I WILL FIND YOU.

Chapter 7: Live

Minda woke up in the dungeon. Everything was exactly the same as before. He turned to look at the wall. The stone was unmoved. He desperately pulled his body towards it.

"Kai?"

"..."

"Kai!"

"..."

"KAI!!!"

"..."

Minda called out for Kai repeatedly. There was no answer. He knew why. Before he lost consciousness he remembered feeling Kai's heartbeat fade. Even though he understood that Kai was gone and couldn't answer him Minda couldn't stop calling his name.

This continued for days. The guards would grow annoyed and enter the cell to beat him until he lost consciousness. But he didn't care. All he wanted was to hear Kai's voice one more time, to feel his warm hand massaging his, to be wrapped himself in his clothes once more.

...

One day as Minda lay staring at the loose stone, he heard the cell door opening. At first, he assumed it was the guards coming to get him. But when he glanced over to weak to completely turn over Minda realized they were dressed in military uniforms.

"Are you from the Chen family?" The most intimidating man of the three asked.

"Ye... Yes." Minda muttered weakly.

"I'm General Lei. I've come to liberate all those wrongly imprisoned by the Emperor by order of the First Prince DeLun."

Minda listened to the General but didn't move. He was both too weak and empty inside to feel any hope from the General's words.

"Are you unable to move?" The General asked.

His subordinates glanced at each other curiously. A look of confusion in their eyes. Their General never spoke so patiently with anyone. With the other prisoners he kicked their legs and told them to get up and leave. It was completely different from how he was treating the Chen family son.

"I can... a little. But.. but even if I can move... It's better if you leave me here." Minda said. All thoughts of leaving the dungeon had long faded along with his desire to live.

"Not possible. He wanted to get you out of here and I'm going to make certain his final wish is completed." The General said as he walked over to Minda's side.

"I don't understand." Minda asked feeling confused.

"Captain Kai." The General revealed. Hearing the name Kai, Minda used what little strength he had to turn and face the General.

"You knew Kai?"

"He was my right hand man and adopted son."

"I didn't know. He mentioned being part of the military but I never knew he was a captain?" Minda asked with some interest.

"Not only a Captain but the man I planned to make General when I retired." He said.

"Amazing. Kai was so amazing. He shouldn't have died. If not.. Sniff... for me he wouldn't have died." Minda said as tears flowed down his cheeks.

"You're correct. Kai was strong but more than that he was patient and wise. He would not have attempted an escape without a proper plan." The General explained.

"You're right. It's all my fault." Minda sobbed.

"I didn't say it was your fault. I said you were correct about him dying because of you. There is a big difference."

"What do you mean?"

"He died because he felt it was necessary to free you from this dungeon as soon as possible. He wanted you to live. Even if it cost him his life."