Forge of Destiny

Threads 547-Fantasia 10

Bao Qian winced at the sound of tearing cloth. He hadnʼt worn a robe rated for battle to this trip, figuring he could armor himself well enough in any scuffles, but he was trying to keep his qi at a low level. He wanted the dog to think of him as a target of play and not a threat, after all.

He finally let himself be thrown off, keeping hold of a patch of mossy fur on the houndʼs cheek as he was tossed through the air. He pulled on the qi he had left embedded in the black soil of the field and came down with a crash, feet sinking into the ground almost up to his ankles. He grinned fiercely up at the spirit, whose head he had pulled with him.

The dog growled at Bao Qian, shoulders and head down, rear legs raised. His tail, a broomlike brush of greenery, wagged furiously, raining glistening droplets of vital wood qi down beneath it. This time, when paws drove into the ground and propelled his opponent forward, he allowed himself to be shoved backwards, boot heels kicking up dust and grit.

“I hardly need to give any instructions at all. Still, isnʼt this more play than distraction?”

”It can be both,” he replied through gritted teeth as he put a stop to the charge. Wrapping an arm around the houndʼs muzzle, he ground the hound’s motion to a halt, playfully shaking the houndʼs head to and fro and bringing out a rumbling yip.

She laughed, without a sound from wherever she was. He couldnʼt perceive her beyond the voice that rang like bells in his ears. ”Our little friendʼs plan was just to tire this spirit out enough that she could trim the herbs she wanted from his back. The targets are behind the ears and in the seams of the shoulders.”

”Not too difficult then,” Bao Qian contemplated.

The houndʼs gemstone eyes narrowed, glittering.

***​

Ling Qi was glad Sixiang was not behind her eyes right now; her friend’s teasing would have been merciless. Bao Qian was always a very neat sort of man. Everything about him was well-groomed and professional.

At the moment, he was very much not so. His cheeks were streaked with dirt, his hair out of place, and his inner robe rumpled and torn. She pulled her eyes away from the lines of flexing muscle beneath torn fabric as the hound pounced, bowling him over. only to be leveraged into a throw that had the hound yowling in outrage as he flew through the air. Yes, it was good Sixiang wasnʼt here; she was distracted enough as it was.

”Going to let him pin me to get a good grip on his head,” Bao Qian said under his breath, springing back to his feet. She heard him as clearly as if he had shouted. ”Can you calm him a little? I have him focused, but heʼs rowdy.”

”I should be able to,” she projected her voice to his ears. She had no lips to speak with at the moment, after all, dispersed into the shadows of the waving wheat stalks.

It was an oddly bittersweet feeling, pulling on the lesson Shu Yue had taught her for this. An art born in the darkness of Xiangmenʼs roots was being used for a childish task. She let her voice whisper out a soothing song on the breeze that blew through the rolling gold of the field.

The houndʼs mind was a simple place, no winding corridors or tangled metaphors here. He was Kuailo to Master, The Thunder of Stones, and he was excited! New toys had come right to his masterʼs door. Play? Play! This toy was fun. It wrestled, it was strong! Kuailo was thrown, instead of throwing! This was wrong! He would throw the toy! He would show he was STRONG! Then, he would chase down the yellow streak, bark and bark to watch it flee, and when he caught it, he would taste it lots!

The spirit was already a contented creature, living his very best life. Magnifying that contentment was not a difficult task.

The hound pounced, and Bao Qian was bowled over, crashing down into the dirt, pinned under giant paws. He clapped his arms around Kuailoʼs rocky muzzle, fingers going white at the tight grip, and the hound shook his head and growled playfully. His immense tongue, rough and jagged, made of pinkish grey quartz, hung out, and he lapped at the pinned Bao Qianʼs face and body.

It was good that her companion was a cultivator of the third realm. That probably would have been very unpleasant otherwise.

Ling Qi allowed herself to resolve from mist and shadow, standing among the grains as she saw a yellow streak blur in from outside the houndʼs vision, a glint of silver in her wake. Jinli landed lightly on a mossy hide, half-hidden among the shaggy greenery that formed a thick ruff around Kuailoʼs head. The hound hardly noticed the other spirit’s arrival as Jinli flicked her eyes around, searching and searching.

Then, Jinli’s eyes sparkled with delight, and Ling Qi saw her visibly restrain herself from pumping a fist in the air before carefully bending down to bring the sickle blade to bear on a single leafy bundle of ginseng leaves.

The blade cut, and Ling Qi breathed in sharply, feeling as if she had just entered the sectʼs medicine warehouse. The sudden wash of potent medicinal wood qi was enough to make her nerves sing and her skin tingle, even at this distance.

Naturally, the hound noticed as well. He paused in licking Bao Qian to try and yank his head up out of her companionʼs grip. Jinli almost stumbled at the sudden motion, but Bao Qian didnʼt let the hound go too far.

