Haru

  Near a mural of Ravens, I knocked on a door. “It's Vanessa!”

  Footsteps tapped on tiles and locks clicked. Swinging open the door was a sight for sore eyes.

  “Your Grace.” In the middle of grounding ingredients, she asked. “What do you need? Stamina pill. Just made a very strong batch.” She guided me in the shop of strong smells that reminded me of a hospital.

  “I came to ask about the divine cult.”“Tarion told about them. Fucking bastards, yanking the only good disciple I have had.”

  Saying that in front of me too.

  “Don’t twist your panties in knots. I taught you martial arts, not medicine, so you're not a disciple. Yet. So-” Pcing the grinding bowl, Zhi walked us to a table to sit. “Why are you curious?”

  The divine cult wouldn't be working with the Wolfburns. It makes no sense. Yuran wouldn’t stand for any of this!”

  With the speed of a viper, Zhi's hand nearly clutched my throat. “Who the fuck are you?”

  Vanessa!

  Her speed removed Zhi’s hair tie; her grey hair darkened her scary gre. “I don’t see a mask. Vanessa would have at least flinched. Such things can be ignored because I don’t like stress. But to know a heaven demon heir's first name..." Something changed in her eyes. Her hand retracted and a finger twisted her hair into a knot with her qi. “You’re like him—a changer of destiny.” She muttered with a sombre expression. “To answer your question, there is a new leader.”

  “That’s impossible! Who could win against a fighter of the Heavenly Stage?!”

  “Heavenly Stage?” Zhi questioned. "Yuran? The poor boy couldn't even get to the Earth stage. If he wasn’t blood of the dragon, he would have been thrown out of the cult years before.”

  I can’t comprehend what this woman was saying, Yuren. My Yuren? Weak? Total nonsense. “Okay. Let's imagine I believe you. Who leads them now?”

  Zhi held out a finger and a thread of mana flowed in the air like ribbon to a cup.

  “What is that?”

  A mana tether. Tarion learnt from a strange warrior he killed and he taught everyone else.

  I recalled a man from Talfford using something familiar using something simir to round up cursed humans. A man from a renowned family.

  I can use it too.

  “Nice try.”

  Damn you, Hijacker. Vanessa rattled her cage.

  “After a bloodbath made by his family’s blood, the second child, Jianlin, won above all.”

  Now it makes sense. Power-hungry fool. Could never be satisfied. He even tried to force my hand in marriage. In retaliation, Yuran cut Jianlin’s arm off in front of the council. And none said a thing in protest. That was my Yuran.

  “Where is he? Where is Yuran? Could I meet him? Where does he hide?" Everything may be upside down in this timeline but if I can meet again, everything will be right again. We can find a way to beat Kyros. We could start things afresh. Weak now doesn’t mean forever. And I never loved him because he was strong but because he was kind despite his strength.

  Zhi sipped slowly on her tea as he heated it with her hands. “You cared for him. Keep your heart still as I tell you this.”

  What is this?

  “After the second heir came back to the pace with a new power, the sughter began.

  No…

  In our cult, succession must be done by you own hand or it doesn't count at all. So all alone. No guard in sight with the doors locked and with nowhere to go, they children were stuck with a demon.”

  “No…NO! I can’t…” I smmed the table with tears. “IT CAN’T BE!!”

  “Jianlin killed all 38 children of concubines and 4 official heirs.”

  “No, no. MAYBE! Maybe they were fakes.”

  “I checked the first heir’s lifeless body. It was him. Vanessa. He has passed.”

  I lost my bance as the world turned off.

  Vanessa.

  I can move a bit. Think, think, THINK. What can I do to reach him? I felt the ring on my left hand and I concentrated.

  Please hear me, Tarion. I AM HERE. I AM STILL HERE.

  Tarion

  “Vanessa?” I searched around for a voice I longed for. “Your Grace?” said Kurt, baffled by my reaction to the reports.

  "Nothing. Just remembered a wonderful memory.”

  Haru

  “Slowly.” Zhi helped me drink a cup of hot disgustiness. “It will help with the fainting.” I sat up on a bed in the pill shop.

  “Sorry, this day has been a lot for me.”

  Zhi nodded. My mind was empty; the world seemed greyer. I want to see him. That was my one wish. And I couldn't have that.

  On a seat nearby, Zhi seemed impatient.

  “Ask. I don't care.” I said, coldly.

  “Where you came from, is he doing well?” She asked with pleading eyes, knowing how much remembering him hurts my soul. Memories I could reach into where I felt downtrodden will forever be lost to time.

  I breathed in. “The st time we saw each other, the world was ending... But up until then? He was happy.” I smiled. Zhi smiled back, with a tear in the corner of her eye and a silent thank you.

  “Here free of charge.” Zhi handed me a bag of indiscpit medicine. “And tell your husband to send builders to Liutown or I won’t work for him anymore.”

  “Will do!” I waved goodbye to Zhi with a grin but a heavy heart. I came to alleviate my worry and found the worst news possible. My carriage found me; I climbed in and closed the curtains.

  Silence and darkness.

  No one can hear you here.

  I bawled aloud. Every emotion exploded in me like a geyser at the stark realisation that I am truly alone. Without him, I am lost without my compass. My Northstar no longer shines.