants took great pleasure in proving him wrong and so long as it all proceeded in accordance with his scenario, he was more than happy to permit it. Hizashi held up his hand and an apple enraptured by water made its way over to him. He grabbed the fruit and the small water prison collapsed splashing the liquid on Omi's face. The Wind descendant struggled to get to his feet. but get to his feet he did. He was a truck of a man and had the physical endurance to match. Once he got his legs under him, he drew himself up to his full height. Omi's breathing was shallow and there was a wheeze to it, but he was alive and from the look on his face, it was clear that he had not been broken. For while Omi feared and served Hizashi, he did not worship him. This was not a case of Stockholm Syndrome. He was not under the illusion that he deserved this treatment or that Hizashi was somehow a righteous figure in his life. No. Omi meant what he said. He only believed in Destiny. It might have been his Destiny to serve Hizashi until death, but it was not to be Yen-Lì's. She'd live to see a better world and though she may have to forever accept Hizashi's rulership, she would not need to do so under oppressive terms.

Omi's goal was to get Yen-Lì to that Promised Land. Even if it killed him. Hizashi held the apple casually and looked at Yen-Lì then Omi. "Very well." He then walked past them. Omi remained standing at attention as the footsteps of their cruel master echoed. Before they fully disappeared, Hizashi called out to his loyal manservant.

"Omi. Prepare the Final Missive. It's time."

Omi's eyes widened and without missing a beat he replied: "It will be done my Lord. All of your flock will be summoned." Then, like a shadow retreating from the light, Hizashi disappeared from the scene. The last thing they'd hear from him was a haunting crunch as he took a bite of his green apple. With Hizashi gone, Omi turned to Yen-Lì with concern in his eyes. Hizashi had damaged her hand severely and he could tell that she was in great pain. Omi was no medic and though they had aides on the Isles, they would probably need a Medical-Nin which meant reaching out to him. Omi wasn't sure whether to risk it but he knew the first thing that needed to happen was that they both needed to be stabilized. He would only seek care after Yen-Lì though and as if to demonstrate his devotion to her well-being, he scooped her up into his arms. Omi was strong enough to lift her and hold her bridal-style despite having a set of broken ribs. The man that had just seconds ago been at Hizashi's mercy was now a model of strength and protection. You'd have thought he was starting a simple gym workout as opposed to having nearly been drowned to death.

"Don't worry Yen-Lì, I'm here" he'd reassure her. She needed to know that though he had been beaten and injured, his spirit was not broken. They were in this together. Regardless of what Hizashi says....I did the right thing. She'd have been consumed by her past if I didn't give her a brighter future. She needed something to believe in and I provided it. Flawed though I may be, I'm just a stepping stone to even greater and more powerful change.

"Your performance was outstanding"

Through all the pain she had suffered today and through all the training she had received, she needed to hear those words. She needed a win.

Yen-Li held Hizashi’s gaze as long as he continued looking at her, but she would not stand. It was not out of deference to their cruel leader, or some other show of respect or humility. Her refusal to stand wasn’t even a form of defiance, she just knew that she was likely unable to stand without crying out in pain. And she’d shown enough weakness for one day, she didn’t want to give the man more opportunities for cruelty. Not that she thought what she did or said had any bearing on his whims. What little she had seen of Hizashi confirmed that there were indeed gods in the world, and they cared nothing for those beneath them.

The sound of Hizashi’s retreating footsteps was like music to her ears, and she stared after him with apprehension, fully expecting him to turn around and invent some new form of hell. But he didn’t. Instead he called out to Omi and instructed him to prepare something she didn’t recognize. A final missive. She knew what a missive was but why he had decided to attach the word ‘final’ to it, she could only speculate. And her speculations were that whatever it meant, it was nothing good. She would keep silent as Hizashi and Omi exchanged words, she had seen Omi rise from the ground in her peripheral vision, and it had warmed her heart. Even though she currently knelt cradling her destroyed hand she felt like him living and breathing was worth it.

But fuck it hurt.

In her mind she had begun focusing on the words that Omi had told her when she first agreed to join him. It was calming and helped her have hope. It was more than that though; Omi was her hope. He was the shining beacon that led to destiny, the saviour that had arrived in her time of need, the one person she knew that she could rely on entirely. She turned her head to face the man just as she heard a distinct ‘crunch’ noise of Hizashi biting off a piece of the last remaining apple. The sound sent an involuntary shudder through her, which caused the shattered bones in her hand to scrape mercilessly against the muscles and tendons within her hand and wrist. She inhaled sharply as it happened and quietly muttered ‘fuck’ to herself. She wasn’t certain if this was more or less pain than she had experienced with Omi’s bees - but it felt worse. With the bees she had understood the purpose behind it, and knowing that there was no cruelty or malice behind it had made it more bearable. Her hand though, that had simply been a heartless act meant to show power and dominance.