“Hurry.”

It was barely a thought that needed to be articulated. Jinli scampered up the now agitated houndʼs shoulders, clutching her first prize in her other hand as she carefully scraped the blade across rock, skimming a fuzz of pale blue-green moss and balancing it on the blade before she leapt away.

The hound struggled and let out a booming bark, finally thrashing free of Bao Qianʼs grip.

Jinli landed beside her, coming down from her flip and posing victoriously atop the grains. ”Alright! Letʼs get out of here. Grab Lanchi. I can feel that goof cowering behind the hill back there. Sheʼs so slow! I canʼt believe she actually came out here herself, instead of just sending you.”

”I think she cares about her sister quite a bit,” Ling Qi advised. Breathing out, a mist began to rise, turning the world hazy. If the land god was not going to take offense, then…

She closed her eyes a moment as Bao Qian once again caught the barking hound and swung him around, sending Kuailo tumbling playfully. That rumble she felt was not just the impact from the hound, though.

The pillar of stone in the center of the field shook from side to side like a sapling in a windstorm, and Jinli yelped, jumping away toward Lanchiʼs location. Ling Qi ghosted back with her like a kite on the breeze, reaching out with a swirl of qi to pull Bao Qian with her, dancing between the threads of the liminal to extract him from the hound’s tussling.

Seams formed in stone, outlining shapes, and the pillar split apart. Two arms like city spires, two legs like the pillars of a great temple, and a craggy face that would have covered the side of an entire hill with the overgrown garden at the top of the pillar framing as hair emerged. The world shook as the land god stretched, like an old man waking from a nap.

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”Hmph. Not going to shave my boy bare with that blade of yours?” His voice boomed from great height. A single ponderous step ate up the distance they had made, leaving them craning their necks to look up at Old Man Stonebones.

”We would never dare to give such offense,” Ling Qi placated, stepping out before the others in a billow of silk. She brought her hands together in a gesture of respect and bowed her head low. ”To the Lord of Gravel and Terrace, I have only respect and good tidings from the young Prince of the Highgarden. We mean no harm to your dear pet, nor did the daughter of autumn.”

She had planned out her apology already. She didnʼt think they would get by without it. She was glad that Bao Qian, too, had understood the need to keep this scuffle at the level of a playful game, rather than truly battling the hound. The hound, which now bounded up, barely rose to his masterʼs ankle.

The immense spirit lowered himself to one knee, squinting at her with cavern hole eyes, and Ling Qi heard Lanchi squeak in fear somewhere behind her. It really did feel like a mountain peak bowing to meet her.

”Coming from far off, that young bloom of highgarden. I taste your winter, child. Itʼs been singing ʼround my terraces. Itʼs true enough that you were just giving my boy a tussle. I was watching closely, but I donʼt know that Autumnʼs brat meant so little harm as that.”

”I wasnʼt gonna do anything bad!” Jinli shouted. ”I just needed two herbs! I mean, maybe I coulda gotten a little more…”

Lanchi, who had been shaken out of hiding, grasped her sisterʼs arm in a white-knuckled grip. ”Shut up, Jinli!”

”The Lady of Many Colors did send us to collect her grandchildren. I hope that you can forgive the indiscretions of youth,” Ling Qi spoke over the two young spirits, drawing an affronted gasp from the golden maiden.

”I will, since you were quick about it, and in recognition of your work. My hills could use their peace. Get gone from these fields then, and be happy with your prize.”

She didnʼt turn her head, but she did see Bao Qianʼs hand fall on Jinliʼs shoulder as she twitched into motion, looking as if she was going to run. ”Of course, Master Stonebones. My sisterʼs songs will please your ears again soon, I am sure.”

***

”I canʼt believe you ratted me out!”

Ling Qi chuckled to herself. They had parted ways with the land spirit hastily, but frankly, she didnʼt want to risk causing any more offense to the land god nor the possibility of Jinli trying to escape.

”Waaaaah! She… She… That human tricked me into it! She talked about how you might get hurt by yourself or how you wouldnʼt be able to make a body out of raw reagents anyway!”

Jinli had her sister in a headlock and was viciously grinding her knuckles into the other girlʼs scalp.

”Both of those were true possibilities. I didnʼt trick anyone,” Ling Qi defended mildly. ”Shouldnʼt you be happier for your sisterʼs concern?”

”Not when it means I got caught by Grannyʼs minders!” Jinli shouted back at her.

They stood among the trees again in the misty autumn forest that marked the madamʼs demesne. Falling leaves spun lazily through the air, and mist crawled along, obscuring their feet.

”Caught? Weʼve no hold on you. Weʼve not even gotten the sickle,” Bao Qian began to wheedle.

Ling Qi spun the handle of the artifact between her fingers. The blade made an interesting whistle, whirling through the air.

