The New Trials Special:
The Legacy of the Five Forces
******
Approximately a century and
a half ago, towards the end of the Edo Feudal Era in Japan and long before the
age of Clow Reed, five different individuals joined hands to form the legendary
Circle of the Five Forces. These five came from varying backgrounds, wielded
diverse powers and carried different opinions. Li Shulin from Shanghai, who
wielded the power of elements, Landon Reed from England, who wielded the power
of contract magic, Mizuki Mayura, from Kyoto, who wielded the power of
celestial bodies and Amamiya Hayashi, from Edo (modern-day Tokyo), who wielded
the power of the second sight and Chang Ruichi, from unknown origins, who
wielded the power of the light and dark, were the five who became the ¡°Great
Ones,¡± the most powerful in a time of change and development in the East.
Differences set aside and strengths combined, these five joined hands to create
a camaraderie of the greatest of the gifted, with desire to maintain peace and
harmony in the world and find meaning in their strength. In doing so, the ¡°Great
Five¡± as they were called, created a legend known only to those who were
exposed to the Other World, the world of the sixth sense sometimes bestowed
upon mankind, the world of the magically gifted. The closest of friends and
doers of many good deeds, the Great Five were infallible until the fellowship
shattered and the Dark One emerged.
The next reign was that of
Clow Reed, the greatest sorcerer of the East and the West, rumored to be the
only son of two of the original Great Five, Li Shulin and Landon Reed. Once
establishing his status as unrivaled in the world, Clow Reed maintained a
relatively peaceful lifestyle though with his own predicaments as well. Decades
passed and the details of the Great Five blurred. No one knew exactly the
reason of the break of the Circle of the Five Forces, nor the true identity of
the Dark One. The five greatest mages of their time faded into a legend, a
story of no great consequence, even for those of the original bloodline of the
Great Five. Yet the Dark Ones did not forget, for their spirits were reborn
generation after generation, surviving through the reformation of
Much time has passed and
many events have occurred since the Age of the Five Forces, and the world has
reshaped into a new place of modern ideas and conventions. Though the legend of
the Great Five has mostly faded into oblivion, their legacy lives on as their
descendants struggle in the never-ending feud, for Dark Ones cannot rest in
peace until vengeance has been sought. And in modern day, one ordinary Japanese
girl, chosen successor of the Clow Cards rumored to be the descendant of none
other than Amamiya Hayashi, Ringleader of the Great Five, will once again
rebuild the camaraderie that was once broken more than a hundred years ago with
the help of her friends, both supporters and enemies. Together, they will
uncover the truth of the past to face their future.
Though the world may have
changed on the surface through blood-shed, reformation and industrialization
and progressed into hopefully more peaceful days, little has changed in human
nature and heart. To listen to the echoes of the gone-by days is to see the
reality of the present. For the Legacy of the Five Forces is the story of
friendship, love, betrayal and salvation. It carries the curse of the Forgotten
One, the struggle of pride, hunger for power, and despair, memoirs of golden
days and black ones. Yet, it all started with mere youths with different dreams
and visions who by fate or by chance had their paths coincide as they
established themselves as the greatest magicians of their era, kindling a
relationship that will become the pillar of their strength.
The Legend begins in
mid-nineteenth century, in Shanghai, China, where one girl of the prominent Li
Clan crossed the sea to Japan on a voyage that would change the fate of many,
to make acquaintances and choices that would change her and her ancestor¡¯s
lives forever.
******
* * *
High
on the stone walls which served as fortress to the Li Clan¡¯s territory, stood a
young girl in red, looking beyond the town and wilderness, to the vast ocean
where unknown wonders awaited. All her life she had been bound within these
walls, to serve her Clan and specially train under the Great Elder to become
strong and undefeatable, to protect her family. She knew someday she would
cross the wall and the sea to become the most powerful in the East, for that
was her destiny. Yet, till then, she was still caged by the very gates she
stood on top of at this moment, and all she could do was persevere and train harder.
She
stared at her blister-covered hands. The Great Elder had scolded her again for
lack of discipline, even though she had tried her best. The new move he had
been teaching her was extremely complex, and she had made no progress in the
past few months. Though she had mastered the Fire and Earth Elements easily, she
had the most difficulty with controlling the Water Element, let alone the new
move. In the village, children ran about laughing and playing tag. Women stood
in clusters, gossiping as usual while keeping an eye on their kids. A couple of
boys were practicing staff moves with wooden sticks.
A
gust of wind blew over the walls. She stared up alert. A figure jumped behind
her out of nowhere, sword positioned to strike her down. Automatically, she
unsheathed one of her two swords strapped to her back, ducked low and blocked.
The impact of the two blades clashing against each other sent another wave of
pain down her already sore arm from early morning practice.
The
attacker struck down again, but prepared this time, she knocked the sword out
of his hands. ¡°Quit joking around, Shenji,¡± she said crossly.
¡°Good
move, Shulin,¡± Li Shenji replied, smiling. ¡°Quite impressive blocking and
alertness. All that training with the Dragon Master paid off, I guess.¡±
¡°Next
time, I¡¯m not going to go easy on your just because you are my cousin,¡± Shulin
stated, sheathing her sword again. Her cousin had a habit of popping out of
nowhere and attacking when she was off-guard. But days of being pinned to the
ground, sword knocked away, were over.
Li
Shulin, age 13, was a spirited and fearless girl, the greatest prize of an
extraordinary household in
Yet,
by no means was Li Shulin like other young girls, waiting prettily to be
married off to a wealthy man. Instead, she was the highest candidate for the honored
position of the Li Clan Chosen One. In swordsmanship and magic level, Shulin
was unrivaled in her generation, in a family with a long tradition of talented
and gifted people.
