Tarzhan x Babylord II

@Tarzhan "Deal!" Yibo echoed after Zhan, clutching so tightly onto his lover with all his strength. He had to let Zhan feel his presence and know that they were going to have the rest of eternity to fulfill their oaths of love to each other. Yibo smiled at Zhan's hopeful words, agreeing wholeheartedly. Yes, it was true that if they could overcome the separation between them, then finding Yuning and re-establishing their complete family was only a matter of time. He kissed Zhan once more, his hand cupped behind the older's neck. "From now on, Ah Zhan and I are equals. We roam this mortal world together, and we'll find our Yuning once more." Yibo smiled against Zhan's lips, "Thank the Heavens that I found you, my love."

@Babylord That’s right. As long as they stayed out of trouble and were not killed one way or another, they would live forever together. Zhan had the rest of eternity, for as long as the universe existed, they would be together. The thought brought tears to Zhan’s eyes, and he squeezed Yibo even tighter against him, as though Yibo would be ripped away in the wake of the good news. “Yes, my love,” he responded, his voice muffled with his lips against Yibo’s neck. His heart felt so full that he was afraid it would burst. “And we will never, ever be apart again. Not for even a day. Deal?” Pressing their lips together into a hard kiss, Zhan said, “Now we can look for Yuning. If we could do this, then we can do anything that demon can.”

@Tarzhan Yibo laughed joyously through his tears. Fortunately they were in the comforts of their home, or else he'd surely look like some lunatic to any bystanders. He continued to nod his head, checking through all of Zhan before confirming, "Yes, yes...it really worked!" Zhan's question had Yibo thinking hard too, since he had somewhat lost track of time while waiting for the younger to wake. "It's been...about three days," he said, sniffling softly. Yibo whimpered again as he forcefully buried himself against Zhan's chest, "It has to have worked. There's no doubt about it. Ah Zhan...we can finally be together, forever."

@Babylord Maybe it was just his wishful thinking, but Zhan did seem to think he had regained some strength compared to when he first woke in the modern world. Despite how groggy his mind felt, he was able to easily lift his arms to envelop Yibo against him. "I... Yes, I'm here, I think." Unless this was some trick by the demon Yibo seemed to keep running into, then it was only logical to assume that the Yongcun flowered worked! Even if it didn't 'work', then at least it didn't least it didn't kill Zhan permanently. Pushing himself up, Zhan took a look around the room. Everything looked the same, and he didn't feel any different. It was like he'd just napped for a bit, like he usually did in the afternoon. Yibo seemed worried — too worried for if Zhan was onlu asleep for a few hours. Scrubbing the bleariness out of his eyes with his free hand, Zhan held Yibo tight and close to him with the other. "My lord... was I dead for long?"

@Tarzhan The scroll never specified how long one would have to wait before they were resurrected. Yibo wasn't sure when it'd be too long to know he'd fail, but Zhan didn't wake up right away. In fact, he didn't even wake the next morning when Yibo opened his eyes after reluctantly giving in to his sleepiness. He felt his heart sink as Zhan didn't even twitch when Yibo caressed his cold cheek. "Oh Ah Zhan..." he spoke softly, hoping that the younger would be able to hear him "Please...won't you come back to me yet?"

Three tantalizingly slow days passed by. Yibo was just about to wilt away alongside Zhan. He did nothing but lay in bed by the older's side, letting the natural sunlight dictating his shut-eye schedule. On the third day, Yibo had slept longer than usual, hoping that time would pass by quicker and that Zhan would soon return to him. An inkling of defeat was starting to bud in his heart, but he refused to come to terms with it. Only when he heard Zhan's voice did Yibo smile softly. Yes, at least in his dreams he could think about his lover. He heard Zhan's voice when the younger called him, accompanied with a shaking. His eyes flew open and Yibo gasped as he saw Zhan, full of life, before him. "AH ZHAN!" he cried out, throwing his arms around the bigger male, "OH YOU'RE BACK!!! YOU'RE REALLY BACK!!!" Yibo exclaimed, using the chance to cup Zhan's face and examine his body from top to bottom, tears brimming in his eyes again, "it worked!"

