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Rain poured from the sky like it was crying. The clouds were the blackest they had ever been in centuries, with no trace of light whatsoever. Thunders echoed through the giant and rocky mountains like war cries. The wind blowing with the force of a tornado making the trees bend over themselves if they weren’t robust enough. The wrath of mother nature mirrored the one with the bloodied spear and murderous glare.
Bodies spread across the land painting red the grass below them, pools of the most sacred source of life wasted. Water spread the blood where the bodies were not. Tainting the boots of the vengeful Adeptus ready to strike again.
A pair of footsteps were heard running down the hill, evading the corpses that littered the path as it approached fast the still silhouette of the Adeptus. One last enemy before him and he couldn’t care less to move. His grip on the spear tightened, and with one swift and sharp motion, the immortal stole one more life once the soldier was just a few metres away. Adding one mortal more to the long list he already had. Their weight was surprisingly light on his burdened shoulders.
The soldier fell lifeless before him as his companions had previously. If this rogue soldier came down from the hill that only meant one thing, he finished his job up there. The amber gaze followed the bloodied sword that lay before him. Something was not right. He could sense it.
His laboured breath was the only thing he could hear, never mind the storm above him. Rage clouded his amberine gaze like venom, something else creeping behind. Something he could not pinpoint. With his lips slightly agape, the Adeptus straightened his posture closing momentarily his eyes and letting the rain wash his dirtied face. Xiao recomposed himself and set his gaze up the hillside. Hoping, praying.
While maintaining his gaze up front and with a firm grip on his spear Xiao ascended the hill with a quiet pace, a knot in his throat. Avoiding the several bodies he slaughtered with his own hands, his mind was as blank as a white sheet of paper untouched. Focused only on the figure he could barely make out lying motionless.
Motionless. That was bad, really bad. Without a second thought, Xiao sprinted the rest of the path he started moments ago making his spear disappear into nothingness. The storm still as powerful as before if not more violent. His steps were quick and messy mirroring the beating of his heart, almost tripping over a body he grunted exhausted but focused.
Tears started to appear at the corner of his eyes but that didn’t stop Xiao one bit, his focus was solely on your form. The thunders were deafening but his mind only repeated your name.
Breathless, Xiao reached the top and had the worst vision of all. You lay in front of him with your eyes and mouth slightly agape and a completely bloodied hanfu. Orange painted one side of your face from the burning houses of your village. Dropping on his knees with eyes and mouth wide open no sound came out of him. Tears rolled down his cheeks along the raindrops.
How couldn’t he smell the death from downhill? Was he so engrossed by his own vision of revenge that he could not see the danger? Was he so foolish as to believe your own people could protect you?
“Y-Y/N?” with barely a whisper Xiao reached out for your face with trembling and bloody hands. Blood tainted your wet cheeks as he stroked your face as if you were about to break “Y/N? Y/N?! Y/N come on, say something!”
Nothing came out of your mouth. Your eyes unfocused and your lips turning purple. Xiao cradled your limp body to him, curling himself and resting his face in the crock of your neck. You were still warm. His hands clenched your drenched clothes ignoring the hole that was in your stomach.
“SAY SOMETHING DAMMIT!” Xiao desperately gripped your sleeve tightly closing his eyes, pleading “Say something… please…”
When nothing happened, Xiao faced the sky and screamed at the top of his lungs. The sky roared in return, a rumble of thunder echoed somewhere far away illuminating the dark sky. He cradled your body and repeated your name like a prayer hoping you would place a hand on his cheek, waking him up and telling him with a gentle smile that everything was just a dream.
He cursed all. He cursed your family for not being able to protect you. Cursed your whole village for ignoring his constant warnings about rogue soldiers. But he cursed himself the most for not being there and letting this happen, for being late.
Nothing could ever change the past. What’s done is done. Not being with you that day will be his biggest regret.
And he has all eternity to regret.