Chapter 43: The Return

Chapter 43: The Return

SQUEAK!

Bats. The pitiful demons of the forest. They let out a sharp, mournful screech as the palace turned into dust. They flew around the palace, knowing what had happened. They slowly returned to the trees and hung there, watching the humans who had left.

Their eyes fixated on the backs of the disappearing figures. They let out a final squeak before wrapping their wings around their small, black bodies.

Zhuo and Jian Yue scanned the forest, which was unusually silent. No sign of spirits, as if they had gone silent after the events.

Zhuo briefly glanced at his arm, the wound from the tiger’s claws still stung. Jian Yue looked at Xue Lan, who was walking forward faster than their paces. He had questions about why Xue Lan came there to fight the Mistress. Gratitude warred with doubt in his chest.

The wound on Xue Lan’s back was worse, the cut almost showing the spine, yet he walked with no hesitation in his steps. As if the pain mattered nothing more than a holding cell.

Zhuo stared down at the Arbiter’s page. What could be the ritual requirements? It was a high ordinal page... the last stage of Authority’s humanity.

The Cursed Womb. Zhuo remembered the plea. The palace had already fallen. Was she still there? What should I do? Zhuo moved his head down, looking at the ground. He closed his eyes for a few seconds... He failed to keep his words. ’Didn’t I choose to save them?’

The same church stood ahead. The same situation, a house from behind, still stuck between times.

***

Meanwhile, in the temple.

The night deepened further, almost midnight. The moon hung in the sky, pale blue and perfectly round.

Mo Fei lay on the floor, looking at the ceiling. His eye twitched as if irritated by something, then he looked at Yi Jyuhan; that damn dumb facial expression made him more annoyed.

Yi Jyuhan’s face held a smirk, wrongly curved. He fanned his face, then looked at Mo Fei’s annoyed expression.

Lin was even more fed up by both of them, yet she remained silent.

Then the door opened.

Alisa entered the room only to be greeted by two fed-up faces and one... uh, let’s not talk about Yi Jyuhan; let the gentleman daydream his fantasies...

Alisa hesitated at the sight, then quietly sat down. Her face had no smile, nor any sign of enthusiasm. Of course she couldn’t have any after what she did to Lovenia. She looked at Mo Fei and said, "They haven’t returned?"

Mo Fei nodded in response before sitting. His eyes narrowed at the kids who had already fallen asleep. He sighed and said, "I hate the scent of sorrow in the air."

Yi Jyuhan spoke next. "You don’t like my glorious joke. Unlucky."

Mo Fei gave a blank look. "Shut him down, or I swear I’m going to kill myself."

Yi Jyuhan sulked and let out a dramatic sigh. "Don’t let your Glaive rust."

Lin coughed, and both of them went silent; then she looked at Alisa, whose smile didn’t return. "As for you, Alisa." Lin’s voice softened, losing the sharp expression she used on the boys. "You buried her, right? A grave is not just a place of burial. It’s necessary for the heart of the person. You have a place for her where you know she will listen to you."

Alisa didn’t say anything, her fingers tracing the hem of her cloak.

Lin spoke again. "The temple is cold enough. Don’t make your emotions colder."

The air in the room seemed to thicken. Even Yi Jyuhan stopped fanning himself; the smirk slid off his face and melted. The bravado vanished, leaving only a human who had lost another.

Mo Fei leaned his head back on the ground, looking back at the ceiling. "Do you think it matters?" Mo Fei let out a small huff. "Every time you close your eyes and regret. You are only letting them win." He turned his head away. "You aren’t living only for yourself anymore."

Mo Fei closed his eyes in an attempt to sleep. Tonight would be the third day of his ritual, which meant Ordinal ascension.

***

At the forest’s edge. Xue Lan stepped out of it first. A few minutes later, Zhuo and Jian Yue exited. Jian Yue looked at the sky; the twinkling of the stars made his shoulders rest in relief.

Zhuo took a long breath, taking in the air. His face relaxed into a smile. Finally, a rest, even a small rest. To see others... To lie under the blanket of sky. To enjoy the moment that wouldn’t last long.

