Hell King's Rising II

@Lord Xiao Zhan Yibo couldn't remember the last time they had laid down on a comfortable bed without needing to worry about being vigilant through the night. He entered Zhan's personal bedchambers, joining the older in bed without much complaint. Fatigue hit him as his back rested on the flat bedsheets beneath him, and Yibo groaned softly. His bones had never felt pain like this before and his muscles finally got to express their soreness. He would figure out how to bring Snowflake back as soon as he could, but Zhan was right: right now, they needed to sleep. Turning his face into Zhan's chest, Yibo exhaled deeply and closed his eyes. "Okay," he answered complacently, falling into a deep slumber without another thought.

@14th Heavenly Prince Yibo "To bed," Zhan answered simply, too exhausted to do anything else for the next few cycles of day and night. He held Yibo's hand tightly, not acknowledging a single one of his servants' bows and greetings as he passed them in the hallways. Zhan didn't let them stop until they were safely shut away into his chambers. Falling into bed, Zhan groaned loudly. It was like the past year and a half had been a fever dream of some sort, with the only proof of it having happened been Snowflake and the Harbinger of Desire now sitting in his treasury. "Don't talk about anything else," he commanded Yibo, his eyes closed tightly. "Let us rest."

@Lord Xiao Zhan "Put him in a safe chamber where no one can have access to him," Yibo insisted a little more firmly when Zhan didn't seem to see the situation the way he did. "We can't bury him yet," he whispered, peeking at Jian Guo to make sure she wasn't too devastated. Picking up his pace to keep up with Zhan, Yibo reached out to take ahold of his hand, "He means a lot to Jian Guo, you should empathize with her!" Yibo explained, getting choked up about how he and Zhan could've been in the same position if Yibo wasn't somehow magically brought back to life. "Where are we going?" Yibo asked, still turning back every few paces to glance at Jian Guo.

@14th Heavenly Prince Yibo "Where would we put him?" Zhan asked, his voice hard and cold. Despite the lack of physical fatigue, he was mentally tired. He could go for a /long/ sleep in his chambers now, and Yibo wanted to mess around with the cat's body. "I brought him back so that we could give him a proper burial." To his servants, Zhan raised a hand to beckon them. "Someone put this cat away. Prepare a burial ceremony. Jian Guo, I'm sorry. Yibo, let's go." Seeing Snowflake's body only served as a reminder to Zhan that he had failed to protect all of them down there — although Snowflake was a late joiner, and although he was kind of annoying at first, Zhan had come to respect him for his loyalty toward Jian Guo.

@Lord Xiao Zhan Since Zhan had deserted his armor back in the cannibal village in the mortal realm, Yibo had since ceased to see the older as a Lord from the Hell Realm. He had forgotten what it was like to have servants to wait on them, or to be in a position of absolute power over anyone. He opened his mouth to remind Zhan to speak kindly, only to stop himself. Right, there was propriety rules here that had to be followed, and he shouldn't make Zhan look bad. Hearing Jian Guo's wail drew Yibo's attention over to her. She greatly outsized her feline counterpart now, but with how pitifully she was nudging his still body with her nose, Yibo could see how much his death weighed over her heart. "Here Jian Guo, let me see Snowflake," Yibo murmured softly, bending down to pick the white, limp body up.

There was a way to bring Snowflake back to life - Yibo knew there was. His Heavenly Mother had often told him the lore about how creatures could be revived. Yibo didn't know how to do it yet, but he would find a way. For now, all he could do was to preserve Snowflake's body the best he could. "Zhanzhan, we need to put him somewhere safe," Yibo noted, "Where?"

@14th Heavenly Prince Yibo Pulling away slightly, Zhan studied Yibo even closer. He had to be sure that Yibo wasn't harmed at all. Once he was satisfied, he let go of the younger. The staff lay where Zhan had left it, but with Zhan's return, the palace servants were beginning to emerge again. "Someone put this away!" he barked, prompting two young souls to scurry out from behind a pillar and scoop it up gingerly. From behind them, Jian Guo gave a pained wail. It was obvious over what — Snowflake's still body. Zhan couldn't bear to look her in the eye. He'd let Snowflake take a hit, and he'd even been relieved that it was the white cat, and not any of them.

