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—🎭~⚔️~🖤—
Pain was the first thing Wu Ming registered upon waking up. Pain that permeated every part of his body, as though his very soul was torn. He bit back a groan at the sensation, slowly sitting up from the soft surface he had been lying on. He found that he was lying on an altar with some spare robes covering the stone, in a run-down temple of the Flower-Crowned Martial God.
“Oh, you’re awake. Do you need me to take off the mask?” Xie Lian’s voice came from somewhere to his left, sounding oddly concerned. Sure enough, His Highness stood there, yet the crying-smiling mask was nowhere to be seen on his person, and he seemed worried rather than angry or annoyed at Wu Ming’s current weakness.
It took Wu Ming a few seconds to register the question, then he shook his head. “…What happened?” The last thing he recalled was grabbing the sword from his god’s hands and taking on the curse, or at least, trying to. He doesn’t really know how long it was before he lost consciousness, whether it was due to the pain or the fact that he was being ripped apart.
…Ah, yes. He was being ripped apart by the resentful spirits. But how did he survive, instead of being dispersed?
Xie Lian replied, “You barely survived taking on the curse, and I have been taking care of you since then.” …He was hiding his hands in his sleeves.
Let it never be said that Wu Ming did not trust His Highness, but he would not put it past him to hide injuries and such for various reasons. “…Dianxia…did you…”
Xie Lian hesitated. “…I am fine, Wu Ming. What matters is that you were almost dispersed, and you’re still recovering. Please, let me take care of you.”
Wu Ming stood up with minimal difficulty and went over to His Highness. “…My sincerest apologies, Dianxia,” he said, then he gently took both of Xie Lian’s hands to check them. His suspicion was correct. Barely-healed burns covered Xie Lian’s palms, the skin still raw and red in many places. Resentful energy lingered there, leaving Wu Ming with no questions about the reason for the injuries. Behind the mask, his eyes widened. “Dianxia…why…”
“Because, in that moment when you were being consumed by the curse, I realised how much you matter to me, Wu Ming.” His Highness responded. “…I should probably stop calling you that, it was cruel of me to do it in the first place. …Is there anything else I can call you?”
“While I would gladly accept any name or title Dianxia gave me, if you are uncomfortable with calling me that…” The nameless ghost thought for a while. He was no longer Hong-hong’er, neither was he a nameless mortal soldier. Apart from Wu Ming, he didn’t really have anything else for His Highness to call him…
“…It’s fine, you don’t have to decide now.” Xie Lian’s gentle voice broke him out of his thoughts.
Wu Ming nodded. He would think about this at another time. “…Dianxia, what will we do now? Do you plan to take revenge on Yong’an in a different manner?”
Xie Lian shook his head. “We will rest and recover, and then make a plan from there. But I know one thing: I’m tired of causing needless suffering in the name of revenge. Besides…” he looked out the window and sighed. “…Ultimately, there was one person who caused most of this—Bai Wuxiang. If I should take revenge on anyone, it’s him.”
Thinking of everything that monster had done to His Highness, Wu Ming was filled with both fury and grief. “Yes, Dianxia. …I swear, someday we will make him regret what he did.”
“…Someday. But for now, we will focus on recovering our strength. …Rest, Wu Ming.” The ghost obeyed, walking back to the altar. He lay down and soon drifted off into a dreamless sleep.
—🌸~⚔️~🤍—
As Wu Ming rested peacefully, Xie Lian sighed, looking down at his hands. Although the injuries had mostly healed thanks to his cursed shackle, he had not fully recovered just yet. Besides, there were side effects of absorbing so much resentful energy in the first place, though most of it was gone as he had transferred it to Wu Ming when the ghost was still unconscious, hoping it would aid the recovery process.
It had been about three weeks since that incident at Lang’er Bay. Three weeks since Wu Ming had almost died for him a second time. He’d been worried that the ghost may not be able to recover despite his efforts, but thankfully Wu Ming seemed on track to return to his former strength. He would not lose his last follower (friend…?) to his own mistakes. Speaking of mistakes…
“You’re still taking care of that ghost, I see. When are you going to avenge your people, Xianle?” Bai Wuxiang asked, head tilted.
Xie Lian narrowed his eyes despite his fear of the creature. “I’ve told you already. I’ve come to realise, going down that path was a mistake that I refuse to make any longer. I will not turn out like you.”
“What a disappointment… It’s fine, I understand where you come from. I assure you, when you realise you were wrong, I will be here waiting. We will meet again soon.” Despite the crying-smiling mask, Xie Lian could tell from the tone that Bai Wuxiang’s real face was likely smiling (if he had a mouth) as he strolled out of the temple.
With Bai Wuxiang gone, Xie Lian felt a sense of relief. Although he wasn’t foolish enough to believe Bai Wuxiang would leave him alone forever, he hoped that the calamity would at least leave both of them to recover in peace for the time being. Even a temporary reprieve from his ominous visits would be welcomed.