¡°What
are you doing up here again, on these walls?¡± Shenji asked. He stood beside
her, gazing beyond the horizon. ¡°Did our evil Dragon Master tick you off again?¡±
Shaking
her head, Shulin replied, ¡°Maybe I really am not suited to become the Chosen
One. It¡¯s useless. No matter what I do, I can¡¯t please the Great Elder. Maybe
Yinlin¡¯s right. There¡¯s nothing better to do with myself than to just wait and
get married to some rich old man. She said no one decent would want to marry
someone as improper and rough as me, that I¡¯ll be alone till death.¡±
¡°Silly,
I thought you had more backbone in you than that,¡± Shenji said, flicking Shulin¡¯s
forehead. But his amber eyes were kind. ¡°Yinlin can go marry the foolish
governor¡¯s son for all I care. You are going to continue with the Nightmare
Training, because you have it in you to become the Li Clan Chosen One. You know
the Great Elder is harder on you than anyone else because his expectations from
you are that high. And once you become Chosen One, there will be no one prouder
than myself.¡±
Li
Shenji, four years her elder, was Shulin¡¯s favorite cousin and best friend.
They were the only two of their generation trained under the Great Elder,
nicknamed by Shenji as the Dragon Master, for in his wrath, the Great Elder
resembled a fire-breathing dragon. Through the years, Shenji had helped her
with training, comforted her when she was down and scolded her when she was
being unreasonable. With his long dark brown hair, steady amber eyes and a
great talent in martial arts, he had great popularity within the Clan,
especially amongst its female members. In fact, the two most likely candidates
for the Chosen One was Shenji and Shulin; however Shenji had clearly stated he
had no interest in the position. Instead, he passed the tests to become the
youngest Protector of the Clan ever.
¡°Say,
Shenji, why did you decline the chance to become the Chosen One, when the Great
Elder offered it to you last year?¡± Shulin asked. ¡°Were you being considerate
of me? I wouldn¡¯t have minded at all.¡±
¡°I
know how much you¡¯ve trained for that position,¡± Shenji replied. ¡°Isn¡¯t it your
greatest dream, to become the Chosen One of the Li Clan?¡±
¡°Still,
I don¡¯t know if I can make it through the tests,¡± Shulin said. ¡°And I wouldn¡¯t
have minded if you took the honor. You¡¯re strong, dependable and talented. You
deserve the title.¡±
Shaking
his head, Shenji replied, ¡°I¡¯m not suited for the job. I prefer being the Clan
Protector, rather than the Chosen One. It is true that the Chosen One receives
more honor and glory, for it is the Chosen One¡¯s goal is to carry out missions and
spread the power of the Li¡¯s far and wide, whereas the Protector always remains
within the Clan, ready to defend the Clan in time of danger. The Protector will
lead a small, focused life, not one where he hunts for power or fame, but one
where he can spend his days protecting the ones he love with his own life. That
is all I want, really; I don¡¯t want to leave my home and see more of the world.
I am satisfied and happy here; this is my world. But you are different, Shulin.
You have more ambition and vision. You want to travel beyond the Clan and excel
not only amongst the ones you know, but amongst strangers and those of greater
power than even you. That is why you are more suited to become the Chosen One,
the representative of the Li Clan, and the Great Elder recognizes this.¡±
¡°Shenji¡¦¡±
Shulin¡¯s lips trembled.
¡°Don¡¯t
get teary-eyed with me, hot-tempered little cousin,¡± Sheji laughed
good-naturedly. ¡°You are such a spitfire with everyone else and then become a
baby when you are with me.¡±
¡°It¡¯s
just dust that blew in my eyes,¡± Shulin replied, scowling again. The Chosen One
did not show emotions. She leaped down from the wall, back within the Li Clan
territory.
Shenji
jumped down beside her and patted her back. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Shulin. If no one marries
you because you become too powerful and will most likely beat up your husband,
I¡¯ll marry you.¡±
¡°Eh?¡±
Shulin turned red.
Staring
at Shulin¡¯s bleeding hands, Shenji continued lightly, ¡°Is the Dragon Master
teaching you the Shen-lung Tai-feng move?¡±
¡°Yes,¡±
Shulin replied miserably. ¡°He said I was a failure, not worth teaching.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t
listen to our most honorable Training Master,¡± Shenji said, smothering a smile.
¡°I heard he didn¡¯t learn that move until he was past twenty. I still haven¡¯t
mastered that technique properly either—I won¡¯t attempt to do so for several
more years.¡±
¡°What?¡±
Shulin exclaimed in indignation. ¡°And after all that scolding I received! It¡¯s
not fair!¡±
¡°Who
said the road to becoming the Chosen One is fair?¡± Shenji smiled at his cousin,
stubborn and fiery-tempered, but also sincere and hard working. If anyone, he
was certain that Li Shulin would earn the honor for herself.
¡°Let¡¯s
see if you¡¯ve improved at all from yesterday,¡± the Great Elder said dryly.
Training
with the Great Elder at the brink of dawn was routine for Shulin. At this hour,
most of the Clan was still asleep, and there was a queer silence within the
walls of the Li Clan village. Never had she missed training whether it rained
or snowed or hailed, and even when the Great Elder was preoccupied by Clan
business, she practiced on her own or made one of her cousins help her train.
Until Shenji became Clan Protector, he had trained with her in the morning, but
now that was rare. Though she missed his company, especially because the Great
Elder had grown pickier and harsher on her since their training became
one-on-one, Shulin realized that this was an opportunity to concentrate on
herself and her flaws in technique rather than compare herself to her cousin,
who was considered a genius in hand-to-hand combat.