@Lord Xiao Zhan Yibo felt the breeze against his cheek as they flew back. Jian Guo's flying was smooth and they easily glided through the clouds. He kept his arms firmly wound around Zhan's waist, feeling secure to have the older right there before him. When they finally arrived back in the same platform from which Yibo last remembered taking off from, he saw the black stone walls and the jagged cliffs that surrounded them once more. "We're back," Yibo breathed out in relief, sliding down to join Zhan on the ground. Giving Jian Guo another pat on her scaley side, Yibo gasped as he was pulled into Zhan's embrace, though he quickly hugged the older back. "I'm glad we're here. Thank you for coming back to get me."

@14th Heavenly Prince Yibo Making sure Yibo was secured behind him, Zhan dug his heels into Jian Guo's sides, indicating for her to fly. He'd teach the Ancient One a lesson for dumping Yibo here another day — what was most important now was getting Yibo home. Zhan didn't speak until they were back at the palace. He helped Yibo off Jian Guo, noticing only now that Yibo was all cleaned up as well. Feeling relief surge through his body, Zhan yanked Yibo against his chest in a tight hug. "We're back," he sighed in his relaxed state. "We're really here."

@Lord Xiao Zhan Yibo panicked when he got up and realized that he was all alone. Not even the Oldest One was anywhere to be found. Getting up to wander around, Yibo began to panic. Where was he to go? How could he find Zhan? More importantly, how was he going to get away from this floating island? Just as these thoughts ran through his mind, Yibo noticed a black speck in the distance. It took him a moment to realize that the approaching beast was none other than Jian Guo herself! On top of her, to Yibo's absolute relief, was Zhan! When Yibo noticed his lover's outreached hand, he naturally put his hand up in the air, allowing himself to be swept up onto Jian Guo's back in a swift motion. "Zhanzhan!" he cried out, smiling widely. Beneath him, Jian Guo's low rumble reminded Yibo to greet her too, "Hi Jian Guo, you're so big again!" he noted, no longer scared of Zhan's trusty companion.

@14th Heavenly Prince Yibo Zhan blinked once, and when he opened his eyes again, Yibo was nowhere to be seen. He was back in his palace, Jian Guo in her natural form by his side, Snowflake's still body on his other. The staff lay a few feet from him, but Zhan ignored it as he pushed himself up off the floor and swung himself up onto Jian Guo's back. Yibo had to be at the Ancient One's palace — it was the only thought that kept Zhan sane for the time being. The ride to the Ancient One's realm was short, and Zhan could, luckily, already see Yibo from the sky. Landing Jian Guo in the main pavilion, Zhan hopped off lightly, only now noticing that his regular attire was back, and he was feeling much cleaner. It was as though he'd never left. Approaching Yibo with strong, confident strides, Zhan held a hand out for him, bracing himself to pull Yibo upright.

@Lord Xiao Zhan Admittedly, Yibo was still weak when he stood up and he needed to lean against Zhan to get to the portal, but he didn't say a word in complaint. He grit his teeth hard and let the portal pull him in closer. Taking Zhan's hand, Yibo held onto Jian Guo's small body and gave a nod of his head. This was their last moment in the mortal world. To put in simple terms, he couldn't wait to get out of here. As they stepped in, Yibo was enveloped by nothing but whiteness. It was so blinding that he couldn't even keep his eyes open. He squeezed tightly to Zhan's hand, not even sure if that was the older's hand he was holding to anymore. The next time he opened his eyes, Yibo found himself staring up at the pavilion of the Oldest One again. Sitting up, Yibo cried out his first thought, "Zhanzhan! Where are you!" Oh? Suddenly all the fatigue he had felt earlier had all disappeared.

@14th Heavenly Prince Yibo Home. Was the underworld Yibo's home? Or was Yibo talking about Heaven? Either way, they had to get out of here first. Zhan saw no point in bringing a dead cat with them, but he supposed he owed it to Yibo and Jian Guo to at least humour them. Helping Yibo stand, they hurried to Snowflake's fallen body. Zhan scooped him up, and Jian Guo clambered into Yibo's arms as the portal before them widened and the other side grew clearer. It was their home, that was for sure, and for real this time. Taking Yibo's hand, Zhan held on tightly, lest they become separated through the portal. "Ready?" he asked, feeling the pull of the portal already as they stood before it.

@Lord Xiao Zhan "I wanted to let you live," Yibo explained, remembering the image of the beast killing Zhan in the blink of an eye. He didn't know that Zhan had witnessed the entire scene earlier, but he didn't feel like he should explain himself either. Yibo had made that sacrifice on his own, so there was no reason to guilt trip Zhan over it. "I want to go home," Yibo said, turning into Zhan's stomach and sobbing as he remembered how Snowflake had been gravely injured. Beside him, Jian Guo also yowled loudly in anguish also. "Snowflake...can we bring him back with us at least?" Just as he said that, the rocky walls around them began to crumble, and a white circle appeared in the distance, similar to the portal in which they arrived from.

