Abby awakened in her bed, heaving in gasping breaths as she processed the last moments of her dream. With a heavy sigh, she cradled her head and swept aside the covers of her bed.

“What a strange dream,” Abby whispered as she recalled her dream.

Water was all around her, almost drowning her if not for the little bubble that protected her. The bubble would sway back and forth, sometimes feeling strong enough to prevent a missile, other times feeling like it would burst at a simple pin prick.

It only popped at the last second, right as she woke up.

“Oh, what else was there?” Abby tapped her forehead. What she hated about dreams the most was how they disappeared from her memory the moment she woke up.

“A… path? Paths.” Abby nodded to herself as she strained to remember her dream memories.

There were two paths. One was easy for Abby to travel into since the water currents were so weak. The other was so hard to move in that it felt like a single step took forever.

Abby opened the door to the courtyard and stepped outside. She looked into the sky and felt it as the Qi Pond inside her spiritual core - the cultivators called it a Dantian - aligned with the half-moon above her. The nighttime air attempted to chill her body, but a simple circulation of her Water Qi receded the feeling.

“Is it because of the moon?” Abby wondered.

Her cultivation was increasing at such a rapid pace as the full moon approached. Could it be affecting her strangely? Could it be inducing her strange dreams?

“I should ask Gou Jia about this,” Abby said, immediately scolding herself right after.

“To hell with him. I’d rather swallow needles than ask that devil for help.”

Abby shook away the thoughts of Gou Jia helping her and gazed around the courtyard. She noticed the faint glow of light emanating out from another room of the courtyard, where Arden was currently supposed to be sleeping. A smile graced Abby’s face as she peeped open the door. Arden, fast asleep with his slobber soaking into his sleeve, was hunched over the table within his room. Abby whisked the blanket from Arden’s bed and cloaked him in it as she mumbled to herself.

“You’re useless; you know that? At least you’re still here.”

Abby’s eyes grew moist until she wiped her eyes with her sleeve. Now was no time for crying. She blinked her eyes clean and looked back at Arden before leaving the room.

Once outside, Abby was left to ponder under the moon's glow.

“The bird looked a little like a phoenix. Or maybe it’s a different type of bird?” Abby mumbled again while remembering the vivid picture of the flaming bird drawn in one of Arden’s laid-out scrolls. Abby knew that Sun Cai was teaching Arden about his Fire Qi cultivation.

Could that have been one of Arden’s homework assignments? Maybe, he needed to shape his Fire Qi into the shape of a flaming bird?

The moisture in the air rapidly amalgamated into Abby’s palm in the shape of a plain baby bird. Her control over Water Qi was progressing by the day, but even she couldn’t make something with such detail as a phoenix.

“Bah, he’ll figure out some way to brute force it.”

Abby waved off her concern and headed back to her room, ready to try and sleep before another monotonous day of cultivation arose with the sun.

*****

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

“Did Gou Hui get any useful information out of the mortal woman?” Gou Da asked.

“No. He says The Matron couldn’t find anything from scouring her memories. The other sacrifices have been the same. It seems to be a mystery to everyone about how they got here.” Gou Jia replied as he rested his arms along the railings.

Gou Da nodded as he and his brother looked out from what appeared to be a sprawling, private terrace that overlooked the Bloodthorne Sect. The shared terrace was reserved for the three brothers and was positioned at the very peak of the floating mountain, where the ambient Qi was the strongest.

“The Matron also said she’s having difficulty communicating with the central sect.” Gou Da admitted to his brother.

Gou Jia fell into thought. Suddenly, the tattoo of the bramble beasts along his arm glowed, and the subtle ring of his bracelet bell chimed into the breeze.

“I’ve sent the bramble beasts to scout out farther, but so far, all I’ve found is more forest and beast territories.”

“Yes, the stars have all shifted into a strangeness I can’t understand.” Gou Da agreed as he spoke of his own efforts while staring into the blue-turning sky.

Gou Jia looked at the moon as it descended over the distant mountains. By now, the moon was nearing three-quarters in fullness.

