The Voyage In The Blizzard - Chapter 56
Several days have passed since Xing Fu allowed Longwei to become part of the First Clan again.
Still feeling weak and painful throughout his body, Longwei was unable to get up and begin the mission his father had entrusted him with.
Shaking with chills, waking up in a strong sweat, at times feeling suffocated, Longwei in a semi-delusional state saw only Lei’s face in front of him. And perceiving everyone as Lei, he confused everyone, calling them by his name.
Baofeng-Xue, without leaving him, changed his bedsheets and blanket several times a day, forcing him to drink and eat, he did not close his eyes, and in the morning he fell asleep right next to him.
Holding back another cough that tormented each of his nerves from the inside, Longwei, covering his mouth with his hand, got out of bed and noticed Baofeng-Xue’s eyes on him.
Still shivering from the cold, he took a mug of hot water and took several large sips and the urge to cough slowly begin to disappear.
Leaning on the pillow, Longwei threw his cape towards Baofeng-Xue. “Put this on, you could get sick too..”
Sitting on a wooden, creaky chair, Baofeng-Xue, tapping his finger on the windowsill, quietly said, “Your illness, for some reason, does not go away. You have tried all herbal teas, you even lay on a stone with dragon fire, but all this did not help.”
Trying to control the chills, Longwei replied, “Don’t worry. It will pass. In the end, everything passes and everything falls into place.”
“Speaking of place, Longwei, I don’t think it’s safe for you to stay here any longer. During these days, I had to seriously fight with several warriors who wanted to enter the house. They still remember what happened between you and Lei. And they do not change their opinion of you. They all think that you have ruined the great warrior. Longwei, I am afraid for you. I am afraid that something might happen to you. And I don’t understand why you returned back to the clan. You never think about yourself. Never.” Switching a quiet voice to a loud one, Baofeng-Xue walked to Longwei’s bed. “Don’t tell me that you believe that you or someone else can understand the nature of these creatures, and this curse. What is happening in this world, it cannot be changed. How long you will play the role of a hero and go to all sorts of stupid dangers?”
Coughing, Longwei buried his face in the pillow. Long strands of hair shook slightly with each convulsive movement.
“What should I do, Longwei? Why are you making me worry about you? Why?” Sitting on the bed, Baofeng-Xue gently hugged him. Stroking his sweat-soaked back, he whispered, “What can I do with you.”
Stopping coughing, Longwei raised his head and slightly smiled, replied, “Brother Xue, do not make me the meaning of your life. I am already 25, I am no longer a child who clings to my short childhood. And you too, you are already a real warrior. And it’s hard for me to accept the fact that you have to go to the battlefield to play with death. Brother Xue, I want to do my best, I want to try to do everything in my power to understand where this curse came from and how to stop it. I’m tired of looking at how all these people are going to meet the death because of these beasts. Let me try to understand how the world works, let me play the role of the hero I so want to become. Believe in me. Please.”
Moving closer, Baofeng-Xue brushed one tear from his cheek and said, “Then answer my question.” Fixing his lost, sad and at the same time happy look at Longwei, he whispered, “Do you still love Lei?”
To which Longwei, without hesitation, replied with a certain pride, “Yes.”
Hearing a soft knock at the door, Baofeng-Xue jumped up and ran to the window. “The master has come.” he said and went to the door.
Holding a bundle in his hands, Xing Fu looked around, then fixing his gaze on Longwei, he with some caution threw a glance at Baofeng-Xue.
Getting out of bed, Longwei gathered his hair into a ponytail and said, “Brother Xue, could you please bring more branches for the fire.”
When Baofeng-Xue left, Xing Fu held out the bundle to Longwei and said, “This is a new uniform. Of course, if you are still brave enough to stay here.”
Picking up the bundle, Longwei said nothing.
