Danger

There were muffled voices when Alina woke up the next morning. There was ringing in her ears. Chan ran inside her room and shook her as she stared dazed at him. She looked around and out her window - something flickered outside. Her hearing slowly came back, and the first things she heard were rushed speech and the urgent, worried tone of Chan, "Lina, Fāshēngle gōngjí! Get up!"

She shook herself awake and rushed out, pulling her hood above her head and strapping her quiver tightly to her back. Who would attack? Fires roared about her home. Several tribesmen came with buckets of water to slow the progression of the flames. Alina looked passed the flames, now. She stared straight into the eyes of an armed man. Mercenaries.

She shouted, "Yōng bīng! Bǎohù niánqīng rén!" (Mercenaries! Protect the young!)

Many came with bows and arrows, hoods up.

"We will not burn. They will not win."

Chan stood beside her, "They will not win."

"Gōngjí!"

The archers charged at the intruders. They had learned from past mistakes when dealing with reckless men with guns. Don't hesitate to shoot. Don't stay in the same direction. If you have energy, use it. Alina repeated these in her head, and the others heeded every word. She found out yet another ability in mid-battle: speaking through her thoughts. The archers maneuvered expertly, avoiding so many shots that would have otherwise hit them. Guns that large are useless in close combat.

They kept getting closer and closer until one of the mercenaries was knocked onto his back - with a hard fist. Arrows began raining down on the enemy, but this only angered them. Alina reached enemy lines, taking out two men with her arrows. The fighting went on... with losses on both sides. That's war for you.

Alina shouted to Chan, who was near enough to hear, "Get higher! We need to know how many have come!"

Chan stabbed a few men to get to a higher ground. His jaw dropped in horror.

"What do you see?!"

"Jìshù."

She ran over to him and saw what she had hoped she never would again.

Technology. Very dangerous technology.

Trucks carrying large guns came rolling up from the dock. Great ships were anchored, wreaking of war. Alina knew they couldn't win this battle... not anymore. She called for her fellow archers, "Dàotuì! Fall back!"

Green hoods retreated inland. Alina stayed put, glaring at the intruders. Chan grabbed her arm, but she shook him off, "Go! I will follow."

He reluctantly released her and went with the others.

She balled her fists in pure anger as her eyes began to glow. She searched through the minds of the enemies and found one of a driver. He wheeled the truck away from the forest... and towards the ocean. Before sinking, the gunman aimed at another nearby truck and fired. Without having to take hold of another mind, Alina watched them retreat to the far end of the beach. Her voice echoed in their minds, "You have harmed your last victim! We will leave you be only if you leave us alone! You have received your first and last warning."

She turned her back on shaking personnel. When she found her tribe, they were huddled together. Some were still putting out fires. Others were tending to the wounded. Others were tending to the dead.

A row of archers, having bled from gunshot wounds, were motionless - breathless. Seventeen men and women... seventeen.

She lowered her hood and knelt before them. The other warriors did the same. The chief was among the kneeling, "Yuàn tāmen zhǎodào huí jiā de lù."

May they find their way home.

When the chief stood, Alina went with him. She said, with head still down, "I sent the enemy off. Hopefully, they understand threats... and mercy."

"They deserve no mercy. They deserve every death that will come to them."

"Father, it is done! Do not do something reckless!"

"Reckless? Me? I have lead this tribe to prosperity and safety for 53 years! I know when war is in order."

"These men are not like the ones from before. They are stronger. Their weapons are more powerful, as are their minds. Do you know what I saw? What thoughts are in their minds? They are more dangerous than any enemy that has come to this island."

"Did you live through the Japanese tyranny? You only saw that dreaded Mirakuru!"

"No! I have the Mirakuru! Do not speak to me of unseen horrors of war! You know nothing of what I have seen!"

"Then tell me! You never spoke to me of anything! Not the technology, not the ships, not the things you saw in that city, nothing!"

"Because you never asked!"

Silence. He sat down.

Alina kept going, "Every day, I was asked what happened. Every day, someone asked about what happened to Slade, to Oliver, to me! Everyone but you. My own father didn't even ask if I was alright."

He looked down in shame, "Yes. I didn't ask. I didn't ask because I knew you were alright. I knew you were strong enough to handle it."

She knelt in front of him, "Then let me handle it. Trust me when I say it is done."

"Go to them tomorrow. Meet with their leader. Ensure that this does not happen again."

"I will."