Chapter 2 - The Truth is Revealed

The rain began to fall when they returned to their tents. Lord Zào and Jane took one while Princess Zhen took the other. Just before she went in, she saw Truman with a heavy cloak and his hood up laying under a tree with his horse, Yáo. He looked to be asleep though it would be a long night in the rain. She felt guilty as she didn't come prepared for extras but he didn't seem to mind as she went into her tent.

The rain soon picked up after they fell asleep as the wind blow harder. Zhōng, though he slept lightly tried to find a comfortable spot as the ground began to soak. The wind suddenly blew in a different direction as the rain hit into his mouth. "I'm definitely building shelter tomorrow." he said to himself as he turned to his side to prevent more water from going into him. However, little did he know something else was in the storm that made it unnatural in the empire.

The next morning, Princess Zhen woke up rested as she left her tent. The birds chirped in the morning breeze as she smell the fresh air. Lord Zào and Jane soon left their tent as well, rubbing their eyes as they tried to wake up. "What a storm," commented Jane.

"The weather or his force?" teased Captain Howin as he came up to check on them.

"Careful, captain, I'll discharge you when I'm emperor." warned Lord Zào.

"Well in order to do that, you'll have to get your wife's permission. And I know I'm a valuable soldier to have." declared Captain Howin.

"A prideful one as well," added Princess Zhen.

"Forgive me if I overstep, your majesty." apologized Captain Howin.

"Yeah, you should be." snapped Lord Zào, he was in no mood.

"It seems all of them didn't get enough sleep as I did." thought Princess Zhen. She turned to the tree where Truman slept under to see he wasn't there.

"Ah, a rolling creek feels great after warming up by a fire." stated Zhōng. He laid his back on a boulder as Yáo drank from the creek as well. The horse neighed in agreement while the fire Zhōng built was cooking fish, he wanted to get better at something his uncle suggested since he couldn't cook.

"Truman! Are you here?" called out Princess Zhen.

"Yes, I'm here, just wait a moment." said Truman panicking since he was naked, he quickly got up and ran behind the boulder where the princess couldn't see him.

"Are you in the creek?" asked Princess Zhen as she approached the shore and saw the horse.

"Yes, I'm taking a bath." stated Truman before he could close his mouth.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know," said Princess Zhen as she covered her eyes.

"It's okay, just don't look behind the boulder." replied Truman as he tried to calm her down.

"Okay, I won't," promised Princess Zhen, she took her hands off and couldn't see Truman but did see a big boulder. She looked to her right to see his belongings as his swords were covered by his cloak and his boots anchored in front. She then noticed the watch wrapped loosely around the hilts. "What's the watch for?" she asked.

"It's a family heirloom, it's been passed down throughout my family." said Truman. "What's going on? I just wanted to say to tell time, why did I say that instead?" he thought.

"Why do the hands look like they don't move at all?" asked Princess Zhen.

"That's because it's a special kind." explained Truman. "What the heck, I wanted to say it's its minute and hour hands or that it no longer works." he thought. "I don't want to talk about it anymore." he said as he sunk his mouth underwater.

Princess Zhen turned around and saw fish cooking over a fire. "Is that for us?" she asked as drew near them.

"I wouldn't try them, they might still be raw," said Truman.

"I see," replied Princess Zhen, she looked down at them. They look tasty but she couldn't judge as she hadn't cooked in a while. "Well I think Captain Howin also made something for us, why don't you come up when you're done." she offered before heading back to their camp.

"Well first I need to eat the fish," stated Zhōng as he stood up. He peered around the boulder before running to the shore to get change. "Second, I need to build a better shelter so I won't have rain hitting my face. And third, figure out why I couldn't lie or be more vague." He took one of the fish that was cooking and bit into it. "This is dry," he stated though he wanted to say raw.

Truman was dragging branches to use for a better shelter later that morning. He was still confused as to why he couldn't lie. Until he knows, he'll have to stay away from answering questions. "You're going to make the princess mad if she sees you doing this." stated Lord Zào, he notice him dragging branches and was curious why.

"Do I look like I care?" asked Truman, heaving the branch forward.

"She's asking the guards if they mind you sleeping with them." replied Lord Zào.

"No thanks, they'll arrest me in my sleep." replied Truman.

"I didn't know you have a fear of guards."

"I don't, I'm a criminal with crimes against the empire."

