Yu Di felt better after the long walk and cultivating. He had fixed most of his problems, the life threatening ones anyway. He couldn’t fix every problem as he wasn’t a doctor.

  They had arrived in a walled off section to the poorer sector within the city. It was similar to the one Yu Di visited earlier in the week where he fed as many children as he could. It was therefore ironic to now return, not as a savior but as someone who was as hungry as they were.

  “How much farther?” Yu Di asked.

  “Not much. Are you in a rush to go anywhere?” Vimala asked. “I thought after that tumble, it would take you longer to recover.”

  “I am in the second realm now. I’m closer to being a God compared to what I was a few days ago.”

  “Oh, congratulations. May the Goddess shine upon you favorably.”

  Yu Di heard the sarcasm. The Goddess wouldn’t shine on him any more than smite him where he stood.

  “We’re almost there,” Vimala said.

  “Good. I’m hungry and tired. We need to figure out a way to get to the Goddess’ secret so that this nightmare can finally end.”

  Vimala said nothing.

  The pair traveled in silence until they reached a squat building. It had a peculiar structure as it was a small building that had no other buildings around it. All around were fields of some sort of root vegetable growing from the ground. Small children tended to them as they approached.

  “Farooq, where are you?” Vimala called out.

  The olive skinned boy in a very loose light colored robe came running over. His eyes sparkled when he saw Vimala. “Sister Vim! You’re back. Do you have any food?”

  Vimala reached into her pouch and gave the boy her leftover mega bread.

  The boy squealed before opening it up and taking a large bite from the bread. This boy could compete with Yu Lin in eating.

  “Where are the adults?” Vimala asked.

  “They’re underground discussing something. They told us children to tend the farm.”

  “Thank you. Try to share some of that with the others as I don’t have any more.”

  Farooq nodded and ran off, taking another large bite from the bread.

  “What is this place?” Yu Di asked.

  “This is my orphanage,” Vimala said. “With all the money Ying Fusu made over the years and my own wages, I created a safe space for children who have no homes.” She headed for the small building.

  Yu Di followed, watching all these little kids running around. Most of them looked happier than the kids they’ve past by on the way there, even those with parents. But that was a low bar.

  Once they entered the building, they were greeted by a familiar face. Reis walked up, again shirtless and all muscles. He had a white glow about him like the first time Yu Di saw him.

  “Welcome, friends,” Reis said with a genuine smile that reached his eyes.

  Yu Di paused, not sure whether to greet him or smash that smiling face into the ground. Except he realized he couldn’t. With his heightened senses, he could tell that the man before him was in the second realm of power.

  “Where’s Faouzia?” Yu Di asked.

  Reis’s smile disappeared, his eyes narrowed, and his muscles clenched. All of them.

  “It’s us,” Vimala said. She removed her face mask and undid her head scarf. “That’s Yu Di. You’ve met. He’s the one you tossed down the cavern at the waterfall.”

  Reis squinted at Yu Di for a second. “That is an amazing disguise. I thought you were a native Miryanan for a second there. Please, come in quickly before you’re spotted by soldiers.”

  Yu Di walked in first, preparing his shield just in case. There was something odd about Reis and what was going on. In the best case, they were able to escort the high priestess to the one place that Vimala was connected to, helped her, and then she shared her power with Reis as she had before.

  Worst case, they kidnapped her and stole her powers for themselves. She’s probably dead or dying somewhere in a ditch.

  They walked deeper into the building, deeper than Yu Di thought was possible. It wasn’t until a while before he realized the building sloped down, underground. They were now walking beneath the fields. The walls were lit by lanterns every few feet. The musty smell of dirt and produce mixed in the air.

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  A stream was up ahead, but way farther down than they currently were. Was this another cavern? Yu Di hoped it wasn’t another waterfall that Reis was going to throw him down again.

  The short walk ended at a wall. It looked just like the dirt wall beside them.

  Reis knocked three times in rapid succession, then four times slowly. The wall shifted out toward the group and slid aside. They somehow made the door open out into the tunnel instead of the other way around, making it easier to reinforce from the inside.

  “I’ll be going back up,” Reis said. “Vimala should know the way.”

  Vimala nodded her thanks as they closed the door behind them. They continued walking deeper into the earth, the smell of vegetables replaced with plain dirt.

  “This can’t be an orphanage,” Yu Di said.

  “You’re right, it’s not. Ying Fusu convinced me to create this place as another one of his tunnels through the city so he could ferry in supplies for the starving.”

  “How many secret tunnels does he have?” Yu Di thought of the man in a new light. While he was a love stricken fool, he already created multiple points of entry for any invading army to infiltrate into the city unseen. If he played his cards right, the prince could take over the city overnight and practically bloodlessly. Yet why hadn’t he done so?

  “It has helped the city greatly over the years and over many sieges,” Vimala said. “At least until this one. Ying Fusu has told me that the barrier they erected went down deep into the ground. No matter how deep they dug, they couldn’t get past it.”

  “Wait, so there’s a way to touch the barrier from deep down here?”

  “Yes. Once we enter the main chamber, I can show you if you’d like. But first, we need permission from the manager.”

