Hanghua Village was only an hour's flight from the Liu mountaintop. And soon enough the two cultivators touched down on the outskirts of the busy little hamlet. Swords commanded to return with the elegant flick of their fingers, the blades obediently returned to their sheaths, sliding home with a musical ringing note. After patting down his robes and smoothing out the wrinkles from the speed of his travail, Liu Li-Tai looked around, head turning with curiosity as he examined the small village. Being part of the inner family of the clan, Liu Li-Tai had led something of a charmed life, though he hadn't let it make him prideful and covetous. He was still less jaded by the lives of mortals than most cultivators. The movement prompted his companion to shake his head and sigh theatrically. Zhou Jinhai had been an outsider, joining the Liu clan as a small boy when his Shizhun had come to his village and scouted the 4 year old Xuilan. As such he still had roots in the mortal wold, thought his parents and siblings were long dead. Grandnieces and grandnephews still called his name in joy when he visited, rightly proud of their relative who had broken the bonds of mortality and stepped upon the path of the Immortals. His visits gave his family line much prestige in their small village, though it had been a long time since his last trip. Such concerns slowly faded the further one drew from their mortal origins. Zhou Jinhai and Liu Li-Tai were both in the middle part of their journey, their cores powerful and pure. Masters in their own right, and yet still so far from the pinnacle of the Cultivation world.
Done with his initial examination of the area, Liu Li-Tai grinned at his companion then set off, leading the way into the heart of the small hamlet, following his nose to the bustling market that was in full-swing. They had a mission to complete, but that didn't prevent them from enjoying the local delicacies on offer. Well used to his partner's distractable temperament, Zhou Jinhai followed along behind placidly. Their robes instantly marked them as high level Liu Cultivators and the road cleared before them as they went, merchants called out more fervently having seen the quality of their robes and the swords they carried, eager to sell their highest valued items. While the farmers, housewives and gangs of unruly teenagers made way, not daring to bump the pair, partly in respect of their individual power, and partly due to the good standing the Liu Clan held in their territory. Each man and woman well aware that these two were not mortals, and while not gods, were still far above the simple lives of the common folk.
Despite the presence of the two Cultivators, the market bustled with activity, fresh produce sweetened the air with their scents and the calls of 'never again' deals spilled through the crowd. The details of which merged together, and of course would be repeated tomorrow and the day after. As Liu Li-Tai browsed, bartering for a basket of fresh fruit and some smoked meats, Zhou Jinhai watched the crowd, looking for any hint of the trouble that had called them there. Old ladies and young men bustled about, no one seemingly in fear of an imminent attack. It wasn't until they reached a tea house that he heard any kind of unsettled gossip. The two shared a quick glance before Liu Li-Tai stepped in, ducking under the cloth at the entrance, followed a moment later by Zhou Jinhai. The pair seated themselves at one of the empty tables, swords lain at their sides, legs crossed, the cushions worn but well cared for. Zhou Jinhai sat with his back to the group of four men who had initially peeked their interest. Allowing Liu Li-Tai to watch them from over his shoulder without the group catching on.
A server came over and waited expectantly for their order, no doubt assuming that a pair of Cultivators dressed in such fine robes would have more than a tael or two of silver to spend. Obediently Liu Li-Tai ordered for them both, a jug of the local wine, lotus seeds to snack on and a dish of stuffed steam buns. Neither man was truly hungry, but the refreshment after an hours' flight would be welcome, and it gave them an excuse to linger. Once the food and drink had arrived, Zhou Jinhai served his partner a cup of the sweet wine, placing it before the man before pouring his own. Behind him, the argument was growing heated.
