Crimson Qi, Exiled Beautiful Lady Falls in Love with a Shy Demon

True Colors

"Who?" Xi rasped squinting at the red dancer.

"A friend," Zijun said tenderly. "My dearest friend. She alone told me the truth about what they were doing to you, told me that if we are to beat the Horde all the seventeen mages must be in the fight. That dragon ruse is a political ploy by the Imperial family that talks clandestinely with the Blood... Xi, they are killing you for show, please, step away, come with me while they cannot see---"

Xi's hsin split in twine, one half staying with the forging, the other - desperately trying to make sense of Zijun's words. "Zijun, the Imperial family is my family. We had no contact with the demons."

On the shore, Rustam hurled a lightning bolt.

The dancing red-headed sprite clapped, and the bolt hit the ground, sparking another column of fire that surged into the sky. She taunted and danced, drawing the fire into a spiral around her like ribbons.

She pulled one, and tossed it, still twirling through the air, at the shore party. Then the next one and another. Showered with sparks or hit by fire ribbons the silk clothes caught on fire increasing the confusion.

Sayewa herded the faery together, starting up a song. The flames started to go out around them as if doused with water, but a fiery tadpole whistled through the air landing on the Emperor's back. His heavy robes took.

Xi groaned again, "A woman with red hair, she is like Yu. A spy, an enemy... Zijun, she lied---"

In the sky, Fenghuang read his thoughts. I am here, Beloved!

The huge shape of the Deserving Du bore the Emperor to the ground, leaving a trench in the mud as she dragged him to extinguish the flames. Her other hand extended, longer than it should be, black at its end, a gaping maw.

A red flashed - the sprite went down, but her flames kept roaring.

The rack holding Xi shook dangerously, buffeted.

No! Xi screamed at the magic bird through their bond. The Forge!

Fenghuang, her talons already extended to grab Zijun, heard the metal screech too. She wheeled away, her mighty wings not moving an inch, strained to stillness. Their tips almost brushed the lake's boiling water.

With a yelp, Fenghuang gained height again.

"Listen to me, Zijun... listen! The demons tricked you. I must become a dragon to defend---"

"No, no, Xi... they are killing you. I love you. I always did, I always will. And I will save you."

The fenghuang's frantic circling and cries alerted those on the shore.

Deserving Du stayed unmoving on the ground, unused to the potency of the Brother's Bequest, but his mother lifted the Gracious Judgment, and... her hand dropped. She must have recognized Zijun, must have recognized the desperate grasp of her hands on Xi...

Each shot is the final judgment.

Everyone was screaming now, pointing at the Forge.

Rustam paced, trying to find an angle at which he could hit Zijun without destroying the Forge and the Ascendant. Xi did not envy him the task.

Minh stirred to pick himself off the ground and lunged forward before he even fully straightened out. A few stumbling steps brought him to the water's edge, clothes ripped off and tossed away shakily. With a great splash, he leaped into the lake, to swim through the burning debris. His arm strokes looked far surer than his strides on the dry land.

Xi noticed blood streaking down his lover's face when it came up for a greedy breath, and renewed his pleas to Zijun.

"They've tricked you!"