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whitefox2k18

4 months ago

Here's my Elder Cat Yaoguai Ying whom is also Mei's Mentor of sorts and the one who save and took them in and trained them how to protect themselves and taught them about the world.

Ying (英) means "Clever, Brave"

Ying is not like any other Yaoguais, Ying is calm and kind, and refused to harm humans. She is a good friend of The Keeper of the Black Wind Mountain and she and Mei went to the shrine when they Meet the Destined One.

I'll do that scene soon.

I hope you like it

I almost for got this sketch! Here's Mei Mao's incarnation and Ancestor Qiáng Bào (強豹) meaning "Strong Leopard" in JTTW. They companied the others to the Journey to the west and they're a strong fighter and expert of dual blades

@s0rr3l @marcu-bug

Tags :

oc black myth wukong black myth wukong x reader destined one x oc fanart reader insert whitefox2k18 sun wukong x oc oooh super cool lmk oc art lmk oc lmk fanart jttw sun wukong jttw journey to the west

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whitefox2k18

4 months ago

Amazing Story

Black Cloud, Red Fire (Part 2)

(part 1)

"It's there? We're close?"

"N-no...no, I don't think... I can sense something, but I think it's further up."

Since what happened at the bell site, you haven't spoken at all, which made the monkey stressed and worried for you. You kept on cradling your arm, trying to search for a sense of stability, maybe scared to share what was inside your mind. He couldn't comprehend what had happened—why wandering off like that? You said something was calling you, then he rang the bell, and... but what could he know? You didn't want to talk... Didn't you trust him enough?

In front of the both of you, the main gate of the temple blocked the road between its walls and the mosque itself. There was no other path; you needed to cross inside. Only the light of two lanterns welcomed you, but you felt anything but a welcoming aura. The monkey knew something was there, inside, waiting for you. He took your hand in his own, pointing to the gate with his staff.

"This time, don't wander off. We'll take a break. but we need to move forward, ok?"

You nodded, still shocked from what you saw and what you felt—that you still felt around you.

When you passed the main gate, you noticed another one, leading to the backyard. Around you, structures with statues of the Bodhisavta Guanyin, all made for the worshipper and the monks, but who could come to a place like this to pray? At the center, a tree grew in all its mightyness, and you noticed a small figure.

"Shhh!" the keeper spoke. "Keep quiet! You don't want to set off that beast!"

He kept on holding your hand, giving a small squeeze when he felt it tremble in his grasp. Another enemy, and be the look of the Keeper, a hard one.

"In the backyard is Black Wind Guai's ally. Calls itself Lingxuzi."

"Lingxuzi...i think i heard of him..." the monkey spoke "Wasn't he the wolf Guai that was friends with the Black Bear?"

"Yes and no! This one is merely a successor, but trust me when I say that it's far beyond your abilities! Now, considering your strength, I'd suggest you: "

Before he could finish, a howl that frozen your blood in your veins reached the three of you. Instantly, both of your attentions have been caught at the entrance of the backyard.

"Get away while you can, little ones!"

The Keeper disappeared in fear, leaving you both again in a place that now was so silent that it reminded you of a graveyard more than a temple. You felt your limbs tremble, your eyes stuck on that gate, afraid to see what was beyond that. There was no other way to cross, and as much as you wanted to run, you felt like you needed to go there.

The monkey sensed that uncertainty as much as your hand trembled, stronger than before. He diverted his gaze from the gate to you, ignoring what was supposed to be face for one moment.

"You don't have to follow me. You can wait here; I can handle it!"

"You...you want me to wait here?" You look at him holding your hand on your chest. "No! I can't just stay here and wait for something to happen! I... want to help somehow."

"But you're scared. I can feel it; you're not okay."

"I... I know, but... but I still know that it won't be right to just sit and wait for the worst to pass. Even if I'm afraid, I still want to follow."

Despite his worries for you, he smiled. You weren't that nobody that you kept saying; you were more. You both started to take the stairs; the backyard is now in sight.

"Once you pass that gate," said the keeper around you, "there's no turning back!"

"We've already passed that point." You sighed, while the grip on your hand became tighter.

You didn't have enough time to inspect the backyard because the one thing that was able to emit that scary sound in the area was already there. Walking on the roof of the structure in front of you, that wolf was so big that it was a mystery how it could hold him, its red eyes pointing to both of you, his shining white teeth glaring malevolent. A soft growl came from it. That was the beast; that was what even the wolves were scared of.

The monkey was fast enough to push you and sent you to a safer distance while he was ready to counterattack the charge of the wolf.

The backyard was encircled by smaller structures, which were always avoided by the same wolf during the fight. Lucky for you, his connection was completely on the monkey, or at least your companion was always fast enough to get in the line and avoid any chance for the monster to get a glimpse of you while you were moving around, trying to get to the other side.

The fight was terrying; if it weren't for the rumbles that he provoked that made you fall to the ground, those howls forced you to cover your ears for how strong and painful they echoed through your brain. More than once you tried to look at the monkey, and every time his fiery eyes sent you a message loud and clear.

Don't stop; just move.

