Qilin shouldered the bundle of firewood on his back as he approached the small town of Taoyuan. The sun was almost setting. He had time to make this last delivery. Probably. If he ran.

 

Qilin glanced into the sky. He’d have about...two, maybe three hours before he had to be back home for dinner. It should’ve been more than enough time. But…Master Xin had a bad habit of going on tangents.

 

Two weeks ago, he and his father had visited a matchmaker. 

 

With the price of lumber rising and the role of artisans becoming more and more prominent, his family was on the cusp of being rich enough to wed into a bureaucrat’s family. And with his younger brother, Lingxin studying for the civil service exam, the matchmaker allowed him to be set up with the daughter of a regional governor.

 

But while the matchmaker handled their fortunes and his parents handled the politics, Qilin couldn’t help but feel as though he should meet the girl. Her family was satisfied with his status, but there was no telling if the two would enjoy each other’s company.

 

So he hired a courier to exchange messages with her and arrange a meeting without the knowledge of their families.

 

Qilin didn’t know if such a thing was considered inauspicious or not, but his fiance shared his opinion on the matter.

 

Curses...he’d been running around all day and was soaked in sweat. And he forgot to bring a change of clothes with him.

 

Though, it was easy to forget things now that his workload had doubled. Ordinarily, his mother would’ve helped his father in prepping the lumber and Qilin would just deliver. But since her passing just over a year ago, he was split between work for two people. Even so, he managed.

 

Qilin shifted the lumber yet again as he started to jog towards the gate.

 

Taoyuan was a quaint cluster of white plaster buildings with pagoda roofs, enclosed by a stone wall. Being the middle of spring, the village was sweltering. But spring heat had nothing on the summer humidity.

 

“Qilin!” Tai shouted from his spot near the wooden gates. “Did Mister Yan make another emergency order again?”

 

“Ha! I wish. At least then I’d get a tip.” Qilin scoffed as Tai pushed the gate open for him. “No Lin today?”

 

“Lin’s dragged himself out to Funan with some caravan. Something about wanting to see the world.” Tai scoffed. “I’d bet he just wanted to fool around with girls instead of working an actual job.”

 

“Well when he comes back, that's a few nights off for you, right?” Qilin asked.

 

“It better be!” Tai barked a laugh as Qilin started down the main road.

 

“Qilin!” Someone, probably Huang Tai Tai, called to him.

 

“On a job, talk to you later!” Qilin said.

 

Qilin picked up his pace, running down the winding dirt roads towards Master Xin’s smithy.

 

He had to stop just outside the shop to catch his breath. Maybe he could’ve been a little less hasty. Still, that meant more time at his meeting.

 

As Qilin entered the shop, he noticed that there were a lot more weapons on the racks than usual.

 

Master Xin, a portly man of middle age, wearing a soot-covered apron, wandered into the shop from the back.

 

“Ah, Qilin. You have my firewood?” Xin asked.

 

“And a few lumps of charcoal for your forge, sir.” Qilin took the basket off his back and set it on the ground.

 

Xin waddled over and inspected the product. “Hm...fine stuff your father always cuts. Even if I can barely pay for it.”

 

“Lumber’s in demand.” Qilin shrugged. “Is business bad?”

 

Xin nodded. “The Manchus are trying to modernize. No one uses spears and swords anymore. I’ve been trying to make muskets, but I’ve spent thirty years forging blades.” He chuckled, despite his bleak demeanor.

 

“There are plenty of collectors who appreciate fine work.” Qilin encouraged, looking at all the fine blades on display. “In fact, I’ll happily pay for this basket if you’ll sell me...I don’t know, that sword there?”

 

Qilin pointed to a straight sword on a display rack that was nailed to the back wall with its scabbard, full of intricate filigree and carvings on its crossguard and pommel. The blade itself had an inscription that he couldn’t read at this distance.

 

“Ha!” Xin scoffed. “A thousand baskets of charcoal, no matter how fine, won’t pay for that sword. But...if you’ll foot the bill, I’ll propose something more fair.”

 

Xin grabbed a sword from one of the ground racks and unsheathed the blade. Like every other work in the shop, the blade glistened with brilliant craftsmanship. But it was a simple single-edged dao, without any etchings or decorum.

 

Instead, the handle was just wrapped in red ropes and the pommel had a bright crimson tassel tied onto it.

