Liren fell through the hole in the cavern roof, her blue and white robes fluttering around her. Her red hair caught the late afternoon sun and seemed to halo her in the light. Tian would never forget her smile, joyful, wild, impetuous and free. Fierce and strong as a volcano, and yet, attended by butterflies.
The butterflies were a brilliant electric blue, dozens of them, trailing behind her in a shimmering swarm. They fell like petals, like the blossoms trailing the heavenly maiden from Lin’s story. Like the immortal fairies from the stories his brothers told.
Burning Heaven watched her fall too, brilliant yellow eyes fixed on Liren, her neck stretching up as her wings spread. Tian could feel the sudden storm of emotions rushing through the crane, the feeling that there were so many things she couldn’t have possibly put into words, so many feelings she couldn’t articulate or analyse or properly reflect on, all crystalizing in one moment of brilliance.
Liren’s arms lifted as she fell, the wide sleeves of the robe catching on the air and filling, darker blue amid the fluttering lighting of the butterflies. She hung in the air for an eternity, or just a moment, before landing light as laughter on the pond. She made a bare ripple on the water, her robes and the butterflies settling around her.
Tian finally understood what the phrase “Heavenly Beauty” meant. This is what it meant. And it was glorious.
Burning Heavens cried, full of joy and understanding, her voice echoing off the cavern walls as she stood and spread her wings wide.
“This is it! This- to live forever in the heavens, welcoming whatever comes with the courage to face all challenges. The furious wind and terrifying fire, tamed and bound by wisdom. I see it now, I see it! I feel it! And through it all is water, life giving, all good things coming from it, nourishing, guiding, the flow that runs through all things. I see it now, my mind understands the bits and pieces of feelings! Ah! Ah! Brother, Sister, I see it now! I see immortality! To fly forever in the endless sky!”
The seven dots on the back of the toad shimmered a hazy gold. Tian could feel something in the air of the chamber change. A breath of something utterly familiar yet utterly new. It flowed into his lungs, resonating with something in the depths of him. The air above the hole in the ceiling changed as well. He could see clouds rushing about, as though contradictory winds were blowing, gathering and dispersing them. There was the faintest smell of ozone, an underlying taste of malice, before it, too, was blown away.
Tian’s jaw dropped, not sure whether to laugh or shout. The mountain was protecting Burning Heaven. The cranes had lived here far longer than the humans had, and whatever was in the death regions wasn’t human either. Generation after generation, sect after sect, benefitting from the broadmindedness of the mountain’s true lords.
“They must be birds. They simply must be. No wonder the Ancient Crane stayed on the mountain for a while. She was visiting some peers and took the opportunity to earn merit by preaching the dao.”
The true qi poured through the hole in the ceiling, the breath of the world blowing over the hollow reeds and playing a reverberating note. Something in Tian and Liren thrummed with it, not ready yet, but soon, soon. Something in Burning Heaven answered that immortal sound, a counterpoint that rose until it was indistinguishable from the original. Until it was understood that the original was not complete without this additional note, and that the ‘new’ note had always been there, you just hadn’t been listening properly.
Tian kept trying to understand, but it was a thing beyond reason. It was a momentary truth so radical and total, it emptied out all other thoughts except that piece of eternity Burning Heaven had found. Through that haze of accumulated experiences and sudden wisdom, a beam of light illuminated something within Burning Heaven. Something so undeniably true and real, it vibrated with the Dao itself.
To ascend required revelation, something that could be wished for, but never made. One could only accumulate wisdom, accumulate experiences, and hope that something would connect. Something would come together and trigger a moment that was beyond understanding, beyond wisdom. How could one reason their way to the universal ultimate eternal? How could earthly thoughts grasp even a fragment of that impossible immensity? You couldn’t. It took a revelation to ascend to the heavens, and you stepped from the peak you built in the Earthly realm.
