The Dawn of the New World



Hao Xuan got down on one knee to try and help her up but it was like trying to pick up a lifeless doll. Her eyes were half open but her mind was long gone. It had to be after everything she had endured these last few days.

She was wrapped up in some rags that barely covered anything. Most of her body was obscured by grime from days of laying in this filth but even through that, he could see dark black and blue marks around her neck and various other body parts.

This once proud daughter of heaven that was at the center of attention wherever she went now resembled a walking corpse. If someone saw her on the street in this condition they would change lanes just to avoid getting close to her.

Hao Xuan's mind, still reeling from the shock of seeing Ma Jiang's self-immolation, was pushed even further when the voices began to speak up again.

'Look at her state, the poor girl.'

'What was her crime? To fall for someone like you? Someone far beneath her station?'

'You should have asked for her hand on bended knee instead of abandoning her, useless husk of a man. Can't protect anyone, just like them.'

'Tsk, I would rather die than live like this. Wonder what kept her hanging on?'

'Just kill her, it would be the humane thing to do. Rip open her throat, after all, she deserves it for coveting a thing like yourself.'

Hao Xuan heard all they had to say and took it in stride without saying a word. He reached out into the ether and summoned a vat of water from the storage space, using it to quickly clean away the filth clinging to her.

He gathered every gentle bone still left in his body to softly whisper, "Princess, can you hear me?"

Her eyelids fluttered but that was it. Hao Xuan hesitated for a brief moment, wondering if he even had the right to call her name anymore before- "Ceni? I'm here."

She stirred in his arms, straining herself to look at his face. And then as if nothing had happened at all, she smiled.

"You came...I was waiting," she whispered with a smile. Not berating or blaming him for all that had happened to her, simply content that he was there with her now.

"Mm. Sorry it took so long. You can rest now, everything will be okay."

"Un...just for a little bit. I'm...so sleepy."

She closed her eyes and passed out immediately. The silver warrior returned a few seconds later with the tonic in hand.

"I brought the water too- O-Oh, looks like I was a little late haha. Here you go, captain."

Hao Xuan took the tonic and fed it to Princess Ceni with a tenderness that surprised even the Silver Warrior. And it was this caring gesture of his that finally sowed a seed of doubt within the warrior's mind.

"Who did you say wanted the prisoner again, captain?" he asked while taking a step back, slowly reaching out behind his back looking for the hilt of the sword.

But Hao Xuan casually reached into the storage space and took out a blanket, using it to wrap the princess while asking a question of his own.

"Tell me, do you have a family? A mother, a sister, or a wife? Perhaps a daughter?"

The silver warrior tightened his grip around the hilt, "Y-Yes, a fiance."

"Hmm, curious. How did you go home and look her in the eye every day after allowing what was happening here? I have to say, even I wouldn't be able to do that. But that puts my mind to ease for what I am about to do."

He stood up with the princess in his arms and the silver warrior took the opportunity to attack. He swung the blade with all his strength intending to cut them both in half but nothing happened.

Hao Xuan turned around to face him, allowing the silver warrior to look at his real self for the first time while muttering, "How can you use a blade without any arms?"

The silver warrior looked down and finally noticed that both of his arms were missing. They weren't cut off but simply gone. He stepped back in a panic, more confused than afraid of what was going on.

The X-shaped symbol within Hao Xuan's eyes rotated once and a drop of blood leaked out as he used even more power to turn his words into a reality.

"How can you not scream when all your bones are melting inside your body? When your brain is on fire?"

The silver warrior suddenly threw his head back and let out an ear-piercing scream.

"AAHHH! MAKE IT STOP! PLEASE MAKE IT STOP!" he implored while falling to the ground, rolling in the same filth that he was so desperately trying to avoid before in the hopes that it would lessen his pain and put out the flame that existed only in his mind.