  “I thought you were an owner of this place.”

  Vimala snorted. “I’m a simple camel herder as you’ve said. Besides, Ying Fusu didn’t want me to involve myself into any of this. It’s the second time I’ve ever been down here. He showed me this as a way out of the city if I ever needed it.”

  “That prince doesn’t know you so well if he thinks you’d ever abandon your people, even if you were a powerless mortal.” Yu Di felt a sudden presence pushing on him from straight ahead. It was a light probe of the senses, almost gentleman like. He knew it was the brat, listening in on their conversation. This gave Yu Di an idea.

  “He’s clueless about me or what I want,” Vimala said. “He thinks he can keep throwing money at me and I’ll join his harem.”

  “Men can be stupid, but let’s be honest, women can be too. You haven’t ever told him how you feel despite being with him for the last twenty years.”

  “It’s because of the vows I’ve made as a priestess of the Goddess. I can’t throw those away no matter how I feel.”

  “This man has risked his life and limb for you and you’re telling me that hasn’t moved you? That hasn’t pushed you to simply leave this life? Tell me honestly, had the prince ever asked you to leave with him, forgetting this city and putting all this behind you?”

  Vimala rubbed her arms. “Every day.”

  “While I’m sure he was interested in the power of the Goddess, but at a certain point I doubt he cared. He just wanted to be with you, somewhere else, where you’re cared for and treated like an actual goddess and not a servant.”

  Vimala bit her cheek. “I’ve swore myself in the service of the Goddess. My life is hers and this city of Miryana. None shall pull me away.”

  “You haven’t changed at all. I thought you might have after living for twenty years, but no, you’re still so stubborn. You’re willing to die for a city that doesn’t think much of you as a person.”

  “As it should be,” Faouzia said. She glowed white, lighting up the dark tunnel. Her white robes and mask matching her Qi.

  So it was the best circumstance. They didn’t murder the high priestess. Good for Reis.

  “Welcome back, Goddess,” Faouzia said. “I am glad to hear of your conviction despite living a normal life outside of your duties.”

  Vimala saluted with her arms across her chest and a head bow. “I would never betray my Goddess or my people.”

  “As much as I would love to stay and chat with you, I have other business to attend to. I’m sure you will hear eventually but the Celestial Jade Imperial Army has made their move. They have engaged Shah al-Rahman’s army. I have to go up above and protect the city and it’s people.”

  “Wait,” Yu Di said. “You’re too weak to help and your injuries are severe. Let me help heal you before you go.”

  Faouzia glared at Yu Di. Despite being shorter than him, it felt like she was looking down at him. Those eyes felt ancient.

  “I didn’t hold the position of high priestess for so long because I’m weak. I need no help from foreigners such as you.”

  “You saw through my disguise.”

  “Your lies are nothing compared to your actions, Menace. Keep your promise to help Vimala regain her Goddess powers before both armies destroy the city. That is all I need from you.” Faouzia waved her hand and disappeared.

  Vimala smacked Yu Di over the head as hard as she could. Those large mannish hands would have taken his head clear off if he didn’t have the body of a Demigod.

  “What the hell was that for?” Yu Di asked. He rubbed his head. It stung.

  “You almost got me killed by the high priestess,” Vimala said. “If I didn’t sense her presence and answered your questions truthfully, she would have ended my life right there. High Priestess Faouzia does not play around when it comes to her priestesses.”

  “I thought it was your prince,” Yu Di said. “How would I know that it would be her. But did you really mean your answers?”

  “I told you that in confidence.” Vimala turned away from Yu Di. “You can’t use my secrets against me like that. How can I trust you?”

  “I’m sorry?”

  Vimala walked off toward a group of adults Yu Di didn’t recognize.

  Yu Di wanted to say more, but honestly had no words. He didn’t know much about women or people, but knew enough that when they were angry to leave them alone. However, he did realize that maybe, just maybe the former Goddess of Miryana has changed and he didn’t notice. She seems more human now.

  “Yu Di, come quick,” Vimala said.

  That didn’t last long.

  “What’s going on?” Yu Di asked.

  “It’s Ying Fusu.” Tears streamed down Vimala’s face. “He’s dead.”

  “What do you mean he’s dead?” Yu Di ran to Vimala. There was a artifact display on a small table. It showed the scene playing out at the main entrance to the middle section of the city.

  A man wearing sand colored robes hung by his neck underneath the entrance arch. He had a bright yellow scarf wrapped around his head. One of the attendants pulled the image back and they saw four other men hanging on the arch. The others were so bloodied that it looked like they were attacked by monsters. Their bodies were practically ripped apart, unlike the one with the yellow scarf.

  “They must have defended him to their deaths,” Yu Di said.

  Vimala sobbed.

  “Wait, this is really bad news. When the Celestial Jade Imperial Army hears of his death, they are going to raze this city to the ground.” Yu Di glanced at the attendant. He realized that the man was his own countryman. “Did you send this news to your army already?”

  The man nodded.

  Yu Di froze, mouth slightly agape, wondering whether if it was better to have died in the sect near his daughter.