Jinli squawked, dropping Lanchi, who also yelped. Jinli patted along her back where the makeshift sling she wore around her chest to hold the sickle was. It was empty, naturally.

Bao Qian turned to look at her blankly. She felt her cheeks color as he did, his outer robe falling open in the front. The houndʼs tongue had absolutely shredded his vest and inner robe. Sixiang would probably make a joke about gems and being “chiseled” or “cut.”

”Iʼm hardly just going to leave it to her,” Ling Qi protested. “Especially if sheʼs going to pay so little attention to it.”

”You! Give that back!”

”Itʼs going back to your grandmother,” Ling Qi replied imperiously.

Bao Qian sighed. ”My point was, you could have run away well before now if you wanted to. We had hardly ʼcaughtʼ you.”

”Iʼm not dumb. I might be able to slip you, but Iʼm not getting away from that one,” Jinli glowered, pointing at Ling Qi.

Lanchi climbed to her feet, pulling leaves out of her hair and grumbling. ”Like thatʼs ever stopped you from doing anything before!”

”I am curious about that,” Ling Qi admitted, letting the sickle stop spinning in her fingers. She grasped it firmly by the hilt. ”You want to leave your grandmotherʼs court. You want to persist past a season. I wonʼt let you take the sickle with you, as itʼs dangerous, but if you truly want to escape, I wonʼt stop you.”

Bao Qian gave her a sharp look, but she met his eyes, and after a moment, he nodded slowly. He understood. She could see. Their quest was important, but not that important.

Jinli scowled at her, ears twitching. ”Stupid. Itʼs all Grannyʼs game. Itʼs not like she needed you to make us come back. I canʼt leave unless she lets me. Even if it was just ‘cause I was funny, I thought she was letting me. I made this plan, and I scoped out a place where I could mix these herbs up with the other stuff Iʼve collected. The Elixir of Embodiment would make me solid. I wanted to go out to do something on my own and be something on my own, not just another reflection of Granny. But if she sent you, that means she wants me back. And if she wants me back, Iʼm not going anywhere.”

The playful atmosphere faded as Jinli spoke, crossing her arms with a huff.

”Arenʼt you giving up too easily?” Ling Qi asked, amused. ”Maybe weʼre just a test for you, as much as youʼre a test for us. Spirits like your grandmother love twisty thinking like that.”

”If youʼve thought your project through, you should see it to the end,” Bao Qian encouraged.

”Are you dummies trying to convince me to run away from you?” Jinli asked incredulously, putting a hand on her hip, tail lashing. ”Thatʼs dumb. Youʼre dumb.”

”I am here to find a spirit to partner with,” Bao Qian revealed. ”Your grandmother premised this quest as proving that we can ʼtake careʼ of unruly children. The other two just went out to play...”

”Hey!” Lanchi complained at his characterization.

Bao Qian ignored her. Ling Qi smirked.

”You, on the other hand, had a specific goal in mind. You have a plan, and a road. So, I wonʼt impede it,” Bao Qian finished.

Jinliʼs ears twitched violently, and she spun on her heel. ”Weirdos! You caught me, okay? Iʼll go back to Granny with you. Now, letʼs go get that dumb Hongpao, and get this over with.”

“Jinli, wait!” Lanchi called, hurrying after her.

Ling Qi considered Bao Qian. ”That felt personal.”

”Impulsively snatching at an opportunity dangled by oneʼs elders, not even quite knowing what it is, and the desire to differentiate oneself, to find something that’s not your familyʼs but yours… Maybe,” Bao Qian allowed. ”And I did find that. But I let too many opportunities lie fallow along the way.”

Bao Qian looked at her. ”I would have liked to spend more time with you,” he finally said. ”Iʼm glad I took up the work I did, and Iʼm glad I have built what I have so far. Iʼm proud of it. But in doing so, I would have liked to spend more time with you.”

”I would have liked that as well, as I am now, or even as I was then, if I could have put my back down for a second,” Ling Qi said. ”This trip has been fun, Bao Qian. These silly spirits and their small problems… Itʼs nice to not think of bigger problems for a little while. Itʼs going to be some time before I can do that again.”

”For both of us. I would prefer a long road with your sister, even if she were out of sweets, to the supply convoys of the war,” Bao Qian agreed.

”A fine statement to make about a well-behaved young maiden,” Ling Qi said wryly. ”I hope we can do this again.”

The words hung in the air.

”I would hope not this, specifically. However, perhaps we can visit summer next time?” Bao Qian proposed.

”Of course, of course. I do believe we should catch up, or those two may get away without even meaning to.” Ling Qi reached out her hand to him. ”Shall I catch us up?”

”Please.” He took her hand.

Together, she spirited them out under the falling leaves to where the two maidens quarrelled and chattered.