At some point, you just need a few meters and one more sprint to get on those stairs, and you would be completely out of that monster radar! You were ready for one last run, but you needed to look, did you?

You cast another look at the scene of the fight, and you saw the scene: with one paw, the wolf was able to lift the monkey in the air like he was some rag doll, and, reaching him with a jump, he struck him down on the ground. You were able to hear the sound of his grunts of pain and coffs after all the air in his lungs for the shock. Before he could get back up, the wolf had already got his claws on him, stranding him on the ground with his full weight in his chest. The monkey tried to get free with his own claw, but the skin of that monster was so thick that it didn't budge a little. His maw opened, ready to take the head of the monkey that had decided to disrupt its mountain.

You looked back and forward; he could have handled it!

Thos teeth...he would never survive an attack like that!

Maybe the juice would cure him?!

There was even enough of that to do that?

Maybe you could... maybe he could...

"Oh, fuck it!"

You sprinted behind, looking around the small space between the main gate and the second building. Anything, everything was good in that case! You looked around before you just spotted, for a second, a bell! If funny to be in need of ring, what causes now major of the problems, eh?!

You searched on the ground for something hard and light enough to be held, and so you desperately grabbed a rock, and with all the strength that you possessed at that moment, you started to hit the rock so hard that you sensed it crambling between the impact on the metal.

Before those jaws could close on his head, the wolf's attention was caught by another sound—a strong ring of something near. He looked at the direction of the sound, and it seemed uneasy, especially noticing the origin of the sound. He soon left his first prey behind, leading to what was far too near his treasure.

When you heard his paws crashing the ground, you knew you were done for. You saw those bloody red eyes watching you and his massive tongue licking his razor teeth, savoring your flesh and bone. You didn't dare to move, too scared to provoke it! With your eyes, you looked at the wooden wall of the main building—a crack in the wood—it was big enough.

In the instant you sprinted to the wall, he was already tearing to pieces the bell. You squeezed so hard to get inside, hurting your arm and scratching it deeply in one piece of wood that pointed inside. He then realized your escaped attempt, and he launched itself to the crack, trying to tear it open and reach you. You squished yourself on the other side, trying to avoid that paw that, not once but many times, was so near to drag you out. You closed your eyes, ready to say your prayers. It was a nice life—a really nice one!

Then you heard a scream and the sound of the head of the wolf cracking in two by one blow. His body slowly faded to ashes, leaving you alone in that small spot. Only one shadow emerged, blocking the now dim light from the outside.

Using his staff as a support, panting and clearing in need of some more medicines. The monkey looked at you, visibly angry.

"I told you to move!"

You just stayed there, your breath stuck in your throat and your eyes wide open for what had just happened.

"I couldn't... let it kill you."

Those were the only words that came out of you. He still looked angry, but then sighed and reached for your hand. You grasp it immediately; now this act is becoming more natural than it was before.

"...Thank you."

A small smile appeared on his face; you still needed to know what had just happened.

An heartfelt laugh suggested to move around your heads; the Keeper must have been watching you bith from the beinning!

"You've surprised me! Now that's it's dead, you might—"

"Hey, wait a second!" The monkey voice sounded annoyed now, looking around with his tail moving for the nervousness.

"You know how dangerous it was, and you let Y/n follow me there! You could have helped her...us!"

"Little monkey," a nickname that made the face of your companion contort in discomfort. "As much as I would love to help you and your friend, I cannot! You are not the first Destined One and Bián huá that has been led here, and, by experience, my help can do so little."

His tone was apologetic—heartbroken at least. Where are you really the first one that was able to go this far? How many tried before you two... Maybe the old man did want to help but didn't know how. Maybe the relic was part of that small thing he could do.

"If we succeed, your power will be whole again, right?" You voiced, with a little more of a security, "Then we just have one way to do it... no?"

You looked at the monkey with a small smile. If you know that taking the relic could mean helping not only the monkeys but that old Keeper, then it was necessary to take it away! The monkey looked at you surprised and pleased. He liked that confidence. He hoped to see it more.

"I'm looking forward to it, child," the keeper kept going on. "As I was saying, you might as well take a good look around. A great pill the Black Wind Guai had gifted the wolf. Finding it would be a deserving reward for that fight!"

A pill? That was interesting. Even that big, ugly thing needed a little help. Good to know for both of you. You both started to look around, searching in it the various structures, and, funny enough, it was in the one that held you refuge when you caught its attention!

"HAHA!" you laugh, pointing at the small orb in front of both of you.

"Why are you reading now? Got hit in your head?"

"No! I...well...this thing was supposed to help it, and...well to avoid me knowing about it, it killed him!"

The monkey needed a little moment to think about your words, and, after a pause, he started laughing too. Such irony.

///

"How long do you think it will take?"

"Umm..i really don't know..you said is above us, so...higher on the mountain?"

You sighed, taking a seat on the nearby rock. You were exhausted, your footsteps started to get sloppy and slow, and you both haven't taken a break in hours, and this started to get a hold on both of you. Monkey looked at you, worried that at this rate the situation could only get worse, and he heard your stomach growling.

"Oh gosh..I'm sorry."

And then his stomach started to make the same sound. Well, it was late, and you needed to eat something...

