by Cyci Cade
She opened her mouth to ask Liu to land, but it wasn´t necessary; he started the landing procedures. Ascending and descending caused chaos in her stomach; though, just then, she was glad they were reaching the ground.
It wasn´t an easy job, Liu´s wings had to work hard to avoid the imminent collision. His body tensed, a big white ground came upon them fast and Liu seemed unable to decelerate.
He panted. Great amounts of smoke blurred Kate´s vision forcing her to close her eyes. As soon as they touched the earth, she fell away from Liu´s back; she rolled on the soft snow. The heavy bag crashed against her back several times pushing her into a crescent spin until with a big rumble she stopped in a tree.
It hurt, a lot!
She tried to cry out but the impact caught her breath, and Kate gasped for air several times. She disentangled herself from the bags and checked if there were any bruises to her sore body. She was fine; Liu wasn´t. She saw Liu shivering, convulsing some feet ahead. He emitted a terrible sound and writhed. The metamorphosis was too long, more than the other times and seemed more painful too. Little by little he morphed, but his face was a mixture of human and dragon shape. It was horrifying.
Kate left the bags on the ground and ran to him. “How are you feeling? It seemed excruciating.” When his face became totally human she put his head on her lap and brushed his hair away from his face.
“I´m fine now,” Liu calmed her, but his skin´s color remained green.
She was unsure about the situation, so she investigated a little more. “The metamorphosis was too long. I thought you´d collapse, your eyes rolled up, your fingers bent, and I didn´t know what to do.” She helped him to sit up.
“It was different. I had never felt such pain. We crossed our landing point…” He continued to talk about his theories, though Kate paid attention to Wei who approached fast in a spiral motion, uncontrolled, and crashed a few feet ahead. A trail of blood contrasted with the white snow.
She left Liu behind and trudged toward Wei. The blue dragon showed the same symptoms, with one difference, his cry was full of sadness. She was able to feel it in her bones; his grief penetrated inside her, ran through her flesh causing distress to her body.
Without thinking anything else, Kate released him from his heavy bag. A sword had perforated the bag and made deep cuts in his skin. She unzipped the bag and pulled everything out including the bloody weapon. She grabbed a quilt and covered him, then she wrapped Wei in her arms and rubbed him to warm him.
When Wei stopped shaking, she was able to examine him. Besides other wounds, Wei´s forehead had scratches. Kate grabbed the first T-shirt she found near the bag, ripped it in two pieces, filled them with snow making ice packs and laid them on his wounds to stop the bleeding.
Wei whispered some words in his native language which she couldn´t understand. Kate lowered her head to hear him better; his cold fingers touched her face and brushed her hair back while he smiled. His face changed from distress to happiness and shone when the sunlight landed on it.
A rumble broke the moment. She looked to the sides and found Liu stood next to them; he folded his arms in front of his chest and scowled at her. Kate took Wei´s hand off of her face and peeped at Liu; he stayed in the same place and with the same stern expression that warned ‘I am ready to fight and kill.’
Wei squirmed and said in a strong tone. “Thank you, Kate. I am feeling much better.” He tried to sit up, but his arms shook. Kate put a hand on his back and helped him.
Liu approached them; he opened his bag and picked out coats for Kate and himself. He helped her slip into it and dressed in his, then he reached for the sandwiches and bottles of water, then distributed them. They ate quietly; no one dared to break the silence. Liu and Wei exchanged threatening glances; their bodies tensed, their faces hardened, and they growled. They were defying each other, calling for a mortal fight where the only one to survive would take the prize, her.
Do something, Kate!
They´d kill each other because of her. Mr. Fu Chow told her that they had to work as a team, that journey wasn´t a contest. They had done the first part of the trip and the boys were ready to rupture the thread that linked them; they wouldn´t be able to back out and undo it. They were prepared to destroy their precious life and put an end to the task at the beginning. That mission would be harder than she had imagined.
Kate got up and hurried to speak. “We should go. We have half a day of hiking in the snow ahead, and it is very cold in open space.”
