Day 10,395

A friend can never remain a friend. Haoran knew it well enough. Was it deserving to label him as a friend? Pushing the stacks of scrolls away from the table, Haoran laid his head on the map, tapping his finger at the next district in mind. Haoran was glad that he was left alone with the sound of wind chimes accompanying him. The mornings had been so busy for him that every night became his nightmare. He did not need any assistance or companionship. It was a norm for the past months as he rode out weekly to different districts searching for the murderers. Even that did not satisfy him. Haoran went to the extremes to where he took part in certain major cases of the districts. Just yesterday, he managed to execute three prisoners who murdered their neighbours for fun. Haoran chuckled at the thought as he stared at the map again. One last district to scour.

For the past months, he left the palace searching for the An family. Haoran needed to search for them high and low. There was news that they dispersed to different places after knowing that Haoran was hunting them down. Gritting his teeth, dissatisfaction bubbled in his chest at the thought of murderers running freely in the world. In his empire. Haoran knew they dared not leave this empire for the opposite kingdom, the lands of his in-laws had offered a huge bounty on the An family's heads. Haoran, on the other hand, suggested the opposite to his father. They will not provide a warrant. Haoran will personally hunt them down district by district. Besides, he had made different deals with the spirits in exchange for news. News that was only limited to his ears.

"We found trails of the An family members," the lady spoke, appearing next to Haoran just as the sunset. "They were escaping using the forest lanes and will be camping in the hills tonight. Now, will you grant me a chance to meet my dead husband?"

"As promised," Haoran smiled as he stood up from his seat. "I do not go back on my words, and if that is what I promised you, I will definitely fulfill it. One more question, did you see any souls together with them?"

"Not any that I saw. But, they brought ritual supplies, so it is possible that they have access to the spiritual world once they settled down for dinner," she assured, watching eagerly as Haoran opened a chest from the table and produced a bottle of shimmering dust. "This is a trade for your help. Pour it by the river where your husband was murdered. It should be enough for you to meet him three times. I hope it eases your aching heart."

"Pang Haoran, you know if you were among us, I would have picked you to marry," she grinned, accepting the gift. "I hope we can be in service again. See you on the battlefield."

Nodding at her words, he stood by the door, watching her disappear. The moon had risen, signalling that it was time to attend himself to an invited battle. Haoran rarely involved himself in such matters, but this was impossible to neglect. He was interested, to be honest. Someone in the district stood up to challenge him, saying that he was too violent to be the next emperor. That his laws were wrong. Haoran picked the nearest glass, tossed it to the wall, and smiled in satisfaction as it shattered. How dare they dictate his life? Not even the emperor had said anything about his choices. So, who were these people to say anything? How dared they? Haoran growled as he lowered himself to the ground, covering his head with his palms. They knew nothing of what he went through and what he did to obtain his mother's and uncle's dead body.

Day 9,445

Stopping by the opening of the hills, Haoran set his horse aside. The place was lit with floating fires at the side. Walking past the tunnels, Haoran heard those unknown chants from the inside. Unsheathing the sword, Haoran gripped the hilt tightly, ready to strike anything that come before him. His heart beat against his chest so quickly that he could barely make out the kind of chants they were using. Haoran knew it was nothing angelic but evil. Making sure his steps were light as he set them on each stone, he took a glance at the side when he felt a breeze across his face.

"I warned you to turn back, child," the spirit spoke, floating by his side. "You must make haste."

"You gave me a warning too vague for me to understand. This does not mean they are allowed to hurt my family members. If you are standing on their side, then disappear," Haoran sneered.

"Haoran, aren't you surprised why you are able to see me when you are struggling to meet the spirits at your palace?" The spirit asked.

Haoran growled. He refused to answer at that moment for his anger was bursting through his veins. As he set foot in the hills, Haoran charged forward when he saw his mother being tied up in the middle of the village. Next to her, there were woods covered in gasoline. Just below her feet, lying still was his uncle. Feeling the arms around him. Haoran yelled. He gripped tightly on the men and women around me, pushing them away from him but to no avail. Everyone was blocking his way from reaching Ailun's mother who was sitting in the tent next to his mother and uncle. Next to Aihan was Ailun, dressing her wounds, binding every one of them.

