The Path to Respect Lies in Violence (Aftermath)
There were no words he could use to describe what he saw when the Sha of Violence faded into dust, leaving behind a handful of scattered, scarred pieces of equipment and weapons...implements that had been directed at it, only to be swept up by the Sha in its fury.
No, he could describe weapons easily enough.
What silenced him, what brought tears to his eyes, were the six Shado-Pan Watchers who had tried desperately to cage the Sha of Violence once more - fighting to their last breath, their efforts barely putting a dent in it.
He knew all of their names.
Song-zar. Feng the Boisterous. Kaoxiang Swiftstriker. Halanae Yon. Braxai Ironpaw. Azar the Vigilant.
It was his responsibility to prepare them for what would come. For the horrors the Sha could bring to the world of the living. And yet...
And yet they were no more.
Silence your emotions, and find peace.
It was an old treatise, one recited to junior monks of the Shado-Pan for almost a thousand years now. Yet...looking on the bodies of the fallen, the one thing that came to Snowdrift’s mind was how utterly useless such a statement was.
Silence your emotions, and find peace?
An even taller task rested ahead of those who had come here in their aid. Bandages were administered, spells given to relieve exhaustion, prepare them for the next fight...
A flicker of light stole Snowdrift’s attention from them. He didn’t remember their names - only that they were here to do something that needed to be done. That was what mattered now.
The flicker had come from one of the fallen Shado-Pan. It was joined by another, then another...until all six bodies seemed to glow. Then...as the Sha finally seethed away, the six fallen Shado-Pan seemed to find form.
Snowdrift’s heart seemed to stop. No...I know what this is...
The flickering forms of six Shado-Pan stood as the outsiders headed off to their next task. Was it only Snowdrift who could see them?
Song-zar’s voice reached his ears, clearer now than it ever had been in life. The six Shado-Pan spirits surrounded him...and then each rested a hand to his shoulders.
Do not blame yourself for this, teacher. We did as you had taught us. And if there is one lesson you impressed into us...it is that you can do everything right and still lose.
Thanks to you...thanks to those who stopped Violence in its tracks...now we are at peace.
Great wracking sobs shook the heavy Blackguard Master as the spirits of the fallen spoke to him. Then...the flickering light forms faded. His eyes still bleary with tears, Snowdrift furiously wiped at them with one paw.
“...no one will ever be able to harm you again.” Snowdrift’s voice broke twice, but he managed the words. Barely.
Their bodies were just empty shells, for their spirits had ascended beyond the clouds. Six more Shado-Pan had fallen this day...and others would, unless the Sha of Hatred, which had seized control of Taran Zhu, were stopped in its tracks.
Barely aware of his motions, Snowdrift hefted the heavy bladed staff his father had passed to him from over his shoulders and began moving towards the Grove of Falling Blossoms.
There would be time to grieve later. For now...there was no time to rest.