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

"You're lucky you're so comfy, or I'd have never agreed to trudge all the way up here," Hanyi huffed, crossing her army haughtily.

"I, Zhen, have been doing all the trudging."

"No. Gui has done that."

The mountain stone groaned under his tread, but he did not worry much, though the old and hoary mountain would soon shed his scales in a rumbling avalanche, they were not so loose yet. A year, a decade, Gui thought it might be so.

Zhen chided him to remember so that Zhen could say something to scholar friend. Humans thought that kind of thing was very important, even if the mountain was far away from the shores and the little testing holes being dug.

"Details," Hanyi dismissed airily. "Besides, boys should be happy when a pretty young miss uses them as a seat."

"Gui thinks Hanyi has been getting too many weird ideas from Miss Storm Reaver's books."

And Zhen still did not know how he felt about that one, who carved up her body to stick metal bits through it to claim the sparks of heaven, and insisted she wanted to be kin. He worried big sister was being too trusting! Look at what she was doing to Hanyi!

Gui thought Hanyi was always weird this way though.

But the ideas…

"Indeed, who would be happy being a seat! I, Zhen, indulge you only because Hanyi is so lazy."

"I am not! A proper lady is just supposed to be carried or ride on long trips is all."

"Big Sister does not do this, most times," Zhen hissed.

"Big Sis can be weird if she wants, since she's strong," Hanyi sniffed. "Besides! It's different if you can fly."

Gui grudgingly acknowledged this.

The peak of the cliff came into view. The deeply digging rootlets sprouting from his feet dragged free of the stone as he hauled himself up the final sharp turn of the incline, coming out onto the broad, snow dusted peak of the mountain. The cold wind blew, flakes sizzling and melting on the back of his shell even as the wind kicked up, and the clouds just overhead released curtains of falling white.
"...It's pretty though, so I guess I can forgive you for dragging me all the way out here," Hanyi said quietly, sitting up straighter against the angled spike of his shell that she had been using as her backrest.

Zhen craned his body over itself, peering back out behind himself. The whole vale of Snowblossom spread out behind them, a swathe of darker and lighter greens, mixed with yellows, browns and the white of snow, all surrounding the massive deep blue shape that was Miss Snowblossom.

"Hanyi is not wholly tasteless, I Zhen, acknowledge."

Ah, such depths, which could swallow him whole even after he grew twice, thrice many times more than he was now. Icy waters which would boil so hotly under his flames He could gaze upon her forever…

"Ugh, Can snakes even drool? Don't be gross, nobody likes a stare-y guy," Hanyi huffed, bringing her fist down on his shell with a crack, frost radiating out, only to swiftly melt.

"Gui thinks Hanyi is much too late."

"Probably, figures you would be the sensible one huh?" Hanyi sighed, reaching forward to pat Gui on the head. "I'm waaaaaay better anyway. What's some fish obsessed homebody compared to the Idol of Winter's First Breath!"

Gui tilted his head back, giving her a patient look as they trudged away from the cliffside, shell rocking too and fro in his usual gait now that they were back on solid ground.

She huffed, crossing her arms. "Hmph, even you huh? You like huge old ladies that much huh?"

"Too rude! Miss Snowblossom is mature and gentle, not like bratty Hanyi," Zhen hissed.

"Gui thinks Miss Snowblossom is very nice, but in a different way than Hanyi," Gui said placidly. "She will always be here in Gui's Kingdom. But Hanyi will go away a lot, yes? Hanyi is too breezy to cling to one mountain, one shore, one Gui."

Hanyi pouted, puffing out her cheeks. They strode in silence through the driving snow. Gui firmly informed Zhen that he would get rolled over on if he piped up.

"Momma made a mistake," Hanyi's whisper should have been inaudible under the wind's howl. It was not. "Obsessing over one thing, one boy…. What'd you do if he turns out rotten like Papa huh? I'm gonna travel alllll over, on the cusp of the first cold wind, and I'll meet lotsa people, and pick out the ones I like best. Be happy that you're still the first and best, you big doofus!"

"Gui misses Hanyi alot, but she was very happy when she came back from her trip, so Gui is happy too."

"Doofus," Hanyi repeated fondly. "So seriously what are we doing up here anyway? I've been patient, but I'm not gonna wait anymore!"

Zhen spied the difference in the temperatures ahead, where the cold solidity of rock gave way to the whipping tempestuous air.

"Gui wanted to come since he and Hanyi have not gone zooming down a mountain in a very long time."

"What, we're not brats anymore you know," Hanyi huffed.

Gui turned his head, staring balefully up at Zhen.

Zhen flicked his tongue and turned up his nose, this was Gui's business.

"Gui thinks Hanyi is trying too hard when it is just Gui around. Look, Gui picked this one out. How steep, how long, a path all the way to the base of the mountain."

He could feel the echoes of water on stone, some span had carved a long and winding furrow into mountain stone, now filled with snow, boulders, and scraggly trees.

Hanyi hesitated, looking down. Gui could feel her resolve wavering as she bit her lip.

"Gui and Zhen have a new trick too, to go even faster than we ever have before."

"Fine! I guess I can indulge you, since you put so much effort into finding a good spot," Hanyi said, eyes sparkling.

He had even cleared it with the old man mountain, this one was very agreeable.

"What's the trick though?"

"I, Zhen will show you, if Gui will prepare himself. Of course, Hanyi should hold on tight as well," Zhen said imperiously.

"Right, right," hanyi drawled, looking dubious."

"No really, Hanyi should be careful, it would be a shame if she flew off," Gui insisted. "Gui can give roots."

She frowned. "...Okay."
They sprouted up, winding out from the crevices in his scales as he withdrew his limbs into his shell, coming down on the cliff with a thump. Blackened and fire hardened, the throots formed a belt across hanyi's lap, and a thick handle for her to hold onto.

"This better be…"

Flames grumbled, guttered, orange and lurid blue light erupting from where Zhengui's limbs had withdrawn, and Hanyi's shriek of surprise and delight echoed up and down the mountainside as they roared off the cliff and hit the bottom of the furrow in a massive splash of flash evaporating snow.

Gui let out a whoop of excitement as they rocketed on, a boulder shattering upon his head, spraying shrapnel outward as they careened on through.

Even picky Zhen let out an excited hiss at the challenge as he adjusted the erupting flames sending their flat shelled belly skidding to weave through the trees in their path.

It was good to hear Hanyi laugh like this again, good to feel this freeing rush again. Down the mountain they went in a rush, steam and stone and dust jetting behind them, until at last… the real reason he'd chosen this path.

A curved cliff, terminating facing the open air of the vale.

Hanyi's screaming laugh grew louder… and they erupted from the ramping cliff in a shower of stone and fire.

And for just a minute, they flew together.