Heaven's Golden Finger - Chapter 44: Chapter 44

Shun restored their small world's walls quickly before dropping to the ground. "That's done at least."
"Are you all right, Shixiong?" Shirong knelt beside him, checking him over, expression worried. "That was dangerous. You nearly went with her."
To be honest, Shun hadn't thought about the risk when he'd opened the walls to dump the demon into Chaos. Hadn't considered his own safety in his rage at this being that saw him and his Shidi as lesser because they were mixed blood. He stopped himself. Looked towards Shirong's father. "Quarter blood?"
"My father was a fox spirit," Xu Sheng admitted. "Qiong Luo used to teach me that I could overcome that to be truly human."
Overcome it? The same way he'd expected Disciple Li to 'overcome' his being half-bull? Shun scoffed to show his opinion of such things. "Does that mean all of this has been so he can create a pure demon and pure human world?"
"Gods know what he wants, Your Majesty." Xu Sheng helped Shun's mother stand up properly. "It's nothing good for any of us, whatever else it is."
Shun stood. Made Shirong stop fussing over him. Resettled his robes and checked his hair. "Mother, I don't know Chaos well enough yet. Do you think that being, whatever she was, can escape and come after us again?"
"Demons are naturally drawn to Chaos, child. I'm sure she could. But it could take her a while. It took me years." His mother smiled ruefully. "It depends on how skilled she is at keeping her bearings."
They'd have to be prepared for her to show up any time, then. "We need to rescue Meng Huang Shang. And likely deal with Qiong Lou at the same time. Will you help?"
"Not just Sheng-di and I. Your father as well. What's left of him."
That surprised Shun. "But he's not a free agent. He's bound to Jingling Forest."
Using her magic, Xing Baishe created an illusion between them, showing a map of the Five Lands. "Jingling Forest covers every mountain between the four other kingdoms." She traced the mountain ranges separating Bazi, Khai, Houttan and Pamir, then the range surrounding the whole thing.
Shun frowned. "That's not right. Jingling Forest only covers the ranges between Khai and Bazi, I thought. With maybe a bit between Pamir and Houttan."
"The Forest Lord has been extending his range," Xu Sheng pointed out. "Every year a silverleaf tree here, a golden bamboo there. It adds up."
Though Shun wondered if the Gods had meant his father to push his boundaries quite so far, he supposed he should be glad. "Then by now?"
Shun's mother gestured at the map and parts of it glowed bright gold and silver. Thin trails followed the ridges of the mountain ranges between the kingdoms and circled sparsely onto the great outer range surrounding all Five Lands. It was a fragile but distinct outline, just a dozen yards wide at best. He pointed at a small empty circle around a region to the south west of Houttan.
"That's the range where Li Shang said Qiong Lou has his hideout, isn't it?"
"So it seems."
The fact that Shun's father hadn't been able to invade that region might be meaningless. Shun doubted it. "Qiong Lou knows what he's trying to do, doesn't he?"
"Likely, yes. But by blocking your father's forest, Qiong Lou's also making his location obvious. Which is more than Li Shang was able to do."
Shun eyed the spot on the map thoughtfully, tapping his lips with his finger in an absent minded way. Then, "First we need to find all our allies. Then we need a plan of attack. Mother, can you fetch Auntie Green for me? Uncle Sheng, could you get Craft Master Feng Xi?"
They both agreed and Shirong looked inquiringly at Shun, clearly wondering what they'd be doing during this. Shun tilted his head slightly, smiling at his Shidi. "As for you and I? I believe we need to have a talk with Leifeng's Elders. A very long talk indeed."
Xu Sheng coughed. "If you don't mind, I think I'd best do the talking. I've much I need to say."
Admitting that his Shidi's father had precedence, Shun agreed without argument. If nothing else, the Elders would listen to Xu Sheng with more respect than they'd offer Shun, given all the years Qiong Lou had spent making him look
The first order of business was learning to leave their shared space in an entirely different place from where they'd entered it. Fortunately, Xu Sheng understood the trick of it, even if he didn't have his own spiritual space yet. "It's part of what we learn at Leifeng," he told them, drawing an array to help them comprehend the concept. "You two created a spiritual space earlier than most, but that's no surprise, given your particular natures. The only real surprise is how well you managed to combine it."
"Was my being Chosen why you took me to Leifeng?" Shirong asked suddenly, trying to sound like it didn't matter to him and failing.
