“It’s not as strong as the one you had before. It normally takes the blessings of three Jundai’El¹Literally jun (work / worker) + dai (light) + el (supreme). Or Supreme Workers of Light. Name given to the elder /higher priests and priestesses of the Temple to craft one of these,” VinWei²Literally vin (hard) + wei (crystal) was saying while her beautiful, elegant hands nervously fastened the delicate shiny bracelet around Snow’s wrist. “It will help you see him as a normal person would, but I’m not sure if it will be able to shield you from his stupid, unreasonable demands. I’m really sorry I couldn’t make you a better one.”

“It’s fine. Thank you,” Snow replied, giving her what he hoped was a warm smile, and Vinwei sighed, straightening his cloak, making sure everything was in its rightful place.

“I still had a lot to teach you …” she breathed, her entire demeanor clearly uncharacteristically tense.

Why wouldn’t she be able to teach him anymore? Even if it was as ZaiWin³Literally zai (blade) + win (chaos). had told him, and they would have to split up. Surely they would meet again in just a few days.

“Snow?”

Snow turned his head to follow that familiar voice and, without a second thought, immediately reached out for the large hand outstretched in his direction. Warm, strong fingers closed around his, his body moving automatically to step closer to ZaiWin, almost as if obeying some kind of magnetic pull.

“I need you to undo what you did,” ZaiWin told him, looking slightly bashful, and Snow blinked.

Of course! Of course he needed!

Placing a hand against ZaiWin’s chest, Snow took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He could feel ZaiWin’s heartbeat, the strong, firm rhythm pulsing through his own body. He could also hear the sound of air going in and out of his lungs. But, besides that, everything inside him was pure silence. It felt really peaceful, Snow thought. But, at the same time, it felt terrible wrong. Almost like the feeling he’d gotten from MenTar⁴Literally men (lake) + tar (wind), when he’d almost died, after being attacked by the feimao⁵Literally fei (raging / furious) + mao (beast / monster). Raving beasts that appear in unbalanced, ungoverned lands. They possess destructive markings that in turn corrupt the land even further. Hard to explain in just 2 lines -_-; Anyway. Bad, vicious things that need to be killed.. And, for the first time, he wondered if, in truth, he hadn’t done something really bad to ZaiWin. MenTar had been so sick because his energy flow had stopped that he’d looked to be on his deathbed …! How could ZaiWin simply be okay with it? Did it hurt? Did he feel uncomfortable?

Frowning, Snow forced himself to focus. This was no time to think about such things! One thing was certain. ZaiWin was too vulnerable like this! The fire he had sensed coming their way would kill him where he stood, if he couldn’t use his daitai⁶Literally dai (light) + tai (mark), or holy Markings, considered Heavenly Blessings. They’re the source of power. to defend himself.

Like before, he didn’t really know what he should do to undo the entire thing, so he simply focused on one simple command.

Move!

ZaiWin felt a cold jolt course through his entire body, followed by a sharp pain. It felt very much like the pain one would feel on his legs when finally able to stand up, after being forced to kneel for too long. And then, it was as if he could breathe again. Not that he hadn’t been able to do so before. In fact, he hadn’t even been aware that he hadn’t been breathing as well as he should. It simply felt as if a crushing weight had been lifted from his chest, even though he hadn’t even realized that it had been there to begin with.

But then, with that sudden relief, with his renewed ability to breathe, came another overwhelming weight. The wrongness of it all was suddenly so clear that it was actually scary to behold, the task of having to manage something so unnaturally perverted mind-staggering, to say the least. And so he couldn’t help grit his teeth as he immediately forced his inner energy into absolute obedience without a second thought. Having been restrained for so long, his markings were now burning, wanting to escape from his iron control, wanting to lash out against the enemy that had forcefully imprisoned them. As if he would allow something like that to happen!, he fiercely decided, almost as if he were arguing with an invisible enemy that only lived inside his own head.

Snow kept staring worriedly at him. First ZaiWin had actually looked relieved. But then his face had suddenly paled, his jaw set, his eyebrows twitching, and Snow knew something wasn’t right. And yet, the moment those blue eyes landed on him, a weak smile stretched ZaiWin’s lips. The heavy hand that ruffled his hair made him slightly recoil from his touch, but Snow still noticed that his touch felt a bit hotter than normal.

“Thank you,” ZaiWin told him, his voice sounding slightly strained, and Snow straightened his back to look up at him again.

Thank him for what? He had obviously just brought him a lot of pain.

Suddenly ZenTar⁷Literally zen (silent) + tar (wind) appeared at the door, panting as if he’d run his way there.

“It’s confirmed! They’re on their way here. No more than one hundred men. The problem is the red-hair leading them,” he spat out in one breath and VinWei’s purplish eyes widened in disbelief.

“A royal?”

“Who?” ZaiWin simply asked, since he’d already guessed as much.

“I can’t say. Whoever it is, is keeping its head covered. And there are water users among them. Which means I couldn’t get any closer, or they would have immediately detected me.”

ZaiWin nodded in understanding.

“Have you told father about this?” VinWei asked with an angry scowl on her face.

“I’ve just sent him a message, reporting the situation. But I’m not certain that there’s anything he can do about our present situation,” ZenTar replied.

“What do you mean? Nox⁸Literally nox (night). Nox is the name of the Clan (family name), also the name of a Province. ZaiWin uses it because he is the Governor of Nox. is presently under father’s rule. They can’t simply invade his lands just like that!”

