My Arch Nemesis (ZiLing/LongLing)

II ; Undying Adoration

Days had gone by as the warrior was still held captive in the depths of the Finch's lair. It is too bold to say that none has been looking for him.

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My eyes. All they see are bars sheathed in darkness and rocks which I stood upon. I haven't slept for a while, worrying about those possibly looking for my whereabouts.

Then my drowsy self heard an angelic call of worry, "Still here?"

"Yes," I replied, my voice cracking from thirst and restlessness.

"Forget it, Zilong. This time your stubbornness will get you nowhere" coaxed that shady assassin.

"As long as I can talk to you, it's somewhere," I returned with a smirk.

"You-"

"What? Are you going to call me an idiot again like the old times?"

"Shut up."

"You and your cold antics, Ling."

"Whatever. Here," he said as a blank cup filled with liquid was passed to me from out front the bars.

"What is this?"

"Water, baichi."

"Hah, there you go," I said chuckling.

He grumpily asked, "What's so funny?"

"This is all I wanted, thank you, Ling. You've given me a glimpse of those good old days," I said as I sipped from the cup, not thinking to discern if it really was water.

Not far from my isolated cell, I can hear a pout followed by "Whatever. Cadia wouldn't want their protector dying of dehydration."

"So, you do care about me."

"I don't."

"Really?" I asked sadly, scared of the response.

But there was no response.

"Ling?"

"Stop calling me that. They don't call me that anymore. It's 'Cyan Finch'."

"What? Who cares what others call you? To me, you're always the Ling I know, the Ling I admire, the Ling I love."

"No. Stop it."

"Why? Stop what?"

There was no immediate reply. My ears had only caught on a sharp inhale. Was he... mad?

Then I heard extremely light footsteps. He was walking away. But Ling doesn't usually walk with sound, he was as stealthy as an assassin could be. Something was wrong.

Suddenly, I found myself breaking apart the bars of my confinement.

"Ling, stop," I demanded.

Still no reply.

It increased my worries.

Then I sprinted towards wherever that sound may be from.

"Stop, go away," he finally spoke, but his voice wasn't the one demeanor it had before.

"Go away."

"Go away," he chanted to me.

"Go away, Zilong."

There were no walls here. There was no escape for him. I was quicker on land.

With a crash, I bumped into him. We both fell to the ground. We fell under the entrance to this underground space. The weak sunrays beamed on both of us.