@Babylord To Zhan, it felt like a deep slumber where he did not dream, nor had any thoughts. He was barely even aware of himself, as it seemed to take so much energy just to realize his consciousness was there. And... why? Why was it there? Zhan could not recall. He just seemed to drift and drift and drift. At one point, he thought, 'Ah, I died,' but the thoughts stopped after that. It felt like he only spent a second in this darkness, or a million years at the same time, but when he opened his eyes again, truly, it was as though he only blinked once after he ate the flower. The room was the same as it was when he last closed his eyes, and Yibo was slumbering beside him. Zhan didn't want to wake his sleeping love so roughly, but he couldn't control his hands as they clasped over Yibo's arm to shake him awake. "My lord," he slurred. "Did it work?"

@Tarzhan Zhan acted resolutely, and Yibo found yet something else to add to his list of traits that he admired about Zhan. He reached out to help Zhan gently lie down, controlling his expression to keep any signs of grief off his face. Right, Zhan was right. He'd be back in no time. "I'm right here Ah Zhan. See you very soon," Yibo said, leaning in to kiss Zhan's lips once more.

Zhan's body went limp in Yibo's hold, and his eyes finally closed all the way. There was no rise and fall of his chest either. Yibo knew he shouldn't cry, so he bit his lower lip, and he got to work. It was at this moment that Yibo had to act swiftly and precisely. Laying out the scroll with the Cangwen script etched over its wooden panels, Yibo began to recite the incantations, creating a seal over Zhan's body. His power was limited, since he had not used it in so long and he had been outcasted from Heaven for so many years, but the foundational essence was still there. Over Zhan's body, he recited the incantation on end, his lips moving nonstop as the red glowing seal over Zhan's body slowly grew bigger and bigger in size. Once it had reached its full potential, Yibo was drained. He was physically sweating and red in the face. With the last surge of his power, he sent the entire emblem into Zhan's body before he collapsed besides the younger in exhaustion, panting softly as he waited for Zhan to open his eyes.

@Babylord Even after Yibo pulled away, Zhan surged forward to kiss him again, hard and desperate. His kiss held all his love and all his feelings for Yibo, wanting to leave Yibo with at least this if nothing else. "I will be right back," he said resolutely, as though he were just running out to pick up a snack for Yibo while the younger stayed behind and lounged in his temple. Before Zhan could change his mind, he stuffed the blood-soaked flower into his mouth. At first, it tasted of nothing. Slowly, a metallic taste spread across his tongue, up his nose, and straight to his mind. It froze him, and he sank backward against the pillows set up behind him with a low groan, his eyes fluttering open and shut as unconsciousness began to take hold of him.

@Tarzhan Yibo met Zhan's eyes when he felt the younger hesitate. Zhan wanted to say something. Yibo ignored everything around him as he latched onto each of Zhan's words, feeling his heart swell and clench as the love for this mortal man solidified his need for success. "I will never love another the way I love you, Ah Zhan. I'll bring you back to me, right away. Trust me," Yibo breathed out, leaning in to kiss Zhan right as the older slit his palm. Yibo silently hoped that he could at least take Zhan's mind off the pain. After a while, Yibo peered down at the Yongcun flower. It was changing color, from a light pink to a dark blackish red. "We wait...until it's fully changed in color."

Yibo couldn't let a single moment with Zhan go to waste. While they waited for the flower to change color, he threw himself around the younger, holding him close and kissing him over and over again. Only when it was clear that the flower was fully ready did Yibo pick up the flower, pulling off a few blood-red petals. "Ah Zhan...we'll begin now..." He held it up to Zhan's lips, just a few millimeters away. "When you're ready...then put this in your mouth, and lie down." Yibo had to be focused. Whenever Zhan initiated this, then Yibo would have to take over the reins. There was absolutely no room for mistakes or failure.

@Babylord Zhan promised Yibo could have his life, but they weren't at that part yet so he took the blade. Holding his left hand out over the dish they prepared, Zhan took a breath, inhaling deeply through his nose. There was no going back. This /had/ to work but if it didn't, then Yibo needed to know everything on Zhan's mind before it was too late. Their eyes met and Zhan said, "My love, I want you to know that you are the best thing that has happened to me. I've never loved another as much as you, and I will never love another as much as you. No matter what happens, I need you to remember that. Okay?" With his piece being said, Zhan took another wary breath before dragged the tip of the blade against his skin, his breath hitching slightly at the light sting of his skin parting, blood dripping forth. He let it flow until the flower was drenched. "Now... what happens?"