"What kind of crimes?" asked Lord Zào, Truman forced his mouth shut, but the urge to tell him was strong.

"My lord!" cried Jane just before Truman could speak. "The princess was looking for you, she was wondering if you had seen the Dual Bladed Ninja." she said when she arrived before seeing Truman standing in front of her. "Oh, you two were talking."

"No, it was just a quick warning to him, let's go back." suggested Lord Zào as they headed back the way Jane came. "If I were you, I wouldn't keep the princess waiting."

Truman dropped the branch he was dragging and ran back to where he was starting to build his shelter. Coming here was a mistake, he packed everything as quickly as he could. He knew something wasn't right with him and wanted to leave before he tells every truth he knows. A twig snapped causing him to turn around and point his swords in between him and the intruder. "You're leaving already?" asked Princess Zhen, her dress ripped as she struggled through the woods as Lord Zào and Jane followed her.

"Forgive me, but I don't feel right." stated Truman as he put his blades away and went back to packing.

"Sick after one night, you shouldn't have come then." stated Lord Zào.

"I'm not sick, it's something else." stated Truman, he soon began hoping that they'll leave him alone so he could not answer.

"What is it?" asked Princess Zhen.

Truman struggled though his back was towards them, he knew where this would end. "I can't lie or give little details," he said.

"What kind of lies?" asked Lord Zào, he was curious.

"Lies that might be painful and hard to accept right now." replied Truman.

"Really? You live somewhere close to the capital, right?" asked Lord Zào, though Princess Zhen wasn't sure if this was right.

"I live in School Town with Lord Tyron, he runs a blacksmith shop that helps the school there." responded Truman with his back still facing them.

"Mr. Fields?" stated Princess Zhen as the news surprised her.

"What do you do in the black market?" asked Lord Zào.

"I kill, Lord Tyron has me help with the shipments but I usually handle the most dangerous quest. While on the trip, I tend to go to places that have been rumored of hiding Old Empire survivors." replied Truman, he was shaking as he tried to force himself to lie.

"Okay, this is getting good," stated Lord Zào.

"You wouldn't lie to me right?" asked Princess Zhen.

Truman paused what he was loading and turned around as his cape swallowed his body. "I'm sorry, your majesty, but I have. My real name isn't Truman, I am Former Prince Zhōng, son of Emperor Huo and wielder of the Ninja Sword." stated Zhōng. His eyes went cold as he spoke, the others couldn't believe it was him. Princess Zhen's eyes widened but went bigger when he pulled his hair back in a way that was similar to what it was when he was a prince.

"It can't be," awed Princess Zhen as her loyal friend was the enemy to the throne.

"This is the last time you'll ever see me." stated Zhōng. His cloak flew open as smoke grenades exploded. They couldn't see him as he climbed onto Yáo's back, which he saddled, and galloped away.

"He's getting away!" cried Lord Zào and he fired a flare into the sky. Captain Howin and ten other mechs flew over them as the flare disappeared. "After him, don't let him get away." he ordered.

"It can't be, was I just gullible that I didn't see it?" muttered Princess Zhen, still shocked from what just happened.

Zhōng rode faster and faster as Yáo weaved his way through the woods. Eleven mechs suddenly appeared over them and matched their speed. "I'm sorry, captain." muttered Zhōng. He reached his sword on his back hip to activate an arm of the Ninja Sword. Bending backwards, he fired a spread of rockets each finding its targets. "That should slow them down." he stated as he sat back up. Suddenly a low branch hit him off his horse, and he rolled to a stop, arming himself with both swords. Yáo stopped and turned around to retrieve him before something alerted him. He neighed crazy and stomped his hooves as it scared him. "Go back home, I can handle this." ordered Zhōng. The horse neighed in understanding and took off again. "Show yourselves, you can't hide from me." he stated.

"Oh, I think we can, we've been in the shadows longer than you, former prince." a voice responded as Zhōng searched to find where it came from.

"Who are you?" demanded Zhōng.

"We are known as the finders of lies. Wherever lies hide, we find them." replied the voice.

"The Prophets of Truth, I've heard about this cult." concluded Zhōng. A smoke arrow passed his face, the fumes had poison to make someone dizzy. Zhōng breathed it in, as the world around him began to spin before falling down.

"That's where you are wrong, we're not a cult, we're a religion." stated a white-robed monk stepping out of the bushes as Zhōng started to lose consciousness. "Our goal is to find every lie one has told and exposed them."