"I told ya! Lil Miss Changming's brother went off into the mountain to gather herbs, and didn't come back! When they went to look for him, the whole area was a sea of blood." One of the four men insisted, gesturing wildly with his hands. Beside him, a thick-set man with a red face grunted. "Ain't what I heard.. Apparently the brother had offended Qingbai's daughter, trying to take liberties and all. So old Qingbai dragged the boy up the mountain to teach him a lesson. But no one saw either of them again." He nodded at the first speaker sagely. "That's when they found the pool of blood. The trees dripped with crimson rain, so great was the mess." The first man took a deep gulp of his cup before nodding. "Either way, they ain't the only two to go missing up there." He held up his free hand, two fingers already extended. Then started listing off names, counting with his fingers until he had to set his wine cup down at 6 but was interrupted by a third member of their party. "Folks been saying you can hear the howls of a demon at night if you stand at the forest edge." His rough voice was low and careful, as if afraid talking about it would summon the creature into the inn. Another man shook his head. "It's the cries of a woman, apparently she was jilted by her lover and hung herself. Now her spirit wanders the forest, snatching up any couples who go up there." The group was quiet for a moment, as if considering this idea. Then the first shook his head. "But Miss Changming wasn't meeting anyone.." The speaker was instantly cut off. "You said it was her brother!" A small squabble started between the two, knees and elbows shoving. They stopped when the table off to one side all looked over in annoyance, a group of three officials, clearly just passing through as they had been eating quietly and quickly, wanting to finish and be on their way.
Zhou Jinhai shared a look with his partner, making Liu Li-Tai sigh with exaggerated dismay. But he obediently stood and walked over to the loud group, taking the jar of wine with him as he did. His face transformed from the sober, even countenance of a cultivator into the overly excited mien of a gossip, setting the wine jug down in the middle of the table as he plopped between two of the men, his slight form neatly settling between them without jostling their cups. "So you think it's a demon killing all those folks? Or a ghost?" He asked, eyes alight and face avid, instantly endearing himself to the group with his obvious interest. The four all started offering their own opinions, answering Liu Li-Tai's questions and talking over each other at the opportunity of a new listener, eager to spread their news.
It was some time before Liu Li-Tai extracted himself from the group, now seemingly best friends with the most talkative of them, and made his way unsteadily back to Zhou Jinhai. Brows lifting at the look his companion had trained on him as he feigned a level of drunkenness no cultivator could achieve with just a few cups of watered down fruit wine. Once more settling onto his cushion, careful to list unsteadily to one side for the benefit of the few nosy people still watching him, he huffed at Zhou Jinhai's look of expectation. "Something is clearly going on up there, but no one seems to agree on the details." He offered, reaching to pluck a lotus seed free and started to peel it. "There seems to have been a fight, lots of blood and destruction of the area in the rumors. Weird noises heard late at night if you stand in one specific spot. And a bunch of missing or dead villagers." He popped the lotus seed into his mouth and chewed, watching the thoughtful look that had taken over his companion's beautiful features. Zhou Jinhai was a striking man indeed. Even in his traveling robes, his hair mussed by the wind from their sword flight and surrounded by the shabby, well-used interior of the small inn, he shone like a pure spirit. Dark hair and eyes a contrast to his pearl white skin. As smooth as jade and utterly flawless. The gentleness in those phoenix eyes hinted at the noble personality within, sweet pink lips forever caught in a half smile, as if he found the world endlessly fascinating and the people within it remarkable.
As always, Liu Li-Tai felt his heart beat pick up as he looked upon his partner, and finally forced himself to turn his attention to the food spread between them. For his part, Zhou Jinhai was considering what Liu Li-Tai had told him, expression distracted and eyes downcast. He ate slowly, almost automatically, picking at the plates set between them and seemingly not noticing what he ate as he mulled over the options. Liu Li-Tai knew to give the man time, and so he set to eating, enjoying the simple but delicious dishes.
Together the two cultivators left the small tea house and resumed their path through the village. They stopped at stalls and shops, pretending to browse the wares while they inquired about the many rumors relating to the mountain tragedies. The visited another tea house and spent some time drinking and talking with the gossips. Until finally all they heard were the same stories and opinions, no new information being added. Finally. As they paused to browse a stall selling hair clasps, Zhou Jinhai turned to his companion. "I don't think we are going to learn anything else here... let's head up to the mountain and have a look around. If it is demonic or a beast of some kind there should be evidence." Liu Li-Tai nodded, holding up a particularly delicate silver-wire clasp with tiny jade beads strung along the elegantly twisting design. When the other man raised an eye brow in question, Liu Li-Tai grinned, holding out his free hand, palm up.
