Heaven's Golden Finger - Chapter 35: Chapter 35

Oddly enough, Shirong was more fascinated than afraid. The Forest King was like nothing he'd ever imagined before. A thing of pure shadow, it shouldn't have been possible to see his features. Yet Shirong could and there was an amused kindness to them that relieved his mind completely.
Realizing Shun Shixiong wasn't able to see his father's face so clearly and therefore was afraid, Shirong stepped out from behind his senior brother and cupped his hands. "Respect, Your Majesty. I can't be sure, but I think my father regretted his actions."
"So he's told me on numerous occasions."
The dry statement startled Shirong. Startled Shun Shixiong as well. "You... you've met my father since then?"
"En." The Forest King turned. Beckoned for them to follow him to the base of the ancient tree. "You may stay the night here."
For a moment Shirong had no idea what the Forest King meant. Then he saw the steps leading down into a dark hole beneath the tree. He looked at his Shixiong, letting him decide what they should do. He, himself, wanted to trust this man, but he'd no skill at recognizing threats. Not compared to Shun Shixiong.
Gazing at the hole for a moment, Shun Shixiong obviously made up his mind and let the shadowy figure of his father - his former father - lead them down into the darkness.
It didn't last long. A few steps down light flared overhead. It wasn't a bulb or a torch or even a luminous pearl, but an intricate tangled pattern that Shirong slowly realized were roots. "From the silverleaf tree?" he asked, sliding his hand along their surface. They felt smooth. Warm. Friendly. And how was it he could tell any of those things?
"En." The Forest King either wasn't much of a talker or didn't feel the statement needed expanded. It took him several seconds before he finally added, "They only glow when they're tangled with golden bamboo."
Peculiar, but not an area Shirong understood. In his old life he'd been training as an alchemist. In his future life, he'd been a fencer. Neither prepared him for understanding the magical lifeforms in this world.
But wait. Alchemists used plants and animals in their work. If anyone ought to know about such matters, he should. Why not? Had he really been such a complete waste as a student? He tightened his lips around the realization that he'd failed and failed and failed his Shizun from the day he'd been chosen as Master Quan Lei's fourth disciple.
This wasn't the time to discuss the matter. Wasn't even the time to contemplate it. He couldn't waste time shaming himself over his past mistakes. He'd deal with them later, when he didn't have to worry about getting himself and his Shixiong through this mess.
By this time they'd entered a proper and oddly familiar room. "The Demon King's chambers?" Shirong couldn't help exclaiming.
"Not her chambers, no." The Forest King walked to another doorway and spoke past the curtains covering the opening, calling for tea and food. "Just a mimicry."
Oh. Shirong though he understood. The original room was where Master Shu Duan had been happy. No doubt he'd created this place in memory of that. "I'm not much use here," he said softly. "Should I find something else to do while you two talk?"
Immediately Shun Shixiong set a hand on his arm. "You're staying with me." As the Forest King turned to him, tilting his head in an inquiring way, he added, "My Shidi gets into horrible trouble on his own. We're best off together."
"I see. Just like his father, then." As Shirong blinked, a little surprised at the comparison, the Forest King gestured at the sitting area off to the side of the room. "Then we shall talk and you shall eat and rest before you continue on your journey."
Platters of food, steaming hot and smelling wonderful, floated in and for a moment Shirong half-expected to hear someone singing 'Be our guest'. He shoved the thought out of his head quickly. That future life's experiences weren't useful here. Instead he asked, "Might I help?"
"No need. I've more than enough spirits to serve." The Forest King settled in one seat, the one with a platter of charred meat. "Sit. Both of you. Eat. Then you, boy, ask your questions. I may not answer all, I will answer those I'm permitted to."
Eating made Shirong realize how hungry he was. It was a long time since their last meal and they'd been trekking through the forest for hours. Shun Shixiong must have been starved as well. Shirong had never seen his Shixiong eat so much or with such focus.