Tian watched the clouds twist and scuttle, skittering through the air. He could hear birds crying out, the mountain immortals joining together to shout with happiness, welcoming a new sister to their ancient throng. A new soul ascended to the Heavenly Realm, a note returned to the eternal harmony, a hero strode out onto a greater stage.
No, not strode- flew.
Burning Heaven flapped once, mightily, and shot from the side of the pond, out of the earth and up into the blazing sky. She cried, and her voice echoed from the mountainside, full of joy and the wild arrogance to believe that not even the sky was the limit. No distance was too far, no journey too arduous, no foe too terrible. She was a Snow Grace Crane, and an immortal, and so very alive. No matter how ugly the world was, or how cruel the heavens, she was alive and flying and she did not fly alone.
What could you say to someone who achieved longevity? What words would do? Tian just yelled. He cheered and shouted and whooped and laughed and clapped and flung his hands up and jumped and punched the sky and yelled and yelled and yelled with joy and furious pride. The heavens could be defied, good people could prosper, nothing was truly beyond them. Here was the proof.
He proclaimed it to the sky, to the dregs of clouds trying to gather, to every malicious spirit he declared- Give way. Fall back and avert your eyes, because someone greater than you has come, and she is wonderful.
Liren was shouting with him, cupping her hands around her mouth and calling on heaven and earth to witness her sister, to see her ascension and give honor. She proclaimed her pride, her fierce support, the blazing happiness in her. The passion sparked by a sister taking flight and embracing that great future. Promising that, while Burning Heaven was a step ahead, Liren was close behind and coming up fast. Eager to fly with her sister into eternity.
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Lin had staggered to her feet, her voice crying out in the tongues of animals, the calls of birds, the frantic yells of someone who just helped do a mighty thing. A joyful, hopeful thing. She yelled with the voice of a dozen birds and beasts, tears running down her face as she smiled fit to die.
Tian could feel the attention of Heavenly people sweeping over them, eager to see who had joined their number. Mostly they came and left quickly, but Tian could feel a few lingering before pushing on. Not all the intent were heavenly birds and beasts. Were the Heavenly people startled? Did they toss out their swords and leap onto them, rushing out to see who had achieved longevity? They must have.
Burning Heaven flew a wide loop and dove back into the cave, landing on the edge of the pond. The electric blue butterflies scattered, finding flowers and bushes to land on, no few landing on Liren and Tian. Something in their glistening wings caught Tian’s eye, but he forced himself to look away and focus on the crane.
She was herself, and so much more. Every vane of every feather seemed to breathe, suffused with life, vibrant. The white was a truer, purer white, the black inky and endlessly deep. The red on her face and beak lit a blaze of emotions in those who saw her. Tian knew this effect would fade- heavenly people weren’t nearly this… this. It was still a sight of utter magic. Tian shared what he was seeing with Burning Heaven, and she preened.
Lin cupped her fist in her hand and bowed. “The Lin Clan has never forgotten its gratitude to our ancient benefactor, who returned kindness with kindness. We ask no repayment, merely that you remember us, and are kind in your turn.”
Burning Heaven nodded. “Of course, of course! Goes without saying. Em. Which is an odd thing to say, now that I think about it. How…”
Lin smiled. “The process of awakening your intelligence is significantly complex. I was… I suppose I still am considered talented in that area, and I have poured thousands of hours into cultivating it. A conscious mind doesn’t simply appear, it emerges from the primordial chaos of the brain, mimicking the forms it sees around it. You had intelligence and a degree of self awareness, but…”
“Oh heavens, I picked up how to ‘human’ watching Brother and Sister, but the structure and phrasing and lots of little details comes from you during the awakening.”
“Exactly.” Lin straightened up a little with surprise, and smiled.
“Don’t know what that nonsense about primordial chaos is though. I had a very orderly mind.”
Lin sagged slightly. “Oh, you really did learn from Brother Tian. That’s a shame.”
“Learned what? How do you expect me to know what you mean if you talk nonsense? Just speak plainly.” Burning Heaven shuddered happily, then walked over and gently headbutted Tian. He chuckled and petted her head.
