The Shang Warrior

“Jacob, give me my ball NOW!” I yelled to Jacob, my stepbrother. Jacob is twenty years old, a full 16 years older than me, so he loves to bully me.
Let me tell you a bit more about myself. My name is Title Lance Francisca Amberfire Hearth. I know I have five names. Strange huh, that’s because I have a first name, two middle names and two last names. I am four years old and live in the time of knights and magic. I have long red hair and purple eyes. I am a good fighter and I possess the gift, a magic power. Well, I really want to be a Shang Warrior, a fighter who masters all weapons and bare hand fighting. The only problem with that is that some people don’t want girls to be Shang Warriors. I also have the gift, a thing Shang despises. It’s the only thing some Shang are afraid of. I plan to hide my magic and toughen out the situation of being a girl. Well, my older sister -- well step sister really -- Ally taught me how to hide my magic. I am the eighth child. My older brother, Septimus, is the seventh son of a seventh son, and in our world being a seventh son of a seventh son is, like, so very special. And let me tell you one more magic power I have. I can read and write well and I’m only four years old.

* * * * * * * * * *
“The Shang Masters are coming today,” I yelled waking the rest of my family.
“Title, you know you might not get chosen and Eli you need to leave for The Castle to do knight training right after the Shang Masters leave,” said Father to Eli and me drowsily.
“I know, I know,” said Eli. “I’ll go saddle up Moonshine then get dressed.”
“I am dressed,” I said. “When do the Shang Masters give the tryouts?”
“At 16:oo,” said my stepbrother, Evan.
“Thanks, but for some reason I don’t believe you. You never give me answers willingly, but, oh well, I’m going to go practice on the roof,” I said.

* * * * * * * * * *
On the roof at 1o:oo I was still practicing when I saw something.
“Are those the Shang Masters?” I thought as I looked off the side of the roof. Then I leaned a bit too far off the side and…
“Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh,” a completely silent scream came from my mouth as I fell.
“I can do this, I’ve practiced,” I thought as I did a half flip then…
“Crash,” I heard myself hit something, but it didn’t hurt and I was on my feet.
“Oh Goddess, no! I think that’s my magic. I pray the Shang Masters didn’t see,” I thought in disgust and alarm.
“Justin, did that lad, sorry, girl, just fall off the roof without getting hurt? And Goddess, she’s on her feet,” The Shang Master said in surprise.
“Yes, Master, she did,” said Justin (commonly known as The Dragon, the most legendary free roaming fighter in all of Shang).
“Do you think she might be the chosen one?” asked the Master, referring to a legendary Shang myth involving a special Shang Warrior who can jump off cliffs without getting hurt. This legendary Shang is also supposed to be a great fighter.
“Let’s see her fight before we decide.”
“Okay, we shall ask her if she is meant to be trying out in the Shang tests.”
“Hey, girl, are you supposed to be with Shang trying out?” asked The Dragon to me.
“Yes, Dragon. My brother, Evan, said these Shang tests were at 14:oo” I said in confusion.
“Evan Evergreen?” asked The Dragon in surprise.
“Yes, sir, that’s my stepbrother,” I said politely.
“Well, he’ll have kitchen duties for a month and extra history homework all year. Well, c’mon girl, let’s see you fight. Go get in line.” I jogged to the line. After a matter of minutes it was my turn. I was so scared I almost fainted in fright. I stepped out into the open and kicked, punched, and dodged like I’d never done before. I was half way through my routine when I decided to try something new. I was bored; I wanted an opponent, so I stopped.
“Master, may I ask for an opponent to fight against?” I asked.
“Lee, The Tiger, will fight you,” he responded. “You are an amazing fighter and may belong to one of Shang’s many myths.”
“Okay, sir.” Then a tall, handsome man came up to me. He was on the balls of his feet, in a perfect fighting stance. Then he lunged at me and I was so scared I almost froze. Then, at the last second I threw myself to the side and tumbled onto my feet just as he lunged again. This time I was ready and dodged it, then kicked him in the stomach as he ran by.
“Nice, Amberfire!” The Master exclaimed. That distracted me, and The Tiger scored a kick to my side. It hurt badly, but not enough to forfeit. I lashed forward and hit The Tiger on his stomach with so much force that he flew backward at least two feet. I took advantage of that and punched him and kicked him until he got up. He kicked me and I flew backwards and crashed into The Dragon. I got up and we started circling each other like wolves. I was hurting badly and got distracted so The Tiger kicked me and I crumpled to the ground. Suddenly a flaming energy burst into my body. I was glowing green.
“Goddess, my magic!” I thought to myself. Then I remembered my magic was purple, not green.
“She is the legendary Shang for sure,” The Master yelled over the noise. “You know the myth. Amberfire, you are accepted into Shang.”

