A white haired, crimson eyed, dark elto girl stared in front of her at a black haired and browned eyed human girl. The dark elto smiled as she watched the little girl skillfully write out human characters on a piece of white paper.The little girl let out a big smile as she sprung up from her seat and ran outside the room with the piece of paper. The dark elto followed behind the little girl as she ran through the hallways.

When the girl reached an entrance with two vicious looking guards, she paused and bowed. The guards didn’t acknowledge her existence as they kept their gaze in front of them. The little girl paid it no mind as she walked through the entrance and into a room. In the room a man with a stone expression sat behind a desk with piles of paper stacked up on either side of him. The girl smiled when she saw the man and ran up to him.

“Father, please take a look at my characters.” The little girl said as she held up the paper in her hand.

“Go away Hu Die. I am busy.” The man said without even glancing towards the little girl.

“Please father! Just one look!” Hu Die pleaded as she shaked the papers up in the air. The man slammed his hand down on the desk and all the papers around shook.

“I said go away!” The man roared. The little girl trembled in fear.

“I’m s-s-sorry.” Hu Die said as she held back tears. She bowed to the man and then quickly left his premises. The man glared at the little girl before sitting back down in his desk.

When the Hu Die reached her room, she closed the door before falling to the ground. Only then did the tears she had been holding back slide down her face. She buried her head into her knees as she tried not to make any noises to reveal her sadness. Tears streamed down the dark elto’s soft, pale cheeks as she looked at the little girl. She wanted to hug the little girl, to comfort her, but she knew she couldn’t for the little girl couldn’t even see her. She knew that she was just a spectator of something from the past.

After a moment Hu Die finally put her head up with a determined look in her eyes. She got up and sat down behind her desk and started to prepare the ink stone.

“One more time… I will make it perfect this time… father will definitely look at it this time…” She mumbled as she started to write new characters on a blank piece of paper.

“Don’t do it… don’t go again…” The dark elto said as she looked down at the ground with painful eyes.

When Hu Die was done she got up from her seat and took off with a smile again. The dark elto followed behind her with a solemn expression on her face. Hu Die reached the entranceway again in no time and bowed again towards the soldier. The soldier again, paid no attention to her. Hu Die was about to walk in until she heard her father’s laughter. She looked up in front of her to see her father carrying another little girl in his hands. This little girl had short black hair and dark brown eyes.

“Of course, you are my daughter. At this age you are already doing a good job writing characters. Haha!” Her father smiled as he patted the little girl in his arms. The girl smiled back at her father.

“Then father, will you get me the hairpin I wanted for doing a good job?” The little girl asked with big puppy eyes.

“Of course! Haha!” Hu Die’s father laughed. Seeing this scene, Hu Die felt as if she couldn’t interfere and slowly backed out of the entrance way. She slowly started to walk back to her room. She turned around and casted another glance behind her. She saw her younger half-sister stepped out and the two guards bowed their heads at her.

“Goodbye lady Yue Liang.” Both the guards said in unison. The little girl smiled before skipping away, back to her room. Hu Die’s vision started to get blurry as she turned around and started to run towards her room again.

The dark elto didn’t follow the girl this time as she stood where she was a couple feet away from the entrance of the room. She looked at the ground and tightly grabbed onto the sides of her robes.

“I told not go…” The dark elto mumbled. She closed her eyes as and let out a sigh. When she reopened she had noticed the the scenery around her had changed from a warm summer day to a cold winter night. ‘This place… no…’ The dark elto’s eyes widened as she turned on her heel and ran back towards the entrance way. When she reached the room she saw an older version of the girl kneeling in front of her father.

“Apologize.” Hu Die’s father coldly hissed with a deep voice.

“I have nothing to apologize for.” Hu Die said as she kept her eyes on the ground. Her father squinted at Hu Die as he balled his fist.

“If you apologize now to your sister and accept your punishment, then I will still forgive you.” Her father threatened.

“I have nothing to apologize for. I did nothing wrong.”

