Book 2: Chapter 40: Awkward Farewells? |
He stood there with his hands clasped behind his back. He was feeling a certain type of emotion he had never felt before. One that seemed to bother him almost as much as when the girl had been kidnapped. Not that he would express it to anyone. This felt like the type of thing that would be kept bottled up regardless of what anyone would advise him to do.
His eyes roamed over the camp as the wife and husband pair continued to gather up all their belongings.
Throwing everything into spatial pouches that hung around their hips.
From the tents, to pots and pans, and finally to the remaining bedding they had on the grounds around their small pavilion that they used to sit on and cultivate.
“You’re leaving?” Yin Hu said as he approached them.
Both perked up and turned around to look back at him. They gave each other a nod, dropped what they were holding, and stood square before him. Together, they bowed low and in sync. Holding that position for what felt like an eternity, but he knew was nothing more than a few seconds.
Yin Hu couldn’t do anything to combat the bad taste that spread in his mouth or the awfulness that crawled up his sternum.
Why the hell do I feel like this? It’s like losing a long time friend.
Neither one of the couple had been with him for long, yet it felt like they had. Both had more situations and experiences with him than the majority of people he had ever met going back to the days he was back on earth. The same ones that felt vague, distant memories that weren’t clear to him anymore. Just an existence of an annoying granny that did annoying things.
Maybe I’m not fully recovered as I thought I was from the floating island. They would be the very first members of my group to leave.
It was strange. To be shown exactly where he was currently the very weakest in. Emotionally, physically, or even spiritually. These were raw moments that itched at the back of his mind in ways nothing else did.
When the girls had been kidnapped, he had been fueled by near blind rage.
There wasn’t a need to think about what he felt and why it was wrong. If anything, his wrath was righteous and the correct response to someone trying to hurt his loved ones. Yet, this was far too in the gray areas and in his blindspots. Holding on to them without letting go was clearly the wrong course of action, but it hurt otherwise. Like someone was pulling off a bandaid slowly on a hairy arm.
“We beseech your blessings, Senior,” Zhong Da said while keeping his bow low. “Grant us leave. Let us follow our fate and find destiny wherever it may carry us.”
“We beseech you, Senior,” Wu Xui added.
Yin Hu let out a shuddering breath that he tried to hide with a late cough.
It’s okay to let go. People will enter and leave your life constantly. Especially if you want to be a clan patriarch. You got to get used to it.
“You have my blessings. The both of you. Stay on the path, don’t allow any Heart Demons to fester within your souls,” Yin Hu said, remembering exactly what Rong had told him and how he had all but vacuumed himself a nice treat a day or two ago. Jun had been struggling, but had gotten better. More determined. “There should be nothing to accost your path. These forests have been quiet.”
“Thank you, Senior Yin.” the couple said at the same time and hurried to finish gathering their items.
It must have been a hard decision.
Zhong Da’s skin looked pasty white and sickly. Even his arms trembled slightly when he picked anything up with his hands. Whatever he had gone through it must have been well thought out before he reached any resolution they would act upon.
Yin Hu turned away and returned to his seat.
He had summoned the Spirit Demonic Tree the day prior almost as soon as they reached the camp for a cup of tea, much to its pleasure. The darn thing hadn’t grown an inch, but it felt more receptive to his one way conversations with it. Almost as though it could respond to him, yet didn’t have the physical functionalities and organs to do so. If he was being honest, a quiet listener was just as good as an active listener.
Even the tea he had been drinking felt bitter. Yin Hu dropped a cube of sugar in it in the hopes that would help.
It did not.
Rong approached him, still giddy about the Heart Demon he had the opportunity to catch and devour. Still sucking on it like a sucker in his mouth, or maybe an ethnic drug. “Is it wise to let them leave?” he said between smacking his lips and sucking on the Heart Demon.
“That thing’s been in your mouth for at least a day and a half,” Yin Hu raised his eyebrow. “And yes. We haven’t seen anything of note out in the forest. Even from a distance or far in the sky. If it continues to be this quiet, I don’t doubt they would cross the entire forest faster than we can considering they packed everything in spatial pouches and don’t have to slow down due to larger numbers.”
“Do you want them to leave?”
Yin Hu blinked.
No. No he didn’t, as weird as it was to accept.
“It matters not. People will come and go as the grains of time do. We have no choice but to move on and hope for a better outcome tomorrow.” Yin Hu said as he turned away and looked up at the bright sun above them through the thick canopy. Only a few rays of light made it through unaccosted. No birds as usual. No critters or even insects either. This was a strange forest if he was asked.
Yin Hu needed to be honest with himself. He didn’t really need the couple anymore now that he had established his Sparring Instance with Da Ruis joining as an outer court member. Rong covered for the need of extra hands and guardians to protect his girls. The dragon hatchlings and powerful Warg rounded out their numbers and gave them company when they needed it.
They’d likely meet more people or beasts that Shui would end up taming down the line. It was only a matter of time anyway.
Maybe it was good that they were leaving. Creates room for more diverse peoples, spirits, and beasts without running into troubles with being over burdened with numbers.
On that note… How the hell are we supposed to hide all these Spirits, monsters, and dragons when we try to enter the Righteous Bloc?
Another problem he would have to figure out soon enough, but that was future him to deal with.
Rong nodded, he crunched the invisible Heart Demon in his mouth and swallowed. Letting out a long satisfied sigh. “Haven’t had one in ages!” he said as he walked away. Back toward Shui and the ball that had taken a beating by the endless energy of the little girl and her six compatriots of endless energy; even the Warg had been run ragged by their constant need for attention, play, and more.
Yin Hu surveyed the entire camp one more time. Watching every person busy themselves with something or another.
Jun, with whatever crazed focus that had taken ahold of her, kept swinging her blade in the same exact way over and over again without variation.
Shui practiced her Qi manipulation outside of her body in the form of games with the dragons.
Rong began scouting the perimeter as he was wont to do after being kicked out of the game by the little girl. The Warg followed him to stretch its limbs and get away from Shui as well.
And then there was Da Ruis with his eyes closed and working on the Sparring Instance.
I still need to threaten the old bastard. He won’t live down trying to kidnap my girls for a long time to come. He best be ready to be bullied.
“Hey,” Yin Hu said loud enough to catch the old ghost’s attention. “...make sure it’s all perfect. I’m deciding whether I should break into it and check it out just in case.”
The old man paled and nodded. He looked longingly at the slowly disappearing backs of Zhong Da and Wu Xui.
And just like that, the couple had left their lives for the foreseeable future.
It still don’t feel right.