* * * * * * * * * *
When I arrived at the Shang castle I was escorted into my room like I was someone important. I felt completely alone. I knew for some reason that even The Master was not even in a legend. I was thinking, “How could a first year Shang beat a full-fledged Shang? I mean even though I’m legendary he should still be able to beat me.” I decided I was going to practice getting up quickly when The Master came in.
“Amberfire you did a wonderful job when fighting The Tiger. I am proud of you and I told The Tiger to practice a bit more. I mean a full-fledged Shang should be able to beat a kid even if she is legendary.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“No, the pleasure is mine. Your classes will start in two days.” He handed me a schedule. Here is what it looked like:


6:00 Wake Up
6:30 Breakfast
7:00 Manners
8:00 Serving
9:00 Spelling
9:30 History
10:30 Sword Play
12:00 Lunch
12:15 Wrestling
1:00 Jousting
1:30 2nd Weapon
2:00 Grammar
2:15 Handwriting
2:30 P.E./Yoga
3:00 Spear
4:30 Wild Magic
6:00 Social Studies
6:30 Dinner
7:00 Gift
8:30 Survival In The Wilderness
10:00 Bow& Arrow
11:00 Homework
12:00 Bed



Don’t have Manners, Serving, Spelling, History, or Sword Play on Sunday’s. Go to Sunday school instead. Don’t have Wild Magic, Social Studies, Dinner, or Gift on weekends. Serve in balls instead. Will have to go get dinner personally from the kitchens.

“Oh my Goddess,” I thought. “They found out I have magic but wait but I’m still in. So, Maybe? OH MY GODDESS they don’t know it’s just that I’m legendary. YES!” I decided to go practice.
When I got to the practice courts I decided to make up a whole new drill.
“How should it go though? Left kick right punch? Right kick left punch? No, I did that in the last drill.” I couldn’t think. “I want a pet. That’s it! Then I won’t be so lonely. But what if I got a friend and he was allergic to the pet is got. Oh, anyways I’m going to get a pet.” I ran out of the practice courts in a rush. While running I wasn’t looking where I was going and I ran right into The Master.
“Sorry, sir,” I said quickly but politely.
“Where are you going Amberfire?”
“Sire, I am going to adopt an animal.”
“That is alright as long as the pet does not disrupt your learning or your classmate’s learning.”
“Thank you, Master,” I said then I dashed off. “Yes, I am getting a pet, but what kind a cat, a dog, a turtle, a snake, what? Okay I will get one snake and two cats.”
At the pet store there where all sort of animals. I couldn’t find any cats I liked so I ended up getting a Rosy Boa, which I named Rosa. I decided to go on a walk in the forest.
When I got into the forest the sun was just setting. It looked beautiful. Then I realized that the sky would be completely dark before I even got halfway back to the castle. I decided to build a fire and camp out for the night. It was in the middle of the night and a light awoke me. I nearly cried out but then remembered my training. The light was purple, the exact color of my magic. Then out through the trees came two adorable cats; one a cat, one a kitten.
The younger one mewed something. And guess what?! I understood it. It mewed something about his name and the other cat's name.
"Hey, did you hear me?" it demanded. " My name is Pounce and the other cat, my dad, is Faithful"