The Stone King's Lover (石王的愛)

Chapter 15

Wen Reian

An unknown number of years after The Long Night

Xi Qiáng Forest

<Wen Reian's dream>

Reian knew, somehow, that he was dreaming. First of all, he was pretty sure that it hadn't been winter in the forest when he'd fallen asleep. Also his friends and Master were nowhere to be seen, nor was their horse, cart, or fire-pit...

Despite the beauty of the snow and frosted trees around him, each dripping with hundreds of icicles, Reian was still eager to wake up. He closed his eyes tight and nothing happened. When he opened them he was still in the forest, still alone. He tried pinching his arm, but he barely felt a thing. At last out of ideas, Reian glanced up.

Snow was falling atop the layer of trees. He felt it stick to his hair and clothes...

I can't remember the last time it snowed in Jingshén-

"I missed this."

Reian spun toward the voice, heart hammering, but the man standing before him, dressed all in white, was familiar in a very strange way. Like someone he'd seen in a painting maybe.

Narrowing his eyes, the boy noticed the bright blue eyes staring at him, his straight posture and veiled hat that trailed down onto the frozen ground...

Where have I seen him before?

Reian felt like it couldn't have been in reality, he would have remembered such a beautiful face.

The man suddenly smiled, and it was a very kind, honest smile. Reian already knew the stranger wouldn't hurt him so he took a step closer, trying to remember how to speak-

"... who... are you?"

Reian's voice felt strange, but the man heard him all the same. Though in his mind, Wen Rei had already made a guess as to who he was, hearing the man's answer was still quite a shock.

The man in white nodded, as if he knew his every thought...

"Jin Songcai,"

Blinking a few times, Reian looked down shyly. Before he could think about what to say to this strange dreamworld apparition, he blurted out in a rush;

"Xie Yi-jun is angry because I'm not you."

When he looked back up at Jin Songcai, the man seemed unbothered by this news.

"Wen Rei," he said suddenly, coming closer.

Reian wasn't scared. He realised he recognized him from other dreams he'd had besides, Jin Songcai was famous for being very kind.

"I've been trying to speak to you for some time now," Songcai said carefully. "You must finally be hearing me since Yi-jun is awake-"

Reian frowned, blinking snowflakes from his eyelashes as he stared up...

"I don't want anything to do with him," he grumbled childishly.

It's just a dream, I can be honest at least...

Songcai paused for a moment, then said; "Wen Reian, listen. This isn't about Yi-jun. I need you to do something for me."

Reian looked at the man. In his eyes was pleading, but also an odd assurance, like he knew already that Reian would agree.

The boy didn't want to do favors for Xie Yi-jun's ghost lover. Even if he trusted him. He should leave Yi-jun and everything to do with him alone like he'd asked...

Suddenly Songcai was putting a hand on Reian's shoulder-

"Do you remember how you felt when you started to heal him?"

Reian did remember. His and Yi-jun's auras combining, strengthening each other. It was all he could think about anymore...

He nodded softly. "Yes,"

Songcai let out a relieved sigh. "Please try to remember,"

As his voice became quieter and quieter, Wen Rei felt the snow begin to come down harder. Blinking up at Songcai's crystal blue eyes, snowflakes and sunshine painting him like some kind of ethereal forest nimph, Reian's subconscious mumbled something uncharacteristic about Xie Yi-jun and his taste-

Songcai just gripped his shoulder...

"Healing him is just the beginning," he said.

Reian opened his mouth to reply but as he did, flecks of snow fell right onto his tongue. As the flakes melted, Reian grimaced, realizing it wasn't snow at all.

Ash and smoke floated through the air, coating everything. Including Songcai. Reian knew that it must represent the man's death, buried under so much rubble in Hêi'àn City on the day it exploded. It was a terrible death, one he wouldn't wish on anyone.

The taste of the ash was pungent, and Reian felt like he may never get the smell out of his mind. Songcai seemed oblivious to it all, beautiful and harmless and out of time as the world burned around him.

The man smiled once more, expression more thankful than anything.

"Just the beginning-"

And then with a flash of white and smell of smoke, Reian jolted awake, only darkness and fire reflecting in his eyes.