Path of the Berserker

I STRODE TOWARDS the handler station with Kelsey by my side.

We’d gone over our plan a few minutes earlier and now we confidently approached the Imperial Guard on duty. Or at least I did. Kelsey was still fidgeting nervously, or maybe she was just itchy from the mud I’d just slapped all over her face and clothes.

The Imperial Guard recognized me on sight, giving me a smile, but he raised a brow when he saw Kelsey. I paid him no mind and immediately called out to Lee who was tending to a few cultivators behind him.

“Yo Lee!” I said. “I found your rookie handler lost out by the swamps. Think she got separated from her partner. Gonna need a bath and a new uniform.”

Kelsey bowed her head and fell to her knees.

I then prayed with all my might that the words I’d just taught her would come out right.

“Sorry… Master Lee. I… I screw up!”

The Imperial Guard shook his head with a chuckle. “It’s a damn good thing the Iron Bull found you. You’d be demon food by tonight.”

Kelsey kept her head to the ground. “Yes. Honorable most high… fighter warrior… I screw up.”

I cringed at Kelsey’s attempt at improv and quickly picked her up from the ground. “Okay, Kel Zhi. Let’s get you a fresh unform.”

I gave Lee a wink as he shot me a questioning stare.

He picked up on the cue immediately and patted Kelsey on the back. “Tough break on the first outing, Kel Zhi. Let’s get you cleaned up.”

I followed Lee back to the bathing area where he gave Kelsey a towel and a fresh set of clothes. Once she was inside the stall, he turned to me a mixture of shock and delight.

“Yo, who the hell is that, man?”

“A new friend,” I said with a grin. “Thanks for the cover. I’ll fill you in on where she’s from and stuff later.”

But Lee didn’t seem interested in that, his eyes glued to the closed door of the bathing stall. “So you adding her to your harem or what? That’s one buff-looking chick! She looks like a mini you, but in a good way!”

I jerked my head back, revolted. “Hey, it’s not like that. She’s like my little sister, man. And you shouldn’t be looking at her like that either. She’s only 15.”

Lee shrugged nonchalantly. “What? I’m only 16...”

I took a step back in my own mind. It was easy to forget that most of the Terran population was a good three or four years younger than me. While I still thought of Kelsey as a kid, she was roughly the same age as Mu Lin and just a few years behind Yu Li who’d already had a child.

“Let’s give her some room,” I said, ushering Lee away from the door.

But that did little to avert his eyes when Kelsey finally stepped outside dressed in her new handler uniform that looked two sizes too small. I suddenly had the urge to throw a blanket over her to cover up her toned chest and arms.

Lee however didn’t seem to mind at all. “Nice to meet you, Kel Zhi,” he said, giving her a bow. “I’m Chun boy’s more handsome and successful friend, Lee. You need anything, I got your back.”

Kelsey stared at him puzzled, looking nervous, clearly not able to translate everything he’d just said. But then after a few seconds, she blushed and laughed. “Nice… meet you, Lee. Thank you. For help.”

Lee stared at her oddly for a moment, no doubt taken off guard by her stilted speech, but then he began spouting more one-liners trying to start a conversation.

I quickly rescued her, sweeping Kelsey under my arm. “We’ll need to borrow the uniform if you don’t mind. Putting her on the roster for admin purposes would help too. Thanks, Lee! We’ll catch up!”

I ushered Kelsey away as Lee gave her a healthy wave and smile. “Yeah, see yah, tough girl! Hope you come back soon.”

Kelsey giggled, blushing with a smile.

I rushed her away as quickly as possible and when we were out of earshot she suddenly erupted into English, barely able to contain herself.

“Oh my God, we did it, Max! And who wasthat guy? He a friend of yours?”

“Yeah, yeah, that’s Lee. He’s an old friend.”

She looked over her shoulder at him, waving again. “He’s really cute!”

My stomach churned as Lee waved back.

“Hey, don’t get too attached to the first guy you see, okay?” I said, turning her head back about. “I’ve got a lot of people for you to meet.”

But my words had already fallen on deaf ears.

There was nothing I could say that could remove that smile.

Poor Kelsey was smitten.

* * *

I’d made the trek across the wild in record time.