“This feels nice. I didn’t like it when you did it at first, but I’ve gotten to like it. I wonder if that will happen with tea.” She glanced over at Liren and flapped one wing at her. It took a moment for everyone to realize that she was trying to mimic waving someone over with a hand. Liren smiled and came, offering her a fish.
“Here. Martial Uncle Stormrider caught this for me. Your first Heavenly Realm fish, fresh from the river.”
It was a fat, shimmering silver carp, heavy enough to need two hands to carry it.
“Thank you! I’m suddenly starving, and that smells amazing.”
Burning Heaven dove on the fish, ripping into it with her long beak, groaning with satisfaction.
“Sister Lin, you might as well stay for dinner since you are here.” Tian offered, but she quickly shook her head.
“I don’t want to intrude. That’s not me being polite, by the way. The three of you have a lot to talk about, and this is a time for family. I’ll be seeing you all soon enough.”
They saw her off at the door, then turned to face each other. Tian wondered what to say first. “I found a stone to carve for bangles, it’s with the Wangs?”
“Hi, I am surprised by how happy I am to see you again?”
“The sect is a nightmare I cannot escape, because everywhere I go, there it is?”
“Can I forgive the sect? Can it change enough to be worthy of forgiveness?”
“At what point is running away not smart, but weak and cowardly?”
“I’ll never forget watching you fall from the heavens, trailed by butterflies.” Liren rocked back, her eyes going wide.
“Oh, I said that one out loud. Well, it’s true. And welcome home.” He smiled from the heart, setting aside worries and just being happy Liren was home. She was finding it hard to look at him for some reason. Maybe she didn’t like that his hair was down?
“Good to be home. I’m glad you didn’t run off… made it back safely. I found the dyes and some other things.”
The butterflies had landed now, dotting the cavern and looking like they were hunting for flowers. To Tian’s amusement and mild alarm, the toad was surrounded by a small swarm of them. So were Tian and Liren. It wasn’t bothersome, but it was kind of funny.
“I noticed. What’s with the butterflies?”
“Oh, that’s the second part of what I found. Here’s the first!”
Liren rushed over to the pond and carefully sank her hands into the water. When she raised them again, there was a Dustless Lotus floating happily. She placed two more, almost filling up their little pond. “We will need to widen the pond. I have three more of them stowed.”
“How did you keep them alive in your ring?” Tian asked. “And thank you, they are beautiful.”
She showed off the storage ring on her finger. It was rather interesting, blending wood and dull grey stone in a wavy amalgam. Tian instinctively wanted one. “I knew you would like them. As it happens, I like them too. And my senior sister loaned the ring to me. They are imported from out of the country, and I got the impression that even before we were stuck here, there weren’t many in the sect. It holds less than a normal storage ring, but it can keep things alive for a few weeks. Don’t ask me how, because I don’t know.”
Tian thought she was rambling. He couldn’t imagine why. He looked at the ring again and blinked. His hand had come up to hold hers, so he could better look at it, and now they were stuck. No wonder she was rambling, there was clearly witchcraft at play.
“And the butterflies?” Until he could find the witch, he would just have to remain calm. Besides, her fingers were warm, and strong, and the late afternoon sun made her blaze like polished bronze.
“Five Color Dreamlight Butterflies. They don’t eat much, and mostly get by on qi and water. Mix in a little honey or malt with some water and it will feed them for months, even if there aren’t any flowers to drink from. They gather in places that are auspicious and have good energy flow. I knew our cave would fit the bill, and see- they love it here.”
Tian laughed. He didn’t know how she could tell, but the butterflies did look happy enough. He reached out his hand and one landed on his finger. He brought it up to his face for a closer look, unable to stop smiling at the endless shimmering layers of blue in its wings. He raised up the hand holding Liren’s hand, and guided the butterfly onto it. Watching the brilliant blue walk across their fingers, as lotuses in bloom filled the air.