He looked around; it wasn't a really bad place to stop, but you could have been spotted by the wolves, and a fire could only make it easier for them to catch you. You needed a nice hideaway, but you were exhausted. He looked at you, dead serious.

"Listen, we need to find a shelter. Now right now, I can't let you take another step, and I can't take you on my back. I need you to stay here, stay put, and wait for me."

"W-Wait?! Alone?!"

"It'll be just for a few minutes! I swear, as soon as I find a good place, I'll be back! And you have the keeper to watch you!"

You really didn't want to be alone in a place like this; hell, who knows what kind of new enemy that place could hold! But he was right, you were slowing him down now... and the idea of sitting and just realx was oh so tempting. You sighed, massaging your arm that he had bandages after the fight.

"Promise me to not take long."

"I swear..not a sound all right?"

"Yes. Come back soon."

He glanced you a nervous smile, showing that even if he had asked you this, he himself wasn't so sure about his own decision. Despite that, at that time, it seemed like the most reasonable solution, and so he disappeared in the woods.

Minutes passed,maybe more ,and you started to wonder if something could have happened to him. Well, it could happen to you too, but thinking of what was ready to cook you, like some meatloaf, wasn't a helper. Despite the small sense of paranoia, your strength started to come back every minute, giving you the time to start to focus around. Your monkey killed the wolves boss...would they be angry? Well, maybe they were, but he provoked you...sort of. Then there was still that hideous matter of the vision that you had—the bear that you saw must have been the Black Wind Guai, but why helping the boy? Yaoguais surely were stranges.

Deep in your thought, you wake up to the sound of rustling and laugh. You rose from your seat, especting to find the monkey, proud of himself after finding the place; instead, you met two big black eyes, a set of sharp teeth, and a not so nice canine muse.

"The human...little rascal! I finally found you!"

You gulped, taking a few steps back.

"You dared to disrupt our mountain! I'll stuff you like a roasted goose and get you eated by our master!"

"WAIT! D-Do not... STAY AWAY!"

He didn't follow your order; instead, holding his sword, he marched on you, ready to slash you up. You dodged by miracle, starting to run away from that guai and his malevolent intent.

"COME BACK! YOU INSIGNIFICANT HUMAN! WAIT TILL I'LL CATCH YOU!"

You tried to run, but you weren't still in full shape, and, to make things worse, your foot found itself anchoring to roots that grooved too high for your liking, making you fall on the ground, face flat on the dirt. The wolf, far more used to the obstacles, was on you in a few big steps, with his sword up in the air.

"NO NO, PLEASE! Leave Me Alone! AH!"

You try to cover yourself with your arm, screaming. The blow never came; instead, when you opened your eyes, the Wolf body was reduced to a gale of ashes, and a simian figure that you knew was there, painting after a run. Alerted by your screams, he had followed your scent and your voice and acted as fast as he could.

"Y/N! Are you okay?! Did he hurt you?!"

He held you by your shoulders, shaking you, trying to get one word from you.He was visibly worried—no, he was aprehensive; he knew for...how long? Ten minutes? And you were found already by one of your enemies, your face scratched by the fall, and...were you frozen up by fear?! Why you didn't respond?!

You kept silence for a few seconds, then your lips trembled, your mouth opened, and...you cried.

This was... how many times some of them tried to hurt you or kill you? How many of them were ready to cook you and eat you? You were tired, you were hungry, you were scared, and... and you couldn't handle it any more. You just started weeping while he was panicking.

This was the first time he ever saw you cry. He didn't know what to do! You seemed fine, then why were you crying?! He kept looking at you, loss of words, afraid to be sad too much or less, or what it could make things worse...

He didn't know what to do! This was completely out of his comprehension and what he learned! You were crying, but you seemed fine!

...Wait...he saw this happen before, between his younger siblings, when they were scared by something or someone...were you this scared that you just wanted to cry?

Then you felt his arms circling you, hugging you.

"I'm sorry; I shouldn't have left you there alone. It's my fault; please forgive me."

You didn't say anything, just weeping all of what you had inside out. You could just let your face fall on his chest while his hands caressing your back, trying to bring some comfort. He wanted to tell you that he had found a place, but now he preferred taking you in his arms and leading you there directely.

The road was silent, except for your hiccups, and you weren't so attentive on the road this time. You understood that he had found a cavern when the light of the sun disappeared. While sniffing, you heard a sound of something shifting, like something big.

"So that's the girl you were talking about?"

When you reached the cavern, you almost fell from his arms when you met the giant in that cavern. It was a horse—a big damn horse. With those hands, he could easily rip off your head from your body, and you weren't in the mood for another fight. But before you could panic again, the monkey was ready to calm you down.

"He's not an enemy, Y/N. He's a nice Yaoguai; you don't have to be afraid."

He gently putted you down, but you refused to leave his hand, still waiting for the moment that the horse could attack you both. Instead, the giant shifted on his spot, looking with his big brown eyes at your smaller figure that trembled at his gaze. He seemed moved by your poor trembling state; who knows how many perils you had to face with so little knowledge about how to fight?