“You ruined Yue Liang’s birthday party and you dare say you did nothing wrong?!” Her father yelled. Hu Die looked up and looked into her father’s eyes.

“She started it. She insulted my mother! She said my mother was a whore! If protecting my mother’s honor is wrong, then why don’t you kill me right here father?!” Hu Die yelled back. Hu Die’s father glared back at Hu Die.

“Apologize. It’s the last time I’m asking.”

“No. I refused to. Why do I have to apologize if she doesn’t?” Hu Die held back tears that threatened to fall. Her father looked down at her before turning around. A long time passed as Hu Die looked at his broad back.

“For thirteen years, I fed and clothed you. Today, all that will stop. From now on, I am not your father, and you are not my daughter. Get out of my house.” He finally said. Hu Die’s eyes widened as shook her head.

“Fa-father! Why are you doing this? I will apologize. Please don’t kick me out. I have nowhere to go!” She cried out.

“Guards!” Her father’s voice echoed into the halls. Two guards walked into the room.

“Yes master?” One asked.

“Drag this wench off my property and make sure she never steps inside again.” Her father ordered.

“Yes master!” The two guards answered in unison as they lowered their head. They then bent down and each of them wrapped their arms around Hu Die’s arms.

“Father! Please don’t do this! Father! I will apologize! Please father! I will apologize!” Tears ran down Hu Die’s face as she struggled to get out of the guards grasps. The guards quickly picked her off the ground and started to drag her away. The dark elto glared at Hu Die’s father.

“You wretched bastard.” She cursed under her breath before turning around and running after Hu Die. She caught up with Hu Die as they dragged her towards the gate.

“Let me go! Let me go!” She screamed as she tried to shake them off. The guards didn’t even react to her retaliation as they threw her out and then slammed the gates in her face. She quickly got back on her feet and started banging on the door. “Let me in! Let me in!” Her breath could be seen in the air as she began to shiver from the harsh cold. “Let… me… in…” She slowly fell down to her knees in the freezing snow. “Mom…” She mumbled as she brought her knees to her face and wrapped her arms around them. Tears also fell down the dark elto’s face as she stood there in the cold, watching the human girl cry herself to sleep.

Yu Lin opened her eyes. At first the image before her was blurry, however as she blinked the image became clearer and clearer until she saw a man’s face. The man had tanned skin, dark brown eyes and black hair, with stubs of unshaven hair on his chin. When the man saw that Yu Lin’s eyes were open he quickly backed away.

“It worked Hong Hu. She should be fine now.” The man said. Chief Chu’s worried face suddenly appeared in Yu Lin’s vision. He looked as if he grew fifty years older as the wrinkles on his forehead looked more dominant now.

“Yu Lin! Do you feel alright?” Chief Chu asked. Yu Lin’s mind was still fuzzy and her eyelids felt too heavy for her. ‘What is going on?’ She thought before the weight of her eyes shut themselves closed. “Yu Lin! What is going on?” Chief Chu’s voice sounded far away and muffled.

“Don’t worry too much Hong Hu. She’s probably just tired. We should let her rest more.” The man replied.

“Are you sure?”

“I am. Just let her sleep.” The man reassured Chief Chu. ‘That’s right… I should sleep…’ Yu Lin thought and her mind drifted off.

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The dark elto laid her back on the wall as she watched the scene in front of her. Hu Die, who standing in front of her, was now a young woman. Standing across from Hu Die was her father, who looked now looked a little older. They stood in the guest room of the Li Clan’s home with tension in between them. Hu Die looked up nervously at her father.

“Father… please give us your blessings.” Hu Die softly said. Hu Die’s father raised an eyebrow as anger could be seen in his eyes.

“What? Give you two my blessings?” He said through clenched teeth. Hu Die chin trembled as she swallowed hard as she saw her father’s expression. “You wench!” Her father yelled before bringing his arm up and slapping Hu Die across the face. Hu Die grimaced as she touched her now swollen red cheek. She touched something wet and warm and drew her hand back to see blood. Her plump pink lips were now torn at a corner. “How dare you ask me for my blessings when you stole your sister’s fiance?” Hu Die’s father hissed.

