Inn

[ Third Person ]

Their stay was way better than the last time they were here. The full moon will rise at 10 pm tonight. As Lady Suan Ming pledged to help them enter the illusion cover of the Night pavilion, they also promised her granting her wish after this.

Night Pavilion as Lady Suan Ming answered all their questions and entertained their inquiries as much as she can. She also told them how it was created for people like her, people who can use her intuition and have outer world abilities. On the other hand, their motive of entering the Night Pavilion is mainly for Lord Dame who only appears when a new prophecy arises. He is the master of the Night Pavilion.

The last time he appeared was when The Third Prince almost died of an illness when he was 2 years old. The empress leads them here today to disturb Lord Dame and gather clues today. If they're lucky, he could appear tonight if not, then they need to wait for another full moon.

Lady Suan ming assisted them to settle down in their own suites. This time, she was in the suite of Weichebg assisting her. Her eyes gazed at her as Weicheng halted what she is doing and slowly turned her head towards Lady Suan Ming.

Weicheng is having second thought whether she could ask some questions as she saw the small grin on Lady Suan Ming's face as if she knew what she is about to do.

"Ask away," She said before she put all the pillows that she changed on the bed and sat over the edge of the bed frame.

Weicheng on the other hand stuttered as Lady Suan Ming already knew her questions and read her mind.

"my words lingered with you?" She started off "I told you before that there will be news that will break out the whole north" she looked at Weicheng confident with her deduction.

"How'd you know all of that?" As if she hadn't remembered that Suan Ming can read the future she just waited for her answers.

"The string is already stretched." Lady Suan Ming started off "The whole empire will soon face more hurdles. This is just the start. The news is just an intro. Everything will soon fall into its own places and I want you to be a witness of all of these" her eyes looked at Weicheng's confused eyes.

Weicheng creases her head as Lady Suan Ming took her right wrist. She drew a small triangle on her bandaged palm as she smiled. "Your secrets will not stay too long"

Weicheng grimaced as she realized what Suan Ming said. "Secrets?" as if she was unaware that she holds any secrets.

She smiled as if taunting the little lady as she walked slowly towards her and pulled the hairpin out of her bun; her hair swayed when the wind blew as if it was the first time it breathed air.

Her eyes grew bigger as she took the hairpin and looked around if anyone saw what happened just now. "How?"

The old Lady shrugged and sat on her bed again "I just knew, and I know things more than you do"

she stopped for a moment as she finally realizes that her secrets will not stay hidden longer than she is expecting.

She just took the old hairpin and put it back on her hair as she tied it once more. "I have a favor to ask"

"Go on"

[ Weicheng's POV ]

"Do you have a bath here? I need to have a bath" I shamelessly asked Lady Suan Ming after she finished with all the things she needed to arrange inside the room, I just received a wide grin.

"The Princess is having her bath as of the moment, you can find the hot spring beside the west wing." After she left me, I took my things and gather my clothing as I went down.

I slowly roam the vicinity, the lights are dimmed on this part of the inn, I can feel the heat coming from the hot spring from here as I heard the Princess walking back. I hid in the corner as I saw her walk down the hallway. I step out of the hidden part and walk until I reached the east side of the Inn.

I slowly walk down as I open the gates of the spring. The heat emanates from the water. I giggled excitedly. I took off my robe and took my step down the hot spring.

"Ahhhhh" I sighed in relief. I closed my eyes and felt the air and the buzzing sound around me. The crickets surrounding the area. The bamboo trees are around the spring. The heat relaxes enough. I looked at my right hand as I started removing the bandage around it.

I looked at my right palm, all the pain it went through wasn't enough. All the scars I have are not worthy if I could not even save my tribe and my master. I am here. I am living at the moment. I am living to compensate for all the lives that were taken just to save mine. I am living to clear my master's name and to give justice to everyone in my tribe. I am living for the breaths that were taken away because of greed.

My eyes flutter when I heard the sound of guqin somewhere. The person playing the instrument must be good at playing it. The sound is quite a catch. The serene music helped me loosen even more.

I slept in between the music and the serene atmosphere, as I heard the last note. The music then concluded as I also gathered my things and dry myself.

I decided to leave or I'll be catching a cold due to the night breeze.

====

a whole day passed preparing.

The sun is already setting in as we were gathered outside the inn. According to Lady Suan Ming, once we arrived at the cornfields, that's where we will conduct the first rune to enter the first barrier. It will require a blood offering and soul tampering. We gathered a few livestock, specifically a few crows to be offered later. Some water snakes, a rabbit. In regards to soul tampering, which we are still not aware of.

"What are these for?" Mishu and Fu Ri asked. The two of them will be left at the Inn to send us a signal and back to the North in case there's been a loophole on the plan.

"These animals are to be offered to the first barrier. It represents the 4 elements."