"I'm not like those fools, little one. My honor refuses to harm innocents like you. There's nothing to be afraid of." He had a nice voice—calming, warm. His eyes too, despite his mighty look, seemed to be quite the gentle giant.

"I'll prepare something; you can take a rest, all right?"

The monkey reluctantly left your hand while starting to prepare a small fire at the edge of the cave. A stream up ahead founded a hole in the ceiling of the cave, creating a small waterfall and a pond. The horse sat in front of it, creating a scene that could have been put in a frame.

"Come closer; let us talk, little one."

You looked at him, still unsure, but after having noticed that there was no evil intent in his voice and action, a small gesture with his mighty hand, you took a few steps ahead. You took a seat on a fallen rock pillar, still looking at the giant horse for whatever possible danger he could pose to you and the monkey, even if, each every minute, this creature seemed the most docile one that you ever met on this journey.

"Tell me, what's your name?"

"...Y/n, sir..."

"Ma Tianba, little one, i'm no one's sir...He said you were here for an important matter... but you look out of water here; did something happen?"

"....Something happen? ...Everything is happening!" You opened your arms in an exaggerated gesture. "I was in my world! Bored and normal! Now I'm here, and I had to deal with...monsters, demons, and old monkeys made of stone! Monster wants to eat me, or to just kill me, and I'm losing my mind! I'M AT MY LIMIT!"

You were ready to start crying again, but you composed yourself with the thought that the monkey would just be more worried. Ma Tianba listened calmly, caressing his muse with his hand, surprised at first by your outburst, but it seemed almost normal to act like this when you're facing all this turmoil. It was clear that, even if alongside a proud wife as the monkey, you were still...human. Frail, scared, and confused of your surroundings.

"Then...why don't just leave?"

"I can't just leave! I need to find a way back! And the worst of all is that I'm just here acting useless when the monkey fights everything with his life on the life!"

"Umm..useless, you say, uh? " He pondered a little at your words, remembering the small talk that he had shared with the simian before he could hear your scream in the forest. "... But your friends said that without you he could have never found this place. "

You massaged your face, looking at the horse between your still wet lashes. Wait...did the monkey tell him that?

"And he said that you saved him from a terrible foe...That doesn't sound useless."

"N-no, but he still gave his all for this mission."

"And so do you...you don't look like you had never faced something like an Yaoguais, and yet here you are. You could run; instead, you're staying."

You didn't know how to respond...you could have turned back; there was not one but many chances before...and yet you followed the monkey. And even with that, the same destiny could have just left you behind, like the weight that you thought you were. He really did trust you so much to the point of not even seeing what was clear to you.

"From what he said, you're strong and kind. He said you would like to help the Keeper of this Mountain. It's a hard quest, but you put your heart into it, didn't you?"

"But I can barely fight..."

"Fight ask for learning, and learning needs time. You'll have all the time; what you have now will be enough."

What a strange guy he was. He didn't eat humans; at least he didn't want to eat you. His composure reminded you of an old warrior, and he was exceptionally kind and wise. He showed compassion and patience over your outburst, maybe because, at his age, he can come to terms with the fact that it's helping to just be able to talk and having someone to hear about someone else's problems.

"You know... I do know the struggle of feeling helpless. I could have given up on my rage, and yet I decided another path. An act of kindness changes my life...even in that there's strength, so I see no uselessness in you."

You stayed silent, looking in the direction of the monkey. Did he hear it all? Of course he did! Now you felt shameful to force that horse to listen to you and embarrassed because your outburst happened just in front of the monkey, who was preparing porridge, of course.

"Ask this yourself; if he can accept you whole, why don't do it for yourself?"

Once again, he was right... You stood up, reaching the monkey, and putted a small piece of wood on the fire. He stirred the porridge calmly, with a satisfied smile on his face.

"...Thank you to keep it up with me."

"Thank you for being you then."

"...Can we share our food with him?"

"The more, the merrier."

///

After leaving Ma Tianba, it seemed like he had other plans, such as sleaving the Black Wind Guai territory, so you continued your journey. After a long path that required even getting wet a little, you both found yourself on another step of rock stairs. Now, around you, the tree started to get less and less thick, now giving way to what was the bamboo grove.

The air was colder than before; not a single ray of sun was able to filter between the leaves before, but now it was just so dark. A small mist covered the area, giving it a more suggestive atmosphere. Just when you started to ascend the stares, the two of you heard a voice, a chanting one.

"Long bound by a worldy cage,

now free in nature's sage."

"Uh?"

"It's a poem." The monkey spoke, "Someone is making some verser up here."

Strange place to make some poetry, you said to yourself. A small part of you thought that it might be another guai, maybe one that wanted to attack both of you by luring you in with some poetry, but when you reached the place, a huge space adorned by rocks and fires, what you found was a man with long white hair and a giant gord on his back.

He was standing, brushing in his hand, composing on a piece of paper and painting that he was making. He didn't even look at you; he just kept on painting.

"Have you seen those nameless souls adrift on your path?"

"I'm sorry?" You asked, and he finally turned around, gifting you a small smile.

"Their will float aloft, never to fade." He shook his head, worried for... whatever he was talking about. "Shame, your gourd serves little purpose, and mine answers solely to me."

