From The Ashes (11 page)

As the Chungans staggered about, apparently blinded by the flash, Chi—as a stallion—reared up and charged into the center of the Chungan troops.

Rather than defend themselves or attack him, they spread out as a drop of water in oil.
 
Then from over the hills, Ying understood what Mei Liang, the phoenix, had meant by “lead the charge.”

Like colonies of ants, hundreds of peasants—some he recognized from Xingjia, others he didn’t—rushed into the valley with axes, hammers, pitchforks and other common tools.

To those who only expect the ordinary, they would have looked ridiculous and sorely outnumbered.
 
But to Ying, they were more powerful than the mightiest armies in the world because of
Whom
they served.

Ying swooped down at the head of the line and sent a piercing screech into the valley.
 
Then the entire Chungan army did something astonishing.
 
They fled back over the wasteland, crying out in terror as though some hideous dragon were pursuing them.
 
From his vantage point, Ying could see that they had scattered in seven different directions.

Ying landed and stood next to
Chi .
 

They both returned to their human form.
 

“You seem refreshed,” Ying said, pointing to Chi’s leg, which now was healed.

“The moment you called out the name of Valhandra, it happened.
 
Thank you.”

“The thanks go to Him.”

Then the good people of Xingjia and the neighboring villages gave a cheer, marveling at the enemy troops fleeing from them.
 
Chi grabbed Ying by the arm and pointed out at the scattered Chungans.
 
“What are they doing?”

“They’ve witnessed the power of His name.”

“No, I mean what are they doing at this moment?
 
It cannot be.”

Ying focused on one of the groups.
 
Employing the sharpness of an eagle’s eyesight, he discerned what was happening.
 
“Amazing!”

“Are they doing what I think they are?”

“Unless it had been by Valhandra, I would not have believed it.
 
But I see now that they have been cast into utter confusion.
 
They’re fighting themselves, killing each other!”
 
And after a few minutes, the Chungans were finished.
 
Every last one of them lay in the sand, dead by the hands of their comrades.

When Ying and Chi arrived at the gates of Bai Kuo, the entire populace had gathered and gave a resounding cheer to welcome them.
 
The people of Xingjia and the other villages followed them into the Citadel, where they were led to a tall platform.
 
There stood the various lords and elders of the province who had been heretofore subject to the Lord Protector.

The eldest, a man with a long white beard stepped forward to both Chi and Ying.
 
He looked them over with sagacious eyes and smiled.
 
“I am Kuhlau, Lord Elder of the Third District.”

Chi and Ying answered, “My Lord.”

“As the prophecies have foretold, the Kingdom of the Sojourners have this day been established.
 
And you, O fearless commander of Xingjia are principally responsible for the deliverance of Bai Kuo.”

Chi bowed deeply.
 
“My Lord, I have done no such thing.
 
It was Ying—”

“We are but men, my Lord,” Ying said.
 
“All glory and honor must be ascribed to Valhandra, the King about all Kings.
 
For He alone has been our deliverer.”

Stroking his beard, Lord Kuhlau considered the matter.
 
“But we find ourselves in something of a quandary, do we not?
 
For with the loss of Princess Mei Liang, we are without an heir to the throne.”

Ying shoved Chi forward.
 
“On the contrary, My Lord.
 
According to the ancient tomes,
He that beareth the mark shall rule over
My
people for three generations.
”
 
He pointed to Chi’s collar.
 
“Show him.”

Kuhlau stepped forward, gestured to Chi who complied by pulling down his collar.
 
“You bear the mark, indeed.
 
Moreover, you have taken the form of the black warhorse which further confirms that you, Chi Ma, are the one to reign over the new Sojourner kingdom.”
 
He waved over the other Lords, with whom he conferred briefly.

Then, with every one of them nodding in concurrence, he turned to face the throngs. “Can there be any doubt that this man is the chosen King?
 
For it has been predestined in the scriptures that one such as he would arise during the Millennial Phoenix’s return, and hasten the return of Valhandra’s prophets and mighty men—The Sojourners.

The people shouted words of praise and honor.

Looking less and less confused, Chi stood tall.
 
He spoke quietly to Kuhlau.
 
“But what of Ying?
 
It was he who—“

“Valhandra’s will is a mystery to even the wisest of men.
 
We know only what He has told us in His spoken and written word.”

Ying cared nothing for the glory, the crown,
nor
the kingdom.
 
The only thing that came to mind was the thought of Mei Liang, and it wounded his heart like the cut of a knife.
 
He put his hand upon Chi’s shoulder.
 
“My friend.
 
It would not do for anyone but the chosen one to ascend the throne.
 
And that is you.
 
Take your place.”

Chi seemed to understand the finality hidden between the words of Ying’s speech.
 