“Father… please… we love each other.” Hu Die pleaded as tears started streaming down her face. “I have never requested anything from you father… please… give us your blessings, and break the engagement off. I will listen to anything you say so please, do this!” Hu Die begged.

“No. You…” Her father thought for a moment. “If you decide to end things with him, and let him marry your sister then I will consider you part of my family again. I will let you come back.” Hu Die looked at her father with conflict in her eyes. She then dropped down to her knees as brought her hands together.

“Please... don’t do this... to me father. Please! I beg of you. I… I really love him… I need him…” Hu Die said through sniffles.

“You need him more than your family?” His tone was a sharp sword drawn to her neck. Hu Die swallowed hard before nodding her head.

“Yes.” She answered, her whole body shaking from fear. Her father let out an angry sigh.

“You… when I kicked you out six years ago, I wanted you to become a better person… but now I realize that my choice back then wasn’t wrong... you are just like your mother… you’re a whore just like your mother!” He hissed. Hu Die stopped shaking when she heard this and she slowly picked herself up from the ground. She looked up with fury in her eyes. She locked her gaze with her father’s as she balled her fists.

“In my life there have been only been four people who have shown me what love truly means. In my life there have been only four people who have shown me what family truly means. Those four people are uncle, Ju Hua, Qi Long, and... my mother. To hear you say that about my mother… it’s worse than getting cut with a sword. To hear you say those words about my mother… I realized… that you were right all along. Thank you for disowning me all these years. Thank you for not acknowledging me as your daughter. Thank you for allowing me ...to do the same as you.” Hu Die wiped the tears off her face as she glared at her father. “From this day onwards, we have no relationship. My father is not Li Zhang Shi. I was an orphan from the day my mother died, and I will be one until I die. Sorry sir Li for taking up your precious time. I will be leaving now, and I will never come back. Never.” Hu Die turned around and started walking out, however paused by the door. “I almost forgot, happy birthday sir Li. I hope you continue to live a long, and happy life.” Hu Die’s words were devoid of any emotions as she then continued to walk out of the her father’s home.

“Happy birthday…” The dark elto repeated as she stared at Hu Die’s back as it got smaller and smaller.

Yu Lin heard someone humming a lively tune. She opened her eyes to see the familiar ceiling in front of her. She turned her head to see a man writing something down on paper. The man’s head shaked side to side as he continued to hum.

“Lalala.” The man sung as he continued to move the brush up and down. “Ah-aa-ah!” The man looked up as he started vocalizing by himself. “Lalal-” His voice stopped when he saw Yu Lin staring at him. “You’re up?” The man got up from where he was sitting and rushed over to Yu Lin. The man placed his head on Yu Lin’s forehead. “Hmm… it seems to have gone down.” He muttered and then smiled at Yu Lin. ‘Who is this man?’ Yu Lin thought and her eyelids began to feel heavy again as she closed them. “Ah, and there she goes again.” The man chuckled as sleep took over Yu Lin once again.

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“Lady Hu Die!” A male healer ran into the room. The dark elto and Hu Die looked up from where they were sitting. Hu Die was now much older from the aura she gave off, however her face looked as youthful as ever.

“What’s wrong?” Hu Die asked as she set down her brush.

“It’s trouble… general Li… general Li Zhang Shi… is heavily injured… they need your help…” The healer said panting. Hu Die’s eyes turned cold and she picked her paintbrush back up. The healer frowned, confused.

“Lady H-”

“Go get another healer. I am busy.” Hu Die nonchalantly said as she continued writing where she left off.

“Lady Hu Die! It’s a black situation! A black one!” The healer argued. Hu Die ignored him as she moved her brush up and down creating strokes for characters. “Lady Hu Die! It’s the emperor’s order! Please go!” The healer cried.

