Choices and Consequences

Gemini Soul (Shuāngzǐzuò línghún雙子座靈魂)

An anticipatory hush fell in the peach tree grove....a whisper of wind is winding amongst the trees, touching everything in its path like a gossamer. It left a sheer explosion of life and colours in its wake as it continues to seek the lord of the peach tree grove.

Zhe Yan shuddered fully awake from his meditative state as he felt a gentle hand cup his face. "Yanyan, it's time...she needs you..go to her." a voice he has not heard in thousands of years faintly whispered in his mind. He looked around hoping to catch a glimpse but all he could see was the shaft of light piercing the mist that permeates his meditation cave. He swiped his right hand to cancel the wards that kept everyone away as he slowly made his way to the entrance. He breathed in a lungful of fresh air before apparating back to his hut. A smile graced his face as he shook his head. His grove is still reeling from the impact of her visit. He can see the sprites sitting in their perch wearing similar punch drunk expressions. Her essence imbues the grove with life which will linger for a while.

He was startled from his thoughts when Changsan suddenly materialised in front of him and bowed his greeting. "High God Zhe Yan, Shifu wishes for you to visit Kunlun Xu to check on high goddess Bai Quian." "Xièxiè Changsan. Tell Mo Yuan I will come by after my visit to the fox den." Zhe Yan watched him walk around the jade lake before calling a cloud to Kunlun.

Qing Qui - Fox Den

Bai Zhi looked up from his contemplation of the scroll in front of him when he felt the familiar ripple of Zhe Yan's energy as he crossed Qing Qui's border. He ambled out of his study to meet him at the den's main chamber. He found him drinking the tea that Migu just served. "What brings you here Zhe Yan? Is it Bai Qian?." He asked, concern evident in his voice. "Aren't you meant to be in seclusion?" Zhe Yan sighed and put his left hand up to forestall Bai Zhi's questions. "It is and it isn't. She visited me to tell me its time." "Xiaowu visited you? Is she awake? Why haven't you brought her back here?" "Will you let me finish?" Zhe Yan asked exasperatedly. "It wasn't Xiaowu. It was my mother." Bhai Zhi narrowed his eyes at his friend and asked "Are you sure that you were just not hallucinating? Nüwa has been gone for millennia." Eyeing Zhe Yan suspiciously, he waited for the response. "Do you know of anyone else who calls me "Yanyan"?. Only Mother did. Only her essence can make the peach tree grove explode with life. The sprites are still punch drunk with it." Zhe Yan explained.

Bai Zhi slumped in his seat. Although he accepts Nüwa's involvement in his daughter's fate, it doesn't mean that he has to like it. He fears what is to come. His granddaughter's fate being tied to Di Jun has brought its own problems. Feng Jui's near death has weakened the core of her magic. She needs to complete seven mortal trials to fully heal and complete her ascension to goddess. The scroll that awaits his decision contains the details of the trial that Ziming sent over. The brewing tension between the Ghost realm and his eldest son Bai Yi needs to be contained and dealt with before a war erupts in their midst. A meeting between the realms has been agreed to limit the damage in their relationship after the attack on Feng Jui. A complication involving the Mother of the Gods is the last thing he needs at this time.

He looked up and arched his eyebrows at Zhe Yan nonverbally asking him to continue. "I don't have any idea what Mother meant. I have to go to Kunlun to check on Xiaowu. Mo Yuan has been keeping me informed about her condition. I will send you a message as soon as I know what's going on. I'll take my leave now." Both men stood and parted ways. Zhe Yan on his way to Kunlun and Bai Zhi to the scroll awaiting his decision.

Kunlun Mountain

Dei Feng met Zhe Yan as he entered the main hall of Kunlun. Bowing low Dei Feng invited Zhe Yan to follow him to his Shifu's study. Mo Yuan asked for Zhe Yan to be shown straight to his study as soon as he arrives. They passed groups of disciples in rooms dedicated to various areas of knowledge. Changsan was leading a group through a purifying heart spirit incantation and Zi Lan teaching a young group Taiji.

The serenity and familiarly of Kunlun calmed him. The Dragon Qi that permeates the mountain puts him at ease. Dei Feng announced his presence to Mo Yuan. With permission to enter from his Shifu. Dei Feng pushed the door open and gestured with his left hand for Zhe Yan to enter the room.

Mo Yuan invited Zhe Yan to sit at the low table with a tea service already laid out. Dei Feng busied himself pouring tea for his Shifu and Zhe Yan before excusing himself to supervise the classes. As Mo Yuan regarded him with his usual calm, impenetrable demeanour, Zhe Yan was deciding whether to tell him about their mother's visit. As he was about to speak, a soft no was whispered in his mind. Startled, he nearly dropped his tea cup. Mo Yuan's eyes narrowed as he fixed him with a calm but steely gaze. "What's wrong? You seem to be unsettled?" Mo Yuan asked. "Everything is fine. I was just reminded of the purpose of my presence here. The familiarity of Kunlun always reminds me of our time here as students and the mischiefs we all got up to."  Zhe Yan hastily covered his near faux pas.

"How's Xiaowu? Has there been any progress in her condition?" Zhe Yan asked. "There has been no change in the last 4 weeks except for the time when Ye Hua came to the mountain but then left again without seeing me. A sudden spike of magical activity around Bai Qian started and continued to rise but her essence continues to fall. I casted a diagnostic spell and tried to search her soul but a strong barrier is keeping me out. Maybe, you will have better luck than me." Mo Yuan looked at Zhe Yan hopefully. "Let's have a look then. I am at a loss of what could be causing the depletion of her essence. She should be back in full health. The journey you all did should not deplete her magical core and high goddess essence at the level you observed."

Mo Yuan led Zhe Yan to his meditation chamber where Bai Qian had been asleep for nearly two months. A pulse of magical essence pervades the chamber and it's especially strong at the dais where Bai Qian is laid out covered in warm, woollen blankets. Zhe Yan and Mo Yuan sat at opposite sides of each other beside the dais. Zhe Yan swiped his hand above the seat of Xiaowu's soul. His eyes narrowed and repeated the movement. His frown deepened, looked up at Mo Yuan and said "I need to do a soul search on her. Please step out of the room Mo Yuan." Mo Yuan looked like he was about to refuse then thought better of it, and soundlessly left the chamber.  Deep concern marring his brow.

"Okay, let's see who we have here Xiaowu." Zhe Yan placed his forefinger in Bai Qian's forehead and his right hand centred in his heart. He chanted the soul searching spell and entered Bai Qian's soul seat. "Welcome Yanyan. It's been a while." Dressed in a traditional white hanfu and sitting on the side of a roiling fountain is his mother, the Goddess Nüwa smiling at him with love and fondness in her eyes. Zhe Yan was shocked to his core. He couldn't help but shout "What's going on? Why are you here? What have you done to Xiaowu?."

Nüwa shook her head and waved her hand forward and down. Zhe Yan was propelled down to a seat next to his mother and silenced. He tried to talk but no word came out of his mouth. He watched his mother walk to the centre of the fountain, reached down and extracted a glowing golden orb. Zhe Yan's eyes nearly bulged out of its sockets for in her hand lies an orb that he only read in the most ancient tomes buried in the heart of Kunlun Xu. In her hand is the golden orb of a "Gemini" soul.