Zhou Jinhai narrowed his eyes at his companion's gesture, but after a long moment where the two stared at each other, he huffed a resigned sigh and reached into his robes, pulling out a small green pouch and dropping it into Liu Li-Tai's outstretched palm. "Shameless as always." He scolded, though his words had no effect on the beaming man before him, who instantly turned and started haggling down the price of the clasp he had picked out. Shaking his head, Zhou Jinhai turned his back on the other, instead gazing out over the still-busy street, turning over all they had learned so far in his mind.
Barely a minute later, a finger tapped his shoulder and he turned back, coming face-to-face with Liu Li-Tai looking self satisfied and not a little smug. Gaze dropping to the hand once more stretched out towards himself, he eyed the silver clasp sat upon the long fingers. "You brought it, aren't you going to wear it?" He asked, head tilting as he looked back up to meet a pair of pleased brown eyes. In answer, Liu Li-Tai reached up with both hands and carefully secured the clasp in place on Zhou Jinhai's head. Rolling his eyes at his partner's antics, he let the clasp be clipped securely in place before lightly pushing Liu Li-Tai in the chest, sending him back a single step. "Impossible..." He sighed plaintively, sounding put upon as if his companion's nonsensical actions were a burden he had to bear. Then they both chuckled, the old routine a familiar one between them.
Shoulder to shoulder, they once again set off down the street, thought this time their destination was the far gate, which was smaller and less well used than the main entrance to the village. As it led out onto the mountain itself, and was mainly used by the locals who gathered wild fruit and herbs or herded their animals on the shallow slopes. Gazing upwards at the sky, Zhou Jinhai considered, then motioned to the first ridge. "Supposedly that area is where several people have gone missing." Liu Li-Tai nodded. "A good place to start at least." He agreed easily as they passed through the gate and started walking up the winding dirt path beyond.
The trek was easy for two cultivators, and soon enough they were stood in a wide clearing. Old trees ringed the open area, their flanks bearing the marks of a fight. Claws had scoured the bark off the trunks. Entire chunks missing from some. The smaller trees had been flattened entirely, as if a huge foot had come down and crushed them under it's weight. Frowning Zhou Jinhai walked the perimeter while Liu Li-Tai crouched near the center, examining the strange scorch marks on the ground. "Supposedly, this is where the brother was killed..." Liu Li-Tai looked about, seeking any trace if the man. But there was nothing, no old blood, no torn bits of cloth or even a shoe print. Frowning he stood and walked over to where Zhou Jinhai was prying at a piece of loose bark. "What have you found?" He asked, leaning over his companion's shoulder to peer at the slither of metal the other was prising from the hard wood. "Hmm.." Zhou Jinhai answered distractedly, carefully easing the tip of his knife under the fragment and levering it free to drop onto his cupped palm. Sheathing his knife and tucking it back into his belt he turned over the splinter of metal. And froze. Beside him, Liu Li-Tai did the same, both of them having sensed the same little spark of fading energy from the fragment.
"Think another cultivator has been though?" He asked, frowning as Zhou Jinhai held up the splinter of metal so it caught the light. A fragment of script barely visible, etched onto one surface. "Who else uses formations?" The other man asked in return, rolling the shard between his fingers as Liu Li-Tai nodded in agreement. "Then the question is... who and why." The taller man stated, folding his arms across his chest as they both kept staring at the splinter. "No.. The question right now is.. What." Zhou Jinhai corrected, letting the fragment drop into his palm and closing his fingers over it. "If we can figure out that, we can work out the why... The who will make itself known eventually." Turning so he was facing Liu Li-Tai, he reached for his companion's hand and dropped the splinter within. Then he stepped around the other cultivator and walked to the center of the space, where the bare patch of scorched ground lay.
Liu Li-Tai turned, watching his partner as Zhou Jinhai knelt, palm pressed to the earth as he sent his spiritual sense down into the land. Of the two, he was the stronger at controlling his energy in such a way, and so Liu Li-Tai stayed where he was, letting his partner seek out the truth of the past. Eventually, Zhou Jinhai stood, shaking the dirt and dead grass form his hand as he turned a slow circle, gaze moving from tree to branch to exposed root. "The natural qi is disrupted here, but I can't figure out the source." He sounded frustrated, so Liu Li-Tai walked over, settling a hand on the cultivator's shoulder. "Then let us keep searching. We already have several clues, there has to be more." With a node, Zhou Jinhai took a deep breath, letting the tension release from his muscles. With a half smile, he covered Liu Li-Tai's hand with his own for a brief moment, before moving away, heading upwards, following the trail as it left the clearing and continued into the forest, Liu Li-Tai at his side.
