"Yun!  Do not push your body so hard!  Your head is hard, but the brain is not."  He flushed a bit under the voice of his sister.  Being rebuked by someone who was barely a third of his previous life's age, was a bit embarrassing.  He couldn't complain either.  She was correct.

"Yes, sister."  He sat down slowly.  Even the simple thud of his body on the bench could cause a wave of nausea, and a massive headache.  He looked up at the sky, and the trees of the forest.  Then he closed his eyes and listened.

"What do you hear, Yun?"  Coral rarely called him brother unless she was trying to get away with something, and needed his sympathy.

"The wind.  The birds.  Water trickling in the brook beneath the bridge."  He smiled slightly.  "Mother practicing out back of the home.  Father...."  He tilted his head and listened closer.  "His steps are near."  He opened his eyes, but missed the momentary respect that had surfaced in his father's eyes.  Coral turned her head just as Yun opened his eyes.

"Father!"  She was surprised when she saw her father off to the side.

"You never used to hear such subtle things in the wind."  He said quietly.  Yun nodded, then grimaced.

"I didn't have to close my eyes this much before."  He closed his eyes again, and a faint smile floated to his lips.  "So few people live here.  Its peaceful compared to the town."  He nodded slightly.

"But that is an illusion, Yun. Whether a city, a town, or a small village, the problems are the same.  Just more people involved in the outcome."  Yun thought for a moment, then opened his eyes.

"What you mean is not that the city is the same as the village, but that the village is the same as the city? Though there are less people, the same types will exist here too."  A slightly curved up grin came to his lips.

"When you recover, you must train, Yun. Your sword could have prevented this injury, but you rely on strength to win. If the walls are strong, but the builder puts a weak foundation under them, will the walls continue to stand?"  Yun knew this bit of reasoning, a peerless wisdom from his world, but it still existed here.  That wasn't surprising.  He knew that no matter which world it was on, truth was still truth.

From Yun's memories, he also had a faint impression of the scholars who were revered in their country, and deep thinkers whose wisdom was much sought.  They were often sought by government officials, and institutions who specialized in education.

Those memories were sour, and reflected Yun's disdain of those institutions.  Due to their expensive educations, they were often filled with the arrogant, and snobbish so-called nobility.  Still, he had to give proper respect when a different world was able to discern uncommon wisdom, and follow it.

Yun recalled a story he had once heard.  He felt Yun's own reverence for holy writings, so this story came to mind.

"If two men build a tower, but one builds on sand to finish it quickly, while the other digs down to the stone before he starts to build, which one will still stand when the storm is over?"  His father nodded.

"Good, you've understood."  He looked at his daughter, and found his lips curling up into a smile that he couldn't suppress.  "Coral, go to your mother, and ask her to start your training.  You have missed too many sessions since your brother was injured."  Coral looked at Yun, then to her father.  He could tell she wanted to stay, but since Yun's injury on the battlefield, she stopped her spoiled behavior, and quickly relented.  She didn't pull a fit of temper, though he could tell how deeply ingrained that behavior was.

"Yes, father."  Yun watched her leave quietly, then looked at his father.  He waited only a minute or two before he heard the question he know would be asked.

"Are you my son?"  Yun sighed softly.

"Coral is twelve, and my youngest sibling. I beat our neighbor's son into a bloody mess when he accidentally pushed her down, and hurt her hand."  He lifted his eyes, and they took on a fierce expression, which also reflected the pain he was in when his blood pressure rose.  "She is my sister, and anyone who harms her in any way will have to run for his life."  He stood up quickly, but his face paled, his eyes rolled back in his head, and his legs gave out from under him.

"You are my son."  Shun held him up, and refused to let his tears fall.  "My son is still alive."  He watched as Biyu disappeared from the side of the house.

Now she knows.  A demon would not have Yun's memories, or emotional attachment to his siblings.

 

 

"Slowly, Yun.  If you must exercise, follow my footsteps, and do not increase the pace.  If the blood flows too strong, you will be back on that bed for another week."  Shun said firmly.

"Yes, father.  Feels odd.  Like a dagger compared to a war hammer."  Shun nodded.

"Martial Arts are a practiced set of moves, including footwork, that allow us to dodge, sidestep, parry, and block, all without too much effort.  We practice until each move comes as natural as breathing.  Your body does not have the time to think on the battlefield, or in close combat.  It needs to react without your input.  It will redirect your opponents even before your sword moves.  The purpose of a sword is to kill.  The blade is the shape, a tool meant for killing, but it can also defend.  A good swordsman can use his blade to block a stab or slice, but a great swordsman makes it so that his blade doesn't make contact with his opponent's blade at all.  They can also choose to use the back of the blade to absorb the impact, and spare the edge."  Yun followed his steps.

"Aren't most blades weaker....no, that doesn't sound right. The strongest part of the blade is obviously thicker, the thickest being near the hilt."  Shun nodded and handed him his blade.  "Its really light."  He smiled.

"Did you think that a real blade was as heavy as that pole you picked up? A blade cuts. A club bashes. A mace does the same.  A halberd does much the same as a mace and a blade. A master can spin that combination, using both ends to defend and attack.  While a sword is more elegant, it is still a weapon."  Yun thought for another moment, silent as he contemplated the information, which is what his father hoped for.

"I don't need to train strength, but I do need speed.  I fell because I lacked speed and skill."  He went through his memories, Yun's memories, and found what he needed.  He stopped in his tracks.  "I treated the sword like a club."  He said in surprise.  Shun nodded.

"Or a pole.  Your anger is also a weakness. It can release great strength, but prevents you from thinking, and using your ability to reason."  Yun nodded.

