Chapter 14: The Pillar of Yang
Chapter 14: The Pillar of Yang
In Chinese Astrology, there are Four Divine Symbols, legendary creatures guarding the cardinal directions. From the East, The Azure Dragon. From the West, The White Tiger. The North, The Black Tortoise. And finally, from the South, The Vermillion Bird. They show the path to travelers and warriors alike.
For Saihua, her was made clear upon this battlefield.
"I call upon the guardian of the North to lend me your power. Come forth, Xuanwu!"
After Saihua says this, Saihua's staff glows a bright purple light as it begins to morph. The staff becomes wide, and the dragon head transforms into a giant black metal ball with a tortoise shell design. The end of the weapon has a narrow blade. Once the transformation was complete, the staff completely changed into a mace-like polearm.
Xuanwu: Warrior's Iron Fury
"What's this? Saihua's dragon staff has morphed into a giant mace!" Hermes announces
"Xuanwu? As in one of the Divine Celestial Beasts?" Nike gasped
Athena taps her chin as she thinks about something.
"How odd. Guan Yu, entertain my thesis. Your champion can change her weapon per one of the four symbols, correct?"
Guan Yu nodded, "Yes. And I know where you're going with this."
Athena smirks as she adjusts her glasses.
"Considering the Four Divine Symbols respond to the call of the chief god in your pantheon. It's not hard to thin out the suspects. Don't you agree, father?"
Zeus chuckled as he responded, "Yes, I must say that's quite a twist. Isn't it, Yu Huang?"
The supreme god looked left a few seats down at a god in a jade and golden throne.
The deity is of a man appearing in his mid-thirties with black hair in a bun, a mianguan crown with jade beads, golden yellow eyes, and a long, slender beard. He wore elegant white and yellow robes with a flowing red shawl and a small dragon perched on his shoulders.
The Jade Emperor
Yu Huang
The Jade Emperor smirks as he calmly scratches his pet's chin.
"Of course, you figured it out. I'm not surprised, considering your knowledge."
"W-wait a minute? You embedded Saihua's staff with the powers of the Four Symbols?! That's cheating!" Nike yelled, disgusted at Yu's scheme.
Yu Huang then chortled haughtily.
"Silly herald. Historiamachy is a tournament of fights to the death. Anything goes. Besides, Saihua is only wielding a fragment of the beasts' power. Now, do go away. I want to enjoy the battle."
Nike huffed as she flew back to her seat.
In the arena, Saihua inspected her new weapon and looked rather displeased.
"Goodness! What a clunky mess of a weapon. If any of my men or my husband wield this, they would have a dislocated back from picking it up. Also, is the spear end necessary?"
Back at the skybox, Yu Huang looked annoyed as Saihua critiqued the weapon.
"Guan Yu, tell her to bear with it and use it, please?"
Guan Yu sighed as his eyes glowed as he mentally communicated with his champion.
"Saihua. I agree that the Xuanwu mace was much. But you'll have to make do."
Saihua let out a sigh, acknowledging that she would have to make use of it. She rushed towards the pirates to unleash a barrage of unending attacks. Mary goes to block the attacks only to get overwhelmed by the strength of Saihua and her weapon.
"Admirable, Mary Read, but know my might," Saihua declared as she hit the muscular pirate with a mighty upper swing into the air.
Iron Monsoon Uproar
"Aah!" Mary coughed as her body hit the ground.
"MARY!" Anne yelled before turning her attention back to Saihua.
"You'll pay for that," Anne yelled as she rushed towards the general.
While she rushes towards Saihua, Anne's blades manifest water around them.
"Take this!"
Then, she launches serpentine water tendrils to attack Saihua.
Nassau Slashing Tides
"Well, this is quite unorthodox," Saihua said, dodging the watery attacks.
"Anne Bonny has manifested water whips to keep Saihua on her feet. Can the general of the Song Dynasty keep up this relentless onslaught," Hermes announces while the crowd roars with excitement.
Among the spectators, pirates during the Golden Era of Piracy rally behind Anne and Mary.
"Come on, Annie! Show tis' crone why you're the best in our crew!"
A man with dark blue stringy hair, a faded beard, and a dirty yellow bandana around his head was yelling at Anne. He had a lean physique and greyish-green eyes. He wears an olive green drawstring shirt, a satin dark brown vest, a blue sash belt, ashy black pants, and boots.
Maker of the Jolly Roger
John "Calico Jack" Rackham
"That's Annie for you. Always has that dynamic spirit."
Standing next to John is an imposing man with long silver-grey and black hair, a horseshoe mustache, and amber-orange eyes. He wears a brown buttoned long coat with yellow and silver epaulettes, a belt with two pistol holsters, black trousers, and cuffed embroiled boots.
