As they were pressed for time, Lanling and Haruki could only kiss and cuddle until they fell asleep.
When morning came, they were already by the gates, even before the gong sounded, while Lanling gave a few final instructions to the guard stationed there.
Then, they ran.
Lanling created a streak of white and blue light as he used his lightning to increase his speed, while Haruki almost glided, the wind pushing him forward.
It was when they had traveled for nearly ten minutes that Lanling suddenly signaled for them to stop. The camp was no longer in sight, and trees were surrounding them as they took a shortcut—the roads would have taken longer.
"What's wrong?"
Haruki, still anxious from yesterday's discussion, thought Lanling wasn't feeling well again. He asked as his hand subconsciously caught Lanling's dangling hand and interlocked them right away.
Lanling chuckled. He freed his hand from Haruki's before coiling his arms around the man's neck.
Haruki froze.
"Don't be perverted. I just know you're faster than me."
"Wa—Who—Who are you calling perverted?? Are you reading my mind again?!"
"I only have two talents—where would I get the ability to read your mind?" Lanling laughed at his guilty, flustered appearance. "I can tell just by looking at your face..." His eyes narrowed with joy as his lips curved teasingly. "You thought I wanted it right here in the open."
"Urgh, you hugged me suddenly..." Haruki swiftly hid deep in Lanling's neck, hiding the shame that reddened his face.
"I would love to, but now's really not the time." Lanling's chuckle dropped to a deeper treble, his voice laced with a dangerously suggestive tone.
Haruki involuntarily shook in response and met Lanling's gaze with shock. "Holy... so sexy..."
Lanling sighed helplessly. He leaned forward and kissed Haruki hard on the lips before parting. "Focus, Haruki. I need you to fly for me."
Haruki's face lit up like the sun from Lanling's kiss, and he smiled cheerfully at the order. "Yes, general~"
He wrapped his arms around Lanling's waist and effortlessly lifted him slightly off the ground. The wind instantly propelled them up and over the trees. This time, they were calmer, as Haruki had grown adept at handling the currents.
But he also knew how much his emotions could influence the wind, so he quickly stole a kiss from Lanling and laughed heartily, like a child who had stolen cookies from the jar.
And the wind responded.
He soared across the sky, the trees blurring beneath them while he held Lanling securely against his chest. A faint feeling of having achieved his dream surfaced in his mind, along with a familiar splitting headache that threatened to reveal his past memories.
But the pure joy of flying with Lanling anchored him firmly in the present.
Lanling laughed freely with him, marveling at how good it felt for the wind to hit their skin. The coldness of it did nothing to dampen the warmth they felt from each other, and he nuzzled his head against Haruki's chest, instinctively seeking a way to deepen their embrace.
How wonderful it would be if they could just keep flying like this?
For the first time in years, Lanling was secretly fantasizing.
An hour passed, and they descended to the ground, feeling a twinge of disappointment that they had to end it.
Haruki's control over his talent wasn't strong enough to keep them in the air comfortably forever, so breaks were inevitable. Without them, their muscles would lock up.
They stretched, walked for a bit, and resumed flying nearly fifteen minutes later.
Another hour later, they hovered over the swamp. Its disgustingly murky black-and-red water lay still, like a grotesque painting. Scorched, bald cypress trees dotted the area, their jagged tips adding to the desolate atmosphere.
The place looked lifeless, abandoned.
"Should we land?"
"How's your body?" Lanling asked, his gaze sweeping the surroundings with sharp attention. His heart pounded as unease crept in—something felt off.
"I'm good for a few more minutes. But my hands are dying~" Haruki exaggerated his sadness and faked a cry, pulling Lanling from his tense thoughts and making him chuckle in amusement.
"Alright, let's avoid touching the water. We only have potions with us. If we get infected with something, we'd be done for."
"Alrighty~"
They hovered a bit longer until Lanling pointed to a spot near the edge of the swamp, a strange feeling rising in him as he frowned at the sight.
The area was littered with corpses.
They landed softly, wary of the unstable ground. Only when Haruki confirmed it wasn't mud did he release Lanling from his embrace.
Lanling, distracted by his thoughts, walked forward and began inspecting the corpses, unsheathing his silver jian to poke some of them or turn them over.
By the time he turned the tenth body, his expression was as dark as storm clouds.
"The armor is right. It's the Black Pythons'. But the corpses wearing it are civilians."
"Civilians? Why would they be here?" Haruki asked, using his own sword to turn over another body. Hearing Lanling's observation, he examined the nearest corpse more closely.
"I haven't got a clue. It was already strange to find corpses still lying around. That creature would never even leave a finger," Lanling muttered, his voice heavy with suspicion. He continued surveying the area and hopped onto a tree stump, trying to gain a better vantage point.
Lanling spun once, scanning the area, but found nothing. His gaze then shifted to Haruki.
Haruki was bent over the corpses, studying them carefully, hoping to gather useful information for Lanling. The more he examined them—their clothing, their positions—the more an unsettling familiarity crept into his mind.
If there was a creature that fed on mortals, then these corpses felt like... bait.
Excited at the realization, Haruki turned toward Lanling, a spark of delight in his eyes, eager to share his thoughts.
"Haruki!!!"
A blinding light erupted from his chest. Startled, he instinctively looked down, but before his eyes could adjust to the brightness, a force yanked him backwards.
Wide-eyed, Haruki watched as Lanling sprinted toward him, lightning crackling behind him and rage blazing in his gaze. Haruki's reflexes kicked in, his wind rushing to assist. But as soon as he was pulled past a translucent barrier, the chaotic sounds of the outside world were abruptly silenced, leaving an eerie stillness in their place.
Within the barrier, there was no wind. No sound. Just an unnatural quiet.
Lanling slammed against the barrier's edge, unable to cross, his eyes wide with desperation.
A tear escaped down his cheek as he pounded against the invisible wall, fury and anguish contorting his face.
Everything had happened in a single second.