Chereads / Stains of Red / Chapter 22 - The White Beyond

Chapter 22 - The White Beyond

Xi Heji slowly opened his eyes. Immediately, white light covered his vision. Squinting his eyes and adjusting to the brightness of the atmosphere, he got up. As he brought his hands to his side to propel himself up, he realized his skin was also a bright white. It was so much so that it almost blended in with the surroundings. Once he had the upper part of his body in an upright position, he realized he wasn't in his room, nor was he in his bed. Looking around, he saw only a white beyond. Around him, only an infinite white plain with no objects or life. Even the sounds of his movement didn't reach his ears. Although he felt contact with the white floor he was sitting upon, the feeling… was rather strange. It almost… didn't have a feeling. It was as if something was there, but wasn't at the same time. Although he knew he was alive, he felt his own hand with no warmth emitting from it.

Suddenly, he felt his body vibrate. An even brighter light blinded the world. Even though no sound or even feelings of the world shaking were sent to his brain, his eyes saw the world shaking. Light rays shot out in all directions. Xi Heji's eyes traced origin of these light rays to a ball of pure light not far of from him. As moments went on, the light started fading. With the veil of white light lifted, a floating girl remained in a curled position. Even with all of the vibrations he felt no longer present, Xi Heji still decided to not make any rash moves. Even after what Xi Heji perceived to be a couple of minutes, the girl didn't move at all.

Xi Heji looked around one last time. There was still nothing. Even after what seemed to be minutes, besides the appearance of this girl, nothing else had changed. Xi Heji had many thoughts on this situation. It couldn't be a dream… could it? He could still think, and very well at that. His senses, although some extraordinarily weak, were still present. And for his imagination to create such a dream… from where did he pull such a fantasy?

But if not a dream, then what? Could it be that he teleported to another place or even… world? Now that would make much more sense but as the place he is in currently, a way out much less a way in doesn't even seem possible. So how would he get here to begin with? Moreover, how does one go about finding such a place? Considering the two options he sorted out in his 'head', the first one seemed most viable. But still, curiosity of this seemingly 'created' world still gave him the sense to explore. The oddity that is the girl was one of them, as she was the closest thing to familiarity he could find in this world, as she appeared to be human just like him.

As he neared closer to the girl, he realized she wasn't wearing any clothes. Because of her pale white skin, much like his in this place, it made her blend with the surroundings, so it was hard to tell if she had anything on. The girl seemed short, even shorter than him. She looked almost bald as her luscious white hair was the absolute embodiment of the color as even her skin fell short in comparison. So much so it almost completely blended in with the background.

As he walked closer, he stood a couple steps from the girl. Eyeing her for a bit, he watched for any movements, whether that would be breathing or twitching of the eye that would give her any signs of life. But even after a while, he noticed nothing. He finally closed the couple of steps in between them as he approached her, raising his hand as he tapped her shoulder. But even after a while, nothing happened. After he waited a couple moments, he did it again but what met him was the same result. After he did it once more without success, he tried to move the figure, grabbing her curled arm with his hand. He found that she was… very light, almost weightless, as if there was nothing on his hands. But even after moving her a bit, she did not wake, but instead continued floating in the air. Nothing seemed to even cause the slightest movement out of the girl, so Xi Heji decided to put the matter to rest, no longer bothering with the girl. He turned around to again gaze at the white beyond, an endless horizon of white plains that held no texture within them. Just endless… flatness. He kneeled down, cupping his hands as he attempted to dig at the textureless white floor. But upon making contact, he hand didn't even cause a shift. It seems his hands could do nothing as well.

'What is this place…'

He tried to recall any mentions of such a world or place that had any similarities to the situation he found himself in, but came up with nothing. Such strange occurrences have been happening lately. First, the abnormal and almost creep change in Xi Meiying. Even though she has been treating him normally, great unease has been dawning over him ever since she picked him up from the cave. Her avoidance of any prying questions further fueled his fears. But if Xi Meiying was a danger to him in any way whatsoever, he was confident his grandfather would be the first to find out, and would definitely not be one to keep things from him because of feelings, or, he would be dead.

As Xi Heji thought to himself, the figure behind him suddenly opened her eyes. They were opposite in color, a stunningly light blue and pink. She slowly uncurled her body as she stared blankly ahead. This figure had a sense of loss on her face.

Why did this mysterious world feel so familiar to her? She had never been to this place before. And, where was she? The last thing she remembered was being taken by the Goddess of Blood during her energy share. The remnant qi from all of her strongest spirit still freshly lingering in the air. So what of her situation now?

She looked at her hands, feeling extremely weak. She felt as if all the energy inside her was drained. She felt powerless, though even with all this, sleep was the last thing on her mind. She then raised her head, starting her gaze around the surroundings as she stopped on the back of a crouching young boy. She narrowed her eyes as her voice boomed in the empty world.

"Who are you?"