Heaven's Golden Finger - Chapter 47: Chapter 47

Shun's snigger gave Shirong a warmth in his chest. His Shixiong didn't laugh often. When he did, it seldom held much humor. This time he actually sounded happy. If only there were time to earn more such laughs.
There wasn't, though. "That was a western dragon. Sort of."
"From your other life?"
"There weren't any dragons in that life. Except in theaters." Someday, perhaps, Shirong would work out a way to show Shun the world of his other life. "This beast resembles theater dragons, especially the breathing fire part, but it looks a bit more like a dinosaur."
"A... fearsome dragon? Or are you doing it again?"
Shirong winced. "Sorry. Di No Sar. They lived millions of years ago and I'm not even sure they ever existed in this world." He spread his hands, adding, "They don't matter right now. The question is how to get to Qiong Lou before he sends more of those things after us."
They continued running as they thought, not wanting to waste a single second. "I could turn snake and carry you."
"That'll draw attention. Maybe you could turn to a small snake and I'll carry you."
"Can you move fast enough?"
To be honest, Shirong probably couldn't. It really was too bad sword flying wasn't as common here as it was in cultivation novels. "Maybe we should try using our space?"
"The last thing I want is to get that wrong."
"True. This isn't the right time for experimenting. It's too bad I don't know how to be a fox. I could move faster on four legs than two."
"Another experiment for later. Quarter-bloods aren't known for shapeshifting skills."
Disappointing, but only to be expected. Shirong slid, dodging beneath some vines. Going Tarzan on them might be fun but he doubted he could manage. He'd never so much as attempted such a thing before.
"Or you could just let me carry you."
That came from a new voice. A new but familiar voice. Liang Ren, hanging upside down from a tree branch, grinning broadly at them in the dim light.
"I don't remember asking you to show up here," Shun noted.
"You asked for soldiers. I'm a soldier."
Liang Ren was a nuisance. He was also damned good at fighting. This wasn't the time to complain at his sudden appearance, nor at his offer. "You can be big enough to carry us?"
"I don't need to be." Tree branches flowed towards them, gathering around them and forming the outline of an open carriage. "My mother's kinfolk are willing to help me."
Mother's kinfolk? "You're part tree?"
"Willow." A soft chuckle at their expressions. "Which makes me something that old whatever-the-hell-he-is doesn't like either."
So Qiong Lou hated any sort of cross-breeding? Interesting to know, even if it wasn't terribly useful. Shirong turned to his Shixiong. "Shall we?"
"The sooner we're there, the sooner we can finish this. Given we can."
Liang Ren's branches and vines lifted them into the air, carrying them rapidly across the forest, as the boy bounded along ahead and around them, singing tunelessly as he went.
It took almost an hour to reach Qiong Lou's territory and when they did, Shirong thought Shun was going to lose what little was left of his composure. Not that Shirong blamed him, given what was going on.
By now it was past midnight and it ought to have been pitch dark, the waning moon barely tipping the horizon. Instead the sky was lit up with thousands upon thousands of fireflies, all swirling around above the open area. They came in many more colors than Shirong had thought possible, too, resembling Christmas lights. Given Christmas lights could zoom around in the sky in a dizzying and brilliant display.
Below the dome of lights was a low hill formed of mounded ash, a tower of sorts at its center, a single light glowing at its top. Things crawled around the surface of the hill and all over the tower itself. Bat-winged creatures fluttered above, clawing at the dome of lights and failing entirely to drive them off.
Surrounding the ash hill was the army Shun had requested. Spirit beasts and spirit folk stalked its edges, keeping to the trees for the most part. Once in a while one would rush in and strike at the hill's defenders, then rush back to the safety of the forest, taunting and laughing as they went.
Someone was shouting from the top of the tower. A familiar voice, screaming, "I have your God! Assault me if you dare!"
Shirong turned to Liang Ren. "How long as this been going on?"
"Oh, for a hour or so. That old fart was expecting us, though. He had his defenses up before we could get in." Liang Ren gestured at the hill. "That stuff's almost impossible to climb. You sink in up to your thighs." He eyed Shun, adding, "Or neck. OW!"
The last was because Shun smacked him in the forehead with a knuckle. "Is this the time to mock my height?"
"No, Your Majesty. Sorry, Your Majesty. This follower knows he's wrong."
Liang Ren might know he was wrong, but Shirong had a feeling he'd do it again given the opportunity. Wanting to stay focused, he asked, "Flying in is a problem too, I gather?"
"En. The Lord of Foul Gasses up there has too many winged demons on his side. I've never seen the half of those beasts."
Shirong hadn't either. The monsters looked a bit like some of the gargoyles and ghouls and the like from the movies but so far nothing Qiong Lou had called up had been exactly like the fictional monsters of his other life. For that matter, even the minotaur and the dragon from before hadn't been precisely the same.
In one way he was sorry. If he could use that other world's knowledge to deal with this fight he might make it shorter and safer for himself and Shun. On the other hand, if those monsters were too close to his other world's memories, who was to say that this whole damned thing wasn't a dream he was having while dying? He most definitely didn't want to be caught in that sort of cliché.
