Chapter 22
TWENTY-TWO
"Y ou need to evacuate the aircraft, sir."
I yawn as I nuzzle my cheek against the soft pillow cushioning my head.
"No." The tone is clipped, the voice familiar.
I slowly open my eyes, sleep still clinging to my lashes. Tipping my head up, my eyes meet Ze's steely ones. My hands are wrapped around his arm, my head resting on his shoulder. I quickly sober up as I realize I've been intruding on his personal space, using him as my pillow.
"Sorry," I mumble, pulling back with a guilty smile. He's going to tell me off any second now, I just know it. Yet to my surprise, he doesn't. He merely stares at me intently, his eyes roving over me curiously.
"You're awake," he notes.
I nod, rubbing my eyes and stretching my upper body.
"You need to leave, sir," the woman continues.
I blink a few times as I focus on my surroundings. The plane is... empty. There's only me, Ze, and the flight attendant glaring aggressively at Ze.
"Where's everyone else?" I ask, worried something might have happened while I was passed out from sheer exhaustion.
"Everyone else has left already. Half an hour ago," she enunciates each word clearly. "Everyone but you two because your boyfriend refused to move and disrupt your sleep."
"What? He's not my boyfriend," I immediately reply. "Ze, what's happening? What did you do?"
"You were sleeping," he comments, folding his arms across his chest.
"I'm so sorry about the inconvenience," I hurry to say, getting to my feet and taking Ze along with me. Since the only luggage we have has been checked in—including his precious sword—it takes us only a few seconds to scramble out of our seats and leave. "So sorry," I repeat as I give a guilty smile to yet another flight attendant on our way out.
Just as we exit the aircraft, I spot a few security guards heading our way—intent on forcefully evacuating us, no doubt. We walk briskly before they can question us, though Ze looks more than ready to wage war.
"Where are Thea and Cer?" I ask as I pull Ze along by his hand.
"They left."
"And they just left us behind?" I frown.
"They did," he answers.
"Goodness, Ze, you can't just do whatever you want! The planes run on a schedule and people have to do their jobs."
"You were sleeping," he repeats.
"You should have woken me up when we landed."
"You were tired," he counters.
"It doesn't matter." I shake my head.
Stopping abruptly, I look up at him.
"Just as there are rules in your world, there are rules in mine too. You need to make an effort to respect that while you're here, okay?"
He studies me for a moment before he gives me a grunt—that I take as acknowledgment.
It doesn't take us long to find Cer and Thea.
Cer is grumpily trailing behind while Thea admires the many clothes and handbags available at the duty-free. She already has a few bags in her hands.
"I see you've been busy," I note with a raised brow.
"Oh, Luce. There are so many stores! I got you something, too. Look," she says excitedly as she opens one of the bags to show me a purple dress. Immediately, my anger melts away at her thoughtful gesture.
"Thank you," I murmur. "Still, you should have woken me up. I was so embarrassed to hold the plane behind."
"You're awake now. That's all that matters," she replies nervously, her gaze flittering from Ze to me.
I roll my eyes. Ze and his peculiarities. It will take me some time to get used to all of his quirks .
Since nothing too bad occurred, I decide to let it slide. Thea continues to show me what she bought as we walk toward the food court to grab a snack before our next flight.
Luckily, our next flight is in a couple of hours, so that leaves us with plenty of time to dawdle.
After we eat, we manage to get to our transfer without any issues. The journey is a short one, and in no time, we arrive at Jinan Airport.
"I still can't believe how well your charm works," I tell Thea as we successfully pass through immigration. She only needed to tell security a few words, and we were let through, as if we had both official passports and a visa.
"It's a pretty useful low-level trick," she says, giving Cer a smug look.
As we head out of the airport, we grab a few snacks and Thea secures us train tickets to Mount Tai.
We embark on the train, oddly keeping the same seating arrangements from before. The only difference is that this time, the seats are facing each other. Ze is by my side on the aisle seat, and Thea is in front of me, next to Cer.