She was doing fine all things considered. Omi still lived, and so did she. She was in pain but she found if she stayed very still it wasn’t so bad. Omi was standing and she could see that although he had nearly died and had been further injured that he was not broken. He was just as strong as he had always been, just as strong as she knew he was. Stronger. Where she stayed on the ground, he rose up to his full height and showed the world he would not be kept down. It was one of the many things she loved about him. She felt like she could match that strength, be the steadfast warrior that Omi believed she could be.

And then she saw the look in his eyes.

He had been tortured and physically broken; nearly drowned to death by someone that was supposed to lead them, his lungs were obviously punctured and what little she did know of medicine had her worried about what other detrimental effects those events might have caused. But when he looked at her she saw concern in his eyes. For her. Yen-Li barely had time to register this when he scooped her up into his arms. She would let out a shuddering breath as she fought to keep her composure. The amount of selflessness he showed in that simple action was something she had not experienced before.

"Don't worry Yen-Lì, I'm here"

She would curl herself against him, gently leaning her head against his shoulder as she allowed herself to be comforted. She felt completely safe in his arms, and the horrors from moments before faded as she felt his warmth. She could feel tears welling up as he held her, and she fought to keep them at bay. She didn’t fully understand why there were tears, but Yenn would have known, and in time Yen-Li would learn. Her chest rose and fell erratically as she struggled against her emotions, and finally with one validating phrase, her struggle ended in failure.

"Your performance was outstanding"

Yen-Li let out a gasp that she bit back immediately, hot tears leaking from her eyes as she held her breath and waited for the wave of emotion to pass. She didn’t want to cry, she wasn’t even sad. . . she couldn’t determine where the emotion was coming from exactly. After a few quiet seconds she would meekly speak up to the giant. “Omi. . .  I. . . I tried to save you. I’m so sorry, I tried. I wanted to kill him. . . if only I was stronger. . . If anything happe- if you left me. . . I, I don’t know what I would do. I need you.” Her voice broke as she spoke, she felt like she had failed. Hizashi had managed to make her feel like it was somehow her fault, as though all of the pain and torment could have been avoided if she’d been better or stronger.

She wallowed for only a few seconds before handling the outpouring of her traumatized heart like any healthy adult; through sarcasm and humour.

“We need to get you looked at, if we tried to train right now I could probably beat you. Even with a mangled hand.” She would raise her head to look at him and chuckle half heartedly, though pain was still evident on her face. Her cavalier attitude was more for his benefit than her own, she wanted to just sleep and wake up and have it all have been a terrible nightmare. With her uninjured hand she would attempt to press her palm gently against his cheek.

“I understand now.”

She was referring to his warning that there was one man that he could not and would not save her from. Since that day she had pondered his warning, wondering why. She knew that there was no malice in his actions towards her, so it couldn’t be that. But she finally understood. She had had to watch as Hizashi cracked Omi’s ribs, right after she had tried to save him. In the future she wasn’t so sure she would try again, because in the end her efforts hadn’t mattered, and in fact might have made things worse. Omi couldn’t save her from Hizashi, because Hizashi was beyond reason. You could build walls against tsunamis, but the waves came regardless - no matter how you yelled or fought, no matter what powers she may possess - she could not stop the elements. And if she was understanding correctly; Hizashi was stronger than all of them.

Omi knew that Yen-Lì was holding back tears. She was trying to be strong for the both of them. As she curled up against him, he began the long trek to the pair of cabins that would be their home for the next few weeks. They were on a tight schedule and the more he thought about it, the more he realized that they could not afford to let their injuries heal the old fashioned way. Omi kept his head straight and his expression solemn as he walked through the mist carrying his student. She had chosen him. Like Hizashi, the choice itself wasn't a surprise to him. For Omi, the real shock was how he had felt about it. Ordinarily, he'd see this as yet another chore or task to be accomplished. Another operative to inspire, threaten or otherwise manipulate into serving the organization's agenda. He did not feel this way with Yen-Lì. Instead, he felt an overwhelming desire to actually help her. He wanted to teach her and even if her selection was pre-ordained by his own technique, he felt proud to be her sensei.

She tried to apologize for her shortcomings but he'd have none of it. "You did save me Yen-Lì. You stayed my Master's hand and bought us time. Time that we will use to get you well and get you strong. Do not worry I will not leave you." Omi felt as if he was making a promise he was not sure he could keep. The time that was drawing near was unlike any other in the history of mankind. It was difficult to predict what Hizashi would do as a general rule, but during this era it was downright impossible. He could very well kill Omi in his sleep purely because Menza told him that his death would increase the chance of success by one percentage point. He could defend himself from anyone else, but against Hizashi, he was powerless. He could not tell Yen-Lì this even if she suspected it. She needed to believe that he was going to be alive and in her corner. If Omi's time came then it would need to be after she was strong enough to survive on her own. Until then, he would remain her rock no matter the cost.

