“All of us? At the same time?”

Eitsu scratched her neck irritably. “Did I stutter?”

They had spent the entirety of winter at Hanasan, without a single sign of Rei. Ayame showed some promise with basic cultivation arts, but Tsubaki had none.

“Your body just doesn't have the aptitude for ki production,” Cheng Guk Lung had explained, part way through packing for a trip. An old family friend had requested his assistance in a matter, and he was in a hurry to head off.

So Tsubaki had been learning martial arts without the cultivation aspect. Her experience with dancing gave her a good base to start.

Cheng Guk Lung had been gone for several weeks when Eitsu brought a proposal to the elders of Hanasan.

“I'm always up for a fight,” Zhāng Yàn laughed. He had picked up some Yamato-go words, mostly curses, and taught Eitsu a few Xiǎng swearwords in return. Otherwise they still needed the translation services of a logistician, and Cheng Guk Lung had passed that job to his juniors. A few disciples from the different schools who were learning strategy, diplomacy, and logistics would practice their translation skills as they followed Eitsu around. As a group, they were almost as good as Cheng Guk Lung by himself.

Zhào Xīn folded her hands. “I will not participate.”

“Scared? Don't worry, I'm not asking to fight to the death.”

“I think you're being a little ambitious, Lady. And in the case that you aren't, it would not do to have all the highest members of the five schools injured and unable to act if needed.”

“You don't have to make excuses.”

“I'll fight you. You're being far too rude.” The woman who spoke wore black and blue robes and a disapproving frown.

“I would like to test my skills,” said an older man in white and grey.

“I will participate,” murmured a small woman in brown robes with a yellow trim.

“Good. Tomorrow morning, same place as last time?”

So it was that the next day, the entire sect was once more gathered around the clearing near the base of the mountains. This time, walls of metal and earth shielded the audience, and they stood much farther back, most of them perched in the treetops surrounding the clearing for the best view.

The combatants took their positions in the clearing, the four elders close together at the edge of the circle, Eitsu facing them boldly from near the centre. She smiled invitingly at Zhào Xīn. “Are you sure you don't want to take part?”

“Certain, Lady Eitsubyou. Are you ready to begin?”

“”Whenever everyone else is.”

“Combatants, introduce yourselves.”

“Zhāng Yàn, Acting Master of the Gales of Battle School. Third Dāntián Novice. I hope to learn from you!”

“Líng Jiǎo¹菱角 (líng jiǎo) – 'water chestnut'., Acting Master of the Still Heart School. Third Dāntián Novice. Please guide me.”

“This one is simply Kūn²坤 (kūn) – the female principle in Daoism., Head Disciple of the Way of the Mountain School. Second Dāntián Adept.”

“Shuǐ Yín³水银 (shuǐ yín) – 'mercury'., Acting Master of the Reflective Arts School. Second Dāntián Expert. I look forward to our spar.”

“Then, I will count down from three.” Zhào Xīn looked around at them all. “Ready?”

A chorus of “Ready!” replied to her.

“Three. Two. One. Start!”

A pit immediately opened in the ground below Eitsu's feet. She leapt backwards easily, but immediately had to contort her body to avoid the sharp darts that zipped through the air towards her. They were faster than she expected, grazing her and drawing blood. The darts came hurtling back, glowing faintly white with Shuǐ Yín's spiritual power as he stood behind Zhāng Yàn, his eyes closed and palms pressed together.

Eitsu landed and immediately rolled to avoid the spikes of rock that surged out of the ground where she had been. She caught sight of Tsubaki as she did, the dancer's face impassive, but her hands gripped tightly in her lap, knuckles white.

Long claws sprang from the ends of Eitsu's human fingers. She shook herself, feeling her old energy ripple through her. A metal dart hummed through the air, and she dodged again, her hair turning a shimmering gold, the colour of her fur in her first life. Her face heated as red marks emerged under her eyes.

The metal darts were fast, but Eitsu was faster. She avoided them all easily, and lunged towards Shuǐ Yín. Zhāng Yàn, his fists aflame, blocked her first. Once again she found herself having to twist in midair, but Zhāng Yàn followed, each punch narrowly missing.

Eitsu changed tack, suddenly leaping for Zhāng Yàn's feet rather than his head. The ground rose beneath his feet ad she almost slammed headfirst into it.

Tsubaki's fists clenched even tighter.

Eitsu jumped backwards to gain some respite. “Huh, I'd better sort myself out. The wife is getting upset.”

“Who's your wife?” Tsubaki called out, archly.

“You're saying that as if I named you specifically,” Eitsu replied cheekily. “Guilty conscience?”

“Do you really have time to flirt?” Zhāng Yàn roared, diving forwards again.

Eitsu evaded him with relative ease, and for the next few minutes, she avoided all the attacks coming towards her from all four of her opponents. She hooked a claw in Zhào Xīn.

“Won't you join in? I'm worried they'll all get their arses kicked if you don't come and help.”

“Hm.” Zhào Xīn carefully laid aside her cloak and bowed to Eitsu. “Requesting permission to join the spar. It seems that you will simply keep dodging, otherwise.”

“Just fight me, lady.”

“Then, here I go.”

A huge gust of wind screamed towards Eitsu, causing her to tumble back. She had to slam her claws into the ground to stop her from being blown away, but the soil crumbled easily under Kūn's directions.

