"And I want this place spotless! I want no reminders of what almost happened last night. Do I make myself clear?"
Chase's tigers gave him a nod of agreement before going back to cleaning.
Wuya floated into the room. "My, someone seems tense."
"You would be too if you were dealing with the circumstances that I am right now."
"You stopped him, didn't you?"
"Yes, but how do we know he's not going to try again? And again? And again?" The immortal suddenly raised his voice. "How do we know, that the moment my back is turned, he's not going to slip right past my radar and do something that he will regret for the rest of his life?"
"He is a persistent little one, isn't he?"
"Indeed," Chase lowered his tone a bit. "Which is why I need to find a solution to this problem as quickly as possible."
"And just what do you have in mind?"
"Tomorrow, I will be leaving to visit an old friend. I am most certain that she has what I need, so that I can solve this Omi problem once and for all."
Wuya let out a sharp gasp. "You don't mean...?"
"Yes. I am going to visit Mei to ask her for a way to make Omi immortal, without making him evil."
"Mei?! She's a total basket case! Besides, if you were to return me to my human form, I might have a few spells up my sleeve that could help you-"
"Forget it. You and I both know that's a lie."
"But, but...!"
"This is not up for discussion."
Wuya let out a growl. "Fine! Go visit the crazy old witch!"
"Yes. And who knows, she might even be a step up from you," Chase added with a devious smirk, eliciting another growl from the ghost.
The next day, Chase set off to a secluded area in the mountains where his friend lived-it was so obscurely hidden that he had nearly flown right past it on the way there. For some reason, that seemed typical of her.
It had been centuries since he'd last seen her, and he wondered if she had any memories of him. Though he, without a doubt, remembered her. How could he forget?
At last, he landed firmly on the terrain and made his way through the thick fog, until he could finally make out the figure of a woman.
The woman turned over her shoulder, revealing her face. "Well, if it isn't Chase Young," she beamed. "My, how the years have been kind to you."
"Enough talk. I'm here to ask a favor of you."
"Three-hundred years and I don't even get a proper greeting? Well, it always was like you to get straight to the point. So impatient..."
"Yes, and you were always big on small talk, liked to drag things out much longer than they needed to be."
"Perhaps that was why we could never be."
Chase grimaced. Now I remember-this woman had chased me for years, driven by that creepy obsession she had with me. Perhaps Wuya was right... "Don't even bother; I've already met with the one I'm destined to be with, and believe me, it's not you."
"She's not one of those humans, is she? Chase, you deserve better than those worms."
"His name is Omi, and you'd be surprised what 'worms' like him are capable of."
"Hmm...I'd like to take a closer look at this...Omi creature."
Before Chase had time to react, he suddenly found himself entangled in a mess of serpents that had sprouted from Mei's head. They constricted him in a choking tight grip, sinking their teeth mercilessly into the immortal's flesh every time he tried to make a movement.
Mei watched in pleasure, her psychotic eyes bulging out of her skull, spurts of erratic chuckles erupting from her throat.
One of the snakes suddenly morphed into a vine and plunged itself into Chase's ear. Chase winced as the thorns probed around in his head until they reached their destination: his mind.
Mei's eyes sunk into the back of her head, the remaining sockets lighting up in a bluish hue, as she began examining Chase's thoughts and memories. At last, she fixated on an image of Omi. "Ah, so he's the one..." Her expression grew sour. "And, let's see, he's madly in love with you, but you've been turning down his affections because you're afraid of losing him. How...touching."
Chase growled in desperation. As much as he struggled, he couldn't get her out of his head.
"But," she continued, "secretly, you love him in ways unimaginable, and the thought of being away from him tears you up inside."
Chase felt his cheeks burning, from straining his body in an attempt to free himself, and for another reason that he couldn't quite figure out.
"If only there was a way to solve the immortality issue..." she mused, twirling one of the snakes around her finger.
"Mei..." he choked, "Get...out...!"
Finally satisfied, she retracted her serpents back into her skull until they once again took on the form of her hair. Chase fell to the ground, gasping for air. He carefully propped himself up on his hands, wincing at some of the wounds he received from the serpents' fangs. He was already in a much weaker state than when he arrived; he knew he had to be cautious with her.
"I believe I understand better now. You came here to ask me for an immortality spell, to help your little worm."
At that moment, Chase wanted nothing more than to grab her slithering hair and rip it from its roots, but he was in no state to fight, so he decided to hold back. "Yes..." he gasped. "Can...you do that?"