Not wanting Shun to worry about him, Shirong focused on the scene. "Any word from Meng Huang Xiang?"
A laugh, loud and raucous, coming from everyone near him. "Where do you think all those bugs up there came from?" Liang Ren asked.
Ah. "I didn't know that was one of his powers. Has he given you any clues?" He stopped himself, thinking about the Dream God's personality. "Ah, forget I asked. He hasn't, has he?"
"We've gotten more from his son." Liang Ren gestured towards the top of the tower. "Your Revered Predecessor is up there. He was able to write a few words in the dirt before it got covered with that damned ash. Something about the tree and stalk winning over all."
Tree? Stalk? "Does he mean our tree, Shixiong?"
Shun considered that. "He could? We're the ones who have to fight Qiong Lou. But somehow that seems too easy." He was about to say more, but that was when some of the winged monsters swirling around the tower seemed to notice them. They swung wide and dove at Shun and Shirong at top speed, screaming and howling as they flew.
Shun took his snake form again, while Shirong drew his swords and set to cutting down demons as they rushed him. No time to worry about keeping their attackers alive. This lot weren't the sort to give quarter, anyway.
Singing that wordless tune again, Liang Ren leaped and hopped, twin blades flashing in the strange light. He bounced off, continuing the fight by circling around Qiong Lou's territory, a rapidly moving bit of nonsense with a deadly edge.
For a dozen or so minutes they fought, knocking Qiong Lou's demons from the sky, sending them flying, flailing, back at Qiong Lou's tower. Shun's control of his snake form had grown during their travels and all he had to do was catch a demon by a limb or tail and snap his upper body forward to toss the thing into the ash.
Shirong couldn't get rid of the things so easily, contenting himself with cutting off wings and other limbs whenever one got close to him. He was covered in blood by the time the damned things backed off, seeming to recognize they were outmatched.
Well, most of them recognized it. One larger demon, all muscle and hair, wouldn't leave Shirong be. It pushed him backwards, using its greater height and weight to force him away from Shun. Its claws were tougher than the others, so Shirong's swords seemed unable to cut through.
He dodged backwards and sideways, only to land in the reach of a tentacle rising from beneath the ash. It wrapped round his ankles, tugging him towards the tower, even as the other demon clawed and tore at him.
Somehow he slipped free, rolling into the surrounding forest, slamming into the bushes, almost crushing a silverleaf sapling as he went. Breathless, he tried to find the strength to rise, head spinning, ankle twisting under him as the demon approached, fighting its way through the undergrowth.
Aching, about to black out, Shirong struggled. He had to stand. Had to. There was no help coming. If he didn't get up now he'd never get up again. Shun was yards away by now, so swarmed by smaller demons he likely couldn't see Shirong's danger.
Just as he feared he'd fail, the scent of the sapling's leaves rose around him, warm and gentle and sweet. Heartened, he set a hand to its narrow trunk and steadied himself, startled by its strength. Something nudged his back, a stalk of golden bamboo, no thicker than a thumb, flexible and tough.
Between the two, he found the strength to stand, just as the demon arrived. A clawed hand caught him by the throat, slamming him against a twisted old oak. He choked, fingers still grasping both tree and bamboo. They'd been pulled along with him, he realized angrily, wishing he'd let go. They'd helped him. They shouldn't have to pay for it.
He kicked helplessly, twisted ankle protesting the strike. Flailing, he hit the demon over the head with the bamboo, then the sapling, using them almost as if they were his weapons. Desperate, reaching for whatever power he could, he stretched his cultivation, pulling in the forces of his elements and attribute.
Something in his head shifted. His foundation rocked and shuddered, almost tipping him off of everything he'd built. Then it came to him. His movement, stretching out to grasp at everything within its domain.
Every blade of grass. Every flower. Every bush. Every last tree and bamboo responded, growing rapidly around the demon's legs, twining upwards and upwards and upwards and upwards again, wrapping around its body from head to toe. Then it squeezed, crushing the demon into a stinking mass of rot and muck. Whatever it'd been before, all that was left was fertilizer.
Shirong slid to the ground, taking deep breaths to regain his bearings. Yet again he'd acquired a new skill too fast and he was going to pay for it later. No surprise his Movement was Growth, though. It was the most natural path for his cultivation to take.
Hearing the fight continuing unabated, Shirong knew he didn't have time to rest or recover. All he could do was get back to the fight and hope to turn the tide. He stood shakily, startled to find the sapling and bamboo still with him, still supporting him, roots poking into the soil then pulling out as he moved.
Both his supports shifted, as if looking up at him, two large pets hoping their master was pleased. He wasn't their master, or shouldn't be, but he was grateful. "Good... ah... plants. Good."
They rubbed against him happily, helping him move towards the fight. His ankle still ached horribly but he couldn't stand down now. Not and leave his Shixiong on his own.
Not when he had an idea just what the Revered Predecessor's latest message meant.
Shirong: They followed me home. Can I keep them?
Shun: The question is, can I stop you?
Tree and Stalk: *gazes wistfully at Shun*
Shun: The other question is, how can they stare pleadingly at me when they don't have eyes?