The divine light that had burst from the shattered phoenix statue faded, and when their vision cleared, the group found themselves no longer inside the cave.
They stood at the entrance of a radiant village — an ethereal place unlike anything they had ever seen. The air shimmered with warmth and purity, as if it carried the gentle hum of celestial chants. The trees glowed with golden leaves, and the streets were paved with crystal tiles that gleamed under the divine light.
Tianlan took a step forward, still holding Devran's hand tightly. "This… this village, how did we get here?"
No one had an answer. They looked around, stunned. But one thing was clear — they weren't alone. Wei Zhan still lay unconscious in Devran's arms.
"His body's burning!" Devran exclaimed, his face taut with concern. Wei Zhan's skin radiated unbearable heat, like a fire consuming him from within.
"We need shelter — now!" Riku said, taking charge.
They rushed through the glowing village, eventually finding a quiet inn tucked near a flowing river of liquid light. The innkeeper, sensing the divine aura around them, didn't question their sudden arrival and offered them a room without hesitation.
In the room, they carefully laid Wei Zhan down on the soft bed. His brows were tightly furrowed, his entire body covered in a faint red glow that pulsed with the rhythm of a wild heartbeat.
Saanvi moved quickly, pressing a cold cloth to his forehead. Her hands trembled, eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Why… why is he in so much pain?"
"He's burning up," Devran said, pacing restlessly. "And we don't know how to stop it."
Xie Lian stood at the foot of the bed, fists clenched. His eyes, though filled with worry, were sharp and tense — not the kind of crying that came from weakness, but from helplessness. "Damn it, Wei Zhan. Always charging into things without thinking… this is just like you."
Vihaan placed a steady hand on Xie Lian's shoulder. "He'll make it. He has to."
Xie Lian didn't speak, but the hard swallow in his throat betrayed his fear. He turned his back briefly, rubbing his eyes with his sleeve before folding his arms and forcing himself to stay still. "I'm not crying. It's just hot in here."
Riku gave a small, sad smile but didn't comment.
Tianlan moved closer. "We've all tried our powers, and nothing's helping. He's in pain — something inside him is changing."
Vihaan nodded. "The Phoenix power is merging with his soul. That kind of ancient power… it doesn't come without a cost."
"But why is it affecting him like this?" Devran asked. "We've all gained power before, but nothing like this."
Riku replied, "Because this isn't ordinary power. The Phoenix King's essence — it's a fire that comes from pure devotion and sacrifice. Wei Zhan didn't just inherit strength. He inherited the burden."
Saanvi, wiping the sweat from Wei Zhan's forehead again, whispered, "This is my fault. I should've seen it coming."
"No," Xie Lian said immediately, his voice firmer than before. "This isn't your fault. He made the choice to touch that statue. He'd do it again if it meant helping everyone else."
Devran turned to Vihaan. "Is there anything we can do to ease the merging?"
Vihaan hesitated, then looked at Xie Lian. "Actually… yes. But it's not something we can do. It has to come from someone who truly understands him — someone who can anchor him back."
Riku nodded. "Someone whose presence can remind him of who he is. Who he cares about most."
All eyes turned to Xie Lian.
"What?" Xie Lian blinked, caught off guard.
Vihaan smiled. "You care about him more than anyone. Even when you're annoyed, your eyes follow him. You call him an idiot, but you'd throw yourself into fire to save him. That's the bond we need right now."
Xie Lian looked away, cheeks slightly flushed. "Tch. Don't be ridiculous. He's just… a pain. An annoying, loud, stubborn…"
"...Person you can't stop thinking about," Riku added gently.
Saanvi looked up, her eyes softer. "We all know it, Xie Lian. Now's not the time to deny it."
Xie Lian let out a breath. Then he stepped forward, kneeling beside Wei Zhan. He looked down at his face, still and sweating, lips trembling slightly from the fever.