Taking off his heavy cape and going to the stove, Xing Fu continued, “I think I should tell you something.” Pulling a chair closer to the fire and sitting comfortably, he said, “A year ago when you left this place, after that, a lot of things happened. And most of these things were related to the Second Clan. As you said, Sun hid in his house one of the beasts. And after your words, my soldiers went straight to the Second Clan. But Sun didn’t like it at all. He wanted to open the war to me. He and his soldiers more than once wanted to attack the First Clan because of our harsh visit. But I did not stopped because I did not believe a single word of him. And then, having caught several soldiers of the Second Clan, we interrogated them. It was quite easy. They admitted that they themselves fed the beast with meat. After that, for some unknown reason, the teacher of the Second Clan and several warriors also stood by my side. And then we went to the village of Sun again, but when we went there, Sun had already set the beast free. He let it go and ran away himself. I sent almost all the warriors and soldiers in search of him. But it was all in vain. It is like he has evaporated. And now, the Second Clan has no master. Because of this, this clan is in the state of disintegration.”
“He escaped for a reason. A man like Sun won’t stop. And you remember that night when you saw the two soldiers of the Second Clan? Now I think I know why Sun sent them. Sun knew about the book and that is in the land of the First Clan, ans because he knew about that very book, he wanted to find it. That is why first, he sent his soldiers.” Feeling a surge of strength, Longwei got out of bed and began to walk to and fro.
“Sun, apparently knew about everything. About the book, that it is hidden in this land. And how, over all these years, I never doubted him?!”
“You’re just too kind to think bad of someone.” Longwei answered.
With a slight sneer on his face, Xing Fu leaned back in his chair and said, “I see your strength has returned. So soon you can go straight to the Spherical Stone.”
“Why do you want me to create a child?”
Standing up, Xing Fu walked over to Longwei. For the first time, standing at such a close distance, he put his hand on his shoulder and answered, “You have all the qualities of a warrior, you have strength, intelligence, and therefore I think that this world needs more warriors like you. Your child will inherit all your best qualities. Which means that this world will still have a chance to fight back all these beasts.”
With a slight laugh, Longwei flashed his beautiful smile. “After what I’ve done, do you still see me as a warrior?”
“I just see you as your father.” said Xing Fu and taking the cape, he wanted to go to the door, but Longwei’s question stopped him.
“Where is Lei?”
“He is fine.” The head of the First Clan replied briefly and then added, “Tomorrow, I expect you to march to the Spherical Stone.”
Having filled his thoughts only with that mysterious book and his father’s letter, Longwei gradually began to forget about his strange illness.
Feeling the weight of his sword again, Longwei stood in front of a small mirror and for the first time after so many months, he could look at himself from the side. Seeing how much he has changed, how his hair has become even longer, how his body has taken on its slender appearance again, he sighed. A slight emaciation now gave his appearance a gracefulness and made his refined features even more beautiful. Putting on a leather vest and tightening his belt, he looked at his thin waist, at his long legs, which now stood confidently and straight.
Interrupting his meditation, snow entered the empty house first and then Longwei was able to see the outlines of Xiaoli.
Taking off the hood and scarf from his head, Xiaoli, looking back, quickly went inside and someone else followed him.
“Xiaoli, how are you doing? I heard you went to the Spherical Stone.” Longwei said while continuing to examine his reflection.
“I want to introduce someone to you. Longwei, this is Longwei.”
A 7-year-old boy hiding behind Xiaoli looked out with one eye at Longwei. Holding on to Xiaoli’s cape as if he was afraid of something, the boy hid back.
Slightly surprised but shocked at the same time, Longwei asked, “What did you call him?”
“Longwei. I named him after you.” Pulling the child by the hand, Xiaoli said, “Say hello. Come on, don’t be afraid, this is not a beast. This is a real hero.”
Little Longwei stepping aside from Xiaoli made a slight bow forward and said with his thin voice, “My name is Longwei.”
Longwei bent down on his knees and said with a smile, “He’s a copy of you. Just look, he’s completely like you.”
Stroking little Longwei’s head, Xiaoli said, “Of course. I’m his father.”
“But calling him Longwei, don’t you think it’s weird?”
Kneeling down Xiaoli with a smile on his face, looking at little Longwei replied, “I named him so that in life, he also has as much courage and intelligence as you do.”
“I will become great warrior, just like you.” said little Longwei, slightly blushing.
“I think I can cry now.” whispered Longwei putting a hand on his shoulder. “But is it allowed to bring the child to the village?”
“I just wanted you to see him before he leaves for training.”
