The Curse Of Immortal Bonds

Chapter 3

"Wh-where am I?" Mei Lian stammered, as she opened her eyes slowly, her voice trembling as she gazed into the endless void of darkness. 
"Am I... dead?" 

The words slipped from her lips, barely audible, when a sudden, blinding light pierced the void. It was so bright that she instinctively squeezed her eyes shut, fearing it might rob her of her sight. In the distance, she heard a familiar sound, children's laughter. And then, unmistakably, the voices of her parents. 
"No... that can’t be. Mother? Father?" 

Tears welled up in her eyes as she slowly opened them, her vision blurred by emotion. What was before her made her heart ache, a scene from her childhood. There she was, young and carefree, playing with her brother while her father watched, her mother busy setting up a picnic basket. It was the same forest where she had encountered the demon, though the memory of that had no importance to her infront of this scene.

Desperately, she ran toward them, calling them out. But no matter how fast she ran, they remained impossibly far away, like a mirage she could never reach. After countless attempts, she collapsed to the ground, sobbing uncontrollably. 
"I miss you... so much. Why did you leave us in this hell, Mother? Father?" 

She knew they couldn’t see or hear her, and yet, it didn’t feel like a dream. 
"Could a dream be this real? No... it can't." 

Just as she began to cherish the fleeting moment, darkness swept over the scene like a shadow swallowing the light.

Suddenly, she saw armored guards bearing the imperial crest, marching toward the Lian estate. This was the time when her parents had left to oversee the new city bestowed upon them by the Emperor.Young Mei Lian, watching from the sidelines, saw her older brother, Lian Hua, step out to meet the guards. He greeted them.

Inside, young Mei Lian paced anxiously. When her brother finally returned, his face was pale, as if he were in shock. She jolted to him. 
"What is it? What happened?" 

He struggled to speak, but when he finally did, his voice was choked with grief. 
"Our parents... they’re dead," he whispered, tears streaming down his cheeks. 

"W-what!? No, that can't be. They’re just visiting the new territory. They'll be back tomorrow. Why are you saying such things?" 
Her 6 year old self looked up at him, her honey-brown eyes wide with disbelief, tears waiting to spill over. 

Lian Hua shook his head, torn between sorrow, the burden of responsibility he now bore for his little sister. 
"The guards said... their carriage fell from a cliff. On their way back." His voice broke as he struggled to hold himself together. 

Young Mei Lian stared blankly at him, her face drained of emotion, her eyes wide and empty. 
"Okay," she spoke, as if her very soul had been swallowed out.

The present-day Mei Lian, watching this tragic scene unfold, reached out toward her younger self in vain. 
"No... not again. Please, no." 

Suddenly, a blinding light shattered the darkness once more, again forcing her to shut her eyes.

When she opened them again, she found herself in her bed, disoriented. The the sound of her brother’s quiet sobs filled the room. How had she returned ?