The memory that overtook Tom's mind was not his own. So, he let the scene play out, like a lucid sleeper, witnessing a dream unfold.
He saw a man and woman run down a steep valley. It's jagged surface was hewn by a broad river that had long since dried up.
They each wore a tattered, gray robe, mottled by blood and unwashed sweat. They panted, already out of breath, having been exhausted by a ceaseless pursuit. They raced towards a cleft in the valley. It was once an underwater cave, and still hid a pool of clear water.
The disheveled pair took refuge in its hollowed confines, and eagerly cupped their hands to quench their thirst. Then, they rid themselves of some of the filth that clung to their skin, and sat down.
They hugged each other in silence. Anguish was reflected in their eyes, along with hints of fear and despair. Eventually, they broke apart, as their initial exchange turned into an argument.
"Bu Shi, we can't keep running," said the man, his voice twinged by guilt. He wiped a smudge of blood off the tip of his upturned nose, and tied his wet, dark locks into a bun, before snuggling next to Bu Shi.
Her hair was trimmed short, but was thick and curly, so it took much longer to dry. She retrieved a brush from the folds of her robe and combed her damp hair into a bed of black waves.
Then, she wiped her lush lips with the back of her hand and said, "Nam La, my love, I told you that if we can get to the Northern Desert, we'll be safe."
"But why? None of what you said makes any sense."
Bu Shi unconsciously stroked her belly. "I-I think it's time that you know the truth..." She met his firm gaze with her own determined look and quietly murmured, "I'm pregnant."
Nam La merely laughed in response.
Bu Shi puffed her cheeks in annoyance. "So... you knew?"
Nam La suddenly felt very nervous. "O-of course. We may not have grown up in the same tribe, but I still know enough to understand your moods."
Bu Shi raised her voice. "And why didn't you say anything!? I've been dying to tell you!"
"W-well... I didn't think the time was right... to ask whether or not it's mine...?"
She bit her lower lip and after a tense moment, reluctantly answered him. "It's not yours... but I wanted it to be."
Even though it was obviously the answer Nam La expected, he was still stunned. It took awhile for him to settle his thoughts and cautiously ask, "Did they force you to... bear a tribal heir?"
"Yes... but not in the way you think." She rolled the sleeves of her robe up to the elbow and stretched out her arms in the direction of the cave mouth. The light of morning touched her skin, revealing swirling lines that formed a pattern of tiny leaves and ambling vines. All those markings were painted in exquisite henna.
Nam La raised an eyebrow. "It's certainly pretty, but what does that have to do with your pregnancy?"
She dipped her arms in the pool and tried to scrape off the dye, but no amount of water could wash away the floral pattern.
Nam La was quick to lose his patience. He pulled her by the waist, lifting her out of the water. "Is this not a form of paint? When did it become a tattoo?"
"This design," she explained, "was given to me by the Grand Elder of the Chocolate Vine Tribe. "
Nam La squinted his eyes as he examined her arms, but couldn't see anything out of the ordinary. "So, what about it?"
Bu Shi giggled for a moment, and playfully punched him in the chest. "Weren't you supposed to be a consummate chosen? Were you not the pride of the White Mole Clan? Don't tell me you haven't heard of the Everlasting Heart Dye?"
Nam La's eyes bulged, as if they were about to explode from their sockets. "From the Purple Heart Sect!? That's a forbidden art!" He scanned the interior of the cave, ensuring that no one was eavesdropping.
"From what I've heard," he whispered, "the Everlasting Heart Dye can fuse a natural element with the soul and grant an individual, supernatural power... but I still don't understand... what was your father's purpose in giving you this gift?"
Bu Shi punched him again, this time in anger. "You knew who my father was!?"
"W-well, you know... the resemblance is striking."
"And," she growled, "did you know our tribe was going to be attacked!?" She took a step forward and held up a clenched fist.
Nam La threw his hands into the air. "Y-yes! I... had known for some time, that the tribal war was coming. There were many that did."
She shoved him hard, but even with all of her strength applied, she could only force him to take a single step back.
"Bu Shi, my love, please listen to me! I begged your father to gather his tribesman and migrate elsewhere. My White Mole Clan was even willing to annex the Chocolate Vine Tribe. The terms were reasonable! And yet the negotiations went on for many months, until it was simply too late to change the outcome... your father would rather see his tribe burned to ashes then surrender its independence... I swear upon the heavens, that I did all I could. In the end, I was only able to save you."
Bu Shi had just barely been able to cling to a brave facade. As her emotional defenses crumbled, she lost the strength to stand. Teetering on her feet for a moment, she seemed to be on the edge of collapse, but Nam La embraced her.
Despite the warmth his body emitted, she felt an unbearable coldness settle into her heart. She couldn't suppress the sadness that was seeping into the very fiber of her being. So, she cried, and continued to do so until the day melted into the evening, and the cave was shrouded in darkness.
Neither could sleep that night, as they lay in each other's arms, wrapped in quiet solace.
When morning came, the light of dawn danced across the crystals that rimmed the low-hanging ceiling.
Bu Shi was the first to stir.
She had apparently resolved to continue her explanation, so Nam La waited patiently until she mustered the courage to break the silence.
"Nam La, my love..." She stood and furled the sleeves of her robe to once again show him the henna tattoo. "This design catalyses the wood element, imbuing the power of nature into my soul... but I lack the innate talent required to complete the process. So..."
