Take my body but never my soul

Genetics

Thousands of years later and not much had changed.

Creatures still came, they came once a year. It seemed it was some kind of celebration, a hope that the twelve guides would be forced to descend to other realms. It was a waste, as they all met the same fate as Chaos. Few had ever made it back, and all they said was Shandian was kind to let them be. She was lucky for that. Her name didn't need to be dragged down any more than it already was.

"Shandian, why don't you just kill them?"

"I am of peace. I don't kill for the sake of killing, Xue,"

"I'm not saying to kill for the sake of killing, you just let Chaos off too easily,"

Shandian sighed, standing up and stretching. Xue sat at the table, waiting for her response.

"I keep external peace. How do you think it would look if I was heartless?"

"I'm not heartless,"

"I never said you were, Xue,"

She flew up to open the windows near the ceiling.

"It's warmer than usual. A meteor shower must be passing by,"

"You and your meteor showers,"

"What can I say, I love them. I'm not the only one you know,"

"Yuyan, Si, Jia, Ai- don't remind me. Those four must already be up there. You should join them,"

Shandian was already halfway out the window, floating out in the space and smiling.

"See you,"

She floated up and saw that Xue was right, the other four were already up there. Si was up there weaving between the meteors, a dangerous yet intoxicatingly fun activity. Only Si and Shandian ever went up there. Jia, Yuyan, and Ai preferred to watch from the safety of the ground.

"Shandian! Where were you?"

"With Xue getting lectured on letting Chaos off too easily!"

Si laughed, twirling around another flaming rock. "Of course you were! You let the last one off easily, and the one before that! People will start thinking you're soft,"

"I am, but I'm also no fool. If they see me as one, then they are much more likely to meet an early demise,"

"Of course,"

Si playfully kicked a meteor towards Shandian, her reflexes punching the hurling rock and breaking it into pieces. Blood dripped from her knuckles.

"Are you crazy?!"

"Don't worry, you wouldn't have died. Not with me here. I am the guide of death, after all, it's my job to flirt with it!" A grin spread on her face as she soared up and above the stream of meteors.

As fast as they came they left, and soon they were left alone in the wide expanse of the universe.

"Well, that was fun,"

"Yes, I love almost dying. My second favourite past time,"

Si rolled her eyes, flying down to Ai and beginning to talk with them. Shandian slowly followed after, watching the last of the glistening rock disappear into the depths of space before landing before the four of them.

"Hello,"

"Seriously, why do you always have to go up there? And with Si of all people? You'll die someday, for sure,"

"Chill out Jia, I'm still here, aren't I? My brother doesn't have to take over Chaos yet,"

"Yinyue? Oh geez, let's hope that doesn't happen. He speaks in grunts and grunts only. He's basically an angsty teenager,"