It was still mid-morning and the city was bustling and alive. Kelsey took it all in like she was five years old, her eyes wide as saucers as she experienced the myriad of sights, sounds and smells. I bought her some new robes as we traversed through the market district and treated her to several food stalls as well.

She didn’t communicate with much more than a yes or a no in Yee, but by the permanent smile on her face she was loving every second of it. I took the long way home, traversing through the various districts of the city, before finally ending up at the base of the big pagoda in the sky.

“The imperial city,” I said in English now that we were away from the crowd. “The same things that attacked us that night twelve years ago.”

A slow ire burned in my heart as I looked up at it, the memories returning.

“The root of your Dao,” Kelsey said as she stared up at it with me. “I can sense it in your Flame.”

I chuckled and noted she wasn’t triggered at all. She instead looked upon the Pagoda with a sense of awe. “Guess you were too little to remember them huh?”

“All I remember are the demons,” Kelsey said. “And the moon.”

It was a reminder that each Berserker’s path was different.

Maybe Kelsey couldn’t get as revved up about my fight against the empire.

Or at least not as much as her fight against I’xol’ukz.

I guess we each had our own personal demons to slay.

“Come on,” I said, turning about to leave for the square. “It’s time to introduce you to your new home.”

* * *

Kelsey got just as many stares from my neighbors as she did from Lee. I supposed seeing a new face was still a thing once the community got small enough. Or perhaps it was the way she carried herself, walking far more like Threja with slow and powerful steps, rather than the dainty way all Yee women were trained to do in Foundation school from the age of four or five.

I introduced her as someone from H Block, which was part of the Native Housing Distract far across town. Luckily no one else had any roots there to know any different and they accepted her with wide smiles.

“So many new people,” she whispered to me in English, unable to remove the grin from her face. “I’m freaking out!”

“Shhh,” I said. “Yee only until we get to where we’re going.”

That caused her to mum up and she kept her lips sealed until I reached the headquarters of the Terran Sect, now located on the bottom floor of our newly constructed building. The people I needed to see were already gathered there.

Yu Li, Jian Yi and Gui Zu.

They stared with mouths wide open as I entered the room and when I finally closed the door behind me, I gestured to Kelsey with both arms. “Well, here she is, folks. The girl I’ve been telling you about for months. The great Kel Zhi!”

I wasn’t sure if Kelsey understood fully what I’d said, but the connotation had to be clear as my trio of friends mobbed her like a new puppy. Gui Zu grabbed her in a hug and spun her about while Yu Li hopped up and down excitedly. She then embraced her as well when it was her turn, and while Jian Yi was far more reserved, giving Kelsey a polite bow, Kelsey was the one to interrupt it with a hug of her own.

“Wait, wait!” she said in Yee. She then pointed to each of them in turn. “Yu Li? Gui Zu? And Jian Yi?”

They all nodded and clapped.

I’d told Kelsey about my inner circle long ago, filling her in on even the smallest of details when we would pass time out in the wild. Now she no doubt felt as if she knew them already, with how much information I’d shared.

“She does speak Yee!” Jian Yi said with a smile. “How excellent!”

Kelsey grinned. “Little yes.”

“She understands more than she speaks,” I said.

Kelsey looked at me and nodded. “True.”

They all laughed.

We then sat down and the interrogation of Kelsey began in earnest. I had told them all about what it was like in the wild, but being able to hear it from someone like Kelsey was a whole new experience. I played translator, occasionally interjecting when something popped up that was too difficult for Kelsey to either understand or say.

What felt like an hour slipped by as they asked her everything from what she remembered from her past, to what it was like growing up in the bunker to what she ate for breakfast this morning. I eventually had to rescue her by recommending we give her a break and grab some food and Gui Zu was quick to volunteer to grab something from the square for us.

He came back a short while later with Su Ling in tow, the tot having awoken from her nap.

Kelsey let out a squeal of delight.

“This Su Ling! Right?” she said in Yee. “She cute! Like you tell me, Max!”

The little girl shied away from Kelsey at first, but eventually Su Ling rewarded her with a hug. We then all sat and ate and I couldn’t help but feel like a small part of my dream had finally coming true. Here was Kelsey, a Terran from the wild, enjoying freshly fried noodles in the middle of my Terran Sect HQ.