He nodded, pulled him into an embrace, and went before the masses.
 

All the ceremonial words, vows, and antiphonal cheers of a classic Sojourner coronation faded as Ying quietly slipped away and off the stage.
 
No one noticed that he had gone to a dark corner of the citadel, transformed into a natural sized eagle and flown over the walls and into the woods.

He returned to that same fallen tree trunk where he had first encountered Valhandra the night before.
 
Sitting in his human form, sorrow filled his heart as he thought of Mei Liang.
 
Why, after all this time, had destiny brought them together but only for so short a time?
 
It was unfair!

For the hand of a princess, a man will risk all.

And he had.

But lost.

For he had gained nothing; Mei Liang was gone.

Ying put his face into his hands, and heaved a dolorous sigh.
 
There were no words.
 
He only sat there until the sky turned dark and cold, for night had fallen.

“If only I could be with her once again, if only for a moment.”

A strong gust blew through the trees and sent a pile of fallen leaves into the air.
 
It hissed like steam from a rice pot, but to Ying’s surprise, the wind felt warm.
 
Ying looked up but, the wind started to blow so hard he had to shield his eyes from the debris.

While he did, the skin on his hands grew warm.

Golden light entered through the space between his fingers.

Before he heard any sound, he felt an overwhelming presence.

// MY SON, WHY ARE YOU SO DOWNCAST? //

Ying arose, removed his hands from his eyes and beheld a column of fire, stretching up from and burning in the middle of the ground, but there was no wood, no fuel of any sort.
 
The column swirled and pulsed with each word.

“You know all things, O great Valhandra.
 
Surely it is no mystery to you.”

// TELL ME YOUR TROUBLES //

“Did you not mean for Mei Liang and me to be together?
 
After all, against all odds you brought us into each other’s lives after so many years.
 
It could not have been by chance.
 
And yet, she has died.
 
And I, good as dead without her.”

// MY SON, YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU SPEAK OF.
 
MEI LIANG HAS FULFILLED HER CALLING AND HAS CROSSED THROUGH THE GREAT VEIL.
 
SHE IS ONLY NOW BEGINNING TO LIVE THE LIFE FOR WHICH SHE WAS CREATED //

Ying wanted to be angry but somehow in Valhandra’s glorious presence, he could not.
 
There was simply too much peace to feel anger, or sorrow which had filled his heart until now.
 
But his desire remained still.
 
For in His presence, Ying understood that the ultimate desire of anyone’s being was to be in the presence of his creator—it was wholly clear to him.

As was his desire to be with Mei Liang again.
 
“Sire, I humbly abide by all
You
decree, for Your will is perfect.
 
And yet—”

// YOU DESIRE TO BE WITH HER AGAIN //

“Yes.”

// COULD YOU NOT WAIT EVEN A SHORT WHILE? //

“What does the Creator of all that is consider a short while?”

// I CALL ALL TIMES A SHORT WHILE //

“Please, Sire.
 
I have never desired anything much in all of my life, short though it may be.
 
But to see Mei Liang again…I would do anything.”

// YOU MAY SEE HER AGAIN, YET.
 
BUT THAT PATH WOULD BE ARDUOUS.
 
ARE YOU WILLING TO walk IT, THOUGH IT
TAKE
FIVE HUNDRED YEARS? //

Ying did not permit himself to consider the implications.
 
“As
You
have called all times a short while, and as it is written, “
A thousand years is like a day in Your eyes
,” I am willing.”

At that very moment, the pillar of fire changed into the form of Valhandra’s countenance which, for the rest of Ying’s life on this side of the great veil, he could never quite describe as anything but pure glory.
 
Valhandra smiled and enveloped him with the warmth of a father’s embrace.

“
YOUR WISH SHALL BE GRANTED
.”

From that day forward, Ying remained as a hermit in the hills of Xingjia.
  
It is said that he lived for over four hundred years and had never tasted death. Through the rise of the Sojourner Kingdom, the many struggles to overcome the forces of Malakandor, the Prince of Darkness that warred in the spiritual and physical realms against Valhandra and His people, Ying was said to have become a seer with whom the Sojourner kings sought council.
 
And it is said that he endured centuries of namelessness and the deaths of many a friend, all in the hope that one day he would see Mei Liang again.

All for the hand of a princess.

A Note from the Author

Dear Friend,

Thank you for taking the time to read From the Ashes, a prequel to my novel ONCE WE WERE KINGS, sample chapters of which can be found directly following this note.
 
I hope you’ve enjoyed this brief trip into the history of the sojourners.
 
Whether you’ve already read Once We Were Kings already or have yet to enjoy it, I believe you’ll find hidden treasure of continuity, though events of From the Ashes predate those of Once We Were Kings by five hundred years.