Poets of Disaster

I was inspired by a tumblr post, so now I'm just here to cause pain.

▶ original post | my post ◀

Beware the following:

murder, descriptions of death, body horror, mutilation, hallucinations, grief, trauma, etc.

"I had warned you... if so ever you grew bold enough to defy me, you would pay dearly."

Fang Ye pulled against the strings holding him. They tightened in retaliation and cut deep into his skin. "Don't— Not Hua Xue! Please, anyone but—"

"Even now, you're being impertinent, Little Fang. You dare draw boundaries when you have so often crossed mine?"

Fang Ye pulled again until the strings made him bleed. Even when they dug threatening into his throat, he strained forward as if that would bring him closer to his fearsome elder, to his lover there on the dais between them. Fang Ye sobbed.

"Forgive me— Please! Allow my boldness one final time." His sobbing shook his body so violently that it only made his shallow wounds deeper. He dropped his head in supplication. "Please grant me this: release Hua Xue... I'm sorry. I'm so sorry..."

"Oh, Fang Ye..."

Hesitantly, Fang Ye summoned the wherewithal to slow his tears and lift his head. He blinked, and fat tears rolled down his cheeks. His hope lived and died in that blink for his heart sank as he watched Elder Bai bring his sword to Hua Xue's throat.

"Forgive or release... You ask me for a single request, so I cannot do both."

"Please." Fang Ye was frantic once more. "Pleasepleaseplease!"

"And so, I shall grant you neither."

Fang Ye felt the warm spray of blood against his face. Droplets mixed with his tears, which ran anew and turned the crimson a blushing pink. For the longest time, for minutes—maybe eons, he couldn't blink. He could only watch unwaveringly as the life drained from the person before him. He didn't even spare a glance upwards to meet the cold stare of the elder watching him.

At the edges of his vision, he watched as gentle, pale hands reached over his shoulders and lowered down until they set upon his own. Soon, a cheek touched his own, and a soft laugh filled his ears.

"Xiao Ye... What's wrong?"

Fang Ye blinked, and he was standing in his kitchen, staring at the booklet of pressed flowers. Hua Xue laughed again.

"Are they truly so awful that you would rather be somewhere else?"

"No." Fang Ye hastily put down his knife and curled his fingers around the soft hands that cradled his own. He kissed the small knuckles.

"You can tell me, Xiao Ye. I can find another hobby."

"No, no!" He immediately released Hua Xue and spun around to face her. He met her eyes and admired the mischievous glint in them. "I like the flowers. They're very beautiful."

She pouted a little and turned her head away. "You say such wonderful things about pressed flowers. When will you gather your courage to say them to me as well?"

She was teasing him, playing a silly game, but how could he resist falling for her trap. He curled a finger under her chin and guided her to look at him. In that small movement, he watched as her lips twitched with an urge to smile.

"You are more beautiful than your namesake. If it didn't mean I would have to leave you, I would quest the realms looking for ways to adequately capture your grace and radiance, Hua Xue."

She stayed quiet for only a few seconds before giggling shyly. "It's a start." She touched his chest with both hands and smiled fondly at him. "Is everything alright?"

"I." He looked over his shoulder to the knife and radish still left alone on the cutting board. His stomach turned unpleasantly, and he quickly looked at Hua Xue. He feigned a smile as he led her away from the counter. "Everything's fine."

"But you look so pale." She followed his guidance, though she didn't look away from his face. When they came to the dining table, they sank down together in unison. "Is it that dream again?"

He knew that it would be pointless to pretend for long, and so Fang Ye sighed and nodded sadly. "'Nightmare' is more like it..."

"Xiao Ye..." Hua Xue reached out to place a hand over his. She leaned a bit closer. "Is there anything I can do?"

He started to speak, but the words choked in his throat, all threatening to get out at once. He swallowed them down before trying again. "No." He set his free hand atop hers and then cradled her single, small hand between his much larger ones. "Having you here with me is more than enough."

"Then, I suppose my presence is nothing short of overwhelming."