"I wish I hadn't. If I'd even the slightest clue Master Qiong... That Qiong Lou would find a way to take the sect from Master Quan, I would have kept you with me when I went looking for Shun's mother." Xu Sheng finished his drawing. "Here. The white lines are yours, Shun, the black yours, Shirong."
"Shouldn't that be the other way around?" Shun frowned at the drawing, trying to take the pattern in and finding it startlingly easy to understand. "Given I'm the Adversary?"
"You exist with Chaos and bring Order to it. Just as Shirong exists in Order and brings Chaos into it."
Oh. That was true and made a certain twisted sense. "So what do I do with it?"
"There being two of you, the task is a great deal easier. You act as anchor while Shirong focuses his thoughts on Leifeng Sect's great chamber. Once an opening forms, we can all step through and you can let it go for the time being."
Someday the two of them would have to work on creating more permanent connections with their shared space. But that would have to be later, when they were better at controlling their powers. For now, Shun followed the pattern his Shidi's father had drawn, feeling the connection with Shirong grow stronger as he followed his part. The way opened easily, glimmering with a mix of opaline white and chaotic purplish black.
Beyond the opening, familiar faces stared and backed away from the portal. Guards drew swords, setting themselves between the portal and the Sect Masters. Two faces were missing from the group; Qiong Lou and Quan Lei. But then, they would be.
Without hesitation, Xu Sheng stepped through the portal, close followed by Shun's mother. Shirong and Shun exited together, relaxing their grip on the portal as soon as they were through.
"How dare you break into this hall!" That was Master Li Tsui, his voice shaking with rage and possibly fear. "How did you break into this hall?"
Xu Sheng bowed to all the masters. "This unworthy person is Xu Sheng," he said politely. "Formerly Qiong Lou's disciple, before his master became apostate."
Angry voices muttered around them. Variations of outrage. "What?" "How dare you?" "What are you saying?"
Xu Sheng spoke slightly louder, slightly clearer. "My former Master broke his oath to my Shixiong. Defied the command of Sect Master Zhan Kui. Stole the position of Sect Master from Master Quan Lei. What else can I call him but apostate?"
More mutters, all pretty much the same as before, only louder. One of the guards, overeager and looking to prove himself, rushed forward, clearly intending to attack. Shun drew on his Movement automatically, a lightning serpent swirling around the four of them, hissing and crackling with his irritation.
At the same time Shirong stamped one foot, drawing on his Earth element to shake the stone flooring. "That's enough," he snapped. "Listen to my father."
Elder Li looked confused. "Your father? Master Qiong's your father."
"I sent my son to be fostered by Zhan Kui's chosen heir," Xu Sheng told him, sounding just as annoyed as Shirong. "And that chosen heir was not, was never, Qiong Lou."
A snarl. "How dare you pretend to speak for the Revered Predecessor?"
Xu Sheng held up a blue jade seal, the symbol on it flickering with Zhan Kui's lightning. "I don't pretend to speak for him. I hold his seal, given to me by his own hands. What I tell you are the things he sent me to say. Shall I prove it?"
Elder Li tightened his lips. Glared furiously at the seal. "Show us. If that's truly Zhan Kui's orders, his seal will prove it."
As if it were a living thing, as if it understood what was said, the seal glowed brilliantly, releasing a fine blue mist that coalesced into a tall red-haired man's shape. A voice spoke, soft and whispering, but somehow audible throughout the room. "This Master is pained. This Master is ashamed. His sect has taken a path this Master would not have it take, followed a liar this Master should not have trusted. A liar who abused this Master's prophecy and abused the disciples entrusted to Leifeng; Chosen and Adversary both."
Once again there were murmurs, but now they sounded aghast and a little frightened. Elder Li dropped to his knees, hiding his face behind his hands. "Master!"
The voice continued, "This Master commands his followers to release Elder Quan Lei and place him, immediately, as Sect Master. This Master declares former Elder Qiong Lou apostate and casts him from the sect. This Master orders all members of the sect to either acknowledge his commands or leave the sect with Qiong Lou. This Master gives his loyal servant, Xu Sheng, the task of ensuring these things are done properly. Let all who hear me obey."
Slowly the mist faded back into the seal and Xu Sheng turned to Shun. "I think you can release your lightning, now, Disciple Shun." As Shun obeyed, the man continued, "Where is Elder Quan Lei?"