They walked slowly, looking for any hint that would help them solve the mystery. But the forest was peaceful. Warm golden light filtered down from the canopy above, sparking off the new clip Zhou Jinhai wore. The warmly scented breeze, holding just the smallest hint of the colder wind above, tossed their long hair back and teased at their robes. Walking side by side, the pair could have been out for a stroll on the flank of their own mountain. Except for the swords at their waists and the hands that rested in readiness atop their pommels. Neither cultivator relaxed their guard, ready for a sneak attack at any moment. Yet as the hours passed and they continued their search up the mountain's flank, it appeared they were well and truly alone. Finally, Liu Li-Tai paused as they searched yet another battle site. This one less mysterious. There had been a sword fight, but there was no sign of qi in the marks left behind, so it had clearly been mortal humans. The only strange thing was how far they were from Hanghua village. Why would two local men come all the way up here to fight? Yet try as they might, the pair of Liu sect members couldn't find any evidence that pointed at a reason.
Turning to his companion, Liu Li-Tai gestured at the trees all around, and their long, darkening shadows. "Are we going back for the night? Or staying up here to see if anything nasty crawls out after dark." Making a soft sound of consideration, Zhou Jinhai thought for a long moment, then shrugged. "May as well. We have few other leads right now. But not here.." He added quickly as Liu Li-Tai started to head over to a tree with the obvious intention of settling down. With a half shrug Liu Li-Tai changed direction and returned to his companion's side. "Lead on then." He grinned cheekily, causing Zhou Jinhai to eye him in exasperation. Which Liu Li-Tai simply ignored, holding out a hand to indicate for the other man to go first.
Shaking his head, long silken hair catching the cooling breeze to fall over one shoulder, Zhou Jinhai set off, leading his companion through the forest once more. It didn't take long to find a small clearing pressed up against a sheer cliff-face. Probably created from a long ago rock-slide. Here the two men settled down, backs supported by one of the giant trees, the trunk so wide it would have taken a half dozen men to encircle it with their arms.
As darkness fell and the warmth seeped away, leaving a sharpness in the air even a cultivator's improved physique couldn't ignore, Liu Li-Tai pulled his cloak from his shoulders and settled it over them both, shifting over so they were pressed against each other, thigh, hip and arm. Sharing the warmth of their bodies under the covering. Within minutes a light weight landed on his shoulder and he looked over, smiling at the sight of the top of Zhou Jinhai's head, the hair clasp he had brought earlier glinting in the fading light, the jade beads faintly luminous. Expressions one of contentment, he let his eyes drift closed, falling into a light doze, the slow and even breathing of the man beside him familiar and comforting.
The moon was high over head when Zhou Jinhai woke, eyes flicking open but otherwise not moving a muscle. Something had teased at the very edge of his senses, something dark and creeping in the night. The texture of it oily on the cold breeze that plucked with icy fingers at the cloak covering them. At his side, Liu Li-Tai also came fully aware. Neither man having truly slept, only dozed. A state in which their spiritual senses would alert them to even the smallest change in the area around them. Now, Zhou Jinhai flicked his gaze around the clearing, content with the rock at their back which would force any attacker to approach from limited directions. Liu LI-Tai's fingers tightened where they rested on Zhou Jinhai's arm, a subtle motion of his eyes drawing attention towards a deep shadow across from them. Following his indication, Zhou Jinhai stretched his senses, feeling the unnatural darkness of the shadows in that one spot.
With a sudden burst of motion both cultivators exploded from their positions, flying apart to land at opposite ends of the small clearing. Where they had just been sitting, a long black pole jutted from the tree trunk, buried deep into the wood and causing the bark to steam slightly from the corruption in the weapon. Swords were drawn in twin flashes of silver as the moonlight sparked off the naked metal blades. The shadows moved, coalescing into the shape of a man, but it was not right, the figure bent over and twisted. A parody of a human. An animalistic roar exploded from the open mouth, skin ragged and torn as it stretched over sinew and muscle with every movement the creature made. As one, both cultivators kicked off, flying across the distance with swords extended. Only to plunge the blades deep into the rotting body. The monster froze, then crumbled to dust, leaving the blades untouched. Heads turning to look at each other, the pair shared a concerned look. That creature had been the lowest level of fierce corpse. There was little chance that it had been the cause of all the rumors. So what else was on this mountain?