Yen-Lì joked that she could beat him with her broken hand but the manservant was in no laughing mood. He didn't reply to the jape but he did address the subject of their wounds. "I know someone who can help. Its risky but we have no choice. Our training must begin soon...." Omi would not say anything else. If he kept talking and trying to breathe, he might collapse a lung. It was hard enough walking and carrying her. Eventually, they'd reach a twin set of cabins on the north side of the island. Omi had put her up in her own cabin so that she could have some privacy. It was one of the few luxuries that Hizashi afforded the agents "blessed" enough to work so closely with him. Omi would be in the cabin next door (less than 20 meters away) should she need anything. He opened the door and set her down on the bed. He ensured a small cadre of assistants set to work wrapping and dressing her injury. They weren't doctors or even nurses but they knew basic first-aid.

Omi set to work preparing the Final Missive and only once his Master's task was complete would he retire to his quarters. He'd permit the assistants to work on him only after they had tended to Yen-Lì. He hated leaving her alone like this but maybe it was best she had some time to herself. She had been through a lot and the introspection might be helpful. Shortly thereafter, Omi would make contact with Menza and then their trials would begin anew.

[Fade to Exit]

Yen-Li was exhausted, so she didn’t have the strength to argue with Omi about whether or not she actually had helped. She thought she understood what he was saying, but she was still worried and wracked with guilt. Some of that worry eased though when he reassured her that he would not leave her. Her joke did not go over well, which was not surprising to her, Omi was not exactly the joking type. Under different circumstances she may have found his stoicism in the face of her humour amusing, but not today. Not after what had just transpired.

She hadn’t asked about what ‘the final missive’ meant. She hadn’t questioned Hizashi’s claims about her bloodline. She had heard all of it, but not commented on a single bit. She hadn’t joined Omi because of the promise of secrets or power - she had joined because of the future he had painted for her. The hope he had given her. While part of her knew she should be more curious, and take a deeper interest in what was going on, that part was buried deep beneath the immediate. And immediately she needed to protect and care for Omi. ‘Fine job of that you’re doing.’ She was not the strong one of the pair, that much was evident. In the span of a few minutes she had managed to break every single directive given to her by Omi, and that had resulted in the state they were both in.

Walking, or rather being carried, along with Omi she would rest her head against him again. She didn’t know what he meant by ‘risky’ but she would take just about any help she could get. As long as it wasn’t Hizashi doing the ‘helping’ she couldn’t imagine it would be that bad. And she desperately needed the help. She was a ninjutsu specialist and she’d just lost the use of one of her hands, Hizashi might as well have killed her. She could do the seals one handed if necessary, but she was ill practiced at it. In response to his words she would sigh softly. “Let’s take their help then, I can’t fight like this. I’ll try, but it will be slow. No matter what though, I won’t let you down.” She sat in silence for the next few minutes, she could feel each labored breath of his against her form and it broke her heart. Several times during the journey she considered speaking up and insisting she could walk just fine. But each time she stayed silent. Silent-ish. She would open her mouth to speak and then clamp it closed once more as she changed her mind. What she was afraid of was inadvertently giving the impression that she thought Omi wasn’t strong enough. Even though she thought he was the strongest person in the world, she couldn’t imagine it going over well. So in her mind she willed herself to be lighter and easier to carry. She was grateful for the man shouldering her as a burden, and in truth she did need the aid, but she didn’t want to add to his pain.

Eventually she gave up on the idea altogether and would sing quietly as they walked, the melody only just loud enough for Omi to hear, but easy enough for him to tune out if it bothered him. She had intended to sit there silently for the entire journey, but she found the melody soothing. When the cabins came into view she perked up. He walked them inside and carefully set her down on the bed. She smiled up at him in thanks, worry still creasing her face as she studied him for signs of pain and injury. She knew what it had cost him to carry her here and she was grateful. “Thank you, Omi-sensei.”

The next while was busy and filled with people she didn’t recognize. Omi had instructed various people to help bind her wounds, it was basic first aid but she was quite thankful as she hadn’t quite figured out what she would do about the injured hand. She didn’t like being left alone, or rather, she didn’t like being left without Omi although she knew he had other duties. She knew he was close and if she needed anything it would be a short walk to ask for help. The time alone was good for her though, and after the assistants left she sat quietly on the bed and practiced the meditation techniques Omi had taught her. She had been told to hurry, and so she used every spare moment to practice. She was not going to let him down.

[Exit]