Water Mirrored Moon - 水鏡月

Part V - Mistress of Hidden Night City: 96. Darkened Shaft, Sunlit Sword

Grimacing in concentration, Xiao Chuan gingerly added an additional amount of powder into a piece of paper, refolded it, and then wrapped the thin twine around it three times. Setting the pellet down, he carefully rolled out the twine, inching his way slowly backwards towards the hole in the cliff face, trying not to slip on the slight incline.

The thousand leaf paper would keep the powder dry for now, but it wasn't clear if he had estimated the amount properly. Too much powder and he would blow himself, his three companions, and probably the tunnel to bits. Too little and he wouldn't clear the obstruction.

It's a good thing mistress is so smart...who would ever think of making a small firecracker with thousand leaf paper...? These were normally meant for throwing, but...

Behind him, hovering just on the edge of the hole, Peng gnawed on his lip.

"Do you think Xiao Chuan can do it?" he asked Xiang, over the howl of the wind.

"There wasn't a huge chance of success in the first place. If we don't accomplish this, then the old man was going to have the force in the rear scale the tower walls on the other side, but then it will turn into a full-on siege. We don't have time for that," Xiang responded, shouting into his ear.

"Xiao Chuan, is it done?" Peng called into the hole, moving out of the way to allow the other boy to swing out into the air.

The three of them dangled on the cliff face.

"I don't know what will happen, but it has to be timed with the impact to cover the sound," said Xiao Chuan.

He prayed that the months that he and his Mistress had spent messing around with the strange mix of black and yellow powders in her mixing room would yield the result he was looking for...

Xiang nodded without expression, only clenching his jaw slightly.

Turning his eyes, Xiao Chuan moved his lips slightly as he counted the seconds...he'd already talked to the old man about the timing required for loading and firing of the catapults, but it would be a close call.

Still counting, he pulled the fire tube open, blowing into it to get a flame and then carefully lit the fuse.

"Go, go, go..." he said, waving at them. The others scrambled away, trying to push themselves into any nook and cranny they could find, digging their pickaxes in.

...Five...Four...Three...Tw-

BOOM! BOOM!

The wall shivered and rock and dust exploded out of the tunnel and even though they had moved away, the boys clutched the wall, coughing as their fingers dug into the rocks until they bled, holding fast.

Dammit...the timing was just off...thought Xiao Chuan, covering his face in the crook of his elbow. But at least we aren't dead...or under an avalanche...