CHAPTER 49
FURY DRIVES GYATSA IN PURSUIT OF FOES; KARMA UNAVOIDABLE, THE HEAVENLY DOG DEVOURS THE BRIGHT MOON

 

The Chase Begins

 

When Gyatsa and the other heroes of the Ling Kingdom arrived at the city of Dazi, they found it empty, its gates wide open. The precious treasures from the vaults had all been plundered by the Hor people. The great hero Gyatsa was so enraged he felt as if smoke were rising from his seven orifices. Like a man possessed, he neither consulted with the others nor made any battle plans. Alone, he charged off in the direction the Hor army had retreated.

 

How could Gyatsa not be frantic? When Gesar had gone north to subdue the demons, he had entrusted all state affairs to him, charging him with protecting the Ling Kingdom, guarding the queen, and defending the herds at home. But now? The queen had been abducted, the treasures looted. How could he face King Gesar upon his return? As the proverb says: "The true hero among brave men is recognized in times of crisis; the thousand-league steed among fine horses is distinguished in races across the great plains; the wise man among the people reveals his capability when great events arise." Now, in this moment of crisis, it was time for him, Gyatsa, to show his true mettle.

 

As Gyatsa galloped forward furiously, he spoke to his white-shouldered steed beneath him:

 

O White-Shouldered Horse, my White-Shouldered Horse,

Today in battle, I rely on you.

Leap over cliffs and scale rocky mountains,

Let your four hooves tread as if on level ground;

Jump across great rivers and broad streams,

Be like the golden-eyed fish in the water;

Possess the skill of the white eagle,

Run swifter than a flash of lightning;

Today I go to slay our foes,

In this fight, my only companion is you;

Together we'll charge into the Hor camp,

And turn their world upside down!

Listen well, my horse, my horse,

Today you are truly needed,

To defend our homeland in this hour,

To charge and triumph in this fray.

 

The White-Shouldered Horse understood its master's words and ran as if its hooves were borne by the wind, swift as lightning across the sky. After an unknown length of time, both Gyatsa and his horse saw them: the Hor troops covering the mountains and plains, their weapons dense as a forest. Gyatsa recklessly plunged into the Hor ranks. His white-tasseled sword swung left and right, cutting down Hor soldiers until blood and flesh flew; his thunderous arrows shot in all directions, felling Hor troops who rolled on the ground. The Hor army was thrown into immediate chaos, crying for their fathers and mothers, scattering into two fleeing groups. One group, led by Sinba Meruze, Duoqin, and Prince Lawu Laibu, fled along the direction of the Jieri Sandy Mountains. The other, led by the Black Tent King and Tangze, fled toward the Dujia Koxiu Azalea Stone Mountain.

 

A Fated Duel

 

Niben, Gade, and Danma swiftly pursued the Hor troops fleeing toward the Azalea Stone Mountain. Gyatsa spotted a figure who seemed to be Duoqin behind the retreating red-tasseled troops and flew after him like a bird. Duoqin recognized the pursuer as Gyatsa and dared not look back, only urging the main Hor force to flee desperately. Unable to catch Duoqin, Gyatsa turned back and encountered another Hor contingent, at the front of which walked Prince Lawu Laibu. Gyatsa quickly lashed his white horse three times and charged toward them like a flash of lightning. The Hor soldiers scattered in all directions, regardless of the path. Wherever Lawu fled, Gyatsa pursued. Lawu naturally knew that encountering Gyatsa meant there was no escape from fate. He nocked an iron arrow with pheasant feathers on his precious bow, looped the ring of his white-backed treasured blade inlaid with cat's eye agate onto his thumb, and said, "Gyatsa! Today, it seems I am fated not to escape alive. But before I die, I must loose one arrow!"

 

With a whoosh, the iron arrow flew out, passing right through the middle of the red silk tassel on Gyatsa's helmet. Enraged, Gyatsa drew his Yasi blade and charged at Lawu. Lawu dared not look back, only fled forward—from the top of the ravine to the snow-capped mountains, from the mouth of the valley to the riverbank, across the great plains, along the mountainsides, and back onto the main road—with Gyatsa in close pursuit. Finally, they returned to the front of the Jieri Anqing Sandy Mountains. Just as Gyatsa was about to catch up, his mount unexpectedly refused to continue the chase and instead backed away. Gyatsa quickly dismounted, drew a golden-tailed arrow, and shot. It struck Lawu squarely in the back. Lawu arched his back, struggled forward a few steps, and then fell from his horse. Gyatsa severed Lawu's head and began walking down the mountain path!

