Of Forgotten Dreams (Book 1) [NANOWRIMO 2022]

Chapter 38

"Don't be foolish. Don't you want your hands anymore?" Yun heard the disappointment in Biyu's voice as she stepped close and bent down over one of her hands. One of the vines uncurl and she felt her limp hand being picked up. "I wonder what Yufan will think of your deformity when he sees you."

A chuckle escaped her lips, but it died down almost immediately.

"What is this?"

Yun inwardly sighed as she felt her arm being twisted and turned around.

"You- you can't be!"

Yun felt something sharp drag across her arm again, and then the warmth as her light powers flowed to the surface, mending the flesh.

"You're a sunburst wielder." Biyu exhaled as she let her hand fall to the ground again. The vines curled back from the ground, wrapping her firmly in place. The footsteps thudded next to her head and she bated her breath Biyu came into her direct field of vision.

The arrow nocked on the bow was released, and Yun watched in horror as it sailed through the air towards her. She then felt a sharp pain around her neck, and hissed as the vines pierced into her throat, choking the breath out of her momentarily.

"What-"

"Save that effort, you're already croaking."

With a grim face, she pulled out something from her pouch and threw it between them.

A light flared, and the next thing that Yun opened her eyes to was a totally different scenery.

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The thick forest canopy overhead disappeared, and it opened up into a vast canyon of floating isles. Birds soared through the open sky, the strong breeze carrying their wings. Somewhere, a waterfall roared, the moisture filling the air.

Yun was still lying on the ground, but she was on stone this time. Old stone that was covered with damp moss. The vines were still bound around her as tightly as they were before.

"Welcome to one of the most beautiful, and one of the most dangerous places in the Realm of the Nine Heavens. The Isle of Execution." Biyu's honeyed voice was cold as she stepped in front of her, looking at the ground.

"The only way to dispose of an Immortal without them being able to come back in any method, is through this portal."

"You know, I never wanted to bring this that far." The purple robes swirled around her ankles as she turned around, facing Yun again. "Sure, I hated you. But I never wanted to kill you."

"But now, it's different."

"Biyu, if you kill me, Yufan will know." Yun said coldly, her eyes however, darting around to find something that might help her. Being immobilised meant that her ability to control air was restricted, so she couldn't defend herself properly. "The Court will know."

"They won't. I will make sure of that."

Yun grunted, trying to force air in between the vines and her limbs so that she could pull them out, but they were buried too deep into her flesh for her to do so. Lashing in retaliation, she realised that she could no longer feel her hands nor her feet.

"Did I forgot to mention that the vines are poisoned? I prepared them especially for today. But don't worry, they'll wear off soon. You're just not going to live long enough to realise it."

"Why?"

"Why?" Biyu echoed. She pursued her lips thoughtfully, while one of her hands grazed the shaft of another arrow, nocking it. Her fingers tapped on one of the thorns, clinking slightly.

"Yun, do you know what you are? And what you could do to the war? You know, now that I think of it, Yufan might actually be smart after all to leave me for you. But not because he loves you, instead, it's because of the powers you wield."

"He could use you to stop the entire war between the Nine Realms. That way, he would never ever have to go once again back to the warfront. And he could prevent the people that he care for, and those innocent lives on the battlefield from dying."

Yun could only splutter in confusion. This doesn't make any sense.

But there was one part of her that started to waver. She trusted him, truly. Trusted him enough to believe that he was not going to harm her. Trusted in him enough to give her heart to him completely without defence.

However, she also knew him. She knew that what Biyu said was true, how he had lost people he loved and how he would do anything possible to stop it.

When it comes to that, which would he choose?

"You're lying!" She managed to rasp.

"I am not. Swear on my honour." With one swift motion, she lifted up her bow and pulled back the string. "But that would be detrimental to the Yuan family. Very detrimental."

"Any last words?"

"Yufan wouldn't do this to me." A tear rolled down her cheek, and then she was sobbing, her vision completely obscured.

It was funny how she was at death's door, and she had all the other things that she could've said she missed. Her fellow disciples, her Shifu, her home.

But all she could think about was him. Him betraying her, even though she did not know for certain.

It was the uncertainty that hurt.

"You don't know." Biyu said, her voice quiet. "This portal will trigger when your blood splashes onto it. Then your body will dissipate without a trace into the void underneath."

"No one will ever find you ever again."

Yun heard the twang of the string releasing, and the sharp whistle of the arrow.

A plunging pain in her neck threw her head backwards, and her mind blanked out completely. Her life flashed before her eyes.

Biyu watched as the life went out of her eyes completely, before allowing the vines to unfurl from her dead body. With nimble steps, she jumped out of the way of the portal that triggered underneath Yun's body. The crimson red glow that appeared was sinister in contrast to the beautiful scenery around them.

A whirlpool of the clouds slowly appeared, and little by little, and she watched as Yun slid inside, and the portal closed again, the crimson fading away.

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Yun did not know what was going on. And all she remembered was something piercing her throat before everything went dark and silent. She felt passing through thunderclouds, and then a warm motherly voice by her ears.

"Don't worry."