Chapter Text
MXTX Goretober
Day 1: Nightmare
They were all on Mount Tonglu, being busy trying to stay alive while fighting Bai Wuxiang who was now draped in his heavenly emperor attire. Mei Nianqing was holding onto Mu Qing, who was holding onto Feng Xin. Hua Cheng was standing there on the other end of the path, worriedly watching as Jun Wu kept smashing Xie Lian's head onto the rock.
His fists had turned white with nails digging into his palm. Hua Cheng was restless. He couldn't just watch while his beloved was being bashed over and over again to the state his beautifully bright face was barely visible from all that blood flowing out. However, Xie Lian's order was short, clear and loud: "stay!" For how long? Hua Cheng didn't know, but the longer it passed with just Jun Wu telling Xie Lian to 'change' his way, the harder it was for Hua Cheng to keep his feet planted on the ground.
On his last straw, Hua Cheng mumbled a soft apology towards Xie Lian as he threw E'Ming towards Jun Wu's way, cutting his right hand off right before he went there and grabbed Xie Lian back to his side. Claiming his beloved back in such a beaten up state, Hua Cheng's heart sunk deeply. No, this wasn't supposed to be. He promised to keep Xie Lian safe and yet here he had a bloody Xie Lian panting harshly as if every intake of air hurt him more than to relieve him of pain.
Hua Cheng was just about to open his mouth when all of them heard a chilling chuckle coming from Jun Wu's way. It rang and echoed so loudly as if he was trying to make sure everyone heard him.
"Good. You escaped, Xian Le. But you forgot one thing over here."
Xie Lian's brows created a frown as he tried to see what Jun Wu was implying. He wiped off the blood around his eyes as he leaned on Hua Cheng. Then the thing that dangled on Jun Wu's left hand caused Xie Lian to have his turn of having his heart sunk. His hand reached to his chest, frantically patting to look for the silver ring that decorated his neck before. Nothing was there. Unable to believe his own hand, Xie Lian looked down and looked for the ring and he became paler and paler as he realised the one Jun Wu was holding was the real thing.
"You have a really devoted believer, Xian Le. However, it wouldn't be for too long."
Just as Jun Wu was about to crush the ring, Hua Cheng turned around and pressed his lips against Xie Lian's, trying to give him all of his spiritual energy to break the cursed shackle. Only an ounce was sent, Hua Cheng's body started becoming more and more transparent as his skin turned into dust little by little just like how the crushed ashes fell down from the balled fist of the formerly known as the Heavenly Emperor.
If his lips weren't sealed, Xie Lian would have screamed. He would have shouted as loud as he could. His eyes were flooded by tears, washing the blood away.
'No no no! This…'
Xie Lian pulled away from the kiss and cupped Hua Cheng's face with his trembling hands. "No...San Lang...you….no…..you cannot leave...you said, you said you will never leave me! Don't do this!"
"Gege….I'm sorry, I failed you again……" Hua Cheng whispered before frantically transferring everything that he was still possibly able to. When his presence was all fractions, Hua Cheng pulled away from the kiss and tried wiping the tears away. "Your Highness….this isn't your fault... don't blame yourse..."
No longer feeling the warmth that he had grown accustomed to despite the lack of bodily heat from the ghost king, Xie Lian slumped down onto the ground, unmoving. His tears were ceaseless as he held onto his head. Then he remembered. 'The string!' Hua Cheng did tell him that if the string was still there, it meant the other was still alive. So, he looked on his finger only to catch the last fragment of the crimson string of fate before it completely disappeared.
"No…."
His voice sounded hoarse as his pupil shrunk. He hugged tightly that hand where the string used to bind his third finger. Every moment with Hua Cheng flashed in his head, from the soft and peaceful time when they just played around jokingly in Puqi Shrine, to a more serious time of him finding out the identity of Hua Cheng's beloved—everything flashed, everything tormented him.
All the laughter and chuckle he would not hear again. The cheeky way of him playing around. Or his leisured way of walking, the ring of his melodious voice. The warmth of those arms embracing him. Now, everything was nothing more than a memory. And everything was his fault. He knew everything was his fault yet Hua Cheng still told him it wasn't. Just.......
"NOOOO!"
He screamed until he felt blood in his throat. This hurt way more than having his body stabbed hundreds of times. He screamed until his voice gave up on him as blood spewed out of his lips too and he was nothing but a bloody mess. Xie Lian's grip onto his head was tightened, yet nothing seemed to make sense anymore.
"Welcome, Xianle, to your first nightmare."
Hua Cheng was gone. He was gone forever. He wouldn't come back...and this was just the beginning.