“Now we need to do something important,” Jian Yi said after we had eaten. “Come with me please, Kel Zhi.”

Kelsey understood and followed Jian Yi to the office.

Jian Yi then pulled out the roster of Terran Sect members and filled in a new line with Kelsey’s Yee name. Kelsey smiled at it in wonder.

“Can you sign?” Jian Yi asked.

Kelsey shook her head. “I talk bad. I write more bad.”

She smiled and we laughed.

Kelsey then turned to me and handed me the pen. “Max. Please. Big brother. Sign for me.”

I couldn’t hold back the pride that swelled in my heart as I took the pen and wrote the characters of her name in Yee. “Well, it’s official. You’re now a proud member of the Terran Sect, Kel Zhi! The first of many to migrate from the wild, I hope. Congratulations!”

We broke into applause and Kelsey performed a goofy little bow.

I then remembered there was one more status that she would need to achieve in the future. “When the time is right, you’ll have to join my martial clan as well,” I said. “The Furious Lightning Sect. Once you start practicing that is.”

She grinned. “Yup!”

I gave her a wink and she winked back, sharing in our private joke.

I’d already told her that I couldn’t reveal my nature as a Berserker in the city and that she would have to hide hers too. I’d have to enroll her as a disciple initially and then wait a few months before she revealed any of her true skills. Then she could start cutting loose and truly following her own path.

A knock came at the door and when Jian Yi answered I saw it was Zu Tien.

I was just about to introduce her to Kelsey when I noticed the grave look on her face.

“What’s up?” I asked.

“A visitor, Master Chun,” she said. “From the Silver Leaf Clan.”

“What?”

“It’s their barrister. Master Lui Wi.”

* * *

Apprehension filled me as I approached the tall Dharmian man waiting for us in the middle of the square. Jian Yi however wore a confident smile, perhaps eager to show off that she now wore the same purple-trimmed robes as him. A stark contrast from when they had first engaged in legal combat so many months ago.

I stopped short and the man gave me a bow.

“Max Chun,” he said. “This One is Lui Wi, legal counsel to—”

“Yeah, I remember who you are,” I said. “What do you want?”

“I have come to serve you this,” he said and produced a sealed envelope from within his robes.

Jian Yi stepped forward to take it from him.

“What is it?” I asked as she broke the seal and began studying the tiny legal script within.

She then squinted, furrowing her brow. “I can’t believe this. They’ve dropped the writ?”

“What?” I said.

“It is true,” Lui Wi said. “The Dong family has withdrawn the writ against the Terran Sect. The court date for your duel with the Lady Silver Light is hereby annulled.”

Yu Li let loose a cheer, clapping her hands. “Is this for real? All right!”

Gui Zu slapped me on the back. “See, brother. The fates are aligning. Your success in the Gold Bracket must have made them think twice.”

“I suppose so,” Jian Yi said with a smile. She then looked up from the document and to Lui Wi. “My learned friend, now that the writ is withdrawn, I assume there will be no further hostilities towards the Terran Sect from your clients?”

“You may consider it so,” Lui Wi said.

Yu Li cheered again, jumping up and down with Gui Zu and Zu Tien. “We did it! It’s over!”

“What happen?” Kelsey said, staring between all of us, clearly confused.

But not more confused than I was.

What the hell had indeed just happened?

Did Fia just call off the duel?

And if so, why?

Something had to be up.

“Please,” I said, calling to Lui Wi as he was about to leave. “Why have they called off the writ?”

Jian Yi nudged me. “That’s not important. Just be grateful that they have.”

“I would listen to your barrister,” Lui Wi said. “The reason is my client’s alone to know. Be thankful that you will no longer have to face Lady Silver Light in combat.”

But that was exactly what I wanted.

What she wanted.

Did she somehow change her mind?

“No!” I shouted with [Struggler’s Resolve]. “I need to know. Did the Lady Silver Light call this off herself?”

The power of my technique combined with the desperation in my voice caused everyone around me to grow quiet. The man Lui Wi stared at me oddly, but then he exhaled and seemed to come to some kind of decision within himself.

