‘Damn… Last night was wild…’ I look at myself in the polished bronze mirror in our suite’s washroom, touching my sore lips. Opening the collar of my brown shirt, I can see what she was up to last night: Hickeys. A stupid amount of them.
‘ Damn… She was…’ I feel a shiver going down my spine, from the memories of how direct and assertive she was. ‘We haven't crossed any lines we didn’t cross before. But…’
I swallow hard as I swoon a bit. Relishing in the warmth and the memories of last night before my empty stomach reminds me of the present with a loud and needy growl.
‘Right… Let’s at least look presentable: nothing above the collar? Yeah, that should do the trick.’ I look inside my repositories of memories, the grand halls of my mind open for me and me alone is filled with many colorful and glowing crystal spheres. Each of them was grouped and sorted by color and intensity: ranging from the strongest at the center where the entrance is, the the weakest further back in each of the eighth branches.
Picking the appropriate one relating to sadness, drawing with it a simple, targeted healing spell on every mark of affection that wouldn’t be covered by my clothes.
‘Wait… are those… Did she bite and scratch me last night? Damn feral cat… Hehehe…’ I open my shirt some more, seeing the extent of Huan’s aggressive petting. I am impressed, at how much of a scratching post I’ve become, but more so at how much I do not seem to mind it.
Stifling a laughter with a shrug I heal them too, easing the slight soreness coming from them. Tracing them with my fingers before letting the pale blue ink restore my skin, I feel a warm joy and satisfaction swelling my mind and body.
After giving myself a one-over, I decided to hit the tub. With today being the final, I ought to be as presentable as possible, can’t have my hair look like I just went through a tornado.
When I got out, after one hour of trying to reign in this impossibly large mane I have for hair, Huan was already in the living room. Sitting cross-legged a few paces from the table, her spear sitting on top of her lap as she meditated with closed eyes.
Not wanting to disturb her, I drew a feint enchantment to silence my steps as I went about my morning routine: from ordering food to be sent to our suite, to warming up my joints and back ( who knew that reading all day would make them creak like an old door?).
Then I spent about half an hour compartmentalizing my memories of yesterday, reliving each moment my emotions soared, turning each of them into yet another source of colors for my paintings.
Yet as I do so, I steal a glance at Huan. Remembering what she told me when we talked about her time at the Cult. Entire years, just… not existing inside her memories: either gone or never existing to begin with.
‘And then you wondered why she was struggling so much to even know what she liked, you idi—’ I shake the stray, disgusting thought aside; yet another reminder of where I am coming from.
‘The more I know about this Blood Demon Cult, the more I despise it. Breaking people down into things, using them like tools, and discarding them once they’ve fulfilled their needs. If not outright harvesting whatever they could from their still living body…’ I feel my stomach churn and turn as I am gagging.
‘The utter loathing and abhorrence I have for these people is bringing the worst out of me.‘ I glance back at Huan, who meditates in peace.
‘How much did she have to hold herself in check, how much did she have to restrain and repress her own emotions to forget entire years?’ Goes through my mind as the knowledge of Minadora on how memories and emotions are closely linked: how the absence of emotions renders the ability to create strong and lasting memories complicated.
‘... Years?’ I slump back in my chair, unknowingly letting my sadness ooze out of me as it dilutes into the Everflow all around. I feel my heart tighten as my anger starts burning hotter and hotter in my body as I gnash my teeth together. My hands balled in tight fists.
< Are you alright Iulia?> The woman who’s making me so emotional asks. Her visage showed more of her own emotions than before, bringing a balming dose of joy to my anger, but only letting it cool down to a slow slimmer.
< Better now. Sorry, did I interrupt you? You were quite focused there, I hope I didn’t disturb you.> I pulled one of the many books I had out on the table, making it fly to my hand with but a fraction of the anger I have inside. Only now noticing how my colors have wafted off of me.
She looks at me with a quizzical brow raised as I stop batting the blue and red ink away.
< No, you did not. And thank you for being so mindful of it. It matters a lot to me. > She says, her features softening a bit as she pulls a chair for herself to sit by my side.
