The origin of new life - part 1

This vision was black and for a few seconds, Xiao lamented his fate in silence. Was this where his present life ended? If so, where would he end up next? Who would he end up next?

Whenever he took a new body, someone from the council generally found him through rumours and led him back to the family grounds.

However, if he dies now what would happen? What about Noah’s wish? Wasn’t it still in play?

And the cat in his arms would most likely die. The injuries had been inflicted on the cat on his behalf, so he couldn’t just leave it be.

And what would happen to Kei?

If he dies here, it would take years before he could return back to his shop. Would he be left alone in that span of time while Kei found some other way to get what he wanted?

Most of his deaths had not been happy and to take over a body was not a happy feeling for him. Every job and sorrow of his body assaulted him in full and there was no guarantee for it to be suitable for him.

But he could not do anything to stop the blow either. He could not stop the person in front of him, still bound by the effect of his lover’s wish of saving him. He needed to respect that wish.

And now he was going to perish here.

But the blow never reached him.

There was the sound of heavy footsteps, the sound of bells and a soft feeling on his skin. It felt really nostalgic as the feeling around his skin moved. In his arms, the cat gave out the softest of meows before it closed its eyes.

He took the chance to look around and found his surroundings filled with black. It was moving all around, surrounding the place. Soft wings made the wind flutter around them as more and more butterflies filled up around them.

“How did it bloom already? Everyone retreat” in the distance he could see Sumera jump backwards, a look of anger and panic on his face as he retreated from the scene.

Xiao stood up with the cat still in his arms and looked around. The butterflies had started to turn the surroundings black with their touch.

The leaves of the trees were starting to crystallize around him and if he didn’t get out now, he would be stuck there with limited oxygen. He would die anyway.

His steps were hurried and unsteady and he felt his arms become numb with the cat’s weight. But he could not stop right now.

Then there was something touching him. Something which felt much like a human hand and reflexes kicked in. He turned around with a swinging kick and made contact with something solid.

He could feel the ache in his leg and quickly retreated as soon as he made contact before finally taking a look in front of him.

It was Kei with his arm raised to his side. He had evidently blocked Xiao’s kick. The part of his arm that had made contact with his leg spotted a red spot and Xiao felt better to see that he could still pack a punch.

He was glad to see the other there. But then his mind caught up with the current situation.

“What happened? I thought you were taking care of that root?” Xiao asked, trying to not let his voice panic. The breaking of his promise was more prominent to his panic than the actual situation.

Kei looked much calmer as he approached him with caution.

“The root is gone but my power had a backlash. Don’t worry, the butterflies are temporary and will disappear in about the next 10 hours or so” Kei said as stood still. Some of the butterflies that were flying around him landed at his clothes before settling down.

It made for a funny but dire scene and Xiao felt the tension in his body leave him. They had succeeded here and he could go back to work without worrying about anything more.

“Good. Thank you” he was not sure what he was directing his gratitude toward, but he was thankful all the same. But he still felt something not right. Despite all that was said and done, the feeling of the wish fulfilment was not there.

Cradling the cat in his arms, he tried to get them to go away but it never did.

The pair made their way outside the forest while the black cloud ate away at what it could. The place looked deserted and in the setting sun, it looked almost haunted.

Inside the place, the situation was no better. The gardens were trampled over in a hurry and the doors were left open for many rooms. If you peeked inside a room, you could see the mess all over left in a hurry.

However, not the whole place was deserted as he could still feel the signs of life there. But he would deal with them later after he got the cat in his arms settled down.

Getting to their room was a mindless and silent affair. Laying it down on a blanket =, the softest he could find, he began working at its wounds.

“You see, this cat here saved my life today. We just knew each other for a little time. Maybe even less, but it still went ahead on my behalf” Xiao’s voice had a longing and loneliness to it. He still could not believe what had happened.

Kei hummed as a response as he looked at him working on the cat.

“You're worth it, even the cat recognized it. Although you’ve only known each other for a short while the cat decided to love you for who you are. Be glad and cherish it” Kei’s voice was soft and it really soothed Xiao.

He felt really reassuring and grounded in his place at the same time. The cat as if agreeing let out a soft meow in his hands.

