Chapter 148 - Try Skrider

The wind savagely howled outside the cavern. The three sat too close with each other where no air could pass through between them but with no malice. These two warriors did so, showing how much they cared for Xinyi. And she understood it well.

"I am grateful for how much you care for me and my husband. I really appreciate it. But I need you to know that I am not as powerful as my predecessor yet. I'm still learning how to use my powers. I couldn't even master it yet. Everything is still new to me. What I want to do now is try to bring the Hutyuns or Nianshi here," Xinyi said.

"Hutyuns?" Tyriece interrupted.

"The little beings flying around me. They are called Hutyuns," she said. Her eyes lit up as she spoke.

"The tiny animals, you mean?" Tyriece said, a pitch higher.

Xinyi softly laughed with the thought of making the Hutyuns look like animals. "Yes, them, but they are not really animals. I just make them look that way."

The two men found her so intriguing. General Lofey couldn't take the excitement anymore and spoke his mind. 

"Please explain further. To be honest with you, Lady Lei. I'm really interested in you and of how we can help you. As a general, knowing my troops' limitations and strengths is important in battle. I can plan and make strategies based on it. Same with our situation now. How can we help you if we don't know what you can't and can do? Please, kindly explain to us."

Xinyi understood the general and admired him. Such a meticulous, caring, and honest man. No wonder his men followed him without question. But explaining would take all the time they've got. And was not sure if this battle-veterans wished to hear a very long explanation from a lady.

Tyriece saw her hesitation and said, "We are trapped anyway. So we have all the time we need," Tyriece said. "I hope we have," he added, but only in his mind.

She heaved a deep breath, knowing she couldn't control the situation and couldn't stop these guys from asking. She tried to tell her tale as briefly as possible. Xinyi began her story when her family found out she was a Chiangda until she found the Hutyuns. The two had many questions in between and she calmly replied. 

After hearing her, Tyriece couldn't believe she was the prime minister's daughter and married off into a governor in a rural state of the country. Most noble daughters were sent to marry kings and high-ranking officials in the court, but this Youshi prime minister did the opposite. This puzzled him deeply.

While Tyriece's line of thought went this way, General Lofey couldn't believe how much she went through as a sorceress. If she was in Goding, many would flock around her and ask for her hand in marriage or shower her with riches just to receive her blessing. Instead, she suffered so much.

"The Hutyuns are my principal weapon and defense now. I can do a lot of things with them, but I haven't tried using them with my newly acquired powers. I hope we can break out from this domain and test my powers with them," Xinyi ended her story. However, she didn't include Xionmao and his cave, her true parents and world for now. Such secrets were so precious and bizarre to explain.

The two men blew off misty airs, and couldn't express their disappointment and shame on the prime minister and this kingdom. They shared one thought, How could this kingdom let a great sorceress suffer instead of supporting her?

"Excuse me, distinguished men of Goding, but I will meditate now. As I've said I might disappear to meet with Skrider but please don't panic if that happens. I believe he is our only chance to get out of here." 

After speaking, she closed her eyes, but she was interrupted again.

"Can we meet this Skrider too?" It was Lofey speaking this time.

"Yeah, we're also Chiangdas. I really want to talk with this green cat-cactus too," Tyriece added, beaming at her.

Xinyi frowned, but more to herself. Why didn't she even think of this? "Fine. Let's concentrate and think of those precious moments with the most important people in our lives, and then we'll call Skrider."

The three closed their eyes and did the ritual. Their facial expressions changed as their emotions played along with their deep longings. 

"Skrider," Xinyi called. The two men followed after their ears caught the name.

Slowly, a green thin light steadily appeared, and Skrider's voice echoed inside the cavern. "Oh, oh, what we've got here. Two Chiangdas and a sorceress calling me."

Xinyi hurriedly opened her eyes but stunned stupid to see only a green ball in front of her. "Why are you a ball?"

Both men opened their eyes too, but partially disappointed to see a floating ball but held their tongue. They let Xinyi do the talking.

"You are in a powerful domain, Sorceress. I can only send you this transmission ball. So explain now why you called me for this will disappear soon."

They gasped to hear the bad news.. "How can we get out of here?"

"Wrong question, Sorceress. Remember, I'm only a scribe. History is my specialty, and writing your past is my job."

She frowned to forget this. "I felt at peace here. Did my predecessor come here before?"

"Yes, she did."

"Can you show me that memory?'

"You were not there when it happened so I can't."

"What? But why can I feel this peace?"

"You have her artifacts, use it…" Skrider's voice disappeared along with the ball.

"Wait." She extended her hand, trying to reach the ball or maybe stop it from vanishing, but too late. "Damn. Fine. Let's try what you said." 

She touched her ring, necklace pendant, and anklet and closed her eyes. She waited, expecting something astounding or heaven defying to experience, but…. nothing happened.