Episode Sixty Three

     Kai stirred awake to feel a massive headache, his whole body ache for that matter. And his eyes felt swollen and his throat sore. He grit his teeth in pain as he eases up from his half lay and half sitting up position, and shivered even though the sun shines brightly down on him. He noticed that his clothes clung to his body, still wet from the night rain. Did he really fall asleep out in the rain? He thought, his headache intensifying as he remembered everything that had happened in the last twenty four hours. His mother's lifeless eyes boring into his, haunted his memory. And he couldn't help but whimper. That is all he can do right now. Even if he had the energy to try and cry right now, he couldn't. He had cried so much, he doesn't think that there is an ounce of tears left. He suddenly remembered that he had also had an argument with Qing Yuan, and his heart sank when he realized that Qing Yuan didn't even care enough to come and take him out of the rain, does he not really care about him?

   'Well, if he doesn't care about me. I don't need him then!' Kai angrily thought. He placed his elbows on the wall of the house, and used them to push himself up off the ground. His body protesting in pain, and the garments on his body didn't help much. His clothing was so soaked with water that he could wring it out and get about a few buckets full of water from it.

Kai staggered back a bit, his legs not functioning right. And he felt like he had been trampled by a herd of running wild boars. His headache suddenly hit him dead on, and he felt everything around him started to spin and get blurry. He weakly touches his forehead, squeezing his eyes shut. He started to feel nauseous, and before he knew it. He felt himself falling back to the ground.waiting for the impact of the hard rocky surface. But it never came, instead, he felt softness engulfed him. And he took the chance to open his eyes, and what he saw made his heart skip a beat. There was Qing Yuan, like a knight in shining armor. Him in all his greatness, always there to catch Kai when he falls.

    "Are you alright?" His silky voice husky like he had just woken up, and Kai can't help but to gawk at him. 

Qing Yuan's lips move, but Kai can't seem to comprehend. He is too caught up in his admiration for the young prince. He even forgot that he had been upset with the older Prospector.

…ai…Kai?..Kai!" Qing Yuan yelled, when he saw that the younger one was spacing out.

Kai grit his teeth in pain, his hand automatically grip the side of his head. Qing Yuan looked down at him with worry- filled eyes. Realization hits him when he feels just how warm Kai is, and guilt floods him. If he had just not played a part in Kai's petty childish behavior, Kai wouldn't have a fever right now. But he just wanted to give him some space. His mother had just been killed right in front of him, and saw so many innocent people die and he couldn't do anything. And to top it all off, he now had the Dark Moon orb, along with the lotus aura that is the center of his core. And the two evilest rage fill Cultivators after him. Now that is a whole lot of burden for one person to carry around, especially Kai who had just been thrown into the cultivation world. And that is why he shouldn't have left him alone. He should have pushed harder to comfort him, even when he had tried to push him away.

    "Come on, let me take you inside and treat you." Kai nodded his head, resting it on Qing yuan's shoulder as he enjoyed the feeling of being carried. And also Qing Yuan's intoxicating scent that he had become really fond of.

    Two hours had passed, and Kai had just woken up. After passing out from exhaustion, Qing Yuan healed him. His fever had also risen, and the young prince had to also give him a sleeping draft so could bring his fever down. Now he is awake, and feeling much better.

     "Thank you." He thanked the older Prospector, as he took the small bowl of steaming soup from him.  

Qing Yuan had found a small outdoor kitchen behind the house, and was lucky enough for him. The kitchen had some herbs and spices thrown around, and he had gone down to a small lake where a lot of lotus is growing. And he had pulled up so many roots, and hurried back to make the lotus root soup for Kai.

Kai hummed in delight, as the soup spread about his taste buds. It wasn't as good as the one his mother used to make, but he appreciates the prince's kind gesture. The thought brought back the memory of his mother, and it finally hit him that he won't ever get to taste her cooking anymore, give her warm hugs or just have her in his everyday life. And just like that, he stopped eating and tears fell from his eyes one after the other. 

    "Kai," Qing Yuan sign, walking up to him. He knelt down before him, and used his finger to lift Kai's chin so he could look into his eyes. "I know that you are hurting right now, but you need to be strong. You can't let your mother's death overthrow the responsibility that you have. Especially when a lot of other innocent people lives are involve."

Kai looked at Qing Yuan, disbelief in his eyes. Here he thought that Qing Yuan's perspective of his situation had changed. But here he is telling him to push his mother's death aside and focus on the lives of others. How selfish can he be, and that is just what Kai had blurted. "You are selfish and ignorant! How could you say that to me? My mother was just as important as all those other people out there! Why would I even think you would understand, you even left me in the pouring rain to sleep. I guess everyone was right when they said you are prince serious, or whatever it was!" Kai threw the bowl aside, the soup spilling onto the floor, making Qing Yuan look at them up at a now standing Kai.