Prologue
The wind was howling in my ear as it roughly played with my azure hair. My blood was still boiling with rage and despair as old wounds slowly leaked, dyeing my clothes in a deeper crimson colour.
Tears silently fell from my face as the moon's star-riddled heavenly sky shined on my figure… mine and my son in my arms.
My dull golden eyes glanced at the tiny baby cradled in my arms. So small and innocent. So beautiful and defenseless. It's already been a year, and he's gotten a lot bigger. The same golden eyes stared at me as the light illuminated his face, still full of baby fat. And a genuine large smile crept onto its face.
That smile filled me with the strength to continue forward and escape, but also loss. But as I looked at his outstretched hands, I couldn't help but feel rage and lament.
A huge scar covered his left hand. No, not a scar. It was more like a symbiote or a disease. The whole hand was marred like a burn mark with leaves and flowers drifting aloft inside the hand like a moving tattoo. I ran my soul power through his body, but I couldn't feel anything. I couldn't feel the hand, it should be gone, dead. But it was still functional as the child was waving both arms in front of me, and soul power could still flow through the entire body. It should be dead, but it is still alive.
'How did this happen?' I asked myself. As I came to a standstill to contemplate. My gaze drifted to the moon above, shining brightly upon us.
"What am I going to do?" I muttered under my breath with a tone of defeat, but I gritted my teeth and continued forward. 'I can't stop now.'
I don't know how long it took. Days? Weeks? Months? But we somehow managed to arrive.
A small-sized city with a large, expanding blue forest. Named Blue Forest City. A city that got its name from the same forest that could be found a few kilometres west of the city. It was a beautiful sight to see at night, as the trees illuminated and reflected the moon's glow, making them appear to have light blue leaves. It also didn't help that the forest was covered in blue-silver grass, which solidified its name.
Without hesitation, I trekked forward and entered the city outskirts. The paved road thumped with every step I took as I frantically went to the meeting spot. Until a sound came from behind me. "Well, it took you long enough. If you cash in a favour, at least be on t—" The voice of a woman rang in my ear, I instantly recognised that tone. I turned around and came face to face with the person I was supposed to meet here.
She quickly cut off her sentence as she took in my figure from head to toe.
"… You look like shit." She finally managed to say, and my brows visibly creased in a frown, with my patience running extremely thin.
As she stared at my figure for a while longer, she continued. "… Who?"
"None of your concern." I quipped, my tone cold as I discouraged her from intervening in this affair. Though I doubt she would heed my word.
"… And—"
"Dead," I spoke instantly with a slight tremble in my voice as I knew what she was going to ask next. She was her only friend, after all. And probably one of the few ones who ever cared about her safety.
There was silence for a few seconds as her gaze dimmed, and a sad smile appeared on her normally always smiling face. Then her gaze landed on the child I held in my arms. Silver-blue hair peeking from under the blanket. "Is that her—"
"Yes," I replied instantly again as a tick mark converged on her forehead.
"You're as annoying to communicate with as ever. I always wondered why she chose you." She muttered under her breath, but I remained silent to her provocation, as I knew better than to get into an argument with her. She was one of the few people that could get a rise out of me, after all.
And seeing as her provocation didn't work, she asked what's been on my mind for a long time. "What are you going to do now?"
I pondered over the question before responding in a slightly shaking voice. "East from here is Eastsea City. I graduated there from the academy. I'll probably manage to find a job there as a teacher."
She stayed silent for half a minute, mulling over my words. "And the child? You aren't going through with your crazy plan, are you?" A pained expression appeared on my face, but I nodded, nonetheless. "WU ZHANKONG!! I'M TELLING YOU, IT'S A CRAZY PLAN!!" She yelled at me in fury, disbelief filling in her eyes. But she managed to rein herself in, she took deep breaths to calm down, and silence again dominated the surroundings.
After a pained silence and deep breaths, she continued. "Letting him stay here... the child will lose everything when he awakens." She tried to explain and maybe even change my mind. But I can't. It's too dangerous if he's with me, and even if 'he' found him, he wouldn't do anything to him.
"Is everything ready?" I tried to change the subject, but she still pushed forward. "If the child finds out... he will hate you forever."
"That…" My face couldn't help but tighten, and I balled my fist. As I looked down at the ground, trying to untie the jumbled mess that was my thoughts. But in the end. The only thing that came out of my mouth was. "I deserve to be hated."
Shell-shocked by what she heard, she stood with her mouth agape. Not knowing how to respond to that. I took that brief opportunity to push the child into her arms, but not before caressing his cheek for probably the final time. 'I'm sorry, child, but this will be the last time I will see you like this.' I spoke in my mind as he was gently accepted in her arms, 'I hope you have a beautiful and peaceful childhood.'
Clouds suddenly littered the night sky, beginning to cover the moon, and natural lightning dimmed considerably as I turned on them both. With each step, the light of the soul tools on the side of the streets became more profound as now the moon was completely covered.
"… Then as promised. In 8 years, he will come to Eastsea City and attend the academy there. I will take care of him for 5 years before I must return. You're lucky my leave was even accepted; I mean, it's a wonder how mastser even accepted it." I tuned out the last part as I took one last look at the child in her arms.
Silver-blue hair that ruffled in the wind, with golden eyes just like mine. Delicate facial features, just like his mother. And his name… I finally turned away. 'In the next five years, all leads need to be destroyed. And in 5 years, I will watch over you once again.'
Tears flowed slowly, but a resolute glint materialised in my eyes as I steeled myself, no emotion betraying my face.
Softly, under my breath, I whispered…
"Goodbye… Yanqing."