Chapter 71

The wilderness of the Kun Lun Shan was comparable to the forests of Shadowfen. Aurelia noted monkeys and wolves, which made Aurelia realize just how far from she was. Zinjo remained tensed up and ready for action. His partisan remained in his grip.

"How much further to Kun Lun Shan?" Aurelia asked. Unlike her male counterpart, she enjoyed the new scenery. In the distance, a plume of smoke rose above the trees. "Do you see that?"

"Hmmm," Zinjo used his hand to shield his eyes from the sun, "It is hard to tell if it is from civilization or a camp. Do you wish to investigate?"

"Of course, I want to investigate. I might be able to wash the dirt and grime from my body."

"In this bath of yours, do you envision someone being in there with you?" the joke was a rare instance of Zinjo's playfulness. Aurelia found his jokes endearing and wished he would make them more often.

"Depends on what this other person is doing," Aurelia tested the hardness of the bamboo, "This stuff is quite durable. I wonder how it would fare as furniture or flooring?"

"You changed the subject," Zinjo's sullen tone gave Aurelia a bit of a giggle. She strode up to him and kissed him.

"I promise the moment the opportunity presents itself, we will refamiliarize ourselves with each other." She ran her hand along his crotch and then danced away from him.

***

The plume of smoke came from a burning village Children and mothers cried together while men gathered the dead on stretchers and prepared them for burial. A woman saw them and shouted something in a native Dialect.

"Perhaps we should have brought a translator with us?" Aurelia asked.

"I agree, dark princess. I do not understand a word these people are saying. We should get going. The capital city awaits, then Sobojo," Zinjo placed the partisan on his back proceeded forward.

Aurelia stopped and shook her head, "No, if we can help these people, we should," She crossed her arms and gave the Zinjo an icy stare.

The Male lion shivered, "Your kindness knows no bounds, dark princess," Zinjo tried to put his arms around her, and Aurelia shoved him away.

"How can you ignore such suffering?"

"Suffering exists everywhere. It is foolhardy to believe one can stop it all from happening," Zinjo looked down and saw a man bleeding profusely from a leg wound.

Aurelia noticed some string and went to work. The injured man's wife tried to stop her, but Zinjo took her in his arms and held her as she cried on the broad shoulders.

The court physician had taught Aurelia a thing or two about wounds and how to treat them. She grabbed the water skin and cleaned the wound before she ripped some fabric from another fallen man and tied the string tight around the top and bottom of the gash to slow the bleeding.

Aurelia's eyes scanned the area, the best way to help the man was to close the wound with a needle and thread. The woman Zinjo held had some pins in her hair. She jumped from her position and ripped one from the silky black hair.

With some effort, she procured some string from a ripped smock on another dead man. The pin had no holes, but at the top was a rounded bulb. She tied the thread near the bulb and hoped it was enough to hold it in place. The man groaned in pain while Aurelia stitched the wound closed.

When she completed her task, she cleaned the wound one more time, and the woman rushed to his side and kissed. Her fallen husband several times.

For the next hour, Aurelia and Zinjo set broken bones and cleaned wounds. Aurelia had just finished putting a child's arm in a sling when the sound of metal banging against metal hit her ears.

A long colorful silk robe adorned the body of an elderly man who carried a long metal staff adorned by rings. His white hair and long white beard made his face difficult to see. He smiled at them and moved his walking stick in circles while he chanted.

"Whoever you are, you have saved many lives. Our modest village owes you thanks," The man spoke.

"How is it we can understand you?" Zinjo demanded. Throughout their journey, it became clear Zinjo did not like or care for magic. He saw the value in certain spells but avoided the mystic arts when possible.

"Magic," the man replied, "What brings a couple of Outlanders to our corner of the world?" The monk tapped his staff, and the rings clanked musically together.

Aurelia told their tale, and the monk listened without interruption. He stared at the Lion's Fang the whole time, "Anyway, we came here to find the Lemurian runes."

"Sojobo possesses a scroll, but I cannot say how willing he will be to part with it. He is a man who responds to deeds and not words. Although man is a word that barely describes what he is." I am Tien, the humble monk."

"I am Aurelia, princess of Shadowfen, and this is Zinjo, future king of Shadowfen," Aurelia gave a slight bow to the monk. Who shook his head.

"You should not bow to me, princess. Your station is higher than mine," Tien said with a gentle smile.

"We have yet to master the pleasantries of this land," Zinjo said. He stared down at several children staring up at him. He made faces, and the children laughed before they ran off to play elsewhere.

"It seems you both carry a deep kindness in your hearts. You may stay with me at the temple for the night." Tien motioned for them to follow him.

Every building bore scorch marks and long scratches in them. Some men die slow from severe burns as they bid their loved one's farewell. Tien stopped and said prayers over their bodies and whispered words of comfort to the family members.

Aurelia held the hand of an aggrieved widower while Zinjo did his best to comfort the children. Tien kept a smile on his face as he went about his work. Both held their questions in, despite Aurelia's desperate need to know what happened.

When they arrived at the temple, an odd arch shaped like two t's stuck together welcomed them. "What happened here?"

"The Yanhuo attacked us. They are a race of black humanoid monkeys with bone white faces, and they breathe fire. They are territorial, and yet I do not know why they attacked us."

Zinjo looked over at Aurelia and said, "Go on, I know you want to."

Aurelia drew the Lion's Fang and smiled, "We would like to help you with this threat."

Tien held his tongue until his understudies poured the tea, "I graciously accept."