< And before you ask. It has become simpler, simply sitting and meditating, just being. I didn’t know it could be so… Calm. Not at first, of course. But after the many waves that tried to pull me under, it became calm. Pleasantly so.>
I smile at her, extending my finger to poke at her side.
< I wasn’t going to ask. You told me you didn’t want to be my patient, and that made me notice I’ve spent a lot of time just speaking about emotions, medical knowledge, and how to take care of yourself. And while I do love speaking about these subjects in general. I think this may have pushed you to think I was treating you more as a patient than someone I want to build my life with. Sorry.> I look away with a wry smile, embarrassed at how clumsy I’ve been up until now.
With a roll of her eyes, she pokes me back, not stopping until I am looking back at her. A gentle, yet teasing smile tugged at her lips.
< Again with the ceaseless apologies? Didn’t—> < I kno—> She pulled me out of my chair and onto her lap, making me yelp before wrapping her strong arms around me.
< Let me finish speaking before trying to apologize again.> She gives me a playful yet stern look as I try to not giggle as I nod.
< As I was saying. I am grateful to you, and how you prattle on and on about the things you like. I find it… endearing. And now that you try to do better, it makes it more truthful and genuine, and you know how much I like it when you do your best, don’t you?> I feel my face heat up as my heart is beating hard. Giving her a meek nod, she resumes.
< Good. And please, do speak of the things you like. Now that I am able to pick up and know what I feel faster than before, I can try using those boundaries things you’ve mentioned before.> The warmth I had in my chest rose once more, not because of how Huan was holding me ( Not that it isn’t affecting me, mind you.), but because of how she kept going forward again and again.
< I am so glad for you Huan. Then, did you find something that you like? You did spend a good few hours every morning trying new activities and foods.>
She hums as she moves her hand along my back, sending tingles down my spine, making me twitch as her eyes shone with amusement and interest.
< Tea, that’s up there on my list of things. Practicing with my spear is a close second, and I think it has always been, even back when I wasn’t aware of why I did so. Next… Spicy food? I really enjoy how it feels, hot, burning even sometimes, but ultimately harmless. That teahouse, both of them. I, I think that I appreciated the atmosphere they had; how people were there to relax, play some games of chess, or just enjoy the stories that were played. But most of all? I think I have found a liking for this instrument sitting in my lap.> She smirks, more openly and brightly than before as I hold back a groan, her digits playfully moving along on my back and sides.
I nip at her neck, making her gasp in surprise as I extract myself from her chair. My breathing is a bit rough as I am fully flushed.
With hands on my cocked hips, I give the bandit that Huan became a pointed look.
< You, my dear. Are a ruffian. Look at you, so assertive out of nowhere. Where did my cute and bumbling cutie go?>
< I only wanted more of it, so I thought getting it myself was a good idea. But by how hard your tail is wagging, I can guess you don’t really mind. Do you?>
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I look behind me, and indeed. My most unrepentant betrayer is at it again.
< Just keep in mind to not push me around too much, I might end up more than you can handle.> I give her a wink as I return to my own chair. Only for someone to knock on the door.
< The food you ordered is ready, Madam Mirza, Fairy Lu.>
< I am not sure whether this is an invitation or a threat. Maybe I will one day see if your bite can match your bark. But until then, I will keep on making you blush like this as I see fit.> She lets a small giggle as she gets up to open the door as breakfast just arrived.
Huan’s PoV
< Ladies and gentlemen, Fairies and Lords. Welcome back to our Fengshou town martial arts contest’s final round! I hope you all had a pleasant morning because this afternoon will witness the clash between two impressive competitors.
On one side, we have a man betraying his looks and years as he moves with the speed of someone a quarter his age, yet whose strikes showcase the grace of his sword and his decades of training and understanding. Please give a warm welcome to Senior Weiyuan.> The old man climbs onto the stage, giving a simple wave to the crowd before greeting the city lord and elder of the Mount Hua sect alongside the many magistrates who finally showed up.
