Looking North

Bailong sat down in the burning ashes. The dark grey grains turned bright red and blue, mixing together. Watched with a deep ache in his chest and a groan echoing in his head.

To him, the pain was bearable. However, to Qinglong, this pain was too much, as he had experienced himself before. In his lap sat the crystal with a little of Qinglong’s essence. As Qinglong’s soul pushed out of his chest, Sevir touched it.

Qinglong outright screamed and Bailong hunched over as the ached turned piercingly sharp. Sevir quickly pulled the soul wrapped around his hand, straight into the crystal, and fell sideways on his knees.

Instinctively, he reached out for Sevir’s hand, and Sevir reached out to him.

As their hands wrapped with one another, a bolt of lightning sparked in his hands, carried by the grains of sand. For a moment, the blue flames turned white and went out.

Qinglong huffed. “I feel weak and strong, more me and yet less me.”