Rescue Me, My Love

Saved by Fire

     Mo Yuan stretched out from his coil and rose to the surface of the spring.  He looked at his surroundings and slowly swam toward the edge of the spring.  He crawled out and transformed.  "Where are the boys?"  "They're over there with JinDe taking a nap.  JinDe said wake him when you woke up.  Should I wake him?  "No, let him sleep for now.  Did he stay up all night?"  "Yes, Fuqin, he did.  He watched over you and the boys while we slept.  There is fish and spiced wine here and JinDe has dried fruit and meat buns in his pack."  Mo Yuan took a cup and poured himself some of the wine.  He heated it before he drank it.  He ate a whole fish, some dried fruit and a meat bun.  He stood and woke JinDe.  That stalwart dragon was still grumpy when he was not finished sleeping.  "Stop, Ying'er!  I don't have to get up yet!"  "If I was Mei Ying I would stop!"  JinDe opened one eye and sighed.  He got up and sat on the side of the bed.  "Sorry Fuqin.  I was trying to catch a nap before these boys woke up wanting food."  "Get a cup of their wine and heat it before you drink it.  It will refresh you.  Have the boys slept through since yesterday?"  "Yes they have.  We put them in the spring yesterday.  I took them out this morning and dressed them.  I was warming them while I slept.  They should awake soon, I believe."  "JinDe, you have done well.  Drawing that ice fire to your sword was really a sight to behold!  You know I can't do it with Xuan Yuan.  It refused to do it.  Sat down on me like a spoiled child.  When I made Bei Bing, I infused it with the ability to call ice to it.  Leng Gang can too.  Well enough of that.  Let me check these hulis."  He lifted JinDe's cloak and checked them over.  They were cold.  He passed heat over them and covered them back up with the cloak.  He took his own cloak and covered them with it too.  "Taiyang and Zhenzhu!  You boys climb under there with them and cuddle them.  Are there guards at the door?"  "I think so.  A maid brought food and wine this morning.  They only have fish for us.  We cook it using the hot spring."  "Good!  Our welcome has been unexpected, but the outcome is better than I thought.  I'm hoping we can help Yingjie get rid of those spirits.  I'm thinking that entrance has been a reason the Yeren have been so reclusive.  Come JinDe, get some of this wine.  Let Taiyang and Zhenzhu warm up the triplets.  They should be awake soon.  That spring topped off my power rather nicely."  They were drinking wine when the old Yeren king came into their room. 
     Instead of the ferocious furry beast, he had transformed so not to scare the young boys.  His hair was white.  It was braided down the sides at his face.  His crown was made of a solid piece of crystal clear ice.  It stood tall with spikes carved in intricate patterns.  His robes were a soft crystal blue color.  He exuded kindness and authority.  Mo Yuan stood to bow.  "No need to bow, son of Fuxi.  We get little to no news here so I have questions for you.  Do you have a twin?"  "Yes, I do.  When Mother repaired the pillars, she suffered.  We were born early.  I survived, but Ye Hua died days later.  Fuqin used half of his power to put his soul into a fetus he created and placed into a golden lotus.  Many millennia went by before I knew about him.  When Fuqin died, he gave him to me to nurture in the hopes that he would come forth.  I went to war with Qing Cang, ruler of the Ghost Tribe later.  He deployed the Donghuang Bell.  I had to sacrifice my life in order to seal Qing Cang in the bell.  I lay dead in Yanhua cave for 20,000 years.  My wife, Bai Qian of Qing Qui, had given me blood from her heart to preserve my body.  My mother helped me return from the chaos.  My twin is now ruler of the nine heavens.  It was his rightful place."  "Your mother helped you?  Curious!  I'm afraid I now owe you a life debt that has been constructing for a very long time!  That water mirror entry to the spirit world has always been here.  We protected it carefully and allowed no visitors into our realm.  That was until you and your Fuqin came.  I know you were treated badly.  I humbly apologize.  You see, if my Fuqin had told your Fuqin the truth about that mirror, you could have been brought back that day by Donghua Dijun.  I'm now in your debt.  How fortunate that you came seeking stone, when I was about to be forced to leave my kingdom to seek you!  Today I wish for you to rest.  Tomorrow we will get the stone you need.  Tell me more about your children!  Are all of these yours, great dragon?"
