Bonds of Darkness: Swordmen's Redemption

Genesis Arc - Ch. Twenty: Inner Struggles

A/N: All rights to the original content are reserved by the respective copyright owner.

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"Wake up..."

The words barely penetrated the thick veil of sleep, but Y/N groaned, the sound muffled by his pillow as he turned his body to his side, seeking refuge in the comfort of his dreams.

"You dunce... WAKE. UP." The male voice was sharper this time, impatient.

The annoyance was enough to pry Y/N's eyes open, his morning haze quickly giving way to a simmering anger. He rose reluctantly, a scowl creasing his forehead as he glanced at the window—the sun had barely announced the day with its shy rays.

Swiveling his head to the figure beside his bed, he was met with the familiar sight of arrogance personified. The Elder stood there, his tall, slender frame looming over Y/N. The man's black hair was a stark contrast to his fair skin, and those piercing green eyes, accentuated by red eyeliner, were as unsettling as they were captivating. His sharp Vidyadhara ears twitched slightly, and atop his head, two green horns curled like those of a Chinese dragon.

Y/N raised an eyebrow in mock surprise. "Here to check up on me? You?"

"Indeed, only I can take care of you," said the man, his voice carrying the weight of self-importance. The dark green robes he wore swished as he brandished a paper pamphlet with an air of solemnity.

"No... this cannot be," Y/N murmured, disbelief narrowing his voice to a whisper.

The doctor, if one could call the haughty Vidyadhara such, looked visibly annoyed at the dramatics. "Will you stop?"

"The great esteemed Elder, Dan Feng himself! YOU!?" Y/N's tone was stern as he pointed an accusing finger at Dan Feng.

"Do you want to die?" The threat was uttered with an icy calmness that was almost more frightening than the words themselves.

Y/N crossed his arms, choosing silence as his response.

Dan Feng slapped his forehead in exasperation. "Hah... your mood swings are as terrible as usual."

"Mood swings? No, I only act like this towards those who I see as friends," Y/N reassured him, his arms now resting on his lap.

A smile broke across Dan Feng's face, transforming it. "It is good to have you back, Y/N."

Y/N returned the smile, warmth flooding his chest. "I, too."

The smile on Dan Feng's face vanished as swiftly as it had appeared. "You still haven't answered my question."

"Oh right. Well, after being rudely awakened by a pompous dragon, my head feels like it's splitting," Y/N admitted, rubbing his temples.

"It's the only way to wake you up," Dan Feng said, deftly sidestepping the blame.

"Uh-huh. Can't you have Jingliu to wake me up, instead?" Y/N queried, a hint of plea in his voice.

"Jingliu? She's currently with Ying Xing and Baiheng. She is... monitoring them," Dan Feng said, his choice of words careful, deliberate.

"Hmm? Why does it sound like a surprise about to happen?" Y/N's brow furrowed in confusion.

Dan Feng pressed his lips together, sealing them on the subject. "Anyway, are you still feeling fatigued?"

Y/N's gaze drifted back to the window, to the golden disk climbing the sky. "Surprisingly not..."

Dan Feng's eyebrow arched, skepticism written on his face. "Strange... Jingliu told me that you were feeling very sore and tired yesterday. Did she perhaps give you any medicine?"