(OLD/NOT CANON) Immortal Ascension Tower

Chapter 111 - What Is Love? Who Am I!

Ren Bai opened her mouth to speak, but found herself unable to utter any word. She tried over and over again, and again and again no sound came out. She could only stare as the man, the beautiful child in his arms lamenting in her sleep, walked past her.

It was as if her body wasn't willing to obey her if it meant crossing the path of the mysterious existence giving off such intense pressure.

"Don't worry..." She heard Cheng Hao whisper as he caressed the girl's forehead gently: "There is nothing to fear, we will get home soon..."

Hearing that, Ren Bei gritted her teeth, ignoring the feeling of terror induced by the red skinned youth, and stepped forward, grabbing Cheng Hao's arms. Her eyes red from the rage, she yelled at his face:

"So you CAN talk! Idiot, what the hell is this about! Do you have any idea how dangerous that little stunt of yours was? Do you have any idea how worried we were! How do you expect us to just let you walk past us without even sparing us a word of apology?"

"..."

Cheng Hao shook, as if he had just woken up from a dream. He turned around: his expression was not as cold and unforgiving as it had been earlier. At the same time though, it not as warm as it had been just a few hours prior to the appearance of the gargantuan rift.

Ren Bai found herself comparing this new side of the red-skinned youth to the cheerfulness Ren Hong had displayed less than a single day ago. It was as if she was comparing the innocence of a child with the seriousness of a grown-up... the difference between the bliss of ignorance and the burden of the knowledge.

Why are your eyes so full of pain? Why do you act as if you had the weight of the world on your shoulders?

The two siblings looked at each other in the eyes. Ren Bai felt pain in her chest as tears fell: as she stared into those pupils, full of pain and determination, she realized.

Within that pair of eyes, the carefree and cheerful Ren Hong was no longer. The brother she had shared battlefieds and laughter alike was nowhere to be found.

"...I am sorry" Cheng Hao finally whispered in an apologetic tone. Then, his voice grew firmer and he walked past her, his eyes filling with determination:

"But I cannot mingle with illusions any longer."

...

A sleeping child laid on a bed covered by plain, white sheets. He looked really handsome, with long, straight black hair, a small, pointy nose and a small mouth. The boy was sweating profusely, as if he was having nightmares...

A sleeping child laid on a bed covered by plain, white sheets. She looked really beautiful, with long, straight black hair, a small, pointy nose and a small mouth. The girl was sweating profusely, as if she was having nightmares.

A girl was kneeling beside the bed: she had red skin, beautiful crimson hair and scarlet eyes filled with concern. Hidden behind that concern tough, was great pain, grief and... coldness. It was as if her heart had been frozen and was encased in ice...

A boy was kneeling beside the bed: he had red skin, beautiful crimson hair and scarlet eyes filled with concern. In his eyes, other than worry, the gaze was also filled with excitement and happiness... as well as love. It was the gaze a person would give to a loved one whom he had thought long lost.

"Aaaah!" The boy suddenly jerked awake. He panted for a bit before calming down, he brought one of his hands to his face as if to assure himself that it was still there.

"Aaaah!" The girl suddenly jerked awake. She panted for a bit before calming down. Before she could do any other motions however, the red youth intervened, grabbing both of the girl's hands. The girl was startled, however she immediately calmed down when she felt the warmth of the boy's hands.