Why did they not protect themselves, where were their shields? Why was there no attempt to banish the mist? Were they too slow, caught in its throes, before they had a chance to secure themselves? Or had the generals not conveyed my warning? Their suspicious faces flashed across my mind. Perhaps they truly believed me a traitor and Liwei a trusting fool.
The fog thickened, spreading its malevolent glow until the sky seemed soaked in blood. In a moment it would engulf those at the fringes, infiltrating their shields and throwing them into disorder. More screams rent the air, alongside cries of terror. I was free of the mist and yet, this helplessness sank over me anyway. I hated that there was no monster to slay here, no target to strike. What use was my bow against this wretched enemy? A nebulous, shifting thing, with a hunger nothing could sate.
Shuxiao clutched me, her fingers digging into my arm. “General Liutan!” she cried, pointing ahead.
I spun to find the white-haired general, the one who had accused me of being a spy, surrounded by dozens of confounded soldiers. A shield encased him, even as the others pressed closer, leaving no opening for escape. My gut recoiled as they attacked the general, his face clenched from the effort of sustaining his shield.
A Celestial soared toward us then, his scarlet cloak streaming after him. Liwei. I could have wept with relief at the sight of him.
“I’ll help General Liutan. Take as many as you can to safety.” He paused, his gaze lingering on me. “Be careful.”
Without waiting for an answer, he flew toward the soldiers, the sunstruck gold of their armor lighting the sky. Yet nothing but chaos reigned in their midst; Celestials writhing in confusion, attacking each other with magic, fists, and weapons. Never had I imagined this calamity. Such brutal violence. When I had been confounded, I only wanted to defend myself, not to hurt another. Yet now, their bloodlust emanated in waves. Had the turmoil aggravated their confusion, knowing they were in a battle yet unable to distinguish enemy from friend?
They suffer because of you, a harsh voice inside me hissed. You should never have taken the dragons’ pearls. See what your greed and arrogance have spawned. Remorse stabbed me like a knife thrust deep, but there were other forces at play, too—the emperor’s craving for power and Wenzhi’s relentless ambition. I would not pay the price alone in my conscience. And I would not wallow in guilt now, not when there was still a chance to end this.
An insidious thought slid into me, that I could so easily make this right. The dragons—what if I called them to aid us? I had summoned the Black Dragon to carry me to safety before. Why not harness them to drive away the enemy? In a single stroke I could save the Celestial Army and repay Wenzhi for his treachery. With their power at my command, I could wrest my mother’s freedom from the emperor. My vision shifted: I saw myself with a crown on my head, raising high those loyal to me, tearing down all who had caused me harm. Only then, would I relinquish the pearls. All I had to do was speak the dragons’ names . . .
My hand drifted to my pouch. Struggling against its lure, I snatched it back. No, such a thing would destroy the dragons, it would destroy me. I could never forgive myself. I had made a promise to them—one I meant, one I would keep. I dared not venture down a path I might never find my way back from, at least not until every other lane had been traversed.
I turned to Shuxiao. “Wind. Rain. Anything to cleanse the skies.”
She nodded, squeezing her eyes tight in concentration, the veins straining from her neck. I grasped as much of my energy as I could muster, the power coursing through my body.
“Now!” I cried.
Magic streamed from our palms. A gust of wind surged through the clouds, snatched from a summer storm in the mortal world, laced with dust and heat. Something jolted our cloud and I stumbled, steadying myself to feed the hungering wind—the churning air transforming into a howling gale which hurtled through the sky, dispelling the mist from those closest to us.
Yet our reach was not wide enough; hundreds were still in danger. Worse still, the Demons began countering our efforts, forcing the mist back upon us. It writhed thicker now, trapped between both sides. How much longer could we sustain this? Our shields would not hold indefinitely; even now, we were tiring. If we failed to banish the mist soon, it would return in greater force, engulfing us all.
Just ahead, a cluster of Demons shot by, led by Wenzhi. I hesitated for a moment, before summoning a cloud and leaping upon it to give chase.
“What are you doing?” Shuxiao cried.
“Going after them.”