¡°You
are a girl—you have a smaller frame and less power than a man,¡± the Great Elder
had told her many years ago. ¡°When an enemy, most likely a man, attacks you,
you have the disadvantage in hand-to-hand combat, because you are lighter and
more likely to be crushed under brute force. Having a weapon at your hand is an
advantage with your stature, because you can train to be quicker and more agile
than your enemy, and with your weapon, you can have additional force in attack.
That is why I want to see perfection, not just competence in your
swordsmanship.¡±
So,
Shulin had trained hard, not only with the sword but with all forms of weapons
ranging from every type of staff to hidden daggers. Perfection only came with practice,
she knew very well, and she also knew she had a long way to go to reach the
Great Elder¡¯s level. Yet, the ¡°Nightmare Training,¡± as Shenji labeled it, had
its benefits, for now, Shulin was able to put up a good fight with her daunting
training master without him using handicaps. By this time, she had beaten all
her cousins at least once in sword fighting, and that was with pure technique.
If she used her ward papers and numerous spells that the Great Elder had taught
her, she would be even more powerful, for despite being a girl, she had the
strongest chi in the Clan, aside from the Great Elder.
¡°Why
don¡¯t we have a match today. It has been a while since our last one,¡± the Great
Elder said. ¡°Open method; your goal is to knock my sword out of my hand.¡±
¡°Yes
sir,¡± Shulin said, stretching her limbs. She hadn¡¯t forgotten the humiliation
of the last duel, when she had been knocked over flat on her face in view of
all her cousins, including Yinlin, her spiteful cousin, who had mentioned the
incident over and over again afterwards.
They
bowed, and resumed into guard stance. Truthfully, the Great Elder was surprised
that Shulin was still able to stand today—yesterday¡¯s practice should have worn
her out completely; that had been his intention. Then again, his persistent
pupil showed up for training even when she was sick with a raging fever. Still,
she would be in no condition to be fighting today.
Drawing
her sword, Shulin observed the training yard. Trying to draw out the Shen-Lung
Tai-Feng yesterday had drained her out completely, and her body had not
completely recovered yet. She could barely keep up with the Great Elder when
she was in top physical condition, yet alone in her current state. But to
protect her dignity, she could not suffer another mortifying defeat like last
time—how could she become the Chosen One if she wasn¡¯t the strongest in the
Clan? Therefore, she had to figure out a way to beat the Dragon Master with
minimal unnecessary contact and hopefully in a quick and direct hit manner.
The
problem was the Great Elder had no problem reading all her moves, because he
had trained her and taught her all she knew. He probably expects me to do a
fire attack—that¡¯s my favorite move. Yet he can block that easily, and I don¡¯t
have any strength to spare today. He also knows that I am stubborn, so he will
expect me to try out my unperfected state of the Shen-Lung Tai-Feng. It¡¯s a
fair guess to say that he provoked me so much yesterday and mocked me for incompetence
yesterday, so that he can use it against me today. Then he would laugh at me
again, which would make me even angrier and waste more energy. I will show him
I have mastered it one day, when I really have—I haven¡¯t yet, so I won¡¯t let my
temper get the better of me today. I¡¯ve fallen into his traps many times
before.
Motionless,
the Great Elder watched his successor with hard eyes, wondering what move she
would choose. Technique and discipline, she had mastered even at that young
age. Even he conceded to this fact; being a girl made her train twice as hard
as anyone else, yet it paid off. Her mulish persistence and hot-temper had
benefited her in that aspect. Now, if she could only acquire one more concept.
Was she ready?
Grimly,
Shulin struck out her sword and leaped forward. A jet of blazing fire streamed
out from her blade.
¡°Foolish
girl, when will you ever learn that trick won¡¯t work on me?¡± The Great Elder
said, raising his sword to block the attack with ease.
Grinning,
Shulin stated, ¡°You¡¯re getting old, Dragon Master!¡± While she had been
attacking with fire with her right sword, in a blink of an eye, she had swept
out her second sword from her sheath strapped to her back with her left hand
and blasted out wind at the opening the Great Elder had made from blocking the
fire attack. ¡°Shulin double-sword attack! Huo he feng!¡±
Landing
perfectly, Shulin balanced herself on her knees then sheathed both swords to
her back again and turned around. Did she strike? No, the Great Elder was still
standing, unruffled. But she had achieved her purpose; she had caught the Great
Elder off-guard, and his sword had been blown away by the wind. It wasn¡¯t a
great strategy, but it had been effective this once. Too bad she hadn¡¯t knocked
the Great Elder off his feet—that had been her target.
The
Great Elder stared at his pupil, blinked, then picked up his sword from the
ground. He was unscathed, but still, Li Shulin had surprised him. When was the
last time his sword had been knocked out of his hand? Not since he was a pupil.
Dryly, he said, ¡°Heh, a new move, Li Shulin? Double-sword Huo He Feng? Very
stupid and childish, as I would expect from someone who hasn¡¯t completely
mastered the wind technique yet.¡±
Scowling,
Shulin replied sullenly, ¡°But it worked. You said I could use any technique,
and my goal was to knock your sword out of your hand, if you please, Great
Elder.¡±
This
girl. She has improved immensely. How did she think of using the fire and wind
elements together like that? Using fire to distract me, since that¡¯s her usual
move, and finishing me off with wind, a technique she rarely uses, therefore
catching me off-guard. It¡¯s rare for someone to use swords and chi in both
hands, simultaneously. It wasn¡¯t a great attack,
quite clumsy and full of flaws. But it had worked once, and that was enough,
even though it wouldn¡¯t work again. After all, Shulin¡¯s special talent was the
double sword technique—no one else could wield two swords with Shulin¡¯s
deftness and skill. The Great Elder smiled grimly. ¡°I hope you have already
figured out by now the purpose of today¡¯s exercise. At this point I have
nothing more I can teach you in terms of technique or discipline—the rest lies
in you, and whether you can exceed your boundaries. Today was to test your
strategy-making skills. The Chosen One does not only have to have physical
capacity. Intelligence and analytical skills in difficult situations is
essential for the survival of the Chosen One. Logical thinking is something you
greatly lack in, Li Shulin, with that impossible temper of yours.¡±
Shulin
hung her head down, bangs falling over her eyes. The Great Elder never praised
her, no matter how she tried. When will he acknowledge her; when could she meet
up to his expectations? Sweat trickled down her forehead despite the
temperature being quite chilly so early in the morning.
