Pei Yi stood silently, facing the clear night sky made her feel content.
From here she could see the village below. Lian Hua Village, it was called.
It started to snow lightly, chilling her shoulders. She had, in no way, put on enough clothes when she came out.
But for some reason she liked it better this way. Maybe it's that, the cold kisses of snow clears her thoughts.
The star of Venus shone brighter than ever, under the canvas of inky blue sky. It led north.
Pei yi sighed, which brought a puff of white smoke.
She stooped down to cup some snow in her hands, squeezing to make a snowball.
And after she was done, she deftly held it up to the bright moon, letting the light through.
It lit up her face a little.
A twig snapped behind her. She didn't take much notice. Because of the heavy snow, twigs and branches getting snapped under the weight weren't anything uncommon.
It was the sharp intake of breath that made her whip around.
And in that exact moment, purely out of instinct, she drew a shield with her qi.
'CLANG' the sound of magic hitting against each other rang especially loud in the silent night.
The shock wave made her recoil, but she steadied herself as her heel was about to go over the cliff edge.
Pei Yi quietly cussed under her breath.
"Who are you?" It took all her effort to not swear at the intruder at this quiet little time out.
Yup, she wasn't offended by the fact that this person decided to attack her, she was offended by her rude entrance.
The stranger seemed even more shocked than she was. In fact, the girl seemed lost for words.
"I...I, you, you aren't a ghost or ghoul?"
"What?" Pei Yi stared blankly at the person.
"I...ok, I am so sorry. I saw you standing there and, um, thought that you were a ghost or ghoul...You look very pretty."
"Thank you?"
The stranger heaved a sigh: "My name is Jun Sheng."
"Pei Yi. Your boots are ugly."
"Hello to you too." Jun Sheng didn't care to resist the temptation of rolling her eyes. Those were made of the finest Silver wolf fur.
Pei Yi blinked at Jun Sheng and suddenly smiled, eyes curving down to look a little like a moon crescent, "I like your attitude."
"I like yours, too.''
Pei Yi sat down at the cliff edge, patting the snow to signal for Jun Sheng to come forwards and sit beside her.
''I can't,'' Jun Sheng replied as she quickly pulled out the exact amount of herbs required to erect another shield.
''I'll take my leave.'' She bowed in respect, yet, just as she was about to act on her words…
"Can I go with you? Please? Pretty please?" Pei Yi put on those watery doe eye look.
''Look, I just need to go now,'' Jun Sheng pushed, slightly irritated.
Thus, she retreated the way she came; back into the ominous and dark forest.
Pei Yi sighed with defeat.
She stood up to follow Jun Sheng until she stood in front of the herbs that she snatched, shadowing them.
She didn't notice before just how beautiful and elegant they appeared, making her want to squeal before she realized that they were for magic; they just gave off that magical essence.
Blue Wings….
Something flashed in her head as she recalled that, to use it, a person of dark blood had to make a sacrifice to the gods.
Pei Yi gasped and came to a conclusion that Jun Sheng must have been utilizing these herbs for turbulence. No way in heaven would she let that happen, thus, she dashed.
''HEEEEEEEEEY!!!'' Pei Yi somehow managed to catch up to Jun Sheng and was not too far behind her.
Pei Yi was planning on scolding Jun Sheng because she thought her intentions were evil until she sensed disappointment.
Jun Sheng facepalmed, ''great.''
Pei Yi was starting to get irritated at Jun Sheng's sarcastic gesture until she tripped hopelessly to the ground.
She was perplexed as to what could've caused her incident, scanning the area like a terminator hunting for their prey, however, no signs of objects that could make one miserably plummet like a child, making her extremely baffled.
Suddenly, hands submerged from the dirt and seized belligerently at her boots, making Pei Yi shriek in fright.
''WH-WH-WHA-!!!!''
Her stutter halted when Jun Sheng's wooden sword landed on those mysterious hands which then blitzed belligerently and sunk into the ground.
Jun Sheng forced Pei Yi to stand, immediately running after.
''What were those things?'' Pei Yi wondered.
''Beats me. By the way, you shouldn't succumb to yelling in this forest for it looms with perilous creatures.''
''Huh? Oh, my apologies.'' She said, lowering her voice.
Just then, someone remembered what they ran here for.
''Hey- I, you no allowed to use dese herbs!!'' Pei Yi ordered.
Jun Sheng furrowed her eyebrows. ''And why not?''
''I forbid evil acts on this world.'' She tried her best to resist shouting, thus making a shouted whisper.
Jun Sheng lifted an eyebrow.
Pei Yi pursed at the expression on Jun Sheng's face. To make Jun Sheng listen to her, she tried her best at putting on the arrogant and demanding tones that she had heard all-too-many times from ladies of other noble families.
Jun Sheng sounded as if she had said this a million times and was tedious to the bones,''I'm using these herbs for the purpose of the safety for the children within an inn nearby.''
Her silky tone drifted their way into Pei Yi's ears as she latched her wooden sword onto her belt and began striding forwards.
"But, the sacrifice…." Arrogant personality did not fit with Pei Yi.
Jun Sheng paused in her tracks and was silent for a few seconds.
Pei Yi looked at Jun Sheng, who had her back turned so that she couldn't see her face and her expression.
She nervously rubbed her thumb across her forefinger.
"Tch." A light laugh came from the figurine, shadow stretched long by the third full moon of winter.
''Oh, don't worry your pretty, little head. You can atone by assisting me in this...evil doing.''
"What?"
Jun Sheng turned around on her heels, a wicked smile on her lips: "Since you know so much already, I can't let you get away so easily, can I?"