"Okay, guys," I say as I take out the map I bought at the station. "You said we need to reach Dan Miao Temple, which is here." I point to a spot on the map. "But what after? How are we going to find the entrance to P'davi? And how are we going to find that place, P'davi?"
"Don't worry about that." Thea waves her hand dismissively. "You'll see when we get there."
Somehow, that's not exactly reassuring. Especially as we'll need to hike up the mountain on foot since no car will take us up the narrow roads.
The journey to Mount Tai is unusually quiet. Cer is busy with a game he found in a magazine, Thea marvels at her new purchases, and Ze is polishing his sword. He's doing what...
I whip my head around, gawking at him.
"You can't do that in public," I hiss in a low voice.
People are already staring at him, some of them with fear in their eyes.
He doesn't reply, continuing to clean his sword with a disinterested expression. The conductor passes by to check our tickets, and although he clearly seems worried about Ze's sword, he doesn't dare voice his concern, merely giving him a reverent nod.
"I can't believe this," I mutter under my breath.
Ze's lips curl up at my annoyance.
We get off at our stop and head to the ticket booth at the base of the mountain. Not surprisingly, there are a lot of tourists around, which on one hand, makes me feel a little better about the length of journey we're about to embark on, while on the other, it makes me uneasy because that means more opportunities for the odd trio to get into trouble and attract unwanted attention.
The ascent up the mountain is strenuous. The online guide indicated it would take us around four or five hours to get to the top if we are in good physical condition. Of course they are in perfect shape. Me? Not so much. Which results in me being out of breath only one hour into our hike.
How the hell am I going to last for another four hours?
"Can we please take a short break? I need to catch my breath and drink a sip of water," I say as I huff out loud. Bent at a ninety-degree angle and with my hands on my knees, I do my best to breathe in and out to stabilize myself.
"Humans." Ze bristles.
Thea takes my hand, helping me to a boulder by the side of the road. She hands me the bottle of water and gently pats my back.
I look at the three of them looking entirely unbothered, not one hair out of place, not one drop of sweat on their foreheads.
"How are you guys not tired? My lungs are on fire !"
"They have military training," Thea points out.
"And you? What's your explanation?"
"I'm training now?" she answers sheepishly. I shake my head at her non-answer, gulping down some water as I rub circles on my chest. The shoes I'm wearing are not making this any easier. The soles are thin, causing my feet to chafe against the rough terrain. At this rate, I'll end up with blisters all over.
Despite that, however, it only takes looking at Ze's smug expression for me to launch myself to my feet and give them the signal that we can continue.
I need to push myself if I want to be rewarded at the end. I'm not that na?ve to not realize that this game will likely sap me of all my strength, both physical and mental. But rewards like that are not given, they are earned. And I need to earn my place among the five who will make it to the end.
Gritting my teeth, I push my body forward, using my determination as fuel.
But every step hurts.
Maybe I should have taken Nikki up on his daily gym trips. Or, maybe, instead of reading while he was working out, I should have also put in some effort.
I trail behind, the distance between me and the others increasing with every step. In spite of my effort, I'm no match for them. Ze is the first, walking with unnatural ease. His spine is straight, his hands behind his back—his usual unbothered stance. Behind him, Cer always keeps a slight distance. I noticed this before, too, and I wonder if this has to do with their ranking in the army. Perhaps it's his way of showing respect to his superior.
Thea alternates between walking, hopping, and running, seemingly having an unlimited supply of energy. She's perpetually excited as she looks around at the scenery, calling my attention to this or that, or dragging Cer along to show him an insect or a plant. If I'm honest, the scenery is breathtaking— and breath-taking. If I didn't feel as though I'm dying, maybe I could enjoy it more.
