4 The Vow

-Shen Wei-

As an early raiser, Shen Wei was the first one who wake up, to notice he was been embraced by Zhao Yunlan at some point during the cold night. He most had been quite tired, to fail waking up when the man behind him put his arm around his waist and pull him closer. In a way, Shen Wei had to admit that their bodies fitted in one another's arms, like they were meant to cuddle in such a way each night.

He watched Yunlan's hand, half hugging him tightly and he blushed, at the same time that his heart pumped up his blood faster. He thought of removing the Water Prince's hand, but as he looked back to his handsome sleeping face, so close to his neck, he desisted the idea. Seen Yunlan sleeping so peacefully make his heart skip a few beats, but it felt good and it became more than obvious to him, that he had a certain weakness with the man.

He wasn't immune to the Water Prince charm or teasing and the idea of kissing the shameless Yunlan, was more welcoming now than he thought possible just a few hours ago. His luscious lips alone were quite the temptation, not to mention his colder body that was currently embracing his warmer one. Then, he shifted sides very slowly, making sure not to wake the sleeping Prince, so he could stare at Yunlan for a short while, memorizing even the smallest freckle on his handsome face.

He wonder what exactly he felt for the man, because his presence alone was enough to confuse him. They knew each other since childhood, but their interactions were few and most of the time it consisted in stares and short conversation, in which Yunlan simply embarrass him as much as he could. Was that really enough to make someone else fall for you? What did Yunlan saw in him to wish to be with him, even when it was forbidden?

"How can water and fire mix together, Zhao Yunlan? What you want may be desirable, but provably impossible..." Shen whisper, while gently removing a lock of long hair from his forehead. Then, he saw a figure approach them silently. Guo Changcheng looked at him and smiled slightly, while he blushed as well. The young man was as shy as he, but Guo was strong as well, like all those from his Sage Clan.

"Lord Wei... you should wake him up. It's about time we move. We had a very long way to go. I will wake the others too." Guo said shyly before moving away.

"Yunlan... Zhao Yunlan... wake up..." Shen Wei said, untangling himself from his grasp. Zhao moaned in protest for the sudden removal of his warm source, while opening his eyes, to see the man he was dreaming about, gathering his things.

"Shen Wei... why are you...?" But then, reality hit him and he sat in a fast move and looked around. The sky was still cover with gray clouds, but some sun rays that manage to infiltrate between them were enough to illuminate the barren lands, like if announcing that it was time to move.

"It's still a bit early, but we need to be in our way... get up, Yunlan, the journey is not going to be an easy one." Shen Wei said, risking a glance while putting his sleeping blanket in his travel bag.

"You are blushing... did you try kissing me or something while I sleep by your side?" Zhao joked, making Shen Wei blush deeper.

"As if I could dare do such thing, I'm sure you will devour me in the spot. Get up, Guo is already waking up the others." Shen said as Zhao smiled in that wicked way that quicken his pulse tenfold.

"Don't give more ideas, I already had plenty... besides, you are a man of fire, I'm sure you can manage to flare my desire in your favor." Shen blushed even more.

"Just get up, you shameless Prince before my flare really burns your behind." Shen said, making Zhao laugh, as he stood to get his things. Soon, they all gather together ready to leave their safe fort that Da Qing returned to the the earth.

"Zhu Hong, can you draw us a map of what information Nuwa pass to your Clan? You know what we are about to face right?" Zhao asked, looking at the woman, who smiled at him.

"You really do have the insight of an Oracle. Last night I just had a dream that I'm sure was induced by the will of the goddess. All of you come closer in a circle, I will draw in this barren ground, but erase it soon after, so memorize the key points in sight." She said and knowing very little about the poison Clan, as many call them, they dare not to question her decision.

"The Dark Lands consisted in seven territories, mostly like our Clans. The first one is here, just ahead of us, which is the land of the spiders." She draw some mountains and spiders, then a serpentine river in between them, up to the second territory.