Jian Yue and Zhuo walked through the entrance, seeing the guards who immediately rushed toward them. As they saw Xue Lan’s wound, they reached out to offer help, yet again. He didn’t acknowledge them; his footsteps were hurried. He had news to deliver.

The guards went toward Zhuo, stopping in front of him and Jian Yue. Zhuo shook his head, gently denying their help.

In just two hours, they were standing in front of the temple. Finally, they had returned, safe and in one piece.

Then, they entered the temple. Xue Lan was not in their sight. He had already walked toward his room. The door opened with a crunch, and he stepped inside–

Thunk!

Xue Lan collapsed in the doorway. He shut his eyes before opening them again. "Grgh," he put his hand on the ground before helping ’himself’ stand. That was what he had always done. He glanced back at the door, at drops of blood. The wound had begun to open again. His gaze hardened, looking at the floor.

His Luna Moth flew toward the group’s room.

It landed near the window. Yi Jyuhan saw the moth. He understood even with no words, as if the moth had shared everything.

Yi Jyuhan stood up. "Excuse me, they have returned; I’ll go to see them." As he said that, he walked out of the room, leaving others confused.

"They have returned," Lin said. Her voice carried a slight hint of a smile. Mo Fei opened his eye, the other covered by a piece of fabric.

Meanwhile, Yi Jyuhan stopped in front of Xue Lan’s room. His gaze fell on the floor where the drops of blood were visible. He entered the room. Inside, Xue Lan sat, leaning against the wall.

He looked at Yi Jyuhan and said, "The issue is bigger than we imagined."

Yi Jyuhan went closer; he noticed Xue Lan’s bloodsoaked robe. "So is the Cursed Womb in the Misfortune?" Yi Jyuhan’s voice tensed as the thought echoed in his mind.

Xue Lan nodded, confirming. "Was."

"Taken to the main palace. If I’m right." Yi Jyuhan stated.

In response, Xue Lan scoffed. His expression turned grim, his eyes locked on Yi Jyuhan’s. "We have two days."

Yi Jyuhan, who already suspected it, said, "So we got the wrong info. Three weeks to only two days. We will really lose then."

"Very likely."

"What about the Mistress?"

"I killed her."

Yi Jyuhan was surprised by the answer and grinned slightly. He knew Xue Lan would win. "That was quite obvious."

"Another royal guard had been assassinated."

Yi Jyuhan’s mouth opened. Another one? He killed two of them? "That’s– not what I expected."

"I didn’t kill him; that kid did."

"Zhuo?" Yi Jyuhan folded his arms and looked outside. "You got him the Ordinal page, didn’t you?"

"I crossed paths with it. If that can increase our chances of winning, then I won’t leave the chance behind."

Yi Jyuhan stood up; he caught a brief glance at Xue Lan’s hand that had two missing fingers. "Rest is not a luxury; get that before it’s too late." Yi Jyuhan whispered softly and left the room, calling out other cultists to heal Xue Lan’s wounds.

Xue Lan let out a silent gasp, then he saw a few cultists rush inside his room. Their hands filled with herbs as they sat around him.

Yi Jyuhan left him there, then walked toward the room. On the way, he met Zhuo and Jian Yue, who entered the temple. He observed their expression before stopping. "Work is done; congratulations."

They nodded and reached the room with him. They entered and found Mo Fei, Lin, and Alisa. Jian Yue scanned the room, noting the kids were already asleep.

Mo Fei’s voice came, "Looking like mutilated leaves."

Jian Yue’s eyes rolled at Zhuo. "You should see his situation."

Zhuo stood in the doorway, the page clenched in his hand. His face was streaked with dust and dried blood. Zhuo walked inside and fell onto a blanket, closing his eyes. "A little nap, please."

Lin’s hand moved toward him, and she pulled it back. Then she put her hand on her head, shaking her head slightly, letting out a small snicker.

Behind them, Yi Jyuhan pushed Jian Yue inside and entered. Jian Yue stumbled forward, almost tripping. "Watch out!" Yi Jyuhan said and chuckled as if he wasn’t the one who did that.