“That’s why I’m telling you to go get another healer.” Hu Die said. The dark elto looked at Hu Die’s face and smile broke out on her face.

“Stubborn wretch.” She muttered before sitting back in her chair.

“Lady Hu Die!” The healer cried, however soon gave up when he saw Hu Die was not going to budge from where she was sitting

A few moments later Hu Die heard footsteps approaching the room again. She sighed as she set down her paintbrush.

“I already told you to go ge-” Her eyes trailed up and she saw a man wearing a black robe with golden engravings. When her eyes met his purple one she immediately sprung up from her seat and bowed her head. “I’m sorry your majesty. I didn’t realize it was you.” She quickly apologized. The emperor walked up closer to Hu Die, narrowing his eyes at her.

“Why are you still here?” He asked. Hu Die didn’t answer as she kept her head down. “I said, why are you still here?!” The emperor raised the volume of his voice.

“Excuse me your majesty, but I believe my skills are too insufficient to help a great general such as general Li, so I must ask of you to request another healer. Please excuse my rude behavior.”

“What? You are the best healer in Sky Continent! What do you mean you mean you believe your skills are insufficient?!” The emperor yelled. Hu Die only lowered her head.

“I’m sorry your majesty.” Hu Die replied. There was a moment of silence as tension filled the air between the emperor and Hu Die.

“If you don’t help him, I will forbid you from healing anyone ever again!” The emperor threatened. Hu Die was silent for a moment before letting out a deep breath.

“I’m sorry your majesty.” She said again. The emperor let out a frustrated sigh as he looked at Hu Die. Hu Die was wondering what to do next when she suddenly saw the emperor on his knees in front of her. “Your majesty!” She yelled as she bent down to pull him up. “Please get up. You should not be doing this.”

“Teacher, please help me.” The emperor sounded desperate.

“Please do not call me that your majesty. My job as your teacher ended when you become the emperor, please, get up.”

“Save him. He is one of the best generals I have.” The emperor begged. Hu Die frowned before falling to her knees, and touching her forehead to the ground.

“He may one of the best generals you have, but he is already dead to me. How can I save a dead person your majesty? How can I revive the dead?” Hu Die’s voice was empty. The dark elto also looked away from the scene.

“Teacher, please, I beg you.” The emperor grabbed Hu Die’s shoulders and pulled her up. Hu Die looked and saw the conflicted expression on the emperor’s face. She had always thought of the emperor as her son, and seeing him make that expression she felt conflicted inside.

“Your majesty… that person… that person killed me. That person teared me to shreds and left me to die. That person abandoned me. Twenty one years had already passed since I last saw him. If I saw him now, I may want to kill him instead of heal him… are you still going to trust that person’s health with someone like me?” Hu Die’s eyes reflected the honesty in her words. The emperor looked at her and nodded his head.

“I trust you. No matter what happens, I trust you, teacher.” The emperor gave her back the eyes she gave him. Hu Die thought about it for a moment before nodding her head.

“I understand… if you really trust me, I will obey your orders… but I have a request.”

“Request?”

“Yes. If I manage to help him, please do not ever tell him that I was the one who healed him.”

“Why?”

“I… I don’t want that man to think that I am doing this because I hold any feelings left for him… I’m only doing this because you asked.” Hu Die firmly said. The emperor looked at her and nodded.

“Alright, I understand. Let’s go then.” The emperor pulled her up and the two left for the palace. The dark elto followed not far from behind them.

---

Hu Die stared blankly at the old man she just healed. It was a long process spanning up to four hours for the man was old, and the injuries inflicted were harsh. She sat down next to him and felt his pulse. Four hours earlier it was a weak one, but now it was steady. She stared at the multiple scars on his muscular chest. Old ones that were constantly replaced with new ones. She stared at his once thick black hair that was now thin and white. She stared at the increasing wrinkles on his face and his chapped lips. She stared at them.

“Everyone, get out.” She commanded. The healers, and servants in the room looked up at her with worried eyes.