Yet as no further threat showed itself, both men slowly lowered their swords from their guard positions. Liu Li-Tai sheathed his to crouch beside the already dispersing pile of oily ash. Zhou Jinhai kept his out, turning to eye the forest, acting as look-out while his partner prodded the ash pile with a stick. "No coin or talisman." He reported a moment later, tossing the stick away and standing, brushing off his robes as he turned back to the other cultivator. "Might have just been a lost monster on his own." Zhou JInhai looked dubious, but had no better explanation and so he shrugged, finally sheathing his sword and folding one arm behind his back, expression thoughtful. "If he was a wandering fierce corpse.... Why? They usually stick to their own territory..." Liu Li-Tai nodded, frowning as he spoke his musings aloud. "Unless something lured him here?" He suggested with puzzlement, looking about once more. "But what? What could be powerful enough to do so?" He turned once more towards Zhou Jinhai, who pressed a curled finger to his lips in thought, his reply coming slow. "Was it deliberate, or was he called by accident?" Looking annoyed at yet another puzzle he sighed and dropped his hand, turning to walk back to the tree, the black rod still stuck fast, and picked up Liu Li-Tai's cloak. "Here..." He shook it out before offering it to his companion, who took the unharmed garment and swung it about his shoulders, fastening it at his throat.
Once Liu Li-Tai was again fully garbed, the pair looked over the black rod. Which, Zhou Jinhai pointed out, was actually a spear. The metal head stuck fast in the ancient wood. Neither of them touched the object however, the evil qi seeping from it obvious enough that both cultivators stayed several steps back. However, it quickly became clear that they would learn nothing from such a distance, so Zhou Jinhai withdrew a talisman from his pouch and, after activating it with a quick hand signal, tossed the slip of yellow paper onto the black shaft. Instantly there was a silent wave of pressure that blew back their hair and robes, tossing both about as if the pair were caught in a sudden storm. The shockwave swiftly passed, the surrounding trees left smoking slightly from the effect of the evil qi being suppressed so violently. But the black spear no longer leaked the foul smoke.
Stepping forwards, Liu Li-Tai grasped the dark shaft and yanked it from the old trunk, holding it up to examine the metal head. After a moment he tossed it underarm to his companion, who caught it easily and weighed it. Liu Li-Tai watched his friend's considering gaze as Zhou Jinhai studied the thing. "Aside from the demonic energy within it, it's not that special." He grumbled, rapidly getting frustrated that all their leads were turning out to be less than useful. But just as he began to turn away again, Zhou Jinhai reached up and ripped the head of the spear free, turning it so the part of the metal previously hidden within the shaft gleamed darkly in the faded moonlight. Instantly visible was the symbol etched onto the fine grade metal.
Troubled eyes met the shocked gaze of Liu Li-Tai as he gaped at the discovery. "The Sui." Both cultivators said in unison. Zhou Jinhai grimaced even as Liu Li-Tai frowned. "But.. That doesn't mean they are actually here, or active in this area... lots of their artifacts have been abandoned in the recent troubles.. " He tried to find an explanation for the presence of the hated symbol, but even to himself, the words sounded hollow, foolish. He watched his companion worriedly, knowing the bad blood between his partner and the dark sect.
Taking a slow breath, Zhou Jinhai only shook his head slowly. "I'd prefer if that was the case, but I don't trust them. They have been getting more and more bold in their movements, stirring up trouble all over the countryside." Liu Li-Tai could only agree with that assessment, a frown drawing his dark brows downward and marring his perfectly smooth skin. "But why here? There is nothing of value near by, and we have only come due to a few rumors." Liu Li-Tai queried, looking again at the spear head his companion still held. "Usually they pick rich villages or high ranking mortal leaders as their targets. They have been building their wealth and the size of their territory for a while now. Though they have been careful to avoid us and the other Righteous Sects." He continued, watching the dark expression clouding his friend's normally calm face.
