Fated Souls

FS :; 6

n. listen, with all these problems happening at such an early time in the year, i have an excuse to lay on my bed for the whole day a'right?

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Filling a bucket he randomly found with sand. He carefully mixes it with the right amount of water, making sure it wasn't too dry or too runny.

Praying to whoever god as he basically slams it on the ground upside down. He hopes it was decent looking once it comes out like the other ones he had created. He takes a deep breath, lifting the bucket up slowly to reveal a perfectly shaped tower and he beams.

Even clapping his hands a few times upon seeing the 'windows' not be crooked or unshaped in any horrible way. Humming, he fills it up again as he glances at the bridge.

He had created four towers. Lined it up in a square, as a bridge was on each centre of the towers to make it look as though it was the way to get across a tower to another.

It had been what he's been doing to take his mind off some things. Things he didn't want to remember. The nightmares he'll recieve when he particularly gets scared or stressed. The way his stomach would ache so bad, he results in eating rotten food he found in the streets.

But those were all in the past. Before he became a god again. Those were merely now nothing but painful memories.

The nightmares didn't disappear.

Infact, it doubled even more. He was uncertain how that would have been when he was doing good now. No longer stressed, maybe a bit afraid, but not to an extent it'll trigger horrible, sleepless nights.

His finger slips, the bucket landing sloppily on the ground as he lifts the bucket. The tower slanted on one side and he sighs, beginning the slowly scoop the sand to put in the bucket once more. Correcting mistakes was something he was all too familiar now.

No longer something awful that he wouldn't bat an eye at it like before.

Once his hands began to shake, he drops the sand uncaringly and plops down on the ground with a heavy sigh. He was alone in Black Water's island. Not sure where the owner had gone, but all he knows was it had been atleast half a day now, and he was bored.

Extremely... bored.

And maybe lonely too.

But that wasn't the point. He's used to being alone ever since now. No longer having someone to chitchat with. Talk with, no matter if it was one sided.

"Qingxuan..."

He stands before he could blink.

"Qingxuan."

The man in question blinks. Blinks again, and even rubs his eyes for good measures but once he turns, Shi Wudu was still there. Standing in all his glory, adorned in the same robes he wore the last time they met, and he died. Shi Qingxuan, aghast, takes a step back.

Stepping on his sand towers in the process as his lips start to quiver. He wasn't sure if this was a blessing or a curse. Seeing his dead brother stand so alive infront of him.

"Ge..." He starts, eyes flickering between the ghost king and his brother. "Ge, you're alive! Or not, hahaha, I'm not sure. Alive? Dead? What? Or both?" His arms makes vague gestures. Randomly flying in the air as he stares at the other in complete disbelief. "You're here..."

Shi Wudu smiles, a contrast to his usually nonchalant feature and opens his arms wide. "Qingxuan, come here."

Albeit hesitant, for obvious reasons, Shi Qingxuan still stepped forward and, welcoming himself into the embrace he had almost forgotten what it felt like.

Many years had passed, the warmth in the dead man's arms never left. The safety of a brother, and the caring love he emits as he hugs the Wind Master just as tight.

It doesn't feel quite as right as before, Shi Qingxuan noticed. It doesn't feel right to be hugged by this man he have come to love and hate at the same time. Loathed and cared for simultaneously.

More of the former when he had experienced both what the ghost king should have lived and what he lived.

"I'm glad you have become a god once more, Qingxuan. Like the god you should be." Shi Wudu wipes a nonexistent tear as they part, smiling even wider as he caress the cheek of the other. "I'm so proud of you."

Shi Qingxuan wonders if his brother still would even if he says the sole purpose of him ascending once more was for the ghost king standing motionless behind the other. He grins instead, taking the hand. "How...? How are you here? How is this even happening?"

"How it happened doesn't matter anymore, Qingxuan." The former deity chortles. Though, the glance he gave the ghost was not left unnoticed by his brother. "What matters is that I am here and will never leave you uncared for again. To keep you safe."

"Ahaha well... Aren't I safe?" Shi Qingxuan chuckles nervously as he steps back. "I mean, I am in... He-xiong's domai-"

"Which is precisely why I should not leave you alone. Most especially with him." Shi Qingxuan doesn't like the look Shi Wudu threw toward the ghost king that resolutely ignores it. "You shouldn't be left alone with him. Who knows what's going on in that vengeful mind of his."

"I know you are fully aware I no longer am the vengeful ghost."

"See?" The Wind Master steps toward He Xuan. "He's not vengeful. If he wanted to hurt me, he could have days ago but he didn't."

"He's scheming something." Shi Wudu glares at He Xuan with so much hatred his brother thinks it was exaggerating.

But also not, after all, the man beside Shi Qingxuan was also the murderer of the man infront of him as we speak.

"But-" Now, Shi Qingxuan steps back toward his brother that happily pulled him back. He frowns as he glanced toward the ghost king that merely looks at him. Neither defending himself or agreeing.

However, slyly glancing at the ghost king, Shi Wudu turns his brother to face him. "Understood, Qingxuan? We don't know what's in his mind. Best to stay close together as possible." He hugs the other once more, smirking as he looks at He Xuan that crossed his arms with an arched brow.

"Because in this place, you could only trust one."

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n. im so sorry if it's short but i finally fucking updated it omffffggggg!

hope you like this one i suppose.