“Lady, we a-”

“I won’t do anything to harm him, so please, get out.” All the healers and servants glanced at each other nervously before nodding and exiting the room. The dark elto watched Hu Die from the side of the bed with deep eyes. She watched as Hu Die grabbed the old man’s hand with her right hand, and started stroking the man’s forehead with her left.

“It’s already been twenty one years… father.” Held in tears starting running out of Hu Die’s eyes as she whimpered. Tears also started falling down the dark elto’s face as she stared at the scene. “I have two sons… you have two grandsons… father… I… hated you. I hated you so much. I hated that you kicked me out. I hated that you loved Yue Liang more than me. I hated that you didn’t give us your blessings… I hated that you never came all these years and begged for my forgiveness… I… I… I hated myself, who hated you. I hated myself for finding out that you were the one… who save Qi Long… who saved our son… that you almost died doing so... I hated myself for seeing you at mother’s grave… crying… begging for forgiveness… saying that you’ve been wrong… all these years… that I’m better off without you… that I don’t miss you… that I don’t think of you… how could you… how could you even think that?” Hu Die pulled her hands up to wipe her tears away. She then stood up from her seat. “Live. Live and begged for my forgiveness. Say you’re sorry. Say you miss me. Say you love me. Then, I will… I will forgive you… we’re both getting older… we don’t have time, so don’t die until you repent for your sins. I… will be waiting. I will be waiting… father.” Hu Die turned around and walked out of the doors.

“Lady Hu Die.” A muffled voice said from outside the doors.

“What is it?” Hu Die’s muffled voice asked.

“Lan Hei Kong is asking you to meet him at the lake tomorrow.”

“Is that so? Alright, tell him I will be there first thing tomorrow morning.” Hu Die said before her steps echoed off somewhere else.

The dark elto stood there, wiping her tears away as she stared down at the old man. That’s when she notice the old man’s mouth moving. That’s when she noticed a trail of tear sliding down the side of his face. The dark elto walked up and leaned her ear next to his mouth.

“I’m sorry… I’m sorry…” The old man’s hoarse voice was barely audible. The dark elto’s eyes widened as she slowly backed away from the old man and started crying out loud. Screaming in pain as she buried her head into her knees.

“... and the princess lived happily ever after with her family.” Yu Lin heard a low voice say. She opened her eyes to see her father sitting next to her with a book out in front of him. Her father closed the book and set it aside as he stood up. He let out a worried sigh as he looked over Yu Lin. When he saw that Yu Lin’s eyes were open he gasped. “Yu Lin!” He cheerfully said with a smile on his face.

“Fa...ther…” Yu Lin’s croaked out barely audible. Her throat was dry and her body felt as if it had lost all of its muscles.

“Wait a moment!” Chou ran out of the room as fast as lightning with his short stubby legs. Yu Lin frowned before she tried getting up.

“Augh!” She groaned as she felt pain in her abdomen.

“Wa-ta-ta-ta!” A voice called out. “Don’t try to get up yet!” Yu Lin turned her head to see a tanned man with raggedy clothing, and his hair in a low pony tail.

“Who… are… you?” Yu Lin hoarse voice croaked out. The man placed his hand on her forehead and nodded before grabbing her wrist.

“I am a physician.” The man replied as he nodded after feeling her pulse and then proceeded to pull the bottom part of Yu Lin’s eye down. He then nodded before smiling and patting Yu Lin’s head. “How are you feeling little girl?”

“Thir… sty… and weak…” Yu Lin replied.

“Haha! Is that so? Don’t worry. I’m here so everything will be alright.” The man gave Yu Lin a reassuring smile before turning his head away. “Mr. Du, can you please fetch some water, porridge, and medicine from the kitchen? Tang Tang will be able to help you there.”

“Of course.” Chou said before running out of the room. The smile disappeared of the man’s face as he wrapped his finger around Yu Lin’s neck.

