Midnight Meadow

''"Master, I'm here." Hǎiyáng entered the room, which was completely bare, except for a small desk with a computer. ''

''Ashe stood up, her dark charred looking hair swaying, despite their being no wind in the room. ''

''A picture swept off her desk, landing face-down on the floor. Hǎiyáng was about to pick it up, only for Ashe to stop him with a gesture of her hand. ''

"Not yet."

"On that photograph is a picture of the one who did this to you. Ask yourself this, my most loyal servant," Ashe continued putting extra emphasis on the word loyal ''then the rest of her speech. ''

''"Do you really want to find out who did this?" ''

''Hǎiyáng replied instantly. "Of course. With all my heart." ''

''"Are you sure?" ''

"With all my heart."

''"Very well." ''

''Hǎiyáng eagerly flipped over the photograph, and looked at the face, eager to find the one who had completely and utterly destroyed his life from the very beginning. ''

''Printed on the photography was none other than Ashe herself. ''

''Hǎiyáng wasn't silent in shock. He didn't stand up and accuse Ashe of her treachery. ''

''A single word escaped his lips. ''

"Why?"

''It wasn't even a question. No word in the English Language would have been descriptive enough to express what went through his mind. ''

''The sensory overload was too much. Hǎiyáng's mind wasn't capable of processing this new information. He couldn't even think of anything that was happening. ''

''Ashe's face was deadpan. Her hair swayed. "You were useful, truly. But it's been late. I can't be clingy, can I? Sometimes it's just time to..."''

''Hǎiyáng knew what she was about to do before it happened. ''

''"...Let go." ''

''Ashe snapped her fingers. ''

''Hǎiyáng suddenly fell to the ground, every single fiber of his body in unbearable pain. This wasn't excruciating. This was simple death. Hǎiyáng begged to have his mind overload, but Ashe kept him awake long enough to feel the cells of his body. ''

''Slowly, slowly, Hǎiyáng's flesh began to melt away, charring, being reduced back to the burned creature he was when Ashe had found him. ''

''The aura drained away from his body, sliding back into Ashe's outstretched hand. ''

''Half of Hǎiyáng's body was tissue. ''

''The other half was raw carbon. ''

''"Surely you saw this coming?" Ashe laughed, the sadistic sound filling the room. ''

''Hǎiyáng exploded. His turquoise aura came to life, filling the room with a mysterious light. Ashe gasped in shock as the flesh knit back together. ''

''Hǎiyáng rushed to the only window, shattering it with a single kick before running out. Ashe didn't try to stop him. She knew it was only a matter of time before his aura burned out. He wouldn't be able to heal forever. His injuries were life-threatening. ''

''Hǎiyáng ran and ran, suddenly collapsing in the middle of a starry field. ''

''He managed to choke out three words. ''

"All."

"Is."

"Lost."

''But unknown to him, these words were not true. ''

''A silver-haired man watched from the shadows. ''