More murmurs. Embarrassed, scared, murmurs. Then Elder Long offered, "Master... I mean Qiong Luo... sent Elder... Sect Master Quan Lei... to seclusion. He's been in a maze array ever since his disciples left the mountain."
Shun remembered being told his Master had been sent into seclusion. No one had mentioned the maze array. Such things could drive a man mad, should they stay within long enough. And it'd been weeks, now. He turned to Xu Sheng. "We have to get him out. Fast!"
Agreeing without hesitation, Xu Sheng pushed the jade seal into Shun's hand. "You and Shirong go give him this, then. Your mother and I will remain here to make sure no one interferes."
Shun didn't question the need. Qiong Lou had had years to twist his disciples and sect into following his ideals. Not even the sudden appearance of a long lost disciple or the clear command of the Revered Predecessor would be enough to gain certain followers' cooperation.
He grabbed Shirong's wrist and set off running. The sooner they freed their master, the better.
Leifeng Sect's chambers of seclusion were hidden away in the furthest reaches of the sect grounds, inside a windowless pavilion of solid stone. Shun had been imprisoned there a few times in his life and the memory still shook him.
So unnerved was he, just by the sight of the place, that he drew to a halt at the doorway, hand still tight around Shirong's wrist.
"Shixiong," Shirong said, seeming to know without being told how much this place bothered Shun, "I can go alone."
"You don't know how to undo a maze array. Do you?"
"I... no. I don't. But if you teach me now, I can try."
Much as he appreciated Shirong's attempt to protect him, Shun couldn't let his dislike - no, be honest, fear - of this place control him. "I'm not the ten year old novice accused of theft," he said softly. "I'm not the thirteen year old disciple blamed for ruining a scroll."
"Those were my fault. If I hadn't been such a rotten brat...."
Well, yes. Shirong's misbehavior had gotten Shun in trouble most of the time. But Shun had a feeling he would have been targeted even without Shirong there. "Qiong Lou wanted me driven down, Shidi. You helped, but you never helped intentionally." He took a deep breath. Forced himself forward. "And there's nothing in there that can harm either of us. So let's go."
They walked through the main door, Shun held the jade seal up for the stone guardian to approve. Without hesitation, the guardian pushed the stone doors open, revealing the darkened chamber beyond. At its center sat a familiar figure. Their master, his disheveled hair loose around his shoulders, his hemp robe damp with sweat.
The maze array surrounding Master Quan Lei seemed innocent enough but Shun knew what it was like from the inside. He'd never been punished longer than a day and never had the thing's full power turned on him, but he'd been shown what it was capable of.
The worst he'd ever experienced had been tangled halls, seemingly endless, constantly changing, constantly keeping the prisoner from truly resting. Qiong Lou had taken him inside the first time, showing him the monsters that might spring from anywhere, the traps that could injure a prisoner's mind, or even kill.
All Shun had endured had been loneliness and fear that the Sect Master might change his mind and increase the array's power. That'd been enough to leave him terrified and angry. He couldn't imagine what it was like for his grandfather. There was no food, no drink, no safe hiding place. Just a constant need to escape sudden death. And Master Quan Lei had been in there for weeks.
Guilt-ridden, because it was for his sake his grandfather had been trapped, Shun clenched his fists. Tightened his jaw. Tensed his shoulders. "I'll go in. You guide my path." He gestured at the sand lines covering the floor. "See the lightning bolt pattern? That's the one I need to follow."
"And if you step off the path you'll be trapped as well, right?" Shirong sounded shaky. "Maybe you should let me go? You're more likely to get it right."
Shun disagreed. "There's distractions in there that might put you off the path. I've been through them before. I know what to expect. You don't."
A sigh. "Yes, Shixiong." Quite suddenly Shirong grasped his hand. "Don't force yourself," he whispered. "I don't want to lose you."
The knowledge that he was wanted and liked - even loved - formed a nice soft and warm spot inside Shun. This wasn't the time to examine it closely, of course, but he set a light hand up on Shirong's head. "Won't get lost," he promised. "I'll bring our master out, safe and sound."
One last squeeze of the hand. One last pat on the head. Then Shun entered the array. All he could do was hope he'd get this right.
For all their sakes.
Shun: Why do I keep hearing someone singing?
Jareth: Who are you and what are you doing in my labyrinth. Did I steal your baby brother or something?
Shirong: Er... Sorry, Shixiong. I think I pointed you the wrong way.
Jareth: *shrugs* Eh. No one can blame you.