     "Yes, these are mine.  I have more.  This one is Mo JinDe.  He is my second born.  His twin is my first born, Bai Xue.  Xue is a white dragon while JinDe here is golden.  My third born is the medicine king of Qing Qui, Bai Zhi Jinzi.  His twin is now god of war, Bai Baohu Zhe.  They are Jin hulis.  The next born were a set of quadruplets, two hulis and two dragons.  Three girls and one boy.  These two here were born next.  This is Mo Taiyang Guang and Mo Baise Zhenzhu.  They are dragons.  The next set are dragons, Mo Gaoxing and Mo Xingfu.  The next set are girls.  Mo Jingsi Yuehai and Mo Jiaxiao Yuwan.  The last are the three over there asleep.  They are hulis.  Seventeen in all!  They have been a blessing in my life that has kept me young!  I must admit, I'm still surprised about that mirror.  When these little ones wake up, we need to start sending those spirits back."  "No worries!  We have been working all morning to do just that!  We don't wish for the child to be overtaxed.  He is so small to be so powerful."  "Indeed he is.  He is still learning how to control his powers."  "Enough talk for now.  I apologize for the fact that we have only fish for you.  I hope it will suffice.  We will talk more tomorrow."  He left them to drink their wine and wait for the boys to wake.  It was midday before they awoke from their slumber.  Yi was the first to wake.  He crawled out from under the cloaks and called for Mo Yuan.  "Fuqin?  Where are you?"  Mo Yuan got up from his seat and went to the bed.  Yi crawled into his lap and tried to snuggle into his clothes.  "Yi is cold, Fuqin!"  He got his pack out and put Yi in it.  He reversed it so Yi was in front.  "Better?"  "Better."  Yan came crawling out.  Taiyang got him and put him in his pack.  Finally Yingjie crawled out.  Zhenzhu got him and put him into his pack.  Mo Yuan gave each one of them a meat bun and some fruit.  He got water from the spring for them to drink.  "In the morning I must send a message to Baohu that all is well.  We also need to take another elixer in the morning.  Let's warm these boys up." 
     Mo Yuan took some rocks from the edge of the spring and made a little circle just big enough for the packs to sit in.  He warmed the rocks with a spell.  "Is that better?  Fuqin doesn't want you to be cold."  Yingjie popped his head out.  "Yingjie all snug now.  Me want meat bun."  JinDe reached into his pack and brought out one for each one of them.  They ate them with relish.  "Hmmm, Yi wishes he had cake.  Is there cake, Er ge?"  "Er ge, knowing his didis have quite a sweet tooth, packed cake just for you!  Here's some that Zhonglei made for us.  Eat up!"  He brought out three pieces of the loquat cakes.  "Yi love Er ge.  Er ge love Yi!"  "That's right my Xiao didi!  Er ge made sure he packed plenty of food for you.  It's a shame Er ge didn't bring more furs for cold hulis.  I'm thinking we will all be snuggled around a very nice and warm Jinlong tonight.  Fuqin, could you transform and let us sleep in your coils?  Will you get too cold?"  "No, I won't get cold.  I will coil up where you boys can sleep all snug.  It's them I'm more worried about.  Hulis don't like the cold that much.  They like to get in the den when it's cold.  Haven't you noticed that your Mother likes to sleep in the dragon den or my meditation cave when it snows on Kunlun?  Baohu and Jinzi sometimes do it.  We will just have to keep them warm.  It's lunch time so I expect more wine and fish soon.  Are you boys hungry?"  "I must admit, I will be heartily sick of fish when we leave."  "Food is scarce here.  That's why I told you to bring food.  We will probably be leaving tomorrow.  I can heat some rocks and you can cook the fish on the rock.  I will show you."  A knock on the door brought a maid with lunch.  Fish and wine.  Mo Yuan heated some rocks and cooked the fish for them.  After lunch, the king sent for them.