 

“This is far more reliable than that jian anyways.” Xin offered the sword to Qilin. He gladly took it, his eyes wide with awe.

 

It was heavier than he thought it’d be. He didn’t know why he expected metal to be light, though.

 

Qilin put the sword back in its sheath and tucked it into his belt.

 

“So, I hear your father went to see the matchmaker.” Xin said. “Is he getting remarried or are you finally getting to that age?”

 

“It was for me, sir.” Qilin said.

 

Xin sighed. “It feels like only last winter you came into my store as nothing more than a boy. Who’s the lucky lady? Or do you not know yet?”

 

“She’s the governor’s daughter.”

 

Xin’s jaw gaped.

 

QIlin couldn’t help but laugh. “Lumber’s in demand!”

 

“I suppose so!” Xin chuckled. “You’ll be a Mandarin!”

 

“I wouldn’t go that far.” Qilin grinned. “My brother’s the one taking the exam.”

 

“Well, you’d better be good to us when you’re governor.” Xin mockingly threatened.

 

“I will, Master Xin. It’s been good catching up, but I need to get going.” Qilin bowed his head. “I’ll be sure to come to you if my tools ever need repairs.”

 

“You go then, Qilin. And I’ll hold you to that!”

 

Qilin left the shop and at that point realized that his fiance hadn’t told him a specific meeting place.

 

A finger tapped on his shoulder.

 

He turned to see a mountain of a man towering over him, cloaked and armed. At first, he thought he was being robbed.

 

“Jin Qilin?” the man murmured, like an avalanche cross with a tiger’s growl.

 

Qilin stared for a moment before breathlessly nodding.

 

“Come. The Lady wants to see you.” the man began to walk off without another word.

 

“O-oh! Oh, you’re…” Qilin made himself move to keep up with the man. He didn’t finish his sentence, as he didn’t seem like the talkative type.

 

He was led out of the walls and towards the river bank on the way to his home and into the surrounding bamboo forests. The setting sun gave the whole forest a yellow hue and cast an array of shadows that nearly mimicked the strokes of a calligrapher’s brush.

 

The man stopped in a clearing, where a small stone shrine stood. He gestured to the girl sitting under its pointed roof.

 

The girl lounged atop an altar, dressed in navy silk that swept across her like ocean waves. Her long, black hair was draped over her shoulder, contributing to her overall simple look for someone of her stature.

 

Still, the air about her held dignity in it. It reminded Qilin that he had been considered lower than a farmer not two months ago.

 

Qilin swallowed and took tentative steps towards her, only getting her attention once he was close.

 

Qilin cleared his throat and bowed as she looked up at him. “Um, my name is Jin Qilin. It’s a pleasure to meet you!” He accidentally shouted.

 

The girl frowned. “Perhaps it’s better if I have you write everything you want to say. You were far more eloquent in your letters.”

 

Qilin grimaced.

 

“I’m just joking. I didn’t mean it like that.” The girl chuckled. “No need for all the formality. We’ve already met one another.”

 

He gulped and sat with her on the altar.

 

“Though I suppose we still haven’t exchanged names.” she said. “I am Zhuan Yahui. It’s good to finally meet you in person.”

 

“S-same here.” Qilin said.

 

“I must say...you’re rather handsome for a peasant. Oh, sorry. Craftsman.”

 

“I-it’s fine. I, uh...thank you.” Qilin felt warmth rising in his cheeks. “You too are also very beautiful.”

 

“Well, if these arms of yours can bulk up so nicely, perhaps we can do something about that tongue of yours with a bit of practice.” Yahui giggled.

 

Qilin sat stiff as the rock under him, while she moved so gracefully as she talked, like a thin tree in the wind. It’s just...she was so...amazing. And he was...himself. Not exactly an equal match.

 

“If you don’t mind my prying...what exactly caused your father to accept my proposal?” Qilin asked.

 

“Oh, he didn’t accept. I did.” Yahui said. “I was given a batch of options and I chose you. I won’t lie, I kind of wanted to get under his skin by marrying someone of lower station, but in our exchanges, I find myself growing quite fond of you.”

 

Every word dripped from her mouth like sweet honey.

 

And she chose him. Chose. That was big.

“So, tell me. Did I make the right choice?”