Weiyuan was a man most would look at as gentle and dotting elderly. But I knew better than to be fooled by looks. Especially that of elderly-looking men. Monsters that always pretend to be a pig to eat a tiger. And this one is no different. He may not have KI like Iulia told me. But monsters like him always have convoluted powers hidden in their sleeves.
< And on the other, we have a young woman, talented in the realm of cultivation beyond many of her age, a peerless dragon amongst men in her generation. With the unrelenting strength and brutality of one too, crushing her opponents with ease. Please give a loud cheer for Lu Huan. >
I get to the stage, the crowd giving me the same attention they did the old man, albeit a bit different since I am a woman.
I ignore the pompous and vile personages and their disgusting proposition, their words are soon drowned by the rest of the crowd.
< Not going to seek reparation for how they sullied your honor? > The old man asks, a bit amused as he looks at me with an inquisitive expression.
< Are their words even able to sully something else than their own reputation?> I reply, curious as to where this is going as the announcer keeps riling up the crowd.
< Will the experience of the ages win over the burning will and energy of youth?!> The announcer keeps working for the crowd as my opponent and I keep staring at each other.
< I didn’t peg you as someone so calm and collected. After all, you were quite ardent and impulsive but a few days ago. Kissing your lady in front of everyone like that, oh oh oh~> I narrowed my eyes on him. { What’s his deal? Why does he try to get under your skin? Do you think he is related to that girl who called—}
‘Let’s wait and see first.’
{ What do you mean: “wait and see first” ?! Iulia could be in danger right now!}
‘ And you are distracting me, calm down and evaluate properly what’s going on. You can’t be pushing me to be impulsive, for both of our sakes.’ She scoffs, crossing her arms with a huff. Yet, she keeps on glaring at the man, in silence thankfully.
< And? I don’t think I have to tell you, at your age, that people are more than what you see of them. It can be hard to get, but still.>
< Oh, no. My apologies, I didn’t say this with the intent to disparage. I am just happy to be wrong. > He smiles with genuine warmth and kindness as the announcer asks us if we are ready.
< … To a good and fair fight.> I do the same, spear raised to his midsection, stance wide and firm yet ready to pounce.
< Three! Twooo! Oneeee… FIGHT!> The announcer’s voice echoes through the arena as Waiyuan dashes toward me, batting my spear aside with one swift motion.
Already expecting this to happen, I let the weight of my weapon spin around. Adding strength from my footing, and increasing it with many rotations from knees, hips, spine, shoulders, and elbows to my wrists: flickering the brutal shaped tip at him as he closes the distance fast.
Yet, despite the speed at which he comes at me, he is able to react in time: breaking his momentum with excellent footwork, doing a half pivot as he whips his sword at my hands.
*Tsk* I am forced to tilt my strike upward to intercede with his weapon, defending my hands as a steel-on-steel impact resonates through the air. His weapon bounces back toward him, returning to a neutral position while I end up overextended by a slight margin.
He grinned as he followed through, pushing his advantage through the tempo of battle. Forcing me to parry and block each of his surprisingly heavy strikes. Yet I am not one to be easily led around as I sneak in a low sweep at his feet.
And as expected, he managed to dodge it by jumping over it. ‘ Smug bastard’ I allow myself to grin, following through with the same momentum from my low sweep into a roundhouse kick to the chest.
He grunts, his face tensing up as he flies back, probably regretting his own arrogance as I lunge at him.
He recovers surprisingly fast as he rolls upon impact with the ground before springing up to his feet.
< Right! My excuses, I shouldn’t have tried such an insulting move. > He exclaims loudly as he laughs, sidestepping my lunge with a half-pivot. Whipping his sword at my now exposed back, hitting me across my entire back.
< DAMN!> I grit my teeth as my back burns across the simple line he drew on my back, cutting across my sparring robes. Stomping on the ground hard, I turn around and whip my spear’s blade at his neck.
The blade whistles through as it cuts the air, yet he moves out of the way again.
< Quite impressive, that single blow could have killed me. You really do know how to make an old warrior’s blood hot, don’t you?> He grins, a bit stiffer than before, tracing his neck with his off-hand.
