I move my hand around the tailsman. This looks so familiar. But I've never seen this before. At least, I don't think I have. I can't put my finger on it. It feels familiar, but way darker. A shadow bursts out. I draw my hand back. I let in a breath.

"Be careful." Lan Zhan says.

"I think I got that." I wipe my hand off.

There is evil beyond what I've seen. I don't know this energy, yet I feel it familiar. How is that possible?

"Are they all dead?" Lan Zhan asks.

I nod.

"I have never seen what whoever has done this exactly." I say. 

"Me too." He speaks.

Then I hear a noise. An arrow flies right past me. I jump. I clutch my flute. 

"Well, that was close." I say.

Lan Zhan gets in front of me. He always does this and truthfully, I'm grateful. I like it when he does this. I like it when he protects me. I feel a lot better.

"Sorry, sorry, sorry." A man comes out of the hide of rocks. 

"Who are you? Why'd you almost kill me?" I ask.

"Oh... you look like him." He answered.

"Him?" Lan Zhan asks.

"Who?" I ask behind him.

"A man came here a few days ago. He was covered in black shadows. He did this." He began to sob.

"What did he look like?" I ask.

He points to me. I point at myself. 

"Me?" I ask.

He looks like me? Okay, um... I look at Lan Zhan. He looks back at me. I shrug.