City in the Sky — Yulan

I finally found someone.

It was Himari.

She was being held at gunpoint by...Meilin?

Meilin was standing behind Himari, with a red string held at her neck. She was whispering something to Himari that was inaudible to me. All I could see was Himari's confused, lovestruck face. I knew something was up.

I did not care that the being looked like Meilin. All I know is that she’s a threat to Himari.

The rumoured red string beast. A monster that was said to have a very high intellect. A love orb user in the past, who succumbed to corruption because her plan to escape with her lover had failed. Now the monster tortures and feasts on the bodies of young girls in love by tricking them with the illusions of their lovers.

Himari was tied up with the red string, blood dripping from her fingers. The beast loomed over her, like a puppeteer with their puppet.

“Ah, looks like I’ve been found.” The beast laid its bloodshot eyes on me. Her appearance resembled Meilin's, but she had the bloodlust of a monster. “Just another soul to feed on—”

I slashed the monster without a second thought, freeing an unconscious Himari.

The beast spluttered blood, its facade crumbling to dust. Behind the facade was a pale-faced monster. It was an eerie sight. The monster lacked its lower body and floated in the air disturbingly—nothing like the monsters I’ve seen before.

The monster once again landed strings around Himari, who had flinched. Rows and rows of monsters piled up behind their leader. With a distorted shriek, they all pounded on me. The number of monsters was beyond compare, nothing a regular soldier could withstand.

I could only defend.

My outfit was stained with monster blood. The sheer number of monsters swept away my sword. I could only use my fists to fight, as Himari gets carried further and further away.

A flash of light blinded me.

I could only see white.

I could still hear the screams and screeches of monsters. But I could not see.

I think I’ve felt this feeling before…

“Ms Yulan.” Himari’s face appeared in front of me, blocking the light.

“Himari.” Thoughts of the monsters were instantly blocked out. It was like I had been teleported to a different space. A golden sunset substituted the white light. The smell of monsters became the sweet scent of honey.

“I…just want to thank you for being a mother figure to me.” Himari blushed ever so slightly. “I’ve never had someone who cared so much for me. So, thank you.”

I shook my head, “Any mother would do the same. What about your own parents?”

“I grew up in an orphanage." She added a drip of honey to her tea. “I’ve never been told about my parents, and have no memory of them.”

“I’m sorry…”

“It’s quite all right!” Himari replied with a smile. It was then that I realised the smile was her facade. “I had a wonderful nurse take care of me when I was a child. That’s the only time I had been properly cared for. Soon after, I was brought to a foster family. However, I was treated like a servant by them, along with the other foster children. The family’s real children forced us to do horrid pranks on their parents. Putting mud in their food, leaving a knife on their shoes…Once I was caught tying a rope to one of the chairs, and they sent me back to the orphanage.”

That curve in her mouth never faded, but the light in her eyes did. Her gaze had darkened, leaving a hollow smile. “When I returned to the orphanage, my nurse was gone. I never saw her again. Then I craved attention, I craved care. I was a nuisance to the caretakers. They were eager to get rid of me. Soon, I was adopted by an elderly lady. She wasn’t a bad person, but she wasn’t exactly a mother figure to me either. I took care of her many pets, and she provided me with food and shelter in return. Things went on like that for years, until the elderly lady died. I was once again returned to the orphanage. By that time, I had accepted my fate.”

I stroked the poor girl’s back. “It’s okay. You’re here now. I promise to take care of you.”

A single tear trickled down Himari’s face. She wasn’t physically strong, but her emotional state is powerful. Despite everything she endured, she was still the sun of our party, shining forever for our sakes. “But isn’t it burdensome for you to take care of me? I can’t even protect myself.”

“No.” I sighed, “Of course not. I used to have two daughters. They were just slightly younger than you, and the sweetest ever. I loved taking care of them. I loved them very much. However…”

I looked at the withered flower in the flower vase. “I was unable to protect them. The guilt ate me alive. That’s why I swore to protect any child I come across. I can’t let another parent suffer like me. That was the only way I could find peace of mind.”

Himari looked so upset.

Fengxin’s face flashed in front of my eyes, with the same expression. Suddenly, it felt like I was watching the scene unfold from a distance.

I gasped. This is precisely what happened during the attack. I lost control and let my daughters die. Inside my mind, it’s playing this memory, but outside, I’m still fighting unconsciously.

I have to regain my control.

“Ms Yulan!” A loud shriek broke me out of my trance.

A pile of monsters lay dead around me. Himari. I need to get to Himari.