Tossing the black shaft so it stuck fast in the earth at the edge of the clearing, Zhou Jinhai kept the spear head, wrapping it in a scrap of cloth before dropping it into his spiritual pouch. The storage device briefly expanding to accommodate the long chunk of metal before shrinking back to it's original palm-sized state. After tucking it back into his belt, Zhou Jinhai tucked his hands into opposing sleeves and made a slow, careful circuit of the clearing. But there was no other trace of evil qi or the spear's owner. However, as he pushed aside a low hanging branch with the tip of his scabbard, he stopped moving, causing Liu Li-Tai to join him quickly. Both cultivators looked down at the footprints pressed into the soft leafy dirt of the forest floor.
"Think it leads anywhere useful?" Liu Li-Tai asked quietly, thought he already knew what their next action had to be. Without a word, he fell into step beside Zhou Jinhai as the other man set off, both following the faint trail while keeping their senses expanded for an ambush.
They travailed for several hours, the deep night gradually fading to an early dawn. The footprints led them on a wandering, winding path across the mountain's flank, heading slowly uphill but at an acute angle. They found themselves in a shallow valley, the growth so thick they had to slice their way through, cutting apart ancient limbs that stretched out from massive trunks, tangling with their neighbors to create a truly impressive barrier. Then, as pale blades swung rhythmically, a shape loomed out of the gloom, humped and heavily over grown. Working his way right up to one, Zhou Jinhai pulled the moss and vines away, revealing a squat building made of rough stone slabs. It was obvious from the larger mounds that this had once been a large complex of buildings, but almost all had long since collapses into these giant rubble piles. Picking his way over the small hillocks, Zhou Jinhai uncovered the remains of walls, doors and window lintels, the broken slate tiles of the roofs and even some rotten remains of furniture. After scrambling over the largest pile, he held up a broken shard of a pot, clearly it had once been of great value, the glaze still crisply white, almost opalescent.
Tossing it to Liu Li-Tai, who caught it neatly, he slid down the overgrown mound, landing barely a few feet from his companion and dusted down his pale robes, brushing away twigs and bits of leaf and moss. "Large enough to be a small royal palace." He said, nodding at the fragment Liu Li-Tai was turning over and over in his hands. "But more likely some nobleman's summer retreat. It's not that old either, despite the destruction. Almost looks like it was demolished and then someone forced the forest to hide it." He frowned, opening his hand for his companion to drop the fragment into his palm, Liu Li-Tai having satisfied himself with his quick examination.
"It's barely weathered." Liu Li-Tai agreed, setting hands on hips as he frowned at the seemingly long abandoned complex, that actually wasn't. Walking over to another of the smaller piles of broken stone, Liu Li-Tai started to pick through the debris, seeking some kind of answer to how such devastation happened. Zhou Jinhai instead started walking around what had once been the perimeter of the complex, finding the remains of a stone pathway that hadn't been destroyed, merely was covered in forced growth. After he'd completed a full circle and ended up back where Liu Li-Tai was kicking larger stones off the pile to see if anything remotely useful was hidden within, the confused cultivator sighed heavily. "At any rate, the trail we were following continues past this place. We can come back later, but I want to know where that trail goes and who made it."
Reluctantly stopping his cathartic if useless activity of stone punting, Liu Li-Tai nodded and hopped down off the rubble, pushing a few unruly locks of hair back from his brow as he naturally bent to his companion's desire. "I've no reason to stay here. This mess isn't going to run off any time soon. Let's continue our treasure hunt." His words were light but his tone was concerned. Something felt off, and by the frown barring his partner's brow, he knew Zhou Jinhai felt it too. But they had a job to do, and they were Liu Cultivators. Few were as equipped as them to handle a crisis in this area.
With no further discussion, the pair of cultivators resumed their trek, leaving the destroyed complex behind as they strode steadily up the mountain, following the faint trail of footprints. Hour after hour passed, and despite neither feeling the strain of the climb, both men felt the wear of keeping their senses on high alert. The forest was eerily quiet, only a few birds dared call out to them, and they saw no small animals in the undergrowth. Clearly something was happening on this mountain that the local wildlife were avoiding.
