Aftermath (A series of ELOD one-shots)

XIII. Repercussions

A/N: This is one of those stories that got away from me. Before I know it, I had this whole scenario in my head, as well as a barrage of succeeding scenes that more or less wrote themselves.

I'm a bit nervous, as this is my first time writing a fighting scene, and I'm not quite confident of my descriptions of the Western Sea as well my admittedly paltry knowledge of Chinese creatures of myth. Please pardon any mistakes or inaccuracies, and I hope this story will continue to entertain you all!

New OCs as well, though they would only make a couple of short appearances.

As always, thank you for reading, writing, and commenting. Your insights are truly appreciated.

Disclaimer: Artwork not mine, credit goes to the artist/owner.

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In hindsight, the mistake was hers, for breaking away from the royal entourage with Gungun in tow, ultimately landing them both in this dire situation.

On the other hand, she only hoped to rescue that poor fairy maid. Hopefully, Qingti was able to bring her to a safe distance away, then something good would have at least come out of this convoluted mess.

Behind her, Gungun held on to her skirt, hidden securely under the protection of motherly love and the Taozhu sword. The Tiangcang Cage surrounded them both, a testament to the gravity of the danger they are currently in.

Before them, the xiangliu* roared, wrapping its scaly body around the impenetrable barrier. It craned its nine heads and lashed its giant tail, calling forth hurricane-strong winds and causing monstrous waves to rise from the seas that surrounded them. In a matter of seconds, an impenetrable cyclone wall rose from the waters, lifting her and Gungun, Tiangcang cage and all, high up in the air.

The xiangliu is both vicious and smart; it had seen Qingti escape earlier and knew that powerful backup is on the way, so it used the waves and the wind to pull the two of them from the safety of the shore and into the middle of the sea, where it held most power.

Dimly, Fengjiu could sense their escort of royal guards attempting to break through the cyclone wall; she was thankful for their efforts, but did not have much hope for their success. A beast of this caliber can only be subdued by someone of at least Lord Liansong's level, and unfortunately, the Lord of the Four Seas is not among the immortals who accompanied them in today's outing. By the time any powerful god arrives, this destructive beast would be long far and gone, taking her and Gungun away with it.

The best course of action now, then, is to buy enough time for backup to arrive.

"Stay inside the cage, and don't get out until I say so. Understand?"

Gungun looked up at her with wide eyes, refusing to let go of her skirt. She ran a reassuring hand through his silver locks and smiled. "I need to buy us some time. Do you remember what your father taught you, when faced with an enemy you cannot defeat?"

Her son nodded, his adorable face taking on a serious tone by reflex, as it always did at the mention of Donghua. "Stay calm, and fight for the chance to take flight."