Bridge Across the Land

In a blink of an eye, the ground is dyed red and carcasses lie all about; people flee and birds scatter, dusts fly and dirt is gyrating. People have never heard of such weapons and such rapid-fire slaughter seems inexplicable without knowing why. Angela is mute and dumbfounded, wanting to go but cannot. She eyes everything around her hastily and sees that the rest of the soldiers and clergy members are tied to the stake, breaking out in a cold sweat… His sword alternately and consecutively draws circular patterns at the wrist, slicing dicing in an upward motion. When he turns around, he pecks the clergy's wrist stylishly and steadily. Without delay, he kicks the administrator off and turns right around to cut all the ropes on the stake…Father Peter crawls then stands up in his ragged robes. Seeing that they have escaped, he shouts an order, “Devil's army rescued her! Warriors, fight for God!" …“Why?!” Angela punches him in the face and hateful fists come down like rain, “Why!? Why!? Boohoo--” Tianyin leans his face to one side, as rigid as a puppet. He lets her beat him violently with her weak fists; his insides are dry and bitter, his entire body frozen and benumbed. Woe tumbles forth. He does not know how to breathe. The evening radiance is as if drunk; the sun has dipped into the western mountains. Angela's arms are tired and powerless, while rocking she also collapses onto the ground. The halo around the glowing clouds is a thick yellow. Beneath the green pine, two lonely shadows intersect, guarding Hesig's corpse; they are nailed in place as a golden light bathes them. Soon, a flame cremates the remains; red sparks rattle and dance, a roaring smoke climbs up into the sky. Later the fire ceases and the embers sleep. His ash dispersed along with the wind, setting off the two horses as their tailends gradually move afar… …Angela's eyes lose their color and she gets melancholy and remains silent. After a long time, she gasps to say, “Do you.....have to die?” Tianyin removes his glance from the narrow waterfall and says forlornly but kindly, “My death is but as light as feather; to exchange it for Ögedei's life and cause internal chaos in Mongolia...it worth it.” “No, not as light as feather!” Angela argues emotionally, jaws shivering and head shaking. One hand on his shoulder, she says with tender pain, “You die and the royal family of Great Song loses its only offspring by blood forever......and besides....besides, I will also be.....also.....”