Another Chance

Chapter 3- Gone

    Xingchen felt tears fall from his eyes as he laid the now unconscious Song Lan on the floor. The tears, however, where blood. He was crying tears of blood, with no eyes how could he cry the usual salty tears. "I'm sorry," he whispered hoarsely, "but this was the only way."
    The unconscious man began to shift and Xingchen quickly wiped his face. Song Lan raised his hand and felt this face, "Why do I have this cloth on my face, can't I see now?" He asked.
     "Your eyes still need recovering," Xingchen said, "you must rest for a while before taking it off."
     "Alright," Song Lan said then added, "thank you."
     "What for?"
     "You helped me yet again," Song Lan said, "I don't know how to thank you."
      "It was nothing," Xingchen said, "take this as a thank you for saving me with Xue Yang."
      Song Lan smiled, "Alright." Xingchen sat down beside his friend and they rested for a while.

      It has been a few hours and Song Lan was getting impatient, "When can I take it off?" He asked for the hundredth time.
     Xingchen sighed, "In a while," he responded before going back to making the food. He had a cloth covering his eyes as well but he had a pretty good sense of where everything was.
    He served the food after a while and they sat down to eat. They ate in silence until Song Lan spoke, "This is a bit salty don't you think."
     "It is isn't it? Should I make something else?" Xingchen said standing up.
      Song Lan shook his head, "No it's fine, I'm just surprised it happened. You usually make sure everything is perfect," he chuckled, "some people would think you're the blind one here."
     Xingchen's breath hitched slightly and he sat down, oh Zichen, if only you knew. They ate in silence and finally finished.
     "Zichen," Xingchen said, "if you don't mind, could you tell me why Xue Yang attacked Snow White Pavilion?"
      Song Lan sighed, "I don't know exactly, but I remember he mentioned your name. He said something about keeping and eye on you."
      "What do you think he means by that?" Xingchen asked nervously, what could the man have said to his friend?
     "I don't know, but it was probably nothing you know how he is."
     "Yeah, probably nothing," Xingchen said then stood up, "are you done? I can clean up if you want."
    "No it's alright, I can help," Song Lan said, and with that the two men began to clean their area and bowls.
     A while later they walked out of the small house and went into the trees. They both walked blindly in the grass and roots tripping and fumbling around, this would be a lot easier if one of us could see, Xingchen thought bitterly.
    "Xingchen," Song Lan broke the silence, "how did your master heal me? Did she use some type of herb?"
     Xingchen sighed inaudibly, "I don't know, I wasn't there during the process." The lies left his lips smoothly, "She said nobody must be present when she is healing."
     "Oh alright," Song Lan said, "by the way I'm still thinking about why Xue Yang would attack Snow White Pavilion."
"I don't know Zichen, if I did I would tell you."
"And why did he say something about you?" Song Lan asked, "Did you ever meet him before you met me?"
"No, I'm as confused as you are," Xingchen said, "and you never really did anything to him so I don't know why he attacked Snow White Pavilion. If he wanted revenge in anyone it would be me, but he never came came to me."
"That's it!" Song Lan exclaimed angrily, "Xue Yang wanted revenge on you so he attacked me and Snow White Pavilion! This was your fault!"
"W-what do you mean? How is it my fault?!" Xingchen asked.
"He attacked me because of you! He tortured my Master for days because of you! All of this was your fault, no wonder he told me to keep an eye on you!" Song Lan turned to the man in white, "ALL OF THIS WAS BECAUSE OF YOU!"
"That doesn't make any sense Zichen!" Xingchen yelled, "If he wanted revenge he would come after me! ME!"
"No...it was all you fault, I don't care what you say!" Song Lan said his face twisted in anger and grief, "From now on, we don't need to meet again." And with those words he left a now crying Xingchen.
"It wasn't me," Xingchen said, "it wasn't my fault," he sobbed into his hands and fell to the ground. He felt the blood run down his face and felt it seep into the cloth over his eyes, he wiped the blood and stood up. I don't need him, he thought, I don't need him, I never did. I am perfectly fine on my own.
He walked away in the opposite direction his friend had went in and sighed. He didn't know where this path would lead him but he hoped it would lead him to the right place.

It was late at night when Xingchen arrived at an inn. He settled in and laid on the bed tired, he didn't know what to do anymore. Should he just settle down somewhere, or should he keep on roaming around? He shook his head, no I can't stay in one place yet. I need to travel some more and help others, I can't just coward away because my friend left me. He's gone and I can't do anything about it.
He knew he could survive without Song Lan, he did it before he could do it again. That's the spirit, he thought to himself, be the you that you were before. You lived alone for years and you can get used to it again. He felt himself drift off into sleep and smiled, I can do this, he thought. I can do it, and with that he fell asleep with a smile on his face and his hands over his chest.