 

________________________________________________________________

 

Qilin was still warm in the cheeks as he made his way home after the bodyguard fervently denied him the pleasure of escorting Yahui home.

 

The sun barely peeked over the horizon as he walked along the river bank.

 

He had no words to aptly describe how excited he was to marry this girl. She was forward—very forward—but Qilin didn’t mind that much, especially when he couldn’t carry the conversation himself. In fact, it was comforting in a way.

 

She was deep and intelligent in a way that was beyond him, but not incomprehensible. Not to undermine her beauty, of course. He wasn't exactly focused on it at the time. But if his memory didn’t deceive him, she was far and above any of the marriage prospects he could’ve been expecting.

 

He wanted to tell his father all about it. He could use some good news right now.

 

Qilin approached the gate to his family’s house as iron wafted into his nose from the wind. His father had probably chopped so much wood that the axehead was starting to shave off.

 

He walked into the courtyard and frowned. None of the windows showed any sign of light.

 

His older sister should’ve been cooking dinner about now.

 

He slid open the door to the main house.

 

“Father? Feng di di? Mei jie?” Qilin called. No responses.

 

Something eerie crept up his spine.

 

“Father?” he called out again.

 

He started towards the kitchen but didn’t make it two steps. Every muscle in his body froze as if stricken by frost. The whole room seemed to get cold as Qilin’s eyes rested on a limp hand coming out of the shadows cast by the kitchen. It laid in a pool of dark liquid.

 

The scent of iron was stronger now. No, the scent of blood.

 

Bile rose up in Qilin’s throat as he took another step towards the hand.

 

Lightning flashed, accompanied by a clap of thunder as rain started to pour. The lightning illuminated the house for all of one second. But that was all Qilin needed to see.

 

His father’s disfigured body laid on the kitchen floor in a pool of his own blood, pale as a ghost.

 

Qilin’s hand shot the sword at his hip.

 

Was the killer still here? Who would’ve done this? One of Yahui’s suitors?

 

Another flash of lightning drew his attention upward. The light shone on the body of his younger brother Feng, his body hanging on the wall by nails through his hands. HIs innards had spilled out onto the ground from claw-like lacerations across his stomach.

 

Qilin backed away. 

 

Not human. Had a bear gotten in? But then…who hammered the nails?

 

Where was his sister?

 

He threw open the sliding door and ran out into the rain. He burst into his sister’s segment of the house and screamed. “Mei jie! MEI JIE!”

 

He didn’t wait for a response and threw open the doors that led to her private rooms. Nothing.

 

“MEI JIE!”

 

A flash of lightning revealed bloodstains on the bamboo mats.

 

The blood trailed out of the house. He followed it into the storm again, where blood was starting to mix with mud and rain. He followed it as best he could off their property. 

 

Then the smoke reached him.

 

Qilin looked out across the town of Taoyuan as it burned through the rain and darkness, the inferno creating a bright orange hue.

 

Was it bandits? Pirates?

 

Qilin’s mind whirled with possible answers to the violence he’d witnessed as he almost slipped in the mud running towards the town.

 

What if Yahui was in danger?

 

NO! They have guards to protect them!

 

Then why was the town on fire?

 

Maybe it was lightning.

 

He practically slid down the hill that brought him straight to the outskirts of the town. He stumbled and staggered his way to the gate.

 

The wooden bastion had been utterly destroyed, splintered and ruined. As if someone had thrown a boulder through.

 

And it was after he passed through those destroyed gates when he saw the source of his family’s death.

 

“Hel-!”

 

Squelching invaded Qilin’s ears as a giant man with a bull’s face tore a man in half with its bare hands.

 

Others ran from a woman with the tail of a serpent as she cut them down with a jian.

 

Men with skin of dark blue or bright red, with fangs and horns, terrorized the village and set fire to more buildings.

 

Yahui. He needed to find Yahui.

 

With all the willpower he had, he shoved his shock and terror to the back of his mind in order to continue forward.

 

He rushed past people he’d known his whole life being murdered and torn to shreds. Girls he’d grown up with cried out for help as they were either violated or carried off by the demons.

 

But if he...if he let himself think about it, he couldn’t get to her.

 

Qilin turned a corner and spotted the governor’s house. The walls were surrounded by guardsmen as they attempted to fend off creatures of legendary horror with spears and bows. To little effect.