When there was a new voice, Fang Ye's heart leapt into his throat. He hadn't seen Elder Bai in nearly a decade, and he had moved far away to ensure they would never cross paths again. For a moment, he suspected the worst—that assassins had come to undo them both, for Elder Bai's wrath to curse him once again.

And yet, somehow this was worse than even that. He and Hua Xue both whipped their attention over to the unexpected guest, and there before them stood the eerily handsome figure of Qi Jinghe.

"Brother." That single word was little more than a croak. "What are you— Why— H-how?"

Qi Jinghe ignored the clumsy attempt at conversation. Instead, he turned his head to stare at Hua Xue, and there was such a deep expression of disgust, sadness, and pity that Fang Ye was struck by a sudden wave of insult to add to his fear.

"Brother Fang. I won't allow you to live like this any longer."

"Like what?" Fang Ye countered suddenly, his tone waspish and sharp now. "Happily?"

"'Happily," Qi Jinghe repeated. "Is this what you call 'happiness', Brother Fang?" His gaze didn't waver from Hua Xue, who began to look self-conscious under his scrutiny.

Fang Ye rose to his knees and cast out a hand to protect her from Qi Jinghe. "Don't look at her like that!"

"Like what?" Qi Jinghe looked solely at Fang Ye now. And his expression didn't change; those emotions were still there, but the sadness deepened. Or was it the pity? It didn't matter to Fang Ye as neither were wanted.

"Leave us alone. Go and be with the others."

"You don't want me to go back, Brother Fang."

"Brother—" Fang Ye bit his tongue and shook his head. "No. I don't claim ties to you anymore. Not you, not the rest of the sect. I left."

"Yes, but—"

"I left!" Fang Ye repeated, his voice raising until it thundered in the empty space. Outside, the birds chittered loudly and flew away in a hurry. "You have a lot of nerve showing your face after all these years."

Qi Jinghe bowed his head. Ever the picture of grace. Fang Ye found it mocking now. "It's regrettable that it took us years, but we've been searching for you every day."

"Am I supposed to believe that? Every day for eight years? Even the most devout followers would give up hope if a king were to vanish for eight years, and you think that I would believe you searched for me? For us?"

Qi Jinghe frowned and lifted his head. A single lock of stark black hair fell in front of his eyes, but he didn't stop to tuck it away. Fang Ye swallowed again, his mouth suddenly dry as he waited for Qi Jinghe to fix himself.

"Every single day," he said resolutely. "We searched in the mountains..."

Fix your hair.

"...We looked in the villages..."

Fix your hair.

"We went to your home town; we asked after Hua Xue's family—"

"Fix your hair, Qi Jinghe!!"

Qi Jinghe fell silent. His posture stiffened slightly, and then with familiar, steady movements, he elegantly reached up to brush his hair back. He tucked the tail end into his headband once more and waited a few seconds. When Fang Ye didn't speak again, he continued on.

"We couldn't find a trace of you."

"That was for a reason. Elder Bai is still looking for us."

Qi Jinghe's expression changed then. It started with a brow twitch, and it evolved into something tense, barely restraining the emotion that wanted to spill out.

"Elder Bai is dead."

Time froze. Incense stopped burning. Even butterflies ceased to fly. Fang Ye tightened his hand around Hua Xue, more a twitch than anything purposeful.

"...W-what?"

"Elder Bai died in the Marching Flames. Brother Fang."

"Shut up."

"You broke your silence. You called on your pact—"

"STAY RIGHT THERE."

Qi Jinghe froze in place. He was as still as a statue and just as unnaturally beautiful. His brow creased further; his fingers curled in the air where he had his hand extended.

"Let go of Hua Xue, Brother Fang."

"No."

"We need to let her rest."

"Shut up."

"Time is running out; if we don't take her soul now—"

"Xiao Ye," Hua Xue began with a trembling voice. "What does he mean?"

Fang Ye wasn't sure what he should do. He wanted to smile; he wanted to beat Qi Jinghe to death instead. He quickly spun to face Hua Xue and gave her his full attention.

