The Sorceress: Blossoming Power

As Xinyi was ready to give the final blow, "Xinyi," a faint voice called, a dying one. 

Xinyi's body suddenly floated down. The deadly aura had left her. The Hutyun's also went back to their normal forms, into minute animals she always loved to see. Her eyes went blank that very instant. 

"Why didn't you finish me? That was your chance." The chameleon said with pride, feeling insulted. He thought she was underestimating him by letting him go free. 

She seemed confused in his eyes and didn't tarry as he took this chance to attack her again.  He climbed on top of a big rock and scratched his claws to sharpen them. And then leaped down to rip her apart. 

However, a blond-haired man with a hairy chest thwacked him away with ease. The chameleon's body banged on the cave wall. He got up and shook his head. "Who hit me?" And saw a very irritated looking man covering Xinyi from his eyes. 

"Don't you dare touch my master or I will kill you." Nianshi growled, giving the lizard a sign to back off. 

The chameleon squealed, pissed at intervening man. He looked at Nianshi's shoulders, wanting to rip apart the person behind but held off as his gaze went to Nianshi. 

Then the chameleon moved and tried to nab Xinyi but Nianshi jerked it away, adding more injuries to the wounded lizard's feet. He tried again but Nianshi showed off his long claws in one hand, frightening the chameleon to scurry backwards, yards away from Nianshi. 

He stared at the claws on the man's hand, comparing to his short claws. Finally, he gave up. He saw his body was not capable to fight this person, nor face another bout with Xinyi if she'd attack again.

"I will be back! And I swear I will kill you both." He ran off out of the cave and went up the snowy peak, in his lair, to heal himself for now and finish what he started later.

Nianshi let him go. He hurried to the dazing Xinyi. "My lady!" Nianshi shook Xinyi, but her body limp and fell down. He caught her on time and laid her properly in his arms. 

Nianshi examined her external body. She looked hurt but not as bad as he thought she would be. 

Her eyelids fluttered and slowly opened. Nianshi's concerned face came into view and made her cry. She whimpered as tears streamed down her face.

"I'm sorry for taking too long. I was held back in an illusion. I'm here now. The chameleon had fled." He saved the full information for later.

Xinyi's head moved. She was looking for someone. "Ming… Nianshi, where is Ming?" 

Nianshi looked confused. He didn't understand her sudden outburst of sadness. 

What a peculiar reaction. Why is she not worried with herself? Didn't she notice that I saved her from death? 

"The governor is outside. Waiting for you to return to him safely. He feared something like this must have happened to you. Good thing I came here just on time, my lady."  

She didn't seem to hear every word he said. Xinyi wished to move, looking for someone behind Nianshi. "Where is Ming?"

"I already told you. He is fine and waiting for us outside." Nianshi noticed the long wound on her chest. It was terrible. He placed her on the ground and spat out a saliva on her wound.

"Ahh! That hurts." She screamed at the top of her lungs but her mind was still on her husband. "No, Ming is in danger. I can feel it. I heard him, but what was I doing just before that?" 

Xinyi remembered almost dying, but the rest seemed to be a blur. She couldn't recall she had gotten her hands on the chameleon or even almost killing it twice. Her only recollection where on the time the creature overpowered her. She didn't even recall seeing Nianshi arriving there. 

"What happened here?" She looked at Nianshi who looked pale studying and analyzing the surrounding area. The rock formation and crystalline walls were broken, as if someone pounded huge hammers on it. Blood was everywhere, on walls and on the earth. 

The chameleon couldn't have done this all by himself, and she couldn't have had defended herself this long. Something powerful must have helped lady Xinyi.

He kept that thought to himself. And looked at Xinyi again she seemed to be recovering from her chest wound and more composed than she was earlier.

"We need to go out now. This place is not safe for you. And the governor ordered that you come back to him immediately." 

"Is he really fine?"

He nodded. That convinced her and nodded back. But doubts still lingered within. She was sure that she heard Ming's voice faintly calling her name. However, he sounded like he was in trouble or in need of help. 

Nianshi carried Xinyi in his back and hurried back to where Ming was. The Hutyuns followed behind them.