Where Winter Meets Summer (Rusame Countryhumans)

Silent Silver Linings

(CHINA POV)

The footsteps that trailed behind me came to rest and my next sentence died on my lips. I turned back to see why everyone had suddenly stopped.

The grim clouds parted overhead to shine thin streams of moonlight onto us, shedding enough light for me to see the disbelief on everyone's faces. I frowned, wondering if I had said something wrong.

"Sorry- perhaps I heard wrong, but did you just say your throat was slit?!" Pakistan gasped in horror. I realized that their eyes were trailing over my neck. It was as if they were waiting for my head to pop off at any moment. I rolled my eyes and tugged my collar higher.

"Guys, I'm fine. Seriously, at least let me explain first." There was a nervous shuffle but no one said anything. Wary glances were shot around before they beckoned for me to continue.

The midnight clouds drew back together like curtains closing a show. We faded back into black silhouettes, outlined by the haze of unnerving silence, as we trudged along a torn-up path. A dome-like structure loomed in the distance- it was the defensive perimeter that had been set up. We would find NATO and his army there.

I hesitated for a moment, spooling in my thoughts as I recalled what happened next.

After the meeting with the Powers, the Labyrinth was attacked.

We managed to escape but ran into a formidable opponent- a warrior with a ruinous blade.

She had held the sword to my throat and forced ASEAN to choose.

...

"Headmaster, do you still remember what you said to me when we first met?" I yelled up at the towering beast. I was referring to the day I had made the deal with him. It was the day I felt my fingers scrape against the mountain rocks as I climbed my way toward the swirling clouds in the sky. ASEAN had acknowledged me, just like he was acknowledging me now.

'As long as you are my student, I will allow you to use my energy, per your request.' That was our original agreement and we both remembered it well.