She stopped to pat her belly protectively, and said, "While this child truly is yours, the moment it was conceived, the wood element that I could not absorb fused into its soul and subverted its human nature. And I'm afraid that when the time comes, I won't give birth to a baby. Instead, something else will... come to life."
Nam La took her hands into his and touched her forehead with his own. "Even if a demon crawled out of your womb, it would still be our child..."
Bu Shi's lips parted to form a relieved smile.
"Thank you..."
"That said," he continued, bracing her by the shoulder, "why should we leave our child's future in the hands of fate?"
Surprised, she asked, "What do you mean? Is there a way to reverse the process?"
"There is," he assured her, and brought out a mustard-colored seed bag from the inside of his robe. The pouch unzipped itself and a circular, glass dish emerged. It was about the same length and thickness of the average finger and floated into Nam La's outstretched hand.
Its transparent seal made it easy to see its contents, which was a smattering of blue fungus.
Bu Shi's eyes widened. "What is that thing?"
"It's a fungal dish. I bought it from a trader I met during my visit to the Orange Mold Sect, where I served as an invigilator for their trial-by-fire." He screwed the lid off and dipped his finger into the creamy mix, before stowing the container in his pouch. "It's called the Sky Harvest Mold, and has a variety of uses..."
Bu Shi started backing away. "Perhaps a spirit child of the wood element wouldn't be so bad?"
Nam La put on a wicked grin. "Bu Shi, my love, this is for the sake of our child. I promise it won't hurt. Come now, let me smear a bit of it on-"
"No!" she yelled. "It's disgusting! I don't want that thing anywhere near my skin!" She spun around and raced towards the cave entrance.
Nam La was caught slightly off guard, but still had the wherewithal to sprint forward and tackle her before she could escape. He dragged her flailing form back into the depths of the cave and pinned her to the ground with his knees.
"Now please hold still, this fungus is quite expensive."
She was anything but cooperative, and kept thrashing madly. "Get off me! It's too gross! I don't want it! I-if you put that nasty thing on me, you'll have to warm your own bed for a year!"
He paused for a moment, to weigh the potential risk. His resolve culminated in a bitter sigh.
"In order to rescue you," he said softly, "I had disobeyed an edict issued by the grand elder of the White Mole Clan. And unfortunately, I am not a true born son. I had been adopted into the clan when an elder visited my countryside village and recognized my talent. So, I can't enjoy the sort of leeway other chosen would undoubtedly receive in similar circumstances. Please understand, that there really is no going back... in these troubled times, we can only rely on ourselves."
Bu Shi ceased her struggle, and allowed him to roll up the sleeves of her robe. She closed her eyes, but was still miffed by his hasty decision. "This better work... or I won't forgive you!"
"It should," he insisted, and smeared the blue fungus across her arms, "and if it doesn't... please forgive me."
When the fungal culture came into contact with her skin, it produced a bubbly, gray froth. A few minutes later it congealed and grew broader, making hushed popping sounds as it slowly expanded.
Nam La was observing the process keenly, and could tell that the power of the henna tattoo had only been partially absorbed.
He stripped the top half of his own robe, and then struggled to do the same for Bu Shi, because she adamantly refused to open her eyes, even though she could feel something slimy sloshing its way on the surface of her skin.
Nam La and Bu Shi sat with their legs crossed and backs set against each other, their bare skin touching. They then intertwined their arms and fingers.
In accordance with Nam La's instructions, Bu Shi repeated a few, synchronized chants, and together, they maintained this awkward pose for a week.
It was easy for them to remain unmoving for such a long while, because they each had a spiritual wellspring deep enough to negate the need for food or drink; and in lieu of sleep, they merely lapsed into a meditative trance, to allow the fungal matter to spread across their disparate bodies and eventually envelope every inch of exposed skin.
In the second week, the gray fungus chewed through their clothes, replacing the silk fabric with a soft, mushroomed texture.
"There is an incredible store of wood qi in these henna tattoos," Nam La concluded. His eyes were still closed and his head was lowered as if he were in the midst of sleep. "If we fail to completely absorb this vast quantity of wood qi, our child will not share in our humanity."
Bu Shi smiled. "Our child is not born, and yet you show such passion and commitment... I'm sure that one day you will be a proud father."
"Oh ho! You should say these kind of things more often."
Bu Shi tried to repress a giggl. "Hmph. So the saying must be true: men never grow tired of complements!"
"And women are always too tired to give them!" Nam La quipped.
They laughed merrily, as the fungus gradually climbed to their necks, making it difficult to move or speak.
Nam La didn't think it necessary to stop and ask how much Bu Shi was willing to sacrifice for their unborn child. To him, it was a foolish question, not worth considering. So, they allowed the fungal growth to continue unimpeded, smothering them entirely.
Three months later, the fungus had grown into a large heap, making the couple's individual forms indistinguishable from the frothing mass.
When half a year had passed, the fungus hardened into gray wood and leaves sprouted from its innumerable folds. The colorful mushrooms at its base withered away, as tree branches sprouted, and climbed higher, just as the trunk elongated to new heights.
A decade later, the tree clambered upward and breached through the roof of the cave, to tap into direct sunlight, accelerating its growth.
If one were to search its upper reaches, they would find a silver cocoon tucked safely away.