The Price of Redemption (Xue Yang x Xiao Xingchen)

Chapter 1: Resurrection and Sacrifice

↻ ◁ II ▷ ↺

"The Reason" by Hoobastank

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The wind whispered mournfully through the trees as Xue Yang knelt beside Xiao Xingchen's lifeless form, tears streaming down his face. His heart felt like it was being torn apart with each sob that escaped his lips. "Xiao Xingchen!" he cried out, his voice echoing in the silent grove.

Frantically, Xue Yang recalled the old, weathered booklet he had hidden away, a collection of forbidden rituals and dark magic that he had acquired over years of searching. With trembling hands, he retrieved it from its hiding place and flipped through the yellowed pages until he found what he sought—a ritual to bring back the dead.

The instructions were daunting, written in cryptic symbols and ancient glyphs that danced before his tear-filled eyes. "All my spiritual power" Xue Yang muttered to himself, realization dawning as he read further. The ritual demanded a sacrifice of everything he had held dear—the very essence of his being. But in that moment of grief and desperation, he found himself willing to pay any price.

Without hesitation, Xue Yang gathered the necessary ingredients—a blend of rare herbs and powdered bones—and laid them out in a precise circle around Xiao Xingchen's body. The air crackled with latent energy as he ignited the incense, its smoke curling sinuously into the night sky. With each step of the ritual, Xue Yang felt a part of himself slip away, consumed by the arcane forces he wielded.

As he chanted the incantations, his voice trembled with raw emotion, a plea to the forces beyond to grant him this one impossible wish. The ground beneath him quivered, responding to the surge of power coursing through him and draining him of vitality. Every word spoken felt like a knife twisting in his chest, but he pressed on, unwilling to falter now.

The ritual reached its climax with a blinding flash of light that engulfed them both, casting eerie shadows across the clearing. Xue Yang's entire body shuddered as the last remnants of his spiritual power were torn from him, leaving him gasping for breath. Exhaustion washed over him like a tidal wave, and he collapsed to the cold forest floor, his strength spent.

But in the stillness that followed, there was no immediate sign of change. Xiao Xingchen lay unmoving, the lines of death still etched upon his peaceful face. Xue Yang stared at him, his chest heaving with the effort of breathing. "Please," he whispered hoarsely, his voice barely audible over the rustling leaves. "Please come back to me."

As if in response, a heavy weariness descended upon him, dragging him into a deep, engulfing darkness. Everything went black.

-

The world seemed to spin as Xiao Xingchen slowly regained consciousness. There was a lingering haze in his mind, memories of his death and the pain he had endured still fresh in his thoughts. He tried to move, but his body felt strangely numb and heavy.

Opening his eyes, he realized with a jolt that he couldn't see. Darkness enveloped him, a stark reminder of the permanent blindness he had accepted in his previous life. Panic surged through him as he reached up to touch his neck, expecting to feel the scar from where he had slit it. But there was nothing—no mark, no pain. Confusion mingled with the anger burning in his chest.

With tentative movements, Xiao Xingchen pushed himself upright, relying on his other senses to navigate the familiar surroundings. Then, his foot collided with something soft yet solid—a body lying motionless on the forest floor. Instinctively, he reached out, his fingers brushing against familiar features distorted by pain and exhaustion. Recognition sparked like a flame in the darkness, and Xiao Xingchen's heart clenched with a mixture of disbelief and rage.

"Xue Yang," he breathed. Hatred surged within Xiao Xingchen as he traced the contours of Xue Yang's face, feeling the smoothness of his skin and the faint rise and fall of his breath. Anger surged within him, memories of betrayal and anguish flooding back like a torrential storm. How could this man, who had caused him so much pain and suffering, be lying here before him now?

As if sensing movement, Xue Yang stirred, consciousness slowly returning to him. His eyes fluttered open to see a figure dressed in flowing white robes kneeling beside him, a bandage covering his eyes. Disoriented and weak, Xue Yang's voice emerged in a hoarse whisper, filled with both apprehension and curiosity.

"Who are you...?"

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❒ Have a beautiful day, lovely souls!

✎.M