Freedom

Yen-Li sifted through the rubble of the cabins that were once hers and Omi’s. She had been instructed to gather anything of value and wait for Omi here. The raven haired woman was filled with anxiety as she lifted pieces of splintered wood and charred furniture. She still had fear in her heart, even though she had seen Hizashi transform into a feeble old man. The man had put the fear of god into her and it wouldn’t be removed so easily. And worse still, the violence that she had borne witness to was still fresh in her mind. From Yen-Li’s perspective she had seen true violence when she had arrived on the Isle of Whispers, but not before. Everything before meeting Omi was hazy or missing, or replaced with less horrific and painful versions of her actual past.

She had managed to gather a few odds and ends, although she hadn’t come with much personally. A bit of food, a few knives and a small bundle of clothing was all she gathered from her own cabin, and as she tied up the small pack she noticed she was kneeling roughly where Menza had knelt before her the first time she’d met him. A shudder would run through her as she remembered his gentle touch and seemingly kind smile. His manner had been disarming at first; he was rude and short with her, but also interestingly attentive in a way that had almost swayed her opinion of him. Almost, until he had revealed his true nature through his retelling of bits of his past, then she had felt true dread. And as she knelt in the wreckage of her home she felt that dread return like a sickly weight in the pit of her stomach.

She realised then that she had been suppressing that fear, probably to keep herself focused while she fled, but it now returned in full force and a new fear along with it. “I left him with that. . . monster. . .” A ragged sob choked her words as she angrily swept the tears from her eyes and tossed her pack onto the grass away from the wreckage. Even though he had told her to run, now that she was separated from Omi she felt as though she had abandoned him.

Picking up her pack once more she moved to Omi’s cabin and grabbed everything she thought might be of value to him. Clothing, papers and notes, tools and food; anything she could find. Then she would take the two packs and sit on a broken bench with her own cloak wrapped around her shoulders and his neatly folded in her lap. She looked in the direction she had run from, and she awaited her saviour.

Omi took off in the direction of their cabins with the explosive speed of a linebacker. Despite his strongman frame, Omi was pretty fast when he needed to be. He didn't think Yen-Li was in any imminent danger though. Menza appeared to be shaken by Joki's defeat which meant his thoughts weren't on Omi and his pupil. But given pace of the scientist's mind, that might not be the case for long. It was best for them to be on the road or in the company of allies ASAP. Omi was holding the wrapped weapon that Honiko had tossed to him shortly before her assault on Nozomi. It was their one bargaining chip and he gripped it as if it were the last piece of gold in the world.

Yen-Li would see him approaching on the horizon and once he could see that she was present and safe, he'd use Swift Release to increase his speed even further. The Enlightened Custodian would soon be at her side in a flash. A whirlwind of dust and debris was kicked up by his sudden arrival. The man was sweating and out of breath, but he was alive and unharmed. He reached out to give Yen-Li a hand up. She had done precisely what he had asked. He knew she was afraid and uncertain, but she trusted him enough to perform the task perfectly. He would not rife through the supplies she had gathered. There was no use second-guessing her at this hour. He strapped the mystery object to his back, slung his pack over his shoulder and relived her of the extra cloak.

"Thank you" he said as he took his cloak from her and wrapped it around his giant shoulders. "We must leave now Yen-Li. I'll explain on the way but you should know that we're safer in the company of allies. The Blood Prison is Nozomi's base and the Society operatives who work there are loyal to her and her alone. If she returns, that's ven better but even if she doesn't, its a place for us to rest and plan our next move" Omi formed a seal and two clouds propped up by a storm of bees were conjured in the airspace in front of them. The gentle giant helped Yen-Li onto her cloud before sitting on his own in the Lotus Position.

"This is the dawn of a new era for us." he said. It was clear that he was a different man. The oppressive destiny that Joki had forced on him was now gone. He wasn't sure what to do with this new freedom and so he decided to continue the only part of his mission that did bring him joy: Healing Yen-Li and helping her find her destiny. The clouds ascended into the skies and took off to the Land of Grass.

[Exit to Land of Grass]

[Travel Path: Southeastern Water Country (24hrs) -> Kanashi Ocean (96 Hours) -> Land of Tea -> (12hrs) Hanguri Gulf (48hrs) -> Land of Rivers (12hrs) -> Land of Rain (12hrs) -> Land of Grass (Destination)]

Total Travel Time: 204 Hours

Yen-Li kept a steady watch on the horizon for Omi, and when she saw him come into view her heart leapt with happiness. He moved quickly to her side, she often marvelled at how fast he could run despite his formidable size. She readily accepted his hand to help her up, giving him a not so subtle look over to check for injuries. Finding none, she would squeeze his hand gently and hand him the cloak she had found for him.

Once he had accepted the garment Yen-Li would turn to him with a relieved and gentle smile on her face, bowing her head at his thanks for the cloak. “You are most welcome, Master. Though no thanks is necessary.” She hadn’t done anything simply for his gratitude, she adored him and would do anything for the giant. She knew that they were leaving, but she hadn’t a clue where to when he’d initially told her to run and gather some things - a cloak had seemed a logical choice given that he did not seem to have the same immunities to the weather that she did. In a show of complete irony she would likewise wrap her own cloak around her shoulders and listen as he explained what they’re next moves were to be.

She looked up at him for a beat before replying, not that a reply seemed necessary but she was intrigued by him at present. Where scant hours before he had been a pillar of strength shackled to the earth by the hateful sea. . . now he was different somehow. He was still strong, still the saviour she’d always known him to be. But it was as though the secret part of him, the part she’d fallen in love with that had saved her, the part she’d missed since coming to this accursed island. . . it was no longer secret. Looking at him now there was no doubt in her mind that he could literally move mountains if he deemed it necessary. No Hizashi, no Menza. . . no other cruel taskmaster would keep him down. Seeing the resolve in his face strengthened her own, and she answered quietly as he helped her onto her cloud. “I trust you, Omi. Completely. If you think going to the Blood Prison is what’s best, then that’s where we’ll go. But you said ‘if she returns’. I assume that means she’s alive, and I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised after seeing how much blood. . . and she was still breathing. . .” She would shudder momentarily and shake the image from her mind as she sat down.

She settled into the Lotus Position after securing her pack onto her back, she gave Omi another soft smile. She hadn’t endured years of torture and abuse like he had, she’d only dealt with it for a few weeks, so while she could imagine. . . she couldn’t truly understand what Omi must be feeling right now. She knew it must be complicated however and so she did the only thing she could for him; held space for him and in that space she silently loved him. “Có chí làm quan có gan làm giàu” she would whisper quietly under her breath though Omi was close enough that he may have heard, an old bit of wisdom from somewhere in her past floated to the surface. Today they were brave, and today fortune would smile on them.

[Exit to Land of Grass with Omi]