"I've been waiting for you." Duanxian Yu said with a smile radiating with joy. Deep set eyes containing a gentleness not seen at any other time narrow as he approaches the silent figure in front. Step by step he took in leisure while his sight fully took in the person he spent decades waiting for. This familiar yet so foreign face.
Standing firmly against the pouring rain, his figure barely shook from the cold of soaked clothing. Long brown hair plaster on porcelain skin like ink running across paper. Droplets of rain ran down from his forehead to his upturned eyes, staring at him in silence. Until it misses those pressed thin lips and into the depths of his clothes.
Duanxian Yu pauses for a moment while a hand loosely covers his mouth in contemplation. His head tilts a little to the side before gasping in surprise, "you don't need glasses anymore?"
"..."
Seeing no reply to his question, the corner of Duanxian Yu's lips quiver briefly before continuing the walk forward. The gaze of the person ahead is cold without an ounce of warmth. It lacks the temperature and childishness always directed at him from the past. Instead, regal elegance not stained by the ashes of the mundane replaced that simplicity. Brown eyes peer at him in wordless examination, as if strangers meeting for the first time.
Although the distance between them is only a few meters, what separates them is not a matter of distance, but understanding. Akin to a dense wall barricading him from travel, it will never be known how heavy and time consuming each stride seems to him. Especially after seeing the dispassion in those brown pupils. It almost made him abandon everything and beg for forgiveness on both knees at that split second. Almost.
Splish, splash. Footsteps containing the sound of wet rain resonate in this area not affected by the waves of battle. It continued to sound out amidst the noise of pattering rain until finally stopping within four feet away. Swirling purple pupils tried to meet lowered brown irises covered by wet bangs to no avail. Only tassels of the black hairpin swaying along the wind meets his view, mocking him for his wishful thinking.
Stillness descends between the two, even the clamor of shouts and pelting of rain dimmed into the background as Duanxian Yu became intoxicated by the view of the person before him. Thoughts flashing back to pieces of far off memories, a slender hand extends.
"Fu Xi.." He murmurs in a soft voice.
All of a sudden, the figure in front raised his eyes to reveal a pair of vertically slit pupils glowing in gold. His fingers swiftly pulled at the pin in his hair and along the abrupt flash of lightning, a gleam of silver burst forth directly towards the outstretched hand.
Blood spray in a beautiful arc before plunging into the ground awash by rain.
Duanxian Yu retreated with astonishment as his left hand covered over the wound on his right. Blood flowed freely like a waterfall from his palm and stained the edges of his white shirt. Looking up with reddened eyes, an aggrieved expression overtook the calm mask he wore moments ago.
It hurts.
It's painful, but it's unknown if that pain is from the wound on his palm, or the injury in his heart.
Taking a step forward, "Fu.."
Bang!
Without warning, just as he opened to call Fu Xi's name, a body embedded itself into the ground from the sky. The head of a one-eyed figure popped from that deep hole with dust enveloping his whole body. "Cough, cough. How can this be? Didn't I have the blessing of beneficence?"
Bewilderment filled the Commander's face as half his body propped onto the edge of the hole. His dazed expression became clear when his sights met with Duanxian Yu's pale face. "Duanxian Yu! Why is the beneficence so weak?!"
Recovering his usual smile, Duanxian Yu replied with a careless, "not too sure."
"Not too sure?!" The commander exploded, "you're the one who set the array, how can you not be sure! You better give me an explanation!" Just as the Commander climbed out of the hole with an attitude of looking for a fight, another figure descended from the sky and kicked him back into the hole.
"Aiya~ I stepped on a bug." Chu Nuan's amused voice landed along her descending body. Taking a glance to her right, Duanxian Yu's paper white complexion caused her to snicker, "pff." Serves him right.
Peering to the left is Fu Xi's emotionless gaze melting to a friendly smile, the blade in his hand still dripping red. "Your Honor."
Chu Nuan returned an arrogant grin, "welcome back." Before capturing the figure trying to crawl away. "I'm just passing by, you guys continue." She directed another glance at Duanxian Yu seconds preceding her departing silhouette, a commander wrapped on the ends of her chains.