Staring
at the girl covered in soot standing in front of him, the Great Elder
continued, ¡°But today you have proved that you indeed can think rationally and
plan ahead in combat.¡±
Did
she hear right? Shulin¡¯s face lit up in a slow smile. It was the Great Elder¡¯s
first compliment to her. ¡°I-is it my victory then?¡±
Grudgingly,
the Great Elder said, ¡°It is your victory, Li Shulin. I warn you, however, that
you won¡¯t have it so easy next time.¡±
For
a second, Shulin blinked blankly, finding it hard to digest the significance of
these words. Then she leaped up in joy. ¡°I defeated the Great Elder!¡± She ran
down the street to her cousin¡¯s house. ¡°Shenji! Shenji! I defeated the Great
Elder! I really did!¡±
¡°Li
Shulin!¡± The Great Elder called out. ¡°Practice has not ended yet! Shulin!¡± Yet,
she did not hear him, for she was prancing around in joy, heedless of her
aching body. Relenting, the corners of his bright eyes crinkled, and the Great
Elder smiled. It¡¯s amazing how quickly children grow. It seemed only
yesterday that a little girl in pigtails tried to lift a sword longer than her
body-length. No doubt, this girl is my successor with the greatest potential
out of anyone in a century. She is the one.
A
week later, Li Shulin was summoned to the Great Hall in the Main House.
¡°Li
Shulin, you should know why the Council of Elders has gathered here today,¡± the
Great Elder said to Shulin, who bowed before the seven robed men seated on the
platform at the head of the large hall. Members of the Outer Council stood on
either side of the hallway. It was rare that all the adults of both Inner and
Outer Councils assembled together in the Great Hall. ¡°Though you are young, the
Council has voted you as top candidate to receive the honorable title of the Li
Clan Chosen One.¡±
Though
her head was bowed down, joy leaped in her chest, and Shulin flushed happily.
Finally the moment had come.
¡°As
you know, the Chosen One of the Li Clan is an important position in the Li
Clan, which has been left vacant for years, leaving the Clan in a vulnerable
position. It is the duty of the Chosen One to uphold honor and dignity of the
family, and carry out its missions at the stake of your life. The Chosen One is
the representative of the Clan, and the most powerful and gifted of the family.
Therefore, before receiving the title, you will have to pass a series of
examinations, which deems whether you are capable of upholding the honor of the
Clan. I have personally trained your for eight years and believe you are ready
to undergo the Test of the Chosen One. By no mean will these tests be easy and
to pass, for you should be able to risk your life in order to prove your
loyalty to the Clan. Do you understand what I have said thus far, Li Shulin?¡±
¡°I
do, your honor,¡± Li Shulin replied, her heart skipping a beat. That magnificent
sword, the sword of the Chosen One, locked in glass case at the head of the
Great Hall would become hers someday. It was no longer a childhood dream—it was
within her reach. ¡°I will give everything in order to become the Chosen One and
do no fear whatever obstacles await me.¡±
¡°Good.¡±
Though the Great Elder remained expressionless, he was pleased with Shulin¡¯s
confidence. ¡°To become the Chosen One, you will have to prove your worth to the
Clan, for there is controversy within both Councils over the fact that you are
a girl and that you are so young. You may easily be the strongest in
There
was a murmur among the adults. What did the Elders have in mind for the Chosen
One¡¯s Test? Could this mere girl, more a kid than an adult truly become the
greatest one of the Clan?
¡°Silence,¡±
the Great Elder commanded, without taking his eyes of the slight girl of merely
thirteen years kneeling before him, face pale, but eyes steady and fierce. ¡°Li
Shulin, prove that your strength is unrivaled in all of the East and show the
Li Clan your true abilities. Listen carefully now. Your first mission in
becoming Chosen One lies further east in
******
The
sunrays shone on the lush rose garden, the pride of Lady Eleanor Reed, the
centerpiece a large white marble fish fountain spouted water. It was by this
fountain that a young couple stood, lovers at first sight but clearly in the
middle of a quarrel. They were both of gentry, riches adorning them with an
ease that was only natural in such a beautiful garden. The young man was tall
and lanky, carrying well the cream silk shirt he wore, which was of finest
quality in
¡°Katherine,
I love you, I always have. Why won¡¯t you return my feelings?¡± he pleaded,
gazing at the young lady with ardor. Yet, rather than romantic passion, his
tone reflected an almost irritable tinge, as if he had been routinely rejected
time after time. The equally peeved expression on his lady¡¯s face proved that
the conversation was customary and a bore to her.
The
golden haired angel, as he thought her to be, was indeed a doll-like beauty of
golden curls, beseeching violet eyes framed by long lashes and a fair
complexion carefully guarded by a sun rose-pink parasol matching her dress. She
was a vision in her rose chiffon day-dress adorned with imported lace and pale
pink ribbons. Pearl clusters hung on her ivory neck and dangled from her ears.