He scratched his head with his brush; this matter must have been quite important to him.

"There's...something we can do about it?" The monkey questioned, his eyebrows high. The man seemed pleased with the pek of interest by the two of you—almost like he had already the solution all along.

"I know a way to guide the souls, mend their paths, and set them free. It will aid you."

And, with one move of his hand, he snatched magically the gourd from the monkey side, causing a shocked reaction between the both of you.

"HEY!" You screamed, "What the-"

"Ah ah." The man shushed you, moving his hand, and with the same brush, he started to write something with some light erupting from the same object. After this strange stunt, he chickled, observing his work.

"Now, this is better." He launched the gourd back in your direction; the monkey catched it. "This gourd, though humble, may save the lost, banish their obsession, and guide them."

You look at each other confused. He tried to move the gourd, trying to shake it, noticing a strange sound coming from it—a jingle?

"Um...mister...whoever you are...we're not sure to know what had just happened."

"Yes and writing on goards without permission is not very nice."

The man just laughed at your words; now back to his work on his painting.

"Would you leave a gift as mine? When time calls, every small help can be a gift from heaven. Especially when someone is destined as the two of you. From now on, there's no turning back."

"We were aware of that..."

"We are like tumbleweed, drifting through life, with destiny beyond our grasp. Both of you must follow what has been prepared for you. And, since the road had already claimed you, now you must see it through. Your heart will guide you further. We shall meet again."

...What a strange man...and he was supposed to meet you again? Such certain in someone that you had barely known. The monkey looked at you. shrugged his shoulder in your direction with a small grimn. He hasn't told you anything that you didn't know—even if you wondered what he was trying to do.

Before you could leave the space, an old hand grasped your hand, forcing you to stop in your tracks. He didn't put any force in it, and he was just holding you a piece of paper, the one that he was painting before.

"When you find what is inside the crack... remember to follow your heart...you'll find more that you need."

///

"This humble's one name is Guangmou. Should my demise come by your hands, please pass this message to my master: "

The blueish creature kept tapping his hand with his closed fan, looking visciously at both of you.

"Searching for deaity, mortals do aspire. Craving immortality, Yaoguais surely will conspire!"

And, with the movement of the same fan, the fight began.

Why did you have to face another opponent? During your tracks, everything seems fine, aside from the fact that now wolves were completely gone and what populated the area were... snakes. A lot of snakes...snakes everywhere. And the best part? Even dead snakes! It didn't make sense, but what was making it?

What you knew was that, in the middle of a small talk with your companion, you felt it again. The pulling in your stomach, something calling you. The stagnant water asked again to be moved, and you needed to do that. You really wanted to ignore this and keep going on, but you simply couldn't, could you?

So you followed that feeling, with the monkey now at your side, aware of the danger. And you found it: a blueish creature that could move the wind itself and was helped by other snakes.

In the fight, he talked strange; he seemed resentful of someone yet accepting his own death. When the monkey took the form of the wolf that he had already fought near the bell, he seemed almost happy to know that he was taking that body to finish him.

Once again, the monkey was able to conquer the guai with his power, which was growing and growing every time. While turning to ashes, something came from his mouth.

"My master is possession-obsessed... You are just like him..."

What he said was... pretty ambiguous. You wondered if he was referring to the monkey or...someone else that the creature remembered in his past. Monkey stood there, watching that body vanish in the air, just like the others that he had already vanquished. Then , his attention was initially on you, worried that you could collapse again on the ground, exhausted by whatever was happening in your head.

"How do you feel?" He asked aprehensively, putting a hand on your shoulder, saying that you were still fine...sort of. He clearly meant that sensation in your body. Somehow it became stronger than before, indicating that the defeat of this Yaoguai was necessary for...something that you didn't know.

You touched your forehead, frowning, trying to perceive what was moving around you that was trying to call you upon something—maybe another bell? It felt like water, a stream that was slowly pushing you around in a certain direction.

"I don't know... I'm fine, but... umm." You still were trying to remember something—maybe a detail.

Last time,. when he fought that old wolf, you weren't sure of who he was—yet, he spoke of a master—maybe the bear.

"Listen," you asked to the monkey. "That old wolf...back at the bell, do you think you know who could have been?"

The monkey started thinking about it, trying to search in his head about wolves and such, which were a lot in the journey. After thinking about a wolf that played the part of the monk, he remembered a name.

"Well, if that one was Guangmou, and he seemed to know the form of the wolf, maybe he was Guangzhi?"

"Guangmou? Guangzhi? I remember now!" The keeper's voice resonated again. Those names must have clicked in the memory of the monkey too; he started to move around, caressing his chin, remembering the passages of the story.

"They were... in the Guanyin temple as disciples... right?"

"Yes!" The keeper kept it on. "The evil monks abetted Elder Jinchi to burn the Great Sage and Tang Monk alive...That's these two! ...I thought they were already turned into ashes by that fire. Who would have thought that they had turned into yaoguais?"

"Wait, wait, wait!" You moved your hand in the hair. "They were dead, right? Then how did they -"

"It's not possible." The monkey stopped you. "There's nothing that can bring back someone that is dead—nothing in this world at least."