 

At that moment, sparse raindrops began to fall from the sky. A rainbow appeared between the clouds, black grouse cried mournfully, white vultures circled overhead, and a pure white cloud drifted slowly northward. Suddenly, immense sorrow welled up in Gyatsa's heart. The image of King Gesar appeared vividly in his mind. Overwhelmed by longing, his tears fell like leaves struck by frost. He dismounted to catch his breath and rest briefly, his thoughts calming slightly. Resolutely, he thought: "The mountains and rivers of Ling are already shattered. I am separated from Gesar in life, and forever parted from heroic brothers like Yuda and Maerle in death. Truly, it would be better to die than endure this!" Unable to suppress the grief and anguish in his heart, he entrusted these feelings to the messenger of the white clouds and sang a song in the melodious tune of "Fresh Flower's Wonderful Sound":

 

In the vast, ethereal sky,

The wandering white cloud is like a beauty from afar.

From whence do you come?

And where will you go tonight?

In the north, at Xiameri Jie,

King Gesar is my younger brother.

Does he have any good news?

O white cloud! If you are going north,

Please carry a few words for me.

Tell the Great Lion King:

Do not linger long in the northern lands.

If you do not return to Ling soon,

The Hor will devour the Ling Kingdom.

Seeing our people suffer such humiliation,

You went to that distant demon kingdom,

Yet your own homeland slips from your grasp.

 

My life's span is nearing its end,

No need to speak of how desolate, how melancholy!

In the summer of the Wood-Tiger year,

You, Great Lion King Gesar,

With your purple face clenching white conch teeth,

Round eyes glaring like purple-red coral,

The silk tassel on your helmet fluttering,

Vulture feather plumes trembling,

Lightning-warding armor gleaming brightly,

Chestnut steed's hooves spinning like the wind,

Rode alone, ceaselessly, to the north,

Leaving me behind like a bird abandoned on a desolate shore.

Just like the eye on the forehead and the heart in the chest,

We are torn apart, alive yet separated.

Though I speak these words,

When I think of Joru,

I pray and call his name.

Gesar's protection knows no distance,

In our hearts, we brothers are not apart.

If you think of me, Xiega,

Please also call the name of me, Gyatsa.

These are the heartfelt words I send him.

Had the great king not gone north,

We brothers, arm in arm,

Though the sun and moon are revered, their halos would tremble;

Though the Garuda is skilled, its wings would quiver;

Though the wild lion is fierce, its four paws would leap.

He possesses miraculous transformations,

I have courage and martial prowess.

The masses fight like fierce tigers,

Even turning heaven and earth is within our grasp.

Though not destined by the lines on my forehead,

This was to be the fortune of the Ling people.

This War God's purple longevity robe,

And that guardian Vajra armor,

I ask the Dakini Heavenly Mother to take back,

Or else return them to Gesar,

For those who need them to wear!

Though vexation arises, it is my nature;

Though tears flow, they are but dew.

May, in the luminous deeds for all beings,

The tale of Xiega be widely sung.

 

The Final Confrontation

 

Gyatsa laid down his weapons, removed his armor, and placed the War God's purple longevity robe and guardian golden armor on a square stone. He kowtowed to it three times, wrapped it in a seamless divine silk undershirt, placed it in a marmot hole, and blocked the entrance with three white stones, praying: "I return these gifts to the War God!"

 

He then mounted Lawu's warhorse and pursued the fleeing Hor troops. He caught up with Sinba Meruze and the five hundred red-tasseled troops who had originally hidden in a remote ravine of the Xieri Sandy Mountains. Since the red tassel on his helmet had been shot off by Lawu, Gyatsa inserted two pieces of silk on either side of his helmet crest. From afar, it looked like Lawu's white horsetail tassel. The Hor troops initially thought it was Lawu, but when Gyatsa came within an arrow's shot, drew his treasured blade, and charged to kill, they realized it was Gyatsa and scattered in panic. Sinba Meruze quickly shouted, "Please charge no further! Gyatsa! To pursue the weak without restraint—must you force everyone to the cliff's edge for a life-and-death struggle?"