Wei nodded, sheathed his sword, shouldered the heavy bag, and started moving without looking at Liu. Kate waited a little, gathered her bag with her personal belongings while Liu helped her and collected the other heavy bag.
Wei was in the distance when Liu took hold of her elbow and pulled her to face him. “What was that?” His words had an accusatory tone.
“He was hurt and needed aid.” Kate shook in her shoes facing those predator eyes.
“When did you become his nurse? He can take care of himself, that wasn´t his first accident and won´t be his last. Will you run to him every time he gets a scratch?” Liu walked some feet, leaving her behind.
Kate jogged to catch up with him; that argument wasn’t over yet. “I´d have done that for everyone including you, if you needed.”
“I needed your help, but you dropped me off there to run to his arms.” He stopped in front of her again and prodded her shoulder.
She tapped his finger. “I didn´t run to his arms. I went there to help him; he had serious injuries and you hadn´t,” she retorted.
“I tell you what I saw; you and Wei wrapped in a blanket, he stroking your face ready to kiss you, and you were fascinated, hypnotized by his charm. He has a hit on you, and the worst thing is that you like it.” Liu gritted his teeth and followed his brother.
“I am not cheating you. I am not like you,” Kate replied, but Liu didn´t pay heed to her words, so she stayed quiet herself.
Tears sprang into her eyes while she trudged behind Liu. He peeped at her now and again to make sure that she was there.
In a few hours the air became rarefied and the bag heavier. Her legs weakened climbing the steep slope; she knelt and before she could notice, Liu´s arms appeared around her waist helping her; to breathe had become a harsh task.
“Wei, let´s set up a camp here. Kate is exhausted and cold.” He rested her against the rocks, wrapped a blanket around her and pitched the tent.
Wei appeared carrying logs; she hadn´t realized he had gone, in seconds the logs crackled. At first, she felt relieved facing the flames, then she became concerned thinking she´d sleep in a tent, and finally disappointed because that would be the first night and she´d have to face other chilly nights sleeping on the hard ground.
Liu slid his arms around her limp body and carried her into the tent. She tried to protest saying that she could walk, but he just ignored her words and continued as if he was doing an unpleasant job and wanted to finish it soon.
“Wei is preparing the meal. You´ll feel better after eating something.” He left without giving her a chance to say any word.
Kate kicked off her damp boots, changed her socks, and wrapped a blanket around herself. Her hands rubbed her numb feet and legs trying to recover some sensitivity.
Wei brought hot tea and a sandwich. He stared at her with smoldering eyes and a smug grin. He didn´t dare to comment on what was happening. Probably he thought ‘There are problems in paradise.’ And Kate couldn´t disagree with him; there were many problems between Liu and her. She wondered how they slumped from paradise to hell.
The silence fell in the camp, all pervading. She could have sworn she was alone if she wasn´t certain that the boys were outside doing God knows what. Maybe sleeping or licking their wounds while she was captive in that stupid tent freezing and feeling alone. Though that sensation didn´t last long.
Liu sneaked into the tent and lay down next to her. Actually he was very near indeed; she could hear th
e rhythm of his heart beating. His hand slid across her waist pulling her against his body.
Kate reacted moving away and turned to face him. “What are you doing?”
“Heating you.” He smiled maliciously.
“I am fine. I don´t need you here.” She shooed him away.
“It is very cold, Kate. You´ll freeze alone in this tent.” He tried to point out.
She pointed outside. “I want to stay alone.”
He threw another blanket over her and bowed. “As you wish, milady.” He departed.
How could Liu think he´d stay in her tent after he had accused her of cheating? She couldn´t accept that kind of behavior from him. Liu´s accusations hammered at Kate´s mind; they provoked a storm of her feelings and hurt her more than the sword that hurt Wei. She was unhappy, miserable, and dejected; her world had fallen apart and no one warned her that it might happen. What she had to do now was gather her thoughts, put that foolishness out of her head and sleep.
In the morning, Kate left the tent. She noticed two things: one, snow had covered the camp; two, there were two tents instead of three. Wei put logs on the fire and prepared their breakfast. She looked for Liu; he wasn´t there.
