Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction Group 2 - 2 | Page 87

She fought in the midst of the chaos, bow cast away, her sword drawn, engaged in hand-to-hand
combat, well sword-to-sword combat, deadly sharp knives tucked into her boots and belt. She made the
fight a lethal dance, weaving around the Valew Zheng He was pretty sure was a lord, which means that the
Valew was one of the best fighters. She was skilled, both in physical training and her “ability training”, so
bone-shattering shadows crept unseen and destroyed places her jagged sword failed to reach, and shields
protected wherever her defences failed. She was a whirlwind in a fury, a maelstrom.
However, despite her skills, she soon got a slice to her upper arm. Red blood flowed freely, blooming
on the embroidered tunic she had been wearing and had not gotten a chance to change out of, and dripping
onto her prized vambraces. She snarled, some feral instinct she kept on a tight, tight leash slipping. She leapt
onto the pirate and she brought her sword down…
The Valew’s head just fell off and rolled around the deck, as the people in close proximity retched and
looked away.
She continued the fatal choreography until the bodies of dead soldiers lay scattered by her feet, her blade
a wine red, blood-spattered head to toe. She turned away, and began hauling the mauled bodies into the
water.
That night, she fell asleep under the stars, lulled to unconsciousness by the voices cheering “ Mei An! Mei
An! Mei An! Mei An… ”
Epilogue:
As the sun sets, tears are forgotten.
Though loved ones were lost,
None were broken.
The heroes were tossed
Into the air
As cheers sounded,
Everywhere
People stumbled towards bed
To celebrate the precious dead.
In one night, things changed
The tides turned.
For good, or for better,
Only time will tell.
~ Chalsie Choi