"The Little Things"

The journey to the past

Zhao Yunlan entered Shen Wei's dark apartment and switched on the light. He looked to the right and jumped back when he saw an unmoving figure of his father sitting on the couch.

"Damn it, why are you sitting like that?"

"My apologies, Lord Zhao," Shennong Bo stood up and greeted him. "I came quite a while ago but did not wish to disturb. You were... preoccupied."

"Damn straight I was." Zhao regarded him for a moment, then sighed. "So," he began and scratched his nose nervously. "Are you sure that the passage in time has to be opened today?"

"The pathway in time always connects to places. As it was already opened in the past, I managed to trace it to its other end. Tonight."

"Ok, but Shen Wei clearly said that he was helped by an old herbalist. I'm not exactly.."

"A simple trick will do," smiled Shennong Bo and waved his hand. Zhao felt an odd tingling sensation and white hair cascaded down his shoulders. H looked down and whistled at the green robes he was wearing. He moved his hands and accidentally tugged at the long silver beard.

"Ah! Damn it! Is this necessary?" He pulled the beard experimentally, checking that it was joined by the long moustache. "That seems to be highly impractical." He ran to the bathroom mirror and whistled, checking his new looks. An ancient, wrinkled man was staring back at him. Zhao grinned happily, like a child who admires a party costume. "That is actually quite awesome. I don't feel any different." He returned to the room and looked at the man standing there. "So? How do we do it? Do you just open a portal, or..." he trailed off, waving his hands.

"Your humble servant cannot influence the time. I can, however, provide you with items that will aid you. First, this is a healing stone. It isn't too powerful. Yet, if you run into any trouble, you might find it useful. This is the incense aforementioned. If burnt in a closed space, it should prevent anyone from opening wormholes. Have you learned the inscriptions needed to create the seal and the sigil?"

"Of course," nodded the detective putting the newly received items safely into his robes. He accidentally pulled the beard and swore. He patted his side, checking that his pistol was there. He was not travelling to the past defenceless. He picked some items he had prepared, a flask with water, some bread. Then he looked at his father expectantly.

"Then this orb will take you back in time. It has two charges. Enough for your lordship to travel there, and once the mission is fulfilled, safely return to the present. Please remember not to disrupt the timeline too much." Shennong Bo bowed deeply, and Zhao frowned. He looked at the bowing man and lay a hand on his shoulder. The man straightened and looked back, and Yunlan wasn't sure if the eyes looking back at him belonged to the old god or to his father. He lightly squeezed the older man's shoulder briefly.

"I will be careful. So, how do I activate it?"

"Please think of the precise moment in time, and focus on it. It should be enough."

Zhao Yunlan closed his eyes and focused on the small orb. He started thinking about young Shen Wei, the night the boy was attacked by those despicable beasts. He had to get there in time to help. If only that bandit hadn't had those powers. If only...

Zhao landed in the middle of a burning village. There were dead bodies everywhere. Men, women, children. Yunlan jumped to his feet and reached for the pistol. He took it out, tugging his beard in the process, and swore. Then he looked around, frowning. The bodies carried marks of swords. This was not a beast attack.

He moved slowly, pistol at ready. There was a commotion near one of the houses, and he finally heard a screech of a beast. He ran and got there in time to see a muscular warrior being ripped to pieces by two shadow beasts. Zhao aimed and shot, and the two creatures turned to dust, and the dead body crumpled to the dirt.

"No!" Someone shouted.

A portal opened, and Zhao twisted around and saw a person running towards it. He aimed and followed the future enemy with the pistol. He could end all of this by pulling the trigger. And yet his hand trembled, and he lowered it helplessly as he watched the figure disappear in the dark portal.

The figure of a skinny boy not even ten years old.

Zhao Yunlan laughed mirthlessly at the cruel turn out of the events, staring blankly ahead. The second he was supposed to travel back in time, his useless mind provided him with a sudden thought of a moment when their adversary had gained his powers. And so, he ended up at a much earlier place in time.

 Shit.

"Old man..." a soft, male voice brought him back to his senses. He looked around and saw a wounded man reaching out to him. He quickly walked up and knelt down beside him. He looked at the extensive injuries and knew he could do nothing to help. A shaky hand reached out and grabbed the side of his robes. "I have lost my entire family today." The man coughed. "Those evil bastards murdered our entire village. Luckily the boy avenged us. Please, before I join my wife and our sons." He coughed again, and blood trickled down his chin. Zhao helplessly held the man's hand, the only way of comfort. "My family's heirloom. It is of ancient Dixing origin. Find a virtuous hero who will be worthy wielding it." The man produced a blade with a shaky hand and thrust it at Zhao, who looked at it astounded.

"I will," he promised. "I know just the right person. He will be a great leader, and he will establish peace between all races."

"Then I can go." the man said quietly, letting out his last breath.

Zhao Yunlan stared in disbelief at the ornate scabbard holding the blade that will never become blunt. What were the odds? He stood up and looked around at the cinders of what used to be a village. With half of the orb's power gone, he would have to stay and live in these strange lands until the right time comes. He decided to start by digging graves for all the bodies. Those people deserved a proper burial. He bent down to move the first one, and the said orb fell out of his sleeve. He swore, picked it up and looked at the small thing. "Why couldn't you just..." The globe shone brightly, and Zhao panicked. "Oh, no, no, no, I didn't tell you to... Crap!" He closed his eyes and focused.