 

He had a sword. Qilin drew the dao and prepared himself to assist the guards.

 

He stood on the balls of his feet and drew a deep breath, trying not to think about it.

 

Before a fire billowed into existence from nothing, bright blue and searing.

 

Qilin was thrown to the ground by the azure explosion. Heat seared his skin, but he scrambled to his feet just in time to put his sword between himself and some abomination of a fox crossed with a woman.

 

Qilin threw the demon off of him, his breath rapid and threatening to steal away his consciousness.

 

He held the sword up with quivering hands as the creature bared her fangs.

 

An orb of azure flames bloomed to life in her palm before she launched the projectile at him.

 

The only reason Qilin wasn’t consumed in the cyclone of scorching heat was the hand that grabbed the back of his collar and pulled him away.

 

A flash of light and a burst of wind blew past him as a blade carved through the demon’s neck.

 

A man in white robes, his face obscured by a black douli, whipped the blood off his halberd as the fox demon collapsed.

 

“Leave while you still can,” the man said. “Don’t look back.”

 

The stranger moved like lightning as he leapt towards a demon twice his size and felled it in one strike. He took down another with merely the wind resulting from a kick.

 

He fought with unparalleled grace and precision. His body moved like a machine, carving through demon flesh with incredible speed.

 

“Let go of me, you colossal oaf!”

 

Qilin’s attention was drawn away from the stranger and towards a large hairy creature that was trying to flee the scene, a woman over its shoulder. With Yahui over his shoulder.

 

The creature belched out some vile noise that signaled the other demons to follow the beast in retreat. The others began fleeing, with captives in tow. Though some stayed behind, occupying the stranger with the polearm.

 

Qilin steeled his resolve and tightened the grip on his sword as he pursued the demon without a second thought.

 

His legs pounded against the mud with all the strength he could muster, the impacts rattling his bones as he sprinted.

 

Qilin swung his blade as an undead woman with a ghastly, rotting face and naked as the day she was born, tried to get in his path. He ran the edge into her skull.

 

But even without the stumbles and slipping in the mud, Qilin wasn’t fast enough to outrun the demons who had started running after the retreat call. His legs couldn’t carry him the distance.

 

Come on, come on! Faster! You have to go faster! COME ON!

 

Qilin pushed every fiber of his being into picking up speed, but the demons continued to slowly vanish into the moonlit fog. But he never stopped running.

 

Qilin slipped in mud and fell off the path. His face slapped against the cold filth before falling off the path. He tumbled into the forest, hitting himself on tree after tree as he rolled down the raised hill.

 

Somewhere along the line, his dao wrangled itself from his hands and he fell off a cliff. Qilin’s impact was softened by more mud, but it still sent pins and needles rippling through his body.

 

He laid there.

 

Staring up at the moon and stars, his mind seemed to have trouble catching up with reality. It had trouble thinking at all.

 

His father. His brother. His sister. And now his fiance.

 

It had all happened so fast.

 

As Qilin laid in the mud, the pouring rain beating his skin into numbness, he couldn’t muster the strength to shed tears.

 

Everything was gone. His home was drenched in blood. Taoyuan was in flames. His family was dead. His fiance...a fate likely worse than death awaited her. And he, despite doing all he could, simply wasn’t strong enough to protect them.

 

His legs were too slow. His bones were too fragile. His muscles were too inexperienced. His body was weak.

 

He could barely move his fingers and found it a chore to keep his eyes open.

 

The undead woman he’d killed hovered up to him, floating over his body. The wound he’d caused her healed up right in front of him.

 

He could do nothing as the demon looked upon him with hunger.

 

Ice cold digits wrapped around his supple throat, squeezing his throat. The creature’s jaw unhinged, poised to take a bite out of his shoulder.

 

“Splitting Fist, First Form: Woodcutter’s Axe.”

 

Gore sprayed across his face. But it wasn’t his.

 

That man in the douli stood over him, his halberd halfway through bisecting the creature.

 

“So long as you’re weak, you will forever be at the mercy of others.” the man said. “If you wish to escape that fate, go to Jinshan Temple in Henan. Tell them Song Guowei sent you.”

 

Qilin had no strength left to stop him as the man walked away, leaving him in the wilderness, alone.