Editing 108 Triumphant Steps (section)

== Backstory ==

Since even before puberty, 108 Triumphant Steps – previous name unrecorded and now lost – has been a battle dancer. The Champoorite girl danced for hours without end, not just to encourage and improve the morale of her fellow soldiers, but also to communicate coded orders from her general, using her agility, spear, and flags to do so. She was zealous, and held a lot of respect for the rest of the military.

After over 20 years of life, she finally had to face the Realm. Rumors were Champoor had offended the empire, but hell if anybody knew how. The scheduled battle was barely more than a mass public execution to make of Champoor an example, for they were nowhere as well-trained or well-equipped as the Realm, and had no Dragon-Blooded on their side. General Deep Archipelago was fully aware of the odds, yet went in without any intention to surrender, let alone struggle (for it would offer no chance of victory, he thought, and would make things harder for everybody); he was looking forward to a dignified death against the most glorious opponent they would ever face.
108, also aware of the odds, unlike him, was absolutely terrified, and quite fine with the idea of staying alive.

When the battle began, despite her fear, she quickly ignored the general's genuine orders and give out her own commands instead, if only just to try, even though the odds were against her.
The Unconquered Sun witnessed her decision, and approved it.
Reports of this battle are extremely vague and incoherent, for it became a confusing mess for all parties involved as soon as the Realm suffered their first casualties. Champoor didn't win that battle, but many of its soldiers survived, having either fled or been captured; likewise, the Realm lost a great deal more soldiers than expected.
108 had fled when the chaos overwhelmed her attempts at discipline, accompanied by a couple dozens soldiers: conscripts who were petty thugs or desperate peasants. She went to Tenepeshu for help, and the Water Dragon initiated her to sorcery, with the implicit promise of prayers and revenge. This only strengthened 108's conviction that she was on the right path toward enlightenment.
Hiding since the battle, the deserters finally heard more rumors about what started it all: the Broken-Winged Crane. Supposedly, the (now-deceased?) high priest had it, supposedly, he refused to hand it when ordered to do so by the Realm and did it in the name of the Nighted City, and supposedly, Dynasts got it back all the same. 108 wants to find out by herself whether that damn Crane, whatever that is, was worth almost slaughtering her peers.