"Calm down, Haoran, you do not want to make a mess here in my place," Aihan warned, standing up from her seat as she waved the lighter in her palms. "One mistake and the flames will engulf your beloved mother and uncle. Now, you don't want that do you?"

"Leave them alone. Get your filthy hands off my family! I did nothing to you! I saved you!" Haoran screamed. "Mother! Mother!"

There was no movement from his mother. Her eyes were shut, her head dangled to the side and there was blood pouring from her ears and nose. Haoran glared at Ailun who shrivelled behind his mother, not uttering a word to help him. He was speechless. This family had a lack of gratefulness for his help. He got the best medicine for them, to heal Ailun's mother so that their family could reunite, but all he got in return was a massacre. None was left alive even his newly found family had found the grave before he did. If anyone deserved to be punished it should not be him.

"You saved me?" Aihan asked walking close to Haoran as she ordered the people to tighten their grip on him. "You were merely undoing a favour and a mistake your mother made. I suffered the injuries for decades and it is about time, one of you returned the favour to me."

"My mother did something for a reason. Your suffering doesn't mean you are allowed to murder," Haoran hissed. "Let me off, you rascals! Let me off!"

"Tsk... set the fire!" Aihan announced as she leaned close to Haoran. "Find me if you can, Pang Haoran because you are already cursed the second you were born as Cui Yueyin's son."

Fighting with all his might, Haoran pushed the men and women away, making his way closer to his mother and uncle. Just as he was about to free himself from the last grip, Ailun stood before him and grabbed onto Haoran's shoulder, begging for him to stop. If there was anything that triggered him, it was Ailun's innocence in helping his mother. Siding with her when she was the one making the greatest mistake. Clutching onto Ailun's neck, Haoran tightened his fingers around them, smirking at the choking sound emitting from his throat. Immersed in his desire to wipe out the boy, Aihan took the opportunity to spread ashes from her ancestors and chanted words to set both Haoran's mother and uncle ablaze. An explosion erupted in the middle as silver clouds of dust spread in the area, blinding Haoran from his sight for a good few minutes.

Haoran wasted no time in dusting the smoke away from his sight. The silence made his hair stand as he looked around only to find no one in the area. Everything halted as he ran closer to where his mother and uncle were, but there was no one. The strings were loosened and no bodies were at the scene. He kept cursing at himself until he heard a voice appearing from the depths of the hills. Haoran turned around when it screeched his name, causing his ears to sting. When Haoran saw the cause of the sound, he was startled at the sight. Etched to the hills were skeletons of humans. Every one of them was joined from arm to arm, and their head stacked above each other as if they were brutally severed. Its teeth moved at each cackle and they sang a song about a boy being pried from their sibling. A baby soul whose life is too precious to be let live for it would be too dangerous to let someone so powerful live.

"I can help you find your mother and uncle's body," the middle head spoke. "Let it be a gift for you, and a passage way for you. Walk the dark road alone when all universes are gone, and follow the sound of the walking chains. A trade as the drape of your survival."

"It makes no sense," Haoran growled staring at the skeletons who twisted themselves out of the hills and they fell to the ground in bits and pieces.

"The light is burning away. Walk the dark. Walk the dark. Walk the dark!"

Day 10,445

A thousand days passed and a thousand days since yet there was no ceremony for his mother and his uncle whose bodies were never found. Haoran was taught since birth that the body of the soul is the most sacred. He wondered where they were, and he knew they resented him for his ignorance and failure in finding them. He was stuck among the hills, wondering and yelling at the space that seemed to have no ending. At this rate, he wished he had followed in the footsteps of his mother. He missed her so dearly. He missed her laughter and her songs, including the way she had always held him tight when he was in dire need of attention and care. His body was covered in visible scars and dried blood that was caused by attacks from evil spirits. It grew from time to time. Haoran loathed this district, but seeing how he was attacked, he knew he was in the right place. For five days, he was locked in this misery ever since the lady spirit tipped him off with answers.

