Chapter 5 - No Such Will

Yin’s eyes snapped open and she immediately sat up straight. Her body felt sore from running for her life in the tunnel. She looked at her mechanical hand and saw the pouch still safely in her grasp. She looked beside her and saw Ji Eun still sleeping. Of course, she was human so she couldn’t recover very fast like Argents do.

Yin took a look at her surroundings - it was a small cottage. So they did make it through the portal. Everything was simple and organized. Whose home was this? Who found them?

She was about to remove the covers from her body until her head started to ache again. This time, it was a vision from her childhood. Yin saw her younger self and another who looked almost identical to her. They were facing each other in a warm bed, smiling in their sleep. She saw a flash of medicine bottles and stopped. Ji Eun woke up to Yin’s groaning and snapped her out of it.

“Yin, are you alright?”

Her eyes opened again and she faced her and nodded.

“You saw something, didn’t you?”

“This isn’t the first time. I feel like I’m regaining my memories very slowly but I get stronger and stronger every time. I just can’t fit the pieces together yet.”

“Maybe you haven’t seen enough to make sense. Be patient, Yin. The time will come when you will have your answers.” Ji Eun warmly chided.

The door suddenly slid open to reveal a little boy no older than 8 years old. His face lightened and called out behind him, “Ge ge! They woke up!” He ran off and an older man around 19 or 20 came to take a look.

Yin was slightly intimidated with his appearance, especially his face. He had dark eyes and dark circles. He also had a scar on the left side of his face from some kind of beast. He was wearing robes like Lay’s except it wasn’t as long and draping. There was a sword strapped to his sash.

“Zhang Yin, come with me.” Was all he said after a brief silence. Yin was taken aback when he knew her name. Ji Eun helped her up and took the pouch. “I’ll hold onto this for you.” Yin nodded and left the cottage, following the mysterious man.

Yin ended up following him up a mountain in her tattered robe and damaged slippers. She didn’t dare to complain because of his strong aura he emitted. Her sore legs felt like they were going to fall off but Yin kept her determination for her own sake.

They finally arrived at the top of one of the mountains and the mysterious man abruptly started to attack her. Yin instinctively blocked his kick with her hands. It was her first mistake because he dropped on his hands and swung her other leg at hers, tripping her. He drew his sword and pointed at her neck, easily defeating her.

“An empty will to fight cannot help you win. It serves no purpose to victory nor respect.” He withdrew and sheaved his sword back. Yin stood up and brushed her robe.

“My name is Huang Zi Tao, master of the Ancient Wushu Arts. Who sent you?”

“Zhang Yi Xing of Nomun, Hua Jiang.” Yin answered back.

“So he decided to send the two of you here at a time like this?”

“It is not just the time of the era. It’s because of this.” Yin showed the Origin Arm, making him hitch his breath.

“How did you attain this weapon?”

“After waking up at Lay’s orphanage, I lost all my memories, making me lose my Argentic abilities. I cannot give you any answers until my memories are restored.”

Tao sighed and thought to himself. “So you are here to seek answers about yourself?”

Yin nodded without making eye contact.

“Why?”

“To find my purpose of living and to find the reason why I was chosen to bear this weapon.”

“Then answer this question: do you have a will to fight?”

Yin became hesitant. She couldn't process the question in her mind, and she started to fear whether she would answer it incorrectly or unintelligently. She suddenly remembered a conversation with Lay in the garden. 

"Yin," Lay said to get her attention. She turned her head.

"What do you think flowers represent?"

Yin thought to herself for a few moments and answered, "They represent many different concepts...?"

Lay shook his head. "Not quite. You see, for a few years, I have been watching each and every one of these flowers since I planted their seeds. I will give you a hint." He stepped closer and whispered in her ear.

"They don't do anything except growing and dying."

“There is no such thing as a will to fight - only a will to seek peace in oneself.”

There was a tense silence surrounding both of them. Tao’s eyes seemed to bore into Yin’s empty ones, as if he was trying to read her. He saw nothing - no ulterior motives. Tao started to walk away. Yin became confused and warily followed him.

“Wait-”

He stopped when an ear-piercing roar filled their ears. Their minds were alarmed as it was coming in their direction. Then they heard a crash and a scream from below. It got louder and louder as something flew higher. Yin nearly stumbled when she saw a monstrous Daemen with four tentacles holding Ji Eun in one of them. A thought hit her. She left the pouch with Ji Eun and the Daemen was holding her hostage.

