Waves from the Achilles Sea splashed against the southern shoreline of Cassanova as Zhen Xue and Aelius walked to the Han Household. The manor was near the docks built with opalescent marble and a seashell blue roof. Even the courtyard was massive, almost rivaling the size of the palace gardens.

The warning Aelius gave him about staying away from blood magic still rang clear in his mind. He knew the dangers involved, knew he’d be risking his own life, but yet, the temptation still lingered. How did he reach this point and become a self sacrificing idiot? He never wanted to be a hero. 

That title was better suited to people like his brother. 

But Zhen Xue had a stupid, selfish wish. He wanted to be stronger, not only to keep those he loved alive, but to defy death.

Wind swept across his face, evening light trickling down through the clouds as he reached the porch. Should he choose to walk the same path as his predecessor, he would lose everyones trust.

For a second when his hand touched the doorknob, he envisioned that future where everyone was alive and he… he pulled away, slowly closing his fist. 

“I can’t do it,” he finally said, leaning his forehead against the door frame with a shaky breath. “I want them back so bad, Aelius. They were all that I had. They loved me despite everything.”

Aelius leaned against the wall beside him, arms folded. “I’m still here despite everything,” he answered softly.

Zhen Xue looked up at his friend as though seeing him for the first time after fifteen years. He’d been so trapped in his mind that he forgot there were people still by his side.

Aelius smiled. “Tell me about them. Why are they special to you?”

“Actually they frustrated the hell out of me more times then not,” he said with a distant smile. “Kind of strange for someone obsessed with avenging them for over eighteen years, huh?”

“Not really,” Aelius said with a faint smirk. “My siblings would drive me crazy, too. I remember getting pissed they’d take all the snacks from the kitchen.”

Zhen Xue laughed, knowing how Aelius owned every kitchen he walked into. “To be honest, I hated them for putting our financial burden on me,” he admitted. “There were a lot of things that I wish had been different. I wish I had been more honest, but when I look back, I think they just wanted me to have better. It was never about studying to support them.”

Aelius was quiet, smiling faintly as though relieved by that answer. He never spoke about his own family. Zhen Xue wanted to ask what happened to them when the front door swung open and Aelius’ smile fell into something guarded. Alarmed by his reaction, Zhen Xue turned around, facing a middle aged woman with blond hair braided upon her head like a crown. 

She grabbed him, or rather Luna, by the arm, pulling him inside. He was so surprised that he didn’t even resist. It took him a heartbeat to look up at the grand lobby and absorb his surroundings, trying not to let his mouth fall open. 

No wonder why his father treated the Four Season manors like separate colonies that coexist within Cassanova. For someone other then the royals to command such wealth was uncommon. 

The dome ceiling allowed light to pass through into the foyer. A staircase on the left spiraled upward to the second floor and underneath opened into more staircases and rooms. The design didn’t really make sense and raised suspicion. If he had time, maybe he could—

“Sorry if she caused you trouble,” the woman said. “That one always has a habit of running her mouth.”

“Did you say something?” Aelius replied. “Damn, I think the wind is stronger today.” Zhen Xue had to cover his mouth from laughing, glancing at how the woman stiffened. “Anyway, the Intelligence Guild wanted to extend our gratitude from your recent shipment of fabric. The north always had exceptional quality. We look forward to future business.” 

A muscle flickered in her jaw so quickly that he almost missed it. “My husband will be away for a while. Our stocks have run low recently.”

“Recently?” Aelius asked, his voice raising in surprise. “I thought you acquired quite the haul. There were at least a dozen ships entering the harbor last week.”

“Greedy customers,” she said with a shrug far too casual to be normal. “I’m afraid business won’t be possible in the next few months.”

“Only in the next few months?” Aelius smiled with a darkening expression. “I’ll wait then.” He walked away before she could respond, leaving Zhen Xue confused. Was Aelius trying to warn him about something? A dozen ships with goods that mysteriously disappeared.

“Li Wei...” Zhen Xue whispered, knowing with some vague certainty Li Wei could hear him. Somehow he always did. “Was everything between us really just a game to you?” As he picked up a bucket of water and a mop, he found that familiar warm presence did not answer back.

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

Li Wei stood under the evening sky, staring down at the young woman kneeling at his feet from the rooftop of the church. Calisaya didn’t meet his gaze, fixated on a spot in the distance. She bowed her head, her blue sun dress and white hat billowing in the wind. Neither of them spoke, the weighted silence speaking for itself.

“Do you know why you’re here?” Li Wei asked calmly, walking a few feet away to calm his temper. He paused, shoes no longer clacking against the cement. “I want to hear it from your lips.”

Her voice trembled. “I...” She halted, failing to form words. 

She was afraid?

Good.

He let the threat linger, allowing her to understand the gravity of her actions. “Let me make this abundantly clear,” he said, casually turning around to face the winch. “If you had killed him that night, what do you think would’ve happened? Take a deep breath. Enjoy what you nearly lost.”

Her gaze hardened, filled with defiance. Instead of cowering further, she stood up, brushing off her dress. 

Li Wei watched her with indifference, letting her finish whatever stubbornness she had. He might want her dead, but he wasn’t irrational. Her desire to live was precisely why she was useful.

“You asked me to confront him,” she stated.

“Yes,” Li Wei said, voice hardening with restraint. “Confront him. So, what was that?”

She stiffened at his tone, her resolve fracturing an ounce. “I went too far,” she admitted. “It won’t happen again.” 

Her submission didn’t lessen his concerns. He thought the noose he placed around her neck was tight enough, but apparently he was wrong. 

Had she gone too far, everything he’d done to get this far would’ve been in vain. He would’ve had to restart his progress with Zhen Xue and begin anew. He watched her chin tilt perceptibly higher. As she did so, he wanted nothing more than to snap her frail neck. 

“Zhen Xue is already on his way to remembering the past, just like you wanted,” she added quickly, dropping previous pleasantries. “At this point, I’d like to excuse myself.”

“Fine,” he said, turning away from her. A flock of birds flew toward the horizon, fading into the setting sun. He decided he didn’t care what happened to her. He just wanted her gone. “Pray that I never see your face again, not that any god will listen to you.”

“I might be an insignificant creature,” she said, shoes clacking as she walked away. “But who would dare pray to a monster like you?”

He waited until she left before taking a seat on the railing that overlooked the Under City. His feet dangled over the edge, unconcerned about the deafening drop. 

Deep down he knew Calisaya was right to call him a monster. He was never proud of the things he’d done, but he had long since abandoned his moral compass. Not when they were all playing a part in a much larger game with enemies less forgiving than himself.

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.