Chapter 69 Yiran
Yiran
The world seemed to blur and come into focus, then blur again. Yiran’s ears were ringing, his body aching in places he didn’t
know it could. He had channeled so much magic through himself that he was completely drained. Every breath was sandpaper in
his lungs.
In the haze, he saw Rui’s face. Blood trickled down her forehead. He heard her muffled voice before she disappeared.
“. . . going back for Surin and the others . . .”
He didn’t know how long he’d lain there, slumped against the wall. Rui must’ve dragged him out after the blast. He didn’t
see Celeste or his father anywhere near, just a wall of metal in front of him and the connected building behind him.
Celeste had been right next to him when he’d set off the amplified blast of yangqi. She couldn’t have survived it. As for
his father . . .
A piece of white fabric fluttered in the corner.
Yuki.
Yiran’s body screamed in protest, each scrape of his knees against the rough ground sending pain through his bones. Yuki’s
wings had shattered, and the violet pieces were strewn across the ground. As Yiran crawled, they cut into his flesh, burning
him, but he didn’t care.
Yuki’s face was so pale it was almost translucent. The shallow rise and fall of his chest frightened Yiran, but it was the
deep smoldering gash across his torso where Song Liming had cut through him that made Yiran tremble.
“Yuki?”
The Hybrid’s eyes flickered open. He unfurled his fist.
The talisman was crumpled in it.
“Didn’t let go,” he gasped, swallowing painfully. He looked proud.
“I’m sorry,” Yiran whispered as he took the talisman. He could hear a low whistling sound coming from Yuki’s lungs.
“F-for what?”
“I don’t know—for anything, for everything.”
Yuki sounded as if he was trying to laugh, but he wheezed instead. “Thanks,” he managed, “for keeping me company. Was fun.”
Desperately, Yiran pulled up his sleeve, bringing his exposed wrist closer. “Will it—will this help?”
Can I save you?
“Stupid.” Yuki tried to glare. Tried to raise his hand to wipe away Yiran’s tears. “Visit me . . . like Eddy.” He tried to
smile, but even smiling seemed to hurt him. “Be h-happy . . . fall in love.” He closed his eyes and drew a long, shuddering
breath.
“Yuki? Yu—”
Yiran’s senses tingled, and he froze.
A different threat had arrived.
Something was standing on top of the metal crates above them. If it was a Revenant, it was a kind of Revenant he’d never seen
before. It was huge, almost seven feet tall, with mottled gray skin. Its protruding eyes glowed red, its fangs sharpened to
points. Tentacles grew out of its back like spiked feelers, thrashing in the air.
Yiran didn’t even know if he could run, let alone cast a spell. And when he tried to steady his breath, his head spun and
he had to lean against the wall.
Growling, the creature propelled itself into the air, its spiked feelers spreading out. Instinctively, Yiran threw himself
over Yuki like a shield, but as the Revenant landed, it howled in pain. Something was jutting out of its flesh.
A blade. Black like night, its sides gleaming red.
An acrid sulfur stench filled the air. The creature convulsed on the ground, melting into a pool of murky liquid and smoke.
Zizi stepped forward, breathing heavily, looking at the gross fluid with disgust. “What the hell was that?”
“Mutated Revenant, I think,” Yiran croaked. “You look terrible.”
“Shut up. So do you.”
“Here.” Yiran pressed the talisman into his hand. “Take it to the underwor—”
Something huge and gray streaked passed them, howling as it jumped onto the top of the crates and down the other side.
Zizi’s eyes bulged in horror. “Where are they coming from?”
Yiran blinked hard, trying to clear his head as he spoke. “The concentrated yinqi must be causing the mutations. The blast
must’ve started the machine—we have to shut it down.”
“What machine?”
“Rui—” Yiran grabbed Zizi in pure panic. “Rui went back inside.”