“The writ was struck by the High Magistrate,” Lui Wi said. “The Lady Silver Light is no longer fit to serve it.”

“What do you mean?”

“She has been accused and found guilty of violating imperial law by committing an unsanctioned attack on a fellow martial sect,” he said and my blood ran cold, immediately thinking of Hin Wu. But then he continued, and the picture got even worse. “She is accused of killing over a hundred members of the Fire Bird Clan, including their elder, the late Master Hong Feng.”

The ground fell out from under me as the picture became clear.

I could ask how and why, but I already knew the answer.

Holy crap, I thought. They found the quill…!

“Where is she now?” I said, growing desperate. “What’s happening to her?”

My friends all looked at me like I was crazy and Lui Wi shared in their perplexed stares.

“Have you no shame?” he said. “The fates have seen fit to release your clan from this writ. Why seek to wallow further in the misfortune of others when they were not even borne by your hand?”

“Just tell me!” I shouted and he flinched away from me.

He then straightened his robes.

“If you must know, the Lady Silver Light is to face trial for her crimes today,” he said. “She awaits the verdict of a final contestation match at the arena. If her proxy fails, she will be executed by the state.”

* * *

My world slowly unraveled as my friends threw a virtual party around me. They were pouring wine and singing songs of victory as we returned to the office, toasting to our good fortune. But I remained beside myself, considering the implications of what I’d done.

Holy shit, I thought. I can’t believe it.

A careless act from so many months ago, returning to bite me now.

I wasn’t even targeting her.

But I had been targeting her family.

What the hell have I done?

“Yo, what’s up?” Kelsey said to me in English as she sat down next to me. “I don’t understand what’s going on here. People are going buck wild with partying, but you’re filled with enough pain to cultivate to the next realm.”

I sighed uneasily, replying in English as well. “I messed up, Kelsey. I did something stupid a long time ago that’s landed Fia in hot water with the authorities. They’re holding her responsible for all the Fire Birds I killed because I left one of her quills as evidence.”

Her eye grew wide. “What? Are you serious? Why the hell did you do that?”

“We weren’t as serious a thing back then,” I said. “I wasn’t even sure I’d ever see her again. Plus, I was out of sorts because I thought I’d lost everything to Hein. I was setting up for revenge against the Silver Leaf Clan in general.”

“Well, you got top marks for that one, chief,” Kelsey said sardonically. “So what the hell now? We need to do something right?”

“Yeah,” I said absently. “They’re going to execute her.”

“What?!”

I looked about at Jian Yi, Zu Tien, Gui Zu and Yu Li—all of them still toasting and drinking obliviously.

“I still haven’t even told these guys about her yet,” I said. “That’s why they’re all celebrating. They see her as the enemy. An enemy that’s about to be eliminated scot-free.”

I still couldn’t believe it myself.

Fia was about to die for my crimes…

“Hey!” Kelsey shouted into my face, waking me from my thoughts. “This is still Fia, the girl you love, right?”

I only nodded.

“Then get the hell up and say something, you moron!”

The room suddenly went quiet at Kelsey’s outburst, no doubt taken aback by the unfamiliar words she had spoken, but the connotation in her volume was crystal clear.

They all looked at me questioningly.

“What language was that?” Zu Tien asked baffled.

“Nevermind that now,” Yu Li said, looking concerned. “What did she say, Max?”

I sighed but then Kelsey stood and spoke ahead of me.

“Max need talk!” she said in Yee. “Go Max. Talk!”

Damn you, Kelsey, I thought. But I truly did need the extra push to get me out of my own head.

I finally stood and swallowed my pride.

“Guys, I have something very important I need to tell you,” I said and prepared to face the worst. “But you’re probably not going to like or understand any of it.”

* * *

“Are you damn well kidding me?!”

The shout came from Yu Li who had remained silent for a full minute after I’d finished my story. She was flustered and turning beet red, spewing more anger than a raging behemoth. She launched at me in a tirade, jabbing her finger into my chest.

“You damn hypocrite!” she shouted. “You lecture me for falling for Hein and then you go and screw his sister? Claim you’re in love with her? What kind of freaking betrayal bullshit is this, Max?”