Sending her off with a slight smile, Fu Xi finally acknowledged Duanxian Yu's presence. In a low voice, he said, "Duanxian Yu, how dare you show up in front of me." His image reflects on the smooth surface of his sword. Together on the silver surface of the blade carved with a black dragon, are a pair of vertical pupils glinting coldly in rage. He doesn't dare to look at Duanxian Yu, not at this time. If he were to look, he's afraid that he cannot control his boiling anger and try to kill him. How dare him, how dare he start another war. Slender fingers grip at the handle of the sword tightly, turning his knuckles white.
Staring at Fu Xi wordlessly, Duanxian Yu clenches his hand, fingernails digging into the flesh of his already opened wound. Thin lips pressed together with a tremble before a chuckle escaped from his lips. "Why do I not dare?" He asked in a mocking tone.
"You!" Enraged by his careless answer, Fu Xi sprang forward with a wave of his blade.
Clang!
The sound of iron clashing vibrates loudly. Two swords, one wrapped in purple aura while another in gold confronts within a fraction of time, then separates immediately before colliding again.
Frustration, sadness, anger, and betrayal all carry within those strikes, speaking out to each other in lieu of words.
__________
On the other side of battle.
Blackie spit out a chunk of flesh in disgust as he sprinted towards the nearest target. "Pei! Taste like shit!"
"I heard a rumor that dogs like to feast on excrement. Never believed in it until today." Nan Hai mocked in an airy voice, the fan in his hand swiped at the approaching enemy without missing a beat. Shocking red liquid ran off the smooth iron surface of the folds and splatter into a semicircle around them.
"Shut up. I wasn't even talking to you." Sharp claws glint with a dangerous flare as they tore flesh apart with barely any trouble. Grinning fangs drip with a horrendous amount of black blood.
"Tsk. Your personality changes so much whenever Her Honor isn't around, if I didn't know better I would have mistaken you for having a personality disorder." Green wind flew from the edges of his fan and tried to leave a mark into the black gate, to no avail.
"Focus." Blackie replied whilst dodging an oncoming blade. Jumping into the air, he took a deep breath before releasing a burst of energy in the form of a bark. Soundwaves pushed the demons away while injuring them internally.
"We won't hold for long like this." Nan Hai murmurs, his eyes taking in the view of envoys struggling to dismantle doors while fending off enemies. It flitted past the image of Chu Nuan engaging in a one sided fight against the Commander before landing on the nearest gate. Clutching his weapon tightly, his shout rang out in the opening, "everyone, step back! I'm about to try something big!"
Heeding the warning, all envoys avoided the area at the moment's notice, spreading out in different directions.
Immediately, shallow wind currents began to blow gently at first, then gradually forming into a strong gale. One, two, three powerful whirlwinds appeared in the air, its pressure causing even Blackie to take a step back. Sweat slips down Nan Hai's forehead and drips down to his trembling hands. Skin began to crack as streams of blood began to flow out from those crevices with the continuous straining of this body, there are signs of breaking down.
"Just a little more." Taking a deep breath to control the building up of energy, Nan Hai swung his arm forward, aiming at the black gate and the demons around it.
Bam!
Flying dust and debris cover the area surrounding the explosion, only to reveal a door unblemished by attacks.
Cough. A surge of fresh blood stained the corner of Nan Hai's pale lips. "How?"
"Aim for the lamps." A calm voice pierce through the rain and entered the ears of everyone present. Following the hint, flashes of light penetrated through the crowd and broke the swaying lamps hanging on the side of the double gates.
Crash! The lamps shattered onto the floor and disperse the ominous blackish blue flames. With the disappearance of the flames, an obvious crack began to appear on the door. Web-like gaps began to show from small to large until chips of material fell bit by bit and crumbled into dust. The door everyone had trouble dealing with just became rubble in a matter of seconds.
"Second brother!" Blackie and Nan Hai exclaimed with the appearance of a new figure in battle. Holding onto a longbow nocked with another arrow, the second out of the three Ghost Lords made his first appearance.
"Focus." Jing Shi commanded. His calm and confidence immediately became a stabilizer to those still confused by his sudden appearance. Breaking a few more lanterns with his arrows, the dismantling of black gates began to move with an unprecedented speed.
"Second brother, where have you've been?" Blackie asked with curiosity as a claw lacerated a row of weak demon soldiers sending themselves to be fodder.
"With the Young Master." Jing Shi answered simply while remaining stationary between the protection of Nan Hai on his right and Blackie to his left. "I came with him."