"It's so confusing. Even if someone can do that, why? Why bring them back?"

Your companion kept on piundering...then noticed the road that was going on, deep between the bamboo plants. He painted it with his staff, looking at you with a small smile.

"Your strange feeling could help us in this, i suppose."

It felt strange; even with this abnormality, he kept on trusting you, even encouraging you to follow it. You smiled with him, looking at the road ahead of you. Deep down, you wondered if following it was a good idea, if it wasn't just a terrible joke of your mind or a sickness of some sort, but in any case it wasn't like you had a by-choice.

It was a voice calling to you to bring something that no one else could. Like asking to finish a story kept untold.

And, as before, the monkey led you his hand, following you somewhere deep in the mountain.

The walk was long but awfully easy; there were no obstacles or strange encounters. It was so strange to find no enemy on your path, but at least this didn't distract you on this small mission on you. At the end of a path, inside a crazing in the mountain, you both found yourself on the other side; the forest kept on going on without the hope to end, the fog thicker than ever.

"It's here. I can sense it; something is around!"

"I don't see anything... Are you sure?" He stopped, noticing a small glow on the end of a small stair made of rock. There ,it was there.

Like the last time, you found a bell identical to the first one that you had already found. A dizziness came to you; you couldn't stop looking at that damn thing without the desire of ringing it. He felt that desire of yours; his hand grasped the rope of the trunk connected to the bell. And yet he esitaded, remembering your state at the first one.

"Listen, I don't know what's going on with you, but please, "he pleaded," talk to me. I need you to trust me and tell me everything."

Even now, he asked you to believe in him, but how could you if you even couldn't trust your own feelings? Were those instincts true? Being taken to another world was enough, but start seeing visions?

But his decision, his strength, his faith in you... You nodded, your hand on the iron surface of it.

"I'll tell you everything. I'm ready. Go."

He answered your request; the roar of the instrument shocked you from your core, and then you saw it again.

The boy becomes a man, a trusted and renowned monk between his peers and elders. His words could reach hearts, and yet something was amiss. His heart longed for something so trivial, so simple...robes?

When you came back to your senses, his arms were holding you, moving you to try to take you back on his earth.

"Y/n! Y/n ! Please stay with me!"

His voice called you several times, and you tried to shake your head, feeling heaviness on your shoulder. Was supposed to be this painful every time?!

"Old Kepper! Y/n...It's happening again!"

"I have an ominous feeling..." The keeper had reached you once again, stating that there was in fact something off there. "Child...what do you feel?"

The monkey helped you sit on the ground, holding you by your shoulder, looking at you worried that you could just get worse than before.

"It's like...there's someone that wants me to know something...and I feel this...pain, this rage...everytime the bell rings, it's like when you open a window and the dust comes out."

"Ummm..after the bell rang, it seems as though the resentment in the depths of the mountain has grown."

"Is it... is it possible that is something that's forcing you to go through this? Why?!"

"Forget it," the keeper shush the monkey. "Overthinking won't help. Your presence has already messed up the mountain."

The monkey takes you in his arms, slowly moving towards where you came from. You held to him strongly, feeling the tenderness of his warmth around you. You sighed, wondering if it was your fault if everything was going to be more difficult than it wasn't already.

"Oh, came on! What are those elong faces?!" The keeper's voice had become a little more joyful. "Why not go ahead and take them out once and for all?"

"You mean finishing what we started?"

"Exactly, little monkey! You had done the impossible already; stopping now is just nonsense, don't you think?"

The monkey still mumbled, sighing about the nickname, but he had more important matters.

"Hey, about what I saw..."

"You don't have to tell me now if you're tired."

"How can I be tired on this thrilling adventure?"

You both laughed at your small retort. At least you didn't lose your funny bone.

"Alright...so there was a boy..."

You talked all the way on. It felt nicer this time, being able to express what you saw, your feelings, and the fact that the higher you were going, the deeper that resentment started to grow. You started to wonder, Where are those souls of the monks that were killed in the fire? The monkey explained to you that, in the story, everything was done by the hand of the Elder Jinchi, just because he wanted to obtain one of the treasures of the monk, a golden Kasaya.

"That explains why I saw those robes in my vision. It's such a shame; he seemed like a respected guy."

"Oh, he was. He could live a longer life than anyone," responded the monkey. "I guess that he just needed that push to lose himself."

"And the two encouraged him..."

"Yes, they did... and now they were back... I wonder if-" He stopped, hearing something in the distance. Between the cracking and the cry of the wooden bridges that you were crossing, someone was calling for help. At the edge of the wooden structure, between the branches of a tree, something fluffy and black was trying to avoid the spire of a Yaoguai that was trying to catch it, moving his limbs and launching several small sticks or pine cones. The guai, a snake, seemed interested in that thing that completely ignored your and your friend's presence. After having noticed that the black fuffy thing had a tail, you figured out, in surprise, what it was.

"It's a monkey!"

"Where?!"

"There! On that tree!" He took you down, careful not to drop you from his hands, and suddenly started to rush towards the other monkey that had spotted him in the distance.

"COME! COME! Help a big brother and give them a drubbing!"

