While riding the horse Xu Lei feels his heart tightening and reaches one hand over it, pain explodes in his body and expands itself from the chest...
Qin Luo notice him slowing down and come beside him -Are you alright?- he man nods -For now yes, we need to find her soon... I can't keep it inside me anymore- he talks with his head bowed down -We will- replies the other.
...
I grab his cold body with one arm and crawl toward the temple with the other, being still partially paralyzed.
I reach the entrance of the temple, it's much bigger than I would have expected... A slight snow covers the stone path as the temperature is much lower up here. A finely decorated gate stands before me, odd drawings of cursed children are shown on it... Not that I mind for now, I need to hide.
Entering the main courtyard, a field of bones meets my eyes. Everything is white, from the stones to the snow and the human's remains... I push He Rang's corpse into that disturbing garden and hide him well with some monk's veils -I'm sorry but for now we have to separate... I promise that I'll be back and take you down this mountain for a better rest- after one quick bow I walk away, limping due to the stiff legs.
I pass over the field of bones and enter the building of the temple, inside it's completely dark as there are no windows on the walls and there are no pieces of forniture to hide into. I knock on the walls in search of a door or an opening of any kind but nothing seems to work my way today, after having walked around the whole perimeter of the room I begin to hear a horn echoing nearby -They're here-
I take my sword in one hand and stand behind the doors, the room is very dark but I can still manage to see even if barely... This is going to be my only advantage against those men -I accept my defeat, but I won't let them have me so easily-
...
The two men pass through a river with the reins of the horses in hand, after leaving the water Xu Lei falls on his knees and the general grabs him before hitting his head -We need to lay down and rest-
The commander shrugs him off and stands back up -No, we need to find her before anything happens- Qin Luo pushes him back down -Who do you want to rest if you can't even resist this much? We departed for the battlefield 2 days ago and have been searching for almost a whole other day... 3 days have passed since they disappeared, if she managed the survive these 3 days alone then nothing will happen to her. She can wait a few more hours, having your life on her conscience would only hurt her! You're injured for god's sake-
Xu Lei's eyes drops and he sees the man's hands shaking -You're yelling at me to rest but are trembling in fear... What a liar- he chuckles, desperate.
-Somone has to keep the situation under control and as a General that is my role...- his voice sounds colder but then he gives in and seats on the ground trembling -... But I'm scared, I cannot help but feel anxious... I want to tear my skin apart for the fear, my heart is about to pop out of my chest. But I cannot put you in danger too, sacrificing a soldier for another is a crime-
-That if the soldiers were on the same level- stops him Xu Lei -But we know she's a much more valuable soldier than both of us. I'm ready to be a sacrifice for her, if such a day ever comes-
...
I see those men in the distance, black smoke rises in the sky.
I bang the doors open with a feet, looking dead in the eyes with their leader -You wished to find me dead but here I am still alive! If you want my head come and get it- I roll the sword and welcome them.
The men scream and throw themselves on me. They are about 20 and I am just one, powerless and weakened... One thrusts his sword forward and scrapes my cheeks from behind, I kick away a few meters the one I was fighting with and turn around to deal with my current aggressor
-Well, I'm not entirely sure if today is at my vantage or against me- I clean the blood with my palm and lick it off the skin -I always avoided fighting you for the fact that you can take my powers away. But today I have nothing left already so you cannot seal anything away, it's going to be a fair fight- I provoke him straight to his face as I showed myself from his attack
-If I can kill you all like this, then nothing will ever stop me from destroying you in the future-
Three more men comes from behind at the same time as the one in front aims at my shoulder, I look to my sides and see no opening in between the other men... After all, this room wasn't the best fighting ground. My mistake.
I jump away before the four swords clashes and one of them dissolves into sand after being hit. I land on the stone path way outside and lose balance, I fall one one side and hit my hip violently... I might have fractured something there, all because my body is still slow due to the paralyzing drugs.
"I need to take them into the wood just outside the temple, with the trees in between I have one more chance of survival..." I think gritting my teeth as I stand back up "If only I had my agility... Dammit"
I wait for them to come outside and run toward the gate but a whip strikes me from behind and I go down one one knee as the skin of my back gets torn open. The air leaves my lungs but I can only use one second of relax before standing back up and running.
...
Xu Lei screams in pain and falls, contorting on the ground in pain -Xu Lei! Hang with me, keep your eyes open!- the general grabs his shoulders but the man kicks him away -Gaaah stay! Away!!! I'm not... In control anymore!- he yells and the ground begins to rumble under them
-What the hell?! Xu Lei!- his voice doesn't reach the other man's ear anymore, his heartbeat echoes all over with the sound of falling trees and cracking rocks
-Ahhh damn! I can't...! Hold it! Khaagh!!!- flames erups from his body and bloods drips down his ear, a sudden explosion occurs and then everything vanishes... Xu Lei lies down unmoving and Qin Luo approaches him cautiously, he reach an hand on his wirst to cheek if he's still alive but the other's man hand grabs him before he could sense anything.
-Don't give me for dead yet, General- he smirks and the other takes a breath of relief -What just happened?- he professionally gets back to work -I think... Her powers left me-
-How...?- -I have no idea either, It shouldn't be possible but it felt as if she called them forth... Now it's all I'm her hands- he whispers before passing out due to the fatigue.
...
I find myself pushes against the handrail of a balcony beside the temple, my head swinging in the emptiness as a hand from the leader's chokes my throat.
My eyes starts to roll back and the oxygen becomes less and less, I anchor my feet to the stones below us but the man beside me is still to strong for my current self... That's it, that's the moment I die...
"I'm sorry He Rang, I cannot fulfill my promise either" I apologize to him in my head and a warm drop falls on my cheek, accepting my death at last.
I failed to protect this world.
"I give up... You won..." I close my eyes and stop pulling on that man's hand
...
...
"Give up? Are you for real Lai'Er?! Are we back home following mother's orders?" Screams a voice in my head... I'm probably death already "Get a grip, stop being a weak lady again. We're a warrior who carries this world's future on their shoulders!"
Yes I am
"Open your eyes"
I do it, that man's whisked smile appears in front of me
"Stand up"
I slowly push him back with just my neck, he looks at me confused as he sees me straighten up
"Now burn the forest down"
I rise my hand and a sparks explodes inside me, throwing all the men to the other side of the courtyard -I told you I wouldn't let you have me so easily-