"You better wake up from this, Wei Zhan," he said softly. "Because if you don't, I'll follow you to the next realm and drag you back myself."
He reached for a towel and began gently wiping down Wei Zhan's arms. "Don't you dare die before annoying me one last time. You promised we'd argue all the way to the end. So keep your damn promise."
Everyone watched in silence as Xie Lian continued to cool him down, his face unreadable but his hands steady.
Saanvi added more cold cloths, her voice quiet. "Keep changing them every few minutes. The fever will break once the phoenix power stabilizes."
Devran placed a bowl of water beside the bed. "We'll stay here. Take turns watching him."
Vihaan nodded. "And if he wakes up screaming from power overload, be ready to hold him down. That energy… it might erupt."
The night passed with the group in the room, taking turns watching Wei Zhan. Xie Lian never left his side, not even once.
And in the quiet moments, when no one was looking, Xie Lian whispered words only Wei Zhan could hear.
"You idiot. Don't scare me like this again."
Scene: Midnight – Inn Room in the Divine Village
The soft light of the spirit lantern cast long shadows across the wooden walls. Outside the wind was gentle, carrying the distant hum of the divine village. Inside, all was silent — except for the slow, rhythmic sound of Wei Zhan's breath and the quiet creak of a chair as Xie Lian sat beside him.
He stared at the bed for a long while, not moving. Wei Zhan lay still, face pale but peaceful. The heat of the phoenix power still flickered under his skin, making him glow faintly.
Xie Lian leaned forward, resting his arms on his knees.
"You're such a pain, you know that?" he muttered, eyes fixed on the unconscious prince. "Always acting like you're above everyone else. That damn cold face of yours — like you're carved from marble."
A small, bitter smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth.
"You get annoyed every time I talk to you. Every single time I flirt, you frown like I just offended your entire royal lineage. Tch." He looked down, hands tightening slightly.
"But I still do it. Over and over again."
There was no response — just the sound of Wei Zhan's soft breathing. Xie Lian's voice dropped.
"You never asked why I never got tired of annoying you. Or why I always followed you around like a shadow." He laughed once, quiet and dry. "Guess that brain of yours doesn't know how to process emotions, huh? You're smart in everything else, but when it comes to feelings… you're the dumbest person I've ever met."
He leaned forward slightly, voice quiet, gaze softening.
"…I didn't flirt with you because it was fun. I mean, yeah, sometimes it was — watching you get flustered or roll your eyes like the cold, grumpy prince you are."
He paused.
"But mostly, I did it because I care. More than I should've. I just hoped maybe, one day, you'd get it. That behind every teasing word, every stupid joke, I was just trying to say one thing: I've fallen for you, you idiot."
His voice trembled for the first time, just a little.
"But you never saw it. You kept pushing me away, like I was just a thorn in your royal side. And I... I guess I let you, because I was scared. Scared if I said it out loud, you'd really leave."
He leaned back, staring at the ceiling, then shook his head slowly.
"You always looked untouchable, Wei Zhan. So distant. So... perfect. But now look at you." His gaze dropped back to Wei Zhan's face — pale, serene, fragile in this moment. "Lying here like some broken god."
He reached out and touched his hand — not in a romantic way, but something gentler. Steadier. As if anchoring Wei Zhan to life itself.
"You're a prince, yeah. But you're still human. And seeing you like this… hurts."
Xie Lian closed his eyes.
"So I'll say it just this once. No jokes. No flirting. No games."
He leaned down, pressing his forehead gently against Wei Zhan's.
"Please come back. I don't need you to love me back. I just need you to live."
Then, with a trembling breath, he whispered:
"…But if you ever realize what I feel — even just a little — don't act like it's nothing. Because for me… it's everything."
The room fell quiet again. Only the spirit lantern flickered.
Xie Lian didn't move from his spot.
He would wait — hours, days, forever — for the one person who never knew how much he meant to him.
------