“I’m afraid we both know the answer now. We’ve been transported too far to a place where we don’t know the dangers of the area. The only consolation is that this place had the resources to enable our fast growth.”

Both brothers looked from their perch to a tattered courtyard far below them, but only Gou Da’s enhanced eyesight could make out the fighting forms of Arden and Sun Cai.

“He’s been progressing well.” Gou Jia spoke as he peered down.

“The girl, too. I’ve been doing what I can to slow her progress, but if I give even an inch, she takes a mile with it. She outpaces her brother by far in regards to cultivation.” Gou Jia spoke about Abby’s progress with a faint smile.

Gou Da was momentarily silent before looking at Gou Jia with hard eyes.

“This isn’t like you.”

Gou Jia was about to speak when his eldest brother continued.

“You speak of their progress like it's your own. It isn’t. The fact that Arden is growing under Sun Cai’s teachings isn’t something to be happy for, but a smile has filled your face at the sight of it.”

Gou Jia looked like a child who had been caught stealing out of the cookie jar.

“Well, I—”

“Normally, you would never let a situation like this happen.” Gou Da firmly said.

“I… I can’t openly go against Gou Hui's command to have Arden placed under Sun Cai's tutelage. I'm already on thin ice with him, and you know how the Matron views him as her favourite pawn—”

“Don’t call him that.” Gou Da reprimanded. But Gou Jia was already coming up with his following answer, subtly leading the conversation away from something he didn’t want to answer.

“Then what is he!?” Gou Jia pulled up his shirt sleeve to reveal numerous crimson markings across his arms: The symbol of a vine-ridden skull, the emblem of bramble beasts, and more.

“The Matron hasn’t given him any responsibilities, and I don’t question her decision. He is only turning more and more vicious by the day. I don’t even recognize him if he isn’t looking for something to fight or antagonize—” Gou Jia said with a rush of breath.

“He’s changed. The Matron has been teaching him the ways of the Dao. I’m sure he will soon face tests of his own, which he needs to be vicious and fight for.” Gou Da spoke.

“Like your test to become a Gateway Formation Cultivator?” Gou Jia spoke, causing Gou Da to tense.

A silent pressure like gunpowder was lit as Gou Da stared into Gou Jia’s eyes. Both of the brother’s fists curled in, and just as it seemed things would turn into a battle, Gou Da released his fists.

“Where is your heart, Gou Jia?”

The question made Gou Jia stare incredulously at his eldest brother. In a confused tone, he spoke the answer he had practiced many times.

“My heart lies with the sect. It lies with The Matron.”

Gou Da's expression eased a bit, but his tone remained questioning.

“Then why do you go so far for them? Arden making progress is something that we must contain. I understand you want to keep Gou Hui on your side and strengthen the prisoners to let The Matron regain more energy when it's time for her to feast, but I worry. And the girl… Don't you think I see how she resembles Gou Jing, too? Do you think she sees you the same way?” Gou Da spoke, making Gou Jia click his teeth. Seeing Gou Jia unable to mutter a response, Gou Da reminded him of the past.

“Gou Jing betrayed the sect. She was handed the enemy’s sword and used it to nearly cut us off from The Matron. She would rather see us all die, all of the brothers and sisters you vowed to protect, than stand by us as we thrived under The Matron.”

Another silence broke out between the two brothers. Finally, the bramble beast tattoo on Gou Jia’s arm flashed and interrupted. With a frustrated look, Gou Jia began to leave.

“Some matters have arisen from below the mountain. It seems the bramble demons are killing each other off again. I have to go.” With those parting words, Gou Jia slammed the terrace door shut on his way out, leaving Gou Da to watch the sun rise across the distant mountaintops.

“He’s just going to get some disciples to do it.” Gou Da muttered to himself. He continued gazing at the rising sun as it stirred his memories.

Gou Da remembered Gou Jing’s soft smile as it shone brighter than the sun and her stern expression when she announced she wouldn't join the Bloodthorne Sect.

Gou Da would never forget the wrath in her eyes that didn’t extinguish, even as his hand ripped out her heart.