Tortoise and Fox [BL]

Oathbreaker II

"He of Winter."

When the last blossom of the silver blossom tree fell, floating down in petals, touched the ground; the entire world froze. The wilting grasses ceased their movement, the leaves' color of green half-way washed in orange and reds, still. The trickling stream fell silent, ever-flowing water swerving through the valley paused, as if a waterfall of movement simply, truly—stopped.

Ume opened his eyes, gold-drop irises flashing as he stared out, looking around. For the first time in his time spent here, the sense of balance seemed to stop tipping, frozen in the single point Autumn.

His gaze fell upon the figure that stepped into his vision, unable to be tracked by even his advanced senses. Innately, Ume felt, that the presence was not something that belonged. Blazing, darkened hair braided back, long and flowing in tandem with the flowing, maple-patterned robes pulled short by thick ropes wrapped up his torso , tied behind his back in a bow. A curved katana rested at his side, as the person—a man—tapped the handle, methodically to a steady, invisible rhythm.

A fierce appearance, but an unknown expression, left nothing for Ume to interpret. Ume didn't move. His movements would shift the moss growing delicate beside his lap, the tiny flowers curving up around his sitting figure. He thought offhandedly, that Li would get angry if he ruined the flowers that had painstakingly tried to grow anyway around him.

"A dilemma, is what this is."

The hues of red seemed to come alive amongst the still scenery, as if to sway in agreement.

Ume's finger twitched for a moment, before locking gaze with the dark(?) eyes.

"What is?"

"Your existence is."

Although," Feng Qing pondered, changing his tapping hand to a faster tempo, "I suppose you and your fated friend are, together."

"Li and I? How?"

Feng Qing only looked on, as if weighing his option of explaining to Ume; the gaze reached past his soul. He then closed his eyes and crossed his arms with an almost inaudible sigh.

"His soul—the other human, the one you called Li—is stuck right now. Because you are still here, and not there with him. See, the oath you made cannot be unfulfilled—you must follow where his soul goes."

That's why I came, amongst the busyness of soul-reaping. This is why gatekeeper souls are so troublesome...is it that difficult to spend eternity doing what you do best?"

The last sentence wasn't aimed at Ume in particular, as he scowled at the distant hills. Ume's eyes glittered, lips pursing and unpursing in analysis.

"Am I allowed to go where Li is?"

"Yes, that is what I am here to do. It is no matter what you want, anyhow. I am only speeding up a process of inevitability. I have not enough time within infinity to play a waiting game. Take it as you will, I have dawdled too long here."

He gazed up at the god with a still face, unflinching as crimson robes fluttered and the clean draw rang crisp as a crystal bell. Weight seemed to rest on the blade, so heavy in atmosphere that Ume's eyes were naturally drawn in curiosity, unable to once again, analyze the material and density. It seemed far denser than any alloy he was created with; it handled with the ease of a kitchen knife.

Feng Qing swiftly set his katana blade up, halting for a moment as an interesting thought fell across his features, lighting up his narrow cheekbones with a rare question.

"I don't often take interest in most souls but..."

The blade flashed an almost luminescent carmine. Ume moved to rest his gaze upward, tilting his chin up in a questioning motion. His silver hair shifted down in a few strands, upsetting the settled balance of blossoms and petals interwoven in his hair by the spring breeze.