The snake wasn't a match for your companion, and, as soon as it was taken for, the monkey jumped down from the branch. His fur and skin were pitch black, decorated with jaded pearls and other small gems, reminding of some beard decoration. His robes were old and raggy, just like a few parts of his furr; maybe this place wasn't that good for his life. Why was he there anyway?!

"These snake guai are nothing to fear!" said his chirping voice, but werem'ty himself the one that was hiding?!"Snake gall stepped kin drink, though, makes a fine tonic to flush malady!"

He started to walk inside the wall of the rock, showing a small grotto in the mountain.

"Here here, young friend! Be my guest inside!"

Another new encounter; surely this mountain was quite alive, the monkey thought. Hey, did he say malady?! He riushed towards you with a new idea—a good one even!

"So... I guess you don't know him, right?"

"Yup! But he may have something to help you with your strength! So....HERE!"

Without a second guess, he marched with you in the cave. The first thing that caught your attention was the strong and pointy smell of alcohol, which was quite unique in these parts, with some exception. There, on the other hand, was quite stronger. Around the jars that emitted that smell, maybe it was where the product was refined, but it was abnormal to find someone ready to prepare some wine here in a temple in the first place, right?

"Well well... I'd stake you're one more monkey from Mount Huaguo." He said, pointing to your friend. Then his eyes looked at your tired expression, "And you...another Bián huá, i presume... I've met many of you."

What a grave and sconsolated tone... He must have seen so many of his own kind around these parts, trying to recollect the relic, and who knows how many he had to bury. He looks so old, so old and tired...and a little drunk too, based on the smell.

"Who are you... um..."

"Shen, young friend. By rank of birth, you all ought to call me forefather... eh, but I'm just an old monkey banished to the mortal world."

"Banished?" that small information picked up your interest. "Why so?"

"Oh, stories as old as the world, little one... but what about her, young friend?"

"Oh," the monkey let you down from his arms; your legs kept bubbling here and there like a small dawn. "She... well, she has been through a lot."

"Ah, a small thing like you? Poor little one... " The old monkey, Shen, said with a pinch of tenderness. His long fingers caressed your forehead, moving away a few strands of hair from your face, constating that you were in fact quite pale. "I may have the right thing for you."

He then started to roam through his staff, a series of bottles scattered along with an old chest. It seemed like he had never taken care of those staff or, maybe, he once did but started to lose interest at some point.

"There...the tonic I told you about before, my friend! A gulp, and you'll be good as knew!" He chirped, holding to you the small bottle.

You observed the small coccon; the glass was thick and difficult to see isnide, but the color was similar to the tea as tones. You opened it, and suddenly, a rancid smell came to your nostrills; it was so bad—acid, almost irony. You had to cover your face to avoid any surprises.

"What...is this?!"

"Just a small tonic for your poor body, my dear! A big gulp, and you'll be better than ever!"

"Do I have to?"

The monkey looked at you, raising an eyebrow. Where are you really rejecting his gift? Soom, you felt a cape of cold over you, looking at that questoning face. Then you looked at the younger monkey. He motioned with his head to just do it.

The savor was... unique... a bad unique.

You tingle and throat were burning like fire; you started to cough so hard that your eyes started to weep; you wanted to bute the ofrefather's hand and use it to clean your tongue! He just stood there, satisfied with you and the younger one; that was more considered to avoid any comments about the event.

After a few minutes of you trying to breathe, you found yourself so much in strength... that you bunked the older monkey in his head with the small bottle of the tonic.

"Do you want me dead?!"

"Even if I would, you seem pretty alive!"

"THIS IS NOT THE CASE!"

And, under the face of a really amused and quite holding his laugh monkey, you kept on bickering about the strange substance that he had offered you, giving him in fact a nice and enjoyable day.

///

"Remember young friends: a sip makes one tipsy, many sips make one hammered!"

"AHAH! See you soon, Mr. Shen!"

You laughed, the last one after many in those hours that you spent alongside the old Shen Monkey. The younger one couldn't suppress the smile on his face seeing you all back in your cheerfulness. You seemed full of strength even. Maybe it was one more friendly encounter with a nice soul or the tonic, but whatever it was, you were now back in your tracks.

"So, feel better?"

"Yes! We can move on now!"

And so, the two of you started to move forward again, except that this time the area was...different. No more bamboo groves; even the tree seemed to have disappeared; now all around you was just water. You had passed a waterfall where you came from, but here the water was still as a lake.

It wasn't deep; in fact, when the monkey landed his first step in it, he could easily move without obstacles like mud or algae.

"It's a marsh... Here, the rocks stop the waters that came from the rainy season."

"A nice place for some snake to live,?" You retorded, trying to avoid the discomfort of moving with your boots soaked wet.

When you put your feet in the water, you felt like something was shjocking you. You almost tripped from the surprise, only to be supported by your friend.

"Hey! You're okay?!"

"I... umm...." you touched your forehead. "Someone is here."

"Frogs?"

"Neh, not those kinds of guais... something else."

You looked around; the fog around you was thicker than ever. Maybe this was the place where it originated from? But even if thick, it couldn't hide the silhouette of something in the distance.

