Shizhe opened her eyes and it was as though the room was filled with water. She looked towards where Wuye was but he was no longer there. She caught a glimpse of movement coming from behind her and she turned around as quickly as she could. A man with dark hair that drifted in the waters and eyes that looked deeper than the depths she was in. She couldn't breathe, she was starting to panic.
"Go on, take a breath," the man sneered. "Accept my gift instead of hers and you won't have anything to fear."
Never, Shizhe thought, glaring at him viciously. She understood now that the Water God somehow intercepted her prayer and forced her into another vision.
She bit her lip as hard as she could, tasting iron. Hoping desperately the pain would force her to wake up or snap out of this trance. Nothing happened, she was still trapped and running out of breath.
"You'd rather die than give your loyalty to me?" Shendu chuckled darkly. He reached out grabbing her cheeks. "What a waste of power that would be. It would be so much easier to devour you and take it for my own."
His form began to shift into a monstrous sea serpent, larger than she'd ever seen, even in the northern seas. He coiled around her, trapping her as his fangs surrounded her.
"Last chance, mortal, kneel and I won't force you to kill your lover," Shendu's voice rattled in her chest.
Shizhe felt like her heart was in her throat and her lungs burned. Her tears quickly joined the waters she was in. Wuye was the one next to her and Jinse likely hadn't left just yet. They would know and they wouldn't let it happen. She glared into the massive maw.
"I hope you choke," Shizhe let out the last of her air. Her vision was darkening as she felt the fangs starting to graze her skin until suddenly it was bright, blindingly so.
"You can't have her, Shendu," The most comforting voice that reminded Shizhe of a mother that she never knew filled her ears as arms were wrapped around her from behind. "Learn your lesson and leave my children alone."
The waters and serpent vanished in an instant. Shizhe turned and saw Gaibian just as she was depicted in the painting on her wall. A gentle smile and long flowing white hair that practically blended in with her pale robes of white and blue.
"Breathe, my child. You are safe." Gaibian urged gently.
Shizhe gasped desperately for air. Coughing at how sharp it felt in her chest.
"I apologize, I should have realized his meddling sooner," Gaibian was gently patting her back so comfortingly. "Wuye's prayer reached me and he told me of your predicament as you collapsed next to him. He was quite worried. Fortunately he started extracting Shendu's qi so I could break through the hold he had on your mind."
"Is it really you?" Shizhe stared up at her in awe. The goddess she prayed to for so long, the one that chose to grant her a gift, was now before her. "You're really here?"
"Yes, you could pull Wuye in here if you would like to verify, just pray to him and he can join us," Gaibian giggled softly.
"Wuye, can you join us?" Shizhe prayed softly and instantly felt a swift warm wind surround her.
"Shizhe!" Wuye appeared in front of her, placing his hands on her shoulders. "Are you alright?! You collapsed so suddenly." Wuye glanced about expecting to see Shendu or be within the water but they were in a garden, just not Shizhe's. When his eyes fell upon Gaibian he relaxed. "You came for her…"
"I should have sooner," Gaibian sighed, looking away as though ashamed.
"I'm honored you would at all," Shizhe said quickly.
"Why wouldn't I want to protect my masterpiece?" Gaibian caressed Shizhe's cheek. "You're my darling High Priestess."
"So that isn't just something Lady Lian says," Shizhe closed her eyes with a huff. The High Priestess Lian Yating had often said that Shizhe was the real High Priestess while she was just a proxy. Shizhe always said she was foolish for that. She never imagined that Gaibian thought that to be the case.
"You both are, dear," Gaibian smiled. "You just never believed her words for truth. We are allowed to have more than one High Priest or Priestess. It's just rare that the other gods grant such favor. I wouldn't be able to bring your spirit to my garden like this if you weren't."
"You called her your masterpiece, is she the culmination of all your fiddling with blessings?" Wuye asked.
"Indeed, the future is a heavy thing. Many of my High Priestesses have had their lives shortened by it in the past. So in recent years I did what I could to change it into a blessing so one could bear it for more than just twenty years."
"Even if you both know, can we not bring up my age," Shizhe pouted. She always kept her true age a mystery even from the upper court. She hadn't even brought it up to Xinhua yet.
"Of course," Gaibian giggled. Her gentle countenance darkened with a more stern expression. "While I have you two, there is something I would like to discuss about Shendu."
"You want Jinse to kill him, right?" Wuye shrugged.
"No secrets are kept from the wind," Gaibian shook her head in dismay. "I've been watching, even from here, and I've seen where your loyalties lie, Wuye. Will you help me protect them until his miserable fate comes to pass?"
"Why brother asking if you've foreseen it?" Wuye shrugged.
"The future is in disarray." Gaibian shook her head. "He was trying to take Shizhe's power just now. In truth I cannot tell what will occur until she rests and recovers."
"You aren't giving her visions?" Wuye's eyes widened at the realization. "She's giving them to you!"
"Yes," Gaibian nodded. She looked into Shizhe's eyes of midnight that carried the faintest glimmer of light like a distant star. It was dimmer than the light that shines in the eyes of the gods but the spark of divinity she carved from herself was there. "That faint glimmer of divine light in her eyes, it's a piece of mine." She embraced Shizhe, "I treat all those I give my blessing as my children but you are indeed the closest to being my actual child."