@Tarzhan Once it was midnight, Yibo knew that it was time to get serious as Zhan brought up the Yongcun flower once more. "Mm, alright Ah Zhan," he murmured softly, sliding off the bed to collect the flower. For this, Yibo had specially prepared a thin petri dish that would be enough for the flower to sit in while submerged in Zhan's blood. Yibo retrieved the flower, settling besides Zhan again, his motions slow and calculated, since this was their only opportunity, both in resources and Zhan's life. "We'll need your blood to cover this entire flower Ah Zhan...I don't want to hurt you, but I think the inside of your palm should be the most effective method..." Yibo procured a thin blade from his home office collection, offering it to Zhan, "Should- should I do this Ah Zhan...I'm scared to hurt you," he meekly said, admitting his weakness against causing any harm to his lover.

@Babylord Zhan figured he didn’t want to spend, quite possibly, his last day alive on the toilet and not by Yibo’s side, so he managed to convince Yibo that they should get bubble tea instead. Zhan ended up with a very safe peach green tea, and they spent the rest of the day fooling around with each other. They kissed, held hands, ate junk all day for lunch, and finally, Zhan cooked some of Yibo’s favourite dishes for dinner. The day passed by in a whiz — Zhan had no idea time could ever fly by so quickly. It seemed like they had just barely started their day before it was midnight again. They were lying together in bed, tangled in each other’s embrace. Zhan wanted to fall asleep one more time with Yibo, but one more time would lead to another, and then another, and they had no idea how long the still-shining Yongcun flower would stay fresh and efficient for. “My love…” he rumbled lowly to catch Yibo’s attention, his lips brushing against Yibo’s forehead. “It’s time.”

@Tarzhan Zhan was right. /When/ he became immortal was the only question at hand here. They both had to faithful towards the process and trust that things would work for the best. Kissing Zhan once more, Yibo gave him another tight hug. "Alright then Ah Zhan, let's do all the things that you want to do today. First off, shall we get you a latte so you can prove to me how well you handle milk?" Yibo teased lightly.

Everything Zhan wanted to do, whether it be going out to stock up on their favorite snacks at the convenience store, watching a movie together at home, and sharing another delicious home-cooked together, Yibo obliged. He found the older's requests to be simple, yet precious. All these moments felt special, just because they were doing it together.

@Babylord It didn’t ever occur to Zhan that they should marry again. He’d marry Yibo however many times the younger wanted him, so he nodded quickly. He knew Yibo was trying to be optimistic, giving them a goal to look forward to after Zhan ingested the flower. Zhan wanted to suggest that they elope before they tried out the flower, but he didn’t want to scare Yibo, and he didn’t want Yibo to think that Zhan still didn’t believe it was going to work. “It sounds wonderful, my love,” he murmured, shifting to close the distance between their lips. “When I become immortal… we’ll have all the time in the world together to do anything you want.”

@Tarzhan Now that Zhan was understanding how the flower would work, Yibo wanted to move on from the topic. So, when the younger brought up the idea of having their final day together as an immortal with his mortal Champion, Yibo was eager to agree. "Of course Ah Zhan! Anything you want, let's do it!" Yibo smiled as he nuzzled his lover, intertwining their fingers. "Ah Zhan...this is really not the best way to do this, since I didn't prepare adequately enough, but when you become immortal...shall we get promise rings?" Yibo asked. "The modern society is similar to the world you grew up in...marriages between men are still unrecognized by the law, but between us, I'd like to elope with you. We'll be married, just on our own. How does that sound, Ah Zhan?" Yibo asked hopefully.

@Babylord “Ah…” Zhan said in understanding. “The flower will kill me. And also bring me back.” He d the back of Yibo’s head when the older tried to cling even tighter to him, wanting to reassure his lord. He knew Yibo must be as nervous as Zhan was. “You have me, whether you think you deserve me or not,” Zhan murmured, taking the chance to press a chaste kiss to Yibo’s lips when he saw the older’s face peeping up at him. If it worked, he would get to see his adorable face for the rest of eternity. If it didn't... Zhan sighed. He didn't want to think on the negative. “I’m ready, my love. I just… Can we spend one more day together? Just us two? And then… We’ll prepare the flower.”