“Is this what has truly been bothering you, brother?” Gui Zu asked. “Keeping this secret from us?”

I merely nodded, too ashamed to even speak.

Jian Yi shook her head. “Chun, this is unbelievable to say the least. You kept all this from us. For months! How did you envision this was going to end? Were you going to let this farce play out without us knowing at all?”

“No,” I said. “I was going to tell you all eventually. When the time was right. Closer to the duel maybe.”

“You were still planning to duel her?”

“Yes,” I said. “To win her hand in marriage.”

“WHAT!?” Yu Li screamed. “Marriage?! Have you gone insane?”

“No, seriously,” I said. “I want to marry her. We were planning to use the duel as a means to make it happen. I’d spare her life as a dowry sort of thing.”

Yu Li began pacing in circles. “I can’t believe this. Who the hell are you, Chun?”

“I don’t even know where to start,” Jian Yi said. “The lies? The secrets? You had us all believing you were fighting for us when in reality you were sleeping with the enemy? Literally?!”

“It wasn’t like that,” I said weakly, in my defense. “And I know I should have told you all sooner, but it would have put everyone in danger. Fia especially. The less people who knew the better…”

“Fia,” Yu Li said with a harrumph. “You even call her by her personal name? To think you knew this girl so intimately and had us all thinking she was the second coming of Hein. You played us all for fools!”

“Indeed!” Jian Yi said. “This was a major betray—”

“Together, stop!” Kelsey suddenly shouted in Yee, standing and brandishing [Fear the Flame].

All eyes fell on her in confusion, trying to make sense of what she’d just said. Then she slowly came to stand by my side.

“Listen,” she said in her stilted English-Yee accent. “I no understand all. But I understand you mad. Please. Max… big stupid.” She spread her arms wide in illustration. “Very big stupid. But. Heart is good. He love Fia. He tell me before. She good heart… she his soul. He fear tell you. Cause big stupid. But. Heart still good.”

She stopped talking and everyone stood around staring at her deadpanned.

I didn’t know whether to thank her or slug her in the arm.

“It’s true,” Zu Tien said, stepping forward. “I don’t know who that girl is, or why she talks so strangely, but she speaks the truth. The Lady Silver Light does indeed have a good heart. I have seen it for myself. Gui Zu also. Right, Gui Zu?”

The big man nodded and rested his large hand on my shoulder.

“It is true,” he said. “And the other part Kel Zhi said is also true. You are very big stupid, brother. You should have come to us with this long ago. But if you say that you have fallen in love with Lady Fia, then who am I to disagree? I believe and trust you.”

He then smiled at Yu Li who still looked mad as hell, but she eventually rolled her eyes. “I’m not happy with it, but okay. I still don’t even understand it! But okay.”

“I’ll reserve my judgement for later,” Jian Yi said, folding her arms. “But for now, I suppose the question is, what is it you plan to do, Chun?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know. I just know I need to go see her. Talk to her. Maybe save her somehow.”

Jian Yi chuckled. “Did you not hear their barrister? The Lady Silver Light is facing capital punishment in an active court trial, her fate being decided by a proxy match that is likely already underway.”

“Shit!” I said. “Does that mean we’re too late?”

“No,” she said as she rushed to her desk and began collecting books and papers. “But it means we need to hurry. A combat trial will be held at the arena. I may be able to use my influence to get us inside.”

“And then what?”

“Heavens only knows.”

“I’ll come too,” Gui Zu said.

“Fine,” Jian Yi said. “But someone needs to stay behind to protect the block.”

“Consider it done,” Zu Tien said with a bow.

I nodded to her. “Thanks, Zu Tien.”

“Don’t look for me to come,” Yu Li said with a scowl. “I’ve got to mind Su Ling.” But then she pulled me into a hug with one arm. “I don’t care if you love her or not. You don’t let that silver-haired bimbo pull you into any more trouble, you understand?”

I patted her on the back and sighed. “Yes, Mom.”

We all then looked at Kelsey who was staring about bewildered.

“You’d better come too,” I said in English. “You’re the only one who seems to be able to translate my stupidity for them.”

Kelsey laughed and everyone looked at us confused.

“Max say me come too,” Kelsey said. “Because he very big stupid.”