Flashes of that sweet night played again and again in my mind as a motivator to carry my weary body out of bed each day.
Akari, Lian, and I spent the next few days fortifying the clinic and preparing for the inevitable retaliation of the Jade Serpent Sect.
Madame Silk seemed to be quite the team player after our initial battle with the sect, providing information regarding the movement and logistics of the sect. Recently though, they went dark… or at least information surrounding them has, and to make it worse, Silk's contact went dark on us.
While we won the fight the first time, I was not so sure I could do it again. The way Madame Silk's informant went missing left a bad taste in my mouth. The Jade Serpent Sect was a powerful enemy, and the next time they came for us it would be for revenge...
I stood on the roof of the clinic watching the sun falling, filling out a journal that I had paid a pretty penny for, multiple in fact.
Laughing at the corniness of my internal dialogue, I had turned my head to the sound of light footsteps sneaking their way over to me.
Watching the faded sun set over the town, I couldn't help but relate to it. Akari, finally making her way beside me, sat down joining me, her silver hair shimmering in the fading light.
"Sorry, I tried my best to not disturb you," she said, her voice soft but teasing. "I wouldn't want to get in the way of your relationship with the book…"
"Oh stop, don't be so full of yourself. You could never get in between us…" I moved the book to my chest and twisted my body away, dramatizing my plea of love for my journal.
"Oh whatever, Al." Shaking her head with a chuckle, she left one of her hands in proximity to be held by me.
I slid the journal in my pocket before taking her hand in mine as I looked at her beautiful face. I could just tell something was on the tip of her tongue.
"Okay, what is up, Akari?"
"Nothing serious… I just wanted to know what the journal is about. You have been glued to that thing like it was a part of your soul."
Putting up a shocked face, I widened my expression and put my hands behind my head before teasing her. "How did you figure out my dastardly plan was foiled?"
Her deadpan face that was staring me down told me she did not find it as funny as I did.
"Just playing…"
I chuckled, shaking my head. "Just trying to figure out our next move. The Jade Serpent Sect won't stop coming after us."
Akari's smile widened, and she leaned against me, her tails swaying lazily behind her. "Then we'll keep fighting. We've got each other, and that's more than they've got."
I wasn't sure exactly if that would matter in the grand scheme of war, but I liked that response a lot.
The smile on her face caused a surge of gratitude within me. No matter what challenges lay ahead, I knew I could face them with Akari by my side.
"You're right, beautiful," I said, my voice filled with determination. "We'll keep fighting. If not for the world, then the love we have for each other…"
Akari's smile softened, squeezing her fingers against mine. "That's the spirit, Al. No matter what happens, we'll face it together."
As the sun dipped below the visible sky, casting dark and beautiful shadows among us, I felt a sense of peace. My time in this world might be rough, but with Lian, my reliable friend, and Akari, my soulmate. With them by my side, I knew we could overcome anything.
The storm came sooner than we expected.
All it took was a damn week. Just one week after Elder Xu's death, the Jade Serpent Sect launched a full-scale assault on the town. Not just against us, but against the town as a whole.
We tried taking people in the clinic for refuge from the assault, but only so many people could cram in the building. Madame Silk had volunteered to watch over them as we left to try to help the others. On account of her lacking combat ability, it just seemed like the best call.
Their forces were overwhelming, their cultivators more skilled and numerous than we had anticipated. The town was in chaos, the streets filled with the sounds of battle as the Jade Serpent Sect's forces clashed with the townsfolk and our small group of defenders.
The dead filled the streets and unfortunately no one was spared when it came to the dead, neither women nor children.
Akari, Lian, and I fought side by side, our movements perfectly synchronized as we tried to hold the line. It wasn't enough. The Jade Serpent Sect's forces were too powerful, and we were quickly overwhelmed.
Cuts and lacerations filled our bodies as we moved out of the town, hoping to create an escape for those who survived by hiding.
We moved through the forest as fast as we could. I channeled my healing ability to my friends, but unfortunately, we couldn't run forever.
We were surrounded and forced to fight.
As the battle raged on, I found myself face to face with Elder Xu's master, a powerful cultivator named Elder Feng. His golden eyes glowed with an otherworldly light, and the air around him seemed to crackle with energy. A similarity shared between them.
"You've caused us enough trouble. I will avenge the young master," he said, his voice cold and menacing. "It's time to end this."
I knew I was no match for him, I couldn't back down. Not when so many people were counting on me. Taking a deep breath, I focused on my Flesh Regeneration ability, channeling it within me. To win in a battle you just needed one perfectly placed attack. I needed an opening.