Zhuo, lying on the floor, opened his eyes a few seconds later, closing them again. Then he muttered. "The Cursed Womb... Was a lady."

Yi Jyuhan glanced at Zhuo. "You have seen the vessel, huh?"

"Is there any way to save the vessel?" Zhuo opened his eyes, searching for Yi Jyuhan’s eyes.

Yi Jyuhan lifted his hands. "They cannot be saved. Can’t die either. Their spirit gets suppressed, but the soul core remains to move their bodies."

Zhuo went silent for a moment. "A fake promise." Zhuo said in a flat tone. "The palace fell; I don’t know if she is still there."

"Taken to the main palace." Yi Jyuhan stated, and then he focused on others and said, "We have only two days left."

Lin then observed the ordinal page and remarked. ’You got that, but which world is required?’

Jian Yue followed her gaze. He reached out his hand toward the page, taking it gently from Zhuo, who was asleep. His eyes scanned the words, reading carefully. His expression tightened. "The ritual requirements are specific..."

Mo Fei, still lying on the floor, turned his head. "Specific?"

Jian Yue did not respond immediately. He folded the paper, putting it back in Zhuo’s hand. "The ritual is specific to a particular world. The Ordinal ritual can only be performed in World Seven."

Lin closed her eyes briefly before reopening them. "What are the performance requirements?"

"On the page it said something dangerous..." Jian Yue exhaled deeply and said,

1: A place where motion is denied. A quiet and still place.

2: They need two hearts.

"Two hearts?" Mo Fei blurted out.

Jian Yue nodded. "The third requirement is that they must stop something alive, then move it. They must stop their own heart and move it, then beat another heart that has already stopped by using motion stealing. The heart of a dead Nikoi."

Lin stepped forward. "That’s too dangerous! He is a kid; he can’t do that yet!" She said, pausing to glance at Zhuo. "The second heart requirement is possible, but stopping his own heart? We can’t take the risk of his life for our own empowerment."

Jian Yue nodded, "Yes, I know we will manage the fight somehow."

She glanced at Jian Yue and said, "First, treat your wounds."

Jian Yue sat down near Zhuo.

Mo Fei finally spoke. "There is no point in wasting our lives to fight it. Why are we fighting something that we will eventually lose?" His words carried frustration.

Yi Jyuhan looked at the ground, then he stood up. "You are right... I’m dragging other ascenders." His voice gradually lowered as he continued. "These worlds are not your responsibility. You all are ascenders who have a dream to reach their homes... If any of you die, it’ll be the fault of my selfishness that’d cost you this. You don’t belong here; I do. I can’t take the responsibility. Deaths are certain. If I could trade it with mine, I would have."

Yi Jyuhan raised his hand and put it on his chest as a gesture. "If I had a home, I’d not have chosen this reckless fight."

Mo Fei went silent and bit his tongue. Yi Jyuhan swept his gaze over them. "This is my only place left."

"That’s stupid," Mo Fei said.

Yi Jyuhan turned. "What?"

"What made you think any of us wanted to be here in the first place? You would not think I’d rather be in my apartment, eating food and failing my exams." Mo Fei sat up, facing him. "Yet, we are here. Do you think running would make it any better? I’ve been surviving the horror just because I wanted to find a way home. I don’t owe you anything precious, for just a small facility or a shelter."

Mo Fei paused and said, "If death had scared me, then I’d have given up on world two. I’d have been a paranoid man. Who knows when will I die? I can’t always run away from that."

Lin’s voice followed. "Rest assured, Yi Jyuhan. I never run from a fight, and the city is in danger, and I hate watching deaths."

Jian Yue nodded at her words.

Alisa, who had been silent throughout, finally raised her head. "I’m really not excluded, right?"

Yi Jyuhan stood in the room, surrounded by the people who refused to leave. His fan hung limp in his hand. For once, he had nothing to say. "Idiots."

Jian Yue leaned against the wall, his hand pressed to a gash on his arm that he hadn’t noticed until now. "Two days is barely enough time to rest and heal."