Kate approached the fire, stretched her hands and asked abashedly, “Did Liu sleep in your tent?”
“No.” Wei gave her a mug of tea and a slice of bread.
Before she started to eat, she asked him, “Where did he sleep?”
“He didn´t. He spent all night keeping the logs burning.” Wei´s accusative eyes met hers, certainly judging her for leaving his brother out of the tent.
She sipped the tea and went on, “Where is he?”
“I don´t know.” Wei shrugged.
Kate nodded and walked away still sipping the hot tea and taking small bites of the bread. She was the worse person in the world. What she had done was horrendous, evil. She felt queasy wondering how she could fix that and if one day Liu would forgive her.
While she figured out a way to apologize, Liu came to the camp and took the tent down. Kate only noticed his presence when the tent fell and made a strange noise. She mustered courage and strode toward him.
“Liu, I am so sorry.” She faltered. “I thought you´d sleep in Wei´s tent.”
“It doesn´t matter now.” He shook his head in denial and answered snootily, but he looked like a timid discarded puppy.
“I want to say…” She kicked the snow and stammered, “I…”
“I can find shelter. I don´t need your tent or Wei´s to sleep.” He scowled at her. “I lived in caves for two centuries, and it is much better than staying with who doesn´t want your presence.” He zipped and shouldered the bag; he signaled to Wei and restarted the journey.
Kate shut her mouth and followed them. The next three days were the same; Liu didn´t ask to sleep in her tent and their conversation was limited to short sentences without making eye contact unless extremely necessary. She had created a vast abyss between them, and Liu didn´t have any intention of crossing it. On the contrary, he seemed comfortable with their new relationship of coworkers, and he just tolerated her presence. They faced avalanche, bear, low temperatures, and icy slopes. Liu defended and protected her, but he acted as if she was a colleague, nothing more; he gave her the cold shoulder, and she deserved it.
Wei just observed; maybe waiting for the outcome and the best time to pounce or had he given up on her when she sent Liu out of the tent? Probably he realized that she wasn’t worth it. Doubtless he was right. She didn´t deserve those princes. They had a destiny. She was just a person who supposedly might help them to accomplish their quest. She didn´t know how, but it was what Mr. Fu Chow had said, nothing more besides that.
In the afternoon they reached a chain link bridge. It was so long that it disappeared in the middle of the mist. She wasn´t able to see the other side. A cold sensation possessed her and ran through her spine; she was standing on the end.
Liu put the bag on the ground, unzipped it, grabbed his favorite sword, and other weapons. “We should hide the bags and carry only the weapons; these bags will make our movements in battle difficult.” He glanced at Wei and waited his brother’s approval.
“I agree with you.” Wei took his spear, sword, other weapons, and hid the bags in the middle of the bushes.
They were insane. The bridge was falling apart. Kate wanted to argue that decision, but she didn´t dare to go against their resolution; after all, she wasn´t consulted about any strategy.
Liu gave her a bow and arrows. He scrutinized her with a thoughtful expression and passed the sword. She wanted to smile to thank him, but her lips stayed tight together.
Wei went first. Liu stretched his arm and signaled. “Ladies first.” He teased her; that wasn´t the time for jokes.
Kate stepped on the bridge, her stomach swinging in the same rhythm as the bridge swayed, then got worse when Liu came soon after her. To walk produced a strange sensation. Each step was like the ground had gone from beneath her feet, replaced by thin air. She avoided glancing at the abyss. She feared she would lose control and jump into the dark endless hole. It wasn´t the best moment to discover that she was afraid of heights.
They were half way across in her count when a shadow flew over them. “Did you see? What was that?” She pointed to the sky, but it had disappeared.
Liu and Wei unsheathed their swords; they turned around themselves looking at the sky and kept an attack stance; they were prepared for a possible assault. She stayed between them. She put an arrow in the bowstring, and counted the seconds to the time the bird appeared, showing off above them and approaching cautiously. Its form resembled a pheasant with five-colored marking; it was red with five-colored markings, and had the basic form of a chicken.