Mei chuckled. "Of course. Who do you think I am? Wuya?"
Chase couldn't help but smirk; there always had been tension between the two of them.
"I'll do the spell for you. But I must warn you: there is a price."
"And what is that?"
Mei crept towards Chase, placing a hand under his chin. "I think you know what I want."
"Forget it," he growled, slapping her hand away.
"But what about your Omi?" she taunted.
"He is exactly the reason I refuse to comply with your orders. I may be evil, but I would never stoop so low as to shatter the heart of the only being left that matters to me."
"Please, he's nothing but an insect! And you know insects, with their short lifespans..." she chuckled deviously, "They die off so quickly."
Chase dug his fingers into the terrain, trying to suppress his rage. "No..." he snarled, "...I forbid you to talk about him that way!"
"What's going to stop me? Besides, you know it's the truth."
The ground began to crack under the pressure of Chase's strength. He tried with all of his efforts to refrain from doing anything drastic, but he knew it wouldn't be long before he finally snapped.
"My, no need to get angry now," Mei curled her fingers upwards with a wicked grin, and bursts of lava began shooting out of the cracks in the ground. Chase pulled his hands back, seething in pain from the burns he received.
Mei relaxed her hands and placed them on her hips. "Hmm, so you're not fighting back. Is it because I'm a lady? Or are you just too weak?"
Chase knew there was no way he would be able to fight in his condition. The venom had already began to spread through his bloodstream, and he could feel himself becoming light-headed. Not to mention, he was at an even greater disadvantage with his hands rendered useless. He knew he had no other option than to get out of there, and fast. There was no telling what she would try to pull next.
"What's this? Leaving so soon?"
Chase ignored her and continued struggling to his feet. Once he was able to maintain his balance, he staggered off in the other direction.
Mei snarled. "I don't think so..."
Chase fought to stay on his feet as he trudged forward, dodging every furious blast that was fired at him from behind.
"You won't be able to run from me much longer. See that lake up ahead? It's toxic. Once you inhale the fumes, you will fall into a deep sleep, of which you won't be awakened from for years!"
Chase froze, but his lips slowly curved upwards with a realization. "If that's true, I'll bet the lake affects you just as much as it affects me."
"Don't be ridiculous! I've lived here for centuries; the fumes don't affect me anymore."
"Really?" This may be my only chance to escape. It's risky, but if I'm right... Chase stopped at the edge of the lake. He clenched his eyes shut and took in a deep breath before plunging into the water.
"Wh-what are you-" she sputtered, "Are you mad?!"
Chase jerked his head above the surface, gasping for air. He could already feel sleep beginning to overtake him, but he had to continue with this; it was all he had left. "What's the matter? Don't you still wish to pursue me?"
Mei clenched her teeth. No, I can't go after him...if I get any closer, the fumes will be too much for me! But I can't let him know that... "You wouldn't dare..."
"Watch me..." Chase grinned devilishly before turning and beginning a steady pace through the water. His eyelids felt as though they were made of marble, and it took everything in him to keep them from slamming down and imprisoning him in deep sleep. He tried not to focus on the physical pain, or the growing fatigue; instead, he focused his mind on an image of Omi. He pictured the young monk waiting for him in the hall of his citadel, calling out his name. Yes...for him...I...just need...to stay...awake...
"No!" Mei shrieked. "You will not leave!" The witch raised her hands, and the sky became flooded with dark storm clouds.
The waves thrashed Chase about, the rain sliced into his skin, he faltered, but never stopped. I'm...almost there... He kept telling this to himself, kept lying to himself, with the slightest chance that it would soon become true. In reality, he could no longer see any shoreline in sight; even Mei's thrashing figure had become a faint shadow off in the distance. A wave came down hard and dragged him beneath the surface. He let himself drift for a moment, if only for a brief moment of rest, and his head broke the surface once more. He hacked violently, coughing up mouthfulls of lake water, the looming shadow of sleep slowly darkening out his senses. He knew he wouldn't last much longer. Mei was right...what was I thinking? I should have listened to her. Wuya...I should have listened to HER! If I hadn't been so intent on making it so that Omi would live forever, I might actually be there with him now, with the time that he has remaining... Before drifting off to sleep, his mouth curved up into a crooked grin, and he chuckled at the irony of it all. "Well, young monk, after all that has happened, it looks like I will come to pass before you. Who would have ever thought?"
