The Jade Dagger of Kunlun

The Spirit of the Lotus

Unlike Si Yin, Ye Hua had found plenty to keep him occupied.  He loved his days of learning and having been there for almost a month already, he still felt as if he had only scratched the surface of the possibilities open to him. There were so many different paths that he could take, he felt as if he were spoiled for choice.  

After meditation, he would either head to the Weapons Hall, the Art Hall and sometimes the astronomy hall where a small observatory was placed for any student who wished to study the stars.  There was usually no one else in any of these hall when he visited as most of his brothers preferred the others, some of which he had not yet visited.

Only that day, he spent his morning mediation listening to the soft sound of a tune from his memory, one that almost sounded audible to his physical hearing.  And as he focused on it, he began to realize he only ever heard it when he was in the Lotus Pond area.  Becoming more curious by the second, he began to softly hum the tune to keep it in his mind.

"Well I never thought I'd be the one to tell you to shut up." Si Yin said giggling from the side.

Keeping the tune in his mind, he turned his head slowly to see him not only sitting up and looking out at the view, but he was actually awake and had he not been preoccupied with the tune, he may have retorted back.

"Si Yin, have you ever heard this tune before?" he asked before humming it a little louder.

Listening as the tune carried back towards the pond, Si Yin suddenly smiled with a nod before joining in.  Humming it together, Ye Huas bright eyes shone brilliantly.  Finally, having heard the tune all his life, he found someone else who knew it, but waiting until it came to an end, he quickly spun his body around to look at him.

"So you know it.  What is it called?" he asked excitedly.

"The Spirit of the Lotus." he grinned at him.  "Zhe Yan used to play it sometimes when I was little." he added before scrunching up his face to remember the words.

"The Spirit of the Lotus..." Ye Hua whispered softly to himself.  Finally he had the name of the tune.  Now if he could just figure out why it had played in his mind since he was little then he might gain some understanding as to why he felt as if he had been there before.  And it was only the Lotus Pond he got that feeling, he didn't feel it anywhere else.

About to ask if the song had words, he was suddenly struck dumb as Si Yin began to sing the words to him, words he had a vague recollection of

"A warm rain gently clears the mist
that threatens the fragile stem
Its soft caress soothes the soul
Within the hidden petaled gem.
Spreading its wings he opens wide
to a dawn that has begun
Not knowing that its golden flare
Is brighter than its sun
Its Spirit breathes in the glow
as another joins his side
A spirit much like itself
A gentle hand to guide -
the strings of a zither that fills the air
with thoughts of love and pain
But the tender whispering voice of love
he yearns to hear again
'I await the day to see your face 
But Fate never gives us notice
Yet here I'll be forever waiting
For my Spirit of the Lotus' "

Looking back at the Lotus Pond as Si Yin sang the words to him, he suddenly felt such a strong overwhelming bond to the pool that it was almost painful.  Tears were gathering in his eyes as the words hung in the air, but for the life of him, he had no idea why he was even tearful.  Suddenly he felt immense sadness mingled with intense love.

Only the feeling didn't last long, because the second he turned around, not only was Si Yin almost on top of him, but he was actually staring wide eyed at his tears!

"Get the hell away from me." he snapped, sending him scuttling back to his dais.

"No need to get mad Ye Hua.  I was just worried that's all." he said sulking.