We're nestled between the mountains as we follow a winding path to the top. I can see our destination on the horizon, but the distance is deceiving, as I'm learning every ten minutes or so when I check our progress. There are hundreds of other people around, maybe thousands. All taking pictures and stopping to admire the natural beauty around. They're not pressed for time as they go at a relaxed pace, valuing the experience itself more than the end goal of reaching the peak.
A sad smile tugs at my lips as I look to my right, at the green expanse of forest shadowed by the gray tips of the mountains. If only Nikki were here... We would take our time on the climb, walking hand in hand, joking, and playing around as we wondered at the beauty of nature. It would be one of our bucket list destinations, and we would revel in the feel of being outside, free and without any worry. He would no longer be weighed down by his anxiety, and there would be no more danger to our lives. We'd simply...be.
Did we ever even have that luxury? Ironic that we had so much money we couldn't have spent it in ten lifetimes, and yet, we never had the most important thing—peace of mind.
I suddenly stop, turning toward the edge of the road as I stare at the sprawling cliffs. Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath as I become one with the sounds of nature—tuning in to the very essence of life.
Are you here, Nikki? Are you with me?
Thea explained that young spirits are weak, and I wonder if that's the case with Nikki. Did he deplete his strength when he appeared in front of me at the theatre? Because the only other alternative would be that he got taken by the Collectors, and regardless of how insignificant that may be in the grand scheme of things, I would hate for it to be true. I need him by my side, always with me.
I just...need him.
A tear falls down my cheek, a cold breeze brushing against my skin and making me shiver. My eyes instantly snap open, my gaze greedily roaming around as I look for him. The breeze...that's his signature. Is he really here?
I run in circles, chasing the wind, all in hopes that he might give me another sign—that he might show himself before me.
Yet it's all in vain.
Maybe he's too weak.
Maybe.
My breath becomes ragged as I look for him in every crevice and nook, stopping short of checking under every rock for his presence. Either I'm too exhausted or I'm just going crazy—both plausible explanations.
There's just this chasm in my heart that's slowly expanding, leaving room for panic to settle in, for emptiness to grow and fester. Because without him... Who am I without him?
"You," Ze suddenly calls out, pointing his finger at me.
I blink as I shake myself from my silly reverie. For a moment, I truly forgot where I was and what I was doing, my mind simply honing in on the possibility that my husband might be around. God, but what wouldn't I give for one hug. Just one fleeting hug to keep me warm in this labyrinth of frost.
"What?" I frown.
"You're slowing everyone down, human."
My eyes widen at his words, yet I can't deny that he's right.
"I-I'm sorry," I whisper, lowering my chin. I realize my limitations and the fact that I'm likely dragging everyone down with me.
"You should be," he huffs, stalking toward me.
My heart lurches in my chest at his biting tone. Instinctively, I take a step back as he continues toward me. His features are knit in a tight scowl.
"I'm just smaller than you." I put my hands up in an effort to placate him. "And human . We humans aren't that strong, you know," I stammer, slowly backing away.
He has a murderous look on his face, and I fear I may have finally angered him. After all, I am the weakest link of this team... Oh, God! I hope they won't drop me because without them... I don't even know if I can get to P'davi without their help.
"Please," I whisper. "I'll try harder."
"Ze!" Thea calls out, rushing toward me. Cer, too, looks alarmed at Ze's behavior.
Ze reaches my side, and my eyes snap shut as I wait for whatever scathing remark he wants to dole out. Yet as I creep one eye open, I'm shocked to be at eye level with his chest. The tips of his shoes graze mine. The black in his eyes glints dangerously, almost like a prism reflecting a hidden rainbow. One moment he's staring me down with his intense glare, the next he turns with his back to me, dropping to one knee.
What?
"What are you waiting for, human?" he asks when moments pass and I don't say or do anything.
"W-what do you mean?"
"Climb on," he grits out, signaling to his back.
My lashes flutter in shock, then confusion, then finally settling on awe.