“Can’t you be with him while he is a child?”
“I can visit him when he is at school. But I cannot be with him.” Xiaoli replied with sadness in his voice. “And besides, he will soon grow up, become an adult and then maybe he will be sent to the Third or Second Clan. Therefore, I should not get attached to him. After all, he is a future warrior.”
Placing little Longwei on his lap, Longwei handed him an apple. “Why send him to other clans? My father belonged to the First Clan, and so did I. Can’t he stay here?”
“Now everything has changed. To maintain the required number of soldiers in each clan, you need to send young soldiers to other clans. For example, in the Second Clan there are few soldiers than in the First, so children born now will be sent to the Second Clan in the future, in order to maintain an equal number of soldiers and warriors in all three clans. Now, the soldiers began to die more often than before, so there is a shortage of them everywhere. As silly and sad as it may sound, but here, no one really appreciates family ties. And in general, there are only a few who know who their father is. For example, I don’t remember my father because I was sent to this clan from the Third Clan.”
“The first clan, the third clan, it is only three clans, but how confused everything is. But this child was born on the land of the First Clan.”
“What land he was born on doesn’t matter. Now, what matters is to create as many soldiers as possible, and keep them in the right numbers.”
Catching little Longwei’s pensive gaze, Longwei said, “Wherever Longwei is, he will always find a way to where he wants to be. We are Longwei, we are always like that.”
“Well, we gotta go.” getting up said Xiaoli.
“Wait.” Walking over to the table, Longwei picked up a small book. “In this world, you will be scared and cold, therefore, you must always be able to warm your heart and try to make sure that it does not get covered with ice. Read this every time you are scared.” Holding out the book to little Longwei, Longwei smiled.
“What is it?” Xiaoli asked.
“This is a collection of my favorite poems. The author is, of course, unknown, but the poems there are just wonderful. They warm the soul and keep the heart alive.”
“Warm the soul and keep the heart alive.” repeated little Longwei.
“Here is the real Longwei!” exclaimed Longwei.
After Xiaoli left, exactly one minute later several soldiers burst into the house with a crash. Without giving Longwei the time to realize everything, one of them kicked him sharply and pressed him to the floor and said, “Finally you’re here. Finally, I can avenge for Lei.”
Having become exhausted after an illness, Longwei was not immediately able to throw off the warrior from himself.
“You don’t have the strength. Where is that mighty Longwei?!”
Throwing him off, Longwei quickly jumped up and grabbed his sword but then immediately threw it aside. “I will not fight you. If you came for this, then you are wasting your time.”
Surrounding him, five warriors holding swords in their hands, with a stupid expression on their faces, walked directly towards him.
“Because of you, we have lost our best teacher. Because of you, he will fight the beasts until he dies. It’s all because of you. Do not think that we will leave you after this.”
Staggering back, Longwei asked, “Until he dies? What are you talking about?”
“Don’t pretend you don’t know.”
“Xing Fu sent Lei to the battlefield and ordered not to return from there.”
Feeling his heart stop beating, Longwei fell onto the bed. Feeling the approaching chills and slight dizziness, he again weakened in body.
Pushing him with all his strength, one of the warriors, who was much larger than the others, waving his fist, was about to strike, but Longwei caught his hand and was able to kick him in the chest.
Grabbing his sword, he jumped up as if from an electric shock. “I don’t want to fight you. Really. But if you continue to stand here, then I cannot promise my weakness.”
“Guys! Grab him! Now I’ll teach you a lesson.”
While swinging his sword, Longwei, avoiding the blows, still felt dizzy from such sudden movements.
“Hold him!” The tall warrior ordered and taking advantage of the moment when Longwei began to cough again, he pressed him against the wall and said, “I hate even standing next to you. But for the sake of the teacher, I will do anything, I will do anything.” Squeezing his throat, the warrior pulled out a small knife and brought it to his face. “Such a pretty face brings only a curse.” Sliding a cold blade over his skin, he whispered, “What a pity to see you in this state. Great Longwei.”
“Do what you want, I don’t care.” Longwei said hoarsely.
“Hey, get away from him!” a familiar voice was heard, and at that very moment Longwei passed out.