Fugen lay awake in his bed. It was a cold night and he did not close the windows. The wind blew in, fluttering the silk curtains. He pulled the blankets to his chin and closed his eyes, trying to sleep. But when he closed them, those eyes returned again, drifting into his mind and they beckoned at him and they smiled. They smiled.

A tear welled up in Fugen's eye. A sob gripped his throat and he held the ends of the blankets to his mouth, biting down on the material. The old hurt which he tried so long, so hard to smother, returned to stab new blades into his heart. Tears soaked the blankets and the sleeves of his nightgarment.

In Jyo's heart, she still loved Kai. And she prayed hard that one day, Kai will return for her, bring her away. Far away…

But Jyo was dead now.

In Fugen's heart, there will be no such person as Kai.

Shuddering, Fugen wrapped the blankets tightly around himself, and curled into a ball, squeezing his eyes shut. His former plans for power to save Kai and Kaa were no more. They vanished in a flash of resignation, as quick as a gust of wind snuffing out a candle flame.

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