Chapter 53: A Demigod

Chapter 53: A Demigod

No sound came out of the houses of the Capital city. Everything was silent, even the air feared to flow. The symbol of freedom now a distant blow.

The lanterns illuminated the path, flickering softly.

Xue Lan moved his hands in the air. His moths scattered around the place, preparing for the bitter dreams.

Yi Jyuhan pulled out his fan, both of them hiding behind the walls of a house.

Clip-clop

The sound of a horse clopping echoed across the air. From the darkness of the path, connecting to the palace. A majestic white horse emerged, tail burning with a beautiful blue flame. The flames reached toward a figure sitting over the horse.

He was wearing a robe that had the color of dried blood, trimmed with gems that reflected the blue flames. Behind that man, a few guards followed him.

Ironic that what they were guiding didn’t need protection.

His face was young, beautiful in a way that made you look until He was gone. His eyes were pitch black: no glint, no life or joy.

The horse bowed its body to the ground, as if it would rather not be inconvenient. The man jumped to the ground, looking at the second path. His face was calm, but the staring said otherwise. He clicked his boots on the ground. His hair shimmered softly in the air.

Yi Jyuhan whispered, "Don’t forget to play defensively. We only need to survive and distract him."

Xue Lan said nothing. His eyes fixated on the moths that hesitated to get close to the Curator. "He is behind us." Xue Lan whispered back to him.

"Oh yeah He– HE WHAT!" Yi Jyuhan turned swiftly. A spine launched toward them, and Yi Jyuhan clicked his fan. The path stretched, pushing Yi Jyuhan backward.

The spine went through Xue Lan. His body scattered into moths before reappearing beside Yi Jyuhan.

The Curator was behind them. He tilted His head, whipping the air with the spine. Yi Jyuhan darted his eyes at the horse. The Curator was still there; a copy? The man glanced at the fake copy, then focused back on Yi Jyuhan and said, "Fifth year, and you thought I’d not know your tricks."

"You’ve truly come a long way only to die here." The Curator walked in a circle. "Tell me why? Why do you constantly try to ruin my God’s choice?"

"Your God?" Xue Lan stepped out first. His moths swirled around him like a living cloak. "That is none of my business."

"A Dreamer? An enemy of our cult. What could possibly be your purpose? Did that Overseer send you? Such a coward, he can’t even face me himself." The Curator’s lips twitched in a cold, thin smile. His voice held no bitterness or any kind of emotions.

"He must have thought you were weak enough to get handled by me. Though I reassure you, He is not behind my purpose."

The Curator didn’t say anything. Jis eyes watched their movements.

Yi Jyuhan lowered his fan. "You’ve made quite a mess of this city. Your ’God’ didn’t bless you."

"Ohw, that must have stung." Xue Lan followed.

The Curator’s gaze turned serious. "He was murdered. I’m fixing the injustice."

"Injustice of what? He was corrupted; if He returned, other deities would come to kill Him. Don’t you understand this? There’d be a massacre if He returns!" Yi Jyuhan yelled.

"I can hear you clearly; you don’t need to shout!" The Curator countered. "Gods judge what they fear. As if that corruption wasn’t their fault."

Yi Jyuhan swept his gaze over the place. "You won’t listen. I already knew that."

"You won’t win this time either." The Curator stated. He raised His hand. The spine in His hand lengthened, turning into a long whip of bone.

Yi Jyuhan clicked his fan, spine hitting it. His bones shook entirely and rattled his teeth. The fan held on barely. The air itself stepped back from the hit. Yi Jyuhan jumped back; a few drops of blood fell from his face. The air bruised his cheek.

Xue Lan watched, pulling his daggers out.

Yi Jyuhan disappeared from sight, appearing near Xue Lan. Sweat dropped from his forehead, mixing with the blood.

***

Elsewhere, in the second path. Jian Yue stood near Zhuo. Jim and Riyoshi stood behind them. Alisa stood with Mo Fei.

Lin fixed the blade in her belt. Her eyes watched the path, waiting for the Cursed Womb to come. Everyone was silent. Mo Fei narrowed his eyes around.

"Great master, you are anxious." The Serpent said in his head.

"Of course. I am scared."

The Serpent hissed but didn’t say anything. Mo Fei’s hand tightened on the Glaive in his back. He had died before, but that time...knowing the people he found might not walk away freely. That was worse. He turned to see Lin and said, "Try ending that sooner; don’t play recklessly."

