No place for the phantom man
In the Realm of Transition, Ying Kong Shi had understood that the younger Yan Da had finally merged with her older soul. Now the Ice Prince stood at the sea shore, the wind gently played with his hair, while he watched his girlfriend, his fiancé, adapt to the new situation. He felt both joy and fear about the conversation he would soon have with Yan Da. What would she say to him? Would she shower him with accusations? He would, if he was in her place. The conversations with the younger Yan Da had been difficult. What lay ahead now seemed even worse, and Ying Kong Shi felt ... tired, again. It had all cost him so much strength. He had been forced to make bad decisions so many times. On earth, he had told the Head Dreamer Xing Jiu that he had no regrets and that he had no further dreams for himself. But that had been the man who never dared to reach out to Yan Da. The truth was, he regretted so much. He had spoken too little with his brother. He had never tried to make decisions with Ka Suo, only for him. He had loved Ka Suo, but he never had trusted the resilience of their brotherhood enough. And about Yan Da… his fear had been too strong that his love for her would make it impossible to sacrifice himself for Ka Suo. So he had pushed her away, treated her badly, a thousand times and more.
As he listened to his lover's speech, his heart froze. Her words perfectly referred to their story as well. Was she giving him a warning, speaking of Huo Yi, but instead meaning him? He had dragged her down with him, and Ka Suo, too. Not to mention his mother, their friends, the Ice Tribe… Ying Kong Shi felt blood dropping from his closed fist, and a hand that gently touched his arm. Surprised, he looked up. It was Xian Xue.
"Don't go down that road again. I really warn you. It may be the last time that I will remind you that you have taken over responsibilities in this fresh start. Even if you wish to condemn yourself further on, you have no right to do so. You have been given a new love and a new life, Ying Kong Shi. She has shared your past with you, now go and share your future with her. Don't ever become that phantom again, for a phantom can't be a husband, a king, or a father."
Ying Kong Shi let go of his clenched fist. His eyes blinked several times, as he turned to his ancestor. "It's always so easy for you, isn't it? You can see how I torment myself. Maybe you're even in my head... you think you're so superior: Xian Xue - the best chess player of all times who prepared his game for eons. And yet you lie to me. I can feel that you still keep your real reasons to yourself. Tell me, what did you gain from this fresh start, and what was the price you payed?" Ying Kong Shi looked at the profile of the bird spirit. The mask his ancestor wore, it was nearly as perfect as his own. But now, for the first time, he could see something unsettling behind it.
Xian Xue breathed in and out. "You know, I don't blame you for using me as an outlet for your self-hatred. If my secrets torment you so much, then I'll be happy to solve the riddle for you, if only to keep you from blaming yourself for a while." Both of them turned around, as the crowd cheered and Yan Da hugged the Mermaid Saint. Slowly, the whole scene turned into a celebration. "Come, my worse half. Yan Da doesn't need us at the moment, so let's sit here." Ying Kong Shi made a face, but he followed Xian Xue to a wind-protected spot from which they had a perfect view. The sun was already low, and the long shadows made the golden light look even more beautiful.