Tentatively, I reach forward, wrapping my arms around his neck and climbing on his back. Holding on to the back of my knees, he rises to his feet, moving forward with innate grace, as if he didn't have a whole human on his back weighing him down. But if what I've seen so far of him is any evidence, I'd say he's pretty strong.
"Thank you," I whisper, floored by his thoughtfulness. Or maybe self-preservation. If I lose, the entire team loses too. But right now, I can't focus on the self-serving aspect, choosing to be grateful for his thoughtful gesture.
He grunts.
"Ze's finally doing something nice for once in his life," Thea says as she joins our side.
"I'm not nice," he grumbles, and I feel the deep rumble of his voice through his body.
"I'd say you're pretty nice to me." I smile. "Although your conversation skills could use some improvement."
"Cer, if Ze's doing this, then you have to do it as well," Thea calls out.
Cer rolls his eyes, ignoring her. But Thea, being Thea, will not allow him to slight her like that. Running at full speed toward him, she jumps on his back, holding on to him. I expect him to throw her off, but instead, he secures her onto his back without a word, continuing to climb with her in tow.
"Are you and Cer related in any way?" I ask Ze as I settle more comfortably on his back.
"Of course not," Ze huffs. "He's my subordinate," he says, his tone almost offended. It also doesn't escape me that he doesn't call him his friend, whereas Thea and Cer consider him one. Our previous conversation comes to mind, and I have to wonder if he really thinks they only tolerate him.
"You're very alike. Though he's much nicer than you," I add playfully. They are so similar in temperament, saying one thing but acting completely differently. The only difference is that Cer is more circumspect and considerate. Ze is...well, Ze means well, but he doesn't know the first thing about communication and how not to be rude. But this could all be due to their training in the military, for all I know.
His body tenses.
"I can be nice," he barks out.
"You just said you're not nice," I counter.
"I can be nicer ," he concedes, though his tone is so strained, it's almost as if someone was pulling the words out of his mouth with a pair of pliers.
"Oh, I'm definitely looking forward to seeing what nicer means to you." I laugh.
He emits a low, growly sound that I don't know how to interpret. Just like Ze doesn't know the first thing about being nice.
We continue walking, and I attempt to make some small talk to fill in the awkward silence. Yet by the time I comment on the scenery and the beauty of nature, Ze seemingly has had enough. "I hate small talk," he mutters anew before proceeding to ignore me. I guess that's the end of my attempt at small talk and the end of his attempt at being nice.
As we climb up the mountain, the incline increases, making it harder for everyone. The other tourists are tired out of their minds. The edges of the road are filled with people sitting on boulders or smaller rocks or whatever they can find to have a moment of rest. On our side, Thea is yapping happily about the clothes she bought and what she wants to buy next while Cer listens attentively—or at least pretends to. As for me and Ze... I think I'm slowly starting to enjoy the silence.
It's not long before we reach the peak of the mountain. As opposed to everyone else, Ze and Cer didn't have to take any breaks, and that helped us get to the top in record time.
Ze puts me down, and I take a sip of water as I survey our surroundings.
"So? What now?"
There are so many people around taking pictures that I doubt a gate to another world would simply be lying around.
"Follow me," Thea beckons, going to the side of the road and crossing a forbidden barrier. The security takes note, hurrying to her side to give her a warning, but she uses her charm to get out of the situation. When they get back to their jobs, we follow suit.
"How come you know where it is?" I ask, curious.
"Uhm..." She shoots a look at Cer and Ze. "It's included in our education?" She gives me a tight smile. "There are a few strategic places in your world, and everyone needs to know where they are."
"You too?" I ask Ze and Cer.
They both give a noncommittal grunt. I guess it makes sense they'd know about it. Otherwise, this would have been branded as another trial, no? Maybe they already counted on people knowing the locations.
