Threads 151-South 4

They left the camp within the hour, joining the outgoing scouting platoon. The platoon was composed of twenty-five soldiers, two in five of which were in the third realm with an accompanying spirit beast, led by a core disciple of the fourth realm. Their task was to survey the region, and as such, they wouldn’t be following them directly into the forest. Instead, they would provide a cover for their presence from any watchers afar and above.

With the scouts, their path led south over the rocky hills and valleys that lay between the greater peaks in the Wall. For two days, they traveled straight south at a swift march, and the climate swiftly cooled. Although it didn’t bother Ling Qi, by the time they reached the forest’s edge, many of the soldiers had begun to don gear for the cooler temperature.

The forest itself was a strange sight. It grew from a steep V-shaped chasm between two cloud-piercing peaks with thick, old growth trees growing at odd angles from sharply angled rock. Thick, knotty roots pierced the stone and dirt, forming a rough ground, and curved trunks sprouted upward to face the sky with a dark canopy of needles. The bottom of the chasm was as dark as night even at midday, lit only by the faint phosphorescent light of fluttering insects that hung over the shallow, sluggish river that ran down the center. Viewed from above, Ling Qi saw it as a curving line of green that ran for many hundreds of kilometers toward the south horizon.

The first task would be one of pathfinding. Xia Lin and Ling Qi were going to go ahead of the group and determine the best path before returning to the others.

Ling Qi materialized on the low hanging branch of a tree at the forest’s edge, sending fragrant needles raining down into the water below, while Xia Lin strode up through the ankle-deep waters. She bounced her halberd on her shoulder as she peered into the darkness that lay ahead.

“What are your orders going forward?” Xia Lin asked. She stepped out of the shallow water and onto the tiny strip of stony shore that lay beneath Ling Qi’s perch.

Ling Qi raised an eyebrow as she peered down. “I don’t think I am in charge like that.”

Xia Lin cocked her head, peering upward at her. “I think we are both aware of who Lady Cai favors, Miss Ling. You are my senior in her service besides.”

“Lady Cai doesn’t think like that. I am sure she means for us to cooperate,” Ling Qi replied. She peered into the forest. The persistent gloom was hardly a bother. Ahead, the shallow river fell over a short cliffside, leading deeper into the valley. The trees were silent save for the occasional twittering birdsong and the rustling of grass.

Under her spiritual senses, the dark branches teemed with spirits. Among the trees, thousands of mismatched knothole eyes peered back at her. Little spirits of wood and growth hid behind every clump of needles and clung to every trunk. The river’s burble was a low-pitched song, echoing from the deep forest deeps. Faeries of cold and wind danced among the frost-dusted canopy, fragile snowflake frames tinkling like bells.

<What do you think, Sixiang?> she thought.

<Sleepy place. River’s not a regular flooder so it shouldn’t be a problem. No signs of anything real spooky yet. The little tree guys are cute. I kinda want one,> Sixiang thought back cheerfully.

<Zhengui does not like this place much,> her little brother grumbled.

<Pfft, it’s fine. You’re just being grumpy,> Hanyi scoffed.

Ling Qi did not allow the byplay in her head to distract her as she moved to the next branch, peering over the short cliff. It was only ten or so meters deep. Unfortunately, down below, the trees grew right down to the waterline, their gnarled roots forming a twisted bed that left not a spot of ground to walk freely on.

Xia Lin followed her, and where the faint light cast by her halberd passed, the tree spirits and faeries retreated, shying away. Things of shadow nesting in the darkness stirred, opening blinking yellow eyes that tracked the passing light with longing.

“Miss Ling, it is not necessary to humor me,” Xia Lin continued, looking down into the dark as well. “Your skillset is the more valuable one here.”

Ling Qi paused, glancing down at the other girl. She wondered what had brought this on.

<She’s gotten it into her head that little Cai doesn’t much like her,> Sixiang analyzed. <…and I suspect she might be feeling kind of extraneous.>

Ling Qi blinked at the odd turn of phrase but understood the intent. On the other hand, Xia Lin wasn’t wrong. They wanted to avoid conflict wherever possible.

“If you insist. I think it would be best for you to stay on the river. The spirit of it seems calm, so you can check down the run and see if there’s any obstruction to just using it. I can scout the periphery.”

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

Xia Lin nodded sharply. “Understood. Meet here in one hour?”

“Yes,” Ling Qi agreed.

Xia Lin stepped over the edge and fell into the dark, landing in the frothing water below without a splash. Ling Qi watched her stride forward through the now calf-deep water for a moment before turning her attention back to the closely packed trees.

Ling Qi kept a tight leash on her qi as she explored the forest, not letting her power leak out into the surroundings as she made her silent way through the branches. She didn’t even flex her aura when faeries swirled close to toy with her hair or wood spirits clung to her hems with little claws of sap and bark, letting her carry them for a time before dropping onto new trees or rare patches of unoccupied soil.