Chang Hong

Thunder splits the sky and man and horse come down out of it. His spear work is beyond reach, his record within the Order is long, and he keeps his bearing calm — nothing hurried in the way he moves.

He is an old friend who once fought side by side with Soul.

As a youth he learned the spear from an old escort guard and had the whole of it inside a month. After that he practised against the ripples on water without pause, until his spear could gather lightning and call down thunder.

Having seen how brutal the quarrels outside the Wulin can be, he would rather keep a steady, unhurried place inside the Order. He keeps his name quiet and his affairs small; even when he married and had children, he invited only a few close friends.

In this fight he calls up his horse; a flick of the spear stirs wind and cloud, and lightning answers. Rider and mount move as one, the thunder spear comes down and drives the bolt into the ground, silver light running out like a snake.

The duel ends with Soul's dagger at his throat and the blade stopped there. He loses, and is untroubled by it — the man in front of him is still the Soul he knew. He says his goodbye, shoulders the spear, mounts, and rides off with the thunder.