Haoran found himself dancing in circles as a wave of energy swept past him, causing him to fall. His sword clattered, slipping far away from his grip. Without clear sight, and access to either food or water, Haoran felt his body going weak. He could barely remember the sight of the place when he sent his troops in. It bore quite a similar sight to the An family's home, and Haoran was certain that this time, after almost seven thousand battles that led him on, this would be the one. He pushed himself up, drawing in breath, yet it turned into an ugly gurgle when Haoran felt a sharp sting right at his spine. His hands went numb as he lay on the ground.

"Pang Haoran, Pang Haoran, only a fool would come to the world's end to search for me."

"You!" Haoran hissed, arms flapping to the back to capture the figure, yet those arms were caught and pinned close to the weapon embedded in his spine.

"I knew from the first day I met you that you are nothing but a pathetic prince," Aihan sneered as she gripped onto his arm, placing it near the sword, and as Haoran struggled it cut his skin. "So eager for revenge yet your plans were useless."

Don't listen to her. Come to me.

"Wha -" Haoran coughed when a strong force landed on his cheeks, causing him to convulse as he felt the sting on his spine.

"Don't be a hero when you cannot be one. Such disgrace. Your mother was a real warrior, a..."

Listen to me, Haoran. Succumb to my voice and ignore the pain. Let your pain become your gain.

"Who are you?" Haoran hissed as he buried his face into the ground and found himself stumbling into a whole new dimension of spirals and webs covered in glimmered linings.

"And, here I thought you would refuse, again," the figure grinned, leaning close to Haoran's cheeks and wiping the dirt away from his face. "How long did it take to make you realize I was always around? Watching you suffer because you refuse to accept the other side of it?"

"Who are you?" Haoran asked, stepping backwards when he saw the mirrored figure before him. "It cannot be. This is a dream."

"Call it a dream. An illusion, but this is the one safe way for you to get out of that fiery pit you are in little brother," the boy chuckled and crossed his arms. "Your time on those lands is ticking, and by the time the last leave fell and you still do not make a choice, then your fate will be as written."

Turning around, Haoran spotted the silver tree with three remaining leaves hanging on it. It swayed as the figure blew onto it, but failed to detach itself. Haoran heaved at the thought, his palms rubbed against each other when he felt the cool breeze before his skin. He needed time to acknowledge what was going on around him. A dream. An illusion. Most importantly, he just heard the figure calling him his little brother. He had no elder brothers for that matter, and if he did he would know. It was his dream to have an elder or a younger brother since he was a child. Facing the figure again, Haoran crossed his arms.

"I do not have an elder brother. I never did," Haoran said and continued. "So if you want to start this conversation with a lie, then two can tango. I do not make deals with a liar."

"No, baby brother, you don't, but you make deals with a benefactor. I can be your benefactor and also your vengeance. The choice is all yours," he opened his arms and smirked. "If Aihan can pry my dead soul from your arms and mother's body, then you too can do the same for her."

There had not been a day that he was lost for words completely. Somehow someone in this world had more of a family background knowledge than he did.

"I can offer you a way for freedom, Haoran and all I ask is for you to take this throne I am offering so ever freely to you. A throne for both of our freedom," the figure explained.

"My freedom? How can it be mine when I am already suffering?" Haoran asked. "Freedom always comes with a cost."

"Yes, you are right. For you, only one," he sneered showing off the purple magic emitting from his fingers. "See these. They are a pathway to get back to the people who hurt our family. Once I give you these, the world will be always afraid of you. No matter high or low."

As the figure stepped back, showing off a bright space with a blood throne and skeletons behind it, Haoran could hear the whispers from it. The skeletons calling out for him, raking their arms in desire for a person to claim it. They preached a story about the strongest demon king one had ever seen in the future. He watched as spirits flew out of it eagerly. Some with spilt heads and bodies while some only had a head floating around. Haoran chuckled as he turned to the figure.

"In exchange for our freedom," Haoran said and smirked. "I will accept your offer and free you. I will take your place and be as monstrous as I can be to punish the person who hurt our family." 

Word Count: 2,799 words

Cumulative Word Count: 23,141 words