@14th Heavenly Prince Yibo Zhan didn't even bother trying to hide his face-full of tears in the moment. He hugged Yibo tightly once more before even trying to speak again, his voice scratchy and hoarse. "No, I thought you were dead," he said, remembering what the god that had sent them on their way to the mortal realm said about dying here. He didn't get up yet, letting Yibo rest in his arms. Now that Yibo was living and breathing for real, Zhan's heart could rest easy. "It's okay," he whispered, both to Yibo and to himself. "You're here. We can go home now." Not hearing the voice from earlier, Zhan tried not to feel so sick to the stomach that he only had two wishes remaining. His head hung low as he broke the news to Yibo: "Snowflake didn't make it."

@Lord Xiao Zhan When Zhan's lips brushed against Yibo's, Yibo's finger twitched. It was only a small movement, so probably Jian Guo couldn't even detect it. A few seconds later, Yibo's eyelids slowly fluttered open. The first thing that he saw was Zhan's furrowed brows and his tall forehead, just mere inches from his face. He let out a soft breath, his body still feeling heavy like he was being weighed down by hundreds of stones. Yibo only remembered the last moment when Zhan's image had flashed through his mind as his body ran cold, but now here his lover was again. "Zhan...zhan," Yibo whispered, a tear rolling down his cheek as he was overwhelmed by his emotions, "I thought...I'd never see you again."

@14th Heavenly Prince Yibo What did that even mean? Did it work or not? Zhan pulled back slightly to look down at Yibo. The younger was still limp in his arms, his eyes closed as though he were resting. Zhan hoped desperately that he was not dead. At least, Yibo was still warm. Then why wasn't he waking up? For a long time, Zhan stared down at Yibo, waiting for something to happen or looking for a sign of life, at least. He forgot to move until he heard Jian Guo meow at his side. Right. They couldn't stay much longer. Still, why wasn't Yibo awake? Zhan stared down at his lover's serene face again. He was really beautiful, and more than that, he was kind. Everything Zhan said earlier was true — he couldn't live without Yibo. Drawn in by Yibo's still-pink lips, Zhan bent slightly to kiss the younger. It was just a chaste brush of their lips, but Zhan didn't no what else to do. He just wanted Yibo to wake.

@Lord Xiao Zhan The Harbinger of Desire's humming intensified. The aura around it expanded, only a little at first, but then very noticeably as Zhan expressed his desire. There was no answer for a while, Yibo's lifeless body still limp in Zhan's hold. Then, out of nowhere, the woman's distant voice returned, "You wish to use a wish on saving his life?" Zhan's answer seemed clear enough without an actual response from him though, and the woman's voice rang loudly throughout the entire cave, "Very well! Consider yourself having passed the final trial! Xiao Zhan, you and Wang Yibo have successfully completed your mortal trial. The Harbinger of Desire, and its three wishes, remain yours. And for another 80,000 years shall it not be awakened again."

The laughing voice slowly began to fade away into the distance again. Though Yibo did not awaken yet, the gash on his neck had disappeared.

@14th Heavenly Prince Yibo Zhan watched in absolute horror as Yibo put the sword up to his neck. He could see Yibo's lips moving, but he couldn't hear what he said at all. His desperation heightened, his fists slamming against the invisible barrier as he screamed for Yibo's attention. Yibo was facing away, he couldn't see anything. And when Yibo fell, Zhan didn't need to see what had happened either to know that Yibo, for some reason, was gone. The invisible barrier gave away, inexplicably, and Zhan darted forward, falling to his knees beside Yibo's body. He was afraid to turn Yibo onto his back to see the gaping wound over his neck, but at the same time, he was going to regret it for the rest of his life if he didn't get to see Yibo one more time. Unable to hold back his choking sob, Zhan gathered Yibo's limp body in his arms, squeezing his eyes tightly shut as he mentally prepared to see the younger. He pressed his cheek to Yibo's head, his shoulders shaking as he cried openly.