Zhào Xīn seemed to be dealing out instructions to the other four. Eitsu raced towards her first, her body morphed into something in between cat and human. She reared up to land a blow, but had to dance out of the way of Shuǐ Yín's darts.

Somehow, Zhào Xīn's presence already had her working harder. She could feel herself sweating profusely, despite not being much warmer than a few moment prior. Zhāng Yàn charged in once more, fast, although Eitsu dropped, rolled, and tripped him up. She rose to her feet and immediately had to bend backwards to avoid Shuǐ Yín's flying darts, twisting her weight from foot to hand to hand to foot as wooden spikes rocketed out of the ground around her. She lost her balance as the earth began to buck, and she retreated once more, forced back by the progressive attacks of the five elders.

I get it. The faster ones attack first, giving the slower ones time to prepare. So I need to go for... Why am I so thirsty?

She caught sight of Líng Jiǎo hidden at the back of the group, black sparks flickering at her eyes as her hands and lips moved. Beads of sweat rolled down Eitsu's cheeks.

Oh you... You've got to be kidding.

Eitsu licked sweat from her forearms.

You're first.

Zhāng Yàn and Shuǐ Yín were closing in on her. She bared her teeth and felt the marking on her face burn.

She ran directly at Shuǐ Yín first, who jumped back in surprise, looking to increase the distance so he could throw his darts, then doubled back directly towards Zhāng Yàn. Before she reached his striking range, she zig-zagged back again, dropping on all fours into her half-human half-cat form as she neared Kūn and Zhào Xīn, who stood before Líng Jiǎo, guarding her. They managed to build a wall of wood and earth before Eitsu could reach them, and she back-flipped as several metal darts zipped through the space where she had been and buried themselves into the wall. Zhāng Yàn swung his fists but Eitsu was gone, using the darts as foothold and leaping nimbly over the wall.

“Gotcha.”

Eitsu's foot slammed into Líng Jiǎo's chest, sending the woman flying from the arena. Without her control, the pull of water from Eitsu's body stopped, and although she was still dehydrated, she could feel some of her sweat being reabsorbed into her parched skin. She slurped up the sweat greedily.

“Next.”

Zhào Xīn tore down the branches of nearby trees, and Zhāng Yàn set them alight before they even reached the ground. Eitsu rapidly contorted her body into all kinds of strange shapes to dodge the flaming wood, using the chaos to pop up behind Kūn. A swinging kick to the side, this time, and Kūn was flung up and out of the clearing.

Eitsu clicked her tongue at the remaining three elders. “Looks like there's less and less of you.”

“But you've worn yourself out picking on the slowest of us. Pick up the pace!” Zhāng Yàn laughed.

“Deal.” Eitsu sprang towards him.

Zhào Xīn jumped behind her two team-mates. Her hands made rapid gestures, and she muttered without taking breath. A whirlwind sprang up before her as Zhāng Yàn's flames roared huge across his body, and Shuǐ Yín flung his darts forward. In a second, Eitsu was engulfed in a whirlwind of fire and metal.

The air within the whirlwind sucked downwards powerfully. She could feel the spin of the air, the heat from the flames, the darts screaming past.

Time to make a quick decision.

She jumped, following the spin of the air but pushing upwards where it tried to force her downwards. Her muscles screamed, but she was stronger than she had been in years. She burst from the top of the whirlwind, her clothes on fire, tucking herself into a ball, her trajectory directly aiming for Zhào Xīn. The speed of her descent was too fast for the elder; Eitsu crashed straight into her, setting her alight too.

The situation immediately deteriorated. Shuǐ Yín hesitated for the briefest of moments, which was all Eitsu needed to kick him directly into the centre of the chest, knocking him from the arena. Zhāng Yàn had gone to assist Zhào Xīn to put out the flames. He came to halt when a razor sharp claw caressed his throat.

“Aaaand you're dead.” Eitsu panted triumphantly, despite being covered in soot and scratches, her clothing torn and burnt. “Hey, someone come put this fire out!”

A group of disciples rushed forwards to throw earth and water on Zhào Xīn. When the flames went out, she sat up with helpless laughter at her singed and muddy state.

“Ha! How embarrassing. To think that the elders of such an old sect would be toyed about with so easily.”

Eitsu collapsed flat on the ground. “Easy? If only... Hey, didn't most of you say you were Acting Masters or something? And one of you... Kūn, was it? You're a Head Disciple. Where are the actual Masters?”

“They left the Mortal Realm almost two centuries ago,” Zhào Xīn sighed, “and took their direct disciples with them. No one has been able to Ascend since then. I doubt the world will ever experience talent like that again.”

“Ascend? Like they went up to the Celestial Plain?”

“Is that what you call it? Yes, I suppose it's the same thing.”

“Huh...” Eitsu stared at the cloudy late winter sky. “Maybe I'll meet them one day.”

Zhāng Yàn, despite lying flat on his face, snorted. “Keep dreaming.”

“You still don't believe that I'm a divine being, do you?” Eitsu yawned. “Well, I suppose I'm still not back to full strength. Wait until I can send you flying just by looking at you.”

“I'll believe it when I see it, Lady.”

“Eitsu-sama, does that mean we have to stay here a bit longer?” Ayame called out from the throng of disciples who were hurrying forwards to help their elders.

“Just a little, nearly there.” Eitsu lifted a dusty hand and patted the girl's head. “You want to go home, don't you?”

“Yeah...”

“Soon.” She caught Tsubaki's eyes; the dancer looked away. “We'll leave soon.”