She was being hung by the leader of the monsters. She screamed and kicked, fighting for her life.

“Himari—” Ah.

A sudden pain ran through my body.

My hands are bloody…

Huh.

Something feels off.

I’m losing too much blood.

I looked down at my body and noticed my sword was pierced through my body.

So that’s why it hurts…ugh…

Typically, the wrong method would be taking the sword out of your body after being stabbed—I extracted the bloody sword from my stomach—but this is the only way I can fight…till the end.

I won’t make the same mistakes again. I won't let another monster take my daughter's life!

The desire to protect surged through my body, providing me with the energy to move forward.

Swish—

With one powerful slash, I sliced off the monster’s head. “Have mercy!” The beast shrieked as its body dissolved.

Urgh…

Feeling a sharp pain in my stomach, I fell to my knees. The sword fell with a loud clang.

“Ms Yulan! You’re bleeding!” Himari looked so worried. Usually, I’d be the one fretting over her, but right now, I didn’t have the energy.

I didn’t want the end to come to this…

I can’t die…

I clutched my stomach as blood poured out endlessly. Cough. Blood spluttered out of my mouth.

I could only think of my daughters…

After finally being able to heal, is this how I meet my end? But I haven’t returned to meet Foster. I won’t be able to go back to see my sister. I can’t meet Emile again. After I’d promised him I would…I won’t be able to protect Meilin and Himari on their journey…

“Ms Yulan!” Himari’s voice was muffled. “Ms Yulan! Please wake up!” Tears streamed down her face. “Ms Yulan…you’re the only one I consider my mother. So please.”

Her mother…huh.

“Are you okay, Himari?” I mumbled weakly.

“How can you even worry about me when you’re in such a state?” Himari wailed, gripping her fists in despair. “Please don’t worry about me, Ms Yulan! You have to worry for yourself first!”

“Then you’re okay.” I smiled. “I’m glad.”

“I’m not glad! You can’t die yet! After this journey, you have to adopt me from the orphanage…so Ms Yulan, please live!”

My mouth parted in shock. Then tears began running down my face as well.

“No.” I held Himari’s hands in mine. “You live for me, Himari.” I won’t be able to make it. Sure, I have regrets. There are certainly more things I would like to do before I go. Yes, I am afraid of death. But if I were given another chance to save my daughters, I would’ve done what I am doing now. I would trade my own life for theirs. As long as Himari lives, I can have my last moments in peace.

“Himari. After this journey, please return to Fuhuashi for me. Tell my sister about my death, and Foster, from Becher. As well as Emile from Fleuve.” I can’t have them waiting for me forever. I took off the hairpin I got as a reward from the Queen, and placed it in Himari’s hands. “You all have taught me how to move on after my daughters’ deaths. So I thank you. You’d have to do the same. Don’t linger on my death for too long…live a long and happy life, Himari.”

“You say that as if you’re going to die…” Himari desperately tried to fix up my wound as she wept. But it was futile. I could almost see my daughters greeting me in heaven.

“Goodbye, Himari.”

I breathed out a sigh of relief and relaxed my body. My soul escaped my eyes as they shut tight.

A painful wail of despair rang out loud, and that was the last sound I heard.

I'm sorry, Himari. I'll adopt you in another life...if there is such a thing.

I arrived at a place that most people call ‘heaven’.

“Linhua, Fengxin!” I embraced the young girls bouncing towards me.

“Mom, your hair is all silver! Where is your brown hair! Don’t tell me the monsters ate it!” My younger daughter grumbled and stomped her feet.

“Fengxin, it’s an unladylike thing to do.” My eldest daughter, Linhua, consoled her sister sternly. “Mother, it’s been a while since we saw you. Welcome back.”

“And I’ve been hoping you’d come a bit later, Yulan.”

“Yongxin!” I called out in surprise. Behind me was my husband, who strode towards me with his hand outstretched.

“I can’t believe you barely thought about me, even after death! My mind was on you all the time, yet you only cared for our little girls!” He said teasingly, just like the old times.

“Papa, I’m sure Mom thought of you, too!” Fengxin tugged on my other hand.

“Are you going to bring me to heaven?” I whispered the question that had been lingering in my heart. I did kill a lot of monsters…

“Of course. You’re a mother who loved her daughters dearly, who could be more qualified for a spot in heaven?” Yongxin strode forward, and it was then that I noticed the wings on their back.

They’re angels sent here to take me to heaven.

“Now, shall we go to the real city of the sky?”

I’m going to the place the emperor had always wanted to reach.

The nation in the skies.

Heaven.