A New Warrior

I.

The stranger wore a long, trailing robe- black, unadorned. But in the back, it was so disproportionately long that it looked terribly cumbersome to the patrons of Yang-Guan Tavern, so they- of course- took notice. And upon further inspection, that fabric gleamed too brightly in the dim lantern light and shifted far too smoothly to be common cotton. The robe covered most of his face, but for the tip of a sharp beak poking out from beneath the hem.

The stranger also had a companion; a young, one-eyed wolf that walked in that menacing, hunched-over sort of way in which wolves always seemed to walk. When the stranger chose to sit at a lone table in the darkest corner of the room, the wolf followed obediently. When nothing exciting happened, the patrons soon lost interest but the owner of the tavern, a stout pig called Yang, hadn't. Though the stranger was suspicious, he was also very likely loaded, and Yang knew if he could pull this off- well, there may be great fortune in his future.

Gesturing to the waitress, he trotted over to the stranger's table. With a humble bow of his head and a wide, hospitable smile, he said "What can I get you fine gentlemen this evening?"

"Information." The stranger said promptly, his voice rich with nobility.

"And gin," his companion added.

"Aah..." Yang's smile dropped slightly. He had to be careful here. "Well... at least one of those needs is easily remedied. Girl!" Remarkably, the pig somehow managed to snap a hoof impatiently. The waitress, a wide-eyed young doe, rushed over. "A bottle of our finest gin for the gentlemen!" Yang ordered, and, with a bow, the doe scurried off into the back room.

"Now as for your other request..." The pig shifted uncomfortably. "I'm afraid I'm not privy to... Ah, I'm just a tavern holder, mind you..." The stranger stared at him impassively from beneath the shadows of the robe until Yang felt compelled to go on. "What exactly were you hoping to know, sir?" he finished lamely.

"I am searching for a warrior."

"Ah!" Yang nearly sighed with relief. "Ah, well this is certainly the place. D'you see that mountain there?" He gestured toward the nearest window. "That's-"

"The Peak of Heyling, yes, yes, I'm aware." The stranger said with impatience. "I am not looking for any warrior..." The doe was back with the gin and the wolf grinned toothily at her as she nervously set out the ceramic cups and unclasped the bottle. The stranger paid her no mind. "I am not looking for a trained dog," he said harshly. "I am looking for a warrior with skill, cunning, power, loyalty... and grace." He stressed the last as he watched his companion down the gin hungrily. Drink and spittle dripped down his chin and into his matted fur.

"I'm... I'm sure there is a master at the temple with all of those attributes... sir."

"So you tell me you know of no one. Hm. What a shame." Quipped the stranger smoothly. "I had been willing to reward such a warrior greatly for their services... as well as the informant who led me to them."

"Ah!" The pig exclaimed. "Something just returned to me- Master Flaming Leopard! She is very powerful- and graceful! She has mastered the flame-throwing technique and was legendary-"

"Until she was injured and defeated by marauders." The stranger interrupted, bored. "Third-degree burns, I believe."

"You, ah... know about that, eh?" Yang laughed weakly.

"You're testing my patience, barkeep. A dangerous pursuit." Yang thought he heard a low, indistinct growl from the direction of the wolf and he swallowed thickly.

"No, no, I know of another. Master Iron Ox. A champion of-"

"Nothing more than a moody brute."

"He does have a bit of a temper, but-"

The stranger stood abruptly, causing Yang to nearly jump out of his skin. "You are wasting my time."

"I, I..." The pig stammered, but was silenced with a look from the stranger, accompanied by another soft growl. His heart was beating frantically and he felt he may faint, but he still managed a low bow. "Thank you for your patronage." He said demurely.

The stranger regarded him coldly for a moment, then turned and strode toward the door. The wolf hurriedly gulped down the last of his gin and followed, pausing to drop a few coins on the table. And for that, at least, Yang was grateful.

…

The sun was low and the air had chilled when Lord Shen and his second-in-command exited the tavern. Shen was admittedly discouraged. With the wolf at his side, he had interviewed (or perhaps interrogated) nearly every owner and store clerk in this grimy little village, always with results similar to those he had just received. He had heard rumors, stories, and fairy tales, songs and legends, but nothing tangible, nothing that interested him. He was beginning to lose hope in this place, despite the kung fu Mecca that loomed over the village like an imposing relative: Heyling Temple. And Shen refused to endanger himself or his servant by entering that place without a valid reason. It was in fact open to the public, but Shen was a shamed nobleman, and wasn't, technically, supposed to be in China at all. Even in this remote northern province, he wasn't entirely safe.

"That was another bust, huh?" The wolf remarked. Shen's scowl tightened silently. It was not that his personal guard of wolves was unsatisfactory. His incessant paranoia drove him to keep at least one or two of them with him at all times. But Shen know that there would come a day when he would once again rise to power, and in order to make any progress, he needed to gather allies. He would start with a single warrior; someone powerful yet malleable, that he could shape and bind to his will. Someone he could trust. For there were so few nowadays...

Shen and the pack were camped in the forest, on the fringes of the village and by a river that flowed from the Heyling Mountain. Shen had just begun the trek back to the camp when he heard a small, frightened whisper from behind: "Excuse me? Don't go!"

He turned to see the little doe that had brought his lieutenant the gin. She stepped tentatively toward them, head bowed and eyes averted respectfully. "I-I... I overheard some of what you said and I... I know of someone... a bat." Bat. Shen narrowed his eyes at the unfamiliar word. There had been no such creature where he grew up, or if there were, he hadn't known of them.

"This... bat is a warrior?" He asked skeptically.

"Oh, yes." Said the doe sincerely. "A magnificent warrior. Brave and sure... and very kind." Shen exchanged a glance with the wolf. Kind was yet another word he had not expected.

"And where exactly did you receive this information?" he persisted.

"It's no rumor." The doe said, lifting her head to look him bravely in the eyes. "She saved my life. She has saved many lives- the lives of the weak and defenseless. Her name is Jinzhang."

A moment of silence passed in which Shen raised a sleek eyebrow. "I suppose you want payment."

"Oh, no." The doe seemed genuinely surprised that it had been offered, and she shook her small head. "But please do reward Jinzhang. She deserves so much and receives so little."

"We will see," Shen said dismissively. "Where can I find her?"

"In the temple." She pointed to the Peak of Heyling behind Shen, but he knew what she meant regardless. "By day, she is the Keeper of the Fountain of Wisdom. That's where you will find her.

"... I have to go now." said the doe, glancing around. "Please do consider. It doesn't matter what those masters say- she is the finest warrior in the province. I'm sure of it." And with that, the doe darted back into the tavern, sure to receive punishment for abandoning her duties.

"Well that was interesting." The wolf said after a minute or two. "... Whadd'ya think?"

"Excuse me?"

"Do we finally have a lead?"

"I don't know." Shen admitted musingly. He turned on his heel and marched toward camp. "But we will rest for now." The one-eyed wolf followed questioningly. "In the morning," he continued, "We scale Heyling."