In Danyang, everything was peaceful. Marek seems to have done his job well. Nikola didn’t like that his image had replaced the Taoist God of the town, but there was nothing to be done about that.

The Emperor had set his sights on the canyon, wanting to turn it into one giant hanging garden. But there was one problem with this. The among of sacrifice needed to make rocks into soil on such a large scope was simply too great. The canyon couldn’t be made into a mine, either. The river would get contaminated. Which left the forest.

The Wei family had a pleasant hike, with the children creating groves as they went. Animals came out of hiding to partake in the plentiful feast. A fox ran by Ryota, and the boy stared after it wistfully. This life was forever gone for him.

“The animals will eat everything,” said Wei Caihong, brows furrowed.

“But the plant’s roots will be there, ready to give more produce when their season comes,” said Penemue as she petted a fat rabbit which had been following her around. It would make a wonderful stew.

“We can’t make a regenerating grove like back in Gangcho. People will start to ask questions and then even the Emperor won’t be able to protect us,” said Nikola as he watched the triplets take turns making pumpkin batches. They seemed to want to see who could make the biggest pumpkin, as they pointed at different pumpkins and shouted.

Wei Lihua was walking with Wei Liling. They created various herbs and giggled every so often at the antics of the three boys. Wei Longwei was carrying Wei Jiang and Wei Tian was holding his sleeve. The Han siblings were speaking with Wei Zhaohui and Nathaniel and Ryota was trying to climb a tree.

The adults looked at the boy and Nikola called at him to jump down, but Ryota kept climbing. Penemue, as the best climber among them, went after her son. Once she reached him, she gripped him, but he still tried to climb on.

“Ma, there is something shiny up there,” said the boy, but Penemue was carrying him down. The boy pouted once his feet touched the ground, and Penemue sent some magic up the tree to see if there was anything metallic on it. There was, surrounded by pearls. A trinket, nothing more.

Levitating it out of the tree branch on which it was, was easy. It was filthy, but it was a necklace of pearls with a gold chain connecting them. Penemue gave it to Ryota, who ran to Han Fengfan and presented her with his gift.

“A pearl for the pearl,” said Ryota, and Han Fengfan giggled.

“You can make a thousand of these easily, what makes it so special?” Asked Han Fengfan, long since used to receiving precious gifts.

“Princess, don’t be cruel. This was not made with magic,” said Ryota happily. As the only female in the Han family after the Emperor’s sister had died last year, Han Fengfan had received the rang of princess. It was an empty title, as she was not going to inherit, but Ryota used it as often as he could.

“I know this necklace!” Said Han Guo as he snatched it from Ryota’s hand. Ryota growled at him and lunged forward. Penemue grabbed him just as he was about to punch the prince.

“I found this necklace for my princess!” Protested Ryota as he tried to wiggle out of his mother’s arms.

“This necklace was my mother’s! Han Fengfan can’t have it. If anyone should have, it is my fairy!” Said Han Guo as he balled his fists. Both boys glared at each other and the necklace was snatched by Wei Caihong.

“Wrong. It should be returned to your father. Now both of you apologize and I better not see you trying to fight again.”

“I won’t apologize to a thief!” Said Ryota and Han Guo pointed at him.

“You are the thief!”

“You are grounded, both of you,” snapped Wei Caihong. Nikola moved next to him and took the necklace.

“There is a curse on this thing,” he said as he examined it further.

“I doubt it is truly the Empress’ necklace. In fact, it hides it’s true image,” said Nikola. Light flickered around the necklace, and soon it was just a dirty silk band. Both boys looked at it and paled. This was a trap, but for whom?

“What does it do?” Asked Wei Caihong. Nikola gripped both ends of the band and tore it in two. Something screamed in the forest, and he set the silk on fire for good measure.

“It causes people to fight over it. And also had it gone in either Han Fengfan’s hands or Wei Lihua’s it would have made them barren. Seeing as it used to look like the Empress’ necklace, I take it someone doesn’t want the marriage between Han Guo and Wei Lihua to happen,” finished Nikola. He checked his daughter’s future rapidly and saw that it hadn’t changed. She was fine and would remain so. But that didn’t mean he had to be lax now.

“We better go back to Danyang. And we have to call Marek to deal with this. Danyang is his responsibility,” said Penemue, and the entire family left the forest quickly. Not being able to shake off the feeling that they were being watched.

Back in Danyang, they told everyone that there was something stalking the forest and that everyone should keep to the town until Marek found it. A messenger was sent into the canyon to get the tiger demon to come to town, and Nikola was called to a meeting with Kang Lei, the magistrate of Danyang.

Leaving his family at the inn, he made his way to the palace. He had to pass through the forest and the horses of the cart were skittish all the while. The driver looked around wildly all the while.

Nikola was sure that something was trying to follow him. But he had made a protection symbol, this time he had enough time to finish it, on the cart with his dagger and he was sure that it couldn’t get too close.

“Gege, you won’t take too long, will you?” Asked the driver. Nikola didn’t know why he was being called, so he didn’t know.