"We need to reach the river that crossed the spider's lands. Having a master of treads as well as a water master among us, it will be our safest route to move on to the next territory. Immersed in darkness the caves underground are the home of the bats."

"However, these are not common ones, they are bigger in size, stronger and great in numbers. We may had a hard time just to give a few steps forward. They use sound waves, so they may be blind, but they can know were you are just fine. In these caves, our master of Earth, must work hard to find us a safe path." Da Qing, looked at her and asented accepting her challenge to safely guide the group toward their next destination. Zhu smiled for a moment, then she keep drawing fires and big creatures.

"The next territory will be even more dangerous, which is the land of the Furies." All of them locked at Shen Wei.

"As you all know, Furies are beasts made of fire, for which our Fire Prince will have his hands full, keeping us from been burned alive."

"Worry not, I can deal with Furies." Shen assured them and Zhu nodded, drawing huge picks cover by mist.

"After we leave the Furies, we come out to the sky lands, which are a huge territory of pick mountains, surrounded by a deep abyss below. In there, we must be extra careful, if any of us fall, you can be certain you will not survive it. There is a huge creature leaving at the bottom, which had colossal tentacles. The wind master will grant us a safe pass through the picks, until reaching the fifth territory." She draw an empty valley.

"This valley is surrounded by an eternal fog, dark and infested with shadows. The sage master will guide us through those lands. His senses are key to avoid shadows, as well as to get us out, without losing our rightful path." Then she draw a land with holes.

"Next it's the poison land. All creatures in here are poisonous, from the smallest to the biggest. I will guide you there and protect you from the poisonous clouds that are released from the holes." She said while drawing volcanos.

"The last territory is a snowy place. The biggest dark creatures lives there, so we all most combine or efforts to survive the hardship of the sudden winter until we reach our target, the volcanic land that has the red stone that controls all dark creatures and it's the home of the man seeking our destruction."

"That's such a long way... so many dangers..." Da Qing whisper, voicing the inner thoughts of most of the present.

"It will be quite the challenge." Wang added, not sure if the herbs she carried on her bag were enough.

"Indeed, but all these dangers we must overcome one at the time. Alright, huge and hairy spiders await us, so master of threads, please keep us safe." Chu chuckled, as he look at their leader.

"Since we all seems to have a crucial part in this quest, then let's make a vow now. We keep our differences aside and work for the greater good, to save our lands from the coming darkness. This man has a very powerful stone in his hand, which can be used to summon shadows all over our lands in small numbers, for now, but as his power increase, he will be able to send hundreds of dark creatures to our love ones, fathers, brothers and sisters that we hold dear. This vow will had the blessing of the goddess, to help us face the coming dangers." Zhu said as she extended her hand.

"Well said, Zhu... may the goddess protect us along the way." Zhao said putting his hand over hers.

"My life is in your hands as well as yours in mine, I vow to protect you all, even if it cost me my life." Shen said, putting his hands over Yunlan's, were it looked like it belongs there.

"My Wei, don't be that serious... you won't be dying before our first kiss, I promise you." Shen Wei flushed deep red. As the others laughed, also adding their hands and personal vows, to offer them to the goddess and when the last hand was at the top, they all saw a golden tread tiding their union.

"It's done, we had her blessing." Zhu confirmed.

"Alright... spiders it is... let's go!" Zhao commanded, as he moved forward, closely follow by Shen Wei who stared at his back. Yunlan was emanating power, even if he wasn't using it. An Oracle had power over the cosmos and stars, from which their world was created. So, the Water Prince, had control not only over waters, but also control over fate, which was ruled by the stars.

Thinking about that make him sight, because in all, Zhao Yunlan have him right where he want him to be and just like the old Oracle of the Stars had said before, he will get his wish at the very end, because that was fate in the making and he was both, powerless to fight destiny and too weak to resist the temptation walking in front of him with overwhelming confidence.

AN: We had the fellowship, next is their journey to destroy the ring, I mean the stone. LOL