@Tarzhan Yibo wasn’t sure if laughing was appropriate in this context, but the barrage of questions that Zhan had for him made him giggle softly amidst his sadder thoughts. “No Ah Zhan, ingesting the flower is the only thing you have to do. You won’t need to bleed out…or any of that other stuff.” Yibo reached his arms out to hug Zhan tightly, not wanting to let go of his precious lover. “Even when I’m the one who is putting your life at risk…Ah Zhan, you won’t even tell me to be extra careful or to plead that I focus more…instead you worry about me.” The tears that didn’t stream down his cheeks earlier took their chance to do so now, “Ah Zhan’s love for me is so pure…I don’t deserve you.”

@Babylord Zhan was silent for a moment as he tried to take the information in. He had many questions, and he figured he should get them out now before they actually got to the part where they killed him. “Er… is that before or after I’m dead?” he asked, watching the flower shimmer across the room with a wary expression. “While I am bleeding to death, but still conscious? Or would you be feeding it to me after I’ve died for sure?” When Yibo hugged him, Zhan could only return the embrace, pressing his hand over the back of Yibo’s head to bring his face to the crook of Zhan’s neck. “My love. I have never been so sure.” Even if it wasn’t the most sure Zhan had ever been, he needed to act as though it was. “I want to be with you. If there was only one thing I’m certain of in my life, it’s that I want to be with you, no matter what it takes. I am just afraid for my lord if… if it doesn’t work. You will be alone and… I can’t bear that.”

@Tarzhan In the back of his mind, Yibo knew there was some way to induce death for Zhan other than needing Yibo to physically kill him. After all, he didn't think he'd be able to shed Zhan's blood and /murder/ him, even if it was for the sake of their eternity. Yibo would have to go digging through his scrolls again, but he was just so exhausted from the trip back that he blacked out on the couch (barely) the moment they got home.

When Yibo woke up, he was lying in bed, next to Zhan. No doubt it was his young lover who had painstakingly moved him to the bedroom, washed him clean, and dressed him in comfortable clothing. Yibo felt Zhan shift behind him as he hazily blinked his eyes open. "Ah Zhan?" he called out, his voice hoarse from unuse. "How are you feeling? Well rested?" Yibo murmured, reaching a hand up to cup Zhan's cheek, "What are you looking at?" he asked, his eyes following Zhan's gaze.

Reality set upon Yibo. That's right, he had to begin digging through the scrolls again.

Reading information about the effect of the Yongcun flower was much easier than trying to find information about its existence. Within that day, Yibo found the method and incantation he'd have to use for it to take effect. Unfortunately, even as he shared this news with Zhan, his hesitance to watch his lover die again (for his sake) grew. "So...Ah Zhan, we'd have to soak a petal of the Yongcun flower in your blood. Just one petal...not the whole flower. You'll have to ingest it, and I'll recite the Bieli incantation that will help eradicate the mortal essences from your body..." Yibo trailed off, leaning against Zhan and hugging him tightly, "Are you /sure/ you want to take this risk?"

@Babylord "I know you will, my love," Zhan whispered, not wanting to speak too loudly lest Yibo hear the tremble in his voice. As much as they usually had to say in their conversations, they were both silent for most of the car ride, both deep in thought. It took another day before they returned to Yibo's apartment in the city, and although Zhan was quite impatient, he was getting more and more scared as more time passed. It took another day until they were completely rested from their long journey home. The flower, kept alive in a vase filled with water, still looked as bright and vivid as when they first picked it. Zhan laid in bed with a slumbering Yibo in his arms, watching the flower on the vanity table across the room as though it would disappear if he took his eyes away for one moment.

@Tarzhan For some reason, the trek down the mountain passed by so quickly. Yibo didn't expect that he'd be feeling more and more heavy-leaden the closer they got to the car. Zhan was really willing to go through with it. And it seemed like he was going to make it happen as soon as he could too. Yibo had been expecting a few days for the thought to simmer with the younger, and it'd give him some time to ponder for a way around it too. However, it didn't seem like Zhan would accept too long of a wait. As they got into the rental car and began their drive down the empty mountain roads, Yibo sighed and reached his hand out to hold Zhan's hand, "Ah Zhan...we'll make it swift and painless. I won't damage your body," Yibo said softly, his voice cracking, "And I'll bring you right back to me."

