The Sect Leader's Demonic Saviour [BL]

Chapter Two: Forgetful One

He ran, and ran and ran and ran. Out of the city, across a few fields and through a small rural village until he arrived at the forest. In the day it looked like a beautiful, flourishing wood, infused with spiritual energy from years of cultivation it looked as if flowers painted the floors, a perfect place for children to play, however now, at night, it looked like a ferocious beast, awaiting Yi Lian to fall into its gaping jaw.

Yi Lian grew up in these woods. Now he was throwing up in these woods. A mouthful of blood finally got released. He must have run miles all in one go without even a flicker of spiritual energy.

He had of course seen the forest at night as he would often wander to see Lantern at his mothers in the village he had just passed.

Tonight he took it with caution.

He entered the forest and took the path by memory. It was so quiet. He heard yells from far behind him but had already begun his meditation to block it out. The only noises he aloud to be heard where the twigs and brittle leaves crunch beneath his feet.

Suddenly he stopped.

The sound of crunching leaves and light snapping twigs continued...

With one hand to the hilt of his sword he spun on the spot, ready to unsheathe it, however the person was closer than he thought. They reached out to his forehead and a wave of nasior hit him like a brick. His head swayed yet he still swung his sword, cutting the purple robed figure clean in two.

Blood leaked into the bed of Roses at Yi Lien's feet. He then turned on his heels right towards Immortals Valley Top but as he took a step, the ground quaked beneath him.

It was familiar. It had happened since he was young, so the movement didn't let him place a foot out of turn.

There was another less used entrance to The Island which was a small cavity created in the surrounding mountains from a past seigh, well, their seigh a few hundred years ago...

That cavity now sat full of grand, lit, red and black ships, bustling with life. The crashing had been the sound of the ships docking and as the awful blood stain of war darkened, Yi Lian turned and ran.

Someone yelled, "Hey! Where do you think you're going?"

Yi Lian ran through the dark woods. He moved with grace, every step taken was with certainty and precision, however a new person had come to follow him at the same pace.

Yi Lian quickened his pace. He lightly woke his spiritual energy, his meridians cursing, to give him more speed, yet as he was about to shoot off to Immortals Valley Top, two hands gripped his shoulders.

He was a fingertip away from the secluded security of the Sects centre but someone had hauled him back around.

He felt his back hit the ground but someone held him in a way so that he wouldn't be injured. This person was shrouded in shadow, placing their body between him and Immortals Valley Top.

Yi Lian looked up. A boy was looking back at where Yi Lian wished to be, the sudden rushing wind blew through his black, long silky hair. He had an intricate red and gold hairpin that was slanted. His face was small yet strong and chiseled. His eyes held mischief and the slight bend in his lip asserted the observation. The boy looked down at him after regarding the Sect's residence and his face grew a large grin.

"Yi Lian!!" He exclaimed.

Just as he shouted, the heavens exploded.

The boy chucked a piece of paper over his shoulder which evaporated and turned into a blackened shield, yet he still covered Yi Lian as much as he could with his own body. When the explosion had mostly finished, the mystery guy sat up with him.

Arms around his neck. A leg between his legs.

Yi Lian felt so many things...

The boy had run after him in the woods without pronouncing himself, yelled out his birth name and dirtied his clean white robes. These were all against the Immortals Valley Top rules which-

Yi Lian looked over his shoulder. It was in flames. The trees, the life, the library, all destroyed...

Yi Lian pushed the boy away and looked on as the flames burned away years and years of work. Still his expression stayed still. Even as ash hit his face he did not flinch.

"Yi Lian... I'm sorry, but I have to get you out of here. Where's Lantern? Where's Yi Vian?" He had his hand on Yi Lian's shoulder.

"Do I know you? Why do you address me in such a manner?" He didn't sound rude but he didn't sound confused either. The boys pupils shrank. It'd seem like Yi Lian had just sliced him across the throat yet he emphasised it dramatically.

"Oh, Young Sect Leader Yi Lian please forgive me! We met last year at the Spirits Festival."

When Yi Lian didn't answer the boy sighed and rolled his eyes. "Fine, fine. Don't remember me then. My names Nie Asreal- Nie Asreal of the Nie Sect."

Yi Lian thought for a moment.

"The one who contacts Dark Deities for power?"

Nie Asreal stayed silent for a moment. His smile dropped.

He smiled again moments later yet this time it seemed a frustrated one. "That you remember..." he mumbled.

Yi Lian was about to say mumbling was against Sect rules but the intruder's yells interrupted him.

"Okay, Let's go Mr Forgetful Sect Leader!" He said before grabbing Yi Lian's wrist and hauling him over to the left. Yi Lian was shocked yet didn't fall, only followed in concealed complete confusion.

Nie Asreal brought them to a small ditch in the woods. He let go of Yi Lian and started to shuffle around in a pile of leaves. Yi Lian just looked on.

Not much went through his mind. He just observed Nie Asreal some more. He was the same age as he, similar level of cultivation, yet there was something about him.

Handsome? He is handsome. Flashed in Yi Lian's mind.

His cheeks flushed slightly. He wasn't really, really handsome. Yi Lian was always commented on as being the handsomest one in the realm. He had long, calm, black hair, small, beautiful green eyes, such delicate yet masculine features. He was like an art piece, whereas Nie Asreal had an almost daring handsomeness. A maiden could simply look at him and know he's had many, many lovers.

Suddenly Nie Asreal burst out laughing. Yi Lian's eyebrows tilted slightly. "What is it?"

Nie Asreal, "Hahaha, you seem to be inspecting me, your Forgetfulness. Is that a blush I see?" He teased. Yi Lian didn't know what to do so he just looked at what he was doing.

Yi Lian said quietly, "Nonsense."

Nie Asreal, "It's okay to inspect the one who's taking you hostage Forgetful One."

He seemed to be moving things underneath the leaves. Yi Lian was however more annoyed by the comment than his actions, and that was saying something.

Yi Lian, "It is not that I am forgetful, you are just unimpressionable."

Nie Asreal played a shocked expression and put a dramatic hand to his heart, "Oh! How the most respected and well mannered Sect Leader treats me! Just because he finds me so pretty!"

Yi Lian, "Stop talking!"

Nie Asreal, "Then stop talking! Or keep talking, the more talking you do the less I will do!"

Yi Lian, "That is not logic..."

Nie Asreal, "Sure it is! Give it a go. Let's start with.... what about how much you remember about me!"

Yi Lian thought for a moment. The festival was quite uneventful in his opinion.

Yi Lian, "Not much. I attended the lantern ceremony, the dinner and left."

Nie Asreal didn't seem fulfilled with the answer.

Nie Asreal, "No, no. Visualize the memory, tell me about it."

Yi Lian sighed. He didn't remember much. What did he want? Still, Yi Lian tried to remember.