The Sorceress: Blossoming Power

As they left, Xinyi's c.h.e.s.t lightened. "Oh no, I think the person is getting away."

"Damn, let's move faster. But can you tell where that person is staying?" They passed by more houses and two large rice fields with yellow rice heads.

"No, I can only feel my c.h.e.s.t heating up like burning coals touching my skin but it's gone now." Then she thought of the Hutyuns who were invincible beside her. "Go, find people who are leaving the village."

The Hutyuns left and after a minute; They came back. Both of them stopped while Xinyi talked with the little beings. "Queen, a group of men are riding toward a hill." Then related to her what they looked like and their actual situation.

Ming couldn't hear their conversation but her face told him she was having a conversation with the Hutyuns. Anyway, he loved to watch her changing reactions and patiently waited.

Xinyi, suddenly, turned to him as she pointed the trees. "Let's go over there. The Hutyuns found some men but we better hurry for they are getting away." She thought of proposing to Ming to let the Hutyuns bring them there but...

"How about we eat the fruits Master Xionmao gave so we can move faster?" Ming suggested. Xinyi's eyes lit up hearing it.

"Ooh, Ayaya, I always wanted to try them. Did you bring a lot?" she replied feeling giddy and full of expectations rubbing her two palms together. Lifen Ma's smooth moves that night enthralled her. She asked her mother-in-law about the reason of her speed and that's how she learned of the fruits.

Ming pulled out the butterfly fruits and tubers. He gave a pair to Xinyi. She ate them right away. When the fruits' juices filled her mouth, they tasted as sweet as gr.a.p.es, and a little sour as unripe mangoes but there was a spicy-honey aftertaste. She loved this mixture of flavors and yanked the other pair from Ming's hands.

Ming gasped as her hand placed the fruits in her mouth. Before Ming could stop her, she had devoured them.

"Ooh, delicious," she said, leaking the juices seeping out from her lips' sides.

Oh, no. Ming's eyes became a huge letter 'O' and felt a lump in his throat. He tried recalling the warning Xionmao said on the day they received the fruits.

"Here, eat these. These will give you speed and strength when you fight. But only eat one of each at a time. Remember, one at a time," Xionmao said.

"If we eat more?" asked Ming.

"Try finding it out," Xionmao replied.

Now, he observed Xinyi's face. Still normal. Nothing's happening so far, but had this unsettling feeling inside. 

"Are you okay? Don't you feel anything unusual?"

"Why?'

Ming thought of telling her but ashamed that he missed preventing her from eating. He kept quiet and planned on taking her away if things would go out of hand.

"Nothing. In case you feel something weird just tell me."

"Is something weird expected?" Xinyi looked at him with a puzzled look, afraid that he might say something she would be sorry about.

"A little, like you might have a problem keeping up with the speed and strength." He didn't know the actual result. It was all an excuse, but praying that everything would turn out not as bad as he thought. "Let's go."

"Oh, is that all? I think I can manage it." Xinyi sighed in relief and made a mental note of the said weirdness and ran with Ming. The latter monitored her while running. Their pace was good and reached where the men's camp up the hill in no time. 

Ming's eyes went back to Xinyi and heaved a good deep breath. So far, so good. His focus went to the men.

Anghus, a short man two-feet shorter than Ming was putting up tent while another one an inch shorter than the first was busy untying men from the horses. The bag with the anklet was on the horse.

Without warning, the item in Anghus' bag shone into a blinding light. The leader and his companion instantly covered their eyes with their arms. Seconds after, the light subsided. After uncovering their faces, they gaped in shock to find the horse, the bag, and the rest on top of the horse gone missing.

However, close to them, the horse and its baggage appeared in front of Xinyi. Although she expected this, but the effect still astounded her. "Whoa! This fast?"

Ming was also dumbstruck. They just arrived and hid behind a tree a distance from the men and the blinding light came at once. Then out of the blue, the horse transferred to where they were, blowing their position to the enemies.

Anghus heard her exclamation. He looked her way and dumbfounded to see the horse over there. "What the…. What happened? Who are you?" He reached for the sword he thought was on his waist, but it was not there. He grunted and smacked his forehead, feeling stupid with himself. The sword was with the horse hanging at its side.

Just a single time of carelessness and complacency and this happened. Next time, I will keep it beside me at all times. Sadly, if there was a next time.

His comrade pulled his own sword and threw it to Anghus. "Anghus, catch!" 

Anghus turned his head and raised his hand to receive the sword... and lifted it with tip facing the intruders. "Who are you? Come out in the open?"

Ming suddenly moved as fast as a lightning and disarmed Anghus. The two did not even notice Ming passed them. Then there was a reversal of roles. Ming was now the one pointing the sword at Anghus. 

"I'm the governor of this place. Who are you? Why are you here?"

The two short men looked up at the towering Ming with the sword. They felt helpless. Anghus swallowed a good amount of saliva and was sorry for his recklessness.

We should have gone further where no man could easily reach us. Dang it. I'm a bad leader. I sent my men to their death.