Chapter 24: The Two Brothers

Knowing that it must have been something sinister that had given the guards cause to summon him to the Lotus Pavilion in the earlier evening. Shui Long felt fresh dismay descend into the pit of his stomach as he entered the chambers of his bride. The scene a stark departure from the tranquility usually found there, it conveyed a menacing tale of the violent struggle that had occurred there earlier. 

A dainty book of poetry left abandoned on the table next to the window. The volumes pages had been dampened from the rain that fell in profuse sheets now outside of the rounded frame of the opening. Surmising that Jing Li had been engaged in the somber meditation of her studies, whilst occasionally glimpsing wistfully into the misty exterior landscape. Before she was to be interrupted by a curious noise arising from the once seemingly harmless pool of lotuses located on the furthest side of the room from her. 

Assuming that his bride had been compelled by either curiosity or compassion to investigate the cause of the commotion that had left a dense array of puddles, which were still perceivable on the floor of the chambers even now. Shui Long's hands clenched into agitated fists as he realized that Jing Li was no longer to be found within the shelter of the estate's walls. The god's concern for his bride, acting as a thin restraint for the rage that this incident had instilled in him. The god's irises revealed the golden orbs of the serpent beast that occupied his human form as they continued to progress slowly across the room. 

His gaze, lingering over the table that once was placed proudly in front of the settee. The carefully crafted furnishing, now laying on its side with the lines of the soft carpet contorted beneath it. The elegant lines of the tapestry, which had cushioned the table's thin legs, were to remain mangled by the proof of Jing Li's struggle. Evidently clutching the fibers of the rug as she resisted the abduction, half of the carpet had been dragged into the clear waters of the pool before it was finally released from her grip. The other half of the rug, somehow managing to keep itself above water, littered with the broken pieces of the tall painted vase that had sat upon the table. 

Detecting the scent of the intruder still lingering in the room. Shui Long felt the anxiety that had settled in the base of his stomach manifest into a more malevolent emotion. Despising the thought of another man violating the sanctity of his bride's bed chambers and stealing her out from his domain. Shui Long hated the person that had committed these grave infractions, whilst he still remained present on the grounds of the estate. However, he loathed himself more for having allowed these events to transpire. The water god, still unable to uncover the culprit behind the previous threat to his bride's life. Shui Long felt that he had failed in his duties to protect Jing Li from further harm, despite the measures he had taken to ensure her safety.

Foolish to believe that he would be able to shield his future wife from the outside forces, which sought to destroy them by simply sequestering her inside of the Lotus Pavilion. Shui Long's jaw grew tense as he questioned again the extent of his abilities and motives for keeping Jing Li in the Other Realm. These feelings of agitation and inadequacy, whilst the god continued to inspect the scene of the abduction. Shui Long bent to pick up a broken shard of the porcelain vase from the fibers of the rug. Turning the piece of the broken pottery between his fingers for a while, the smell of the culprit returned to him. The presence of the disagreeable scent emanating from a smear of the blood that was left near the edge of the pool, serving as an unpleasant reminder of his failure. 

Shui Long felt a menacing heat crawl across his skin as he finally identified the scent to origin of the scent from his collective memories. The blood, possessing both similar and foreign properties compared to his own; the water god knew that it must have been his very own half-brother, who had abducted Jing Li. The realization, causing him to curse the existence of this wily and unpredictable character in his life. Shui Long let out a long hiss before hurling the shard of the vase that he held in his hand across the room. The fragile piece of the broken pottery, splintering into several tiny fragments as it hit the wall. This outburst of aggression, caused some of the maids to cower in fear as Shui Long growled, "I will make that puerile brother of mine regret what he has done." The statement, instigating a disconcerted twitch to arise from Shan Yu's long mustache. The attendant was the only one brave enough to step towards the enraged god as he spoke. 

"Calm yourself, Master. I'm sure that Xi Yang can be reasoned with without any further bloodshed." he said, attempting to defuse the situation brought upon by the younger sibling's rancor. 

Unsurprised that the particularly ancient fish, who had witnessed the two brothers grow-up within his care, should object to the last standing quarrel which stood between them. Shui Long could not fault Shan Yu for the soft spot he still held for the product of Hu Xian's flirtations with a Zhu Nou. The mystical creature, known to resemble a fox with fins on its back and inhabit mountainous regions full of crystals, infatuating Shui Long's impulsive and impetuous mother. It had been left up to the lake attendant and marginally older offspring of the crafty shape shifting goddess to care for the child in her absence. 