The Forest King seemed unsurprised by Shun Shixiong's hunger. If anything, he encouraged his former son to eat more. Until, at last, there was a stack of empty plates and a terribly sleepy man half-leaning against Shirong's shoulder. "We... need... to talk," he said when Shirong suggested he should lie down and rest.
"There'll be time enough," the Forest King murmured, picking Shun Shixiong up and carrying him to the bed. "Sleep, child. You've been pushing yourself far too hard."
If Shun Shixiong weren't part snake he might have overcome the power of being stuffed with too much good food. His nature, combined with inexperience perhaps, meant he curled up into a ball at the corner of the bed and set to snoring without much of a fight.
Shirong eyed the Forest King. He felt tired as well and would have happily slept if not for one thing. "You wanted to speak with me, sir?" It was obvious the man didn't want Shun Shixiong interfering or overhearing.
"I do. Come with me."
He followed the shadowy figure down a narrow corridor into a garden overlooking the forest, the moon just peeking over the edge of the horizon, glittering against pale leaves. This was some distance from the room where they'd left Shun Shixiong, of that much Shirong was certain. Yet he felt no fear, no sense of danger.
"Sir...."
"Hush, child. I didn't bring you here for conversation." The Forest King walked to the railing, beckoning Shirong to follow. "Look out."
Obediently, Shirong did so and was startled to find his vision shifting, so that what he looked at seemed incredibly clear. A town over there, with a man smacking sticks together as he called out the night hours. A marketplace, empty and quiet, except for a familiar figure sneaking around through the stalls. "Is that Liang Ren?"
"A name I don't know, child." The Forest King turned Shirong to look towards the great twin peaks of Kunlun Tian. "What do you see there?"
He peered upwards. Caught sight of a figure standing at attention at the end of a huge bridge covering the gap between the mountains. And at the center of that bridge, a building, so similar to the castle of the Demon King that he couldn't help staring.
As he stared at the peaks and the temple, Shirong thought he saw movement in the rocks below. More guards? Animals? No. Closer examination revealed a faint image; two figures within the rock, one male, the other female, both with tails like snakes. Or dragons.
"The Gods?" he asked. "Shi Wang Mu? Tengri Khan?"
"En. The peaks represent them. In many ways, the peaks are them." The Forest King turned to look at Shirong. "Not just the peaks, either. The land exists within them."
"Which land? Khai? Pamir?"
"Those are just names." The Forest King gestured broadly. "The land contained within these mountains belong to them. Is them. And they are it."
Shirong freely admitted to barely understanding. "I'm sorry, sir. I didn't study nearly as well as I should have. Master Qiong...."
The Forest King's glance sent a sharp chill down Shirong's spine. Oh, he didn't like Master Qiong at all. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have mentioned him."
"He raised you."
"Yes."
"Your father didn't mean for him to be the one to raise you, you know. He left you to Master Zhan." At Shirong's startled expression, the Forest King smiled, a faint glint of black teeth showing in his black mouth. "He didn't know Master Zhan would become too ill to lead the Sect. Didn't know Master Qiong would become the next Sect Leader."
"Why? Why did he do all this?"
"That's a question I can't answer. A question you'll have to seek for yourself, from Master Zhan. And no one but Shun can help you do it." The Forest King pointed up into the sky, "You are the Chosen, representing Order, you're drawn to Chaos. Just as Shun - as Adversary - is drawn to Order. You love him?"
"I... yes."
"It's not required, but in this time, with all the plots surrounding you, it's for the best." The Forest King set a finger on Shirong's forehead, so cold it burned. "Heaven and Earth have witnessed and will hold you to your oath."
Shirong wouldn't have it any other way and said as much. "Was this really so secret you couldn't say it in front of Shun Shixiong, though?"
"No. But the boy was exhausted. He's been pushing himself hard and he takes his responsibility towards you seriously. I didn't want him to feel as if he had to protect you." Another flickering smile. "Now, go rest yourself. Tomorrow I will talk with my no-longer son, then send you on your way."
