The sun had set high on the sky searing the wide span of land with its vehement temperature; the clouds were sparse and thin, like that of a fine spider web. The sun and its ray looked like a pole that had a tip made of a circular molten gold. The day indicated that it was already the peak of the afternoon.

The combat with Hsien army Hong se Unit had remained an unfinished business since its jiangjun along with its remaining troops had fled the camp like spineless cowards. They eventually realized that they stood no chance of crushing the imperial army.

True to his vow to the deceased Duizhu Gang Bingwen's request, Jinzhou Lu Wang Wei had attempted to chase after them in hopes of killing Jiangjun Han Li but his weakened and wounded state had impeded him. He past out even before he could ran after the enemies.

He woke up to what seemed to be prisms of sun rays that passed through the multitude of holes on his torn tent and the sounds of men working outside. He struggled to sit down but when he did, he could feel a sharp stab of pain torturing every muscle and bone in his body. What surprised him even more were the bandages on his wounds and the tiny needles on his flesh. A torn cloth was placed upon him to cover him from any chill. However, despite the fact that it was already Autumn, it seemed unnecessary considering the current weather. He tasted something bitter and unfamiliar on his tongue and he remembered that someone had tried to feed him something in his unsteady state of consciousness.

His head turned when he heard that the door of his tent was being lifted. Someone entered his quarter. His eyes widened when he saw Tang Lao Fang carrying a bowl that emanated a strong and pungent. It was so strong that it irritated his nose.

"You are awake now, Jinzhou," Tang Lao Fang observed, relief was evident in his voice.

Jinzhou Lu Wang Wei was about to stand and approach him but then the boy had stopped him from doing so.

"Don't stand, Jinzhou, or else the needles might fall from your flesh or worst, they might go deeper making it hard to remove them."

Jinzhou Lu Wang Wei's forehead wrinkled in confusion. "Who had done this to me, Lao Fang?"

"He is Lee Sui Song, one of your soldiers; he is a village doctor's apprentice who lived East of the Imperial Palace. He is also the one who made the concoctions that were fed to you while you are unconscious. I merely assisted him. Ah... I have brought something for you, Jinzhou."

Tang Lao Fang went near him and handed him a bowl full of dull greenish-brownish liquid.

Jinzhou Lu Wang Wei wrinkled his nose in disapproval and eyed it skeptically. "What is it?"

"It is a fortifying broth. It will help you recover fast, Jinzhou."

"I don't need that - I think I am fine now, Lao Fang.I need to stand and go after the Hsein Army Hong se Unit." Jinzhou Lu Wang said with determination despite the nettling pain in his body. "I am certain that they are not far from us."

Yan Mei Ling secretly looked heavenward in frustration. She was not pleased with what she heard from Jinzhou Lu Wang Wei.

Why must he pretend that he is fine when, in fact, he seemed to wince even with simple body movement? Men and their twisted masculine notions are, most of the time, absurd and stupid.

"Go on. Stand up, Jinzhou, and let's see if you go after them and fight them considering your current state right now."

"I can't waste my time lying down doing nothing, Lao Fang. The Empire's safety lie in our hands. Any delay will endanger all of us."

"I know but stop being stubborn and listen to me!" Yan Mei Ling blurted out in frustration. She paused when she realized what she had just said. It was very ironic of her to tell those words when she, herself, was as stubborn as the Jinzhou Lu Wang Wei she was speaking with right now.

"Yan Mei Ling, don't be stubborn. Please listen to me."

She could very well remember Li Lei Shuang saying those words but only in a much gentle and calm way. Her best friend never raised a voice on her. A certain kind of sadness suddenly enveloped her eyes and she felt that she was being strangled. Tears were threatening to expose her vulnerability in front of the man who she never wanted to witness it.

"Tang Lao Fang," Jinzhou Lu Wang Wei inquired gently, interrupting Yan Mei Ling's thoughts. "Is something amiss?"

Yan Mei Ling silently counted in her mind before she breathed noisily through her nose. She forced a counterfeit smile on her mouth. "A debris has stuck in my eyes." She lied guiltily before she furiously wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.