"It is....difficult to control when someone tries to invade my sacred places."  Shun nodded.

"I understand.  Family is sacred to me as well.  You might find this difficult to believe, but I also struggle to control my anger when someone invades that sacred territory.  Then I remember the lesson my father taught to me, so now I will teach it to you."  Yun looked at his father slowly.

"What lesson, father?"

"How to control the beast even when angry."

 

 

Yun remained silent for the rest of the evening, his eyes showed that his thoughts were chaotic, and without order.  His father's words echoed through his mind constantly, and he wondered if they might actually be true.  Could he control the red eyed beast even when angry?

Finally, his sister was fed up with her beloved brother's lack of attention.

"Yun."  She said firmly.  He lifted his eyes, and unconsciously smiled when he saw her lips pressed together.  He could see that she was about to have a fit of temper.  It was comfortably familiar.  His own sister from the other world used to do the same thing, and he felt a wave of longing within himself.  He missed his sister terribly, but that world was now far out of reach.

He lightly ruffled her hair, which only made her pout.

"Coral, are you upset that I am unable to lift you like I usually do?"  Her mouth fell open in surprise.

"Yun?"

"Are you upset that I can't run with you on my back through the village?"  She lowered her eyes.  This was a reminder that any activity would put him back on that bed, and maybe for much longer then the last time.

"I...."  Yun laughed lightly, then closed his eyes and grimaced at the waves of pain that echoed through his brain.  "Hmmph!  Serves you right for teasing me!"  She looked at him, and regretted her words instantly.  "I'm sorry, Yun."  Her mother immediately scolded her, something she rarely did as Coral was her only daughter.

"Coral, do not give cause to upset your brother.  You must help him while he recovers, not the other way around."  She lowered her head and sniffed as her tears started to gather.  "And don't think about using a mist to water the soil!"  She lifted her eyes in surprise.  "You don't think I know when tears are real?  Ten laps around the inner walls!  You must not upset your brother at all!"  Coral pulled her lower lip between her teeth.

"I'm sorry, mother."  Biyu shook her head.

"You don't need to say sorry to me.  If you send Yun back to his bed with your poor behavior, then you'll need to do more then apologize!"  She nodded her head slowly.  "So spoiled.  Your brother spoiled you endlessly, and now you cause so much trouble for him.  It ends today.  From now on, if Yun tries to spoil you, you'll be punished for it.  And so will he."  Yun groaned softly.

"Yes, mother."  Shun came into the room and sat down.

"Do not worry, Biyu.  Yun will be so busy when he recovers, that he won't have time to spoil her one bit.  No more rides on his back.  No more princess carries.  No more sharing of her chores."  Coral's mouth fell open.  "When he can focus, he'll study until his eyes fall out.  Books will not damage that faulty intellect of his."  Biyu suppressed her grin.  "When he can handle it, he'll go on daily walks, then marches, then runs.  He'll do martial exercises until his insides are jelly!"  Yun's eyes widened in surprise.

"Father?"  He asked in surprise.  The anger in his new father's tone was as surprising as it was comforting.

"Then he'll practice in multiple weapon styles, and types.   Sword, ax, hammer, bow, staff and halberd.  When he's not training, eating, or sleeping, he'll be hunting, or on guard duty."  Then he looked at his daughter firmly.  "And it will be your turn to spoil Yun!  You'll bring him his meals when he's on duty.  You'll fetch water to irrigate the gardens.  When you're not practicing the styles your mother teaches, you'll be working until you fall down exhausted!"  Biyu was a little surprised.  Yun was not the only one who spoiled this girl.

"F-father?"

"You've been spoiled for far too long!"  His fist came down on the arm of his chair.  "Yun nearly gave his life to protect yours, and even this entire village!  You will not squander his gift!  You will work!  You will learn!  You will excel and advance until he no longer fears that someone will harm you!"  His fist came down on top of the arm of the chair again, and caused all of his family to jump in surprise.

"You will advance until you are able to take down half an army on your own!  When they fear you as much as they fear Yun, only then will the Red Eyed Ogre ever feel any peace!"  Coral frowned.

"I don't understand, father."  He nodded.

"When you get married, what would happen to your husband should he ever injure you, even a little bit, while you spar with the practice swords?  Or what would happen if you bump into a table, and bruise your wrist?  What would Yun do?"  Coral put her hand over her mouth.

"He wouldn't believe any explanation I gave him."  She began to tremble.  "I understand."  Shun nodded solemnly.

"I see that you finally do."  He looked at his son in silence for a few minutes.  "If you think war is hell, Yun, then you know nothing.  You haven't even felt the warmth of its fire yet."  His father stood up, walked to the door to the porch, but then turned back.

"But you will."

 

 

"Did I overdo it, Biyu?"  She chuckled softly as she joined him on the bamboo deck off their bedroom.

"No, it was perfect.  Coral is too spoiled, and needs to take this seriously.  Yun also needs to take this seriously.  That army was professional in all aspects, yet didn't fly any kingdom's flags to show who they belonged to."  He nodded.

"I thought you might see that.  The mayor, and any officials we've spoken to, have not seen it for what it was."  She stayed silent for a few seconds to show her respect to his words.

"A probe of our borders."  He nodded.

"I've spoken with the mayor, and there is no word of any new warriors in the area, new guards hired on, or anything that would suggest two hundred soldiers had entered our country."  She sighed and sat down beside him.  To his surprise, she grabbed his cup and took a large drink of the rice wine.

"The probe was successful then.  Next time, they will not send only a few companies."  They both knew what that meant.

War was on the horizon, and all able bodied men would be conscripted.  Including her husband, and both her sons.