Cold Blooded

The Other Side

The gateway to the afterlife was far too complicated to get through by Saya's standards. Believe it or not, swimming through small tunnels with a toddler in your arms is very hard. It made sense that the way to the afterlife wouldn't be easily crossed. However, nothing had been making sense lately, so there is no reason this entrance suddenly decided it needed to be logical.

"Okay, everyone!" Hu Tao waved back to the rest of the group as a wide smile spread across her face. "The final step to make it across is getting to the entrance at the bottom of this pit."

The pit in question was so deep Saya couldn't see the bottom of it. It was starting to feel like maybe it was Ajax's turn to hold Chongyun. Maybe the funeral director was actually just trying to kill them all.

"And remember everyone," Hu Tao chirped. "The Wansheng funeral parlor is having a sale right now! Two full funeral ceremonies completed with the coffin for the price of one! Ehe!"

Without another word, Hu Tao leaped off into the pit. Saya looked at the others, but everyone else was already halfway off the cliff.

What is wrong with these people?

"It's for Chongyun. Do it for him." Saya shook her head and held Chongyun close to her chest. Taking a deep breath, Saya ran to the cliff and jumped down.

She deployed her windglider just before she hit the water at the bottom of the path and drifted to the crumbling stone pathway where the rest of the party waited. Hu Tao offered a small smile and Ajax extended a hand to her.

Together, they all walked through the gateway into the afterlife.

-<>-

Hu Tao looked over her shoulder at the group. Mr. Zhongli would be fine, but everyone else had never experienced anything like this before. It was entirely possible that with such a large group at least one of them would know someone that had recently passed. Not to mention Chongyun's situation. It was clear without a doubt that whatever was inside of him would fight back, they just all had to be prepared.

Everything would be fine, Hu Tao was sure. This group had all seen their own variation of something worse. How bad could it be?

-<>-

The ancient powers trapped within the frail body of a little boy were twisting and fighting to cointian themselves. Morax was right there, he was so close. After everything he had done to all of them, they would get their revenge. Though their bodies had all long ago turned to stone and dust, their souls had been revived after they had been mixed together in this body.

They had come to a place where souls can roam freely. This would be their chance. All they had to do was lie in wait until the right moment.

-<>-

"Ms. Hisaya," Zhongli placed a hand on the young woman's shoulder. "Do you think you could lay Chongyun down? It'd be best if we start this sooner rather than later."

"I- Of course," Hisaya tenderly placed the boy against a tree twisting out from the ground. She brushed a strand of hair from his eyes and then stepped back to the rest of the group.

"Alrighty people," Hu Tao clapped her hands together. "We don't know what these spirits will throw at us, so be prepared." The director smiled over her shoulder then turned back to Chongyun. She took a deep breath and took a small step forward.

Before the director took another step, a darkness leaped from the boy's body and swallowed up the group. Zhongli heard them call out, but their voices only grew more distant. They needed to stay calm and combat the spirits, getting lost and distracted wouldn't help any-

"M- Morax?" Zhongli knew this voice. He hadn't heard it in years. These souls were what remained of the gods that had died in the archon war. He hadn't thought that she... Could it really be?

"Guizhong?"

-author's note-

Aughhhhh, I'm so sorry I'm late again! Well, here it is. Thank you for reading, it means a lot to me even though I keep updating late. See you next chapter.

chapter art posted by @carlinheartschuuya