@Babylord No matter what Yibo said, Zhan had decided. He was going to do it, no matter how small the chance was. He wanted to be with Yibo forever just as much as Yibo wanted him. They made their trek back down to the car, arriving at noon. Zhan could see how exhausted Yibo was. He wished he could drive, or that they had a horse, at least, so that Yibo could rest on their journey back to wherever Zhan’s final resting place was going to be. While Yibo drove, Zhan thought. He was scared, yes, but he was sure. He was sure of this, too: “My love. I want you… to be the one to do it. You know…” Zhan trailed off. There was no graceful way to say this. “To take my life.”

@Tarzhan Yibo was taken aback by how quickly Zhan had made his decision. Too quickly. His lover was ready to throw away his life just on Yibo's whim. Zhan truly had not changed a bit from the past. He didn't want to force Zhan into this decision recklessly, so before the older could say anything else, Yibo stepped in closer and wound his arms around Zhan's waist. "Ah Zhan...I know you're doing this for me, but take your time to think through it properly," Yibo told him, his face pressed against Zhan's warm chest. Yibo inhaled Zhan's scent, which was still very clear despite all the sweat and grime of a full day's worth of climbing.

Only after he made Zhan promise to not do anything rashly without consulting Yibo first did they store away the flower and start to head down the mountain. It was still night time, so they had to be extra careful as they made their way down. Yibo refused to let go of Zhan's hand the entire time, even when the path became narrow again.

@Babylord Having just woken, Zhan took a moment to process Yibo’s words. The one who uses it must… give up their life? An offering? Who was Zhan to give it to? It took another beat before Zhan fully realized what Yibo was saying. Zhan had to die for the flower’s effects to take place. Hearing the news, Zhan didn’t even realize he was holding his breath until his head began to spin. Die? He had to die? Hadn’t he died enough times? And… what if it didn’t work? Yes, this flower was pink and shimmery, but that didn’t mean anything! It might not even be the Yongcun flower, at the end of the day. Zhan did not want Yibo to lose him a second time.

The way Zhan saw it, he had two choices: to take the risk and kill himself, possibly becoming immortal, free to spend the rest of eternity with Yibo; or to be guaranteed life, and live out the rest of his mortal years with Yibo, yet leave his lover alone for as long as he existed. Zhan would need a few days to pull things over.

As soon as he heard Yibo’s wistful voice, Zhan made up his mind. “I will do it,” he said, his voice firm with determination, even if his mind wasn’t fully convinced yet. He grabbed at Yibo’s hand, holding it tightly. “I will take the risk for you, my love. Let’s hurry and bring this back to the car before anything happens to it, and we will decide how we should proceed with… my death.”

@Tarzhan Of course, Yibo knew all this time that they would find it. It was just that...now he'd have to come with the next reality of how the flower's effects would be put to use. His face fell as he watched Zhan pick up the flower, and the most difficult decision he'd ever had to make finally presented itself. "Ah Zhan..." Yibo said, reaching out to grab Zhan's arm, "This is the Yongcun Flower. It matches the exact description in the scrolls. It's just..." His words felt heavier as he began to realize that he had to say these words to his lover, his life partner, his entire reason for existence. "The flower...for it to take effect..."

Yibo couldn't bring himself to share the formula for the longest time, since he knew that the decision was hard already on him, but this was Zhan's life they were talking about here. How would the younger make such a choice? Only when Zhan continued to press him for the information that Yibo lowered his head, letting his bangs cover his eyes as he spoke softly, "I didn't tell you this part before...because I didn't want you to worry about it on the way up...but the only way for this flower to work...is if the one who uses it...gives up their life first."

How it worked was: The Yongcun flower did exactly as its name said it would. It would protect the life of the person who consumed it, but only after eradicating all the earthly essences that would make them succumb to death by forcing them to experience it all first. Zhan would die once, then never again after. Everything seemed fine and dandy, but even the thought of death was scary. What if things failed? What if something went wrong? Yibo would never be able to forgive himself.

"I'm so sorry I didn't tell you this before Ah Zhan...but this choice is yours to make. If you don't want to risk it...I won't have a second say about it."

@Babylord Once Yibo chose their resting place, Zhan sat against the boulder so that Yibo could sleep against him instead of something so cold and uncomfortable. "Right..." Zhan agreed, albeit a bit reluctantly. "We reached the summit when the sun was going down. We might be able to see it better when there's more light." As Yibo nuzzled against him, Zhan opened his arms for his lord to rest against him, closing them around Yibo's lithe body tightly to keep him warm.

