Longing After Wang Ye's Shadow

Chapter 13: Flower that Blooms in Death IV (draft)

Walking down a dusty path overgrown with dried weeds, I follow Gui inside an abandoned temple. The place reeked of an overpowering odor similar to rotting flesh. Gui doesn't notice and continues searching for something underneath fallen debris.

"Strange Girl, what are you looking for?" I ask, covering the lower half of my face with my arm.

"I'm looking for something to give to my Master."

"Your Master?"

"Stop asking, I can't concentrate." Inside her robes, she pulls out a sleeping hedgehog. "Ah Feng, wake up! Help me find the cursed object." 

"Master, we stay up all night and now you're forcing me to work all day. When can I rest?" The hedgehog argues. Its voice mimics that of a child. Blinking, the hog finally sets its eyes on me. 

"Hey! We finally meet. Master told me all about your pitiful, unrequited love with the handsome Wang Ye."

Gui clears her throat. "Feng! Hurry, do your job."

"Yeah, yeah." It scurries away to a different part of the abandoned temple.

I watch it disappear down a long hall. Turning my attention back to Gui, I say, "A talking hedgehog?"

"He's my spirit beast. Protects me on missions and does errands for me," she answers flatly with eyes looking elsewhere.

Although I myself was a strange creature, a talk hedgehog is something I have never seen in my life. A spirit beast? Does this mean Gui is some sort of master cultivator?!

The hedgehog quickly makes its way back to the main hall. "Master, I can't detect the object here."

"It must have been taken elsewhere. I was sure it was brought here." 

I step in, starting to feel curious. "What is it you're looking for?"

"You don't need to know."

I roll my eyes. "Whatever, but aren't you spiritually gifted? Can't you smell that disgusting stench?"

"What stench?" Gui tilts her head.

A dark shadow slowly rises from behind her. Claws poking out from either sides with red, sharp nails. The pale skin of the creature is a decaying gray. Long hair covers the sides of its face and a snarl reveals fangs, hungry for flesh.

"Watch out!" I yell. 

Gui turns around fast, dodging the attack of the beast. Little Hedgehog screams and runs after his master. The monster is as tall as the ceiling of the temple. Its slender arms reaches out, almost grating my stomach. I hurriedly float away from the chaos, and the monster doesn't have any interest in me. It chases after Gui with its snout wide open. Gui doesn't panic, but her breathing has become unstable. Reaching in her bag, she throws a handful of red beans at the creature. It repels off the monster, doing no damage. Quickly using a talisman, she whispers a spell and throws it. The paper immediately sticks to the monster's forehead, burning and emitting a golden light. 

A horrifying scream from deep inside the monster's throat surrounds the broken temple. Gui starts muttering additional spells, sending more talismans to confine it, subduing it until it falls over. 

"Scared me to death." I hear Gui grumbling. 

Rushing to her side, I ask, "What now? Is it dead?"

"Can't you see it is already dead? It's a vengeful spirit."

"Well, how do you kill it?"

She reaches in her pouch once again. Retrieving a small wooden sword, she places it to the side of her mouth, chanting another spell. Throwing it directly to pierce the spirit, it disintegrates but not without another cry of injustice. Now the chaos ceased, the stillness of the night continues on.

"What happens to it?" I wonder out loud.

"I don't know."

"Will it... Will it be free of the mortal sufferings it endured in this lifetime and find peace?"

"I don't know." 

Seeing this spirit die miserably caused me to worry about my own end. Even though I have already died, if I turn into what it has become then I will surely need to be killed in the same way. 

"We need to go," Gui says as she runs out outside. 

I catch up to her, floating alongside her fast running. "Why are you in a hurry?"

"More of them are coming. I have to get back to Wang Ye's Manor."

More? More of those lost spirits?

 The hedgehog on her shoulder shouts, "Master, overhead!" 

We both look up and see a white gown falling fast. The green glow of its face shows a missing lower jaw with ragged hair around its face.

Gui jumps back, reciting her spells again to defeat this spirit. More emerge from the darkness of the forest. She is outnumbered. Little Hedgehog emanates a light, covering Gui's body in a shield of protection. The spirits cannot reach her with their dark energies. Gathering closer and closer into a pile, the spirits reinforce each other's powers to overthrow Gui's spells. 

What should I do?

If I just stand here, won't she perish along with Little Hedgehog? 

Wouldn't Wang Ye be saddened? If she... died?

"What can I do?" I don't even have the means to interfere. All I know if when I have the overwhelming intention to protect, I can use my strength. 

Running to the spirits, I scream to reason with them. "Stop! Get away!"

It's like their mind is bound to capture Gui. They cannot stop themselves. They cannot hear me at all. One last pent up charge blasts a surge of evil vitality in Gui's direction. She flies back, landing on the ground with Little Hedgehog crying out. 

"I said get the fuck away from them!" 

I can't remember anything. 

The moment I come to... It is daytime. I have blocked out everything from yesterday night. Standing in front of Wang Ye's chambers, I have returned to the manor without knowing Gui's fate. 

I'm running, feeling my insides churn. I don't want her to be dead, I don't want her to be hurt. 

"Hey! Chu Chu!" I turn around and see Gui running to me. 

"Are you okay?" Asking right away, I observe her features and body. She doesn't seem to be in pain.

"Where did you go last night?" She asks without answering me.

"I... I don't know."

"You... You saved me. I saw you jump those spirits and a bright light engulfed you all. Then you were gone."

"Did I really do that?"

She nods.

So I am strong enough to protect those around me. From those living and dead.

"From now on, you're my good friend. I'll help you with anything you need. Well, within reason of course," Gui says, smiling widely.

"Ah, sure." Confused by her sudden change of heart, I accept her friendship. At least now, I can get answers from her to stay on the right path and protect Wang Ye.