Myrrinna crawled, grunted, breathing deeply, and trying to clear her mind. Her once white haori now blossomed with pink. Myrrinna felt the undergrowth bring jolting pains through her body. That didn’t hurt as much as losing Jung did, she had made a promise and she was one to keep her promises.

Leaning against a tree, shuddering breaths resounded in the silent forest. Alone, alone again. Myrrinna reached for her portal glass pouch, wincing in pain she drew out mirror shards.

“Damn it, damn it, damn it.” Myrrinna wiped her cheek, repeatedly. Jung was dead. Her promise, damn it, her promise. Drawing a sabre, she used the blade to force herself up, stumbled, and then got back up again. She ignored the heat on her brow and the blisters on her cut feet; she was going to reach Jhin.

A cool sensation awoke her. Myrrinna saw a familiar face, a face etched with a frown. Xiao bent her head over to Myrrinna’s drawing the sweat away. A kind face, she could be determined and would protect her cub s as fiercely as any tiger.

Something about the expression on her face confirmed that she already knew. She would grieve for her little cub, her little Jung. Bad enough to lose one child but to lose all three, broke Myrrinna’s heart. This proud humble woman had a will of iron but she crumpled before Myrrinna.

“I am so sorry, Xiao.” Xiao wiped away the tears again and again. Myrrinna brought and hand up to her face.

“He wanted me to tell you that he loved you.”

“He always was a good boy. He had come to love you as a sister, you should know that.” Myrrinna raised herself up and tried to stumble away from Xiao. She didn’t understand why it hurt to know that he thought of her as a sister. Myrrinna had never really had a family not since they were burned along with Kendra but she knew that there was one rule. If the one you love is hurt, whoever hurt them will taste bitter steel.

“Myrrinna, wait. Please, just tell me how it happened.”

“I don’t remember how it happened, I have to leave.” She tried to go but her body disagreed she felt the floor come up to meet her.

There was something heavy on top of the sheets of the bed. Myrrinna raised her head, noticing the embellished sabre in a sheath, the intricate pattern on the scabbard depicting a rising wave. Something bothered her about the weapon, before she recognised Jung’s weapon.

“Xiao, why is that there? It’s his not mine.” Xiao appeared carrying a tray with two cups of scalding green tea. Someone appeared behind her. Zheng, the old man’s wispy hair and oculars gave him the appearance of a crazed fool but she knew him to be harmless. He was a renowned portal glass maker; he had made Myrrinna’s own portal glasses. There was something within him though, he had been shattered at some point in his life, but Myrrinna didn’t know when.

“I would not be so quick to dismiss the sword; there is something that I should tell you. Kieto has gone missing; there has been no word from the village.” This was not a ploy to keep her from leaving so soon back to the West. They knew that they had her. She reached for the blade and drawing the sabre from the sheath, its edge glistening like a wave thrashing the shore. Myrrinna knew she had had to go and see if she could find Kieto. Xiao’s expression darkened as she watched as Myrrinna stood up from the bed, she winced.

“Myrrinna I don’t think that this is a good idea. I know that Kieto is a sister to you but you need to rest, you have put extreme stress on your body, it will take time until you’re up to full strength.”

"You expect me to leave a child to fend for herself? I know that I can be cold sometimes but I am not a monster. She means something to me and with family you protect them or you avenge them with bitter steel.” Xiao moved to block her path, Myrrinna used the only retaliation that she knew.

“He died because those bastards filled him with musket balls, they shot him again and again until he choked on his own blood. Then I spared one who shot him. He was no family of mine; I did not want to avenge him. I laughed as he died.”

“Myrrinna, I know you’re hurting but this is not the way to show it.” Zheng blocked her path now; she drew the sword and levelled it at his throat, a bead of blood forming on his neck.

“Move now! I said move, don’t make me hurt you.” Zheng backed away, the doorway in front of her, there was a path to the outside world and she could take it.

“Xiao, I didn’t mean any of that. He made me promise, he made me promise to tell you that he loved you. I have to be the mother to the girl that doesn’t have anyone.” Xiao didn’t look at her as Myrrinna left the house. That hurt the most of all.

“Stop, Myrrinna!” Myrrinna turned around to see Guan Hai and his lackeys approaching, they had buckled their sabres to their belts, their deadly glinting steel reflecting the sunshine as they came ever closer. Guan Hai was a man in his youth; in truth he was not much older than she was. He liked to lord his prowess in battle over the younger recruits. He was thick in shoulder and he was mostly just brawn, that was what made him deadly. Myrrinna far exceeded his skill in essence though and they both knew it.

Hujin, Guan’s best friend, stepped up to face her. “You’re not allowed to wear that blade, you haven’t trained up to the fourth rank of Sea sword.”

“Move out of my way, Hujin.” But Hujin didn’t get out of her way instead he stepped closer and reached for the hilt of her blade, his portal glass in his other hand. But Myrrinna was quicker, she lashed out bringing the pommel down on to the man‘s wrist. There was a sharp intake of breath as Hujin began to cradle his wrist. He whined and whined as Myrrinna stepped into the arc of the first blade, bringing up the weapon in a defensive position. Before using Hujin’s dropped portal glass to appear before them with a knife to Guan Hai’s throat.

“I told you to move, now do as I say or I will give you a red smile.” Guan tried not to move too much he thought Myrrinna was being serious. Myrrinna supposed that she was being serious. Kieto mean a lot to her and she couldn’t leave a mirror mage to the whims of the Burned Men. Myrrinna wondered if Kieto knew she was shattered or whether she just ignored it and imagined herself as a whole.

Myrrinna supposed that she was being serious. Kieto mean a lot to her and she couldn’t leave a mirror mage to the whims of the Burned Men. Myrrinna wondered if Kieto knew she was shattered or whether she just ignored it and imagined herself as a whole.

“Next time, witch, I am going to break every bone in your body. I heard your lapdog Jung got shattered and shot.” Myrrinna lost her sword… lost it in Hujin’s chest. She was suddenly surrounded. The wave blade seemed to have gained some sort of sentience as it blocked the attacks with ease, she broke arms and noses. Guan Hai was left limping away.

“You know what happens when you don’t listen to me.” She pressed west; she would go as far as Isladoone if she had to. Myrrinna managed to get as far as seven miles out of the village before realizing that she hadn’t brought any food or water with her. Then she saw a horse riding the banner of the mirror diamond of Eshara Zhao. “What news do you bear messenger, good or ill?”

“I bear ill news, the village to the west has been raided by Burned Men said to have been sent by the cardinal in vengeance for his daughter.”