Blood of the Fox

Chapter 14

She found the riverbank easily enough but there was no boat. After walking upriver for several moments she saw it on the other side, on the banks of the misty isle in the centre of the giant body of water.

What is it doing there? She thought but probably it was obvious. The last person who made an attempt left it there when they didn't return.

She summoned it with magic and it came sliding across the smooth, dark water towards her. When she stepped into it it only made the slightest ripple before bearing her at a steady pace towards the isle.

As she got closer the mists didn't recede at all but only became stronger. When finally she stood staring at it she realized she couldn't see anything at all.

Unbidden, a strange thrill went through her. There was fear yes but... perhaps this was a better way to die than being flung off the Endless Cliff into emptiness and nothingness. She knew it was the Empress and Yuting's wish to make her suffer but... Ruyi slid the knife out of her belt and clutched it tightly. Suffering is fine, but I want to live.

As she walked through the thick, slightly wet grass she saw through the mist strange shapes. At first they made her pause as she thought they were people but upon closer inspection she saw they were trees, twisted and bent into the shape of humans, with etchings on the bark similar to eyes and wide open mouths as though they were screaming. The plants that sprouted from these horrid figures were verdantly bright, poisonously colorful and somehow strangely beautiful...

In the distance she saw a wooden paifang, a gate with two vertical beams with a horizontal beam in between that bore the words Dream Peach Isle. A glowing red lantern lit up the words.

As she passed through it, continuing along the path, the strange trees grew more common. Some had expressions of joy or even ecstasy. But others were clearly mangled by pain. Each of them had eyes which seemed to watch her as she walked.

What.. what's that noise?

The earth was rumbling and there was the sound of something moving at vast speed through the trees. Dimly she heard the cry as though of wounded beast. Is it the Nightmare monster?

Ruyi froze but before she could think about what to do, as a large tree came toppling down out of the mist, narrowly missing crushing her flat. On top of the felled tree was... was a dragon.

There was no mistaking the enormous, long black body, iridescently scaled and the nine clawed fingers and gold whiskers. The beady eyes regarded her with surprise. But there was no time for greetings as a screeching roar from within the mist stuck Ruyi down with such fear and panic that instinctively she flattened herself against the ground, covering her ears against the horrible sound.

The dragon however showed no such cowardice. His tail whipped as he launched himself into the air and she heard him bellow; a sound that drowned out the screeching and released her from her state of panic.

She looked up from where was lying on the dirt and saw the dragon locked in battle with what looked like a gigantic shadow. At every moment the shadow seemed to change shape; sometimes it looked like a giant man, and other times some kind of bat creature with wings. It could take any shape to counter the attacks that the dragon launched upon it.

But the dragon... the dragon is winning...

She realized that with a rush of excitement. The dragon moved faster than the eye could follow, the tail and claws covering and ripping into the shadow so quickly it looked almost as though he were several dragons moving at once. And from his mouth he summoned a ball of energy which assaulted the nightmare creature and every blow it look it became smaller and less threatening...