Her pale hands were carefully in mesh gloves also trimmed with rose lace. With
a dainty, tingling laugh bordering exasperation, she said, ¡°On don¡¯t by silly,
Landon. This is getting old.¡±
¡°I¡¯m
serious,¡± Landon replied. ¡°I want you to marry me, Kathy.¡± He reached out and
stroked her rosy cheek. ¡°I swore I would marry you since we were children.¡±
Brushing
away his hand, Katherine Chatterley sighed and walked over to a rose bush. She
bent over and sniffed a crimson rose. ¡°I wish you will grow up, dear Landon.
What are you going to do with yourself? You dropped out of university, you
disappoint your father and mother, you spend your days doing nothing. Take
Laurence as an example.¡±
¡°Laurence,
Laurence, I¡¯m sick of hearing about my older brother,¡± Landon snapped. ¡°Forget
him. I love you and that¡¯s all that matters.¡±
¡°Dear,
Landon, you don¡¯t understand do you?¡± Katherine said, coaxingly. She walked
over to Landon with a swish of her long skirt and carefully reached out and
stroked his silky hair. It was true that Landon¡¯s Apollonian features made him
the more handsome sibling. But that was his only favorable trait. ¡°I¡¯m engaged
to Laurence; I¡¯m going to marry him.¡±
For
a second, Landon gaped then his fine brows furrowed down. Sarcastically, he
stated, ¡°I see your scheme now, darling Katherine. Why marry the younger son,
one who won¡¯t inherit title and property when you can get the older one?¡±
¡°Oh
Lan, don¡¯t take it so harshly,¡± Katherine said, blinking her violet eyes. ¡°I
can¡¯t love you Landon. We¡¯ve practically grown up together. After all, our
mother¡¯s are best friends, being Frenchwomen together. But I can¡¯t see myself seeing
you as anything other than a childhood acquaintance.¡±
¡°What
about Laurence—you¡¯ve seen him since childhood too,¡± Landon retorted, sulkily.
¡°Laurence
is different—I¡¯ve always looked up to him and respected him ever since I was
little. He¡¯s a man I can marry,¡± Katherine replied, resolute. ¡°Besides, both
our parents approve.¡±
¡°But
I love you,¡± Landon persisted, blue eyes flashing like the clear water of the
bubbling fountain. So his father had been plotting behind him again. Time after
time, Laurence got what he wanted. He was sick of the favoritism in the family.
Yet his father and brother were wrong in thinking they could manipulate him so
easily. He simply could not give up on Katherine.
¡°That¡¯s
why I can¡¯t marry you,¡± Katherine said, twirling her parasol. ¡°You¡¯re so
hot-headed and selfish. You only think of yourself. Laurence is mature and a
true gentleman. He¡¯s your brother, but unlike you, he has vision, ambition and
stability in the future.¡±
¡°I
can change for you,¡± Landon replied with urgency. ¡°I¡¯ll go back to university.
I won¡¯t disobey Father anymore. If you¡¯ll love me, I can do all of these
things.¡±
¡°Stop
it, Landon.¡± Katherine looked away. ¡°What can you change by acting so childish?
This is what I don¡¯t like about you. You have nothing of your own. You always
try to compare yourself to Laurence and never try hard on your own for your own
dream. You¡¯re a childhood friend and nothing more.¡±
There
was silence in the garden, the only sound was the trickling of water and the
occasional chirp of birds. Katherine bit her scarlet lips, wondering if she had
said too much.
Shoulders
trembling, Landon asked in a low voice, ¡°Are you serious about that Katherine?
Is that all I can be to you, just a childhood friend?¡±
¡°I
don¡¯t love you Landon, and I never will.¡± Katherine stared at the grass.
Luckily, Landon was too deeply in a state of shock to hear the tremor in her
usually delightful, careless voice. ¡°I-I will marry Laurence Reed, and nothing
you do will change that.¡±
¡°So
be it,¡± Landon said, turning away and leaving Katherine in the garden, gaping
at him. Never had she seen him so abrupt and curt, so distant as if he was a
complete different person. And was it normal for the grass he tread on to
whither away like that? Sometimes, Landon quite frightened her when he went
into those silent mood swings.
Storming
down the hallway in a most undignified manner, Landon Reed, temperamental younger
son of Lord Clarence Reed and his Lady Eleanor, reflected his conversation with
Katherine. There was no doubt that Laurence was toying with him again. It was
something his spiteful older brother would do, marry the only woman his younger
brother loved.
¡°There
young master Landon goes away,¡± one of the maids, who had almost been knocked
aside by Landon, whispered to the cook. ¡°In one of his tempers again.¡±
¡°Laurence,
I know you¡¯re in there! Come out now!¡± Landon pounded on the bedroom door.
Opening
the door halfway, Laurence Reed, still in his morning gown, drawled, ¡°Dear Lan,
what is this upheaval so early in the morning?¡±
He
swung the door wide opened and stomped in. ¡°I know you did it on purpose. Don¡¯t
deny it!¡± Landon replied, trembling with rage. Laurence backed away a couple
steps.
¡°Speak
coherently, and then maybe I will be able to comprehend your words,¡± Laurence
replied lazily. He had been in the middle of breakfast, but was unsurprised by
Landon¡¯s random burst of anger. Landon was prone to charging up like that, like
a seven-year-old child.
¡°Don¡¯t
play innocent. You know what you did. You knew I loved Katherine,¡± Landon said
through clenched teeth.
¡°Oh.¡±
Laurence blinked indifferently. ¡°You found out about our engagement. Did
Katherine tell you? How convenient. I was wondering how to break the news.¡±
¡°You¡¯re
only doing this to get even with me, aren¡¯t you? Do you even love her?¡± Landon
demanded.
