Chapter 44: Countdown

Chapter 44: Countdown

Yi Jyuhan’s voice pierced the temple’s silence as he called out to the cultists. "Shang, Zhi Shu!" The moment it reached them, two men ran through the corridor toward the room. Their sandals scraped against the ground as they slid to a halt in the doorway.

"Scared us for a moment," Shang said. He wore a classic grey robe, his short hair plastered to his head.

Then Zhi Shu, a blue sect mark etched onto his forehead, ran a hand over his bald scalp. "It’s midnight," he said as if reminding them of the hour they’d lost.

Yi Jyuhan looked at both of them. "I’ve called you for something important." He waited for their reactions. Both nodded, gesturing for him to continue. "First, get the herbs. Second, send the emergency words to our royal guards."

Time was running out. Sleep was not necessary to him. Not tonight. As they heard him, both cultists nodded. Zhi Shu went for herbs while Shang rushed to send the message. Yi Jyuhan sat down on a cushion, thinking of the steps. ’Losing was inevitable. What should I do to minimize the despair?’

His gaze swept over the room, seeing the tense faces. All of them pressed their lips shut—as if words might make it real.

Then, a while later, Zhi Shu returned with herbs clenched in his fists. He quietly sat down near Jian Yue, who just had some bruises, likely from a thorn, and picked up a leaf smeared with herbal paste. He placed it on Jian Yue’s wounds.

A few minutes later, Zhi Shu turned to Zhuo, who was still curled on the blanket, deep asleep. He looked at them and shrugged. "I’d like not to wake someone up. That would be sin enough."

Mo Fei and Jian Yue sighed together. The sound was tired and slightly amused.

Then, Lin stepped forward. She stood over Zhuo for a moment. Her hand hovered near his shoulder. She thumped his back, trying to wake him up.

"Hnm," Zhuo muttered, lost in sleep. "I don’t like spices. Don’t give me..."

"Ehh..." Lin’s voice cracked a little. She grabbed his ear, holding it between her fingers and pulling his head up. "Wake up."

Zhuo’s eyes fluttered open, and he blinked at her, dazed. His gaze fell on the paste in Zhi Shu’s hand. "... What’s that?"

"Medicine, of course." Lin let go of his ear and stepped back, crossing her arms. "Let him treat your wound first, then sleep."

Zhuo sat up slowly, wincing. "... Sorry," he whispered before he quietly took off his clothes. His body was covered in bruises and cuts. Zhuo pulled off the handkerchief wrapped around his arm. Zhi Shu saw the deep wound of the claw. What was this kid made of? Did he not feel pain? Though Zhi Shu still put the leaves on his arm and body.

Then Yi Jyuhan began to speak. "Now when he is awake," he paused, studying their faces then said, "There are a few things we need to manage."

Jian Yue nodded and gestured at him to continue.

"First is the Curator himself. We will manage to hold him off for a few minutes... though he has the threadbinder artifact. He might change your fates even while fighting against us."

Mo Fei cut him off and asked, "What is this ’Threadbinder’ artifact? What does it actually do?"

Jian Yue put his hand on Mo Fei’s shoulder. "Threadbinder Authority is the one that has control over the realm of fates. Only a high ordinal Threadbinder can use the artifact to change fates, yet it has no limits; it’s only limited to the user."

"Isn’t that terrifying..." Mo Fei’s voice lowered. Then the Curator could kill them any second. Why didn’t he then?

Yi Jyuhan coughed, taking back the attention. "Artifact has no limits, is the limit. Other Authorities can’t use it without losing control. Yet the Curator will inevitably use it for limited uses." He put his hand on the wall.

"We will buy the time. Next, Lin, Jian Yue, and Zhuo, you have to fight the royal guards. There are only four of them left. You’ll have help... my two Royal Guards make five of you."

Zhuo nodded, considering his words. Lin and Alisa quietly listened to it. Mo Fei asked, "Me?"

"You will hinder them by your Authority."

Mo Fei understood.

Yi Jyuhan stared at Lin and continued. "And Lin, you have to take care of something important as a keybearer. You need to kill the vessel and manage an escape for everyone. We can’t stay there longer after the mission."

Zhuo stepped forward. "Kill the vessel?" His voice was surprised and hesitant.

"That’s the only way." Yi Jyuhan paused. Zhuo stepped back. He had no words left; not everyone could be saved. Zhuo was naive enough to not know that.

Lin glanced at Zhuo before looking at Yi Jyuhan. "We have to manage the victory within a few minutes... That’s what you’re saying?"

"Exactly." He confirmed it. In those precious minutes, fight the Royal Guards, and then kill the vessel. "Xue Lan and I need to handle the most important things. A single mistake can cost us vastly; do not hesitate." He paused for a few seconds and then continued. "Rest for now."

Yi Jyuhan stood up and opened the door, leaving them in thought. Alisa also stood and walked out of the room. She glanced back at them. "Hesitation is humanity, and humanity is a liability in this fight. Do not die."

