The Sorceress: Blossoming Power

Before the sun kissed the mountains, Nianshi had flown with Xinyi on his head while Lofey and Tyriece on their flying horses. They roped rolled sleeping bags and other stuff on the horses' backs behind the sitting men. Nianshi brought Xinyi's things tangled by his hair attached to his body and could not be seen. They flew toward the snowy peak where the chameleon lived. 

They flew for an hour and at last saw the mountain but avoided the west where the illusion forest was located. Slowly, they descended at the topmost but the wind was strong for the flying horses to tackle. Nianshi thought of covering them with his wings, but the winds swirled around and would still hit them. 

They went down until they reached an area where the horses could fly down and their foot could set on the ground although they encountered a bit of difficulty within the trees. Nianshi turned into an ordinary lion but still large enough for Xinyi to ride on with her baggage on his back. The two men had to settle to continue their journey on foot, dragging their horses behind with the sloping path and deep snow. 

Tyriece and Lofey saw several physical transformation Nianshi made but didn't ask until this time concerning his true powers, so with Xinyi. They had their own speculations somehow. 

"He could be an animal shapeshifter," Tyriece whispered his guess to Lofey as mist came out from his mouth with his every breath. He pulled his fur collar to cover his neck from the freezing cold wind. The latter nodded but still unsure inside. He believed a mere shapeshifter couldn't copy the mythical lion-dragon that easily.

"But there could be more we don't know. He could be one of those rare double-powered Chiangdas," Lofey said as he trudged on the snowy ground with his thick leather boots making big step marks. Tyriece walked following Lofey's footsteps.

Cold did not reach Xinyi's skin. The Hutyuns were hiding in her coat, providing her heat. But she wore thick winter clothes as not to cause some misconceptions with the two men . She was still uncertain from revealing the Hutyuns to them and her true identity as a born Sorceress. The lesser people who knew, the better.

Time passed and the weather seemed to grow colder as their ascent went higher. Hour by hour, the trees dwindled, the path went steeper while the sun rays lessened although it was its highest in the sky. They firmly held the reins as they entered a narrow road of rock wall on one side and a ravine on the other. Winds howled from the depths of the mountainside, lashing and hurling flurries of stinging snow at their faces.

Lofey wanted to use his fire but experienced reminded him not so or an avalanche would accompany them. Suddenly, the shrill winds got stronger and the horses neighed. The two men pulled in their hoods to shield their faces or the snow would hit their eyes. They had to find shelter soon or their legs couldn't keep standing.

Xinyi sent the Hutyuns to scout a good place for shelter. As they struggled against the chilly and rushing winds, the Hutyuns happily spoke in her mind. "My queen, there's a building just yards from where you are. Hurry! You're almost there."

Xinyi opened her mouth, looking back at General Lofey and Tyriece, but closed it. She couldn't bear looking at their state when they've accompanied her for brotherhood' sake as fellow Chiangdas and as Ming's oath brothers. 

She waved her hand and the two men stood with ease. They sighed, relieved, thinking the wind had dwindled. As they loosened their hoods, they gaped in shock. They looked around and saw the hurling winds with snow but couldn't feel it on their skin. Even the horses felt the same. It was the invisible Hutyuns cloaking them. It stunned them for a while and stared at her back. Thankful and certain it was her deed.

Nianshi dashed away, shocking the two men. They looked at each other and nodded, running after with their horses with no trouble. They had reached the building in no time and went into the wide open steel door but the horses refused to go in. Lofey had to pull hard to bring them inside but the creatures stood on two hind feet and flapped their wings in rebellion. He had no choice but to tie them outside a tree with blankets covered on them.

Nianshi, Lofey, and Tyriece understood something alarmed the animal enough to resist their master's bidding. Nianshi's instinct told him the same but couldn't pinpoint his fingers to the source.  

They took off their hoods and saw structures chiseled from rocks. Intricately designed chairs, tables, and every piece of furniture made from ordinary stones displayed in their very eyes. However, General Lofey was wary. 

The odd thing about the place was the cleanliness as though someone was taking care of it. No trace of cobwebs or any speck of dust. The long table was squeaky clean, well-polished where one could see one's reflection though not as vivid as a real mirror. 

Xinyi sat on the stone chairs amazed by the eye-catching carvings. The chair's arm displayed standing humans in armors marching by group. The reactions on their faces and every body parts were somewhat real. One could tell the uniqueness of each.

"Wow, the person who lived here might be a real artist. These are all so beautiful. I feel like watching a story carved into stones." While it astounded her, the men were having goosebumps staring at it. It was like staring at live people turned into miniature dolls and attached together.

General Lofey and Tyriece walked around, watching closely every furniture until they reached the table. There was a tale of war unfolding between four groups of men with different crests on their chests and type of helmets. Two groups fought against each other near the edge of the table while another two at the opposite side. 

There was a weird situation depicted in the middle of the table. The three men, including Nianshi frowned. Tyriece gulped while brushing the standing hairs on his arms and nape while looking at it. 

They saw five lines of the guillotine. Men with their feet and hands chained together queued before the big blades. Bodies knelt with their hands on their backs while heads wide eyed lying on the ground. 

There were no other colors shown but shiny gray. Yet, a person observing closely could find some carvings showing waterlike elements spilled beside the heads. It was an eerie sight.

"I think we should go out and keep moving. The wind might have subsided by now," General Lofey said and walked toward the door but… as he reached it, the door slammed closed and their vision went into circles. They had no time to react but sent to a dizzy flight to a nowhere place. Tyriece, who ate a lot of potatoes for breakfast, almost vomited but held it in while cupping his mouth with his palms.

They were in that condition for a minute. When their vision steadied, they saw themselves lying on the roadside of a dull and grayish place. Suddenly, General Lofey gasped. 

"Where are we?" Tyriece asked.

"Look?" Lofey pointed to a huge structure. The rest turned their heads and froze in shock. It was the guillotines with grey colored men standing in line.