When I reach my room, I lean against the wall, taking a moment.

  Once I feel in control of myself, I look for the servant who usually works near my room. I find her quickly, and she agrees to show me the way to Master Qiu Tai’s room.

  A short walk and a soft knock ter, Qiu Tai opens the door to her room. I pause, surprised to see her with her hair down.

  “Junior Sister Lin,” Qiu Tai says with surprise, her gaze becoming cautious. “What brings you here?”

  “Master Zhao Chung called me to speak with him.” I say, some of my worry leaking into my voice.

  Qiu Tai’s eyes sharpen. “Come in.” She says to me, before turning to the servant who brought me. “Thank you for bringing her to me.”

  The servant bows, “Of course, Master Qiu Tai.” She says, before turning to leave.

  Qiu Tai watches as the servant leaves before closing the door and turning to me “What happened?”

  I tell her the entire conversation as I remember it. She sits quietly as I recite what we discussed, her expression not showing any of her thoughts. When I’m finished, she exhales in relief.

  “You worried me, Junior Sister. From your expression, I’d thought something horrible had happened.” She says, her expression softening into a smile. “I suppose I have been showing you quite a lot of attention tely, I’m not surprised Zhao Chung became curious.”

  Her nonchance is reassuring, and as I look back at our conversation, I realize Master Zhao Chung hadn’t actually done anything wrong.

  “Your response to his question was perfectly reasonable. You shouldn’t be telling anyone you don’t want to, your cultivation arts.” Qiu Tai continues. “In fact, I would recommend not telling anyone you don’t trust with your life.”

  “So I was just overthinking things? I don’t need to be wary of him?” I ask her, feeling a little embarrassed about my overreaction.

  “Well…” Qiu Tai starts, “Master Zhao Chung is not someone to take lightly. Him and I, we both want the same thing. We will both go to great lengths to achieve what we want.”

  “What do you both want?”.

  “It’s not exactly a secret.” Qiu Tai pauses, her eyes seeming to weigh me and who I am. “We both want to be the next Elder of the sect.”

  I look down into my palms, thinking. In other words, by supporting Qiu Tai, I’ve chosen a side in a political battle. Zhao Chung is not a person I can trust.

  I nod, looking back up at Qiu Tai. “I understand.”

  Qiu Tai smiles, holding her hand out to me.

  I hold her hand as we both stand up.

  “Good. You should get to sleep then. I’m sure you have much to do tomorrow”

  ***

  I spend the next few weeks practicing my spirit sense, solidifying my current cultivation and continuing to learn the art of the sword from the first Requiem. After two weeks, I feel comfortable enough to py the third requiem again. This time, I cry after watching the woman murder the man.

  A month ter, and a week before my thirteenth birthday, I feel myself become ready for the next step.

  The Fourth Requiem: Sacrifice

  Every Requiem brings with it emotions I find hard to handle. The very sight of the page where it is written, twists my heart.

  I sit in my room, my flute in my p and The Twelve Requiems of Illusion open in front of me.

  I close my eyes, breathing in and out as I prepare myself to py.

  I bring the flute up to my lips. I open my eyes to see the manual floating in front of me.

  Softly, I py.

  Each note starts out strong before fading.

  Low, soft notes py out, somehow filling the room.

  The world shifts around me.

  My warmly lit room twists into a cold room surrounded by stone walls and lit by torch light.

  A man holds a woman there, both swaying to the beat of the music.

  A loud drum starts to beat as the sounds of shouts echo down the hallway into the room.

  The man leans forward, whispering into the woman’s ear.

  Then he pulls away from her.

  She reaches for him, her hand tugging on the back of his shirt.

  He turns to smile at her.

  He holds his hand out, qi gathering within him.

  Shadow bursts from him, gathering around her until only the wall behind her can be seen and she is invisible.

  The drums draw closer, their beat growing louder with the notes of my music.

  Each note of my flute sounds loud with the drum, before fading with it.

  Humans in bloodied armor burst into the room.

  The man calls to them, yelling at them before running.

  They follow him and my vision follows him as well.

  Eventually, he turns, drawing the sword at his waist.

  He fights bravely, his strikes following the music of my song.

  Soon he dies, a sword through his heart killing him.

  A look of triumph, however, never leaves his eyes.

  My vision is brought back to the woman.

  She leaves the shadow long after the battle, and she sees him.

  He lies there, dead, but with a smile on his face.

  I know why he smiles. He smiles because she lives.

  The song fades, and I set my flute down. This time, it wasn’t what I expected. I stare at my flute. A single tear streams down my face before I wipe it away with the sleeve of my robe.

  It’s strange, witnessing death over and over again. I can’t really describe the feeling, but it no longer gives me the burst of emotion it used to. Instead, I feel this deep sorrow to the core of my spirit.

  The man died for that woman.

