Blood Emperor's Lazy Doctor [Under Revision]

Chapter 11: Calm Before the Storm (III)

'Even normal dreams made more sense than this. For however short it was, even that dream, the heart aching dream that had her waking up to her parents at the end of her life, made more sense than this one. This dream, this mind boggling situation, simply feels so terribly long in comparison.'

Yet that wasn't what pricked her heart the most. With 'that' being the reason for the lightning, by all means, this dream could easily be turned into a nightmare! Just what would rear its head to frighten the unknowing is anyone's guess.

Hong Luo's mind was dead set on running through possibility after possibility, dissecting one contingency after the other, until she was so jumbled up in panic, her breathing was beginning to exasperate.

Bam—!

A stray lightning struck just outside the tribe, jolting Hong Luo from her pessimistic web.

Bam—!

Then another struck in the center of the tribe! Her head swiveled to the location, her expression showing how much this startled her. Catori jumped up and reached her arm out protectively in front of Hong Luo.

Before the two could decide what action to take, the ground shook and an ear rattling boom echoed. This caused Catori to fall to her knees and Hong Luo to nearly fall on top of her, but she caught her knee before it was too late.

"Oh for the love of—! Luo'er, go back inside. I'll shield the outside until the storm calms down." Catori did not wait for her response and jumped forward.

"Catori?" Hong Luo called due to instinct. Her eyes widened in shock, but then relaxed soon after with realization.

Catori's palm slams into a tree, causing several holes to burst through the bark. Through these holes sap explodes outward, and acts in accordance to Catori's hand movements. The clear and sticky substance weaves through the trees, over top the branches, and covers most if not all of the leaves. Catori does this for several trees surrounding the tent, prompting the two resting beasts out of their spots, and down to the ground.

Both Mo Yin and Mo Meifeng landed on the opposite sides of Hong Luo. Their large bodies pivoted. They looked in confusion at the strange girl hitting all the trees, including their own. Both grunt in disapproval. They were not too happy and wished to bop her for disturbing them, for soiling their resting spots, for knocking them out of their comfort! They even took a step forward, but with a glare from Hong Luo, they settled down.

Once the last tree was hit, Catori leapt atop the tent, grabbed the dangling strings of sap, and pulled.

A harsh rustle and creaking noises strained from above. The crowns were enclosing in on one another. The tops of the trees were becoming stuck together, forming a natural roof above the tent. Only after she was certain of its structural integrity, did Catori leap back down.

"Non conductive and hydrophobic tree sap." Hong Luo murmured aloud, feeling incongruous. Another hole to be filled? She speculated, feeling quite suspiciously inside.

'Was this really a...' She swallowed with difficulty the word she didn't dare finish.

Unaware of Hong Luo's jumbled thoughts, Catori answered. "Indeed. It's what makes our trees special. What allows them to live for so long."

"When I learned about it four years ago I felt just as surprised. How could there be a liquid that can repel both water and lightning? Even father didn't have an answer."

"But mother said it was likely due to the old extinction that happened several hundreds of years ago. It was likely what caused that destruction altered our trees to be what they are now. After all, some even predate the extinction. Which is why we have some bits of knowledge to examine."

"Though as interesting as all that is," Catori turned around and bopped her head, "why have you not gone back inside when I clearly ordered you so, Luo'er? It's dangerous out here. The sap barrier isn't perfect. I don't dare say I've filled in all the gaps that lightning could squeeze through. Even if it could, there was always that chance."

Seriously, what was so interesting about this weather that has captured her little sister's endless focus? She was truly baffled by this.

How could she explain to Catori that it was not due to the lightning but her own jumbled thoughts? If she were to elaborate, then nine times out of ten, she'd end up with a confused tabby cat egging her on for further information. She really did not want to go through that hassle, she truly did not! Just the thought alone sunk her into a swamp of exhaustion.

So to strive for ideal energy consumption, she dropped the idea. Hong Luo was just about to reluctantly acquiesce when two more lightning bolts struck!

Bam—! Bam—!

Reality seemed to have slowed down. Hong Luo had opened her mouth to speak, taking the smallest of steps forward. Catori smiled in relief, taking a step back, lifting both arms to cross atop her large bosom. Yet just as Catori took that step, just as her arms indented her chest, a bright flash of light blinded her.

"Luo'er!!!" Catori screamed!

The crows mouth certainly was disastrous. The second lightning bolt that was determined to strike the medicine mountain deviated. Ignoring the towering trees, the buildings perched more then ten stories high, even the largest tree in the center of the tribe at a staggering 888 meters tall, this lightning bolt passed through the sap barrier and struck Hong Luo!

The impact forced the beasts and Catori back. Both Mo Yin and Mo Meifeng broke through several trees.

Catori being smaller took the brunt of it as she got pushed several yards through the tribe, and was caught by a few tribe members before she impacted the ground, preventing further injury. Despite not being critically injured, Catori was still knocked unconscious.

Mo Yin and Mo Meifeng were no better. Though their sturdy bodies protected them for the most part, their fur was still singed, the limbs stiff, and a current of electricity sparked throughout their fur. Both were having trouble standing back up due to this, along with the broken trees pinning them down.

As for Hong Luo at the epicenter of the strike, she neither budged nor appeared to be injured. The only indications that she'd been struck was the burnt tips of her hair, the black marks vining throughout her visible skin, and her less than appropriate clothes. If it weren't for the rain, these cotton robes would have long gone up in flames.

She just stood there in the bald spot of grass with spidering bald spots spreading out all around. Her knees remained locked. Her arms remained straight. Her eyes were closed.

A sharp wind struck her from the front and her body fell. Sadly unlike Catori, there was no one there to catch her.

Bam— following her impact was the harsh thud of her full weight smacking the earth.

Nature went silent.

Just as she fell, so did the last of the rain, as if banished from the heavens. Following this instant change, the clouds evaporated from existence, spanning out in a large open circle. It was as if the whole land was caught in the eye of a hurricane. Who knows how long this break in the weather would last?

That was the first question those in the tribe looking to the sky thought. A cold breeze swept through the tribe, forcing most if not all to turn their heads in its direction.

The evening sun trickled down, glistening over the puddles of water, casting warm shadows across the land, and illuminating the poor girl who had faced the full wrath of the heavens. Hong Luo who's chest remained still, a sight that alarmed the few who were nearby.

Two guards that had just freed themselves from a fallen debris jumped into action and rushed to Hong Luo. "She's not breathing! Hurry, we must get her into the medicine tent!"

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Kata's Corner: You know I've always been tempted to kill off my MC. Should I do it?