When Shirong woke the next morning, it was to find his bed companion missing. There'd only been one bed for the two of them and since Shun Shixiong was deeply asleep and snoring softly, Shirong hadn't worried about disturbing him. Shun Shixiong could sleep through anything unless someone called his name or he felt the presence of danger.
It'd been a little worrisome for Shirong, lying down beside his Shixiong. But they'd traveled together long enough, slept near each other often enough, that he'd become accustomed to Shun Shixiong's presence. And, too, the bed was large. Unless one of them rolled over - and what a cliché that'd be - they wouldn't touch.
Clambering out of the bed, Shirong dressed and searched out his Shixiong. No surprise he was in the same garden the Forest King had taken Shirong to. No surprise he was ignoring the food placed on a stone table. And absolutely no surprise his Shixiong was exercising.
When it came to that, Shirong should exercise too. He took his place, following the morning pattern without hesitation. He was a bit hungry but not so badly off he couldn't wait. He needed to improve his cultivation, both in knowledge and body. He and his Shixiong faced too many troubles for him to waste time the way he used to.
The two of them moved and shifted through their patterns and Shirong couldn't help noticing how smooth and sinuous Shun Shixiong's motions were. He was becoming more and more comfortable with his serpent heritage. Comfortable enough to turn it to good use in his training.
Noticing Shirong's attention, Shun Shixiong suddenly shifted his exercise to a dueling pattern. He used to do that back home, when Shirong frustrated him, using the strict rules of the duel to let him pick on his Shidi in a way no one could fault him for. Tell the truth, though, Shirong had put himself in the way of those duels - even though he never won - just so he could get Shun Shixiong's attention.
This time a hint of mischief flickered in Shixiong's eyes. He was testing Shirong, wanting to see how he'd handle himself, wanting to play. And that was a shift in Shun Shixiong's personality Shirong could only be overjoyed to see. His martial brother had so little pleasure, back at Leifeng.
They danced back and forth, striking and retreating, following each other's flow and movement, so the duel became dance and the dance became a duel. Wrists crossing. Pushing. Pulling back. Always moving, never still. Balanced on the world and carried along by it.
At last Shirong stumbled, losing track of the movements, and nearly took a fist to the eye. Shun Shixiong withdrew before he struck, though, stepping back to let Shirong recover himself. "Not bad."
There was a time when Shirong would have thought the words sarcasm. Now, listening to the tone, he knew better. Shun Shixiong had his grandfather's way of complimenting and it took a great deal to get so much as 'adequate' from either of them.
He smiled wryly, wiping his face with his tunic. "Not good enough. Not yet. But thank you." He was about to say more, but the garden grew strangely cold, light dimming though no cloud blocked the sun. "What?"
"My father... former father." Shun Shixiong turned to face the darkness rising out of a patch of shadow on the perfect lawn. "Sir."
"No time for niceties, boy. You're needed, sooner than I thought." The Forest King said calmly. "Master Feng Xi sends word. Someone has abducted her husband, Master Zhan Kui."
Master Zhan? The Revered Predecessor? The man Shirong and Shun Shixiong had set out to find, all those weeks ago? "Where?"
"Houttan." A gesture created a map on the ground between them, showing the four lands, then focusing on the south-western region. "Near Tu Marsh."
Shun Shixiong considered the map. "Any word as to who took him?"
"According to Master Feng, she believes it to be the Priest Housu."
Shun Shixiong spoke slowly, "The same one who abducted me?" At the Forest King's shrug, he continued, "We'll go search. But given who took him, I've a feeling it won't be easy to find our Revered Predecessor. We may need to consult with Meng Huang Shang himself."
That sent a cold chill down Shirong's back. He hadn't been a good student and didn't know much about the many Gods of the four lands. Meng Huang Shang, however, was notorious for his capricious and dangerous ways.
As, of course, any God of fever and dreams might be.
Shun: Shidi, exactly what is your face doing in my armpit?
Shirong: *mumbleimaiassii*?
Shun: I'm sure it doesn't smell that good. Find another place to be.
Shirong: *mmhummh*