Celestial Vows~ Yandere Nezha

Chapter 8: The Lotus Prince's Resolve

(Nezha's POV)

Decades had passed since Y/N's fall, but for Nezha, time had done little to ease the turmoil in his heart. He had committed himself to his duties with unwavering resolve, carrying out the will of the heavens with precision and obedience. Yet, deep within him, a storm raged—a tempest of grief, guilt, and fury that he could no longer suppress.

Every day was the same: following orders, enforcing divine laws, and protecting the Jade Emperor's will. From the outside, he was the embodiment of discipline, a loyal servant of the Celestial Order. But inside, Nezha was crumbling. His mind would wander to her—his master, his guiding light, and now, his greatest loss.

Y/N's laughter, her grace, and her kindness haunted him like a bittersweet melody that he could never escape. Why couldn't I save her? The question repeated endlessly in his mind, a mantra of self-loathing that gnawed at his soul.

He sat alone in his chambers, staring at the lotus-shaped candle flickering in the corner. Its delicate petals reminded him of the name he carried, a name he felt unworthy of. "I wish I had been stronger," he muttered under his breath, gripping his staff tightly. "I wish I could have fallen with her."

But he hadn't. He had stayed behind, obeying her last words as a Celestial being. To guard the Jade Emperor, to uphold the order of the heavens. It was his duty, but it was also his punishment. He had abandoned her when she needed him most, and now he was cursed to live in a world without her light.

The blame, however, didn't rest solely on his shoulders. No, there was someone else who bore the weight of her fall. Sun Wukong.

The very thought of the Monkey King filled Nezha with a rage he could barely contain. It's his fault.

The words echoed in his mind like a drumbeat. Wukong, the trickster, the rebel, the defier of heavenly laws. He had tainted her with his influence, corrupted her with his reckless defiance. Y/N had been pure, graceful, and perfect. Wukong had dragged her down into the darkness, and now she was lost because of him.

"If I ever see him again..." Nezha's voice was low and trembling, filled with venom. "I'll destroy him."

His knuckles whitened as he gripped his staff. The image of Wukong—smirking, arrogant, and carefree—made his blood boil. Nezha vowed that if the Monkey King ever crossed his path, there would be no mercy. He would rid the heavens and earth of that wretched being, once and for all.

But then, his anger wavered, replaced by the familiar ache of longing. He closed his eyes, forcing himself to breathe. His mind wandered to Y/N once more. Is she safe? Does she think of me?

He wondered what had become of her. Was she wandering aimlessly, lost and alone? Did she curse his name for failing her? Or...did she even remember him?

The thought of her forgetting him was a dagger to his chest. He clutched at his robes, as if trying to hold his heart together. Please don't forsake me, Y/N. Please... don't forget me.

A sharp bark startled him from his thoughts. Nezha turned to see Erlang Shen's hound, its sharp eyes watching him with an almost mocking intensity. He stiffened as Erlang Shen himself stepped into view.

"Nezha," Erlang said coolly, his voice carrying its usual air of authority.

Nezha's jaw tightened at the sight of him. Him. Another source of his torment. Erlang Shen had been instrumental in her fall, had stood by and allowed the Jade Emperor to strip her of everything. He had done nothing to help her, nothing to save her.

Nezha's hatred for Erlang was like a fire that burned quietly but steadily. He despised everything about him—the way he carried himself, the way he spoke as though the heavens belonged to him, and most of all, the way he had stolen Y/N's grace without a second thought.

"Your thoughts seem... distracted," Erlang observed, his tone laced with an edge of suspicion.

Nezha forced himself to relax, though his hands still gripped his staff tightly. "I'm focused on my duties," he replied curtly, turning his gaze away.

Erlang raised an eyebrow, unconvinced, but said nothing more. With a dismissive nod, he continued on his way, his hound following close behind.

As Nezha watched him go, his heart ached with the weight of all he couldn't say. The fury, the sorrow, the guilt—it all swirled inside him, threatening to consume him. But he couldn't allow it. He had to keep moving forward, no matter how much it hurt.

He sighed deeply and resumed his duties, his steps heavy but deliberate. Yet no matter how far he walked, no matter how many tasks he completed, one thought lingered in the back of his mind.

Y/N... I will find you again. And when I do, I will never let you go.