Threads Of Destiny(Eastern Fantasy, Sequel to Forge of Destiny)

It hurt.

Resonating through two minds, the hole that had been torn in them throbbed. [Growth] failed to restore the memory that was lost. [Renewal] failed to cleanse the oily taint of the predator's touch from their spirit.

It was hard to think, but Gui hadn't minded. He was glad to have helped Big Sister, in feeling this pain, he had spared her from it. It had only hurt that she hadn't appreciated it. Zhen's temper bled into Gui, and he let out a rumble as his other half hissed.

...and it hadn't even mattered. Gui had tried as hard as he could, fought as hard as he could, and Big Sister had still had to hurt herself to save them. Now they were lost in this weird place, with no ground or sky, no beasts or trees.

Gui felt small and blind, and hated it.

Zhen felt weak and useless and hated it.

"Fishy Man messed up again!" Gui growled, glaring at their companion.

"Hmph, I Zhen, think he is just not trying very hard," Zhen sneered.

"This one can only apologize," the not-Xuan Wu hid his face, and Zhengui felt his fury swell. He had always disliked him and his presumption. Everything about him screamed untrustworthiness. Nest-Mimic. False-Brother. Deepwater-Child. Liar.

"Gui does not want stupid apologies!" he snapped, stomping forward. His other could hiss in wordless rage

"Will you just shut up already you dummy!" Hanyi's frustrated shout brought him up short, her cold biting at his shell. "Are you really that dumb? He's not doing this on purpose! Big Sis is…"

Gui closed his eyes, unnaturally aware of the feather light weight on his back, the tingling feeling of the strands of [Joyful Muse] that clung to his back, anchoring Big Sister. Zhengui had not understood everything the Sixiang had said, but he knew enough. Big Sister was wounded, she had broken something, carrying everyone here.

Hanyi was scared too. She sounded like she wanted to cry. Zhengui felt the volcanic heat in his shell further. She didn't understand. He knew she didn't see the not-Xuan Wu the way he did. He knew instinctively that she couldn't. Neither could Big Sis. It was why he had never spoken up, and simply held himself to watching.

Now, they were lost in the not-place of sleep, and the only one they could rely on was the liar. Even if he was lost too, that was no reason to trust him! And that was if he was even actually lost, instead of leading them in circles!

"Hanyi does not know that," Gui snapped stubbornly. "Fishy man is…"

"What is even your problem?" Hanyi demanded. "Do you know how to get out! Cause I don't!"

Gui let out a discontent rumble, knowing that stating his reasons would be pointless.

"Do not quarrel among yourselves," Xuan Shi said warily. "Sir Zhengui's disposition is understandable. This one is not offended."

Zhen glared down at him, heat rippling off his scales. That pitabile humility, it was a false shell, a thing to hide behind. But like Zhengui's own shell, it's defense was too good.

He did not know where they were going. Zhengui could tell.

"This one will attempt to divine a path forward again," Xuan Shi said, turning away to face the formless chaos ahead. "The others are adrift as well. If we can but link up with Brother Liao, we may yet ride out the storm."

"We should search for a way out," Zhen hissed sulkily.

"This one does not know such ways and has said such before, Sir Zhengui. Perhaps thou might consider cycling thy qi to clear obstructions?" There was a shade of his real face, Gui thought grimly.

But he wasn't wrong. Zhen and Gui looked out into the liminal chaos in different directions and found nothing. There were no roots here, no contours of heat, no scents in the air. Gui was blind. Zhen was blind. They were helpless again. He felt Hanyi moving around on his back, climbing to the top of his shell.

He had to protect Hanyi too.

Gui hung his head, and the mist curled around him, like the hands that held him when he was small.

Zhengui did not want to be small anymore.

He saw the not Xuan holding the ringed end of his staff to his forehead, and in irritation. Zhen began to hiss out an imprecation. He had done that already!

"Hey, will you quiet down for a second," Hanyi said, cutting him off.

"Hanyi should stop being so rude," Zhen glowered. "I Zh-"

"No, keep arguing if you want, afterward," Hanyi dismissed. "I think I felt something, so I want you to quiet down for a second."

Zhen stopped. Hanyi sounded certain. Gui stood still, and silent. If Hanyi had found something, that was definitely more trustworthy than that Fishy man! Zhen peered down at her.

His friend had closed her eyes, and was humming a tune. It was meaningless to Zhen, but Gui could feel the melody reverberating with the chaos. She paused, then hummed the same melody again, and then a third time. Suddenly, she opened her eyes and clapped her hands. "Ah, it's the Flower Lady!"

