“It could be worse!” Mina was holding one of the Nie charms in front of her, paper flapping against her fingers. Oddly, it seemed to blunt the worst gusts of fear. “Nie-da-shixiong says the Waterborne Abyss by Caiyi had to be suppressed by a whole sect working together, and it got away the first time! This one-”
:Will not.:
The hairs on the back of Crathach’s neck prickled like hedgehog spines. He’d felt plenty of human minds, dark and kind; even a Companion or two. Sayvil would BeSpeak anyone she damn well wanted, and her mind could be downright caustic.
The flutter of crimson and midnight between them and the surging ghosts, claws out and ready….
Not human. Not anymore.
A dark echo of a mind, hungry as a soaring hawk. If Companions were a lantern lit from within, the bride ghost was an ancient bronze mirror; shadowy, recognizable, but still other.
Yet I’m no Ghost-Speaker. How can I hear-?
Black feathers thundered into the air. Mina stiffened, glancing from one enormous crow to the next. “They say – it’s moving its cold-nest? What does that mean?”
“Yin energy.” Wen Ning loomed out of the shadows, dark gaze intent. “Wei-gongzhi! It has an anchor. The crows see it, and I think Lotus Cloud- There!”
Crathach blinked, following Lotus Cloud’s crimson-nailed finger. Part of the cloud was… thicker? More real?
:Yes.: A dark, dark cackle, as the bride ghost spared him one icy glance; a shift in time to the music, like night’s own ghostly dancer. :You see. It summoned all its power. It had to summon its heart.:
Throwing her head back, she screamed.
Ghosts swarmed the water-weird, driving it back toward shore when it would have plunged into the Terilee’s dark depths. The dark flute called, urgent notes that thrilled Crathach’s blood; vengeance, vengeance, righteous revenge!
A feeling. Crathach sucked in a chill breath. I didn’t Mindhear her, I Felt her. Because she is like a mirror; like a reflection, an echo of the body’s memory of the way it should be-
A/N: Know how I said mage was definitely not Wei Wuxian’s primary Gift? Yep.
Crossover Queen's Creative Chaos 
Oooooh, shivery! The full scene all laid out is gonna be FANTASTIC.
(The ghost brides are really interesting characters btw!)
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Well. A good priest is empathetic to his flock? But yes, Valdemar can be assured that Gifts do get trained. A lot of them, in everyone that wants to survive to become old. And hey, all the little seedlings at least show it’s not something the Jianghu accidentally bred for. But man, Wei Wuxian in active defense mode is not for the faint of heart. Still better than active attack mode.
Oh, and I found a video on tapping trees, it reminded me of Count Taka. Would you be interested if I gave you the link? It’s not very in depth, but it has some interesting points.
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It’s unclear whether the one that screamed was Lotus Cloud or Mina
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I am pretty sure it is the ghost chick.
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Considering that the “she” mentioned in closest narrative and action proximity to the scream is Lotus Cloud, it seems perfectly clear to me.
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Oooooh.
This is so vivid.
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thanks
have been following updates
still pretty interested in this story
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the Heralds faced WWX so far.
Only now do they get to really meet the Ghost Flute
I look forward to reading ifd they still welcome him as strongly.
And they get to see the Ghost Brides.
I do wonder what the hidden ghost speakers will make of him, to have weaponized that Figt , and even have employed angry ghosts in cambat
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I get a burst of joy every time I see these ficbits, thank you so much ❤
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Oooooh, I am ashamed to say I forgot about the ghost brides! 😍 this is awesome and I love how Crathach seems actually interested and somewhat fascinated by what is going on? 😈
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Crathach has good reason to be fascinated. *EG*
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