Continuation of Chapter 2...
Back in the present times, The village of Hanyu Pinyin was peaceful once again ever since the the complete annihilation of the Shirai Ryu. Over the years a large temple was constructed where the people of the village would worship their ancestors and the Thunder God, Raiden. The temple's courtyard was also a popular playground for all the youngsters who would meet up everyday and play their games.
Ever since the abduction of Bi Han and Kuai Liang so many years ago, there were no cryomancers left who had control of the element of ice, until the birth of a baby girl to a young happy couple. Her name was Sung Fi Yun. Even as a small child she unknowingly and playfully used to Freeze things. Her parents were bewildered by her powers and decided to keep it a secret from the outside world for fear of her safety. As Sung grew to 6 yrs old, she could not mingle well with the other children of her village who considered her as a freak due to her palish skin and accidental ice blasts. Her only friend was a boy her age named Zhao Dian Wu.
When the Lin Kuei had attacked the Shirai Ryu village, killing all in their path, a mortally injured mother had escaped with baby Zhao and travelled many days through the forests of Pinyin untill she came to the village of Hanyu Pinyin. She knocked at the dwellings of Sung's parents and begged them to take him in and raise him with love as she could no more. Though she belonged to the Shirai Ryu clan, who had terrorised their village for generations, Sung's parents out of sympathy and kindness reassured her that they would raise baby Zhao as their own. The mother, having being reassured, kissed her baby one last time before passing away. Ever since, they raised baby Sung and baby Zhao together and kept Zhao's real identity as a secret for fear of expulsion from the village and claimed him as their own. They raised both Sung and Zhao with equal loving care. They both were cheerful children always laughing, happy and having fun.
But as they grew older Sung's random bursts used to hurt and scare other children away. She realised that her ice powers were somewhat linked to her emotions but she could not control them since she was only a child. Zhao himself, too was a very unique child. He somehow seemed able to resist Sung's accidental ice blasts and never get injured. He was quite atheletic as well, displaying skills which could only be performed by peak atheletes. He also seemed to have an accelarated healing factor if at all he got seriously injured and would be all healed up in no time.
It was these characteristics that made the children bond closer as they understood how each other felt.
The village used to serve as a safe haven for all victims of the feudal wars and inter-clan battles as well which had started right from when the Cryomancers had originally come to Earthrealm. Hundreds of refugees used to come and go from the village every year. One day as Sung and Zhao were playing at the front of their house, a tall, enigmatic man emerged from the forests. He was heavily clothed, having a black cloak and a hood. The hood covered most of his face and its shadow extended downwards only revealing his lips and chin. His arms were fully covered with a peculiar type of black glove, which was an uncommon way of dressing in the surronding areas. As the man approached , Sung called out to her mother. Her mother approached the man and asked him, " Who are you and why have you come here?". "I am headed to the village of Yuan Xu, my hometown. Unfortunately I had lost my way and roamed around the forest for days untill I stumbled upon this village. As you can see I have run out of food and water. I just need shelter in this village for a few days and resupply myself" The man replied with a grim voice. Sung's mother, though suspicious of his motives, replied "You may speak to our village headman, Im sure he will provide you with a hut, his stays at the third house from the left of this route".
"Thank You" the man replied and left.
As the man left Sung spoke to her mother "You know mother, there is something about that man that is interesting but yet he looks scary at the same time."
Her mother said "Don't worry my dear, Just stay away from him, he seems suspicious to me too, but all will be alright".
"Ha!! He won't be able to lay a finger on us with my incredible speed and acrobatics!!" Zhao said as he playfully performed a handstand followed by a cartwheel.
"Pffff, you are always full of yourself Zhao!!" Sung replied.
"TAG!!! You are it!!" Zhao replied and he ran as fast as he could. The children continued playing after that.
Although Sung enjoyed playing with Zhao at home she missed playing at the temple courtyard. A few days later as Sung's parents sat upon a chair holding hands with Sung and Zhao and Zhao sitting on their laps, Sung asked "Mother?"
"Yes Sung" she replied.
"Can me and Zhao go to the temple? I want to play with my old friends again too, I promise Ill be careful." Sung smiled as she asked.
"Of course you can, just be careful." Their mother said.
"We are always carefully. Try and and beat me to the temple, Sung!!" Zhao said, as he jumped from his father's lap and ran fast to the temple.
"No! Wait! You got a head start!" Sung replied as she too get off her mother's lap and tried to keep up with Zhao.
As they approached the temple, they had started hearing rustling in the nearby bushes,
Zhao freaked out and yelled "OH NO!!! THAT SCARY MAN IS AFTER US!!!" and prepared to run.
Sung laughed and quickly held onto him and said "Wait Silly, its only a rabbit. And sure you would protect us with your 'amazing acrobatic skills'. "
" Oh well, I was just checking how loud I could shout." Zhao replied with a smirk.
But as they closed in on the temple, they had started hearing screams as the other children who were playing there were running away.
An unidentified voice shouted, " Find the children, do not let them escape! Some of them pocess powers!!"
Sung and Zhao got frightened and they ran inside the temple to hide.
"What do we do?" Zhao whispered.
"We can't stay here for long Zhao, you are faster than me, go inform mother and father about the attack. I will come soon." Sung replied.
"But..." Zhao said quickly.
"But nothing, just go" Sung said re-assuring Zhao she would be safe.
As Zhao ran out towards the village, few masked men dressed in Orange and Black stepped into the temple. "We know you are in here somewhere! Come on out!!"
Sung suddenly heard a loud shriek from the opposite side of the temple and another child who was hiding there ran towards the men weilding a sword. However one of the men skillfully grabbed the sword from the child sliced the innocent child in half from his head, in one powerful swipe.
Sung closed her eyes and shivered as the child's blood splattered across the temple. But she knew she had to intervene in order to prevent more deaths. With sheer rage and anger she dashed out of her hiding spot and materialized a ball of ice in her hands and propelled it towards one of the masked men. However the ice ball wasnt strong enough and it had only managed to freeze his legs. The man looked at her and yelled "This one is mine!!!". As he yelled he retracted two three bladed claws from either of his gauntlets and broke away the ice emcompassing his legs and charged towards Sung. Sung, totally shaken and afraid now fell down backwards, closed her eyes and screamed as the man charged to impale her with her claws.
To Be Continued...