Diaphanous | Hua Cheng X Reader X Xie Lian

Chapter 23: Home Sweet Home...

The village she once knew stood in shambles. Plants had grown too tall, taking over the walls of houses.

Despite the tears welling up in her eyes, she refused to let them fall. Looking around, she takes in her surroundings in hopes of possible escape. A person stood on each side of her, from all sides, with their hands hovering over their swords. If she were to try to make any escape, they were prepared to attack her. It was very obvious to her.

"Where..." She hesitates, looking towards each house they passed. Every house had a person standing outside the door, with the door shut behind them. The people stood with arms crossed and sharp glares, keeping their gaze on (Y/N).

Passing the first house, the two standing outside followed the soldiers of the village. Each house they passed added to the group following behind.

Turning her gaze forward (Y/N) inhales sharply, feeling the hatred those of her people feel for her. If the glares she received weren't enough, she heard the angry comments being thrown around.

"We are taking you back home," the man to her right said. "Back to your mother, where you belong."

With those words, she halts in her steps, tugging away from the direction he headed.

"No, please! Don't take me back!" She cries out, stepping back, only to wince as the person behind her kept his ground and didn't move, not allowing her to make any move.

The crowd, which grew behind, started growing even more angry as they had started to throw insults. Their once quiet anger grew into laud insults and denied her the cries she had made.

Their noise silenced her as she winced at the loudness of the tones. It would for sure signify to her mother that she had arrived in the village.

She was confused at the people. She understood they hated her for what was done in the past. The issue was...she didn't know what was done to make them hate her so much. If anything, they should've helped her when her mother humiliated her in front of the village. Yet here they stood, taking her mother's side.

"Why did you capture me?" She questions softly, and they forced her to walk forward, both with tight grips on her arm. "What did I ever do to deserve the treatment you give me?"

"Your existence alone is proof enough that we have been wronged." The man on her left growls."You should've died that day, yet here you are. Breathing and well"

That had silenced her once more.

So they really did want her dead.

The group had approached a familiar place. The house she once grew up in. Rather than take her through the house, they brought her around back. In the back stood a shed. Unlike the rest of the village, it still looked well cared for.

Looking at it, her eyes widened. One villager had stepped ahead, opening the door to reveal the dark, confined space.

"Wait, don't put me back there!" (Y/N) speaks. Her eyes grew wide as her lip began to quiver. The shed had no good memories associated with it.

Yet once more, the villagers didn't care, nor did they listen. With a harsh shove, she had stumbled into the shed, with the door closing quickly behind her.

She shot up from the ground, slamming her fist against the door. Crying, begging to be let out. She could see very little as her eyes adjusted to the darkness, yet her tears blocked her vision.

Her voice still held a firm tone as she begged to be let out. It was only after a few minutes she had realized. The shed must've been enchanted by some magic or built with something strong.