Chapter Text
“Retreat! Retreat!”
“Get down!”
“Fucking shit! We’re getting ammo here! We need that backup, now!”
There was a shockwave. Guns and bullets are shot from every direction as it travels in the air, earth, and flesh. The sound of tormented men trying to gather up their fallen brothers was either killed or unsuccessful in hitting their targets. The enemy line is now squeezing what was left of the barricade that the men tried to defend in the base campsite. Among them, their Captain, Wei Feng, manages to shoot one man's head off, while pulling another trigger in a man’s heart.
“Come on Chun Ming! Get up!” Wei Feng shouts as he tries to push his friend to the boats that just arrive from the water beds of the shore.
‘I thought this was supposed to be a training session,’ Wei Feng cursed as a bullet almost took out his left ear, ‘Are those bastards thinking of starting another war!?’
Five years ago, the nations of China and Taiwan were in a tense standoff due to disputes over territorial gains. War finally broke out as China’s aggression and speculation of military building in secrets was finally exposed to the world. The fear of the unknown and political powers growing had simply driven the relationships between the two nations further on a tether rope before snapping in two. The war lastest for almost three years before a temporary truce was signed. Now, two years later, this happens.
“Bloody hell!” cried Chun Ming as he pulled himself from the ground before running, “Captain, they’re too many of them!”
Said Captain firing another round of bullets before delivering three smoke canisters up into the sky. The canisters open when they hit the ground, and black smoke spread over two hundred meters, giving enough time for his men to escape and cover.
“We’re running out of ammo. Get the others to safety!”
“But! Captain-!”
“NOW!”
Ignoring Chun Ming’s cry, Wei Feng dashed off and was immediately enveloped in darkness that is slowly disappearing. Taking aim, he fired with precision as his mark fell down to the ground one by one. With every shot, he yells at the men he rescues to get to safety before racing off again. Finally, he made it into a clearing. What awaited him startled him to the core as he stared in horror as one of his friends shot the back of their young officer and an arm from his senior.
“Major! What the hell are you doing!?”
Jun Ling, his Major and best friend, noticed him with distinct cold eyes as he locked on his next target.
“A-Feng. I was hoping you would show up soon,” he says, detached in the way he seems to stand there and look at him, before stepping hard on a dead man’s hand with a sickening crack.
Wei Feng's breath hitched as he stares at Jun Ling with disbelief and confusion. “What?”
Jun Ling tsked.
“I really don’t have time for this. I was going to look for you, but it’s good that you found me,” he says, just as he aims his pistol and shoots Wei Feng in the pectoral of his chest, too close to his heart. Blood immediately pours out from the bullet wound as he instinctively pushes his hand down to slow the flow. The pain was miraculously intolerable.
Wei Feng curses before collapsing hard on the soft sand.
Wei Feng, struggling, says, “W-Why?”
Jun Ling simply walks over to him before kneeling closer to whisper to his face.
“It’s simple. I hate China. I hate that this so-call nation has the balls to be so arrogant just because they have more power than the rest of us. They’re nothing but despicable wench who can’t even know when it’s enough! They took down my village and killed innocent bystanders!”
“It’s not about the goddamn nation! Don’t be stupid! Have you forgotten that you are one of us too!? How can you betray us and kill our comrades?!” Wei Feng gasped out angrily as he fisted his hand tight and pulled his friend's army suit closer to him, "Are you out of your goddamn mind!?"
Grunting, Jun Ling pushed Wei Feng down h,ard and with a painful wheeze, Wei Feng watched as his former Major came closer. Towering over him, while more smoke and sand explodes around them.
“You and I know that this stupid army-filled with stupid men-are nothing but close-minded fools who take orders from the higher uppers. I-I tried to tell you...I tried to tell you!” Jun Ling hissed.