"What I actually mean, Jinzhou, is that most of us are still too weak to fight and are salvaging whatever is left from the encounter with Hsien Army Hong se unit. All of us must rest and recover. If we go after the enemies right now, they might kill all of us. Who knows if they have reinforcements waiting to lull us to their trap."

Jinzhou Lu Wang Wei remained silent for a moment and looked at Tang Lao Fang seriously in a different light. He noticed that the boy's cheeks had turned bright red either due to embarrassment or anger. He heard Lao Fang deliberately cough as if telling him to stop inspecting the latter as if he was someone of no consequence.

A smile tugged Jinzhou Lu Wang Wei's mouth then he said, "Your wisdom is astounding considering your age. I know that you will be an asset to the Imperial Army. You have indeed proven me right, Lao Fang."

"Thank you for your kind opinion of me, Jinzhou," Yan Mei Ling said shyly. "Ahm.. Can you please take and drink this broth?"

Jinzhou Lu Wang Wei accepted the bowl though with less enthusiasm. "This does not smell good at all, and it looks different. Is it also Lee Sui Song who made this one?"

Yan Mei Ling nodded cheerfully. "Yes, he is although it smells and looks bad; it doesn't taste bad as compared to the first concoction we had force-fed you, Jinzhou."

"So you have drank this too, Lao Fang?"

"Yes, all of us who have survived had drank it, Jinzhou."

Jinzhou Lu Wang Wei smiled grimly at Tang Lao Fang's words. It pained him greatly to know that a lot of his men died due to his neglect and improper planning. He had never anticipated that his enemies would attack on dawn where light was scarce. He took a sip of the broth and asked, "By chance, is there someone who knows how to cook other than broth?"

"Of course, there is, he is Lim Hok Se. He is the one who has made Lee Sui Song's fortifying broth tolerable. Isn't it amazing, Jinzhou? There is someone who knows how to heal, cook or possibly more. You should take time to know what your subordinates skills are other than their ability to hold a sword and fight. You will be surprised if you do."

Jinzhou Lu Wang Wei smiled and teased Tang Lao Fang. "And I thought that you can't get along with the others."

"Hmmp," Yan Mei Ling exclaimed. "I am not totally the brat that you might have possibly think of me. My previous unpleasant encounter with the your other subordinates does not define my attitude to those who are treating me with kindness and are offering me their friendship."

"Good"

"Good," Yan Mei Ling replied to Jinzhou Lu Wang Wei's statement. "Now, if you will be so kind to think of recovering fast so we can pursue the remaining Hsien Army Hong se unit by finishing the entire broth."

Jinzhou Lu Wang Wei smiled as he continued to sip the warm broth. The boy was indeed a paradox; he couldn't quite get the latter. The boy seemed to him as someone who thought maturely but acted with a youthful exuberance that would never mistake his juvenile age.

When Tang Lao Fang bode his leave and was about to go out of the tent, Jinzhou Lu Wang Wei felt a different sense of emptiness that had urged him to call after the boy. "Tang Lao Fang!"

Yan Mei Ling swiveled to the supine Jinzhou Lu Wang Wei and looked at him with wonder. "Yes, Jinzhou?"

There was a pregnant pause and a indescribable feeling that had surrounded the tent. This was kindred perhaps.

"I am glad that you are safe, Tang Lao Fang."

A blush crept to Yan Mei Ling cheeks as if they had been set afire. "I am glad that you are safe too, Jinzhou Lu Wang Wei."

********************

Inside of the fortified walls of the Imperial Palace, the war was a relentless shadow of a fearsome behemoth threatening to destroy. The peace within seemed to veil the dangers of the war like an invisible shield. But it was only a sham for the news brought by the harbingers and spies of the Empire had narrated the most gruesome and twisted things that had truly happened in the war.

Within the intricate and protected walls of the Imperial palace was a duplicate of what seemed a heavenly oasis, the imperial garden. The bamboos,ferns and different kinds of flowers continued to dance merrily along with the Autumn breeze; the birds continued to sing like heaven's choir; and varied insects danced around, seemingly oblivious to the war.