Zhan didn't think he had cried since his mother passed, a thousand years ago. But now, with no one around to witness him, he let himself grieve. His tears wet Yibo's face, for sure, but he still didn't dare open his eyes. "Yibo," he whimpered, his arms clutching the young prince tightly against his body, as though he could still protect him. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. For everything. Please, no... I need you. I know I don't show it, but I need you. You can't go yet, I can't go back without you—"

At his side, the staff seemed to hum. Well, Zhan had three Desires to spend. He reached for it with his free hand, clutching it tightly. "I need him," he said, his voice cracking in the middle. "Give him back to me."

@Lord Xiao Zhan There was an unspoken communication about what Yibo was expected to do should Zhan be saved. Without hesitation, he bent down to pick up the (surprisingly) heavy sword by its hilt. What was the quickest way for him to do this? He just hoped that if Zhan were to see him when he was revived, it wouldn't be too gruesome. After all, Yibo thought with a weary smile, this would be the last impression he'd leave on the other.

If he slit his throat quickly, it'd probably be the most quick death. Yibo didn't think that was too much to ask for. Yibo got onto his knees on the ground, not wanting them to give out while he was trying to pull through such a scary moment. "Zhanzhan," he murmured, voice quivering as he lined the blade parallel to his neck. "Thank you...I am truly grateful that you took me along on your journey. There were many times when you could have abandoned me, but you didn't." Yibo felt a tear roll down his cheek, his hand quivering as he continued to speak to nobody, "I hope that when you come back to life, you'll be able to achieve all your greatest ambitions. I know you hold a grudge against my family. I am deeply sorry for the pain and harm they have caused you. I hope that in exchanging my life for yours...it will atone for their sins. Please...spare my family. I hope I've made as deep of an impression in your heart as you have in mine, Zhanzhan."

Having said that, Yibo no longer had any regrets. Before he could reconsider and cower away from fate, he swung the sword harshly at himself, letting a deep pain sear through his body while he dropped to the cold, hard ground.

@14th Heavenly Prince Yibo It took a moment for Zhan to find where Yibo was. "Hey!" he yelled out, waving his free arm widely to catch Yibo's attention. "I got it! Let's meet down there!" However, Zhan quickly realized that Yibo wasn't responding to his calls. He cocked his head, puzzled, unsure of what Yibo was doing just standing when when the glint of a blade startled Zhan. Zhan had no idea where Yibo found that, but when the younger picked it up, panic ran through Zhan's mind. He had only one thought — get to Yibo. Whatever dark being was here was going to try to hard them, of course! How could Zhan have overlooked that? He rushed back to the ledge he clambered up from, trying to control his skid down with the soles of his feet. "Yibo!" he screamed, desperate for his voice to break through the spell Yibo was under. "Yibo, stop! Stop it!" By the time Zhan reached the bottom, he still had to sprint over to the raised ledge where Yibo was. He was closing in fast — 10 paces, 9, 8 — /bam/. Hitting an invisible wall, Zhan bounced backward with a shout, landing flat on his back. Yibo was /right/ there! "Yibo!" he choked out, on the verge of a sob. "Yibo, no!"

@Lord Xiao Zhan Zhan's attempt didn't go well, and in the next moment, Yibo was thrown into a world of terror, anger, anguish, and agony all at once. He watched as a gigantic dragon claw came swiping downwards, and Zhan's figure disintegrated without any possibility of being saved. Yibo ran forward once more frantically, but all he could see was the dragon retreating while Jian Guo and the white cat's slain bodies remained as the only fragments of what had taken place here. Dropping to his knees, Yibo buried his hands into his face, sobbing uncontrollably. What was he going to do without Zhan? How could the older just abandon him like that?

Yibo felt a warm heat radiating besides him, and when he looked up, he saw what looked like a floating staff enshrouded in a shimmering pink aura. This was the thing that had gotten his Zhan killed, and Yibo wanted nothing to do with it. He got up, backing away disdainfully, until he heard what sounded like a faraway woman's voice talking to him. "This quest had room for only one survivor," it said, the volume fluctuating as if it were floating all around him. "As the lone survivor, you may take the Harbinger of Desire for yourself..."

"I don't want it!" Yibo hollered, wiping at his wet cheeks haphazardly, "I only want Zhanzhan back!"

The voice paused, and then continued, "Or you may sacrifice yourself in exchange for said person. He will then take your place as the lone survivor."

It didn't take Yibo long to make a decision. "I accept it," he said firmly, only then taking another step back towards the staff.

"Your choice has been made." The next thing Yibo heard was a loud clang on the floor, and when he looked for the source of the noise, he saw a long sword that resembled the one Zhan carried around in his palace before. The blade was sharp, reflecting his image and giving a clear indication of what Yibo should do.

