When they finally returned to the campsite everyone had already turned in for the night.

HawkEye and MenTar¹Literally men (lake) + tar (wind) were both wrapped in their blankets by the fire. ZenTar²Literally zen (silent) + tar (wind) was sitting not to far from them. Like always, he’d raised an invisible detection shield around the entire camp, and he would keep it up until dawn. They had to cross it on their way back, and so ZaiWin³Literally zai (blade) + win (chaos). knew that, even though he kept his eyes shut as if he were deep asleep, their late return hadn't gone unnoticed.

VinWei⁴Literally vin (hard) + wei (crystal) silently gathered her blankets and went to lie down next to him. Seeing that, ZaiWin could help recall a time when the three of them had traveled together, chasing rebels across the Province of Wei. A time when they’d been much younger, able to face the perils of the world with a much lighter heart. Even back then those two would always fight and bicker the entire time, but then sit silently next to one another in the following moment.

With a resigned sigh, ZaiWin finally allowed himself to look at the bundle on the other side of the fire.

He’d noticed him the moment he’d gotten there, and had childishly pretended that looking for him hadn’t been the first thing that had crossed his mind. Some things simply weren’t worth fighting against, he told himself, grabbing his blanket and crossing the camp. He could sit closer to ZenTar and spend the entire night awake, pretending that he was asleep, or he could sit near the damn brat and actually manage to get some rest.

Sitting down, ZaiWin tried to take a look at his face, to make sure that he was really asleep, but the brat had wrapped himself so tightly in his blanket that he looked more like a small animal inside a cocoon. In the beginning, when they'd just left the Fortress, there was no way the brat would be able to fall asleep laying like that, all alone under the open sky. But that didn’t seem to be the case anymore, ZaiWin concluded by his deep, calm breathing.

Reaching out his hand, ZaiWin buried his fingers in his silver hair. Maybe because he hadn’t been allowed to grow it for so long, the brat’s hair was as light a soft as a small child’s. Even that, it had started as a way to help the brat sleep. Now it was a way to grant ZaiWin some peace of mind, he concluded, the irony of it annoying him more than words could tell. But, once more, it was either that or a restless night, and ZaiWin did need his rest, he told himself, closing his eyes with a deep breath.

ZaiWin woke up like he always did, just before sunrise. The early hours before dawn were the time of the day he enjoyed the most; that deep, undisturbed silence that encased everything like an invisible mantle.

He normally used that time to close his eyes and balance his energy. If the brat’s markings were hard to deal with, his were on an entire different level. And he had learned a long time ago that the best way to keep things under control was to make sure he routinely cleared his mind and balanced his inner energy before starting his day. But not that morning, he concluded with a startle the moment he opened his eyes. The brat was kneeling right next to him, his face no more than a finger a way from his, those pale, bright eyes staring intently at him.

That he hadn’t noticed how close he’d managed to get to him was a very serious matter! That he hadn’t even heard him move was a very grave thing! And what the heck was he doing?, ZaiWin frowned, instinctively flicking him on the forehead.

With a grimace of pain but without uttering a single sound, the brat finally leaned back, rubbing his reddened forehead. Looking up, he glared at ZaiWin with an expression of protest on his face, as if he’d just been wronged.

How long had he been sitting there, staring at him while he slept? And wasn’t he supposed to shake in fear every time he looked at him?, ZaiWin wondered with a scowl, ending up rising to his feet and walking away, in hopes of making the best of the morning’s silence somewhere else.

Apparently not, he concluded not long after, and during the next few days.

Sure, the brat would still jump if he raised his voice to scold him, and would still cringe if he got angry at him. But those were all reactions with a very short duration. And the annoying silent staring went on, even while they were on horse back, forcing him to literally actually grab his head and turn it to the road ahead just to get rid of those strange, huge eyes. Asking what he wanted, or what was the matter didn’t accomplish anything. And ZaiWin just couldn’t figure out what was going through the damn brat’s head.

Then again, he realized one evening while they were eating, VinWei’s amused chuckle telling him that brat was at it again. Hadn’t he be doing that staring thing all the way to Wei? The difference was that back then he’d stared at flowers, and tress, and patches of grass. Now, apparently, his main point of interest had shifted to him, ZaiWin frowned, his gaze falling on the shiny bracelet around his wrist.

In the beginning he had actually thought that the pretty trinket wasn't such a bad thing. He had been really taken by surprise, when VinWei had told him about how he wasn’t able to actually see him. He’d also felt as if someone had suddenly come forth and admitted that he’d been seeing him naked all along! Above all, he had been finally able understand why the brat seemed to be able to more or less interact with everyone in a relatively normal way, but he would look as if he wanted to run for the hills every time ZaiWin got close to him. He knew VinWei was right. Why he hadn’t run away, after always seeing him like that, was a huge mystery. Even ZenTar, who had raised him since he was a child, had locked him up once, when he was younger, and evacuated the entire area around him, just because his energy had run wild for a few days, clearly manifesting itself around his body. But now … maybe he should get rid of the damn thing after all, he considered, lost in how the small crystals captured the light of the dancing flames.

Still they kept on practicing the daitai⁵Literally dai (light) + tai (mark), or Holy Markings, considered Heavenly Blessings. They’re the source of power. control on a daily basis. And, even though VinWei had initially doubted that the normal method would work on him, the brat had actually managed to improve a lot.

In the beginning VinWei had wanted to tag along, so she could personally observe the amazing, unique event that was a Tien’Elhar learning how to control his daitai. But the brat, that was already skittish by nature, would have even more difficulty concentrating with her around. And so she finally conceded and stayed behind.

Watching him practice, ZaiWin had to admit that he was probably the most talented brat he had ever known. Probably because he was a Celestial, he considered. Either way, the fact that he had never seen anyone progress with such speed was undeniable. Even him, who had been considered a rare talent when he was just a young child, couldn’t compare with him.

Every day ZaiWin would activate a new marking on his back, some days even two. And before their practice session was over Snow would have already learned the basis of how to control them. Of course he had started with the easiest, less harmful markings, not only so that he could develop his own personal method of control, but also to build up a bit his self-confidence. Even so, at the speed he was learning, they would soon be able to start with his ice markings, and ZaiWin couldn't help wonder if things would progress so smoothly then.

Roughly a week after they’d left Weiin⁶Literally wei (crystal / precious stone) + suffix in (center), meaning the center of the Province of Wei, in other words, Wei’s Capital. All Capitals of all Provinces are named as such. the dreaded message finally reached them.

LaoTar⁷Literally lao (strong) + tar (wind) had finally reached Won’s border. It wouldn’t be long now, probably no more than a month, before he reached Wen, the Capital Province of the Empire. Not only that, as to be expected, an imperial order had been dispatched to all the main Clans of every Province, urging the Governor of Nox⁸Literally nox (night). Nox is the name of the Clan (family name), also the name of a Province. to present himself in Wen⁹Literally wen (sun). Name of one of the three Empires, Wen, Ran and Sen. (Sun, Moon and Star). Also the name of the Capital Province of the Wen Empire as soon as possible. Even though it wasn't an open order of arrest, it still left no margins for disobedience. Above all, it clearly meant they already knew that he had taken a different route from the rest of his men.

Releasing the small blue bird that had apparently chirped all that into his ear, ZenTar quietly translated the news for the others, a gloomy mood descending over the entire camp. Even without words they all knew that their carefree days of freely traveling across Wei were over.

Silvareiel

That's what's called carefully studying one's enemy ?