Their lack of progress worried Zhan. He didn't fall asleep until the moon was high in the sky, but he was jolted awake not even an hour later. Grunting as he woke, his head lifting off the hard and uncomfortable rock, he calmed down when he realized that there was no danger. Rubbing the sleep out of his bleary vision, he squinted in the direction that Yibo was pointing him to look at. It was, without a doubt, the magical flower they were seeking. Pink in colour and glittering despite the minimal light cast by moonlight, it looked every bit otherworldly as it was claimed. For a moment, neither of them dared to move. What if it was a trap? A hallucination? Finally, Zhan gathered the courage, crawling forward cautiously on his hands and knees. When he was just within arm's reach, he plucked at it, ripping it straight off the ground by the stem. Bringing it back to Yibo, he held it up between them. It was still glowing and shining. Zhan looked to Yibo in disbelief. "No way..."

@Tarzhan It didn't go unnoticed by Yibo that Zhan didn't jump to comforting him. Whenever he asked his champion to do something for him, Zhan would fly to say or do whatever it was to appease Yibo. However, Yibo couldn't blame Zhan. How could he ask Zhan to believe him when no results had been procured whatsoever since they began this arduous hike upwards? Yibo sighed as he eventually slumped against the wall of the mountain, intending to stop there for the night. They had not done so much walking in a long time, so his legs wouldn't be able to make it the full trip down in one go. "Let's rest here Ah Zhan," Yibo sighed, patting the spot besides him for Zhan to sit down. They were pretty much at the summit, but after looking around until all of the sun had disappeared, Yibo knew they had to call it quits for now. "Tomorrow!" he exclaimed, "When its light out! We'll have better luck!" he said, forcefully tucking his head against the crook of Zhan's neck and shoulder, wanting to be held, "Don't give up hope..." he said, though it was equally as much to reassure him as it was for Zhan.

Yibo dozed off, clearly fatigued from a day's worth of walking and scavenging. He always slept comfortably on his back, so being upright did prevent him from getting too deeply into his slumber though. As the night grew, Yibo felt a chill sweep over him. At one point, he just knew he'd have to get another jacket to cover himself with. Not wanting to wake Zhan, who was probably even more tired from carrying their supplies backpack on top of everything else Yibo was doing, he opened his eyes to look through their belongings. What he found instead, made him gasp aloud.

Yibo rubbed his eyes, just to be sure he wasn't hallucinating. Right there, before his very eyes, in the same spot they had definitely searched through earlier, was a long, glimmering flower that looked like it was dancing in the moonlight. Most shocking of all...it shimmered pink. Shocked speechless, Yibo shook at Zhan's thigh, pointing at the sight in front of him.

@Babylord The both of them stared at the red flower for a long while before Zhan carefully stored it in a plastic bag in his backpack. “We’ll just keep it, in case, since it’s the only flower we’ve seen here so far,” Zhan said in his way of reassuring Yibo. They walked a little bit more, searching even more diligently if that was possible. With no other choice, Zhan plucked up any other plant he saw — a yellow flower, some vines, and a nearly dried white flower. Zhan sighed. They had practically reached the very tip. “My lord… I don’t think there are any more flowers here…”

@Tarzhan Zhan was right to question Yibo about his knowledge in most cases, but Yibo had /triple/ checked to make sure that he remembered the details of the Yongcun flower this time. After all, this was his future with Zhan that he was talking about here! Yibo frowned when the results that the boulder procured were unsatisfactory, but he insisted, "Yes it's pink Ah Zhan! Really, I know that it said it was pink!" Yibo couldn't possibly have lost his literacy in the Cangwen Script after a few mere centuries, could he? Clutching at Zhan's chest, he felt a sense of defeat taking over him, "No...it can't be a mistake...I know it's pink. I read it so many times Ah Zhan...believe me..."

@Babylord Always jumping at the opportunity to help Yibo, Zhan pulled the older so that he stood behind Zhan. Wedging his arm into the crevice, Zhan had his entire body pressed against the front face of the boulder as his fingers stretched toward the vegetation growing on the boulder walls. He yanked at the vines and grass fearlessly, never mind whatever dangerous animal was lurking about. After taking several more peeks, he finally withdrew his hand, clutching a red flower. “It’s… not pink,” he said, dejection clear in his voice. He had really been hoping that it was this one — after all, they were running out of boulders to search at this point. “Are you sure the scroll said it was pink, my lord?”