Kage and Xuanyu: Redemption

The barrier has been breached. Though her strength is gradually declining, Xuanyu's senses have not dulled.

How long has it been? A hundred? A thousand? After the first decade, she decided to stop paying attention to the passage of time.

Still, it's been a while since Xuanyu felt the breath of another living being.

A familiar aura spread through the dark cave, prodding. Without warning calloused fingers reached out and lifted her chin.

Xuanyu brooked no resistance and allowed the invasive action, her dark eyes staring sightlessly on the ground.

"Pathetic!" A hoarse voice sounded and her chin was harshly pushed aside.

Xuanyu remained passive as the man raged in front of her, nagging about her inadequacies and failures. But no matter what he said or how much he insulted her character and actions, Xuanyu remained motionless, detached from it all.

"What do you think he would say if he saw what you've become?" The man taunted mercilessly..

Xuanyu moved like the wind, her blank eyes were now filled with killing intent as she advanced towards the man. But before she could touch the edge of his robes, the enchanted chains binding her recoiled and her body slammed back on the cave wall.

"You have no right to mention him in front of me!" Xuanyu screamed in fury. Even with the enchanted chains confining her strength the cave shook at the force she exerted.

The man clapped as if watching a good show. He finally got the reaction he wanted. He tilted his head to one side and curiously asked, "If you have that much strength why were you pretending to be dead?"

Xuanyu regained her unruffled demeanor at the man's query. She sat on the dirt covered ground with her eyes closed as if nothing untoward happened.

What was the point of being strong if she could not protect the person she wanted to protect? What was the point of living if the person she was living for was already gone?

If she could die, Xuanyu would have died a thousand times already. Unfortunately, the heavens cursed her with an undying body and the demon residing in her heart would not grant her to death so easily.

The man continued to blabber but Xuanyu was not inclined to listen. Like before, she tuned out everything and immersed herself in memories of the dead until the man said, "He's back."

Xuanyu's menacing aura spiked and the enchanted chains binding her rattled furiously, as if it would break at any moment. She wanted to kill the man standing in front of her. She wanted to bleed him dry and watch as life slowly ebb from his broken body.

"How long do you think it's been?" The man continued as if he could not see her murderous glare. "But he's been through the cycle of reincarnation. Although his soul and body were preserved, his memories are no longer there."

Xuanyu's mind blanked as tears rolled down her cheeks. It doesn't matter if he remembers. No, it's better if he forgets! Like that he would not suffer knowing what he shouldn't have in the first place.

Xuanyu wanted to see him, badly.

"They're going after him again…" The man said, breaking Xuanyu's desolate thoughts.

Xuanyu's breath hitched but within a blink, the cave was filled with a vicious, murderous aura. "They dare!"

Xuanyu effortlessly broke free from the enchanted chains that bound her for over a thousand years and flashed in front of the man. Caught unaware, the man had no time to protect himself.

Xuanyu grabbed his neck and lifted him up, her fingers slowly tightening around his fragile throat.

"Tell me where he is!" Xuanyu growled.

They've taken his life before and now they're after him again. This time, Xuanyu would do anything to keep him safe. If they still dare to hurt him, she would kill them! She would kill them all!

The end… or is it?