@14th Heavenly Prince Yibo "I don't mean you any harm," Zhan said, his head still bowed. "I'm only here for the weapon. That I know you're guarding, but, I don't want to hurt you. And I don't want you to hurt us, either. Especially not Jian Guo. She's just like you. She's with us." Althoug Zhan's words might not have sounded the most convincing to anyone else, he knew these beasts. They could not be reasoned with through emotion, so he had to be precise and logical, honest with his intentions. Even if the beast could not understand his words, it could sense Zhan's purpose. The beast didn't move for a long while, only rumbling softly. Slowly, it began to lower its head near Zhan's, mimicking the older man in a bow. It worked. Zhan held back a victorious whoop and straightened up. He didn't dare yell out for Yibo in case he started the beast, and only silently scrambled up the last few paces toward the Harbinger of Desire. The intricately carved staff held a faint glow, and Zhan reached out toward it without hesitation.

It burned. Truly, it was no weapon for a mere mortal. Zhan startled aloud, but his hand tightened around the staff despite the fire at his palms. They had it — that was all that mattered.

@Lord Xiao Zhan Yibo's heart was pounding so loudly that the force reverberated through his entire body. He stood frozen in place, terror-stricken as he could only watch as Zhan struggled his way up the cliff while the beast slowly revealed its humongous form. Yibo became more nervous the longer it took for the beast to reveal itself, and he gasped in absolute shock from how threatening it was. In the blink of an eye, Yibo watched as a white body was sent sprawling, making his blood run cold. It was the white cat that had followed them so diligently - and for what? Yibo felt like sobbing - a natural reflect - but something in him made him control his body, and all he could do was watch on as Zhan so valiantly faced the creature.

Jian Guo was worrying Yibo just as much as Zhan was. In her small stature, she would be no match for the dragon-like beast! Yibo gasped as she lowered herself, as if preparing to lunge. Even worse, Zhan only bowed his head, revealing his weakness! Yibo cried out and shouted at Zhan to be careful and to watch in front of him, but no matter how loud he shouted, his pleas and cries went unanswered.

@14th Heavenly Prince Yibo From Zhan's peripheral, the beast was beginning to emerge fully from the other end of the cave. No matter how hard Zhan tried, he just couldn't haul himself up the cliff and faster. His arms were beginning to ache from holding himself up, and his thighs were straining from attaching himself to the cliff wall for such a long period of time. But any moment that he began to slow down, all Zhan had to do was think of Yibo, helpless and alone out there, and it managed to spur him on.

A shriek sounded from beneath him, and Zhan's blood ran cold. At first, he thought it was Yibo, but when he turned slightly, he could only see the fallen form of the boycat that followed them. For a second, his heart was filled with relief. It wasn't Yibo, and it wasn't Jian Guo. But when Zhan turned a second time, he could see Jian Guo hissing at the beast, her back arched in the most threatening way a short-legged cat could. "Jian Guo, no!" Zhan hollered, though she didn't heed him. "No, get away!" Another few moments, and Zhan would be at the top. He hauled himself up over a ledge that jutted out, his arms shaking as he struggled to hand on. He could hear the beast rumbling from behind him, looming threateningly over his head. Another glance back gave Zhan an idea. The beast was familiar — reminiscent to Jian Guo's true form.

Maybe it /was/ a crazy idea. But with all the adrenaline running through his body and his mind, Zhan didn't even stop to think it through. If he tamed Jian Guo before, he could tame this humongous beast. Standing up straight, panting to catch his breath, Zhan bowed to it, keeping his head low, but not so long that he couldn't see its reaction. Even if this didn't work and ended with Zhan getting eaten, with the beast looking at him Yibo would be safe for another moment.

@Lord Xiao Zhan In the midst of calling out for Zhan, Yibo noticed a blue light budding from seemingly out of nowhere. It filled the darkness and trapped him inside like a bubble. He cautiously reached a hand out to touch it, but the blue was wispy and didn't feel like anything. Retracting his hand, he turned in a circle and hesitantly called out, "Zhanzhan, where are you?" Suddenly, he could hear Zhan's voice, like a faint echo, in the distance. He couldn't make out too much of what Zhan was saying, so Yibo stepped in the direction of the older's voice, closing his eyes so he could focus.

"Hide! Don't come out!"