~
As the days passed, both of their conditions improved. The burns on Xie Lian’s hands faded, leaving no trace of what had happened. Wu Ming recovered from his near-dispersal and was no longer in constant pain. After some thought, Xie Lian decided that it was best to leave Yong’an and wander for a period, though he would ask Wu Ming first. When he raised the idea one night, the ghost agreed.
And so, the next morning, the duo packed their meagre belongings and left the run-down temple behind. The only evidence they had inhabited it was a white flower on the altar, a crying-smiling mask tucked into a corner and a dark sword left leaning against a wall.
For both Xie Lian and the nameless ghost, it was a new chapter.
~
Two years later
Xie Lian hummed a simple tune under his breath as he chopped vegetables and added them to a pot of boiling water on the stove. Earlier, one of the residents of the nearby village had given him some vegetables as thanks for repairing her roof, so he decided to make a good dinner out of it. Surely vegetable stew was simple enough that nothing would go wrong.
“Xiao Hua, do you have any suggestions?” The villagers had given that nickname to the nameless ghost after seeing him make flower crowns for Xie Lian almost every day, and Xie Lian much preferred addressing him as that rather than ‘Wu Ming’.
The aforementioned ghost came up behind him, placing down yet another half-finished flower crown. Though Xie Lian couldn’t see his eyes behind the porcelain mask, Xiao Hua seemed to be examining the stew (which was now purple and emitting black fumes that smelled like fish, even though no fish or purple ingredients had been added to the pot). “…Hmm… Maybe Dianxia should leave it to simmer for a bit longer?” he offered. “Or perhaps-”
All of a sudden, Xiao Hua fell silent and turned to face something behind Xie Lian. The aura of resentful energy he emitted, usually near-imperceptible, was so strong it felt almost tangible. Xie Lian had a suspicion of who was behind him, but it didn’t stop his heart from skipping a beat when he turned to see a familiar crying-smiling mask peering at him through the window. Acting much calmer than he felt, he looked at the calamity. “…Bai Wuxiang. Long time no see.”
“Xianle. I see you are still playing house with Wu Ming.” The White-Clothed Calamity sounded almost amused, as though he was talking to an immature child. Xie Lian must’ve made some kind of face at hearing how he addressed Xiao Hua, because the monster tilted his head in mock curiosity. “Why so upset? You said it yourself, ‘without a name makes one Wu Ming’.”
Xie Lian bristled. “That was one of my many mistakes. Xiao Hua is no longer nameless, and you will not address him as such. Now leave us be.”
Bai Wuxiang was quiet for a while. Xie Lian feared that the calamity would try to destroy him or Xiao Hua, but then the calamity laughed, a chilling sound as always. “Alright, I’ll leave you alone. Just like your precious little ‘Xiao Hua’ will, someday. When he does, I’ll be here for you.” And with that, the despicable creature vanished.
Xie Lian let out a sigh of relief, and Xiao Hua’s aura became much less oppressive. However, the ghost was now facing him silently. “…Ah, I’m sorry you had to see him again…” Xie Lian was now fearful for an entirely different reason. Did he break Xiao Hua’s trust? Would Xiao Hua leave him, knowing he’d kept such a secret from him?
It could have been anywhere from a second to an hour before Xiao Hua spoke up. “…Dianxia, how long has this been going on?” he asked worriedly. “How long has that thing been visiting you without my knowledge?”
“…When we were in Lang’er Bay. In the temple. …He visited when you were asleep, and after we left, he’d visit when you were out of the house,” Xie Lian admitted.
“…” Xiao Hua dropped to one knee and bowed his head. “…This lowly believer apologises for being unable to protect Dianxia from Bai Wuxiang, and will accept any punishment deemed suitable.”
…Ah, so that’s what it was. “…Xiao Hua, please get up. …I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want to worry you, but I see now that was not the right course of action. Will you accept my apology for hiding something so significant from you?” Xie Lian asked.
Xiao Hua shook his head. “No. Dianxia did what he thought was best, and he need not apologise. And…I assure you, Dianxia, I will stay with you for an eternity, if you want me to. I am forever your most devoted believer.”
Xie Lian thought of a little ghost fire freed from a lantern didn’t know whether to laugh or to cry. For a few moments, the two looked at each other in awkward silence. Out of nowhere, the smell of something burning reached his nose, and he belatedly remembered the pot that had been left on the fire this whole time.
~
That night, after eating the overcooked purple lumps that were supposed to be vegetable stew (Xie Lian had no idea how it had turned out like this, or how Xiao Hua could eat his cooking without issue, much less enjoy it as he claimed to), he and Xiao Hua lay on the straw mat side by side as they usually did.
As Xie Lian stared at the ceiling, waiting for sleep to claim him, he let his thoughts wander. He knew that everyone would leave him eventually, yet with Xiao Hua, things felt different. It felt like he could trust the ghost’s every word, even if it was hard to believe that someone would really be willing to stay with him forever, especially not someone who already had a beloved.
Xie Lian had learned not to hope for impossible things…but Xiao Hua had defied many of his expectations of what was ‘possible’, so maybe, he would defy this one too.
Maybe, he could allow himself to hope that his last believer would truly be as loyal as he claimed to be, and stay with him for an eternity.
~