The Dread Pirate
Bartholomew Roberts
"Aye, regardless of who stands against her, she's as feisty as they come!" John said, with a proud smile on his face.
Then he turns his sights on Mary, getting to her feet.
'Come on, you two. Only by working as a team can you defeat this woman.' Calico thought with an uneasy expression.
While Mary is back on her feet, Saihua closes in on Anne, preparing to slam her mace into the pirate's face.
'No!'
Mary quickly blocks the incoming attack before it connects to Anne's skull.
Mary then boldly declared, "Your fight is with me! I let you touch her!"
Saihua and Anne both looked perplexed upon hearing the statement. Before Saihua could question this, Mary began to launch to unleash a combination of trident thrusts, forcing the general into the defensive.
"Mary is back with a flurry of strikes to pressure She Saihua," Hermes announces.
Yang Ye watches on with a worried expression on his face.
"Father, you need not worry for Mother. She will never falter to some pirate," says a young man with shoulder-length raven hair in a bun, hazel eyes, a vertical scar below the bottom lip, and wearing Song Dynasty armor.
First Born Son of the Yang Family
Yang Yanzhao
"Heh! Couldn't agree more, brother. No way that mom would lose to some thugs!"
Standing beside his brother is another man with slicked back hair, cyan eyes, chin strap beard, and armor adorn with jade trims.
Second Born Son of the Yang Family
Yang Yanding
Standing a row behind Yanding are three more of the brothers in armor. The first person has short straw-blond hair, green eyes, and a red handmade scarf around his neck. The second one is bald, with golden brown eyes and a light yellow sash around his chestplate. The third man wears a helmet over his head and has teal eyes and a coarse, black beard.
Third Born Son of the Yang Family
Yang Yan'an
Fourth Born Son of the Yang Family
Yang Yanhui
Fifth Born Son of the Yang Family
Yang Yande
"Yes, but remember my brothers. A hungry rat can be more fearsome than a mighty tiger," Says a man in his thirties, wearing scholarly robes with a sword at his hip, long, flowing dark blue hair, golden eyes, and small, circular glasses.
Sixth Born Son of the Yang Family
Yang Yanhuan
"Haha! Just like you to be cautious after all these years, Yanhuan," Said an armored muscular man with his arms bare, which shows his scars, maroon colored eyes, short, messy ashen brown hair, and a scar over his right eye.
Seventh Born Son of the Yang Family
Yang Yanbin
Yang Ye slightly chuckled as he said, "You're right, my sons. "She was the pillar that remained steadfast during the Song Dynasty." Give your mother all of your support!"
The sons of She Saihua oblige as they cheer on their mother as she fends off Mary's attacks.
Meanwhile, Saihua weaved through one of Mary's trident attacks and thrust the spear end of her weapon into Mary's side. Mary winces in pain, causing Anne to try to help in the fight. Mary sees this and continues the assault.
"Anne, forget about me! When Saihua leaves an opening, go for the killing blow!"
Anne hesitated until she reluctantly agreed to her friend's order. As Mary continues to pressure Saihua, Anne gets behind her to try to stab her in the back. But the matriarch of the Yang Family countered it with a powerful jab from her mace to Anne's abdomen. Anne felt the air knocked out of her as she knocked several feet to the ground.
"D-damn you!" Mary furiously yelled as she tried to skewer Saihua.
Saihua blocks the attempt and winds up to deliver a crushing blow to Mary's stomach as well. Mary stumbled back as she reeled in pain and managed to steady herself.
"Ah, fuck!" Mary panted, clutching her stomach.
In the skybox, Davy Jones looked horrified at his champions laid to waste.
"Nononononono! Come on, you two. Get back into the fight!"
"Oh dear, it seems two isn't worth the price of one," Loki chirped as levitated near Jones.
"Shut your piehole! Always pestering for your amusement," Davy yelled at the mischievous god.
"I know they pull it off. I must believe that they're capable of beating this woman."
As Anne tries to get up, Saihua gives a disappointing look at Mary Read.
"W-what? Disappointed that we're not a challenge for you," Mary bitterly asked.
Saihua soughs, "No. But I think I see the problem here. Mary, do you fight for Annie because you fight for each other? Or is it because you fight for her sake, believing she will appreciate your sacrifice."
Mary asked, "What are ye talkin' about? I fight to protect her."
Saihua slowly shakes her head.
"No, child. It's one thing to put your life at risk to protect those you care about. I meant that you two should fight as equals and not risk your life because you fear she isn't capable."
Mary growls, "Oi, shut up! Who are you to tell me how I should live, huh? You got to live a pampered life after the war. You don't know the hell I went through!"
Saihua scowls as she feels insulted by Mary's words.
