Choices and Consequences

Protection Spell - 2(保护法术Bǎohù fǎshù)

Qing Qiu

"He got up and walked out of his study.  A piercing pain ripped through his abdomen.  He doubled up from the pain.  Feng Jui!! The protection spell that he put on her has activated.  She's in danger!  Di Jun followed the pull of the spell.  He apparated in a clearing just south of Qing Qiu.  What he saw chilled his bones.  Feng Jui is surrounded by Mermaid Clan soldiers.  Her left hand clutched her injured abdomen.  Blood was gushing in between her fingers. Her sword is embedded  in a tree with blood dripping from it.  Before his eyes, he saw an arrow pierce her chest right through her heart."

Bai Feng Jiu clutched her injured abdomen.  There were too many of them.  Although she is a good fighter, their sheer number has overwhelmed her.  She now realised that she would die without any help.  She tried to send out the fox clan whistle to alert her clan of her situation but the loss of blood has affected her concentration.  The whistle was too weak. She is not sure whether it will reach anyone. 

She jerked her head to the side to the sound of someone apparating into the clearing.  This resulted in a lapse of her concentration.  The next thing she felt was the horrendous pain in her chest.  She looked down to find an arrow embedded in her chest and her heart trying to heal itself.  She looked up and with her failing sight saw a white haired god in purple robes who let out a tremendous roar.  Bai Feng Jiu smiled.  It seems that the god that has haunted her dreams has come to watch her die, it's a pity that just like her dream, his face is still hidden to her.  she thought that fate is cruel even in death before darkness claimed her.

Di Jun cast a spell that caught Feng Jiu in its gentle embrace before laying her down tenderly.  He also cast another spell that created not only a barrier around her but it also put her in stasis.  Before the mermaid soldiers could attack him, he raised his left hand and tendrils of purple fire erupted from his fingers.  The tendrils wrapped in the throat of each soldier burning their flesh and slowly cut their breath.  They struggled and clawed at their throats, trying to dislodge its hold as the stench of burning flesh permeated the clearing.  They watched in fear the cold eyes of the oldest and most feared god in all realms as he closed his fist, cutting their throats, killing them instantly.  The scattered piles of ashes are the only indication of their presence.

Di Jun lifted Feng Jiu into his arms then cloud jumped to the peach tree grove. 

Peach Tree Grove

Zhe Yan picked up his medicine satchel which is full of elixirs and balms that Bai Qian needed.  Although Kunlun mountain has extensive medicinal supplies there were ingredients that only Zhe Yan has access to hence his visit to his home.  He decided to stay in Kunlun to take care of Xiao Wu after his conversation with Bai Zhi.  Both Bai Zhi and Meili are worried about their youngest child. Only Zhe Yan's assurance that he will personally supervise her care had prevented both parents from storming to Kunlun with the intention of removing her from there.  They are of the opinion that since meeting the twin dragons, their daughter's life has been put in danger and they're having none of it.

Zhe Yan also told them that removing her from the mountain before she has gained consciousness is dangerous in her weakened state.  This last piece of information had convinced them to let her stay in Kunlun.  They were assured that they will be kept informed of her progress.

He did a last minute check on the contents of his satchel to assure himself that he has everything he needs before leaving his hut.  He was about to call a cloud when Di Jun materialised right in front of him, making him lose his balance and landing him on his bottom.  He was about to yell at Di Jun when it registered in his consciousness that he was carrying someone.  Before he could voice the question in his mind, Di Jun yelled "Zhe Yan get up and help me heal Feng Jui ''.

Zhe Yan got up quickly and asked Di Jun to bring her to the hut.  She was laid into a narrow cot in the medicine room. Zhe Yan then saw the extent of her injury.  He quickly scanned her body for more injuries.  He saw the stasis spell that Di Jun put her under.  "You did well to put her into stasis.  Otherwise she would have died." he told Di Jun.  "Fetch me towels from one of the bedrooms and a bowl of warm water.  I will start healing her injuries except for the one in her heart.  The arrow needs to come out before I can start healing her heart and I need your help to do that."  Di Jun left to fetch the items without a word.

Di Jun came back with the towels and warm water and placed them down the small table beside the cot.  Zhe Yan could feel his unsettled mind but his face remained impassive and his heart cold.  "I am going to pull out the arrow.  I can see that the arrow head has lodged itself in her left atria.  We need to extract it slowly to avoid it ripping up the chamber and causing more damage.  I need you to keep her in stasis but slowly release her as I pull the arrow out.  Her heart needs to slowly close around the wound as I pull.  Leaving the arrow hole open will increase her risk of stroke."  Di Jun just nodded.

Zhe Yan started extracting the arrow slowly.  He kept an eye on Feng Jiu's heart.  He can feel Di Jun releasing his spell slowly and her blood starts flowing back into her heart.  He is counting on the Fox Clan's heart magic to kick in and start healing  itself.  Both worked slowly in tandem until the arrow was finally out and Zhe Yan was able to release some more healing essence into Feng Jiu to aid her healing heart.  Zhe Yan left the room to fetch his medicine satchel which was still in the ground where he fell.

Di Jun started cleaning the blood off Feng Jui's face and arms then cast a spell to clean the blood off her chest before leaving the room and out of the hut.  He saw Zhe Yan pick up his medicine satchel from the ground.  He called out to him to catch his attention.  "How is she? Dong Hua" Zhe Yan asked.  "She is resting.  I have cleaned her up. I think she will make a full recovery" Di Jun replied before taking a seat at the stone table.  Zhe Yan seated himself in front of him and waited for him to ask the question that he knows is in his mind. 

Silence stretched between them until Zhe Yan decided to break it by asking "Why don't you ask the question that is in your mind?  I think I know what it is about but I want to hear it."  Then he waited.  "The protection spell.  It did not work as it was intended to.  It was meant to shield her from harm but instead she nearly died.  The pain I felt was the only warning I had but then it was nearly too late.  Her life was already in danger.  Why didn't it work?." Di Jun looked at Zhe Yan expecting an answer.

Zhe Yan sighed. "You are really asking me that?  You know as much as I know how the spell works.   To make it binding, it has to be cast with the intention to protect someone you truly love.  Only with pure, unselfish love will the spell hold true.  But with you, it wasn't love that drove you to cast it because there is no love in that stone heart of yours!!  You lost the ability to love when you sacrificed your fated love at the Rock of Three Incarnations!!" 

Despite facing Zhe Yan's anger, Di Jun's face remained blank and cold. Zhe Yan could sense a hardening resolve settle in Di Jun's  mind. Being both phoenixes, Zhe Yan is more attuned  and sensitive to his emotions.  He stood up and went back up to where Feng Jui was resting.  He conjured in his hand  a golden elixir with a streak of purple fire swirling in its depths and was about to feed it to Feng Jui when it was blasted off his hand by Zhe Yan's essence. 

"How dare you Dong Hua!! Are you crazy?  Do you really think it is in her best interest to take that elixir?  Feeding her an elixir made with your own blood will strengthen the protection spell which I am sure is your intention.  But, have you considered the consequences?  Without love to anchor it, the bond that she will develop with you will be fueled by obsession which will eventually consume her.  Are you that selfish to condemn her to that fate?  GET OUT!!!  Leave her be.  We will protect her. Do not and I repeat, DO NOT  attempt to ever see her again or else I will tell Bai Yi of what you tried to do.  You know he and the whole fox clan will come for your head!"

Zhe Yan blasted Dong Hua with his essence, casting him out of the grove. He then modified the barrier around the grove effectively barring Di Jun from ever sitting foot in it again.