"Things might get out of our hands. I won’t promise." She looked at him once, before focusing back on the path, "And as for playing reckless... since when did you become old enough to give lessons?"

Mo Fei sighed. His lips twitched in a small smile, but then he glanced at Jian Yue, and the smile disappeared. Jian Yue was distracted by his thoughts. His eyes locked on the ground.

Mo Fei’s gaze lingered in his pocket... The letter. He didn’t know what stopped him. He couldn’t read it and feared to read it. He shook his head and looked back at the entrance.

Then, a vast thing came into their view. Yi Jyuhan and Zhuo pulled Mo Fei, hiding behind the walls. Alisa jumped behind the nearest bush. Jim and Riyoshi jumped on a tree, watching. Lin hid behind the same tree.

First the sound of horses clopping came, then slowly the silhouettes appeared. A massive cloth, covering something behind a cage. Four people followed the wheelbarrow, horses pulling it. They wore different clothes that time: leather suits. All of their clothes matched each other.

The horses were black, their hairs moving with the wind. The purple flames brightened their Tails. One of the guards said, "Qi Huo, move it inside the temple."

Qi Huo, holding a mutilated blade, looked at the Royal Guard. His crimson eyes locked on the guard’s blue ones. "Don’t fail this year." He gestured at the horses, and they moved the wheelbarrow inside the palace.

Then, they all gathered around the gateway. The blue-eyed guard spoke again, glancing at the third guard. "Mi Shon, Uro, and Qi Huo, keep your eyes open. The Astral cult will try to ruin things again."

"You are right, Taein." Uro swept his gaze over the path.

Qi Huo’s nose twitched. "This scent... they are here." He turned toward the tree. The mutilated blade moved free. The Royal Guards braced themselves.

The group’s breath caught in their throat. They had been found; hiding was useless.

Riyoshi lunged first, and the leaves of the tree fell slowly. They descended to the ground, a sign that war had begun. Qi Huo moved. His mutilated blade sang toward Riyoshi. In the midair, Riyoshi changed direction, moving with the flow of wind. The blade slashed a part of his shoulder.

Riyoshi ignored the pain; that was a distraction. He’d deal with it later. His thin blade launched. The royal guard stepped back, the thin blade scratching his forearm.

"Damn," the royal guard cursed.

From behind Riyoshi, Jim jumped in. His blade was aimed directly at the Qi Huo. They both planned to finish one royal guard instantly.

Clang.

A scythe appeared in Taein’s hands. Both of the blades collided. His eyes locked onto Jim. "Impressive thought, but you forgot we won’t watch for nothing."

Riyoshi surged forward, his thin blade dancing around Qi Huo’s mutilated sword. Each strike was a question–’where will I hit next?’ Qi Huo answered with his own: ’Where will I block?’

Sparks flew. The sound of steel on steel echoed through the silent pathway.

Jim circled with Taien, his blade low. Taein’s scythe swept toward him. Jim pushed himself back, his boots scraping the stone.

A scream tore the sound itself. Something awakened; all of their faces tensed. Jim glanced at the tree. Lin was gone, moved to find the Cursed Womb. She followed the scream that was neither human nor animal. Something that came from hell.

Uro and Mi Shon glanced at Jian Yue and Zhuo, who came out from behind the wall. Uro’s hands were bare, no weapons. Mi Shon carried a chain of linked bones. Their edges were sharp and bloodthirsty.

Alisa came out of the bushes and ran toward Mo Fei. She stood close to him. Her blade was already out and reflected the light of lanterns. Mo Fei pulled the clothes wrapped around his weapon. The Glaive swung and hissed through the air like a snake.

His eyes flickered with the moonlit glow. The sight was there, and then he put the mask on his face. His other empty socket flared up.

Threads started to bind his hands and legs.

His heart hammered against his chest; he wanted to run but couldn’t.

Then, suddenly a wind blew near the rooftop. A figure could be seen sitting at the edge of the chimney. It was blurry; only a few features were illuminated by the flames of the lanterns. A cap of a Jester swirling in the figure’s head, its hands holding a long flute.

The different shades of melody walked through their ears. Same as before but different for everyone. That was the sign that "He" had chosen the outcomes.

The flute whispered again... Slowly, the figure turned into mist. Its body disappeared limb by limb. No one witnessed that. It had chosen its side... Or maybe it had chosen none at all.