Part 2, Chapter 39

Surface emotions out of control

Ch 39

Jianyu struck around him with an overwhelming fury. Rage boiled through him as he struck over and over again. Other refugees from around the camp joined the attack, revealing that the infiltration of the camp had been a long term strategy of the current Emperor. 

Jianyu fought with his borrowed spear until it shattered. His face twisted into a demonic visage as he searched for another weapon.

“Here,” the God of War called, tossing him a sword. “Calm down, nephew, not all of these people are the enemy!”

Jianyu didn’t care. Letting these people in had caused this. They were all guilty. He would kill every last person who threatened the safety of the realms and Xun. Every person he saw became his brother and he killed that face over and over. Jianyu hadn’t even realized how angry he was at his sibling until this moment, maybe he hadn’t been this angry until this exact second when the person he loved had been put in danger from a cowardly sneak attack. He fought on with deliberate precision.

“Leng Zai, NO!” 

Xun’s voice cut through the blood haze. He looked down. Xun coward in front of him, desperately sheltering an old man clutching a sobbing child. Jianyu’s sword was poised to fall on them. It would be easy to kill all three of them with a single blow, they had no defense. 

Xun stared into his eyes with a hopeless, helpless terror. The sword fell from his suddenly numb hands. The tip of the sword sliced Xun’s arm and her blood stained the white cloth of her sleeve.

Jianyu fell to his knees, pulled her into his arms, and screamed. 

The refugee soldier that had been standing behind him withdrew the spear, his eyes glinting with malice. He drew the spear back to strike again, but the God of War was suddenly between them. 

“Take him out of here, Xun,” the God bellowed as he engaged the enemy, easily overpowering him.

Xun wrapped her arms around her unconscious lover and dragged him into the nearest sheltered place, the old man helping as best as he could. Neither of them noticed how the blood from her arm mingled with that of the injured man.