One minute they were walking, Zhou Jinhai in front, Liu Li-Tai right on his heels. Then the next each was walking alone. Swallowed up in a murky darkness that had simply descended with no warning. Zhou Jinhai didn't bother turning around, knowing Liu Li-Tai was no longer any where near by. Instead, he stopped where he was, drawing his sword in a smooth, silent motion as he flared his aura, filling it with the intent to pierce the unnatural darkness. Whatever space this was, it was not he forest he had been walking through a moment ago. But it was not 'not' the forest either. The trees still stood like sentinels all around, but their forms were twisted and misshapen, the branches stretching out like clawed hands seeking to ensnare him. Toes pushed off from the earth as Zhou Jinhai dodged a sudden attack. Though he didn't see exactly what had attacked him or how, just the sense that if he didn't move, he'd be hit. The killing intent behind the action chilled his blood, so sharp and cold was it that the intent alone was more deadly than any well honed blade. Yet still there was no attacker.
The barren, skeletal forest all around was still. Unnaturally so. Zhou Jinhai forced his aura out further, seeking the edges of this altered space. He had to break free and locate Liu Li-Tai. As a sudden, terrible weight of premonition had pressed against him, heavy and thick. He knew, beyond doubt, that his partner was in dire trouble. Frustration tried to claw at his mind, and fear tried to loosen his control over his cultivation. As soon as he recognised those feelings, he was aware that those sensations were coming from outside himself. Swiftly pulling in his aura and hardening it against the metal attacks, he fended off the physical ones with sharp, smooth motions of his blade, blocking or deflecting yet unable to attack. As there was nothing to attack. The thick black mist was all around, turning the world into a series of overlapping shadows. Only when objects came in close did they feel real, and he could predict their trajectory, blade raising to divert their movements.
Minutes crawled past, and every second only increased the sense of urgency as Jinhai fought to escape the clear trap they had walked into. He was certain he could hear Liu Li-Tai, the distinct chime of his blade as he struck, and regular even breathing he knew so well. Closing his eyes, Zhou Jinhai lowered his sword completely, standing in a relaxed pose, ignoring the warnings his senses screamed at him, the whips of air that tugged at his clothing and hair as physical objects passed by barely a hands width from his form. Yet nothing actually hit him. Becoming more certain in his action he slowed his breath, letting his mind fade from the intensity of battle as calm re-imposed itself in his center. One heart beat, two heart beats... time slowed, seconds turned into minutes as Zhou Jinhai focused inwards. With a sudden flexing of his qi, he broke the previously invisible bindings that had encased him both physically and mentally.
Suddenly he felt daylight once again warming his chilled flesh as sunbeams brightened the skin of his eyelids. Eyes snapping open he saw the forest as it had been previously, natural greens and browns, no smoke anywhere to be seen. And there, mere meters from him, Liu Li-Tai battled. His opponent wasn't a phantom, but a real person, though their form was half obscured by a cloud of darkness that seemed to shift and billow, hiding the person within and obscuring their attacks so Liu Li-Tai could only react at the last second. Sweat poured from his brow, his sword was rushed, the usually smooth movements jerky and rough now. It was so unlike him that Zhou Jinhai froze for a fraction of a breath. Something was deeply wrong. Relying on his well honed reflexes and instinct, Zhou Jinhai thrust himself into the middle of the fight, blocking a sword slash his partner hadn't been fast enough to react to. As naturally as breathing the pair fell into sync, blocking and dodging, slashing and spinning without once fouling the other's attack or retreat. Yet almost as soon as Zhou Jinhai joined, Liu Li-Tai started to flag. At first Zhou Jinhai thought it was because he was still trapped in the shadow world, but a quick glance at his partner revealed the shock of dark blood covering the other man's fine features. Eyes dulled with pain as blood dribbled from clenched teeth. Something was deeply, deeply wrong.