     They walked into the throne room to find a big crowd there.  "High God Mo Yuan!  You have done a great service for our kingdom.  Whatever you wish, it shall be granted to you."  "Bing Guowang!  My sons are the builders of the realms.  Ghost Queen Yan Zhi has requested that they build a new palace for her realm.  They need some purple stone.  Only your realm has it.  They have the quantity they need already calculated.  This stone is all we ask for."  "As you request, it shall be so.  That broken water mirror has caused much trouble for our kingdom for a long time.  It has been the reason we have been reclusive and fierce.  Where are the Huli children?  I have a gift for them."  "They are here.  Yingjie!  Yi!  Yan!  Come out of your pack now and talk to the king."  They knelt down and let the boys out of their packs.  The king motioned for them to come to him.  "I know that you are cold and uncomfortable here in our kingdom, so I have something for you."  He waved his hand and little cloaks of yeren fur appeared on them.  "When you wrap yourself in this cloak,  you will be warm and the cold won't bother you.  Now go back to your Fuqin."  Mo Yuan smiled and nodded.  "I would visit your realm, but as you know, we can't tolerate other climates very well.  Please feel free to come here any time.  We are starved for news from other lands."  "As soon as we return, I will have emissaries sent from the nine heavens."  Taiyang and Zhenzhu were taken to the mountain where the purple stone was.  They spent the afternoon cutting the pieces out and sending it to the ghost realm.  By nightfall they were tired and ready to rest.  Mo Yuan transformed and coiled up over the hot spring.  He place his coils were a very nice dry spot was for all of his children where they could sleep in warmth and comfort.  Yi, Yan and Yingjie transformed to Huli form and balled together in a curve of Jinlong's coils.  JinDe, Taiyang and Zhenzhu transformed into small snake size dragons and joined the hulis.  As they settled, Jinlong hummed the lullaby and sighed as he too, sought rest.  A knock on the door the next morning brought them out of deep slumber.  Jinlong blew smoke over his children to wake them.  Once they crawled out of his coils, he too transformed.  "Great dragon!  We have brought breakfast and a message from our king."  "Enter."  This time they brought fish, wine, and some type of bread.  Mo Yuan thanked them and sat down to roast fish with his fire.  JinDe sighed out loud.  "Fuqin, I slept very well in your coils last night.  I must admit it was the best I have slept since I was a baby dragon.  What did you do?"  "I just hummed the lullaby in dragon language."  Yi grinned.  "Me sleep like snug Huli in den!"  "Me too!"  They all chimed in.  "It is good that you all slept well.  Now let's eat.  This bread taste quite good."  They finished and packed up their gear.  Mo Yuan gave each one of them their pill.  Let's thank the king and be on our way home!"  The king couldn't thank them enough for their aid.  He brought forth a large box and gave it to Mo Yuan.  "These jewels are gifts from us to your ruler, Tianjun Ye Hua.  Please give them to him in appreciation for your aid."  Mo Yuan opened the box and was stunned at the beautiful ice blue stone.  "Do you happen to have large amounts of this stone?  I would buy a rather large piece from you!"  The king waved his hand and a large chest of it appeared.  "Take it as a gift!"  Mo Yuan packed the chest and bowed.  They trekked to the gate and jumped to Kunlun.
     When they landed on the portico, Mo Yuan removed their furs.  It was cold still so he let the hulis wear their little cloaks. "I will be right back!"  He jumped straight to the bench on the mountain top.  Fuxi appeared.  "I see the yeren were not who I thought they were.  It was that mirror all along.  You and your children have done well!"  Mo Yuan brought forth the box of jewels the king gave him to give to Ye Hua.  "Look at this gift their king sent to Ye Hua!"  Fuxi opened the box and was stunned.  "The famous ice blue jade!!  It's very rare, my son!  Very rare!  I tried to get a piece of it for your mother but failed.  This is a very important gift."  "Well Bing Guowang must have been very pleased with our visit because he gave me a chest of that stone."  Fuxi was speechless.  "My son, you have no idea what you just accomplished!  I'm proud!  Might I have a piece of that stone for your mother?"  Mo Yuan worked his hands in an intricate pattern and produced a beautiful bracelet.  It had lotus blossoms around it.  He gave it to his Fuqin.  "Will that suffice, Fuqin?"  "My son, your talents never cease to amaze me!  Now I'm off!"  Mo Yuan grinned and jumped to Ye Hua's palace.  Ye Hua was in the garden with Yu and his baby girls.  "Da ge!  How was your trip?"  "Well, Didi, it seems we have done well!  Fuqin praised me.  Plus their king, Bing Guowang, sent this gift to you as a good faith token."  Ye Hua gasped as he opened the box.  Inside was a crown made of the ice blue jade.  There was a smaller matching crown with earrings and a necklace to match.  "Da ge!  Is this ice blue jade?  This crown is worth more than all the realms!  Next time we have a big assembly, I'm wearing that crown!"  "Ye Hua, you should send emissaries to their kingdom soon.  I promised their king you would.  Yes, it is a very desolate kingdom, but they wish to be part of the kingdom.  Just have your emissaries come see me before they go so I can tell them how to prepare.  Now I'm off!  I missed my Qian'er terribly!"
