A Tale of Forgotten Gods

Chapter 67: Final Goodbye

Mo Fei’s eyes opened slowly; he found himself standing in a field of sunflowers.

Under the beautiful blue sky and the shadow of moving clouds, he looked at himself in a strange place. His hands traced the sunflowers as he walked forward.

A sound of a cloak fluttering resonated in his ears. His hand found his plucked eye; it was no longer hidden by the clothes. He could see with both of them.

Ahead, a figure stood near a vast gateway. A door was opened; inside was a library, books were arranged perfectly around the wardrobes, and a few books rested at the tables. The cloak of the figure detached itself from him, slowly reaching toward Mo Fei, who caught it in his grasp. The cotton was smooth, his hands tracing the delicate feature of the cotton.

He lifted his head up to look at the figure; it was familiar and warm. The figure turned to face him.

It was Jian Yue, standing a few paces away. His body was in a perfect, peaceful posture. His eyes were deep and calm; his forehead held no tense lines. He looked younger—less tired than before.

”Mo Fei.” Jian Yue whispered softly; his voice sounded fragile. His lips twitched in a small smile.

Jian Yue walked toward him, every step closing the distance. ”I know you have many questions... yes, I knew I’d die.”

”Why didn’t you tell me?”

”Because it would have led to everyone’s demise.” Jian Yue’s faint smile never wavered; it was the moment Mo Fei saw him the happiest. ”And I didn’t want to be saved either.”

Mo Fei’s throat tightened. ”Why?”

”I was tired. Four loops. Four families. Every face, every name. I was so tired.” Jian Yue put a heavy hand on his shoulder.

”That letter?” Mo Fei asked. ”What’s in it?”

Jian Yue’s eyes softened. ”Everything I couldn’t say. I was never good with words. I thought if I wrote them down, you’d understand.”

Mo Fei’s eyes wavered. His expression shifted into something he couldn’t understand. ’Words carry more than that.’ He remembered these words; he made fun of them that day; now he understood the weight...

”Let me follow you...” Mo Fei’s voice gradually lowered as he offered, his eyes staring down at a sunflower that faced the wrong direction. It looked at the opposite side of the sun, completely careless of its nature, and yet it was in joy.

Jian Yue shook his head and let out a small, warm laugh. ”No, Mo Fei. I’m proud of what you became, but it’s not the right moment to follow me.” Jian Yue nodded at him and continued with the same gentle expression. ”A threat is coming in the future; we need a God. You must become the Lightless. Go back, please. Don’t follow me; I’m safe here, and I’ll always watch you.”

”I... I can’t fight them alone.” Mo Fei’s eyes slightly teared up as he slowly lifted his head up, examining Jian Yue’s expression.

”You don’t have to, but you need to survive until you can. This world can wait, but don’t keep it waiting until it can’t wait longer.”

Jian Yue reached out his hand toward his ear. He slowly pulled out an earring with a small talisman attached to it. He pulled Mo Fei’s hand and placed it there.

”What is this?” Mo Fei looked at the earring in his hand.

”A piece of my Authority. It’s not much that I can give, but it’s a part of my soul’s devotion.” Jian Yue answered with another gentle nod.

”I have to go now.” Jian Yue said.

”Where are you going?”

”Somewhere quiet.” Jian Yue smiled. ”I think I’ve earned that much.”

Jian Yue moved forward and wrapped his hand around Mo Fei in a warm hug. Mo Fei didn’t pull away; he reached out his hands and held him tightly. Mo Fei closed his eyes shut tightly; he feared he’d disappear if he let go. He could only say a few words. ”Thank you for being a family.”

Jian Yue lifted one hand up and ruffled Mo Fei’s head, like a father who didn’t hide his love for his son.

Slowly, he pulled away from Mo Fei. His expression was warm as he slowly turned with a small twinkle in his eyes, and with a light grin, he entered the door of the quiet library. A simple place that wasn’t as simple for the world.

Standing under the warm sun, he watched Jian Yue enter the library as the door slowly closed behind.

He was alone there with the sunflowers now. He slowly walked toward a large blossom tree and sat underneath it. He leaned against it to watch the field flow under the air.

***

Back in the temple.

Mo Fei and Jian Yue’s bodies were taken back by Lin. The group settled up near the graveyard behind the temple.

Xue Lan was nowhere to be seen; he might have returned to his world 4.

