Chapter 10

Yao Wang didn't say anything. He didn't move. Instead, just continued to stare at the delicate item in his hand. Wang couldn't see the man, only his hand, with a silky smooth glove. His form was soft and delicate, just like the butterfly, however, also like honey. Thick and sweet. The man sounded far away, but the warmth made him feel so close to Wang. Yet not close enough.

"Walk with me."

Yao Wang felt the silver butterfly start to float from his hand, fading away from the same way as previously. Yao Wang slowly lowered his hand, his attention turning to the gloved one in front of him. Gently, Yao Wang placed his bare hand over the man's gloved one. He didn't grip Yao Wang's hand, barely touched it at all. At any time Yao Wang could run away, or fight the man, and it seemed he didn't care.

So Wang didn't run away.

The man began to walk, his pace slow and thought out. Warmth suffused his body as he matched steps with the mysterious man, looking forward. Neither of them turned to face each other. The sounds of China didn't fill his ears again, the silence surrounding them. As they walked, the world behind them turned. Leaves are beginning to fall from where they were once standing. Though, the man's footsteps were lighter than sound.

He was a ghost, his movement barely noticeable. Yet, Yao Wang glanced at the man beside him. Deep black hair, darker than the hair of anyone he had ever seen, covered most of his face. A bloody smirk on his face, for what reason Yao Wang couldn't know. Only one of his hands was gloved, the other showing his pale white skin. However, even that hand was slightly covered, a bandage wrapped around his knuckles.

Who was this man, Wang felt as he knew? This man could only be one thing. The God's Reaper. The man stopped as the dirt road became narrower, however, there was a large opening on the other side. He turned to face Wang, as Yao Wang did the same. He lowered his eyes, staring at the man's black boots. He couldn't dare look him in the eye. He had to get Fu Hai and But so the three could get him. He let Yao Wang's hand fall to the ground, before lifting his hands.

At first, Yao Wang didn't know exactly what The God's Reaper was doing, but he quickly figured it out. His hair covered most of the man's face, not being up like Wang's. Yet, he still had a traditional red, gold, and white hanfu. Beads tightened at the waist, with a slit of white shown. His hands were cuffed with metal outlines of flowers. Lotus flowers to be exact.

He reached towards the back of Wang's head, where the clasp of the veil was hidden. However, once Yao Wang understood what the other was doing, his hand reached up to grab the man, but he was too late. In a burst of cold air, Wang's hand switched through nothing, a kaleidoscope of glass butterflies remaining. They fluttered, surrounding him, the warmth still there.

But the man was not.

Yao Wang sighed, as he heard footsteps padding from behind him. Yao Wang looked over, seeing Fu Hai and But out of breath. Yao Wang ran over to them, the butterflies fluttering away. Were they connected to God's Reaper? "Are you two ok?" Yao Wang asked worriedly, but Fu Hai waved him off. "The trail, it leads nowhere. It was just to a cliff. It's like we're on an island. It was as if someone was following us. We saw the bridge fall, only ghosts can do that." Yao Wang stared at the black-haired boy, confused. That man, he couldn't be God's Reaper. If he was, ghosts can't duplicate themselves. Only demons could. So if God's Reaper was a ghost, then he couldn't be with Yao Wang.

So who was that man?

"It can't be. We walked together-``''What if God's Reper tried to trap us?" But stands up straight to look back at Wang. "By breaking the bridges over the streams, leaving nothing to run back to." "That would mean that God's Reaper would know we were there." Fu Hai looks behind Wang, towards the opening. "Your Highness, you found the temple?"

Yao Wang turns around, looking towards the opening. There it was, Tao Wu's temple. With fully gold towers. The entrance had stone floors, placed in certain, precise steps. Black pillars connected the golden walls to the black roof. It was the same colors Tao Wu wore when he last saw the king. Wang slowly began walking through the opening, and into the temple.

That man led Yao Wang to the temple. Why would he do such a thing, and why is Tao Wang of all people. Yao Wang stared at the burning incense.There was still incense burning on the table, which made Wang worry. "Someone was here." He muttered, walking up to the shrine. It was obvious that someone burned it. But Yao Wang didn't know if it was a human or a ghost. Abruptly, Yao Wang felt a bitter blast of a blow from him. Yao Wang covered his face from the freezing, raw air. It lasted only for a short period, before unexpectedly stilling. Yao Wang looked around, but it appeared Fu Hai and Buo had felt it too. No air around him moved as Yao Wang looked back down at the incense. It was still burning.

Another blast of wind came, but Yao Wang was ready this time. He raised his hand, a blue mystic haze slowly creeping from behind the bandage. "Find!" He yelled through the loud wind. The shimmering blue haze sweeps over the unbroken temple, surrounding them in a blue fog. Yao Wang scanned the temple, looking around for the ghost. However, soon the fog was sucked up to a certain spot, encompassing something right in front of Wang. Creating an outline.And outline of a person.

God's Reaper.