Yibo gasped opened his eyes, just in time to see Zhan right in front of him. "Zhanzhan!" Yibo shrieked, running in the older's direction and ignoring the other's instructions. He couldn't reach Zhan no matter how hard and far he ran though. Yibo reached a hand out and tried to grasp at Zhan's distant image, only to gasp in panic as he realized that Zhan's image would waver and turn wispy with a blue shimmer before returning back to normal. Was Yibo trapped inside this bubble? He watched on helplessly as he heard a roar coming from the chamber opening that Zhan was looking at, eyes widening as the talons of a large, black beast emerged from the humongous opening. "ZHANZHAN, BE CAREFUL!"

@14th Heavenly Prince Yibo Zhan could hear Yibo, but when he shouted out for the younger again, it didn't seem like the prince could hear him. "Yibo!" he yelled, despite his attempts being obviously futile. He surged forward, leaving Jian Guo behind in the dust. "Yibo! Y- Ah!" The ground gave out beneath him, and Zhan tumbled forward, his body hitting what seemed to be every single sharp point of every rock on his way down. Once he managed to bring his head up, Zhan saw it — the very thing they'd been looking for all along. The Harbinger of Desire sat in the form of an intricate staff atop a high and jagged cliff that reached toward the void of a ceiling, glittering from the fluorescent light of the creatures that floated around him.

Once Zhan got the staff, Yibo would be safe. He had three Desires, he'd just use one of them on Yibo. Determined to get to it, Zhan picked himself up, grunting as the skin of his palms ripped open from the gravel beneath his hands. Scrambling up to the ledge at the base, Zhan began his climb, his eyes constantly scouring for the quickest path up.

"Almost there," he puffed to himself once he had scaled halfway up the cliff. As soon as the words left his mouth, a roar reverberated through the grand chamber. There was no doubt that this was the mythical beast that guarded the Harbinger of Desire, and it wasn't going to make things any easier for Zhan. "Yibo, just hide!" he called out, in case the younger could still hear him. "Hide! Don't come out!"

@Lord Xiao Zhan Yibo heard Zhan's voice, but when he turned around, he no longer saw the other close to him. Instead, he realized that darkness had enveloped him, and that the only visible path was being dimly lit by translucent sea-creature-esque beings that appeared to float above his head. Their colors were vibrant and blinding, and yet Yibo continued to stare wide-eyed at them as he slowly moved on forward. "Zhanzhan?" he called out again, his voice shaking without him realizing it, "Are you there?" Yibo trekked on forward slowly, hoping that this would be like the maze again with the forest spirits, and that soon he'd be able to reunite with Zhan. "Zhanzhan, answer me!"

@14th Heavenly Prince Yibo Yibo Zhan rushed forward when Yibo pushed past him, only to collapse nearly immediately. He pulled Yibo back up, only for Yibo to stumble forward again. "Wait!" he called out, his robes weighing him down as he tried to run after the younger. "Wait, we don't know what's inside!" Zhan tripped over his feet once or twice as well, but when they emerged from the other end of the pitch black cave, he forgot about his exhaustion. The cave ceiling seemed to disappear, the walls extending up into a tall void. Bioluminescent structures — plants? Fauna of some sort? — towered above them. Zhan's breath caught in his chest. "Yibo," he warned. "Don't wander away from me!"

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@Lord Xiao Zhan Even Zhan, who had greater stamina and power than Yibo, was struggling by the time they were in their last paces up the high, snowy mountain, so there was no telling how much more Yibo could take before he all but passed out. It didn't seem like the slope was ever going to even out, and he was to the point of considering crawling the rest of the way up. Every time Yibo looked behind him, the clear view of the open sky only got bigger while individual trees and the snow village they came from looked like little specks of dust on a white canvas. When they finally made it to the top, Yibo's knees caved first and he knelt in the cold snow, panting to catch his breath. He scrambled back up only at the thought of being left behind by Zhan, latching onto the older's arm, "No! If you have a bad feeling, how could I feel safe letting you go alone?" he asked, still breathless.

Yibo didn't want to hear any of Zhan's excuses, so he bravely trudged on into the cave without questioning it
The moment his foot touched the rocky ground of the cave though, Yibo's felt a searing pain from the inside of his head. He hunched over and clutched his head as images flashed in his mind. The crossroads, markings, and traps of the cave became clear. These had all been presented to him in his encounter with the beautiful bird (that Zhan murdered). Yibo groaned as the images swirled around in his head multiple times before disappearing, leaving him in a world of dark again. Blinking a few times to adjust to the barren cave, Yibo turned to Zhan, "I think I know the way!" he exclaimed, "Follow me!" Taking a few woozy steps, he walked on deep into the cave.