A Tale of Forgotten Gods

Chapter 88: The Line of Emotion

Two weeks had passed since the prince’s death. The whole empire was mourning. Tomoe was appointed as the slayer in the empire by the loyal ministers.

Though, the place the prince had died was still warm even though it should have been cold by now, but there was a strange warmness.

After that day, the baboon-robed man was never seen again around the empire.

***

Kiyori and Mo Fei rested near a river. Mo Fei sat on a stone and heaved a sigh. He looked at Kiyori, who sat on the ground while counting the shards. Finally, his thought moved to the letter; his mind was fresh now; he could read it.

Yet, he couldn’t get the courage to open it. That letter was something he would want to keep forever.

He closed his eyes for a few seconds, tilting his head toward the warm sky. The sunlight peeked through trees as he heaved a long breath again, then reached out his hand toward the letter in his pocket.

Mo Fei pressed the edge with thumb and fingers. His gaze locking on the paper.

He slowly flicked the upper part, which connected the letter. Inside, a curled paper was put carefully. He pulled it out, then slowly unfurled it and held it with the fingers of both of his hands.

He exhaled and then began to read the letter inwardly. In beautiful handwriting was written the following:

’Mo Fei, this was for you. You’d have already seen my death, so I won’t remind you that... the day you’ll read it, you might not want to at first, though it shouldn’t stop you. The Warden had already told me about my death. I have been so tired of everything. Every face I loved crumbled to dust, and I couldn’t bear to add yours to the pile, but now, I must tell you some vital things that I have found throughout my journey.’

Mo Fei paused; Jian Yue had been in the loop before four times. He averted his gaze in thought and then read the letter again. ’Remember the Xul-Thal we fought before... I couldn’t tell you before, but it said something about the true threat we might face in the future. They are above Gods, something about them almost seemed distant.’ Mo Fei’s eyes widened slightly as he read the letter.

’They are called... the Spectators. They are the ones who were behind the corruption that had made Gods mad. Although, Xul-Thal didn’t show much, but they are far more dangerous then I have imagined... It showed a vision of a book, where it was written that they entirely play with humanity and their choices; in the second epoch, they killed the previous Lightless. They sealed a few more Gods, be aware of Them.’

’They are always watching.’

Mo Fei’s whole body shivered at the last sentence. ’They are watching’ even now... He stared at the sky, then returned his focus to the letter.

’I wasn’t brave; I didn’t run because running away would make the silence even louder. You may blindly blame yourself, but you don’t owe me anything, but you owe yourself everything; mourning won’t fix it. I remember the day I saw you, carrying that Glaive. I thought you’d be another ascender who would refuse to join, though you aren’t an ascended; you are a Lightless now. I know you’d get angry; yes, I wasn’t afraid to die, but I was worried that you’d carry my death like a weight you cannot put down. Don’t think you failed me. There is something worth fighting for.

There is. That is you. You made me proud every day with your actions.

In another life, if I were to have kids, I hope you’d be my son. Please take care of Zhuo and Lin. I have given them letters, which they’ll eventually find. Believe in tomorrow, I will remain by your side. The absence of a Warden is the presence of a Warden’

Finally, there were the last sentences of Jian Yue, which were—

’I have no wisdom to offer... only observations. These are the things I learned too late.

1. When you are tired, rest. The world will not end if you close your eyes for an hour. It will be there, waiting for a new day.

2. When you are angry, speak. Silence is not strength—it is a slow death. Never isolate yourself; express your thoughts, be angry, be honest, be kind, be jealous, and be happy. Show each of them.

3. When you love someone, tell them. I never did, and I regret that. Even an ascended one should be able to love.

4. When you are lost, search for the people who make you feel less alone. They are your home. Those who speak with you, stay with you, and annoy you with their chatting are for you. Be for them too.

5. When you are about to give up, remember: I believed in you.

If there is a God that watches you, I hope He is kind to you. You deserve kindness.’

:~Jian Yue.

Reading that, Mo Fei glanced at Kiyori, who seemed to be busy admiring the shards she got by hard work.

Mo Fei slowly folded the letter; a small smile crossed over his lips as he turned away. Squeezing his eyes shut against the prickle of tears, he tucked the paper back over his heart and then put the letter back in his pocket.

Kiyori also counted the shards one last time, then put them in the pouch, and then adjusted her bow and arrows. Turning toward Mo Fei, she noticed him looking away toward somewhere. She blinked twice, then walked toward him and patted his back.

Mo Fei lifted his head up and turned toward her. ”What do you want?”

”What were you staring at?” She questioned and then looked at the direction.

”Nothing, anyway. Tell me more. How long have you been travelling alone?”

Kiyori paused at his sudden question, her hand stilled on her bow, then a wide grin crossed over her face. ”You want to know?”

”Should I change my mind?”

”No! I will tell, of course.” Both of them started walking toward the second village. Kiyori began speaking, happy to talk to someone. ”I’ve been travelling alone since I was maybe sixteen. It has been two years since I shattered the shard.”

...

”Huh...?” Mo Fei looked at her in an awkward reaction.

Both of them stared at each other, silence stretching further as she said the last sentence.

...

”Uhm, I know it sounds really wrong, but it was because I didn’t know about my powers, and when the Thieving Raven demon stole the shard, I shot an arrow, which ended up shattering the Shikon jewel, scattering its shards around the continent.”

Mo Fei face-palmed as she said the truth. ”in short, you are fixing your mistake?”

”Uheheh...”

He asked again. ”What is the Shikon jewel?”

Kiyori adjusted the pouch and then spoke. ”It represents four souls of nature: death, life, creation, and destruction. Nobody knows how it came into existence, but it was given to Tamayori shrine to keep it pure, because demons had been fighting for it.”

Mo Fei stared at her. ”You travel alone. What about your family?”

Kiyori averted her gaze, running a hand through her hair. ”My mother died the day I was born, and my father was never found afterward. I live with my grandmother; after my mother, she takes care of the shrine.”

Mo Fei remained silent for a while; they almost reached another village. ”Fate is the worst thing ever made.”

”I don’t believe in fate.”

”Me neither, though I can’t deny what happened to me. Almost as if it were all just designed for me to die.”

Kiyori hiccuped a small chuckle. ”Don’t say that; coincidence is such a beautiful thing. Imagine meeting with people without it being decided; don’t you think it’s better than just leaving it to fate?”

”I met people I could never have.” With an invisible smile, he walked alongside her.

Reaching toward the village, he saw villagers standing in a line. Both of them stopped to watch; the place was surrounded with decorations. Kiyori raised her brows, trying to remember. ”That’s weird... today is not any festival.”

They slowly walked toward the place and looked at the world’s view, a thought came to Mo Fei’s mind. ”The day I came I noticed that it looks like feudal Japan. Is it Japan?”

”Japan?” Kiyori looked at him, confused by the term.

Mo Fei thought for a second, trying to remember what it was called in the past. ”I mean Nihon or Nippon.”

”No? I never heard these terms before.”

Hearing that, Mo Fei’s mind ran with thoughts. ”Then what?”

”We are in the Katagiri region, one of the four parts of Tenjushiku.”

These worlds were not based on time periods... they just seemed like one of the parts of the original world 0? Did that mean, these worlds are actually not the various timely based counter part of world 0? Could it be these are thoroughly different worlds that shared the same time period and traditions?

”I misunderstood the name then...” He muttered as they got closer to the line.

Amidst the people, they saw five men standing ahead. They wore a dull, silver ribbon in their hands, showing it to the villagers while their lips moved. Mo Fei couldn’t hear clearly from a far. But what he understood was...

They were Ascenders.