 

At this point, Gyatsa would not listen to any admonition. He hacked and slashed his way, driving the last remaining Hor stragglers into a small stream gully beside a pale gray cliff. Sinba turned and leaped up the cliff. Gyatsa pursued fiercely from below, outflanked him, and blocked the path ahead. With no escape, Sinba hid in a bend of the cliff, dismounted, and stood facing the direction of Hor, confronting Gyatsa who remained on horseback.

 

Lawu's horse, overdriven by Gyatsa and with Gyatsa brandishing his sword before it, suddenly reared in fright, throwing the unprepared Gyatsa off. He landed directly on a spear point and was gravely wounded. As the prophecy "the bright full moon of the fifteenth falls upon the plain" foretold, he could not rise for a moment. Seeing the situation, Sinba thought to leave, but unexpectedly, Gyatsa summoned strength from somewhere. He hurled his treasured blade with force and shouted, "Sinba Meruze! I am done for. Better you give me a clean end! Then you can go claim merit and reward before the White Tent King!"

 

But Meruze's eyes streamed with tears as he wept, "Must I truly exhaust all evil deeds? My heart has always yearned for the cause of the Great Lion King. Since following the White Tent King on this campaign, I have avoided conflict at every turn. I never imagined that today fate would demand I commit this evil against the Bumba King! Yet, it must be said, your Ling troops, insisting on sheer force, showed no restraint at all, ruining my lifelong aspirations."

 

Saying this, he wept like a child. Hearing his words, Gyatsa felt a touch of solace. Since the war between the two armies began, Sinba had indeed consistently avoided conflict. That they had come to such a pass was simply the inescapable karma of them both! So, in a very gentle tone, he said, "Sinba Meruze! To starve rather than eat rotten chaff is the nature of the white-mouthed wild horse; to die of thirst rather than drink ditch water is the nature of the red-haired wild yak; to suffer unto death without shedding a tear is the character of a true man. There's no need for alarm; this is our destined lifespan! Who lives and who dies is still unknown, but neither of us wants to leave behind the reputation of a fox fleeing battle. Let us have one final archery contest and let fate decide victory!"

 

Since fate had driven these two natural adversaries to such a point, despite his extreme reluctance, Sinba, with tears streaming, agreed.

 

Gyatsa picked up a bow and arrows, a slight smile at the corner of his mouth. He shot an arrow that struck the tassel atop Sinba's helmet without harming him in the least. When it was Meruze's turn to shoot, tears already blurred his vision. It seemed fate had decreed that no matter how he tried to avoid it, he must fulfill the tribulation of Lord Bumba's destined end. Helplessly, he silently called the name of the Great Lion King, sorrowfully thinking that his own destiny was originally to assist King Gesar in achieving great deeds, yet now he had become the enemy who killed the king's own brother. The arrow flew out and struck Lord Gyatsa squarely in the forehead. He stiffened, fell to the ground, and passed from this world.

 

The Heavenly Mother Langman Gam believed that if Sinba did not sever Gyatsa's head and hang it on the golden roof of Yaze City, it would not ignite King Gesar's immense hatred. So, she transformed into the appearance of a demon deity, used a yellow thunderbolt treasured blade to cleave Gyatsa's body from his head, and spoke from the air: "Red-Armed Sinba! Take this enemy's head to boast before your foes and claim merit before your kin! Hang it on the golden roof of Yaze City, and the White Tent King will have his wish fulfilled!"

 

While Sinba was still hesitating, Danma and Gade, seeing the ominous rainbow light, rushed over. Sinba had no choice but to hastily discard all his weapons and depart, taking only Gyatsa's head.

 

Ling's Grief and a Vow of Vengeance

 

The grievous news reached Ling, plunging all into mourning, a pain beyond words. Compounded by the abduction of Queen Zumu and the continued absence of the Great Lion King, the skies over Ling grew dark with despair!

