Chapter 32: Fugitive

Fain view, shiny lake. Some hills and houses made of half-rotten wood. The young man sitting cross-legged on a roof of a carriage made a deep sigh; the ends of his lips slightly rose. He saw many settlements like that on his way, but still, always beautiful. Sadly, it wasn't as authentic as it could've have been.

It was crowded with many horses and wagons, and people in armor and without armor. Everyone was busy and hurrying somewhere. Clouds of smoke were rising to the sky; army always comes with smoke.

"So that is Village of Azure Lake…" The youth jumped to the ground and put his hands on his leather belt, holding together a shiny-copper armor. He had a rather plain face, not handsome, not ugly, but with a particular liveliness. He scratched his short brown hair and clapped.

"Going to be fun!"

"Are you happy, Young Master?"

Asked a slightly childish voice and a boy, roughly fourteen-fifteen years old released the reins and stepped down. His hair was black and longer than the norm; his face was childish and shy. His iron armor was a bit big to him.

"I like villages, and I like army camps. Only in these places, you can feel real life! They don't mix well, though." Answered the young man.

"Is that, the village where Miss Li…" The boy struggled to ask some question.

"My sister run off to, right." The young man made a bitter smile.

"She always gets caught in some troubles; and don't call her Miss Li, it sounds like my mother. By the way…"

The young man suddenly turned to the boy, his eyes sparkling and a devilish smile on his face.

"You're in love with her, right?"

"W-what…"

The boy reddened, but before he could say anything in his defense the man clapped his shoulder; he almost lost his footing.

"Don't sweat it, I could help you there, you know? Well, if I'll do it directly she'll just flatly reject you, I think. Really, maybe that the kind of stick she needs to get fixed. However, I've heard she found some guy here… Eh, whatever. Let's go, Feng."

Just when the boy's ears were in their finest and young man suddenly walked away.

Feng shook his head and ran after his master who descending down the hill. On his way he had to evade several soldiers, who were cursing at him. Especially the one whom he knocked down with an armful of logs…

"Sorry." He said, jumped over him and the logs and finally reached his young master who was standing behind a large crowd before a platform made of wood.

"Young master, wait, the carriage…"

"Ha, don't worry Feng; do you think someone is going to steal it?" The youth smiled.

"There, look."

He pointed to the stage surrounded by many men in armor, or with bare chests, or in rags. Some were even sitting on tents and the lonely house behind. Feng had to get up on socks to see everything clearly. Of course first, he looked back to see if it won't trouble anyone.

In the middle of the stage, a wooden table laid with six chairs around it. Still, only one of the six people present was sitting. He had his eyes closed and hands crossed while others were shouting and each other and moving some figures lying on the table.

He was old, his hair and mustaches were silver, skin rough. Somehow, he resembled a lion and Feng expected him to roar any second.

"Is he someone well-known?" He asked.

"General Du Fu, ever heard of him?"

"No." Feng shook his head.

"Expected." The young man gave him a scornful gaze.

"You should learn at least a bit about the military. How can you spend so much time with plants and birds, really? I'm sure you doing that to impress girls."

"Ha-ha." Feng rubbed his nose. Actually, it was the girl.

"Anyway, he's a great person."

Feng looked at his young master with amazement. Then at the old man, now with newfound respect. Whoever managed to make his young master call him great is… great.

"He's about fifty years in the army already. One of the Six Supreme Generals! He was appointed because of the backing of his Du clan, it was before the reforms were made, after all, but unlike the others nobles he was kind with his soldiers no matter the origin and always showed the best result. During the battle of Golden Field of the Colonization War, he charged and slew the Fire Rock that was threatening his army. He was ordered to wait for reinforcement and distract the bird with his troops. But he chose not to! He assaulted it himself, and, despite heavy injuries managed to beat it. Still, since that battle, he has lost his Earth Synchronization Realm strength, but gained a devoted respect from his troops."

Feng breathed in. He saw the passion in eyes of his young master.

"Still." Young man's voice slightly quietened.

"After the war, several clans tried to usurp lands of the Du clan because it had lost its only Synchronization Warrior. At that time Du Fu could use his position in the army, his connection to stop it, his troops would've gladly helped their general but he choose not to."