Zhen felt his heart beat faster in excitement. If hanyi had found the flower Lady, then maybe they could get out! She had been skilled at talking to people far away! Gui felt more caution. He trusted Hanyi, but she liked to brag and exaggerate things. He didn't think she would do that when Big Sis was hurt, but...

"This one feels nothing. What is it you sense?" Xuan Shi asked, frowning behind his collar.

"Don't worry about it," Hanyi said smugly, standing up atop Zhengui's shell. "It's not your fault that you two are tone deaf.

"Is Hanyi sure that she isn't just imagining things," Gui asked suspiciously.

Hanyi puffed out her cheeks in irritation, "Of course not!"

"...It is a destination, is it not sir Zhengui?" Xuan Shi asked. "Brother Liao remains elusive."

"...Maybe flower lady will have a better sense of direction than Fishy Man," Gui grumbled. "Where should Gui walk?"

"This way!" Hanyi announced haughtily. Whatever misgivings he had, it was better to be following Hanyi than the not-Xuan wu.

Hopefully they could finally get somewhere.

He did not know how long they spent walking, but Gui had forced himself to keep going on. He forced bubbling irritation and fear down, and made himself trust in Hanyi.

And they were rewarded for it. One moment, there had been nothing but chaos and shifting dream landscapes, and then in front of them were some of Sis' companions. Bian Ya stood with her hands on her forehead, murmuring under her breath, and beside her stood another woman. Behind them, Su Ling sat, leaned against the side of a large fox, pressing a bandage to her forehead.

"Thank goodness," Bian Ya slumped a little as she saw them. Flower Lady was wilted, she looked like she needed a very long nap. "Someone heard."

"Where's Ling Qi?" Zhen was glad to see the Su Ling as she leapt to her feet. Her spirit was weird and scarred, but Zhen had no doubts that she was a friend of Big Sis.

But The two girls looked battered. Their cloth-shells were ripped and torn and missing pieces. That worried Gui.

"Big Sis is here, she's just hurt," Hanyi announced."Sixiang is taking care of her though, she'll be fine."

Gui was thankful for the Sixiang, he would not complain when they teased next time.

"Hehe, how lucky, right? Told ya it was worth the gamble," Zhen felt a frission of discomfort as the other thing spoke though. It looked like a fox with a human face, but it wasn't. It was something wrong.

It was like the not Xuan wu. It was a Liar and a Nest-Mimic. A mask over a mask over a mask.

Gui instantly distrusted it, and was glad to see Flower lady frown at it. At least he was not the only one to distrust it.

Xuan Shi stepped forward and bowed his head. "This one must offer the deepest apologies Sister Bian. As a defender, this one failed in their task, and allowed your concentration to be muddled."

"Izzat what you think happened?" the spirit chuckled. "What a responsible guy."

Zhen hissed softly, observing them both. Where they collaborators? Zhen would watch, and Zhen would bite them both.

Bian Ya shot the spirit a quelling look. "It was not your failure Brother Xuan. Something… beyond us interfered. It was only Sister Ling's emergency maneuver which allowed us to escape unscathed."

Xuan Shi frowned in dissatisfaction.

Zhengui stomped forward. "How do we get out. Big Sister needs to get out now," Gui said bluntly, overriding everyone else with his booming voice. He did not want to be here any longer.

"I'm afraid we may need to wait some time yet. If you were able to detect my signal, surely the Sect will as well, but-" Bian Ya began. Zhen felt despair, and then anger. The longer they spent here the more danger they were in!

Zhen let out a hiss like a steam vent, but then Hanyi spoke, her cold dimming his shell. "Hey, d-dummy, don't take it out on everybody else!" She shouted up at him.

"Hanyi…" Zhen hissed in irritation. Hanyi was already acting like they were safe, but he could read Flower ladies face. They weren't safe, and they needed to get out!.

Su Ling, who had walked closer to peer at Ling Qi shot him a worried look. "Hey, I want to get out of here too, but at this point wandering around won't do any good, this place…"

"Nightmares are quite a thing in the proverbial flesh huh," the blonde spirit chuckled, her grin stretching wider than a human face could normally manage. "You held up pretty well, cuz."

"I ain't your cousin," Su Ling snapped.

Gui growled, preparing to step in and support Big Sis' friend against the mask thing, but he felt something then, something swelling in the chaos. Dread doused his temper as Zhen whipped around to peer behind them.

Churning darkness writhed, stilling and devouring raw dreamstuff.he saw a pale figure rise from the center, surrounded by ribbons of shadow. A single black veined eye, growing like a pustule from a pulsating heart spun glared hate at them.

Zhengui bellowed in alarm, and tried to turn. He had to protect everyone.