 

Upon hearing of Gyatsa's death, Chief Steward Rongtsa Chagen, Danma, and other Ling heroes rushed to the scene. The moment the Chief Steward saw Gyatsa's body, he let out a great cry and fainted. A long time passed before he regained consciousness. Rongtsa Chagen felt as if a knife were twisting in his heart, his aged face streaked with tears. Queen Zumu had been seized, Ling's treasures plundered, and now Gyatsa was slain—what face did the heroes of Ling have left to live in this world!

 

"Detestable, hateful Yellow Hor people! Deserving of death and dismemberment, you Sinbas! What sins have you committed!" The gathered brothers could not hold back their tears.

 

"To starve rather than eat rotten chaff is the nature of the white-mouthed wild horse; to die of thirst rather than drink ditch water is the nature of the red-haired wild horse; to suffer unto death without shedding a tear is the character of a true man. We heroes of Ling would rather die in battle than sigh or weep. We must rally our spirits and avenge Gyatsa!" The hero Danma's eyes blazed with fury, his words resolute and forceful.

 

The heroes of Ling checked their tears. Danma waved his blade, and the brothers prepared to follow him in pursuit of the Hor army. King Senlun stopped them: "Halt, young men! Stop quickly. Gyatsa is already dead. Do you still wish to throw your lives away?"

 

"No! Without killing the White Tent King, without killing Sinba Meruze, my rage, Danma's rage, will not be quelled."

 

"We must go, King Senlun. Please wait here with the Chief Steward for news of our victory." The young warriors brandished their blades and spears, determined to chase and slay the Hor.

 

"Which of you has martial skill surpassing Gyatsa's? Who among you is more valiant than Gyatsa?"

 

The young men looked at each other, unable to answer.

 

"Good, no one. In Ling, aside from Gesar, no one could match Gyatsa. Now Gyatsa is dead. Relying on you will not bring back the queen or recover the treasures."

 

"Then, is it all over?"

 

"No! This account is not settled. Our Great Lion King will return soon. Once he does, the White Tent King, the Yellow Tent King, the Black Tent King of Hor—none shall keep their lives." King Senlun patiently reasoned with the young men, for many men of Ling Gabu had already died. To continue such a reckless pursuit would not kill the Hor but would instead lead to ambushes and the same fate as Gyatsa.

 

The grief-stricken Chief Steward Rongtsa Chagen nodded repeatedly. He agreed with King Senlun's stance, unable to bear seeing more young men of Ling die like Gyatsa.

 

"This... this... this... how can I swallow this anger!" The hero Danma's eyes reddened with pent-up fury, his large fists clenched until they cracked.

 

"Then let it be this way. We, uncles and nephews, shall each shoot an arrow toward the Hor city. Each arrow shall strike a target, letting the White Tent King understand that the heroes of our Ling Kingdom are as numerous as grass on the earth, sand on the riverbanks—impossible to kill off or exhaust." King Senlun proposed another idea.

 

The heroes drew their bows and nocked arrows, each silently praying for heavenly aid. They would shoot their arrows directly into the palace where the White Tent King of Hor resided. The heroes sang:

 

One arrow pierced your golden spire's crest, symbolizing the splitting of the celestial demon's skull;

One arrow flew towards the yak-hair net of the treasure banner, symbolizing the suppression of the sky demon¹ to the earth;

One arrow struck the joint of the flying eaves, symbolizing the command of the earth demon to serve;

One arrow shattered the sun-facing window's glass mirror, symbolizing the scattering of the White Tent King's soul;

One arrow shot straight into the royal palace,

Symbolizing the plucking of the White Tent King's heart.

The heroes will have their successors,

Who will carve a path upon your snowy mountains,

Who will dance the warhorse dance upon your vast plains,

Who will reduce the thousand-peaked Yaze City to ashes,

Who will sever the heads of all remaining Sinba,

Who will place a horse's saddle upon the neck of you, White Tent King,

Who will make the wild grasses across your land sing a mournful tune,

Who will ensure the twelve tribes of Achin

Never again have a place of peaceful dwelling...

 

After this invocation, several arrows were loosed together. As if guided by the prayer, they struck precisely the places the heroes had intended. Although Danma's resentment was not fully quelled, his fury had subsided considerably.

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