I managed a soft smile before letting down my guard and lowering the bow. As I hurried forward to collect my arrow, the young man sheathed his sword and waited expectantly as I yanked the shaft from the tree. I studied the tip of the arrow. It could be used again. With an inaudible exhale of relief, I slid it back into my quiver.

"So, Liang, is it?" asked the stranger.

"Kailun Liang," I said, nodding.

"I'm Daifeng Cao," he said in reply. "I have come here from the coast for the ceremony at the palace to get in the emperor's good graces, since my family's estate is in need of protection from the nomads."

I cocked my head to the side. "Where are you from?" I asked. "You don't speak like a northerner."

"Jian," said Daifeng, practically glowing in the dark with pride. "We have the prettiest girls and the best food."

And the stingiest men, I grumbled internally, though too intimidated by his brute strength to say it aloud. However, it alarmed me to know that the nomads had already reached the coast. Jian was a southern province, and the fact that the nomads had gone there but not here, since we were on the way, alarmed me. Clearly, they weren't going to invade the capital yet, but the coast was almost as bad, as that was where commerce took place. Without trade, the kingdom economy was crippled.

"Will I be seeing you at the ceremony tomorrow?" asked Daifeng. "You're of age, aren't you? You must be looking for a wife, then."

I shook my head. "I have other matters to attend to," I said, dipping my head so that Daifeng wouldn't see the blush that was slowly creeping up my neck. Thankfully, the moonlight was dimming as the white sphere disappeared behind a curtain of misty clouds. "But I wish you luck. I hope Jian's problems are resolved soon."

Daifeng bowed his head. "Thank you," he said. "Perhaps we'll meet again, then."

The warrior retreated into the foliage, disappearing into the darkness until I was the only being under the stars. The misty clouds had passed, casting a glow from the moon once more, but there was nothing to see. Only the slight rustling of the leaves accompanied me as I wove my way through the forest. With luck, I'd find prey elsewhere.

Usually, the forest was alive, even at night. Nature never slept, after all. However, as I continued on, the moon quickly became obscured again by clouds that were denser and more opaque this time, and all life seemed to deaden. The cricketing and chirping of the trees had ceased, and I couldn't spot any game. Soon, it felt mundane to be stalking through the woods, looking for animals that weren't there.

I'll try early next morning, then, I said to myself, lowering my bow. It was evident that nothing was going to come from tonight.

I loosened my arrow and slipped it back into the quiver. Without moonlight, the trudge home was eerily dark, but I managed to pick my way out of the trees from pure muscle memory. I had been frequenting these woods long enough to be able to recall the major roots or knots in the ground, so I managed to find my way back to the village unscathed.

I could see the faint outline of the houses in the dim starlight. The windows were all dark, and Aunt Tiaolin's were no exception. Before going in, I hoisted myself halfway up the tree next to my aunt's house and arranged my bow and quiver so that they would be concealed. After positioning them to my satisfaction, I grabbed onto the largest branch to stop my fall and dropped, my feet only lightly thumping on the ground. I dusted off my palms and trotted to the house, peering through the window to make sure that no one was around. The house was completely dark and empty, so I eased the door open slowly so that it wouldn't creak, and I quietly tip-toed through the house. My aunt and cousins most likely had gone to bed early to get their beauty rest for the royal celebration. Although the event was in the evening, the entire day tomorrow was scheduled for them to prepare.

I changed into sleeping clothes and slipped into bed, pulling the thin blanket over my body. From my window, I saw that the sky had cleared, and a thin beam of moonlight cut into my room, igniting my feet in a wash of white light. Snorting lightly, I closed my eyes. Of course I would be able to hunt after I arrived home.

Nevertheless, I dismissed the thought and allowed myself to fall into a deep sleep.

I dreamt of serpents.

I dreamt of green and brown ropes of fangs and venom whirling in a never ending loop. They churned in a sea of black, ripples of power emanating from their intertwined bodies. Above, a red dragon slithered through the air, a pearl the size of a human head clenched in its claw and glinting in the yellow sunlight. I reveled at the sight of it. Dragons were the stuff of stories, and seeing one before my eyes put me in an awed trance. The scales of the dragon shined with gold and pearly tones, and the regal animal roared, a sound that shook my bones.

Then, the loop of ophidiens dissolved, and the black pit soon became a writhing pit of hissing snakes. From there, a singular green viper emerged, its body expanding and elongating as it rose further into the air. It wove upwards, tailing the dragon and gaining quickly as it grew bigger and bigger to the point where it rivaled the imperial monster in size.

One serpent, hissed a voice in my head, one that didn't belong to me. Which serpent will prevail?

The viper finally caught up with the dragon, latching onto the majestic creature's tail with fangs the size of swords. The dragon roared in defiance and whirled around, creating a glimmering red loop as it turned. It came at the snake with its own claws and fangs, but the viper had continued to grow in size. The giant green snake opened its mouth and devoured the dragon whole. The red tail of the dragon disappeared as the viper's jaw snapped closed.

Which one of you will prevail? asked the voice.