Memories from the past weeks resurface. He remembered his friend's hesitation. His cut-off sentences were as if he wanted to tell him something. And every time he tried, he was either too busy or straight up ignored him, believing he was angry and frustrated from the orders their sergeant was pushing them on. Sometimes Jun Ling voiced how he was done and made promises that were too dangerous to be spoken out. After all, they signed up to become full-time soldiers and are not allowed to back out unless a reasonable cause happens. Severe injuries will lead to early retirement, and a total payment of yearly services will be sent. However, they were under oath that despite taking out off the on-field, they would continue to serve the army to the best of their abilities in any way "possible." Implications can be many things, but seeing how both he and Jun Ling have already witnessed many of their friends lose themselves from the strain and "orders" that were given to them around the time of war, they realized that respect and fairness were never a given law due to how hungry these fools tend to get. Whatever they want, they surely will get it one way or another. So what’s the point?
Most of all, he remembered how his friend began to move away from him slowly, how he made small calculated changes to the schedule, the scouting formation, the plans-
“.....You’re the one who brought them here,” Wei Feng says as all the clues finally come together. “You fucker! You fucking set us up! It was you who said this place was a training session! *cough*”
The soldiers that were in range heard Wei Feng and quickly spread the words of Jun Ling’s betrayal. Some try to save their Captain but are intercepted by the enemy before they can reach him. "A-A-Ling. Y-You have to stop-" Wei Feng pleaded.
But Jun Ling didn't listen. Then Wei Feng thought about what his friend's traitorous action would mean. His intentions and goals-
His friend may be cunning, and dare he admit-a genius, but the cost of his actions...He must realize what that means!
“Tsk. Great. Now I know they’ll have my head for this,” Jun Ling says annoyingly as he points his pistol at Wei Feng’s forehead now. His cold look eyes stare down at a man whose life is about to be taken with a single pull of the trigger.
“I know you, A-Feng. I know that you would stop me. But....I can't. Not now.”
With a bleeding wound, Wei Feng is already losing strength, and his vision is becoming bleary.
“Jun Ling, you’re forgetting one important fact,” Wei Feng spoke softly, despite the struggle and pain from the gaping wound. As blood ran and trailed down through his hand and onto the sandy beach, weakly, he spoke, “N-No matter what you do-urgh!-you will…regret it.”
For just a slight moment, as his vision becomes spotty due to the rapid blood loss, he swore he saw his friend hesitate. But it was a slight moment before those eyes steel themselves once more, and the grip on the trigger of his pistol ready itself.
Coldly, Jun Ling spoke to him again, but with finality, "The only way I can fully do this is to get you out. So...I'm sorry. Goodbye-"
Wei Feng didn't hear the rest. The battle around them became too loud for his ears to pick up whatever his former friend said. Nonetheless, the fleeting thoughts that coursed through his mind before the bullet came were this.
Regrets.
Regrets for the choices that he made in the past.
Regrets that he never tried to reach one last time for his mother and siblings. Regrets to never see them or seeing his siblings grow up to become fine young adults and wish with all his heart that they will have a better future than his. He wasn't so sure if he was genuinely crying or not, but the immense pain of never seeing his mother's beautiful smile again or teasing his siblings when they were just babes came crashing down on him.
His breathing is coming shallower. Shorter with each small puff and heaving air coming out of his mouth. His lungs are collapsing. His heart is rapidly beating and pushing in and out from the rushing blood loss that was meant to keep him alive at all costs. But one thing is for sure, despite his body's best attempt to stay alive, his mind already knew what was coming next. Therefore, why bother thinking of a way to survive but to let....go?
Let go of the stress, the tiredness, the betrayal-everything.
He wished he could have done something to help his friends and comrades all this time. Wishes and longing for a future he could have sought and protected were impossible at this very moment, but because his mind seems to accept that his life is going to be over, what stops him from thinking such thoughts?
Hmm, an unusual soul this one.
He wished he could go home now to eat his mother's wonderful cooking again.