¡°As
a matter of fact, it is Katherine who suggested to her father a joining of our
two households, and it is only expected that the elder son marries first. Of
course, the Chatterley household is a notable one, and Katherine a pretty girl.
It would be a great loss on my part if I refuse the proposal.¡± Laurence smiled
at his younger brother, so easy to irritate and simple-minded like a child.
¡°Always
calculating, aren¡¯t you?¡± Landon asked through clenched teeth. ¡°But don¡¯t think
you can get away with your back-stabbing ways this time. I will have Katherine.¡±
¡°My
obstinate younger brother, can¡¯t you see?¡± Laurence smirked. ¡°If you really do
love Katherine, you should be able to understand that her marrying me is the
most sensible choice. What will she gain from joining hands with you? You, the
younger son, will have neither land nor title nor societal recognition. After
all, you are the black sheep of the family, Landon. You are neither
intelligent, nor talented, nor skilled in any area. Furthermore, you are out of
Father¡¯s grace, and don¡¯t expect to be living off my hands for the rest your
life. I am not as compassionate as Father. He¡¯s only soft on you because Mother
takes pity on you. You are quite useless and a disgrace upon the Reeds—¡±
¡°Shut
up!¡± Without listening further, Landon lunged forward and punched his older
brother in the face. Laurence stumbled back and balanced himself on a table.
Wiping
the trickle of blood down his chin with the back of his hand, Laurence smirked.
¡°Resorting to violence, Landon? How unbecoming. We are men of breeding, or
supposed to be at least.¡±
The
hatred between the two brothers was ominous as they stood glaring at each
other, one dark and one fair, the fair one labeled the black sheep of the
family.
¡°Laurence,
I¡¯m going to kill you,¡± Landon said through clenched teeth, ready to attack
again.
¡°Master
Landon, please stop!¡± the butler cried out, holding back Landon.
¡°Let
go of me!¡± Landon struggled, knocking aside the butler.
¡°What
is this upheaval at this time of the day?¡± came a stern voice from behind them.
¡°Father!¡±
Laurence exclaimed in relief.
¡°Landon,
what is this behavior? One would think I raised you with the pigs. Stand up
straight and act like a gentleman, not a savage beast,¡± Lord Clarence Reed
commanded in his deep, crisp voice. With absolute hold over his family, Lord
Clarence was a strict and formidable man, used to having his orders obeyed. Considerably
older than his wife, his dark hair was silver-streaked, but he still stood
proud and straight, his chin tilted up and his eyes keen in his lined face.
His
first son, pride of the family, Laurence Reed resembled his father, while his
younger son, seven years Laurence¡¯s junior at age 17, resembled his mother,
Lady Eleanor, with his light hair and pale eyes. Considering the mischief
Landon landed himself into in his school years, his placid, marble handsome
face had helped him out of trouble in more than one occasion. His childhood
governor, who left the estate within a month, unable to bear with Landon¡¯s
fiendish personality, grieved that the angelic-faced boy of seven had the heart
of a devil.
A
deep line between his brows, Lord Clarence said, ¡°Lower those insolent eyes of
yours, Landon. I am not pleased with your behavior at all, lately. I would have
thought that you left university for a good reason. Instead, you spend your
days idly, courting your brother¡¯s fiancée, useless. Neither do you show any
repentance for muckraking our name. Though I have never expected much from, I
am thoroughly disappointed.¡±
¡°I
will never consent to Laurence marrying Katherine,¡± Landon retorted. ¡°I would
sooner run away with her than hand her over to that pig of a man called my
brother.¡±
Laughing
scornfully, Laurence said, ¡°I¡¯d sooner you go jump into the sea and leave us in
peace. Don¡¯t you get it? Katherine doesn¡¯t love you. She loves me—she said so.
You are ignorant, not to have noticed sooner.¡±
¡°Liar,¡±
Landon said, under strain. It couldn¡¯t be true. How could Katherine love
Laurence? Couldn¡¯t she see his pretentious and conceited nature?
¡°Get
a grip on yourself,¡± Lord Clarence said. ¡°Lord Chatterley and I have already
discussed this matter. Katherine and Laurence¡¯s wedding will take place next
spring, after she turns eighteen. There is nothing you can do but accept this,
Landon, and put aside your selfishness for once.¡±
¡°I
love Katherine Chatterley,¡± Landon replied, chin trembling, meeting his father¡¯s
levelly eyes with his. ¡°I refuse to be ordered around by you forever, Father.
You always take Laurence¡¯s side because he obeys your biddings like a lamb, but
I am different. You won¡¯t control my life.¡±
Raising
his hand in the air, Lord Clarence slapped his younger son with great force.
Landon staggered at the impact, then glared at his father.
¡°Fool.
What do you know about love?¡± Lord Clarence said brusquely. ¡°Reflect over
yourself before you claim that you can protect another person. At your age,
Laurence was top of his class at
¡°Fine
then. I will leave this house,¡± Landon said in a strained voice. ¡°What¡¯s the
point in staying at a place where I am neither loved nor recognized nor
welcomed? Rather than disgrace your name anymore, Father, I will disappear from
your sight.¡±
¡°Leave
then,¡± Lord Clarence replied coldly. ¡°Leave and don¡¯t expect sympathy of a
penny from me, either. Once you leave my gates, I shall erase you from my memory,
and forget that I ever had a second son. You are right. I do not love you, nor
welcome you at my house. So don¡¯t think of returning after you set foot out of
here.¡±
Biting
his lips, Landon turned around. ¡°Well then, Father. I formally bid you farewell
right now. I have some preparations to make before departing, but I will keep
out of your sight till then.¡±
¡°Do
as you please,¡± Lord Clarence said, turning his head away and walked past
Landon, leaving the hallway.