Elder Feng summoned a flying sword from his inner core, and while it was intimidating, I couldn't stop here. I stepped forward, my hands glowing with a faint green light. Bring it on.
He slashed at me with his sword, tearing the fabric on my shirt as it sliced into my skin. I moved myself closer, allowing my knife I had hidden in my hand to slide forward, attempting to place it in his neck.
A whirling of wind reached my ears as intense pain followed. I tried drawing back my hand, but it seemed like there was no response. I looked down to my right arm and only saw blood.
My arm lay on the ground, or at least what was left of it.
A kick to my chest landed with enough strength to lift me off the ground and send me tumbling.
The feeling of being tossed around like a ragdoll was terrible, and the pain that accompanied it was much worse.
Everything hurt, and I couldn't make out any of the shapes I saw.
I knew I couldn't lay here, so I channeled the Flesh Regeneration ability, trying to fix myself like I normally would. I knew it wouldn't last, but I had to get up. I couldn't let him hurt Akari.
My arm wouldn't regenerate, but I wouldn't need it. My vision was restored, and that was enough.
It wasn't good for Akari. For the first time since we met, she was pushed to use her nine-tail form. She was in intense combat with Elder Feng. She was bleeding, so was Elder Feng.
"You could never win against us. Both of your friends are dead."
"You're nothing but a nuisance," he said, his voice cold and menacing. "You disgusting half-beast…"
I struggled to get up, but Akari needed me.
"Quit lying!" Akari roared, her beastly form altering her voice.
"You stupid demihuman, why would I lie to you?"
I knew he had something planned. I couldn't understand why he would try to talk to her if he thought they were lesser people. But I spotted his sleight of hand.
Akari was being pushed to a mental breaking point and wouldn't attack… She was lost, and he was taking advantage of that. In any normal situation, Akari's senses would have sniffed out his plan, especially in her beast form, but she wasn't in the right state of mind.
I was the only one that could save her from him killing her with his flying sword he was positioning above her.
"AKARI KILL HIM!" I shouted as loud as I could before stumbling against the ground. Bile rose in my throat, burning me from the inside.
"YOU BASTARD!" Elder Feng turned to me, and if looks could kill, I am sure I would be dead twice over.
Akari launched forward at a remarkable pace and bit the man's head off, but not before he channeled his Qi toward me.
He marked me as the target for his plan, and as the sword flew toward me, I had no illusions of being able to survive.
The sword flew toward me as Akari rushed to intercept it, but I knew it wouldn't save my life. And as it plunged into my chest, I couldn't stop myself from letting a tear fall from my eye. Not because of the pain, but because I was so thankful for being able to save her.
His strength was overwhelming, and I could feel the life draining from my body quickly. But then, just as I was about to lose consciousness, I saw Akari out of the corner of my eye. She was struggling to her feet, her amethyst eyes filled with determination.
"No!"
I raised my head and saw the silver-haired yokai I had grown to love in her human form.
"No… No… No… Al, it will be alright… right? Just use your healing power, please…"
I raised my hand and pressed it against her face, lightly cupping my hand against the shape of her face. I channeled the last bit of energy I had and healed her cuts.
"I can't…" A cough interrupting my attempt at humor.
"Al, shush… it is okay. Save your strength."
"I can't let your wounds get infected, can I?"
"Oh, Albert, why did…"
"You know why… because I love you."
"I'm so sorry I can't live my life with you like we wanted."
Akari opened her mouth to talk, but I moved my hands to her mouth to stop her.
"I want you to have this…"
I reached into my torn pants and retrieved my journal.
"I want you to read this." I tried giving it to her, but my hands lacked the strength to do so, and it fell to the ground at my feet.
[WARNING: HOST IS AT DANGEROUS LEVELS OF LIFE FORCE. REMAINING TIME BEFORE DEATH BELOW TEN MINUTES.]
"Al!" she shouted, her voice filled with desperation. "No! You can't leave me!"
I looked up at her, my vision blurry as I tried to focus on her face. "It's okay, Akari," I said, my voice barely audible. "I did what I had to do. I protected you."
Tears streamed down her face as she cradled me in her arms. "No, Al. You can't leave me. Not now. Not like this."
I reached up, my hand trembling as I brushed a tear from her cheek. "I'm sorry, Akari. But I'll always be with you. No matter what."
"Right?"
Tears poured down her face as she responded, "Right…"
A sniffle came from the woman I had come to love in this world.
"Akari, I love you… I will always be with you."
A gentle promise left my lips as I brought my face closer to hers, using up about all the energy I had left. A somber kiss was shared between us two, and I wouldn't have shared it with anyone else.
As my heavy eyelids began to close, a light smile spread to my lips.