"Crow is for the air, water snakes for the water, and rabbit for the earth" Lady Suan Ming answered

"The fire?"

"The fire is to be created and offered at the scene." she closed the cages.

I looked at Qui Run with a grimace plastered on his face, he pouted as he will also be left at the inn. "Can't I join?" he asked again, all of us looked at him.

Princess Xiao smiled "Why did even encounter an accident before we could even set off?" She teased Qui run which made us all chuckle. He was catching some water snakes when he fell off the water and his feet got such in the middle of two rocks which made him unable to walk properly, so Master Pu decided to leave him at the Inn together with Mishu and Fu Ri.

As we tied the feet of the offerings, we already made our way out to Lady Suan's tavern. The horses were ready as we set off. The horizon is nearing its darkness as we lit our own lanterns. The cold breeze swept again as I held onto the cape.

"I'm glad, Qui Run was left or the journey will be annoyingly unbearable" I heard Tae Hua said as Ji wok smiled and shook his head. Qui Run's silly remarks are the only life of this group. He must be sulking at the inn now.

Princess Xiao put on her hood when the fog dropped due to the climate. She was easily carrying her horse as she looked at my back as if confused and looked at my back. "Was that a cursed bow?" her voice made the few of our companions look back at us. She slowed down to catch me, so we're riding side by side.

I just bowed at her to answer. I saw her smirking. "You're really arrogant, huh?"

I was about to answer back when Master Pu intercedes between us. "I don't want to hear you two talking during the ride or we'll catch unintended attention." He looked at us as he went on ahead. I saw Princess Xiao rolling her eyes.

"How dare this old man lecture me?" she said whispering.

"Princess Xiao?" she immediately smiled as Tae Hua called her, she lowered her speed as I continued on.

We arrived in a dark tunnel as Lady Suan Ming and Ji wok halted. We followed them as they lighted their lanterns again. While on the dark tunnel I followed through Master Pu holding his robe. We just walked until a light was seen at the end of the tunnel.

"There's always a light at the end of every tunnel" I smiled at Ku Ji's remarks.

I heard Ji wok even coughed, smiling.

At the end of the tunnel was a huge grass field. "This is the first barrier" Lady Suan Ming announced as she looked at the caged animals. We reached for it and put it in front of her.

The next scene dropped our blood. we were all shocked.

"What happened?" Princess Xiao shouted, and we all analyze what happened to the animals that we brought.

The animals were all dead.

"I swear, I saw them all caged alive" I heard Eun Jo say. It was all alive when we left the Inn. what in the world happened?

Lady Suan Ming narrowed her eyes.

Master Pu took the crow as he checked the vitals, he even smelled it as his forehead creased. "The fog" He held out the wings of it which were frozen.

Fog?

"The animals could not even handle the fog," Ku Ji said suggesting

"No, the fog is filled with toxins for animals." Ji wok answered confidently, we all looked at him. He was spreading the wings of the crow as the fog left there was still stuck. He's smelled it. "air toxins"

"What are we going to do? How we'll we even get a sacrifice now?" Ku Ji asked

Princess Xiao left the scene as she was walking somewhere. Tae Hua and Ji wok followed her as they saw a small pond. I heard Ji wok stop the Princess as she was about to take her arrows, Ji wok threw his sword to catch the fish.

On the other hand, Lady Suan Ming started her runes as teacher Pu helped her put the separate jars in front of the barriers. Ku Ji threw a few daggers as he saw a running rat somewhere, he followed it back to the tunnel. As they started finding animals to offer.

I heard a whistling sound, there must be a flying animal somewhere.

I started walking away, as I whispered things incoherently. I tried to question why the animals were dead. Is the fog intended for us to catch the offerings here or it's just merely coincidental? The fish was already being taken care of as the blood was slowly being gathered in a jar.

I heard a few more flaps of the bird as I slowly turned my head and took my bow at the back. The flaps were almost as if taunting me. The bird kept on circling around as I closed my eyes.

I felt that everyone's been looking at me, as they were halted by master pu. I can hear the wings flapping around me, but it's dark I let my ears do the senses. I sense it near me.

"Let him handle this"

The moment I memorized its sequence, I opened my eyes and released the arrow. The scream of the bird came whistling as they all gaped when the bird dropped to the ground.

"waaa! You're an ace for a reason" I heard Ku Ji say holding out the mice.

I breathed as Eun Jo took the bird. And my arrow.

"You pierced exactly at the heart," Eun Jo said, shocked, and took the arrow back to me.

"A falcon? This is one of the fastest birds" Ku Ji snickered clapping his hands. They all assisted the ritual. Lady Suan Ming even looked at me as she smiled. They all took the blood of the three animals as the runes started glowing.

We step back as the next thing that happened bewildered us.