The place was still alive.Laugh and jokes surrounded the place.Children smiling.Their innocence still existed unlike mine .
Tenzin didn't care if we or his gang agreed or not.Of course,he didn't care about the fact that there were civilians all around.
He moved from the left flank, forcing the crowd toward the silk stalls.He then struck ahead with his dao and made a cut.Not a kill blow but enough for two sides to start attacking.
Dannyal grabbed Wang and stepped aside.They retreated toward a collapsed dye stand, its vats spilling blue across the ground.While stepping aside,someone attacked them.I kicked to throw them aside.It sounds funny writing it.
Tenzin started cutting through.He shouted an order in Tibetan.His gang understood the command.They striked ahead.Three of his men broke forward, forming a loose arc that pushed civilians inward.
I noticed a child.Crying because his ice cream fell on the ground.Tenzin ran to lung at the group not knowing that a child might get hurt...more like not caring.
My grip tightened on my sword.I want no innocence to be destroyed in my journey no matter how many sacrifice I am willing to give.
Dannyal grabbed my wrist from behind.Real hard.He had no impressions,"You know what you're doing?"I nodded.
Went ahead and took the child.He asked while crying,"Miss,I can't find my mom." "I'll find her."
I left the child to Dannyal.The moment I walked ahead,Wang followed me a bit and screamed from behind,"Miss,three breaths then move to left."
I didn't analyze just moved left hearing Wang. A heartbeat later, a runaway cart tore through the space I'd been standing.
Dannyal walked to Wang,"It's dangerous.Stay here."He muttered, "And no maths during fights."
Meanwhile Tenzin and his gang were fighting.Tenzin stroked with a punch only for it to be missed.The other leader turned him up and threw him over a stall.
The owner ran away.Tenzin stood up,grabbed a lantern and threw it on the leader.He slightly missed it. Otherwise,it would have burnt his face.
Then they started a hand on hand final boss type fight. The leader kicked first only for it to be avoided by Tenzin. He moved to the left then kicked back but the leader went under and stood up with a punch. That punch made Tenzin inevitable to stand.
I stood there unable to decide what to do.Protect Tenzin,the wrong one?No,I shall protect the civilians. The fact that I even thought about protecting Tenzin once showed how far I had come from my morals.
People were running all around.Silks once portrayed lavishly in shops were now under people's feet. Local thieves took benefit from it the most.
They Pickpocketed everything they could. I guided the people to the exit. Gladly the child reunited with his mother.
Tenzin and his gang tried fighting.Their fight destroyed stalls nearby,inviting guards and soldiers.
The moment they rushed in, the rival gang fled. Unlike Tenzin's gang they were scared of the government.
Tenzin became way too injured to even stand on his own.I grabbed him by his shoulder helping him escape from the guards.Leaving him would've been easier. That terrified me.
Dannyal disliked the idea of saving him instead of leaving him there to rot there.He didn't argue. That hurt more.
The place had turned into a mess.I will never be able to have good memories in markets.Not because of the blood — but because I'd learned how easily I could justify it.
We took shelter under a hidden place known to rebels. Tenzin was being treated. It was a shady small cabin just like the job of rebels. Lights flickering through lanterns. Mats all around to sit.
I felt like I chose the 'losers' side seeing them defeated from a fight they chose themselves. Pathetic !
Dannyal whispered,"We need to talk." He pulled me on a side outside the room. He held me by my shoulders and asked "What the heck are we doing with them? Aren't we the 'harbingers of peace' ?"
"We didn't have any other way."
"Don't you understand that is a pathetic excuse?"
"They were just a bit of sacrifice for greater good."
"Oh,then what's the difference between you and Tenzin?At the end of the day,both of you kill for their aims."
"But I ha–"
"What do you have?" He said with a bit louder voice,then he added,"The last time we were at a market,we fought for the other side.Don't you remember? "
"I'm sorry,but,what do we do now?" I asked lowering my head.
"Simple,we get them caught."
"Right.But where?"
" In the Golden Palace. "
Dannyal turned back to go,then turned towards me and said,"I'm not mad...just a bit scared of losing your morals."
Tenzin came out of the door and asked,"What are you two love birds chirping about?" We both yelled in unison with our hands crossed,"Eww!"
Tenzin added,"Don't act like that,We will raid a village tomorrow, then we will go to the Golden Palace to see the Song competition."
Wang added,"Are we going to collect information in the Song Competition?" Tenzin replied patting on Wang's back,"Seems like there's only one intelligent member in this entire gang."
The next day,we went to the Chinese countryside. It had everything to calm my mind.
It had mud paths,morning dews. Distant fields with rice paddies. There were wooden waterwheels groaning slowly. Men running while ox bells clinking, uneven rhythms.
Smoke from cooking fires with faint sweetness. Tea leaves, bitter and warm. Distant rooster calls, overlapping with other sounds. Women washing clothes. Water slapping stones while wind blew through bamboos.
I memorized it the way people do when they know something won't last. But will I really be able to destroy it?
It made me remember of the times I spent with Alex under that specific tree on a green field surrounded by mountains and small rivers.I always had a green tea in my cold hands.
We sat under a bamboo tree for a while Tenzin and his group were taking preparations. Dannyal said with a gruff,"I kind of preferred traveling as a duo." Wang sitting beside him," I thought you liked me,mister." Dannyal said putting his hand on his head,"I mean as a trio."
I was sipping my green tea and thinking,what is the point of all this struggle?I'll die one day anyway.I should probably instead settle down here in this calm village. All those people look so happy. And one day,a group of rebels will take my life.
But if I don't die here, rather die in a battlefield,still a soldier will take my life anyway. Only difference is here I will die after life of peace and there after a life of struggle.
While I was lost in thoughts,Dannyal pushed me a bit with his shoulder and asked,"You thinking of settling down here?"
I looked at him with surprise,is he by any chance reading my mind,then I started cursing him in my mind to check out if I was correct.
"Why are you looking at me like that ?" " Nevermind," I said turning towards my tea with relief that he wasn't reading my mind.
He looked towards the field and said," I wouldn't mind working at that field for the rest of my life...with you though." "Nah,I would mind."I said non chalantly because aura is more important.
But maybe I don't mind as well. Well as long as he keeps joking.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, Tenzin came and said,"Let's go!Kill none,just loot!" And they all attacked.
The villagers started running to and fro getting scared at how we were charging towards them.
It was easy to destroy a peaceful place with no protection rather than win a fight in a market.Right?
But soldiers started running towards us the moment we entered the village.We all were surprised as it was not normal for a village to have that much security...except Tenzin.
His expression felt like he had it planned all along.He wasn't surprised. That was the moment I understood we were never allies — only tools.Is he going to do the same we planned to do to him?