Deep beneath obsidian waves, yet high above crimson rain

4 complete

Xie Lian knows he's given himself away. He knows Feng Xin is aware of more than he is. He knows Mu Qing is hunting him down and he knows Shi Qingxuan listened in and tried to help him.

What's more terrifying is the fact Jun Wu might now know. And if he doesn't there's no guarantee Mu Qing won't inform him of it. Xie Lian knows Mu Qing isn't like that. The god likes to asses the situation before passing judgement. And he always has Xie Lians best interests in mind. But his head is so jumbled he can't think properly.

He's worried and scared and angry and sad.

He disobeyed a direct order from the heavenly emperor. You can't do that without consequences. Even Xie Lian will all his benefits can't get away with it.

But in the moment verifying Hua's safety was all he needed to do. It was the only thing that would calm him down. The only think to give him hope a reason to fight.

He needs to see Hua. To explain. To apologise. He just needs his kid back. One last hug. One last embrace before he has to let him go. The humans would accept him. He belongs there.

The port was the safest place for Hua to grow.

Unfortunately when he arrived at the port, it wasn't even a port anymore. You couldn't even tell what it was other than a war zone. The ground was flattened and charred. There was no life. No houses or markets. No ships, No nothing.

There was barely anything living in site. The smallest amount of greenery sprouted up in odd places telling the young god that the port had been like this a while. The destruction wasn't new. It was fresh.

Xie Lian should have been here.

"No." He breaths out wide eyed. Feng Xin had warned him about this. No matter how indirectly. He was right. There was a war here. A big one. A devastating one.

Tears prick his golden eyes and he glanced down to a tiny white flower. He kneels by it caressing it gently. "I'm so sorry." He whispers letting a tear roll down his cheek.

He should have been here. He should have saved them. How did he not hear it. Why did no one tell him?

Because no one knew how special this place was to him.

No one knew just what he'd hidden here.

Walking further into the port town he searches for something. Anything. The less he found the more delusional he grew.

Maybe the war ended before Xie Lian sent Hua? Then perhaps Hua moved onto the next town. Or traveled the sea. Yes perhaps Xie Lian had sent him here and he had continued on...

No, he knows. It hurts and he knows, that no matter how unfortunate, it just was not possible.

But that doesn't make Hua gone. War happens a lot and there are always survivors. Especially women and children. Hua was young when he came here. Maybe he's safe? He evacuated? He ran away?

Xie Lian wishes he'd run away. Another tear falls and Xie Lian has to focus hard not to collapse to his knees.

It's awful. He hates it. Is he really alone here in this god forsaken port?

Xie Lian shakes his head. Little Hua wouldn't run away because Xie Lian put him here. He'd trust Xie Lian fully even if it meant fighting. He'll have stayed because Xie Lian said he'd be back.

Xie Lian let's out a sob. There really was nothing. No scrap of life not even trees that weren't somehow destroyed. It was like a calamity had rained down on the place.

Only these tiny white flowers survived. Xie Lian loves those flowers so much. So innocent and sweet just like his hua was.

Please could nothing else have survived? Anyone? He'd take anything living. Just something. He wants- no he needs some hope to cling too.