Legends of Varlaurea: The Dragon Emperor 20 THE MISTY FOX OF THE BAMBOO FOREST 8

When he arrived at the town, the streets were already drowning in thick mist and the town folk's terrified scream echoing through the streets. Although with poor visibility Emperor Lam still can sense the white fox's qigun present at the west side of the town, and quickly make his way toward it with Grand Taosih Wu Lee closely behind. They flumping through the thick mist on the street among the town folk's scream of horror. The mist get thicker and thicker as they get near to the west side of the town. As the mist get thicker, the harder for them to keep sign of each other, and also the more potent of the mist psychedelic effect. A few minutes late, Emperor Lam had lost sign of the grand taosih and found himself all alone. He call out for the old taosih but only silent answered him. Then suddenly he can hear the old taosih scream echo from a distain. But press on he still because he just sense the white fox's qigun is moving toward him. When he came to a main street lead to the west side of the town, he try to concentrate on the white fox qigun aura to keep his mind keen, and wondering does the fox notice his present? If so, how? Is it have the ability to sense qigun aura like every mage do to? Neither way, Emperor Lam drawn his sword and when he about to chant a wind spell to clear the mist, he felt a shadow behind him. With a swift fluently spin, he strike his sword at the shadow behind him, but stop his when his blade still liamis from his target neck. Because he realized that shadow is just a teenage boy. The teenage boy's face is emotionless, and his gaze is blank like he is in some kind of trance. The boy walk slowly pass Emperor Lam toward the outskirt of the town, following the boy are a few other town folks, they also have a blank gaze like the teenage boy. Emperor Lam try to wake them up but no use, then among the charmed town folks there a women with long blonde hair. The woman raise her face stare at Emperor Lam, her face was badly beaten, her right eye swollen, and purple like an over ripe plum. Her left cheek also swollen and bruised, and her noses are bleeding badly.

"Aucelen? Wh…what happened to you?" Emperor Lam recognized the woman. "w…wait…wait… you're… you are not real." Emperor Lam said, take several step back, shaking his head trying to snap himself out of the hallucination.

"Am I?" Empress Aucelen replied with a despite filled eyes "so this is what you said to yourself, after you did this to me, your filthy mutt!"

"I… I was… no... I'm… I'm sorry, I did not mean to… it... it's because of the war, we were….." Emperor Lam stuttered, staring at his wife battered face, his eyes started to glister, emotion swelling up inside him. Guilt?

"No…. no…." Emperor Lam shake his head intensively "no… you're not real… you… you are not real!" he yelled and strike at Empress Aucelen, his blade cut through her like cutting air.

"yes… trike me down, beat me up, like you had done before, embrace your barbarous nature, filthy mutt" Empress Aucelen voice echoing in Emperor Lam head.

"shut up, beast!" Emperor Lam grind his teeth, then he chant a wind spell so strong it blow away the thick mist from the entire town block, and knocked all the charmed town folk on the ground, the mist dispersed revealing the white fox, it standing 100 lias away from him down the street.

"FILTHY BEAST!" cried the emperor, he leap forward and from his mouth a giant stream of fire racing toward the white fox. A monster the fox is but in its core it is still an animal, and all animal afraid of fire. Seeing Emperor Lam's fire breather rushing toward it, the white fox retreat and turn tail back to the forest. After the fox is gone the charmed town folk came back to their sense, Emperor Lam return them to their house with the help of the town guard. This time, Bai Ni only suffered some minor property damage due to the frightening folks, none had been took away by the fox, except for Grant Taosih Wu Lee who have been severely wounded by a frightful rampaging town folk after he got separated from Emperor Lam.

Chapter end