Chapter 223 - Energies (1/2)

”Which way?” a tender voice echoed in the mist...

Hao Xuan stood in a foggy world, with nothing around him visible other than the two paths in front.

”Which way will you go?” the voice repeated. It sounded patient, like he had all the time in the world to decide.

He looked at the path on the right. It was colored a shade of red, with one silhouette looking back at him from some distance away. He could not make out any features on the silhouette, but he felt a connection to it. His chest tightened and the heart starting beating rapidly. The blood rushed through his veins and a feeling of excitement came over him.

He looked at the one on the left. It was white. Completely white. Another silhouette standing there, waiting for him. A cool energy entered his body and he could feel the....peace, and the quiet. Just looking at the silhouette provided nourishment for his soul, silencing all the noisy voices in the world. His breath turned gentle and his heartbeat slowed down.

”Which will you choose? ” the voice asked.

Hao Xuan looked at each path for a long, long time. It felt like ages had passed. He opened his mouth to speak but only blood came out.

He looked down and saw his naked feet. The path below was littered with blood and glass, so much glass.

”Which way will you go?” the sentence repeated, the voice slowly getting further and further away.

A panic came over him all of a sudden as he turned around and saw another silhouette standing behind him. It was smiling. He recognized it at first glance.

”Will you...leave me as well?” the smiling silhouette asked softly.

”Never!” Hao Xuan roared, splashing his own blood everywhere. He started running towards it but the distance between them only increased with every step.

The silhouette smiled even more looking at Hao Xuan trying to make his way towards it.

”Then, will you forget me?” it asked curiously, tilting its head sideways.

Hao Xuan could barely see the silhouette anymore so he shouted at the top of his lungs, ”Not in this life, nor the next!”

”Good,” it nodded, ”Then move forward. Do not look back,” the voice echoed for the last time before the silhouette vanished from his view.

He could feel a sudden emptiness inside him. It was like he had just lost someone very dear to him.

Huffing, he came to a stop. His body aching with a dull pain. His legs and feet were bloody from running on the broken glass. He felt like he had been running for centuries.

Anxiousness and dread taking root in his heart.

He slowly turned around and noticed that the distance between the two paths and him had not changed at all. He had just been running in one place, struggling to get to something that was never meant to be his.

The silhouettes on each path raised their hands towards him, trying to help him stand up straight.

”Who will you choose?” they asked simultaneously.

”I-”

*Whoosh*

Darkness shrouded his vision as he tried to slowly open his eyes.

”Hmm~ mm~ mhmm~”

A sweet and gentle hum came from his side.

His eyes opened and a face came into view. Soft porcelain-like skin and eyes like a shattered mirror stared into his.