"Why me?" Shizhe couldn't help but ask. It was something she always wondered but never could bring herself to express in her prayers. It wasn't as though she had gotten responses before now anyways. "Why did you choose me?"
"Because your future was the brightest star," Gaibian smiled down at her. "Just as Xueye's is."
"Did you meddle with his ability too?" Shizhe asked with a stern expression. Even if she was her goddess she wasn't sure she could forgive her for all the misery Xueye has suffered as a result of the misfortune.
"I didn't," Gaibian shook her head. "I wish I had, he's been through so much. Perhaps he would not have had to suffer so much. But fate has brought him those that are best suited to save him. So I ask that you two help them as much as you can."
"The boss won't be happy about this," Wuye sighed.
"I will take responsibility." Gaibian nodded. "I always intended to even as you got involved. You can say I forced you to comply with my whims. It was what I intended to do to shift the blame to myself."
"I appreciate the sentiment but I don't know if I feel comfortable with that," Wuye huffed. "We can cross that bridge when we come to it. Back to the more urgent problem. If we cut off Shizhe's mind, you won't be able to see the future, not the other way around? Am I getting that right?" Wuye scratched his head.
"That's correct. It's also quite alright with me since I'm assuming that was your original inquiry. I trust those of you involved down there to have it handled." Gaibian held her hand out to them. "Unfortunately, in exchange for the amount of blessings I bestow, I am unable to return to the mortal realm. That was the deal I made with the Dragon Emperor. I would gladly help take his life if I could but I can only do so much from here."
"Will you be unable to hear my prayers then?" Shizhe asked with a rather pitiful expression.
"Have Wuye teach you the spell and when you can cast it upon yourself you will be able to let those you wish into your mind. Even us." Gaibian embraced her once more. "We don't have much time left in this space. I've dragged it out as much as I can but it's time you both wake up. Lest you cause a panic."
"Thank you, my goddess," Shizhe bowed her head reverently.
"Rest well my child," Gaibian smiled warmly as Shizhe faded from the space, leaving her and Wuye. "What is it?"
"Did you really not meddle with Xueye's ability?" Wuye asked. "The fact it uses his good fortune is a little too perfect a trap for Jinse."
"I didn't, however Jinse wished upon the star that fell for Xueye as did another. I like to think his ability manifested as just what they both needed." Gaibian smiled softly. "Help him too if you get the chance. He doesn't have to always be using up his good fortune. One thing I've learned from those that join me is that all my blessings can be mastered, even ones that seem passive like his."
"I haven't the slightest idea how to go about that," Wuye huffed.
"Just as you would teach spells and cultivation techniques," Gaibian giggled. "Didn't you used to be good at teaching that sort of thing?"
"Yeah, yeah," Wuye closed his eyes with a sigh. When he opened them Shizhe was stirring from the spot he'd carefully rested her after she collapsed and he'd caught her. He was still holding his fingers up to form the seal that kept the volatile qi of Shendu's from escaping to anyone nearby. It was contained in a ball of brackish looking liquid, hovering above Shizhe.
"Is that…?" Shizhe trailed off, her eyes fixated on the living liquid that seemed to be lashing out against the wispy energy around it.
"The Water God's qi that was just trying to consume you? Yeah," Wuye supplied. "Happen to have a jar in here I could seal it in for now? I can give it back later when I dispose of this where it can't hurt anyone. Provided I can't use it to track him."
"Take your fucking time with it," Shizhe groaned as she got up. She didn't feel nearly as sluggish and stiff as she moved to fetch one filled with dry sage that seemed large enough for the task and just dumped the contents onto the table. She could have Yazhu fetch a new one later. She handed it to his waiting free hand.
"Stand back a bit, just in case," Wuye warned and Shizhe backed up to the door to the garden. It was a little bit of a struggle to move it as the dark water was fighting his qi but he slapped the lid on it and pulled a talisman from his pocket and placed it over the lid. Only then did he relax. "Phew, that was a bit unexpected."
"Just a bit?!" Shizhe quipped.
"Honestly, surprised you woke up at all," Wuye chuckled. "I half expected to be carrying you back to Lady Meigui at this point."
"I feel great actually," Shizhe rolled her neck a bit. "Don't get me wrong I still feel dead tired and might sleep in but all that gunk made me feel like I was always moving through water. I feel younger if I'm being honest."
"I'm glad," Wuye smiled. "It puts my mind at ease knowing we have her approval on how to handle this predicament. When I return from our little trip, I'll teach you the spell, and maybe a few others if you'd like. Jinse isn't that great of a teacher if I'm being honest."
"I'm not that bad," Jinse grumbled from the doorway to the garden.
"You're still here?" Wuye was so distracted he didn't notice the fox's approach.
"After feeling that bastard's power surge like that of course I came back!" Jinse shoved off the wall and joined them in the room. "Besides, if Xinhua is going to be off running around and Shizhe was going to rest, I had to stay nearby for when His Highness finally gets back. I have to tell him something." Shizhe was about to warn him again but Jinse held his hand up. "You don't need to tell me twice. I understand and agree with your concerns."
"What are you going to tell him?" Wuye tilted his head with a glint of curiosity in his eyes.
"I've got a plan," Jinse smirked devilishly. "I could use your help if you are willing."
"Whatever you need," Wuye giggled.