Redoubling his efforts to keep the attacker's attention on himself, Zhou Jinhai automatically fended off a thrown projectile with his blade, but instead of sending the item rocketing off into the forest, it exploded on impact with the shimmering metal. Grey smoke suddenly filled the space where Zhou Jinhai was standing, obscuring his form for a fraction of a second before he shot backwards out of the thick cloud. Instantly his lungs seized up, forcing him to stagger as he coughed up a mouthful of dark blood. Heart blood. Wincing, he spat the thick mass to one side, catching Liu Li-Tai stagger out of the corner of his eye. Blurring back over to attack the unknown enemy with desperate slashes he forced the enemy to focus fully on him alone. Liu Li-Tai was in bad shape, barely on his feet now as some how, his injuries were worsening at a rapid pace. Even thought Zhou Jinhai had kept their attacker from reaching his partner.
A deep pain in his chest made him focus on his inner self for a brief moment between barrages of attacks, and a deep chill sank through him. Poison. Something had poisoned him and it was crawling through his meridians from his lungs, aiming for his heart and more importantly, his core. The creeping oily sensation was already affecting his qi flow, making breathing difficult. His vision swam and he realised it must have been the powder attack. "Poison in the air!" He gasped aloud, needing to warn Liu Li-Tai so the man could take his own precautions. Taking as deep a breath as he could manage, he lept forwards so fast he was a blur of motion, sword singing as it danced in complicated circles, attacking and defending at the same time as he strove to bring the battle to a close as fast as possible. But their opponent was as swift and as ferocious as Zhou Jinhai himself, meeting each punishing attack with his own counter. The two traded blows so devastating shockwaves rolled over the battlefield, causing massive, ancient trees to shatter into fractured pieces with each attack.
Blood poured from his eyes as Zhou Jinhai fought, blood red tears streaking his pale cheeks. His vision was beginning to tunnel, darkness creeping in around the edges, forcing the Liu Cultivator to rely more and more on his aura for the precision timing needed to continue to match the assassin's speed. He could no longer sense Liu Li-Tai at his side, and knew he was now fighting alone. But the awareness was only at the very back of his mind, the rest of his focus devoted solely to defeating the enemy that had ambushed them. He had to protect A-Yu!
Minutes passed, more than more trees were shattered or blown apart as the two inhuman warriors fought. Zhou JInhai's vision was a hazy blur, but every swing or thrust of his sword was perfect. A lifetime of training and natural born skill coupled with the desperate determination to succeed, keeping Zhou Jinhai on his feet and in the fight. Their attacker bled freely from multiple slow-healing wounds, and seemed to be slowing down, taking more and more damage as Zhou Jinhai's attacks started getting through. Suddenly, the shadowy form bolted, fleeing into the forest so fast Zhou Jinhai had no chance of following. Not in the state he was in right then.
Stumbling back to the ground, as their fight had long since taken to the tops of the trees for more maneuverability, Zhou Jinhai staggered over to where his companion lay curled up against the base of a blasted trunk. Sinking to his knees, sword dropping from his blood-soaked fingers, he reached out for Li-Tai. "A-Yu." He rasped, wobbling slightly as the agony in his eyes threatened to send him into oblivion. He had contained the powered poison as best as he had been able, using his qi to prevent the deadly powder spreading throughout his system and into his core. It had already eaten into his eyes, bursting the blood vessels so his whites were now entirely blood red. Some had gotten into his lungs and he knew there was lasting damage there, but at least his core and his cultivation had been spared annihilation.
Fingers grasped the bloodied robes of his friend and partner, sinking into the stained, warm fabric as he shook Liu Li-Tai gently. "A-Yu." He repeated, needing Liu Li-Tai to get up so they could go back to the village. They both needed help, and the village would have at least some herbs, and would be able to send a mortal to Willow Retreat to fetch one of the clan healers. . "A-Yu?" He tried again, loosing track of his immediate plans when there was no response from his partner's still form. "Wake up, the attacker is gone and you need to get up." He shook the form again, a bit rougher this time. His eyesight was just a smear of shapes now, blurred into indistinct colours and fading rapidly as the poison rampaged through his eyes, trapped by the blockage of hardened qi Zhou Jinhai had barricaded it behind. Trapping it at the point of entry in order to preserve his cultivation, as the poison's only goal was to feed on his energy and his core until there was nothing left.
"Come on Nanyu-Gege...." He wondered why someone was sobbing near by, not feeling the tears rolling down his blood-streaked cheeks as his grip tightened on the cooling cloth under his fingertips.