“Ji Eun!”

“Yin! Don’t come any closer! If you do, it will just kill you!”

“I won’t let it get away!” Yin hollered back until Tao stopped her. She whipped her head back and stared at him with hostility.

“Is this what you call "No such thing as a will to fight"? To slay that creature to save a life?” Tao questioned. “What does she mean to you? Why do you want to rescue her?”

Yin paused for a but then went ahead without answering. She had to do something. There has to be a way to prove to Tao and herself that she was strong. ‘I want to save her because she gave me the strength and support to find myself. She was helping me indirectly regain my identity,’ was what she wanted to say. There was no time to do that. Yin had no choice but to start to experience the ecstasy of being in between life and death.

Ji Eun watched and yelled her name to get away and yet, Yin didn’t listen. She kept fighting against the Daemen. Yin dodged and tried to hit it but she kept on turning blind eyes on each tentacle. Tao saw her being pushed back, standing up and trying again. He was having an internal battle against himself on whether to help this warrior because she was losing badly.

Yin was sent flying back with many whip burns from the Daemen. The biggest was on her left shoulder and it irritated her the most. She struggled to stand up and caught her breath. Ji Eun was almost in tears as she saw her withering form. She begged her not to attack again. Yin shook her head.

Yin charged with all her remaining energy head on. As she was about to be annihilated by the Daemen, time just suddenly slowed down and stopped causing everything to freeze. Astonished, she looked behind her. Tao was in control of time; his Argentic ability.

Using that chance, Yin kept running towards Ji Eun and broke the grip on her waist with her mechanical arm while Tao drew his sword and killed the Daemen. He released the time flow and the evil creature shrieked a death cry of pain. Ji Eun and Yin managed to escape before the Daemen fell forward and disappeared into ash.

Yin felt like the world was spinning and blurring as she began to collapse in exhaustion. Ji Eun caught her in time before she hit the ground and begged for her to wake up and not die. Tao sheathed his sword, walked to the two women and lifted Yin up in his arms. He said, “I’ll take her down the mountain. Follow me.” Ji Eun wiped some of her tears away and obeyed.

Tao took her to the village medical hut and asked for immediate treatment. Tao left to give them some privacy. Ji Eun loyally remained by Yin’s side until she finally woke up. “Yin! Can you hear me?” Yin slowly sat up and touched her new bandages. She turned her head and heaved a relieved sigh, seeing Ji Eun safe and sound.

“How could you do something so reckless like that? You could have gotten yourself killed!” She scolded through her tears. “You shouldn’t have saved me. Do you have any idea how guilty I am?”

Yin placed her hands on Ji Eun’s. “Please do not say those words. You are important to me. I wanted to save a friend.” Ji Eun stopped crying and raised her head. “You may not have an ability but you are special.”

When Ji Eun was about to say something, Tao slipped into the hut. Ji Eun greeted him by standing up in respect. “Tao-” Yin stopped and corrected herself, "I mean Master Tao."

“How are you holding up?” He asked in a straight tone.

“It is bearable.” She answered. Tao nodded.

“Can you stand?” Yin threw the covers off and effortlessly stood up straight. Tao eyed on her mechanical arm and her physical condition. She was ready and her abilities were slowly but surely returning.

“Here’s your first task,” Tao started. Ji Eun’s eyes lit up in realization. He was going to train Yin. That battle with the Daemen must have convinced him.

“Rest well and climb to the mountain where the sun shines the brightest tomorrow. I will train you to fight.”

Yin’s eyes steeled and she firmly nodded.

At the crack of dawn, Yin woke up to find that Ji Eun was sleeping in an uncomfortable position by her bed. She stood up and carefully maneuvered her body to a better position. She changed to black training clothes Tao left last night for her. She noticed that the right sleeve was cut short to accommodate her android arm. Quietly, she took Lay’s pouch from the table and left the hut.

Yin stopped at the crossroads to multiple mountain trails. She glanced at the shadows on the ground. They were pointing west so she took the trail furthest from the village. She ran when the road was smooth. She climbed when it was safe to climb. She leapt on a branch when it was stable to hold her weight. When she reached the top, the sun blinded her for a moment until she saw Tao waiting patiently with two staves in front of him on the ground.

“You’ve chosen correctly. Do not expect my teachings to be easy and tolerable. You will use them to build your own strength and knowledge; your own resolve and purpose,” he skillfully picked up his staff from the ground, “Until you can ultimately defeat me.”