"A temple?" you whispered, fearing to be heard by that someone.

The monkey looked at you and started to lead you to that place, knowing that following your strange power could only lead you both to your mission and more.

The closer you get, the more the structure starts to take on a more visible shape. What was left of a temple? It seemed still in good shape. Two fires were lit at the side of it, and a few old coloms of rock stood between the water and the plants, nature taking back and conquering.

A gentle breeze blowed, the swamp straw gently moving like feathers. It seems so magical; no sounds could be heard, only the croak of the frogs and some insects.

"Hailed bird, hailed bird!

What dimmed your shine?"

A voice started to sound in the swamp. The arm of your friend instantly shielded you.

"Past's grip, beyond our grasp.

The future, we may still clasp."

Another poem? This one was strange...future? A metal sound grasped your attention; something fast was moving towards you from the sky. The monkey suddenly grabbed you, jumping away while something collided with the water and the rocky ground of the swamp. A spear, its blade sinuous like a snake.

After having been freed from the ground, the owner of the same weapon called it back to him.

It was a man...or at least he seemed that, but his scaly blueish skin, yellow reptile eyes, and his fangs—he was a snake with human features? or a human with snake features?

"Late is the hour, young one..." he moved slowly towards the two of you, his voice calm and controlled. "In which you choose to stain my tranquil abode."

"We," you raised your hand, "didn't want to disturb you! WE just-"

"I know what it led you here, Bián huá..." You gasp, he... he knows who you were?! Shen monkey did know, because he was a monkey, but... this Guai...

"My question here... is for the destined one..so..." he rose his spear,pinting the blade towards him. "Pray tell, to what end do you seek?"

The clasp of their weapon echoed with the sound of the water that was moved in the fight. Despite being so near, that monster never ever laid his weapon at you. More than once, he had taken the rightfull distance to not let you fall under their clash, almost like he tried to avoid you harm.

And his talk... between some attacks, he kept on saying strange phrases...

"Bane and bliss, summoned by deeds...do you still not see it?!"

What in heaven name was he talking about?=! What deeds?! From the beginning, he was just a mysterious snake!....or...He was? Something seems so off with you; could the monkey feel it too? He was already different from the other snakes, not that Guangmou was very snake alike, but... you don't know, he had something that made him stand against the other...

The fight kept on and on; both of them were far too skilled, but eventually the monkey seemed to have prevailed against the snake. He fell to the ground, his hand gripping the rock at the bed of the swamp, clearly enraged by his defeat.

"You have forced my hand..."

He was planning something; he didn't disappear like the others! He slowly disappeared into the water, while his voice was still well received. His face is still visible between the surface of the water and the air.

"Now you shall face what I truly am!"

His body has changed; in a series of splashes he had remetrified, his legs completely fused into a lost spire, a long blue tail that you couldn't see the end of. His attacks now were more aggressive, swifter, and more frequent than before. The monkey had difficulty avoiding them, but every time was ready to come back to his own two feet.

"Denying fate means DEATH!"

Death?! Fate?! He meant the fact that he was the destined one?! You tried to stay out of the fight, but you noticed something. His hairs were tied in an elegant golden hair crown; warrior attire was now covering his body, and he was no longer the snake that you two had met but a man—a noble man...

"W-what..." The monkey kept fighting, the water still splashing. No, only you could see that? He had changed! You get close, a few steps, trying to see better that strange incantation, without noticing the water blade that the monkey was able to evade, and...you were in the trajectory!

"Y/n!" your friend's voice echoed; he launched towards you, but before he could act, a long tail sgrabbed you, throwing you away before you could get hurt. Your body collided with the water and the stone, but it was this or sliced in two by some very thin and strong water eject.

When you rose your head from the water, his eyes were back in those yellow creepy orbs, watching you intently. He didn't move, he didn't act—he knew what you saw.

In that instant, the staff of the monkey collided with him; the strike was lethal enough, and he was sent flying away. He was finished, but he still had enough strength to stand up.

"HALT!" he screamed, using his spear to rise up. "No ill will I bear! I'm only my brother's eyes and ears. I feign my loyalty to guard this path on the bear's order!"

"Feign?" the monkey steps closer, looking at him. "Who's your brother?! And why are you doing this?"

The snake smiled; the only response he gave was another poem.

"Your destiny's bleak and stark. In its grip, we share the mark."

"Enough riddles!" The monkey was clearly frustrated, but before he could lose his patience, your hand had reached his arm to clamp him down.

"He's not what we see! He's......he's not...."

The snake smiled, so you did see through... He stood up, looking back, to the path behind the temple.

"The Guanyin temple now lies in cinders, yet the Elder's soul endures..." He started to show some pain; he was reaching his limits.

Your eyes widened. The soul of the Elder? ...Elder Jinchi?! ...the man in your visions?! The malevolent feeling you felt, thaty weight...it was him?! His soul was still there, rotting in that place?!

"The root of greed ever fosters the storm of suffering. Better to forget the things you truly seek."

The last poems, before turning to ashes... but he hasn't stopped because his voice left one last message that both of you heard loud and clear.

"The three bells... Have you seen them all?"