Nick had a long dream.
In that dream , Bei Shang held him in his arms and repeatedly kissed him. His voice was soft as he told a story, a story that was familiar yet so different from him. Each sentence was filled with affection as if he was telling a story dear to him, dear to them.
'I love you'
Nick eyes opened slowly; his chest ached like there was a god shaped hole there. Feeling too sad to lie down,he sat up.
"He's awake!"
A person ran towards him and started to check his pulse. The hand was helpful but Nick doesn't really like people touching him except family members, he frowned and pushed it away.
His voice was hoarse from disuse.
"Don't touch me "
"He meant no harm" Summer entered the tent and sat down beside him ,on a normal day , he was often brimming with animosity but today he was oddly tamed …a bit like pity "You have been asleep for…."
"7 days " The doctor reminded.
"Yes , 7 days , four days after I came back "
Nick rolled his eyes "I thought you were dead , you went missing for over 2 years"
"I wasn't missing, I was kidnapped" He handed Nick a glass of water, noticing his struggle to lift it but not interfering. Instead, he rested his chin on his palm and asked, "Do you need help?"
Nick ignored him and slowly drank the water.
"Dad!" Mitch ran to the bed and climbed on him , Nick would have spilled the water if not for summer grabbing it on time "Dad , you're awake"
Nick patted his head "Hmm "
"Little prince be careful…" A strange woman entered the tent before she froze, her hair was white but her skin was as dark as obsidian, Nick swore she looked at him with brief sadness before it was gone like the flash " Oh … you're awake "
"Who are you?"
"She's your sister in law " Another woman entered the tent , she had an ethereal beauty to her , her black hair left to cascade her body all the way to her waist, she put on traditional Chinese clothing, but her feet was bare "By the heavenly laws , I am your mother in law "
"Sister …mother…what's going on?" He looked at Summer who was suddenly quiet, his gaze distant, fear started to needle his heart "You know what? I don't care about all this , Where's Bei Shang?"
"Autumn, calm down"
"Don't tell me to calm down!"
"Dad …" Mitch clung to his father's clothes, his small hands trembling.
"Come here , Little Prince " The dark woman tried to take Mitch but Nick hugged Mitch to his heaving chest, his red eyes looking at her warily. She raised her hands , her voice was soft "I mean no harm , I just want to put him in a safe place "
"He is safe with me !"
"Autumn , calm down… " Summer voice was soft yet firm , he let his arm out " What we are about to tell you , Mitch needs to be elsewhere "
"What happened to Bei Shang?"
"Autumn…. give me Mitch "
"Dad …" Mitch held his clothes , his voice soft "I will come back I promise"
There was a thick silence before Nick slowly release his hold , Summer quickly carried Mitch and gave him to the dark woman. She nod and quickly ran out of the tent.
"Everyone except me and the goddess is allowed in the tent"
Nick stomach churned 'Goddess?'
Everyone including the doctor left on the command. The woman sat down a distance from him , it was only then , he noticed her eyes were red and puffy, and she looked really thin ,like she had been grieving.
Nick clenched his fists, his unease deepening. The god-shaped hole in his chest widened. Everyone had come to see him except for bei Shang.
His throat tightened
The woman swallowed, her voice was soft "We were supposed to meet a long time ago , but my disciple was scared so I didn't meet you till now…"
"You're his shifu ?"
She nod her head slowly "Yes"
"have Bei Shang left ? "
She shook her head.
"Where is he then ?" It was only then he could feel the wetness on his face , his voice cracked "Where is Bei Shang?"
"Follow me"
Nick put his legs on the floor and tried to walk , Summer tried to hold him but he glared at him. The goddess waited until he had put on his clothes and stood up before she guided him outside.
The entire camp was oddly quiet, everyone who saw him bowed and ran back inside , he could see the trace of pity and sadness, the gloom surrounding the fortress.
Nick stumbled.
Summer grabbed him just in time, his voice was firm "Don't look at them "
"Let go of me," Nick hissed, pushing him aside. "All of you ! let me go!"
The woman stopped in front of a peach blossom tree.
The god shaped hole started filling up and the tighteness in his throat dissolved into despair.
He didn't need to be told who it was.
"Bei Shang?" His voice was soft , he ran to the tree and touched it , feeling the soft sparkle in his skin , his knees buckled "Huh , what happened to him ?"
The goddess was crying now , she rubbed her face repeatedly "He choose you"
Nick had a long dream.
In that dream , the person he loved the most had held him in his arms saying whispers of love and kissing him. He told a story, a sad but beautiful story.
Bei Shang didn't tell him it was a tragic ending.
"No …no …" Nick shook his head and knelt in front of the tree; gripping the trunk as if it could bring Bei Shang back. "You said you won't abandon me … you promise you would stay with me in this life! "
He turned on the goddess, his voice rising "Aren't you his shifu?! Why didn't you stop him ?!"
"And get you killed ?! Do you know it's your death in your first life that caused all this mess in the first place! " She shouted back , the wind picked up and Nick could smell the scent of flowers, only that they were not his lover's own " I tried to stop him …. I told him , I begged him , I did so many things but he kept choosing you. Up till his last breath, he didn't regret anything ....what else could I do?"
"He is a tree ! "
"It's better than being dead " Shu hua looked at the tree and touched it gently, feeling no response, not even a call , her eyes filled with tears again "Anything is better than death , even if he never regains immortality again, even if he never receives consciousness again, at least he's alive and that's should matter to you "
"He is barely alive …" Nick placed his head on the tree and wept , his voice echoing all over the fortress. "I can't even feel his soul"
Every life someone always get left behind and it always turned out to be him. Bei Shang promised him , he promised him that he would stay but still managed to break that promise.
His heart was hurt , he really can't breathe.
'I love you …'
If you loved me , why are you always choosing the difficult paths for us? Why are you always hurting me? Why can't you stay with me?
He felt a warm blanket on his body and he looked up , it was Mitch looking at him , his eyes was red too with tears.
"Dad don't cry …" Mitch rubbed his face and hugged his dad "Mom said he will come back in ten years "
Nick hugged Mitch close to his chest, his voice muffled in his son's body , Mitch hugged him back , his tears running more silently.
"Mitch I am in so much pain"
"I know"
"It hurts"
"I know dad , I know"
His tails spread out and his true form appeared , Mitch followed his lead , soon he let out whimpers as he hugged his dad tight.
Mitch let out a call.
Summer and the soldiers transformed into their demon forms and let out a call.
Fox calls rang all over the fortress, mournful and heavy , anim
als wandering around stopped and responded to the calls in their own way , the earth trembled with the sound.
Nick cried till his world darkened.