He wished he could help his siblings with their homework and give them pointers on dating.
He wished he could go back to his grandparents' farm and ride with the horses again, where a meadow of fresh green and flowers only blooms in early Spring.
He wished he had the chance to fix his Uncle's back porch and repay for all the martial lessons he taught him before he had to leave.
My my. So many wishes and regrets.
He wished he could have been better. Became stronger. He wished to learn and see new things and places!
A fighter and a learner. A good combination.
And he wished he could have a family. Three-no-four children! He could teach them and show them how to jump and climb trees. Play with the horses and learn how to fix what is broken. He'll be better than both his father and stepfather. He'll give his sons and daughters so many gifts, clothes, and food that will surely spoil them.
Hoho. Fatherhood sounds like a promising start.
He could cook and teach them all his mother's dishes. Perhaps he could even-but wait. He'll need money. He'll need to find a job-no become someone who would earn from the ground up. He'll never serve anyone. The army was shitty, to begin with, and the service was already paid full months ago! Good grief, why the hell did he stay for this crap? Fuck!
To be oneself. To be no one's keeper. A leader...
He wishes to be stronger but never uses it against the weak. He would need support, but not like those idiots back when he was just flirting himself with a gang full of delinquents.
Hmm...A group, huh? Perhaps like a sect...
He wished he could have helped his friend, though. Despite his betrayal, they were together thick and thin ever since they got deported to the same unit almost five years ago.
You wish to continue assistance on a man who betrayed you? That is a foolish thought.
We helped each other. We came from similar backstories and needed each other when things became too tough to handle. Without his friend....He wouldn't have been able to keep going. It's ironic, he thought honestly. The man who helped him get where he is now is about to kill him.
I see. You have the will to keep going only if you have someone there with you. You sought companionship and a purpose to connect you with. But once that is gone, you lose yourself completely. Understood. I have decided.
With this in mind, the being began authorizing his will and system to begin the transaction. What was once a silent round of quiet thoughts swirling in Wei Feng's mind began to spread and coil itself into a single ball of light. The feelings from his body, along with the pain, began to die down until only a lightweight began to go upward like he was gently being carried away with careful hands holding him like a fragile newborn.
You have been given a chance. A blessing.
The being smiled with gentle eyes as he silently cooed at the soul that burned bright azure blue within the palm of his hands.
Fear not. A soul this unique should not end up reborn in a time or place that is limited to immaculate possibilities.
As if the tiny soul could hear him, it began to shake and move around in circles as if he had some words to say. Or perhaps curious about his surroundings. For that, the being is reassured that the tiny soul in his hands is not a coward, but with how the soul seems to deem itself safe, it begins to explore playfully. Rubbing itself and carefully looking down to see how high he is, despite leaning a bit too close from the edge of the being's thumb.
The being laughed.
Barely a fledging soul, and already you wish to cause trouble and play around, huh? Hmm. Indeed. Despite being a troublemaker, what makes you a strong soul is how good you are. But this world has played you multiple times. So unnecessary. So frustrating.
The being scowled, silently cursing the wretches Fates for their whimsical ways and tested nonsense.
By now, Wei Feng's body lay still amongst the many corpses of both allied and enemies around them. Jun Ling had already retreated to seek a safe place away from his former allies. Because of the surrounding chaos, no one noticed how one of the bodies began to disappear in gold simmers before eventually being transported to one of the many space storages in his domain.
Shall we be off then?
The cute soul jumps up and down as if agreeing.
Very well, then.
With a wave of his hand, a portal appeared in front of him. The eyes of mortals could never imagine an unexpected storm coming down above, as well as a thunderous wave rising high to engulf the beach filled with corpses. Most survived and escaped by land or ship, while others who were too weak or unfortunate were swept away like struggling crabs.
With that, the condensed energy that affected the surroundings began to die down as it closed itself once the being and soul were safely gone from the world.