“Luan-Bird, as Mr. Fu Chow told us,” Kate babbled.
“It means we are heading the right way. Let’s walk.” Wei moved warily, keeping a spear in front of his body.
“It doesn´t seem dangerous; in fact it is beautiful.” She lowered her weapon.
“Don´t jump to conclusions, Kate. There are uncountable lethal animals, and the colored ones are the most deadly. Keep position,” Liu warned her. Kate prepared the arrow again.
They walked some feet. A bird followed them keeping an eye on their progress and it emitted a high-pitched sound. It echoed as an invitation to death; her legs refused to go on, she had to concentrate and make great efforts to step forward.
A hand curled around her arm pulling her down. Liu´s body covered and protected hers from the birds attack. One bird suddenly turned into dozens of birds. It had called its friends and formed an army of birds, not only Luan-Bird, but other different species with beautiful gold and red plumage, Phoenix.
Liu pulled Kate to her feet, twisted his swords and waited for the next attack. “Shoot as soon as you have them in your sight.”
Kate pointed the arrow, her hands shook; she felt a drop of sweat drip under her heavy coat. She bit her lips and hesitated when four birds dove in her direction. Kate changed the target once, twice, three times; it was too late to shoot.
Liu interfered pushing her away and handling his swords. A Phoenix put forward its talons, opened its beak and kept the wings spread. Liu put his left leg back, adjusted his center of gravity, and slashed at the bird.
He held her shoulder firmly and looked straight in her eyes. “Don´t chicken out. You kill them or they kill you.”
She nodded, panted, prepared the arrow and shot one after another with a skill that she was unaware she had. The Luan-Bird emitted a sad sound when it was hit, like a lamentation that produced a guilty sensation and made you feel like the nastiest person in the world. The Phoenix, on the other hand, burned fiercely, reduced to ashes and a new young Phoenix arose before the ashes disappeared in the dark hole.
Wei twisted the spear so fast that his movements were almost imperceptible; he defeated many birds with triumphant and lethal blows. The newborn Phoenixes flew away and the Luan-Bird vanished
into thin air. He smiled and celebrated the victory for a very short space of time. A noise like a thunder broke the celebrations.
Liu shouted. “Run!!!”
They sprinted across the bridge. Kate crashed onto the sides against the ropes that supported the bridge. Liu grabbed her arm and steadied her. She liked to feel his hand on her; she felt cozy, protected, but that wasn´t the time to think about good sensations; they were running to save their lives.
Wei stopped abruptly. “Go back!” He ordered and held the spear in front of his body.
Liu pulled her behind him; a spooky beast ran toward them. It was enormous and had the body of a tiger and nine heads with human like faces; its body covered by a green and blue hair.
“Kaiming,” Liu whispered and stepped back.
Kate moved fast when she saw other beasts reaching the bridge.
The boys lifted their weapons. Liu ordered her to hurry. First, Kate thought that she should stay and fight; second, she considered running away; in the worst-case scenario she´d die either staying or running. If the brothers couldn´t stop the beasts and they weren´t able to reach the other side of the bridge, their journey ended there.
As the boys moved back, she chose the second option. She planned to gain space and shoot the beasts to give them a better chance. Kate glided her hand on the rope to steady herself while she ran. She wobbled; her uncoordinated feet tripped, but she continued as fast as she could.
Kate was going to help; she got to the middle of the bridge, soon she might be near the other side and she´d able to help them. She could be useful; she´d be helpful. However, her happiness lasted just a short while; the rotten wood broke, opened a hole in the bridge and dragged Kate to the abyss. Her hands looked for something to hold, nothing was strong enough to support her weight.
“Liu!” Kate yelled while she drifted away.
She wished she could say to Liu that she loved him. She had never had doubts about her feelings, but now her life had ended. The fact was, she´d die alone, at the bottom of a chasm, without her parents, Liu, Wei, Mr. Fu Chow, and Phillip… maybe she deserved it.