< But to incapacitate me, you’ll need to land a hit on me.>
< Oh I will, be sure of that.> I spat back at him as I felt heat pooling where he cut me. { You can’t let this go on. He has been toying wi—}
‘I know! Do you think I didn’t see ?!’ { Then stop being a dumbass about it! Be faster, stronger! Crush him!} I ignore her.
< Oh, I am sure that in a real fight, with all of your resources, you’d be able to land a single hit on me. But now? Unless you start changing your tactics, you’ll lose.> He adds, his voice playful and teasing. His hand was off-hand stroking his smooth chin, pausing for a moment upon realizing that something was missing there.
Narrowing my eyes at him, I return to a neutral stance as he starts breaking down my ability to fight.
< You are mighty, that is a certainty. And so is your dedication to your own fighting style: fast and strong, overwhelming any caught in your path. That moniker suits you well. Yet all storms are but ephemeral, sooner or later you’ll fall. Instead of diversifying to shore up your weakness, you doubled down: using stances that make better use of your might, perfecting your joint motions to strike faster and harder. Yet—> He tilts his torso sideways, dodging my spear before taking a step back.
< Yet, no matter how much the wind howls, people can simply wait for the storm out, hiding in the houses they’ve built to hide them from it. Tying down their property before the storm arrives. My house is my knowledge, and my ropes are my tactics, and you aren’t strong enough to break them at the moment. So what will you do? Will you keep charging at me like a bull, whipping your weapon at me like a tiger would maul its prey? Or will you show me your own house and ropes?> He keeps on dodging, always getting out of the air by a hairbreadth.
This goes on for a while, me trying to corner him as he dances and weaves around my spear only to faint and injure me again and again. I could feel myself growing cold as he kept on adding one cut after another. His once genuine and curious eyes became sad and bored as I kept trying to pin him.
< Boring, isn’t it? If only I had given in the despair of being overwhelmed, you could have managed to do something. Is this the first time you are facing someone you are unable to pin and panic? No, there’s no need to answer, the truth is plain to see. I understand now, how you are able to be this strong, this young.> he yawned, before parrying my jab. The blood loss was making me weak and sluggish, so much so that even he could deflect my blows without consequences.
I stop, this has been going on for too long already. I may be stubborn, but I am not stupid. { What are you doing?! Go on, are you that weak that you can't overwhelm a frail old man?} She appears before me, all angry and fuming. But also in complete disbelief.
< I know, I know full well why it is. There is no need for you to tell me, my greatest strength is also my greatest weakness. This is the reason why I am in this tournament to begin with. To shake a belief I once held above all else. I have been chipping at it up until now with the help of my partner. But this fight really helped hammer the nail in.> I say, raising my spear once more. But instead of the firm grip and wide stance I had before, I am now much more relaxed, loose even.
The change in posture is not lost on my adversary as he starts smiling once more, almost eager as he too returns to a more aggressive and offensive stance.
{ …What are you doing?} She asks, already knowing the answer but refusing to admit it.
< Watch. >
I stride forth, my step light and easy. My feet were rolling as the sole hit the ground, and my knees arched to stabilize my upper half. My head draws a straight line as I advance, my eyes never leaving Weiyuan’s as I draw a circle with the tip of my weapon.
His lips curl up even more into a full-blown grin, almost manic as I get within but a pace of him.
He strikes first, batting away my spear, yet it is a trap as I hook his sword with the wings extending at the base of the blade, making him laugh.
< Good! More, show me more~!> He whips his weapon back before forcing his way into my zone ready to strike.
Yet before he does, a loud and deafening noise rings through the entire arena as tremors go through the ground.
The both of us narrow our eyes at that, before nodding at each other as another explosion rocks the arena as one of the entrances to the arena is sent sky-high.
My eyes instinctively turn to where Iulia is: The medical quarters, directly opposite from the entrance that was blown up. I see the healers and physicians already on the run to where the explosion had happened, Iulia close behind them.
Unaware of the 3 people who are jumping at her from the bleachers above.
Before I could do something, anything. They ignited a large talisman, making them all disappear without a trace, taking Iulia with them.