'The Kiss of Death'

A terrible name, yet fitting. According to the dusty old scroll, this technique was invented in the Warring States era, when pillaging and fighting to the death abounded. Those were trying times, famine and sickness raged like a fire in a field, and men and women would do anything to escape the hopelessness that brought.

Shào Yulong, the creator of this technique grew up inside a small sect and was tossed out when he was ten. Penniless and filled with a desire to live, the boy enlisted and made a name for himself by stealing the Qi of his enemies, thus becoming a serious threat later in the war. 

It was actually after the war that Shào Yulong was killed for his numerous war crimes. The technique was sealed and stored away, hidden, but not forgotten. 

After reading about the way it worked, Yaru had no doubt why that was necessary. There was no moderation when performing this technique. You would kill the Qi donor while extracting all their Qi.

The Temple Master let go of the body and it fell to the floor like a puppet. He wiped his lips with the back of his hand, looking rather dissatisfied. Still, that did not prevent him from turning to look at the others.

"Who's next?"

The Temple Master was, of course, talking to the five remaining graduating disciples. 

By now it was clear that the demon refused to let any of them leave. It would slither between them and possess anyone showing a hint of willingness to step outside the temple. 

(We are to never leave this temple alive.)

Bile rose in Yaru as the thought settled inside his mind. He felt his limbs shaking uncontrollably and once more Yaru searched for Koryn - their eyes locked. He could see Koryn's whole body jerking in surprise and Yaru knew the other had not been able to sense him - it was only because he was searching for an escape route that he'd located Yaru.

(Don't look at me)

It got harder to breathe. Like Yaru's lungs went on a strike the second Koryn had found him. 

(Because he's feeling guilty.)

(He is guilty) 

There was nothing to do, no way to assist, but the insistent feeling that he needed to do something, to help, refused to dissipate. If anything, it got worse.

Koryn bit his lower lip, looking like he was trying to get some control back. His breathing was still erratic and fast, which contrasted with the forced smile he tried to garner. Still, Yaru's presence seemed to center the other boy, and he drew himself taller. 

He looked like the perfect image of a tragic hero. 

'Stay', Koryn mouthed slowly. Yaru's eyes grew huge, and he nodded lightly.

It was selfish because no one promised Yaru could keep on hiding successfully, but Koryn needed Yaru to watch. More than that, he needed Yaru to stay to the end. It was a desperate gamble, and even if it worked, Koryn would end up dead, but it will be worth it.

(Because as much as Koryn knew Yaru put him on a pedestal, Koryn had to keep her safe from the Temple Master)

Yaru compressed his Qi to keep himself better hidden while Koryn stilled himself and jumped on the Temple Master's back, stopping him from drawing his "runes" on the third victim. 

It amounted to nothing as the Temple Master emotionlessly used his Qi to stab Koryn. The teen gasped in surprise, and his grip slacken. He fell from the temple master's back to the floor just in time to see one of the others start to attack.

Koryn closed his eyes and pretended to have died. He tightened his control on his Qi and condensed it to a small ball. When it was small enough, he locked it in a box so that hopefully, it wouldn't be sensed.

The Temple Master continued fighting the rest of the teens. He broke their bones, twisted their hands. When he was done the man turned to look at the bodies, scenting for Qi as a wolf does for blood. He couldn't sense anything other than the fading Qi of a recently dead body, but it didn't stop him from sharpening his Qi to millions of sword blades and stabbing everyone. Twice.

Koryn held his screams back. He had to make sure that Vera, his one and only sister, knew. He had to make sure that Vera and Yaru survived.

(Yaru couldn't watch)

He closed his eyes, refusing to see until he heard the sound of a closing door. What greeted him was an empty room with nothing but corpses. He opened his doors with shaky hands and took a step forward. 

He couldn't look away from Koryn's dead body. Horror and tremendous loss hit him as he finally-

"Y-Yaru…"

Yaru gaped at the talking corpse, and sudden laughter broke out. Koryn was alive. Thank god he was alive!