Possessing the same aptitude for appearance manipulation and trickery as the mother they shared. Xi Yang was unfortunately to be met with the same fate as the rest of his kind. Cast out by humans and gods alike for the inauspicious blood of the Zhu Nou that was said to incite disaster, there were few others aside from Shui Long who could tolerate the young boy's presence. However, the impressionable child, coming to mistake his elder brother's acceptance for fondness. Xi Yang had followed Shui Long like a shadow for all of the years of their life, which would eventually lead them into adulthood. 

The advancement of their ages, making them less dependent on each other. The two brother's relationship continued to remain amicable, until they were to arrive at a natural crossroad in their lives. Harnessing the strength and wisdom that adversity had given them in order to succeed. Shui Long's efforts all seemed to culminate in his ascension to godhood, which Xi Yang did not find agreeable. Dissatisfied that his elder brother should defy the prejudice of his birth, only to join the ranks of the persons responsible for their banishment and vilification. Shui Long rejected these vehement objections as valid reasons to deny the honor and power he felt he was owed at this time. 

The two brothers, both set in their ways. The argument over Shui Long's ascension eventually resulted in a rupture, which would cause Xi Yang to return to the land of the Zhu Nou. The antics of his younger sibling occasionally mentioned by his mother or vaguely in conversion with other gods of similar standings; Shui Long was to neither see nor hear from his brother until this day. When he would be provoked by Xi Yang's blatant agitation to likely challenge him to a duel. Vexed that Xi Yang had possibly endangered Jing Li's life by involving her in their petty squabble. The water god pressed together his thin lips, before announcing solemnly, "I'm going to get her." 

His attendant's brow displaying a wrinkle of worry, he replied, "Master, are you sure it's wise to enter into Xi Yang's domain? It is unknown to you." Aware that Shan Yu's question was merely a ploy to dissuade Shui Long from employing violent force to settle the argument between them. The god looked at the man that he had known for these many centuries as he said, "Shan Yu, I know that you do not condone our fighting. However, this is something that cannot be forgiven." Shui Long's gaze, still intensified by the vehemence of his anger, the yellow orbs shifted back towards the decorative pool as he growled the next remark only to himself, "This farce ends here." 

His attendant's face still creased with the lines of his concern. The room was to grow silent once more as Shan Yu decided to no longer persist in his attempts to curb the god's anger. However, the water god's haste to retrieve Jing Li, not enough to allow him to forget the stench of another man in her chambers or overlook the maids, whose negligence had permitted this incident to occur. Shui Long glared at the downcast faces of the women near the door before proceeding to take leave of them. Barely looking back over his shoulder, the god issued a gruff command towards them, "Clean this mess up by the time I return. I don't want a shred of evidence to remain that he was even here." The blunt address, causing some of the maids to flinch from their remorseful stance along the wall. The women fidgeted anxiously as they replied in dismal unison, "Yes, Lord Shui Long." Resolving to postpone their punishment until his bride could be recovered from Xi Yang's domain, the water god turned from the women once more.

Imparting no further chastisement as Shui Long then transformed into the monstrous serpent that was his true form. The length of the god's body had almost exceeded the capacity of the room by the time he finally slithered gradually into the pool. His keen senses, picking up the scent of his conniving little brother adrift within the gentle streams of the water. Shui Long followed the smell into the cool depths of the pool, until he was able to locate the fissure of a portal that had recently been closed. The opening into Jing Li's chambers, evidently created by an amateur employing tricks that he was unaccustomed to using, ripped apart again easily by Shui Long's sharp fangs. The water god experienced no difficulties in passing through to the Zhu Nous' domain. 

Sheets of water still cascading off of his large white scales as he emerged from the bottom of a coursing river. Shui Long looked around at the canal that ran crimson from the rich sediment of the land, before proceeding to heave his heavy body from the rapid flow of the river. The serpentine god, wasting no time before skimming the arid soil and red mountains for any evidence of his brother or his bride. Shui Long's tongue flicked agitatedly again as he picked up the smell of his brother within the hot air. The god's golden irises, fixing bitterly on the trail of blood and footprints that had been left upon the shore. They were only to observe a single pair of shoes evident on the hard soil beside the river, before honing in on the vague crevices where someone had clearly been dragged reluctantly behind them.

The markings of Jing Li's heels etched into the dirt from where she had resisted being pulled along by the Zhu Nou. Shui Long's jaw again tightened as he observed these long tracks of protestation end abruptly. Changing into only a single set of footprints as it appeared that Xi Yang had been encouraged by her relentless obstinance to hoist Jing Li from the ground. The image of her futile defiance, spurring some further vexation from the god, whilst his eyes proceeded to trace the outline of Xi Yang's feet leading away from the shore. Shui Long pursued their trail doggedly into the craggy foothills of a nearby cluster of mountains.