Anger and despair burn through . Everyone judges so harshly...so brutally. I made the wrong choice. And so what if I did?
The Emperor had not been bluffing when he threatened to banish . I was trying to get away from Fang. Even death rejected . It was either that, or I spend my eternity as Fang’s slave.
No one knows the extent that I suffered! No one has the right to judge anymore!
I feel rage burning through . It courses through my veins and down to my finger tips. The power courses through until it is too much to bear. I expel it in one powerful, angry wave.
Then, the cave starts to fall apart. I don’t bother to move. I am still a bit dazed. The power that radiated from is sothing I have never experienced before. I wait for the heavy rocks and crystals to fall on with my eyes closed. I can still hear the loud sounds of rocks crashing into rock and crashing on the ground.
But, what I don’t hear, is rocks crashing into . I slowly open my eyes.
I blink in shock.
I am standing in a protective shield.
The entire cave crumbles to rubble, but I remain intact.
This must be Xian Xi’s handwork.
I look around the dead expanse of land. Pools of black liquid cover the surface of the rocks. My nightmares have been defeated.
I touch my stomach instinctively. I killed them again.
A figure slowly morphs into a human form and walks toward . Shirtless, lean torso, black hair, black eyes with gold rims.
"Oze Hikaru, at your service".
I blink.
Who is he? No, more importantly, what is he? And how did he get into this nightmare?
"I need your help".
I already make up my mind to turn him down blatantly. Xian Xi had made the sa request, but look at how it had turned out. Why do people even need my help anyway? What am I good for?
"How did you get here?"
He has markings on his arms. Very strange markings. Not a Gorhm, not a Kacryth, not a Yundei, not a Xiju, not anything. Maybe, he is a Yundei, but probably cursed.
"I’m nicknad the Worm. I can infiltrate people’s nightmares by manipulating shadows - I’m a shadow bender".
I blink again.
Not today.
I turn around and start walking away. He hurries to catch up with . The already dark scenery seems even more dark. I can feel the darkness clawing over . Xian Xi is here sowhere.
I feel weak all of a sudden. He was supposed to understand! We are both cursed! But...he didn’t kill the Imperial battalion, he didn’t doom the entire continent to the wrath of the Demon rulers. I did.
No one ever accepts when they know what I really am. I keep wondering why I didn’t die when my body had been cast into the sea. Everything would have ended - the prejudice, the hatred, the contempt.
I slowly sink to my knees. All these people here are stuck in limbo because of . I took their lives away from them. Xian Xi has every reason to hate , but it’s not justified in my point of view.
I have to fix everything sohow. I’m only good at running away and hiding. But, I can only run away for so long, I can only hide for so long. Fate always finds .
I fist my hands as black tears drip down my cheeks.
But this ti... I will be ready to face fate when it cos knocking. I won’t run anymore.
I won’t be weak anymore!
I may be a demon, but I have a heart. A heart that bleeds.
"Is everything alright?" A voice jolts from my thoughts.
Hikaru. A shadow bender. I have only heard of them, not actually t them.
He squats beside .
"Not the best ti?"
I don’t say anything.
What does he even need for? People should stop needing ! I’m useless. I’m a burden! A curse! And...a killer.
"We can always talk so other ti, but I went through a whole ordeal just to get here".
My eyes widen and I spare him a glance. His voice is deep and musical, it sparks a mory sowhere in the back of my head.
"Would you hear out?"
I don’t trust myself to speak, so I just nod. I wonder how I must look to him. My lips are trembling, my cheeks are stained with black tears - I must look like the very epito of weakness.
Before I can react, he pulls into a warm hug. I break down even further. I never knew how much I needed warmth. I’ve always been so cold, always wanting soone to reach out. A mory flashes, brief, but enough to warm . I am in a man’s arms. The image is unusual, but it feels real.
I don’t know how long I let him hold , but when he finally releases , I don’t want to let go. I want to keep clinging to the little mory I just saw. In the mory, I was happy. The happiest I have ever been.
This Hikaru guy seems very patient. He is waiting for a signal from so he can proceed with his mission.
I give him a brief nod.
"I want to raise a resistance in the Vault".
The mont I hear what he has to say, I cover his mouth with my palm. Fang is watching sowhere.
She had said that all my actions have consequences. Soone could die as a result of this single conversation.
I hear the swift sound of sothing slicing through the air.
I push apart from him and jump to the ground. A red thread-like wave of power cuts him into three parts - head, thorax and limbs.
I take in a breath and try to quiet my raging thoughts. Did Fang just do this?
His blood splashes on my face and garnts. I can feel the slick liquid dripping from my forehead down to my lap.
I look around warily. My heart is pounding so heavily against my ribs. My vision is blurring. No tears. Not now. I can’t afford to be weak at this mont.
I can’t seem to breathe with my mouth closed. I keep panting, like I’ve just run a marathon.
Heavens, help .
Why am I still in the nightmare? Has Xian Xi not defeated his nightmare yet?
I cover my eyes to shield the gory sight in front of .
Guilt weighs on . I saved only myself.
I have to find Xian Xi.
I get up slowly and dust myself off. I avoid looking at the remains of Hikaru. I would see him at the Vault after the nightmare.
The tir appears. We’re running out of ti. I make a move to run, but I hear a loud growl.
I slowly turn my head and find myself staring into three large pairs of red eyes. My heart is at hyper-fast mode. All thoughts cease.
For a mont, I remain frozen in place due to shock...and fear.
Then, my mind jump-starts again. Run!
Too late.
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