Mo Yuan and Ye Hua, the strict and cunning twin God's of War, were gifted a winsome yet peculiar, ancient peach blossom sapling from their friend Zhe Yan, to plant on Mt. Kunlun. Time passed and the tree climbed great in size, greater than any bloss...
Like a rabbit caught by the ears, her heart was racing rapidly. She smelled filthy of sweat and damp, dark earth, like a marshland of the demon realm. But there, nearly covered, a heated creamy bloom was at the base of her scent and swirled in my head.
She laid in my arms for a moment before slowly stirring. I glanced at Mo Yuan but his eyes were locked on the girl. I looked upon her as she opened her eyes and pools of pale honey and saffron looked back at me.
A demon....
No, she can't be. I sense nothing demonic about her. She is merely a weak mortal. Simply falling out of this tree has nearly incapacitated her. However, how did she get inside of it...
and why ... why then does she have such strange features...
Was she of the Ghostland?
The girl's expression was ghastly, terrified and angered as our eyes connected. She was frozen in place and no words left her lips. She crossed into Mt. Kunlun's void but gives no redress or honorifics once she saw me.
How dare she look at me so.
Movement under her cloak honed my senses.
Steel.. I sense only ordinary steel. Steel that has no aura of magic. We shall see now why she comes to the Dragon's Bone. We shall see what she brings to the God of War's mountain in disguise.
Her blue cloak lifted, and a dagger of no significance was shakingly sent at me.
Any moment now I will see her true self. She will reveal what she truly is as she attacks.
I welcomed her blade as it gnashed in my neck. The pain was nothing to me. I kept her eyes in mine, looking for any hidden traces of this assassin.
Nothing... Nothing is there.
I swallowed back blood as she let go of the blade, leaving it in my neck. Her eyes widened in disbelief as she looked over my face.
This lowly mortal...
She went limp in my arms as Mo Yuan took away her consciousness. I looked to him as he looked to her. He reached to the twine around her neck, where small intricate bells hung. He didn't seem to be vexed by her.
His only brother of two-hundred thousand years has been stabbed by this wretch, but he looks upon her with soft eyes.
"Ye Hua, I will take the girl into the far east-wing cave chambers. Retreat into seclusion for three moons to heal from your actions. I will summon you if there is need."
He lifted the girl from me and was gone. As I coughed up blood, I pulled the blade from my neck and sent energy to the wound with my other palm, holding the flesh closed. I faded into the wind, fast traveling, to my seclusion quarters to meditate and heal.
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I lit incense and closed my eyes. All I could think about was the girl; her scent, and the fear that paced her heart so. I opened my eyes and looked down on the ground where I laid her blade. It was made of ordinary steel but had the intent of looking feminine. The points of the hilt were plume shaped like wisps of feathers. It looked as though it were made by a mortal hand.
I tasted no poisons and sensed no enchantments on it. As I turned the blade over, an unknown written language was on the hilt. The writing swirled and curled in its styling. Next to the writing was the small carving of a flower that adorned it.
As I sat still and ran my finger over the top of the flower, I couldn't help but smell the girl on my clothing where her head laid. A sweet, creamy, heady floral that sent chills over my skin. This only infuriated me further. I stood and removed my robe, tossing it to the corner of the cave. I coughed out more blood from my airway and quickly created a hand formation to calm my body and strengthen my chi. I felt my mind slowly slip into the heavy flow of all living matter, as the picture in my mind of the honey orbs of the fallen girl followed me closely behind.
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Mo Yuan's POV
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Peach essence clung to her lips and fingers. Wherever she came from, she was involved with our great blossom tree... but how?
The girl has suffered immensely in the world that she came from. Placing her hand in mine, her palms were shredded and calloused. Her legs were badly bruised and cut. Her lips were split from lack of water and her clothes are ripped and sodden. Trails of dried tears and dirt stained her face, but even so, I could not look away.
I have never seen features as hers before.
Her hair was the color of rich hinoki wood with wisps of deep copper that swirled about. It was wild and curled in all directions. Her thick brows were wiry and full. Her eyes, under a heavy lash; large and round, were the color of pale amber gems.
Is this her magic?
I looked over her small satchel of peculiar items, but nothing tells where the girl is from or why she is here. Her clothes are strange but peasant-like and ordinary. She had no aura of wrongdoing when she attacked Ye Hua. Like a rabbit cornered, she seemed like she was afraid of him harming her first.
I am glad he did not kill her, for this strange feeling in my chest to be near her would have been replaced with sorrow.
I brushed a single finger over her cheek. She felt feverish. I placed a loc of her curls between my grasp but it sprung back, jumping from my palm like it were alive. Her hair was soft and smelled of night blooming flowers and damp moss. Her lips, heavy with peach dew, were heart shaped and mauve in color. She was the most beautiful creature I had seen in over two-hundred thousand years in this life.
Surely, Ye Hua will want to interrogate her, but I believe he will find nothing. The great blossom tree would not forsake us.
I shall advise him to keep the heavenly palace out of this quandary.
I truly believe this fallen girl is.... lost.
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A/N Hi, Travelers!
So far, these chaps are short but sweet. I hope they are painting a lovely, unique picture in your mind of these beloved characters - and what is to come.
Please comment any thoughts/feelings you have so far :)