“They can, if they’re hunting an Imperial fugitive.”

“But that would mean that they knew we were hiding here right from the start!” VinWei pointed out and ZaiWin sighed.

“No matter the case, we have to quickly decide what to do. How are things outside?” he asked ZenTar and the older man sighed heavily.

“They’re quickly gathering what’s essential for their long trip.”

ZaiWin nodded.

“But I don’t think you should wait that long.”

ZaiWin stared coldly at him.

“You should leave right away.”

“Those are Nox’s people outside! And they were dragged into this mess because of us!” he declared, pointing the bright street outside, and ZenTar nodded.

“And it’s unfair. And we will be the only ones to blame, if anything happens to them. But none of that invalidates what I’ve just said.”

“Zen!!” ZaiWin reprimanded him angrily, making Snow take a small step back, and ZenTar crossed the small room in two wide steps, to roughly grab ZaiWin’s arm, his strong fingers digging into his flesh, his green eyes flashing coldly.

“I told you what happens, when you try to hold on to too many things. Some will inevitably fall between your fingers. You just have to look and decide. Which things are more precious to you? And then make sure that those are the ones that, no matter what, will remain in your hands,” he stated in an icy whisper that sent chills down Snow’s back. “No matter who’s the royal coming for you, you can not fight them! Unless you’re ready to sign your death sentence. If you do, all this, all we’ve planed, will be for nothing. Right now, you can only try to escape. Pretend that they were wrong. That you were never here to begin with. Your presence here will change nothing, for the people outside. In fact, it will only make things even worse, if you engage them in battle. Right now, the only way you have to protect them, is by getting as far away from here as possible.”

“They will kill them, Zen … If they find them here, they will kill them all …” ZaiWin argued in a small voice and ZenTar nodded again.

“They will kill them anyway, even if you’re here. I’ll stay as long as I can. Try to send them down the mountain as fast as possible.”

ZaiWin shook his head, his blue eyes looking scared for once.

“Don’t worry. I have no intention of getting myself killed. I still have to look after you, after all,” ZenTar added with a reassuring smile.

“Besides, I’ll be here as well,” VinWei declared, crossing her arms with a haughty expression on her face. “I can’t wait to see who will dare lift a hand to harm the Nai Calzai’s daughter. Royal or whatever, if they don’t want a civil war on their hands, they better think twice before attacking me while I’m standing on my father’s rightful lands!”

Even though she sounded completely sure of herself, ZaiWin couldn’t help looking even more worried hearing those words.

“Don’t worry. I will take her to safety when the time comes,” ZenTar assured him and released him, pushing him towards Snow. “And now go. Just to play it safe, this time it’s best if we don’t know where you’re headed. You have to put enough distance between us, so that they won’t be able to track you again so soon. And here,” he added, reaching out behind his back and unsheathing his sword. ZaiWin easily grabbed it mid-flight, after ZenTar had tossed it to him. “The time couldn’t suck more. You have to be extra careful,” he added, looking worried, and ZaiWin stared at the blade in his hands.

“You should keep it …”

“I won’t need it. I’m not suicidal like you. I will gladly run away with my tail between my legs when the time comes,” he added sarcastically and ZaiWin gripped the hilt of the sword.

VinWei stepped closer to Snow and gently pulled the hood of his cloak over his head.

“You too. Be careful,” she told him with a soft smile on her lips. “We’ll see each other again pretty soon. Don’t forget to review all the things that I’ve taught you. And do try your best to look after this idiot.”

Snow nodded obediently. And yet, looking up at ZaiWin’s tense expression, he couldn’t help feeling apprehensive. Was all this because of him? Was he the cause of the strained frown on ZaiWin’s forehead. He had decided to break their bond so that he would never have to choose between him and his people. And yet, there they were. And those people outside might all be killed because of them. Because of him.

As if he’d heard his thoughts, ZaiWin peered down at him and, placing a hand on his hooded head, pulled him closer, against his warm body. Relief coursed through Snow’s entire being. He knew he shouldn’t feel like that. He knew he was being horribly cruel and unfair. But, as long as that warmth didn’t disappear, as long as that heart kept beating strongly inside that chest, he really couldn’t care less about what happened to other people, ZenTar and VinWei included.

“We’ll go …”

“Don’t!” ZenTar interrupted him, taking a step back. “Weren’t you listed to what I’ve just said? It’s better if we don’t know. We’ll just agree to meet again in Weiin. Preferably before the three months’ end.”

ZaiWin pursed his lips but nodded.

“Then … I’ll see you two then,” he hesitantly declared and both ZenTar and VinWei nodded, stepping back even farther. “Hold on to me, Snow,” ZaiWin told him, his voice sounding infinitely softer, his long arms already surrounding him, and Snow obeyed, pulling his small traveling bag over his shoulder and hugging him back. “No matter what, don’t let go, okay? I’m not confident that I’ll be able to hold on to you all the way.”

Snow nodded, leaning his forehead against ZaiWin’s chest, feeling the pressure of the sword ZaiWin now held against his back. He felt warm and secure, being held like that. Like returning home, to a home he had always dreamed of, but had never had. The chest beneath his forehead raised as ZaiWin took a deep breath. And then the sound of wind filled his ears, absolute darkness descending over him, and he knew that they weren’t there anymore.

Silvareiel

And vroomm, there they go ?