Into the Victims Lair
Jia woke up with a throbbing head, his visions were blurry and the ringing in his ears was too much for him to bear. He was knocked unconscious last time he was sane and he was keen in his senses on what could have happened during the time he went into a deep slumber.
He heard some faint laughter in the corner, he squinted his eyes before focusing on the noise that was bothering him. The whole view broke his silence as his small groan turn into a horrible scream. There in his very own sight, Zihan was hanging upside down; dripping from his blood. The young master was unconscious, and who knows for how many days that his lips become pale, so pale that he thought something bad happened before his wake. Jia desperately squirm as he crawled his way to the young master.
“What are you doing?” he shouts even though his voice was hoarse. It was like a whisper, a tired and poor voice.
Silver Monarch turns to look at Jia with sarcastic pity on his face. He crouched down to observe the man who was crawling like a wounded worm trying to get to his master. “Aww, you’re awake?” he patted Jia’s head as if he was patting a kitten.
“WHAT DID YOU DO? HOW? WHAT IS HAPPENING” he spat on the man’s face while looking erratically at his master who’s unresponsive at the moment.
“Heh! Obnoxious brat” Silver Monarch grabbed Jia’s head and with an interest he pounded it hard on the ground with such force that Jia’s old blood was again tainted by a new one.
“Arrgh, Ngh. n….no” Jia experience such trauma that the pain made him unable to feel any pain. He wasn’t worried about himself, but about the young man whose eyes were still fixed on the man who he swore he would protect in exchange for his own.
“DON’T HURT HIM PLEASE!!! NO MORE… I BEG YOU…. I…... I…. I WILL DO ANYTHING JUST PLEASE DON’T HURT HIMMM… NOT HIMMM… I BEG YOU.” he cried as his tears flowed uncontrollably, he didn’t care about it. This time he can’t miss it. If the only help he could do was to give himself completely, without doubt, he will give it to them.
There was someone behind them that was clapping his hands as he walks slowly towards them.
“Xieye? My beloved how about this brat” the silver monarch then stood up and pointed at Jia.
“I guess there’s no need for him to be tortured before he gives in.” the man crossed his arms in a manner that was impressed at the man lying on the ground.
“W... wait... you have to release the young master and the disciple first… I… I want them to have safe travel to the clan… before I…” he abruptly halt Jia knew what was coming it was going to be vicious.
“Your wish will be settled but first drink this.” the man name Xieye gave him a cup that was made of the skull of a dog; the contents and the pungent smell were intolerable but Jia had no choice but to follow them. The liquid enters his mouth, it tastes nothing like rotten blood. He wanted to puke but force himself to drink it without anything left. Then he threw it in the corner with his remaining energy.
Clang! The young man was huffing hardly, Silver Monarch and Xieye were just standing languidly looking at him waiting for some interesting part to happen.
“Hmm… what? Nothing happened?” Silver monarch encircles Jia with an irritated face. He then stopped in front of the lad and keep on tapping his left foot on the ground.
“Maybe he wasn’t the chosen one,” Xieye added intending to walk as if his mood changed quickly.
Jia was still examining the two when suddenly he felt like something was stabbing his heart, the pain surge all over his body and it was increasing in peak.
“ARGGGHHHH” is the only thing he can take out for a moment; the feeling was enormous he wants to die. He didn’t exactly know what to feel except to die in his state because he was hurting everywhere. Even a small movement felt like it was pierced by millions of needles that were thrusting his skin.
The crows outside were cawing again, as for Xieye who stopped to look at Jia with his eyes wide open. Silver monarch also takes a step back. There was a black aura surrounding the man, and the blood on Jia’s body started flowing out of his body, his eyes becoming white as his hair had turned into silver-white with a strand of red all over. His nails turn and like a claw of a wolf---sharp.
Jia continues to scream in horrendous pain, he didn’t know how long it will take him but the torment was immeasurable. He didn’t even notice that his body was changing all he yearns for was to die. All the memories of his life before this thing happened to him keep flashing back, his little sister, Chen Xu, and his dream to have a peaceful life where he no longer worries about his sister getting sick. All of those were just a bleak hope now. Then, his body fall again to the hard ground a great feeling of somnolence made him relax. An ecstasy that he was looking for.
The surrounding becomes silent, Silver monarch dragged the lad’s motionless body onto the next chamber which is only exclusive to the chosen vessel. Meanwhile, Xieye takes Zihan’s body down and started healing the young master’s wound using his power.
“You sure about this? No turning back,” Silver monarch got back and asked Xieye about Jia while he continued to heal Zihan.
“He got potential, his smart than you think, and his prowess well--- after seeing him transform like Siwang. I guess the second Siwang wasn’t this young man here but Jia himself.” Xieye then smiles turning his attention to the Silver monarch.
“He never got the power and skills that make him special.” Silver monarch scratched his head in confusion wanting to know the answer.
“Fear,” Xieye replied.
“What? Fear? Are you for being real?” Silver monarch chortled.
“I sense it, the greatest feeling he vents out while he transforms into a vessel was fear. I don’t know why to think Siwang wants emotional shouts for revenge. The vessel shouted for fear. It was rare.” Xieye then carry Zihan without a problem and went into another chamber.
“Release the three disciples and make sure to take that light thread out of their memories before waking them up. We can’t take the risk that we were back.” Xieye reminded Silver Monarch before going out.
“What kind of crap fear can do.” Silver Monarch trudges that with a fuss he didn’t exactly understand what Xieye means.
Meanwhile, Xieye put the unconscious Zihan on the bed laying there neatly. He poses a ritual for the young master to forget Jia and to erase their memories of them from beginning to end, he wanted to make sure that Jia will never exist in his life. Only him.
The ritual lasted for an hour, since it was Zihan who rose into cultivation with such power it was really hard for him to take control. They were lucky to catch him off guard because of their dirty trick and using Jia as bait. His sweat trickled down as he performs sorcerers. He then encircles Zihan putting a black flower over his body. Xieye then put two black candles atop of young master’s head. One was lit and the other wasn’t. He proceeded to put a fine thread in between.
He then says something in a foreign word, praying and kneeling with his head bowed a thousand-fold, he swings the bell in Zihan’s head with such strength as the lit candle reacted to it. It became weak, and the flames died down. The ambiance becomes dark and the crow caws hysterically, Zihan’s memories of Jia vanished like a gush of the wind. It was destroyed.
After the ritual, they toss four bodies in the carriage. They also make sure that it will be delivered in the Black Dragon without any suspicions. Only then, Zihan who lost his memories of Jia will be a big question and so Xieye decided to fix the slate and take matters into his hands.
“Accompany me in the manor we have a task to finish.” Xieye then grabbed one of the horses and hop into it.
“What about the boy?” pointing inside the hut where Jia was sleeping.
“We can always track him down, if he was stubborn, we will take control over his body whether he like it or not,” Xieye wasted no time and went to chase the carriage.
Silver monarch also joins him. It was a long night for the two of them.
In the middle of the night, the moon was becoming red it beams through Dahu village like a spooky light. A prophecy that was slowly being born into the land of the dead. The lost clan who promise revenge was coming back to haunt the entire manor.