  Would I do the same for another person?

  I don’t know. I want to think I would do the same.

  I leave my room, walking out of the building to stare at the star filled sky. I stay there for the rest of the night, only the sound of the flowing water from a nearby stream to accompany me.

  ***

  The morning of my thirteenth birthday is a normal day. Very different from my birthday st year where my father had thrown a rge party, inviting every influential person he could to attend.

  I y in bed for a moment, having woken up earlier than usual. I feel a small ache in my heart from remembering my father. I wonder how he is doing? First mother, and now I, have gone from his life.

  I get up slowly from my bed, opening the shutters of my window to show the sun is just starting to rise in the sky.

  I pull out my flute, pying softly on it. Another song my mother taught me, almost gone from my memory now.

  It will be at least another two years before I’m allowed to leave the sect. When I do, I hope to check up on my father. I wonder if he’ll recognize me? I’ll have grown so much by then.

  A bird nds on the tree outside of my window, looking almost as if it is listening to my music. The small creature hops on the branch, another bird joining in the fun a moment ter.zhu

  I try not to smile as I watch the birds dance. Eventually, I can’t help it and I have to set the flute down to ugh at the pyful creatures.

  “It seems your morning is going well.” An elderly voice says from behind me.

  I turn around with a rge smile “Uncle Zhu! It’s been so long!” I say, hugging the old man. I pull away, frowning as I look up at him. “Have you gotten shorter?”

  “Bah!” Elder Zhu gently pushes me away, trying to hide a happy smile. “I’ve been busy, and you’ve been growing taller Little Miss Lin. My height hasn’t changed.”

  “Maybe…” I tease him, my good mood from the birds impossible to hide.

  Elder Zhu sagely ignores my comment. “I’ve been hearing good things about you, Little Miss Lin. Already at the Fourth Level of Qi Awakening, handily defeating another cultivator in a duel…. You’re making quite the name for yourself.”

  I shy away at the compliment, fiddling with my flute to hide my embarrassment. “What brings you here this morning Uncle Zhu?”

  He raises an eyebrow at me, “How could I miss your first birthday in the sect?”

  “I’m surprised you remembered.” I look back out the window at the birds, a small smile on my face in spite of my next words “I thought no one would remember.”

  “I’m sure those two friends of yours already have something pnned.” Elder Zhu says.

  I look back at him, jumping up and down a little bit as I change the topic. “What’d you bring me?”

  “I don’t know what you mean.” Elder Zhu looks away from me.

  “Oh,” I say, looking down.

  “Now that you mention it, I do have this ring…”

  I jump up, grabbing the ring from his hand to look at it. It looks like a pin bronze ring, but I know better than to judge items by their appearance. “What is it?”

  “A ring of protection. It’s designed to save your life from a fatal attack up to the nascent soul level. “ Elder Zhu says smugly.

  My eyes widen as I stare at the ring, then back to Elder Zhu, then back to the ring. “This is more than I ever expected. Thank you Uncle Zhu.”

  Elder Zhu scratches his beard, trying to hide his embarrassment from being thanked. “Think nothing of it. I promised your father I would keep you safe, and that’s what I intend to do.”

  “How is my father? I’ve been worried.” I pce the bronze ring on my finger and study it on my hand.

  “He’s been busy with the news of the dying Emperor.” An expression I can’t read fshes over his face before he continues, “He asked after you the st time I saw him.”

  “The Emperor’s dying?” I ask, surprised I hadn’t already heard the news.

  “Indeed. Every royal in the imperial pace is vying for favor and power. There will likely be war soon.” Elder Zhu walks over to stare out the same window I’d been looking through.

  “What will the sect do if there is war?”.

  “That is up for the matriarch to decide. Whatever she decides, the Elders will follow and so will the rest of the sect.” Elder Zhu lifts his hand and the bird I was watching earlier flies over, nding on his finger. He turns to look at me, the bird still perched happily. “No matter what, no harm will come to you, I will make sure of that.”

  “What of my father?” I know the answer, but I ask anyway.

  “He is his own man. He decides his own fate.” The Elder’s words carry weight with them, and the bird flies off of his finger.

  The room is quiet as we watch the sun rise above the horizon.

  “The sun will rise every morning and set every night… and yet, no one knows what the future might hold, Little Miss Lin. Things always change, anyone who cims to know what changes are coming is a fool.” Elder Zhu looks off into the distance. “I’m afraid I must leave. Enjoy your birthday little one, and do not let this old man’s words weigh heavily on your heart.”

  With those words, Elder Zhu disappears from my room.

  I set my gaze out my window, watching the sky brighten until a knock on my door reminds me of the world outside my thoughts.

  “Sister Lin! Are you awake yet?” Xia Jing asks through the door.

  “One moment,” I grab my sword and adjust my flute. “I’ll be right out.”