"It's nothing, Hua Xue. We're being tested, don't you see. It's merely a ghost. I used my pact."

"But you said you'd never—"

"I know. I know." He ducked his head, silently praying for her forgiveness as he brought her hand up against his forehead. "But it was for us. It was to protect you."

"You protected her, Brother Fang. You've fulfilled your duty."

"Shut up, Qi Jinghe!" Fang Ye lifted his head. Red tinged the whites of his eyes. "I'm not speaking to you!"

"I would rather you speak to me than a corpse."

Fang Ye jerked as if to attack him, but he merely lurched instead. He needed to stay here and keep Hua Xue grounded. With him, she would... He didn't want to think about it. He wouldn't dare start the thought!

Qi Jinghe moved his hands in the air in a calming gesture as he took another step. He took another approach. "Let her go, Fang Ye." His voice was deceptively soothing. "Don't give into your bloodlust."

"He's right, Xiao Ye." Hua Xue's voice was paper thin now. "Don't give in."

"But I have to protect you again." Fang Ye was desperate. He squeezed her hand tighter until he felt something give. Hua Xue's face didn't betray any pain. "He's going to take you. He's going to give you to Elder Bai."

"I would never betray you."

Fang Ye raised a hand, ready to attack. "You already have—"

The moment he tried to summon his qi, he already lost the battle. There was a sharp pain through his meridians and another as Qi Jinghe slammed his head into the table. He heard Hua Xue give out a terrible groan (or was that the wood bending?). He felt the warmth of blood in his nose, and his eyes began to roll.

Energy flooded his body, and his heart kicked up another ten beats. "It won't be that easy!" Qi Jinghe stated. He lifted his head and soon shouted. "He's in here!"

"Hua Xue..."

"In here! In here, quick! I can't hold him."

Fang Ye's skin felt as if it would slough off. His face was hot from the energy pumping directly into it. He broke out in a sweat—he was covered in blood.

He saw Hua Xue's face. Her beautiful countenance, once filled with fear, now lax from blood loss.

Now withered and aged.

He blinked, and she was staring at him, horrified. But soon, that was merely a blur. Several voices flooded the silence, and bodies hurried over to meet his. His hands were drawn behind his back. His wrists were bound together with 1,000 year old leather strips and bound by a talisman. He tried to resist, but his qi drained whenever he tried.

That sent him into a panic. He bucked with renewed energy, and as soon as he was on his feet again, he howled like a beast. "Hua Xue! Hua Xue!"

She stared at him with wide empty eyes. Her mouth was wide, toothless, a gaping maw of rotting flesh. She leaned towards him, a hand outstretched, a hand missing, crushed and left in pieces on the table.

Fang Ye felt hands firmly grip his forearms. They sealed tight against his skin, clinging as closely as Hua Xue's rotting skin on the tips of his fingers.

He howled again. He sobbed once more. Blood turned blushing pink, strings dug until they almost choked him. Elder Bai reached into the wound on Hua Xue's neck and pulled under her head began to lull.

"Hua Xue, Hua Xue, run!"

"We have to sedate him," someone said.

"There is no running anymore," Elder Bai warned. "You must pay for your actions."

"Forgive me," Fang Ye begged. His memories and voice doubled as his feet nearly tripped over a missing floor panel and the roots sticking up from below.

"Forgive me," Qi Jinghe whispered as he reached out for Fang Ye once more.

Hua Xue's body fell to the floor of a decrepit home to the floor of a lavish manor. Her hair and blood spilled around her pale face around her withered and rotting face.

Fang Ye screamed and wept until he couldn't anymore. Another member of his clan walked forward with the Soul Sealing Jar, and the last he saw was Hua Xue turning into dust

Hua Xue bleeding on the floor

Hua Xue smiling and holding out her hand. "Promise you'll be happy for me."

"I promise," Fang Ye whispered as he felt qi flood his aching veins, and as darkness took him for what he wished was the final time. "I promise."

⏹