Xiang Yu crouched by the calm lake, his reflection shimmering on the surface. He felt something was wrong with his neck hence as soon as he got the opportunity he walked over to see for himself.
Something was indeed different. There were patterns etched into a small part of his neck like a tattoo. Though the gave off that illusion, they weren't just mere tattoos. They were a manifestation of his demonic power and he would find out in the future that they would only spread as he grew stronger.
His head tilted slightly as he traced the intricate lines with his fingertips. His eyes fell into a momentary daze recalling his mother's pale hand slipping into steaming water as she took her last breath.
His finger froze his breath stagnant. Just as his thoughts slowly slipped into the dark abyss a soft voice interrupted his thoughts. "Big brother," called out the young girl as she stood beside him. Her eyes widened slightly as she took in the appearance of the patterns on his neck.
"It looks nice," she said, her voice surprisingly steady. "Like mountain flowers."
Xiang Yu glanced at her, surprised by her lack of fear. After what happened last time he swore she would stand ten feet away from him. If it weren't for her mother forcing them to eat together he was sure she would have opted out of it and who could blame her? "You are not afraid of me?"
She shook her head as she crouched beside him. "I was before but... you risked your life to save mine. That counts for something. You are not a bad person."
Xiang Yu's lips quirked into a genuine smile. 'See mother, there are people who don't mind a monster like me,' he said to himself as he stared into the distance.
Seeing his current state the girl hesitated to ask. "Big brother, will you stay here with me and my mother?"
Xiang Yu was a little surprised. He glanced at her and asked, "Why are you asking?"
The young girl lowered her head even further feeling guilty. She drew circles on the wet banks of the lake while saying, "The demons might come back. They might attack again and... I am afraid."
Xiang Yu chuckled softly. "That's what you are worried about? I won't leave any time soon, Dan Dan," he said his gaze lost on the horizon. He had heard her mother call her Dan Dan when trying to coax her. Thus he called her that to make her feel comfortable.
She sat beside him, her movements relaxed and with no fear despite having witnessed what he could be. "Thank you for saving me. You are a hero."
Xiang Yu scoffed. Heroes didn't have twisted souls or blood thirst boiling in their veins. But her words touched something within him. He met her gaze, seeing a look of admiration and complete trust in those eyes.
"I will stay," he said reassuring her. That night blood was spilt but this time it wasn't that of humans but demons. Xiang Yu stood at the edge of the forest, his blade slick with demon blood. Demonic power surged within him, like ferocious flames. His eyes glowed crimson his pupils narrowed to slits.
His fingers traced the lines on his neck. The patterns that appeared when he awakened his demon blood spread with each demon core he shattered and absorbed. It looked like someone had taken a blade to his skin and carved out the intricate patterns.
The malevolent energy pulsed within him like a second heartbeat. When their essence merged with his own he experienced an otherworldly feeling. The ecstasy was intoxicating. It was like a heady rush flooding in his veins. His crimson eyes glowed brighter, and his skin prickled with newfound strength. Dan Dan called him a hero, but he knew the truth. He knew who he was. A monster, fuelled by vengeance and hunger.
The sinister energy seeped into every pore, filling the voids left by betrayal and abandonment. His mother's face twisted with hatred as she strangled him, flashed in his mind. Memories of his father heartlessly slashing his back and slitting his throat all because he was weak filled his mind. But he was no longer weak. Not anymore.
Xiang Yu flexed his fingers, his fingernails elongating. The sound of the demons' dying wails echoed in his mind. Their blood had stained his clothes, their cores pulsing within him like dark stars. He was no longer the weak half-blood but a force of nature, a reckoning.
He smiled slightly as his fingers ran through his hair. Dragging his bloodied blade he walked down the mountain his steps heavy with sin and his heart ablaze with power. The fishing village was dead silent but Xiang Yu knew they weren't sleeping. They cowered in their homes, praying that they lived through the night.
They were mostly the elderly, the sick, and some women and children who couldn't survive the long journey out of the village and small town. They were left to fend for themselves with no one to save them.
Hence in their eyes, Xiang Yu was their saviour. From that night a small monument appeared in the fishing village and he gained a group of devoted followers who only grew over the years.
***
Right in the centre of the busy city of Chang'an was a luxurious restaurant perched atop a pagoda. Sitting by the window on the second floor was a young man by the name of Han Xin. He was clad in a moon-white silk robe its hem dusted with gold. His tassels and jade-like ornaments added opulence.
His fair complexion exuded an otherworldly elegance. His long, flowing silver hair cascaded like moonlight, framing his features that hint at both celestial and infernal origins. His eyes were pale as frost-kissed petals, exquisite and enticing.
He glanced at the vast beauty of Chang'an city as he set his cup down. It was a tapestry of red-tiled roofs and winding alleys. Lanterns swayed, casting flickering shadows on the cobbled streets. The scent of osmanthus blossoms wafted through the open window, mingling with the aroma of freshly brewed tea.