     Bai Qian was in the play room with the children.  Yi, Yan and Yingjie were telling their story about their trip.  Jingsi saw him and cried.  "Fuqin!  Fuqin!  You come back!"  She flew into his arms and held him tight.  "Fuqin has good news for you, my baby girl!  The Yeren are not evil!  They were protecting a very dangerous mirror.  It was cracked.  This is why they allowed no one into their kingdom!  Would you like Fuqin to take you there one day?"  "They still look scary?"  "Yes and no.  They can transform and are very handsome and beautiful.  They are scary in their beast form."  "Me think about trip.  Right now, me glad Fuqin back safe and sound!"  He sat down and added to the story as the boys told their part.  Yi told about them sleeping in their Fuqin's coils.  Jiaxiao, usually quiet, let out her breath in an aggravated huff.  "Fuqin, why me no get to sleep in coils, hmmm?  Me want to be snug as bug in fur!"  "Fair question!  Who wants to sleep in Fuqin's coils tonight?"  A loud chorus was heard so he held up his hand.  "Alright then!  Tonight you can all sleep in my coils!  Even your Mother!"  Baohu walked in just in time to hear about sleeping in his coils.  "I want to sleep in your coils!"  "Alright then!!  All of you come to the arena tonight.  There will be plenty of room!"  Mo Yuan went to his study and wrote out a full report for Ye Hua.  He smiled to himself, left a note on his desk with a rose and jumped to Qing Qui.  He went straight to Rong.
     Rong saw him coming.  "High God Mo Yuan!  What can I do for you today!"  "Rong, I have something here that you probably have never seen!  I have drawn designs for you to make a set of jewelry for my Qian'er!  I want you to keep this stone only for my family.  Understood?"  "Your wish is my command!  I'm intrigued now!  Show me!"  Mo Yuan brought out the chest of the ice blue jade and opened it.  Rong stood back speechless.  His mouth fell open as he looked at Mo Yuan.  "Is that what I think it is?"  "If you think that is ice blue jade, then yes, it is!"  Rong bowed down in reverance to Mo Yuan.  "High God Mo Yuan, whatever you wish me to do, it will be done with finesse and great care."  Mo Yuan handed him a drawing he made for a hair pin, earrings and a bracelet.  "I want this made.  It's a surprise.  I also will be back later for some other things.  Don't let anyone know you have this stone.  If need be, I can put a protection spell over it so only you can touch it."  "Yes, please use that spell.  By the way, do you have anymore of that red stone?"  Mo Yuan waved his hand and a large piece appeared.  Rong grinned.  "Wonderful!  I'll get right on your commission.  When do you want it?"  "Two weeks.  Take your time.  If you need more time, let me know."  He left and walked down to the weaponry master.  "High God Mo Yuan!  What can I do for you?"  "I need some throwing stars for nine children.  About this big."  He made a circle with his hands.  "I can make those for you!  What design do you wish!"  "Two golden dragon, two white dragon with lotus blossoms added, five Bai huli design.  Can you have them in two weeks?"  "Yes, I can!"
     Time for bed was fast approaching.  Mo Yuan took Bai Qian by the hand.  They went to every room to gather all of the children.  Being rather curious, Taiyang and Zhenzhu followed.  Mo Yuan, seeing them there, explained.  "They want to sleep in my coils.  Yi told them about all of you sleeping in my coils to keep warm.  Do you wish to sleep with us?"  They both transformed into snake sized dragons and waited.  He gathered them to himself.  "When I transform, all of you do the same.  Dragons transform to your snake size.  That way their will be room for all of you.  Are you all ready?  Transform!"  He transformed and coiled around until he had a nice spot big enough for them all.  Bai Qian jumped over into his coils and called for them all.  Six hulis and six snake sized dragons.  The hulis got into a dip in his coil and huddled together.  The dragons each lay on their fur.  Mo Yuan was about to blow smoke over them when Baohu and Li Li appeared.  Mo Yuan raised his tail and made a spot for them.  Li Li transformed and laid down by Mo Yuan.  Baohu laid on her.  Mmo Yuan brought his tail around and covered them.  He brought his head down and blew hot smoke over them.  Quiet fell over the mountain as the golden dragon hummed the lullaby song.  It wasn't long before his purrs settled them all into the most peaceful of slumber and comfort.  Ye Hua could feel the peace in his heart when the dragon purred.  He turned to tell Yu he was going to join them for the night.  Heilong sped toward the arena.  He coiled around his brother.  His head laid on the ground as Jinlong laid his head on Heilong's coils.  They were there when the sun begin to rise up over Kunlunxu.  Fuxi looked upon the tender scene.  How he wished he had done more for Mo Yuan!  He could see with his own eyes what a tender loving man he had turned out to be!  He let peace wash over him as he felt the touch of Nuwa's hand on his arm.