It was night time but the cloudless sky was dark and moonless. It wasn't completely dark though because of the palace torches and hanging lanterns. But their unnatural light didn't reach half of the sheer beauty illuminated by the moon. The beauty of the surroundings was still solemn that it seemed a mockery of the war that was progressing outside.

Li Lei Shuang sat beside the pond and stared absentmindedly on the twirling lotuses. The light illuminated by the lantern and torches reflected white beams on the dark green water. It had been several weeks since the tragic news of what happened to Yan Mei Ling's village. No one survived not even the villagers' ashes; everything crumbled into dust as if there was no people who used to inhabit it.

The thought created a painful hole in Li Lei Shuang heart. It was as if she was being strangled slowly and surely with every recollection of the days she had with her best friend. She could very well remember Yan Mei Ling's childlike laughter resonating in her mind, and she struggled to conjure her living image but, to no avail, just like the houses in Mei Ling's village; her best friend's face crumbled into dust.. Into nothingness..

"Oh, Yan Mei Ling," Lei Shuang choked and, once again, a stream of tears fell from her heavily swollen eyes. Her throat constricted by the cumbersome lump in it. Her heart in extreme desolation. "Oh, Yan Mei Ling, why do you have to leave me? You made a promise."

Through the painful blur in her eyes, she struggled to recall the happier memories of the past.

'Li Lei Shuang, look, I caught a beautiful butterfly!'

'Oh, it is indeed beautiful. Can I held it in my palm, Yan Mei Ling?'

'Sure,' Yan Mei Ling said as she gently transferred the colorful butterfly into Li Lei Shuang's open palms.

'It is truly beautiful!' Li Lei Shuang gasped in awe but her reaction had startled the butterfly that it flew away from her palm.

'Oh, no, you scared it, Li Lei Shuang!' Mei Ling cried in disappointment.

'I am so sorry, Yan Mei Ling,' Lei Shuang apologized and, then, gently placed her hand on Yan Mei Ling's slumped shoulders. 'Don't worry, my sweet, I have something to show you. I am sure you will like it.'

'Really?' Yan Mei Ling exclaimed excitedly; her disappointment over the butterfly forgotten.

'Yes,' Li Lei Shuang nodded happily and led Mei Ling to the most beautiful part of the garden.

'Wonderful! All the butterflies are here!' Yan Mei Ling gasped in admiration as her eyes hovered in delight on the butterflies and other colorful insects feasting on the beautiful plants in the garden.

"Yes, they are all beautiful but none compared to you, my sweet Yan Mei Ling."

Li Lei Shuang sobbed tearfully as the memory faded. She couldn't believe that Mei Ling would now be forever gone. How she wished the news was nothing but a nightmare. When she woke up, Mei Ling, just as her best friend always did, would come and visit her in the palace.

Li Lei Shuang seemed so absorbed in recollecting all her memories of her best friend that she was oblivious to the sinister beings observing her from a distance. She did not notice that someone from the dark and hidden part of the garden had been bidding his time.

Now was the perfect timing! Like a stealth predator, he furtively walked and, with lightning speed, he got hold of Li Lei Shuang. Before she could scream for help to alarm the Imperial Palace guards, she past out as a dizzying substance was stuck in her nose and mouth.

"TongJun Linghua," the kidnapper called in a low voice. "I got the princess!"

Another person came out from his hiding place in the garden.

He was more formiddable and more dangerous. An evil smirk formed in his mouth as he said in a low silky voice laced with danger, "Perfect. Now, we need to get out of the palace and bring her to Lord Hsien Mao Dong."

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Author's Notes:

Dear Reader's,

I am very sorry if it takes me such a long time to add a new chapter to Moonlight Ninja. I am currently working on my poems "Amare" which is my entry for #Wattys2014 and "A Hundred Letters to Mary" which I intend to finish before the year ends. But soon, after I am done with those two works, I will dedicate my time in finishing "Moonlight Ninja" and "Sean."

Oh, please don't forget to vote, comment and share "Moonlight Ninja". It really pleases me to hear what my readers think of my story or appreciate it by clicking on the vote button.

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CHAPTER FINISHED

Note:

TongJun- Lieutenant General