“Who are you?” The man whispered as he looked into Yu Lin’s ruby eyes. Yu Lin raised an eyebrow as she stared at him confused, her mind still fuzzy as she thought the man was still checking her vitals.

“I am… Du Yu Lin… I am… four years old… I am… a dark elto…” Yu Lin replied. As she was a healer in her previous life, she knew how hard it was for doctors and healers to diagnose their patients sometimes when they didn’t know enough information about them. So she tried to give as much information as she can about herself to him. The man’s eyebrows went up before he laughed and moved his hand.

“I’m sorry. Precautions.” He said.

“Pre… cautions?”

“Nothing to worry about. By the way, later when you meet Hon- I mean Chief Chu, remember to thank him. You were burning up so bad you were basically a human torch. His arms got burnt pretty bad carrying you inside of here so be thankful. Understand?” The man patted her head again. Yu Lin’s eyebrows went downwards as she thought about all the troubles she had caused.

“Under… stood.” She replied.

“Good girl.” The man smiled.

After the man spoonfed Yu Lin some porridge, water, and medicine he left. Yu Lin let out a sigh after he left as his spirits were too high and she couldn’t handle him anymore. Yu Lin smiled when she saw Chou sit down next to her and put his hand on her forehead. Chou smiled sweetly down at his daughter. If someone else saw this they would think he was planning to eat her by the expression he gave off, however Yu Lin knew this smile and she smiled back at him.

“Get better my daughter. After you get better, father will build a house just for you!” Chou cheerfully said.

“Un.” Yu Lin nodded her head. Chou smiled again before standing up.

“Anyways, father have to go help out with the construction so you get some rest alright?” He said as he turned to leave. Yu Lin frowned as she reached her hand out and pulled on the back of his robes. Chou’s eyebrows went up before he turned around. “What is it?” He asked as he sat back down.

“Can you go after I fall asleep papa?” Yu Lin asked, her eyes big and round. Chou smiled and nodded his head.

“Of course! Anything for my daughter! Should I tell you a bedtime story then?” Chou asked. Yu Lin nodded her head and Chou started to tell her the story about a princess and a knight. Yu Lin smiled as she began to close her eyes. ‘It’s alright. I am not Li Hu Die right now. I am Du Yu Lin. I have parents who love me, and no one can take that away from me. No one.’ She thought before falling back into a deep sleep.

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Yun Hua stumbled into a dark cave with blood leaking out of her mouth as half her face now looked like it was eaten away by acid. A small candle was the only source of light in the dark cave as it sat in front of a male dark elf. The dark elf was sitting crossed legged on top of a rock with his eyes closed, topless, with his long white hair sitting on his shoulders.

“Master.” Yun Hua begged. “Master, please save me.” The dark elf opened his eyes to reveal two blue circles as he turned to look at Yun Hua.

“A failure? I have no room for a failure.” The dark elf turned his head back and closed his eyes.

“But master… I found her… I found Yo Mei.” Yun Hua fell to her knees by the rock. The dark elf opened his eyes and looked at her with suspicion on his face as he grasped for her chin.

“Is this true?”

“Yes master. I would never lie to you, master.” Yun Hua looked into blue eyes and she blushed as lust filled her eyes. The dark elf smiled.

“Then, come here.” The dark elf said as he pulled Yun Hua closer to him. His lips planted themselves onto hers, and he slipped his other hand into her robes. Yun Hua let out a moan as she closed her eyes, and wrapped her arms around him. Yun Hua’s disfigured face, and melted hand suddenly started to come back as if they were never gone. The orange bead inside her body started moving up from her chi center to her mouth.

The man kept his eyes open and as he looked at Yun Hua he imagined a black haired and golden eyed woman before him. ‘Yo Mei… my Yo Mei…’ He thought as his eyes curved into a malicious smile.

Author's note: Just wanted to say... I cried a lot while writing this chapter... like a lot... got too emotionally involved with my fictional character... so please excuse and tell me if you see any mistakes. Thanks for reading! :)