"Try losing most of your children and your husband in said war and looking the rest of your days fighting political intrigue. You say I don't know, but have you EVER understood how important life is!"
Mary scoffs, "Don't preach to me about living. Unlike you, Anne understands what I did. I did it for her? Right, Anne!"
As Mary looked at Anne for confirmation, she saw a sad reluctance on Anne's face.
"A-Anne?" Mary said quietly, not wanting to know the answer.
Saihua turns to Anne and sees the face.
"It seems your partner's expression says otherwise."
Mary grits her teeth angrily as she charges at the general. Saihua turned her attention back to Mary to block an incoming gore strike. Mary aggressively attacks with no success as Saihua follows each missed attack with a counterstrike.
While the two fought, Saihua couldn't help but pity Mary.
'It's a shame you don't see the picture, Mary Read. You can't die for someone if you never connected in body and soul.'
Ancient Northern Han China
The sun radiates across the bright cerulean sky as the cool midsummer air blows throughout Shaanxi province. Within the glassy valley, two boys played with wooden swords while armed bodyguards guarded the area.
"Yanzhao. Yanding. Don't play too roughly now, and maintain your form," A younger Yang Ye said, sitting on a folding chair.
Sitting next to him is She Saihua, in her twenties, wearing an orange and red elegant hanfu dress.
"Dear, be at ease. Our boys know how to take caution with each other."
Yang Ye sighed as he laid back.
"I know that, darling. Still, I hope our children will not have to pick up a real sword like me."
She Saihua could see that Ye's expression was grim and concerned.
"What's troubling you, my love?"
Yang Ye exhaled as he spoke, "With tensions in the Northern Han and rumors of this Song Dynasty slowly gaining power. I feel our family may be involved with constant war."
Saihua placed her hand on his leg and gave him a reassuring smile.
"Ye, I understand your plight, my love. I want our children to grow up in a land of harmony and stability. But if war does come, we'll face it together as a family," Saihua said as Yang Ye smiled warmly at his wife.
As the two share a tender moment, one of the guards is struck in the chest by an arrow. Suddenly, a group of soldiers wearing armor and silver armor rushed toward the Yang family and their soldiers.
"It's an ambush! Men, defend my family!" Ye ordered as he picked up his sword to join his men in the battle.
Then he turned to Saihua and declared, "Saihua, take our sons back to the village! Some of our men will guard you."
However, Saihua snatched a spear from one of the bodyguards.
Before Yang Ye could protest, Saihua retorted, "I told you that we'll face this together as a family. I don't intend to have our sons lose their father!"
She turned to the bodyguard, to which she snatched the spear and ordered him to take her sons back to the village.
As the bodyguard took the boys away from the ambush, Saihua and Yang Ye charged into the fray. Yang Ye delivers precise strikes and ripostes like a viper. Saihua spun her spear, unleashing a barrage of strikes that decimated the assassins. After the skirmish, Saihua, Yang Ye, and a few soldiers stood tired, wounded, but victorious.
Saihua pulls out some arrows from her left shoulder and right thighs. Yang Ye helped her up as they began to walk back to the village.
"Huh...something, dear, you're too willful for me sometimes," Yang Ye chuckled.
Saihua smirks as she replies, "Didn't you fight my suitor so you can marry me?"
Saihua then had a question as the couple left the field.
"Honey, once we recover from our wounds, do you think we should have another child?"
"Keh!" Yang Ye spouted, leaving him dumbfounded and Saihua giggling.
Present Day
Mary was knocked back down to the floor as Saihua stood unyielded. Before Mary could stand up, Saihua knocked the trident out of her grip.
"Saihua has disarmed Mary Read! Could we see Mary meet her demise?" Hermes announces much to Davy's dismay.
"I'm sorry, Mary. You fought well, " Saihua said as she raised her mace high.
"But this is the end."
"NO!" Anne yelled as the water propelled her towards Saihua.
Saihua dodged at the last minute, but Anne managed to slash at Saihua's right waist. Saihua grabs her wound, which shocked her family.
"T-this can't be for real?!" Yanzhao uttered in disbelief.
Meanwhile, Mary looked at Anne, having her back to Mary, and yelled, "Anne, what are you doing?! I told you to let me fight the general. I don't want you to-"
"Shut up," Anne shouted.
"Every time. Every damn time, you always do this! Constantly protecting me as if I'm weak and helpless. And I right think I am, and you died because of me." Annie said as she gripped one of her swords tightly.
Mary didn't know that Anne felt that way.
"Anne...I-I protected you because I..."
" Don't worry, Mary. You don't have to say anything. I'll protect you this time," Anne declared as she prepared to fight Saihua.
A Love That Fate had Denied...
A Story of Two Hearts Met at Sea...!