¡°Good
thinking,¡± Laurence sneered, once their father was out of earshot. ¡°Everything
will be peaceful once you are gone. Don¡¯t worry. Katherine and I will live
together happily, and we¡¯ll pray that you are safe and healthy somewhere.
Hopefully off the face of the earth.¡±
¡°Shut
up,¡± Landon retorted, heading towards the library, still trembling with rage.
His left cheek smarted, for his Father¡¯s hands were powerful and the hate and
scorn behind the hand even harsher.
Having
contained most of his anger by now, Landon walked to a remote bookshelf in the
library and pressed a secret compartment behind the books. Immediately, the
bookshelf swung aside, revealing a hidden passage. Carefully closing the
opening behind him, Landon headed down the passage, down a spiral of stairs,
until he came to a secret chamber, which he opened with a rusty brass key,
which hung on a chain on his neck, hidden beneath his shirt.
The
large room was bordered by bookshelves crammed with old texts and documents.
Several tapestries hung from the stone walls, some with strange runes, some
outlining the mysteries of astrology, alchemy and human anatomy. A large
telescope stood at one corner of the room. On the book-stacked large desk in
the center of the room was a globe of the world.
Staring
at his sanctuary from the outside world in pleasure, Landon Reed smiled. His
study, a secret chamber hidden in the depths of the large Reed estate, was the
place he stored all his valuable data and research, priceless books and
documents of olden days, some more than a thousand years old, revealing secrets
of the past and the unknown, enlightening him beyond anything taught at
university. Books on runes of olden days, text in languages forgotten today,
some written in undecipherable codes, some with seals to protect them. Scrolls
outlining mysteries long lost to time, satiating his own hunger to know
everything.
Holding
out the key in his right palm, Landon commanded, ¡°Key that holds the power
within. Reveal thy true form to me. I, Landon, command thee under contract.
Release!¡± With a glow of light, the key elongated into a long black staff, with
a crystal ball on one end.
¡°It¡¯s
a pity to leave all my research behind,¡± Landon commented, staring at his study
fondly. He grinned grimly. But he had read and memorized all the text stored in
this room; they were all contained in his head, so he had no further need for
the books. ¡°I said I would leave, but where should I go to? I¡¯m tired of
Victorian England,
¡°Somewhere
new, exotic, more exciting than here,¡± Landon murmured. ¡°Somewhere far away, across
the sea, with new resources, where I can learn more and see the world.¡±
Pointing his staff at the globe again, he called out, ¡°Cease.¡± The globe halted
spinning. ¡°Where can I go?¡± A single city in the vast globe was lit, and Landon
peered closer.
There
came a hollow nock on the door. Landon jumped back, surprised, quickly
dispelling his staff. The door creaked and opened, and he held his breath. No
one knew of the hidden passage behind the library.
¡°Mother,¡±
Landon exclaimed in relief as the door swung open. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±
Lady
Eleanor Cleau Reed was a small, frail woman with long pale hair like Landon¡¯s,
twisted back in a bun. Slowly, Lady Eleanor walked into the chamber up to her
tall son. ¡°I was looking for you. I thought you might be here.¡±
¡°You¡¯re
the only person who knows of the hidden passage besides me,¡± Landon said. ¡°But
you startled me, all the same. I don¡¯t know when Laurence or his servants are
spying on me or not.¡±
¡°I heard that you plan on leaving home,¡±
Lady Eleanor said.
¡°Well,
yes.¡± Landon shifted his feet uncomfortably. The only person in his family that
he loved, that cared for him in return, his mother.
¡°Did
you fight with your father again?¡± Lady Eleanor questioned, blue eyes watching
her son keenly. ¡°You know that whatever your father says, he does care about
you. If you go up to him and apologize properly, he will accept you again.¡±
Laughing
shortly, Landon replied, ¡°You know Father better than I do, Mother. He does not
love me, and it will be doing him a favor to leave this house. I am sorry,
Mother, for disappointing you yet again. But I cannot stand it here any longer,
especially if Laurence marries Katherine.¡±
¡°Is
that so?¡± Lady Eleanor looked down. ¡°I already checked your room before coming
down here. I noticed that you already packed your things. You seem to have been
planning on leaving for some time now.¡±
¡°True,¡±
Landon said. ¡°I was biding for the right time. I knew I would have to get out
of here sooner or later. Now is the perfect chance, since Katherine has
rejected me and father loathes me. Please Mother, don¡¯t hold me back. I don¡¯t
think I can bear it here any longer, even with you.¡± While he did not care
about his father¡¯s approval, he desired at least his mother¡¯s blessing before
leaving.
Slowly,
Lady Eleanor replied, ¡°If you are determined to leave, I will not stop you. It
might be for the better, a change of environment. Because you are being
suffocated here. You have great potential for growth, but you will not grow any
further in this surrounding. You have a lot more in the world to see and
experience.¡±
¡°Then
you do not oppose to me leaving?¡± Landon asked, a great burden lifted from his
chest. ¡°Father forbade me from ever returning once I set foot outside of this
house.¡±
¡°Your
father is a proud, unyielding man,¡± Lady Eleanor said. ¡°But try to understand
him more. His only way of showing his love for you is by being harsh. But you
resent his harshness. In return, he tries to hold rein over an untamed colt,
only to have the young colt bolt and run away. You break his heart, all the
same, Landon.¡±
¡°I
don¡¯t care,¡± Landon said, scowling. ¡°It will be doing a favor to Father and
Laurence for me to conveniently disappear.¡±
¡°And
what can I do between such stubborn men?¡± Lady Eleanor sighed. ¡°I trust you
Landon to make the right decisions, for you are an adult now. But I do hope
that you do not let your hot temper get the better of you.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t
worry, Mother. I will not disappoint you anymore, once I am out of here. Times
are changing—no longer shall the reign of the landed and aristocracy retain its
power. A new age of industrialization and expansion awaits, and I¡¯m not going
to be left behind. I swear I¡¯ll become a son that you can be proud of and make
my name famous in the East and West,¡± Landon said, smiling grimly. ¡°I¡¯ll show
father and Laurence.¡±
Since
Landon had been planning on leaving for quite some time, he didn¡¯t have much
preparation to do. His father and brother were away on a trip to
¡°Oh
Landon, is it true?¡± Katherine asked, running up to Landon, teary eyed. The
garden was misty early in the morning, but the dew covered crimson roses were
more vivid than ever. ¡°Are you really leaving?¡±
¡°Yes,¡±
Landon replied briefly, setting down his trunk. He hadn¡¯t expected to see her
again.
