Sword of Honor

Chapter 15

As night fall, I made myself settled on a tree just gazing at the moon. While the young prince is in his tent. I pulled out Mulan from my bag sack and the white jade flute I have found in my parents room.

I forgotten about it even since my visit to my parents grave. This was mother's favorite a gift from father as his wedding present to her. Something she loves and something she can always remember the love she has for him.

Mother taught me a little but I was never any good at it like her. "Why not give it a try?" I shrugged muttering to myself and brought the top under my lips and my fingers at the air holes I played the flute in a relaxing tune.

The soothing melody created a harmonic song. The forest became my audience. Then my ears perked up along with the tune of my flute I could hear distant singing. Mimicking the same note as the flute. I continued along with it. The flute and the melody harmonize as one except as I listen carefully at the singing, it sounded sad like its life no longer is of concern.

I stop playing and rose up looking at the moonlight sky. Wondering my eyes using my advance sight of seeing to look beyond the ocean. Where was that singing coming from? And does why does it sound sad?

Rustle movement caught my ears. Through the forest, I found three of Khan's men with weapons in their hands ready to jump us.

With a smooth fall to the ground. I rush to Ling waking him up. "Get up, we have to go."

He gaze me with his lazy expression and rubbed his eyes. "Jie? What is going on?"

"No time to explain," I whispered then put out the fire.

I dragged his arm running from Khan's men. Running fast through the forest in the dark.

I could hear the rapid beating heart from Ling's sounds of worries and fright. Of course he should feel scared, three men from a vicious warlord is out to get us. I'm not going to let that happen. I have to protect the prince.

I ears caught galloping hooves ten feet behind us.

Crap!

"Ling, you got to hang on tight."

"Why?" I could almost tell he's confuse.

I didn't reply but lift his body behind my back as I shifted increasing my speed and climb up the largest tree I could find. Ling's arms and legs were hook around my neck and stomach that I could feel his heart racing much more.

"Oh my god!" he shrieked. "Jie are you crazy. This is high. We are very high on top of a tree."

I ignored his distress and with the enhance vision I saw three of Khan's men down below looking for us. I caught them talking.

"What the hell-" said the first one with the bald head and their tattoo behind it. "Where did they go?"

"They can't just disappear like that?" Said a scrawny man with long hair that hasn't been washed for days.

"So the rumors were true," I recognize him as the second-in-command, Xin. He lift his head up looking for something. "It seems the lady has the same skill as our little songbird."

"You don't mean that there is another crazy doctor like Albert Hyde."

Albert Hyde? There is another doctor like Father.

"Probably," he smirked circling around on his mount. "If she's like our songbird then the Boss will surely want her as his new collection." One last look up I felt his eyes on one place and that is where I stand. Shivers ran down my spine. I let out a lowly growl. "Let's go!"

He ordered and the other two followed him as they rode away until they are far enough to get done. No longer in my sight. I climbed down swiftly until my feet hit the dry leaves beneath my boots.

Ling heaved trying to gather air. "Jie" he intake before speaking. "Next time warn me."

"I did," I never look away from the direction where Khan's men left. When Ling finally return his heart back to its normal pace he stood next to me.

"What were they talking about?" Knowing that Xin and the other two were talking I told the prince.

"They are holding someone captive," I say.

"They kidnapped someone?" He said skeptically. "Who? Was it one of our people?"

I shook my head. "No, I heard Xin said little music shell . Whatever that means."

"Magic Shell?" Ling paused for a while thinking of the name.

I pivot my feet heading to the direction of the mountain.

"Jie! Where are you going?" Ling called out.

"Twin Dragon peak ."

"What about Khan's prisoner? We can't let he or she be held captive by a brute like him."

"Pearl first than we go rescue," I say. "We might never know if their prisoner is one of the Jin people the fact Khan and his men travels around the world who knows what he could have done at someone else's country. They are not our problem."

"But that person will die."

"With Khan's personality keeping a person like a treasure they won't die. We have to get to Twin Dragon Peak before they find us again."

"Jie!" Ling rose his voice and put me in a halt. "What's more important? The pearl or a person's life."

Why would he ask me on a very difficult situation? My mission was to retrieve the Pearl. Then again, Ling is right on the spot. A person's life is on the line. I groan in frustration. Looking back at the young prince.

"Why are you always persistent?" I ask in annoyance.

Ling smiled. "My father taught me."

I can see that didn't stop the family trait.

I groaned. "Fine, lets go back to camp. We need our horses to find Khan's hideout."

"I knew you wouldn't back down on a small rescuing mission." He smirked playfully.

"Wipe that look off your face and let's go." Rolling my eyes as both Ling and I head back to camp.

I sure hope know what I am doing. Putting the mission on hold and created a new mission on rescuing a person who I don't even know.