Mo Fei tilted his head. "You are the one who seems to die first." He scoffed, humorless jokes, the thing he used to be good at.

Alisa just let out a sigh and muttered as she walked, "You are no different from Yi Jyuhan at all."

Yi Jyuhan entered Xue Lan’s room, who was sitting on his cushion, resting against the wall. His long hair cascaded over his shoulders. His bloodsoaked robe was put beside him, and a cloth covered his back and front. Yi Jyuhan sat down on a cushion. Then he said, "That calm face is unsettling." He waited for Xue Lan’s response. "I noticed it after you messed up your room. What did you find out?"

Xue Lan didn’t say anything for a few seconds. The silence was getting heavier, and then he finally spoke. "This is the thing I need to do. You don’t have to interfere in this."

Yi Jyuhan raised both hands and shrugged at his response.

Xue Lan stared down at the missing fingers, only one was slowly returning. His gaze lay on the ribbon tied to his wrist. Embedded in the ribbon was the Ordinal number 陆 (6), and beneath it was written the Descent ’The Sleepless Dreamer.’

***

Meanwhile, back to the group. They prepared to sleep. It was late at night already. Mo Fei glanced at his Glaive, then lay down on the floor, trying to sleep. He closed his eyes, expecting to see dark.

He didn’t.

The ribbon in his hand flared up; within the floor, countless threads emerged. Some of them bound his wrists tightly, covering his arms. They tangled around his waist before pulling him inside the floor.

Mo Fei snapped open his eyes. The room – not even there to begin with anymore. His gaze flickered to his body. The threads... Those same silver threads he would see with his ’Apprentice’s Eyes’, now wrapped his body. Then he saw his hand, the veins swallowed, turning into the Spirit Threads of light that merged with those threads. A void, yes. That was where he stood.

The threads around his forearm loosened. Beneath him, the floor seemed to vanish. It was a lake now, clear as the sky.

Above him, a sky... not a sky? Stars twinkled, then their light vanished, opening into the infinite brown eyes that blinked with no rhythm. Finally all of those eyes focused on Mo Fei, who flinched and stepped back. "What the hell?" The whole world seemed to watch him, as if a vast, ancient God had awakened, whose name had been forgotten, but the existence was persistent enough.

Then the lake beneath his feet began to spin, creating a whirlpool.

Splash.

Mo Fei fell in the lake. Instead of drowning, he sank in. He gasped, expecting to be breathless. But the lake had air made only for Mo Fei to survive. Slowly, the world shifted into mist.

The void slowly dissolved into mist. Then he crashed on a hard surface, around him was a place covered in mist, like heavens. Chairs were resting there as if waiting for a judgment. Then the mist rose to the ceiling before circling the place.

The mist showed a path. Mo Fei walked toward it, his eyes observing the place. As he took another step.

......

The mist scattered around, the whole place changed again. He recognized it, the pillar in world two. The town of collected silence. The Yan Gu monster crawled on the ground. Once again they sang in a chorus, those same words. ’Become... Lightless."

Mo Fei’s expression turned serious. There was something wrong with everything that had been going on here.

He scanned the whole place again. It was certainly the same town, but why was he here? To remind him of something? The approaching Yan Gu slowly melted into mist. When he took another step, the whole place changed again. Mo Fei’s gaze hardened.

The mist emerged from the ceiling, and with a loud crash, it landed on the ground. The wind blew, flowing his hair and clothes. Mo Fei covered his face with arms in a cross.

Finally, the true place came into his view. Fifty paces away. He saw an empty throne, silently waiting.

Mo Fei walked toward it, keeping his senses active for any sign of danger. How did he get here was the question. Then a hissing voice came. Mo Fei stopped, looking around. There was nothing to see, for now.

His gaze lay on the Glaive and the mask was put near the throne. His hand moved toward his shoulder, nothing was there.

Mo Fei glanced at the sky, and the pillars had no end. They entered the endless sky. The mist covered the space itself. He finally reached out for the Glaive, at least now he had a weapon if he encountered danger. "How did I end up here?"

His left hand caught the Glaive and the other hand held the mask.

Then a large mirror appeared beside him. He looked at himself, yes. That wasn’t a dream. It was real, everything here was real.

Hisss

The same voice came through the mirror, and then it shattered in pieces. Every fragment carried Mo Fei’s face. Then from the throne, he heard it once again. When he looked there. He saw a Serpent. Vast as a sea, pure as a light.

A pale Serpent. Its body coiled around the throne. The Serpent leaned forward before letting out a small hiss. Mo Fei stepped back a few steps. He examined the Serpent. He felt no fear, seeing the serpent. There was no sign of evil, but something different, that was what he needed to understand.

Then

Its voice cut the silence. It finally spoke the way a human speaks.

"Lightless, sorrowful of you to come here again."