¡°Is
it because of me?¡± Katherine sniffed. ¡°You really don¡¯t have to leave. I want
you to stay. Nothing¡¯s going to change if I marry Laurence. We can still be
friends. Laurence will allow that. I believe he will.¡±
¡°Katherine,
I¡¯ve already decided that I¡¯m leaving, and I won¡¯t change my mind,¡± Landon
said. Katherine was lovely in a pale violet dress, bringing out the true shade
of her eyes, brimming with tears. He was secretly pleased that the thought of
him departing grieved her so. But at this point, even if Katherine begged him
to stay, he couldn¡¯t, for he would never go back on his words and let his
father and brother mock him for cowardice. Truthfully, the notion of leaving
his homeland of seventeen years frightened him, though he welcomed the sense of
liberation.
¡°Oh,
I hate it when you get stubborn,¡± Katherine said, sobbing into her
handkerchief.
¡°You¡¯ll
still marry Laurence, whether I leave or stay.¡± Landon stared at Katherine
hard.
¡°T-that¡¯s
true, b-but¡¦¡± Katherine stared up at Landon, ruby lips trembling. Many times
she had felt the gap between them, as she did this morning, in the mist
surrounding them. Landon seemed cool and remote, as if he were a person of a
different class. Though she had often scorned him for his good-for-nothing
nature, today, for the first time, she felt that Landon may be cut out for
great power and deeds, in a world completely different and unreachable from
hers. For he stood tall and proud, almost a split image of his father in that
aspect, blue eyes hard, unfathomable and expressionless. This was not the
foolish young man and childhood companion that she bossed around and endlessly
used to her pleasing. It was hard to digest the reality that Landon was going
far away to the other side of the world, maybe.
¡°Well,
good-bye then, Katherine,¡± Landon said softly. ¡°I loved you.¡±
¡°Liar!¡±
Katherine exclaimed. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t leave like this if you did. You are a
coward, running away from life instead of facing it. I reproach you more than
anything else, Landon Reed.¡± She ran off, unable to control her tears anymore.
This was the last of Landon Reed. Soon, she would become Lord Laurence¡¯s wife,
and Landon was of no consequence in her life.
Watching
his first love fade away, an odd, aching pang inside him, Landon stared around
at his mother¡¯s garden, the fresh aroma of roses surrounding him. Maybe they
weren¡¯t fated after all.
¡°She
must have cared for you more than she admitted,¡± a smooth, calm voice came from
behind him.
¡°Mother.¡±
Landon turned around. Lady Eleanor had an uncanny way of moving so silently
that her presence was not noticed until she spoke. Without meeting her eyes, he
asked, ¡°Mother, what should I do with my life now? The only woman I love will
marry my brother. My father loves me not, and I can¡¯t compete against my older
brother. Out of these gates, I will have neither name nor home. What can I do
from this point on?¡±
¡°That
is for you to determine, my son,¡± Lady Eleanor replied quietly. She bent over
and cradled a wilted rose in her hands. ¡°Do you remember what I told you when
you were a child, in this very garden?¡±
Landon
nodded. How could he forget his mother¡¯s rare but valuable words of wisdom?
¡°You
have a great gift, one which sets you aside from the rest of the people. It is
your own choice how you make use of it, whether you cast it away or accept it,
whether with your powers, you choose destruction or growth.¡± Slowly, the limp
rose in Lady Eleanor¡¯s hands shed its petals and turned into a new bud.
Landon
stared at the pale, dainty and tiny lady in front of him, eyes that were
identical to his. Once, she must have been very beautiful, full of color and
life, but years under the dominance of Lord Clarence Reed had much subdued her
and most of her laughter and dimples had faded away. Born Eleanor Cleau in a
tiny province in northwestern
¡°As
I told you before, everything has a reason,¡± Lady Eleanor said after a silence.
She knew her son contained an enormous capacity of special powers, more than
hers, more than anyone she had ever met. She twisted a ring off her slender
middle
finger. ¡°You leaving
¡°Mother.¡±
Landon gripped the sapphire ring, knowing it was priceless to his mother—her
last souvenir of her past. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll treasure it. Farewell Mother. I
will miss you. But I will keep my promise to you. I will make my name known to
the world,¡± Landon said, a new resolution in his voice.
Smiling
one of her rare, warm smiles, Lady Eleanor said, ¡°I give you my blessing,
Landon. Don¡¯t worry, we will see each other again, someday. Till then, show me
what you are capable of with your powers.¡±
It
did not surprise Landon when Lady Eleanor disappeared back into the house as
furtively as she had appeared in the garden. The ring barely fit his pinky
finger, but its strange blue light calmed him and he had more confidence than
ever before. Picking up his trunk again, walking towards the carriage awaiting
him beyond the iron gates of the Reed estate, he lifted his head and took a
last whiff of the peaceful gardens. I will grow, Mother, you will see.
******