Yi Jyuhan watched their dead bodies, his eyes never leaving their faces. His eyes were tired; Riyoshi’s body wasn’t even found. He tried to find it but couldn’t... There was no glint in his eyes anymore; it always happened when that day came. Every time he tried to save everyone, he ended up losing people, friends, and everything. He blamed himself for their demise.

Zhuo wasn’t there. He was behind them, his hands curled around his knees, sobbing while hiding his face. His back half leaned against the wall. He had been a warrior for so long, but underneath, who was he? A kid who lost someone important and watched them be killed helplessly.

Lin’s situation was no better; she sat at the edge of the door. The guilt of leaving and not being able to kill the God... she could only watch now.

Alisa and Jim sat in a corner. Both of them were staring down at the bodies.

Finally, Yi Jyuhan broke the silence. ”First, we need to give them a proper burial.”

Lin nodded and walked toward them; Jim stood up and also walked alongside Lin. Jim gently lifted Mo Fei’s body, then put it in the ground.

Slowly, he poured the wet sand over the body. The soil covered Mo Fei’s face, then hid his body beneath Mother Nature’s warm embrace. He slowly moved away and watched Lin move Jian Yue’s body near Mo Fei’s grave.

Lin put Jian Yue in the ground and covered him in the soil. She lifted the large stone, setting it heavily upon the burial site as a marker.

Both of them stepped back, and that was when Jim noticed something. His face faltered as he saw a grave with a stone that was carved with a name...

Lovenia.

He turned toward Alisa, who seemed to avoid his gaze. But he remained silent, his heart already aching; now that name stabbed the blade deeper.

Finally, they entered the temple. Lin and Zhuo walked toward the room that was given to them. The kids were waiting for them, but Lin had no answers. She didn’t know what to say to them.

Both of them stopped at the door. Lin’s hand held the handle but didn’t open it. With an inaudible sigh. She opened it.

Inside, Hao Yu and Xin Yi waited; they ate their food while sitting on a cushion together. Hao Yu had the locket in his hands, his small fingers tracing its edges. Xin Yi stared at the wall, her eyes distant and unfocused.

Both of them looked up when the door opened.

Hao Yu’s face lit up with a small, hopeful smile. ”You’re back!” His eyes scanned for Mo Fei, but there was no sign of him. ”Where is he? And the elder man? Where are they both?”

The words hit Lin, but only her eye twitched before she quietly moved and sat beside them.

Zhuo stood behind her with red, puffy eyes. He had stopped crying, but the tears had left their marks. He looked away from them and sat alongside Lin.

Hao Yu’s smile wavered, and he questioned again. ”Where is he?”

Lin’s lips parted but said nothing. How do you tell a child that the person who saved them, who carried them through a nightmare and gave hope—was gone? There was no word made to say this to a child.

Xin Yi finally turned her head. Her eyes met Lin’s. ”When will they come?”

Zhuo’s throat was dry, yet he managed to put himself together and said, ”They’ll come; they are just gone somewhere for a while...”

”Are you hungry?” Hao Yu asked, his voice smaller now. ”We were waiting.”

Zhuo nodded. ”Yes, I am... But I don’t want to eat yet.” The words hung in the air like a verdict.

Hao Yu blinked. ”What do you mean?”

”I’ll eat later; you eat first.”

Xin Yi stared down at her rice but didn’t move her hands to eat.” How long will it take?”

Lin’s voice shifted into a soft tone as she placed a hand on Xin Yi’s head. ”Soon, you need to wait here in this temple. We will have to go with them too, but we will come to check on you very often.”

Hao Yu’s eyes widened at her words. ”You are leaving too?”

”Yes, but you can’t come with us; we are going to another world. I’ll bring gifts.”

Upon hearing that, the air turned slightly uncomfortable. Xin Yi pressed her hands against her clothes; she felt something was wrong, but her small mind couldn’t think what. ”What if spirits take us...”

”The lady is watching over you. If anything happens, go to her temple, okay?”

Zhuo stood up and walked out of the room. Lin didn’t stop him; with a final glance at Xin Yi and Hao Yu, she stood too. ”Yi Jyuhan will take care of you; ask him for anything. And if he doesn’t give in, we will beat that idiot together, right?”

Lin forced a warm smile and moved out of the room.

How did a lie become so beautiful that it hid the poison of truth...