"Why?" Feng was surprised.

"Because he wasn't selfish, he said. The Du clan was destroyed. However, when the people responsible for that tried to dispose Du Fu from his position they were all assassinated next day! From that time no one ever threatened Du Fu to step from his position."

"But, then he killed them in the end?" Feng became confused.

"No, his army did on their own." The youth slightly smiled.

Now Feng was really shocked. Truly, what a great person!

"What he's doing now is planning his strategy; he never does it in secret because he trusts his troops."

"Isn't that way he can be spied on?"

"Yes, but again, he Trusts his troops. Everyone in his army is there for several generations. Mostly the descendants of the people whose lives he saved in the Golden Field Battle. See. See, they started to notice us."

Many gazes were really directed at them, and none was friendly.

"It will be fun to mess up." The young man stretched back.

"Mess up? Wait, Young Master, don't you respect him?" Feng started feeling nervous.

"Yes, therefore I will beat his ass with full respect."

Suddenly the young man disappeared. Feng's hair slightly fluttered, his expression froze. With a terrible anticipation, he turned to the stage.

"Good day old fogies, my name is Li Song and from now on you all will be following my orders."

…

…

…

"So, explain brat, why have you pulled me into the dark? What spivvery do you have."

Old man Du Fu's voice resembled lightning in a storm, piercing to the depth of your soul. The tent they were in almost trembled.

"Just to speak with you, General." Li Song looked completely unfazed before the lion-like stare of Du Fu, rather even relaxed. He seemed to be enjoying himself.

"Yes, and why while speaking you allowed to keep your slave with you and I can't keep my Brigadiers?"

"I… Nothing." Feng tried to say something but quickly shut up under two pressing gazes.

"Because, General, that how we will do it. If I want to, I will be sitting there with two whores and you still wouldn't be allowed to have your brigadiers. Because of that."

Once again, the young man showed a dragon-like pendant.

"I will wear it so you won't forget, really. It's already the third time I have to remind you that I have an order from the Minister himself."

"Yes, Minister Li…"

The old man emphasized the surname, then fell in thoughts. His savageness dissipated and age showed on his face. If he really was a lion, then that pendant was a fire to him.

"What do you want, brat? Humiliate me?" He asked in a tired voice.

"No, I respect you. But the order is an order. From this point, I will be in command of this army."

Feng's body almost jolted, but he suppressed it. His eyes fixated on Li Song.

"Army…" The old man closed his eyes.

"How much authority will you have?"

"Structure, orders, strategy. Treat me as someone whose orders are absolute, but aside from that, pretend I'm not here." Said Li Song.

"That is an easy job." The old man sarcastically chuckled and thought some more.

"I understand. Anything else?"

"Yes. We have some information about a fugitive working with the beasts. If any of your soldiers see any human you should immediately inform me. Aside from that you free as a bird."

"Bird, hm. Should I assign a tent for you?"

"Yes, it will be helpful. Preferably somewhere far away. Now about my first recommendations…"

…

…

…

By the time the meeting has ended, it was already dark. Still, even in such bleak light, Feng could see that Du Fu looked several decades older. Just like a ghost.

"Young Master, why did you said it?"

He asked Li Song once they left the camp and unfriendly stares of the soldiers.

"I…" He scratched his head.

"It just blurted out."

"Just blurted out."?"

"Yes, you know Feng, the mood was very oppressive. My feet almost trembled standing before that person, and telling him that I'll be ordering his army… I wonder what he'll do you when he finds out It was a lie."

Feng could see some rare nervousness on his young master's face.

"I've always wanted to try leading an army, and here's a chance! Still, I only dreamed about that, imagined how I'll say it but I never thought I will actually do it. I even backed down later."

Now it was Feng's turn to pat Li Song's shoulder.

"I think you'll manage just right, Young Master."

"Yeah. Of course I will. Oh, here it is."

A loud cry sounded from the sky, a large black eagle descended to Li Song's hand.

"What do we have…"

He patted the bird, untied the message from its leg and let it play with Feng.

"Finally arrived."

Slowly he started reading the message. Gradually his expression became serious.

…