Chapter Twenty Nine: Back Again

Yi Lian opened his eyes. It had felt like he was miles away the entire time and now that he'd found his way back to the present it seemed unreal to him. It was a lot of information to take in and process all in one but even though he had been provided with answers he just had more questions. The sun looked to be setting now, over the balcony, but his attention was pulled away from the beautiful sight when he saw Nie Asreal fall away from him. He quickly reached out and caught his arms.

Yi Lian, "He took my memory- You had a Qi Diviation because of me- have you been making fun of me this entire time?"

Nie Asreal was exhausted. That had taken a lot of time and if it wasn't thanks to Winters-Gaze supplying him with energy after seeing him struggle, he probably wouldn't be conscious.

Nie Asreal, "Yes of course he took your memory! That ass hole had it out for literally everyone. The Qi Diviation wasn't fully related to you but it was wholly related to Yi Jian and I was kinda messing with you..."

Yi Lian had so many questions but one thing struck his head like a bird at a wall. He brought a hand to his mouth whilst his face turned red and white intermittently. "How was I… so improper."

Nie Asreal laughed, falling back onto the ground and into a pile of books. "Oh you were so cute Yi Lian! You kissed me even-"

Yi Lian quickly grabbed at the front of his robes. "No I didn't- I mean- Oh how was I so foolish-" He whined.

He wanted to slap himself so hard he'd forget his existence.

However, to forget such a thing was truly dreadful. He felt violated by his brother and his sorry excuse for clutching at power.

Yi Lian, "If that happens again you must really kill me."

Nie Asreal stopped laughing and put on a serious expression. He grabbed Yi Lian's hands and flipped them over.

He hung over him and leaned down next to his ear. "If you lose your memory again then now we know how to get it back. No need to kill anyone."

Yi Lian's now brought back memories flashed before his eyes. He had kissed him. He had had feelings for him…

Yi Lian, "Thank you Nie Asreal but… I really must have time to process this."

Nie Asreal nodded and sat back with a sigh. "Sure, I was in despair for so long, I can last a little while longer." He said dramatically.

Yi Lian sat up. He felt butterflies in his stomach. So he did something about them.

He reached up and gave Nie Asreal a light kiss on the cheek. Nie Asreal closed his eyes and let the feeling of soft parted lips leave a small kiss upon him and relished in it.

Yi Lian sat back, thinking he was going to get up and leave but Nie Asreal grabbed behind Yi Lian's neck and kissed him hard. Yi Lian meant to put a hand forward to stop him but it ended up with him lacing his arms around Nie Asreal's neck and pulling him closer. He felt a relief, he felt something returning to him like a fresh breath of air.

He felt his back hit the floor as Nie Asreal pushed him down into the books he'd once treasured as gold. Years of scholarly work being forgotten in an instant. As the kiss continued and became faster and more animalistic, the flames in the lanterns burned higher and higher.

Nie Asreal brought a hand down his waist, tracing the body he'd longed to touch for years. He finally had him back, after Qi Diviation, after not being able to tell anyone, not even talk to anyone after Nie Vian was taken away. He could finally be with Yi Lian, this impossible prospect was now reality.

Yi Lian leaned back. "Is this why you have been wanting to be so close to me since I arrived?"

Nie Asreal tucked his hair behind his ear. "I needed to take care of your heat stroke by swapping energy so I got inventive."

Yi Lian laughed. It was silly. He smiled into their kiss. Nie Asreal pushed him back further into the floor, taking hold of his arms to pin them back as he peppered kisses along his jawline and up to his ear, tugging on his earlobe before biting down. Yi Lian's breath got caught in his throat as he tensed up into him.

Yi Lian, "Thank you Nie Asreal. For everything, others would not- not bother to go so far."

Nie Asreal smiled and looked back into his eyes. "Yi Lian everyday there are less and less bearable people as the unbearable corrupt them. Even though you have been surrounded by the corrupt you have stayed like this."

Yi Lian, "Like what?"

Nie Asreal pretended to think, "Smart, beautiful, fair…"

Nie Asreal smiled and stood. "I have a request."

He offered a hand to Yi Lian which he took. "Yes?"

Nie Asreal places his hands behind his back and stood propper. "Now that this Orchid has his complete powers returned may I see it in action?"

Yi Lian picked Winters-Gaze off of the floor and gave him a confused look.

Nie Asreal, "That curse like thing you put in Yi Jian was intertwined with your memory."

Yi Jian had wanted to make sure Yi Lian stayed less powerful by not asking his brother to remove the curse. He could have easily claimed Yi Lian had made a mistake and had him take it away but he was so power hungry he kept the thing that was slowly killing him. As long as the part of Yi Lian's power, set out to freeze him, kept at its job and not trying to get back to its host then all would be fine. Yi Lian could have used spiritual energy but he truly thought he was going to be lost forever so he used the most definite source of potent power to set the curse. His soul.

Once Yi Jian died that lost part of his soul left him but because Yi Lian's spirit didn't recognise it he gained nothing back, only having it follow him aimlessly. Yet now it was back and the powers he'd once mysteriously lost returned.

Yi Lian was suddenly filled with excitement. He hadn't been able to use the full capacity of his powers in so long, it was definitely time to see them again.