“I will make it quick. But you are inside the palace now. Nothing will come from the forest inside it.”

“You say that, Gege, but you don’t know it for sure. Oh, where is Lord Marek when we need him?”

Nikola left the driver with the cart, and he stopped a servant to have him take some bread and water to the driver. With a full belly, the man would surely feel safer.

Knocking on the door to Kang Lei’s office, Nikola was let in. Above Kang Lei’s desk was a sword, made by Nikola as a New Year’s gift three years ago when the tourist business between their two settlements picked up.

“The Emperor wants to go to war?” Said Kang Lei instead of a greeting. Nikola nodded and sat opposite the magistrate.

“I am to lead his troops on the front lines,” said Nikola. Kang Lei raised an eyebrow at that.

“You realize he has you creating riches where there weren’t any so that Xiongnu would attack first?” Asked Kang Lei. Nikola nodded again.

“Then why do it? You are a good man! Think of everyone that will die as the warriors of Xiongnu pillage our territories!”

“I am prepared for this possibility,” said Nikola. Kang Lei pulled out a map and showed Nikola the entire boarder and the coast leading up to it.

“How do you protect all of this? Will you create another demon?” Snapped the magistrate. Nikola grinned viciously at that.

“Demons are a child’s play compared to the provisions I have already taken.” Said Nikola. Kang Lei looked at him with disappointment.

“Human life means almost nothing to you. Does it, Emerald Emperor?” Nikola wasn’t surprised that Kang Lei knew. If the Emperor figured it out, then there was no reason why Kang Lei couldn’t.

“I have placed curses on the deposits and the groves. Curses aimed at the people of Xiongnu. They will lose all command of their senses, and they will be driven to madness if they try to pillage them. It would be better if Xiongnu’s warriors do cross the border. Just the groves alone will give us an easy victory. An army needs to eat.”

“This is a war crime,” said Kang Lei, horrified. “It is one thing to curse them with death, but with madness? This is…this is…you have gone mad!”

Nikola chuckled. Has he? Maybe. But he was not going to let the people of Xiongnu reach Gangcho or Chang’an. He was invested in them, and he was going to use the whole of China as a meat shield for the purpose of protecting them.

“Was this all that you wanted to talk to me about?” Asked Nikola. Kang Lei looked uncertain. As if he would rather not be indebted to Nikola any longer. But at last, he spoke.

“My wife took ill and died,” Nikola sighed. Well, there was nothing he could do about that. He told Kang Lei so, but the man sent him a glare.

“What of prince Bjorn? You brought him back!”

“Perhaps I can use this, somehow. If I redirect the calamity that is going to happen towards Xiongnu, then it will be a preemptive strike,” said Nikola more to himself than to Kang Lei.

“A calamity?” Asked the magistrate, pale as a ghost.

“Yes. Only angels have the right to bring back the dead. And that is only once per angel. Bjorn was brought back using Azazel’s right. I merely channeled the spell. But, Kang Lei, it is not your intention to disturb your wife. What will come back will have no will to live. I tried to bring a loved one once, and it didn’t end well. Earthquakes, volcano eruptions and tsunamis were the least of my worries back then. The plague that came from it took a far larger toll on the populace.”

Kang Lei thought on his gentle wife. How she made everything in her power so that Danyang could have everything Gangcho has. She wouldn’t want for her rebirth to cost in so many lives. He bowed his head, knowing that he couldn’t go through his wish.

“This is a wonderful idea, though,” kept talking Nikola as dread began to pool inside of Kang Lei’s stomach. “Why should I have to go to war? When all I need is a corpse…”

“Emerald Emperor! Hear what you are saying!” That snapped Nikola out of his trance. Why was he even entertaining the thought? Too many would die, and he couldn’t control where the damage would be done. He gripped his head, feeling a headache coming on. A glass of water was given to him, and he drank it.

Was there another curse to the silk band? Something he hadn’t seen? Normally, he wasn’t this vicious.

“Will you go to the war front too?” Asked Nikola to distract himself from his dark thoughts.

“I am a magistrate. My place is in Danyang. Although I imagine that if we are short of generals, I too will be called,” said Kang Lei. Then the magistrate stood up and Nikola stood with him.

“Don’t do immoral things, Emerald Emperor. Not even during the war,” said Kang Lei, looking at the door.

Nikola took it as a cue he had to leave. It must be good for the magistrate to still have the opportunity to do good things. But Nikola was the veteran of a thousand and more battles. He knew what he needed to do during a war.

Outside, people were panicking. Kang Lei stopped a servant and asked him what was happening.

“The cart driver hanged himself on the hundred-year-old peach tree!” Said the servant, running away. Kang Lei ran towards the peach tree, a tree planted in celebration all around China when Atlantis fell. Sure, enough, there was a man hanging on a silk band by its branches. There was a sign over the man’s head.

Good luck during the war, Emerald Emperor.

“Cut the tree and burn it.” Commanded Kang Lei, and he stared back at Nikola, who was looking at the silk band as if he knew something about it.