— creak —
— Tap — — … Tap... —Tap–tap —
— Thud —
He trembled as he desperately pushed himself backwards with his legs.
He turned his head back, eyes watering and screamed, "he–"
Another door opened.
A woman gripping the door knob screamed
"Run! Somethin–"
blood splattered on the wooden door.
Inside her room another one screamed.
Footsteps thundered past—uneven, loud.
— thrum —
Mo was curled up inside the bedsheet, his hands clamped over his ears.
Only one word ran through his head- run.
Slowly the footsteps faded.
He shoved the bedsheet away.
Suddenly a water droplet dripped.
The droplet faintly reflected his face, Mo's eyes settled on it.
— Gulp —
His jaw closed. Still.
Mo's eyes were set on the door.
He got out of bed and put on one shoe.
He looked at the other—its sole slightly out of place. He bent to pick it up, but his body stopped. His finger twitched.
His hands retreated as he pushed himself up.
He approached the door and twisted the door knob too hard.
As he pushed the door.
For a moment his body stopped as he held the knob of the opened door.
He gazed right. A woman's lower torso was dyed in red as her black hair covered the rest.
He turned his gaze away as he walked towards the staircase.
Time passed, human corpses lay everywhere on the ground.
After some time Mo stepped upon moonlit floor.
Mo stared up, upward was a smashed ceiling, showcasing a silver full moon in the starry sky.
He walked through the remains of the ceiling.
He neared the staircase, Mo stopped, his gaze fell upon a fallen eyeball staring at him from the moonlit ground.
Just outside the moonlight, in the pitch black staredapair of pale gold eyes.
— THUD —
A head slowly rolled down the darkness. It stopped just after it touched moonlight.
A face pressed against the ground. One eye stared at him— wide... red.
While the moonlight revealed the hollow of the other.
Mo stared at it.
His eyes once again settled on the pair of golden eyes.
Slowly they came closer.
A paw entered the moonlight—then loosened, its form drifting like a shadow made of smoke.
Mo's foot slid back. The other followed—then stalled, just for a beat.
Another step followed after it.
He tripped over a piece of the smashed ceiling and fell.
As he pushed himself back, his body struck something, he looked behind a large piece of the ceiling, was towering above him, its shadow swallowing Mo's body.
He tried to push himself up, he looked ahead, a deformed beast- holes filled its body, revealing the banister of the staircase through itself, was already close to him.
His eyes unblinking, the golden eyes came closer, stopping just an inch away from him.
Its mouth lifted, revealing sharp fangs.
A tongue slid out and licked him.
His jaw slackened slightly as its rough tongue dragged over his face.
His hands lifted. He touched the beast—its form like a panther.
The moment his fingers brushed its neck, they sank into something deeper than shadow.
As he thought "huh?..." The corners of his lips curled upwards.
—Squelch—
A blue chain whip tore out of its forehead.
His fingers still brushing against the beast's body.
It lifted him up, holding it like a skewer, then piercing it from all sides and vanished with the corpse.
Mo stared into the abyss infront of him. Eyes fixed.
A droplet touched his cheeks.
His hands were still, then they rose, wipping it.
...Blood smeared across his index finger.
His lungs cut off air.
As he looked up, gasping for air that didn't come, his eyes gazed another drop of blood from the sky. Up in the sky elder Mian floated.
A pouch hung from his hand. With the other, he pushed the beast into it.
The pouch swallowed the beast whole.
Elder Mian swung his arm into the air and launched the blue chain whip again.
With it he launched himself forward, balancing on the great sword.
With it, he launched himself forward, balancing on the greatsword.
Mo's vision dimmed as he fell onto the ground..
...
Mo lay beneath the cracked ceiling.
Mo's attention shifted towards the window.
The morning dew plastered it.
Caw!
His body tightened.. Just then the bell rung. He got up from the bed and readied himself.
In the ground a gathering took place.
A refined manservant stood upright behind the third and the young master. Their eyes met as Mo walked towards him.
The manservant glared.
"How late am I?" Mo thought while he changed places with the manservant.
The second offered condolences to a young woman, her eyes swollen, holding hands with a little girl.
The third looked at his older brother, he turned his head to the pair infront and stared silently, brows furrowed.
They moved on to the next grieving pair till the sun revealed its shining rays.
The people gathered around, forming a ring.
Inside a beast floated up in the air facing numerous caskets on the ground.
It had a broad, flat body shaped almost like a flying cloak. Its enormous fins spread outward like wings, moving in slow, graceful waves. Numerous white spots spread across its entire upper surface that people couldnt see high up in the air.
It drifted in the sky, spreading blue particles across the area, blue light radiated from the coffins.
Bai Jun squeezed his brother's arm.
It fell silent.
Mo's gaze lingered on the caskets, unblinking.
...
A servant opened the door, the second lead, they followed.
The third and the second climbed onto an elevated floor while Mo remained in the corner. Another servant stood on the opposite side of the room.
The second stood in the centre, the third slightly behind him.
Mo looked infront, the room was filled with young people.
The second young master started–
"Many of you are still young. Some of you still have children waiting for you at home.
No amount of words will lessen what was lost today.
But grief alone cannot feed a family.
The ones who died served this household faithfully.They will not be discarded in death.
I hope this will ease at least a portion of your burden."
At his words, servants stepped forward carrying trays lined with navër.
Nobody moved immediately, then they bowed to the second young master.
Nobody looked up.
...
Mo stood beside a closed door.
Infront, the little girl held a pouch nearly the size of her torso.
Her mother held her hand.
Carriages rolled past them.
Wooden tags rested behind each casket's head.
— Tap — — Tap —
Mo's eyes followed.
Elder Mian walked towards him, lips slightly curled upwards.
Mo's gaze lingered.
Elder Mian opened the door, holding a giant blue orb beneath one arm.
It reflected mo's gaze back as Mian stepped into the room.
The door closed.
Mo stared at the sky through the glass window. The sun was slowly sinking revealing a dark red gradient.
"Wow, really?! Brother, don't you think I'm great?"
The excited shout erupted from inside the room. Mo's chest rose and fell rapidly.
...
Mo walked down the corridor.
He stopped. He looked up, a destroyed ceiling, the rubbles were gone.
Up ahead two manservants leaned against the wall.
"Man... that much money could feed my family for a decade"
The other one spoke up,
"Still, we were lucky that we survived the attack one night ago, right?"
Was I asleep for a day? No wonder he said I was late.
Mo lay on the bed, his clothes changed.
"How?"
Mo rolled onto his side, his hands tucked close to his face and his eyes shut.
His brows drew together. His eyes fluttered open for a brief moment before closing again.
His eyes cracked open. Then widened.
Shadowy smoke seeped from his middle finger.