Fei Minikui

"Now then, do I make myself clear?" Cheng demanded.

I wasn't sure what made this harder: the panic striken face Xie Lian gave me, or the blood dripping from my nose that made me choke on my words. I raised and ran my fingers across my cheek, giving him a cold look.

What I did know what that I could end up taking ten times worse than that pathetic slap and still never give into his entertainment in spite.

Cheng laughed a bit, putting a finger to his lips. "Careful Fei, don't want your people to see you cry.."

I breathed through the bruise in which stung and throbbed within my body -- trembling head to toe through his words.

"Look how incompetent you are to protect Lian, are you trying to be an idiot or are you just born one?"

I puffed my chest up despite my stance being wobbly -- to look up at him with the sharpest glare I could muster.

A sarcastic laugh escaped my mouth. "At least I have two eyes. Where did the other go? Huh?"

Cheng's eye went dead, staring at me in a way I've never seen before. His fingers dug into his palm.

It..scared me.

Before, of course he was always mad, but right then, I wasn't sure what he was feeling.

"It's handled, please-" Lian tried to protest, standing between me and Hua Cheng.

"It's not! Lian?!" I exclaimed to him. "He's bad news, you've been nothing but naive!"

Lian stared at me, he looked so hurt by my words. Cheng grabbed my shirt collar. "Don't you dare say that to him again."

I shoved him off before he could do anymore to me than he planned.

"..both of you," I clenched my fists and looked away. "Just go."

"..go? But, without.." Lian paused as Cheng scooped him up in his arms, easily. Lian got a little flustered, looking to Cheng to drop him. "Cheng, what are you-"

"Nobody is going until we can have an apology." Amni answered through the silence. "You ruined our ceremony with your friends disregard, placed his treason against our prince, and still demand to hurt me when I could have sent much worst?"

"I'll deal with the consequences. Just apologize." I repeat to Cheng, although it didn't seem like he would budge.

💮ꕥ💮ꕥ💮ꕥ💮ꕥ💮

Xie Lian

Please..

All I hear are people yelling.

And of what little Fei was slipping from me. And how tightly Cheng's hold was to me, was this my fault?

What do I have to do to resolve this?..

All of this has been my fault, if I hadn't went into town. If I listened to Cheng and stayed at the temple..

My eyelids..they're so heavy..

My skin, so sensitive that any touch burned and ached; throbbing along with a splitting headache. In which I've never got these symptoms before. Or the fact that I felt light, both hot and cold at the same time.

I wasn't sure if these were all happening at once, but it was a pain indescribable. A pain of which my senses felt dull, and the split between a dream and reality was hard to distinguish.

.

.

.

The sky was an ugly, crimson red, a dark shadow overcasting what void I was in. I took a few steps, and to see how little of humanity was left..

My parents dead, in a pool of their own blood. With the same silk that I have in my possession. What monster does that make me, to be the only one alive when I've tried my hardest to be the first to die?

Children, mothers and fathers in piles of their own blood and bones, most from what seemed to be a battle. Of which I could not lead by myself.

Of which I stood there and let my people get trampled, clawing at what was left of my sanity.

Does that..ever make me a good person?

I continued forward, turning my head away from the sight. They were all suffering. It had all been the same until I saw glowing white symbols on the floor -- I squinted a bit in confusion before walking a bit faster.

The world around became one with the same color -- it was like a bright void that I was unable to find an exit to.

I slowed down once my eyes met something in the distance until I was stunned, unable to move any further.

This boy didn't look any younger than 10, curled up into a small ball. His eyes were closed shut, patches of tears staining his face. His black hair lay untouched and vulnerable.

Bandages covered his meek arms and around his face, he looked too familar to me.

My eyes got wider, a shot of panic spreading my face, a loose strand of hair swooping down my face as I walked up to him. The arm he used to shield his face had a wound of sorts, cut open and blood covering the white floor.

I moved to my knees, feeling a rush of guilt in my body. I furrowed my eyebrows and rested a hand on his shoulder, before pulling him into my arms.

The little boy awoke and clung his fingers onto my sleeves.

I smiled and kissed his forehead, a sweet and warm embrace. His eyes furrowed shut, tears in the corners of his eyes, a stain to his voice as he stiffled a gasp of air.

I tightened my grip, as if he would disappear if I let him go.

He's just a child.

💮ꕥ💮ꕥ💮ꕥ💮ꕥ💮

Hua Cheng

I'd been carrying Lian for a while now -- he had been falling in and out of consciousness.

If I had followed him into town, everything would have been as it should.

But, I've failed at that too.

Once I arrived at the front of the temple, I set him down on his feet, but he fell to his knees. His head drooped forward as the drug continued to take the life out of him. His hands dug into the dirt, staining pants and heavy breaths in his voice.

"Lian," I kneeled down, placing a gentle hand to his cheek.

Lian gave my hand a soft nudge. He was heating up.

"Lian," I repeated, before wrapping my arms around his limp body, moving my head by his shoulder. He returned the hug, in which I held him for moments after.

Ruoye moved out and took a glance at the state the two were reduced to, before curling onto Lian's wrist, giving a comforting hug in its own way.

Moments became minutes, and Lian tightened his grip, as if he was aware of my presence.

His eyes cracked open, his head heavy on my shoulder. It has never bothered me.

In the 800 years I spent to find him, it was the first time he truly trusted me.