“You know what Kei? I think I’m really going to keep this cat if she made it through this” he really hoped that the cat made it through it all. Even if she was a little fat, he really liked her.

“I do too. For your sake I hope so too” Kei said softly.

Somewhere in the forest, there was a movement in the earth before a small black sprout emerged out of the soil. The root of the world tree was back, but it was still young and unimpressive.

/./././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././

They decided to spend a few hours in their room where they talked about everything and nothing. This was the time that made Xiao forget about his worries and everything that was happening around him.

It was relaxing and liberating to be able to talk to Kei about things he could otherwise not talk about at all.

But good things cannot last forever. There is too much stuff in one’s life to take care of for it to be forever peaceful.

Before they could make their own toward the council room, there was a knock at their door. It was kicked open and Noah entered without permission.

“So, is it done yet? The council is demanding answers and neither I nor the council head can hold them off any longer” Noah demanded as he slammed his foot down.

He sounded frustrated and understandably so. Most of the council heads were there only in name without actual skills. But they had unusually sharp tongues which they wielded like weapons.

Even a saint would lose their patience when faced with such a crown. It was a wonder both Noah and the council head had held up under their words till now.

Really, their patience knew no bounds and he was glad that he was not their opponent. As for his question, Xiao didn’t know how to answer him at all because he himself was not sure.

“It should be done but it’s our first time dealing with a root I can’t say for sure. I couldn’t feel it though, even after the abyss spell faded away. I’ll check again and inform you tomorrow. Can you handle the council till then?” He knew he was demanding a lot from Noah but he trusted him to deliver.

His cousin sighted but didn’t immediately shoot him down.

“One more day then. I don’t know what the council is planning, but they can’t touch you right now at least. But please hurry up. The longer you delay, the more ammunition you provide them with against you. And the pillar’s death is still an issue that is left untouched” Noah warned them before he sat down in front of the pair.

Xiao ran his hands through the injured cat’s short hair to calm himself. He knew that a lot was dependent on it all now.

Although the council could not touch him, they could still restrict him a lot. They could put measures in place which would isolate him even more and he wasn’t too keen on it happening to him right now.

“I’ll be careful. I have a feeling I know who’s behind all this” Xiao said. All the while, his hands were busy with the cat, but they slowly shifted to silky black strands of the teen laying just beside the cat.

Kei looked up to follow the arm attached to the hand petting his hair and raised an eyebrow when he saw Xiao. A flush of pink dusted his cheeks before he once again delivered his eyes from Xiao.

It was really cute and made him look the age of the body he was occupying. Xiao felt he should act like a teen or even a kid more. It was refreshing.

“You both act disgusting” Noah commented but there was no real heat in his voice as he took the scene before him. He looked too drained to actually be paying attention but looked content to lay there for a while.

Xiao felt he preferred this to be one of the best moments of his wish for a better life. He was not lonely and had people who genuinely supported him. Maybe even understood him on a deeper level.

“Well, my time is up. I have a council to distract unless you want to do it yourself?” Noah pulled himself up and Xiao felt the loss of heat at his side immediately.

He wanted to call Noah back but didn’t. As much as he wanted this atmosphere and situation to last longer, he wanted more to be left in peace for a single more night. If Noah stayed here, then it would all be nothing more than a wishful thought.

So, with a heavy heart, he let his cousin up. Pulling himself up, he swallowed his cousin till the door and saw him off.

“They have our meal already delivered here. Do you want to eat now?” Kei had also pulled himself up in his absence and made his way toward the side table.

He was not overly concerned about the sudden appearance of the meal. Generally, guest rooms like the one he was on had such arrays for food and other material transportation build in.

Their current accommodation housed something similar to it. Thankfully, there would be no music to face today for them.

The meal was a harmonious one and Xiao did miss Noah a bit during all this, but with a good company by his side and the lull of a soft, comfortable bed, he could not find himself dwelling on it too much.

Everyone had their own place and the thing they needed to go. And he would respect whatever his dear person chose to do with their time.

The nightly routine of washing and changing followed in suit. Before he knew it, he had his eyes shut after a long day of working and running around.

However, his dreams were not an escape at all from his reality and they confirmed what he had been dreading and knew deep down all along. He really was cursed in this department after all.

(I'll see you all on Wednesday next)