Interlude: Her Name III

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Su Daji walks.

She walks, and it occurs to her that she does not know where she is. She is surrounded by hedges, walls of green that rise high above her head. Sometimes, the hedges make narrow corridors for her to walk through. Sometimes, they’ll lead her into fields of beautiful flowers. No matter what, the path never seems to end.

Eventually, Su Daji realizes that the paths made by the hedges bifurcate at certain points. When that happens, she can choose to go left or to go right. She can even choose between going back and going forward. It never occurred to her that she could do that. At first, she alternates. She picks left, then right, then left again. Then she starts picking left all the time. Finally, she settles on right.

It occurs to Su Daji that she does not know how much time has passed. Has it been minutes? Hours? Days? It is probably more. She cannot see any sun going up or down, but Su Daji knows she has been walking for a long time, enough to cross several countries on foot.

It occurs to her that she should be angry about this. Waking up in a strange place and forced to wander for days. These hedges…it’s a maze, isn’t it? Someone has trapped her in a maze! Why has she been going along with it! She should have jumped over the silly hedges from the start! As she realizes she can do it, Su Daji tries to leap over the hedges.

She cannot.

No matter how high she jumps, which is not that high for some reason, the hedges rise alongside her, denying her passage. The innocuous walls of green suddenly seem as imposing as the wall her father guarded when he was alive. Angry, she tries to tear down the hedges with her hands, but no matter how many leaves she rips out, there is always more.

Su Daji screams and stomps in anger. This should not be so difficult! Mere plants should be nothing against her power!

…

Oh.

Her Qi rises.

It feels so right, so natural, that Su Daji cannot believe it has taken her this long to call upon it. The torn leaves and small branches are scattered to the winds. She raises her hand, and her qi moves in tune with it. Her will pushes it outward, crashing against the hedge blocking her way.

It doesn’t do a thing.

Su Daji stares in disbelief. That makes no sense. A stupid hedge should not be capable of blocking her way. She can bring down entire nations! This is… This is…

This isn’t real.

Slowly, Su Daji takes a step back. With her Qi back, she can finally see the world for what it is. This labyrinth of hedges. This world with light yet no sun. The ever-present wind that is so faint only now she can sense it.

It’s not real.

“Who is responsible for this?” She shouts, using her voice to form words for the first time. “Who dares cage me?! Answer!”

“You can talk now. I suppose that is a good thing.”

The wind stops blowing, and Su Daji immediately goes silent. The presence that falls upon her is not that impressive. At least, that’s what she keeps trying to tell herself. A more primal part of her being does not share that opinion. This person is beyond her, unreachable like the endless sky above her head. There can be no fight or struggle here.

Only submission.

“The Wandering Wind,” she breathes out before she realizes what she has done. She did not know that name before, but she does now. The Wandering Wind’s power is such that it reveals her identity to all she meets.

“That is what I am,” the green-cloaked woman says. “I used to have a different name once, but I never cared much for it. What shall I call you?”

“Su Daji,” she replies at once.

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“Interesting,” the Wandering Wind says. “He might not be happy about that.”

“He? Who are you talking about?!” She asks at the same time as a sharp pain stabs at her head. She winces and drops down on one knee, holding her head between her hands.

“Careful,” the Wandering Wind says. “You are still not well.”

“Why would you care?” Su Daji snaps, the pain making her forget caution. “You’re the one who trapped me here!”

“That is not inaccurate,” the Wandering Wind says, nodding. “However, you should consider your situation carefully, girl. Where exactly do you think you are right now? You have rediscovered your Qi. Use it. ”