As we wade a path through the forest, I notice we're getting farther and farther away from the beaten track. We seemingly go down the mountain on one side before resurfacing up on another. The entire journey is long-winded and confusing—so much so I'm surprised anyone would remember it. But I guess it makes sense that it would be so far away from curious eyes. It's not as if anyone is aware that there's a portal to another world right next to one of the most touristic destinations in China.
The foliage becomes increasingly thicker and lush. The grass reaches my knees, tree branches obscuring my sight. We walk for around ten minutes before we come to a rock formation that stretches into another, higher peak. There is less vegetation around, the stone gray and forlorn. Vines climb up the rock, twining together and forming something akin to a V-shaped vault. A few dots of color surface through the combination of dark brown and green, a stark contrast to the tepid gray of the rock.
As we get closer, I notice some carvings in the stone in the shape of the dragon-turtle, ensconced by grass and vines and making them barely visible.
A beaming smile stretches across Thea's face as she dashes forward.
"It's here!" she exclaims.
I trail behind, frowning as I don't realize what she's pointing to. Aside from the beautiful vines adorning the mountain, there's nothing else.
"Where?"
She doesn't acknowledge my question as she walks farther until she's in front of the rock. Reaching forward, her hand passes right through the stone, disappearing within it.
What...
Well, that certainly is unlike any portal I've seen in TV shows.
"Come on." She beckons to us. Without waiting, she walks straight into the rock, disappearing from sight.
If up until now I could have somehow logically explained away some events, this is beyond my capabilities.
She just passed through stone!
Cer is next, following closely after Thea.
That leaves only me and Ze. And while I have no doubt there's something at the other end, I'm still a little apprehensive about stepping into the literal unknown.
"What are you waiting for?" Ze barks out from behind me.
"Does it hurt?" I blurt the question out loud.
Thea and Cer left so quickly I haven't even gotten the opportunity to ask some questions, get a little more used to the thought of crossing into another world, or even the mere action of walking into a wall of stone. Some additional mental preparation would not have hurt.
"What? Of course not," he huffs out loud. "It's just a doorway."
"It doesn't look like one," I mutter under my breath as I walk a little closer. I study the rock and the vines, tentatively stretching my arm to touch them. But my courage seems to be in limited supply as I chicken out just as I'm about to make contact.
Mr. Impatience doesn't like that, and instead of helping me ease into it, he simply sweeps me into his arms and walks forward.
Straight into the rock.
My eyes snap shut as I grab onto him with all my might, holding my breath as I prepare for the worst. So far, I've been a good sport, but I don't know why the prospect of going into another world terrifies me so much.
"You can open your eyes." Ze's voice rings out not even a minute after.
I slowly creep them open, my lashes fluttering in shock when I see a mirror image of the place we've just left.
What...
I'm not sure what I was expecting. Maybe some sci-fi civilization, or maybe some type of ancient, intricate architecture. Instead, all I see is a stretch of green land and mountainous rock, with trees and rich vegetation scattered all over.
"Is this it?" I ask in awe. The words are barely out of my mouth when I find myself flat on the ground. For the third time!
Ze's goal to be nicer needs more work, and I make sure to point that out to him, but he doesn't seem that concerned with what I think. Instead, he completely ignores me as he narrows his eyes, walking in circles as if he's looking for something.
Dusting my clothes, I get up just in time to see the same wraith as before appear in front of us.
"Congratulations on reaching P'davi. The second trial will be announced in one day. If you continue down the mountain, you will reach a complex where the contestant quarters are located. You have opted to continue as a team, and as such, you will be placed in the same accommodation. Your suite number is 56 ."
Out of nowhere, the wraith materializes a key, which she gives to me—or rather, the key simply drops into my waiting hands.
"The announcement for the second trial will take place in the main courtyard of the complex. Until then, you are free to rest, move around, and get to know the other contestants. You are, however, prohibited from leaving the complex grounds. Whoever is found in breach of this rule will be disqualified from the game, together with their team."
By disqualified, I guess she means dead.
"Until we meet again." The wraith offers a salute before she vanishes from sight.