LI S1 - Part 2: Twilight State, Dangerous Mission, The Fresh Rabbit Inn E-Book

Martin Wintersberger

• Herausgeber: Astro Entertainment
• Kategorie: Fantasy und Science-Fiction
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 63

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2025

Beschreibung

A sword. A promise. A dangerous path. After the tragic events of his past, Li finds not only a new home but also a purpose in Master Wang's forge. Yet fate has other plans for him. Secrets from long ago, mysterious dreams, and a sword that is more than just steel accompany him on his journey. When Li meets the brave Mei — who is fighting her own battle for freedom and survival — he realises their destinies are bound together. With every step, Li moves closer to the truth about himself… and to the storm that is destined to come.

Leseprobe

Authors: Manuela Wieninger · Martin Wintersberger

Illustrations: Jia Ying Wu, Midjourney

Cover: Acht Schätze, Midjourney

astro-entertainment.at

This work, including all its parts, is protected by copyright. Any use outside the narrow limits of copyright law is prohibited without the written consent of the author and is punishable by law. This applies in particular to reproductions, translations, microfilming and storage and processing in electronic systems. ASTRO and all persons appearing therein and their names, all actions, circumstances and laws of nature are fictional. Any resemblance to living or dead persons or fish is purely coincidental and unintentional..

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Copyright © 2020, 2025 Martin Wintersberger

First English Edition 2025 – Based on the 2021 Austrian release

Published in Austria by ASTRO Entertainment e.U.

Based on an idea by Martin Wintersberger

Translated from German with DeepL

All rights reserved

ISBN 978-3-99119-251-0

SEASON 1

LI - THE PATH OF THE SWORD

Episode 4: Twilight State

Episode 5: Dangerous Mission

Episode 6: The Fresh Rabbit Inn

»EVEN THE LONGEST JOURNEY BEGINSWITH THE FIRST STEP«

EPISODE 4TWILIGHT STATE

Exhausted, Li lay on his bed, stretching out his arms and legs. He was in a peaceful twilight state between wakefulness and light sleep. Li had been working for his new master, the armourer Master Wang, for about two weeks. His forge was located at the western end of the village of Atasi, and Wang's work was in high demand everywhere. Li worked hard and quickly became more skilled and faster. He absorbed the master's knowledge and words like a sponge. Master Wang praised his work highly: ‘Blacksmithing is in your blood, my boy. I am very pleased that you respect blacksmithing as much as I do.’

Li hadn't felt this good in a long time. For a while, he even forgot that he had once had a different life. Every day he fell into bed exhausted, sometimes without even washing, and occasionally he even forgot to eat his supper.

It was early evening when Li opened his eyes a crack. His fingers were still blackened with soot from working with the forge hammer and the fire. When he moved them, they hurt, and his legs and arms felt heavy as lead.

He had fallen asleep after lunch and now tried to just lie there. He closed his eyes again. Suddenly, an angry whistle sounded. ‘Cry! Leave me alone, I want to sleep!’ he grumbled under the blanket, but the eagle had no intention of obeying him and sat down on his chest. The weight and sharp talons left Li with no choice but to open his eyes again.

He peeked out from under the blanket and groaned, ‘Yes, I know. I promised you we'd go back to the waterfall today.’ Cry tilted his head, clearly questioning the truthfulness of the statement.

‘Would you be so kind as to sit somewhere else so that I can get up?’ His feathered friend flew to the window, but did not take his eyes off him for a second. Li shook his head; what a stubborn bird.

He pulled himself together: ‘Let's meet in front of the smithy!’ Then he left his room and stepped into the crowded hallway. A faint light shone through the crack in the workshop door. Master Wang would soon be going to bed; he followed a strict daily routine. Every day at the same time, they ate dinner, unless Li had already fallen into bed. And afterwards, the master covered the fireplace and closed all the windows and doors.

He tried to teach Li the same discipline, but in this respect the boy was not a good student.

‘See you later, Master Wang! I have to go out again!’ Li called, and the reply came promptly: ‘I understand! See you later, my boy!’ The master smiled and watched the eagle fly away.

Li left the smithy and made his way to the small waterfall that fed the village stream. Cry flew ahead the last few metres and dived into the cool water to catch a fish. Li took off his robe, carefully tiptoed the last few steps to the waterfall and enjoyed the pleasant coolness on his calloused skin.

After a refreshing shower, Li cooked his dinner over a small fire. Cry had successfully caught two fish. Satisfied, the young blacksmith listened to the sound of the falling water.

The village of Atasi lay peacefully. Night had fallen and most of the villagers were already asleep.

Suddenly, hurried footsteps rang out, closely followed by a loud cry that broke the silence: ‘Master Wang! Master Wang! Something terrible has happened! Master Wang!’ A boy from the village of Mato ran excitedly through the streets, rousing the sleeping Atasians from their homes. A few of them took the trouble to light torches in front of their houses.

‘What's going on? Don't shout like that!’ said a grumpy old man, leaning out of his bedroom window. The boy stopped and continued at the same volume:

‘They're sending me! A dam has burst in Mato! The rice is in danger of drowning in the water! We need the master of iron! And quickly!’

Meanwhile, several villagers peered out of their windows and shook their heads. The old man smiled: ‘You seem to be a good runner, my boy!’

‘Thank you, you are very kind. But I am in dire straits. Please tell me, where can I find the Master of Iron?’ gasped the messenger from Mato, shifting nervously from one foot to the other.

However, the old man remained calm: "You may be quick, but you're not very clever. But don't worry, my boy, it'll be alright. Rice doesn't drown in water, it grows in it. And there's no master blacksmith in our village. We just call him the blacksmith. He forges the iron so that we can shoe the horses. But horses have become terribly expensive. At the moment, no one can afford this luxury. Oh yes, Master Wang also makes small parts for doors and windows. And when he has time, he forges a sword. But what a sword, my dear! You've never seen a sword like this before..."

‘Please, it's urgent!’ the boy interrupted the old man rudely. The old man pursed his lips in annoyance, but conceded defeat: "Very well, the blacksmith lives in the house with the three trees.

In front of his house, you will find a brick fireplace. It is at the end of the road to the west! You can't miss it! Although, you probably walked right past it! Grateful, the boy ran back. When he saw the three trees, he broke into a sprint.

Gasping for breath, he arrived at the smithy. He walked through the archway and then stopped in front of the door to the house. Hesitantly, he placed his hand on the door handle. To encourage himself, he whispered, “The people of Mato are counting on me!” Carefully, the boy opened the door and stepped inside.

It was dark inside the forge. He gathered all his courage and called out, “Master Wang! Are you awake?” Shortly afterwards, there was a rumbling sound, followed closely by a curse. Then an angry shout rang out from the shadows:

‘Who are you and what do you want in the middle of the night?’ The boy could make out a shadowy figure at the end of the hallway. Stammering, he replied, ‘Are you... are you... the blacksmith... Master Wang?’