102 Millenia Millenium

Mei Xue gasped, a big gulp of air, and she awoke, returning from the dead. Her necrotized body swiftly returned to normal, as her ashen skin faded away, returning to its usual vibrant color. The dead parts of her body broke apart, like dust in the wind. Her blackened fingers fell off, no pain to be felt, and it went on to her arms and appendages until the dead were replaced with the alive.

"So this is death," the young lady muttered with an unfathomably complex expression. She felt enlightened as if new doors had been opened for her, yet just as many had closed. At first, she imagined herself freaking out, but all she felt now was peace and tranquility, after experiencing nothingness. She did not know if it was because death was an inherently calming property, or if the Store of Fates shielded them from knowing the truth and becoming insane, but either way, it was terrifying to know how reassuring an eternal rest was.

A strong breeze, carrying the aroma of various flowers broke her concentration and flung her hair high up. She glanced back, and from far far away, she saw a huge storm brewing. The other villagers soon noticed the commotion and when they all left their little huts to see what was occurring, they were stunned mute.

"Lord Dao, is this finally our end," the old man whispered with wide eyes.

The storm was no ordinary storm. It came charging from all sides as if specifically aiming for this place. The storm parted the clouds and uprooted the earth, stronger than a tornado and bigger than a hurricane. Those observing may wonder if the heavens had ascended to deal out their tribulations. 

What was peculiar was it carried dozens of hundreds of thousands of flowers, all from the endless flowerfield outside, and they converged into this small village, leaving behind a road full of destruction as the razor-sharp winds cut through tree and stone.

"What have you done," the apothecary approached Mei Xue, steadily pushing herself through the strong currents.

Mei Xue was dumbfounded by the situation, but still managed to face the statue. She was the only one who'd notice its shaking within this tumult. Without a doubt, this thing was the origin of all stress. Yet, what came next she could never have imagined.

The winds and flower petals traveled down the streets and alleyways, nimbly avoiding any villagers, as if they had a life on their own. What they aimed for, of course, was the statue. The petals latched onto the wizard, glued tightly, and in no time, completely sealed off any onlookers, wrapping around the statue like a colorful cocoon.

A few seconds later, the flowers started to glow. First, it was a faint light, similar to fireflies on a moonless night, but with time, the glow strengthened, turning bright red into a blaze, and the cocoon beat fiercely. Whatever was in there wished to break out, and at last, the flowers lost their colors—the same way the villagers did with their limbs—turning completely black, and falling to the ground, now no more than mere ash.

"Good heavens," the people muttered. From afar, the woodchipper was the first to bow down, and his reaction prompted similar reactions and they all went to their knees, kowtowing.

In front of the flabbergasted Mei Xue, stood a young man, his hair ash blonde and his eyes white, in the same place where the statue used to be. It didn't take a genius to figure out that this was the wizard. Only now, he was not a mere tale or fantasy. No, the man was a living, breathing person (though if it was human was unclear).

The wizard moved his hand—a casual sweep. The flowers that had fallen and lost their life regained their vitality, and they wrapped around him to become a long and gorgeous robe. "After this many centuries. . . You are the one that freed me. . ." He said with a raspy voice. "I can feel the connection. I thank thee." The man bowed down with genuine respect.

Not only was Mei Xue confused, the guests outside watching everything unfold with bated breaths were similarly dumbfounded. Their mouths would not close, no matter what, and even Shou hadn't expected for this to unfold.

To think there was another person besides him in that village that could return from the dead. What a coincidence, he thought. Or maybe, this was all part of Si's grand plan?

"Woah, where the hell did that blond-haired boy come from [???]?"

—or maybe not.

The wizard jumped down the pedestal and he landed without any sound. "Though I doubt you'd understand it, you have allowed me to pursue my revenge that has continued on for a millennia. For that, I am eternally grateful." He creaked his neck and stretched his arms. Clearly, it had been a while since he last moved.

"Who exactly are you?"

"I am one of the founders of this village of course," the wizard answered. "Well, to be specific, my father was." He did not mind explaining, as it was this woman who had saved him. "If I may be so presumptuous, may I ask how you managed to free me?"

"Uh, what do you mean," Mei Xue had a hard time responding to such a broad question.

"You see, my family comes from a long line of miracle workers. We used a secret cultivation method that allowed us to alter the world around us. We could make food tastier, water clearer, and steel stronger," the wizard said, "And of course, we could use these powers to progress humanity in a way it had never seen before."

"Uhm, okay."

The wizard lifted his hands, his expression saddened. "However, all good things must come to an end, and my sister, the witch, could not contain her jealousy and tried to stop this from happening. Thus, she sealed me, as she could not kill me, and I became the eternal flower-garden watching over the village." He shook his head. "I've called and called, but even as more people gathered, they could not hear me."

"Wait," Mei Xue squinted her eyes. She had come to a great revelation. "So the reason why people would come and be trapped in this village was you?"

"It is my sister's curse that put me through this ordeal. I had no control over this," the wizard corrected her. "I'd never wish this upon any human, even if it meant for me to stay in slumber for eternity. But you must understand, I cannot rest, as long as my sister remains to plague the world as the witch. It is I who started it, and it will be I to end her. This is my fate, savior."

"But she is your own family," Mei Xue said, though she didn't really believe in such naive thoughts. She only wished to see his reaction.

"Would a family member place you in eternal slumber? Even with all the sacrifices of the villagers, I could not awaken. So it surprises me that you alone were enough to break the seal."

Mei Xue didn't have an answer to that, "Maybe it is because I also cannot die?" At least this was the case in this illusory world. In a macabre way, she could be counted as an unlimited sacrifice.

"You know the road to the undying? Yet you have not glimpsed at the end of the Dao." The wizard's eyes widened. "Fascinating."

"The end of the Dao? What do you mean with-"

"Hush!" The blonde man suddenly tensed up. He glanced at the sky, and his expression turned serious. "She's arrived."

Mei Xue did not ask who. There was only one person who warranted such a reaction. She followed his sight and also cocked her head up. There, she saw a masked woman, dressed up in a black robe and with only one red eye visible, hovering in the air. ". . .Elder Brother."

One single peek made all of Mei Xues' hairs stand up. Death. Absolute death. This was the feeling she had. Not even as a kid living in the slums with no food was this feeling so pronounced. This woman was destruction incarnate—everything in her wake will be destroyed, not even ashes left behind.

The witch lifted her finger. A minuscule, red-glowing orb appeared atop it. She pointed downward as if signaling an execution, and the orb fell like a drop of water, slowly but steadily.

"Duck," the wizard shouted and pulled Mei Xue back. He moved his arms and a whirlwind of flowers came to protect the two of them, diverting the orb.

Though it killed no bystander, it left enough devastation for a lifetime as it collided with a few abandoned houses, which turned to gas, regardless of its material. The villagers quickly scrambled away, and even the old man who had a dark and wrathful expression, knew this was out of his league.

"It was fun talking to you, savior," the wizard said with dry laughter, "but I think we will have to postpone the storytelling for another time." He swept his hands and the flowers that had been burned revitalized again, forming a pair of petal wings. 

The wings flapped, creating a gust of wind behind him, and he flew off into the sky, facing his sister.

Thus, the fight that had lasted a millennium would finally find its end.