Qian and I set forth in silence. I could feel the weight of innumerable gazes pressing upon us, upon him, rather. For me, such attention was unfamiliar; no one had ever dared to look at me for long. Their eyes would either falter and fall to my feet or avoid me altogether, as though I were something unworthy of notice.
One after another, people approached, bowing deeply to Qian, offering him reverence while sparing me nothing more than a fleeting glance before departing. I turned my eyes toward him, yet he remained utterly indifferent, his stride unbroken. Gradually, my own gaze sank, until all I could see were my feet tracing the dust-laden ground.
Sensing my unease, Qian spoke, his voice calm yet perceptive.
"What troubles you?"
When I gave no reply, he halted, following the direction of my lowered gaze before letting out a faint scoff.
"Not one for crowds, I see."
Without waiting, he seized my hand and broke into a swift run toward a narrow alley. A murmur rippled through the crowd, and within moments, footsteps thundered behind us in pursuit.
Qian moved as though the world itself were his terrain. He scaled walls and rooftops with effortless precision, as if such feats were no more than habit. I had no choice but to follow, clinging to his trail with every ounce of strength I possessed. Even amidst the chase, he found leisure to speak.
"Impressive, boy. You manage to keep pace."
His speed only increased.
I pushed myself further, forcing my legs to match his relentless rhythm. Just as I found my momentum, Qian came to an abrupt halt. Before I could react, he leapt downward, pulling me along with him.
"We've arrived."
Arrived? It felt as though we had plunged into the very earth itself. No,this was no simple descent. We were still falling.
How deep was this abyss?
When at last we struck the ground, the force should have shattered bone and breath alike. Yet somehow, impossibly, we landed without harm.
The place we entered appeared desolate, unfit even to shelter a stray child. What madness is this? I wondered. Qian did not spare me a glance as he continued onward, compelling me to follow.
Gradually, a faint glow emerged, spreading through the darkness as we ventured deeper. The dimness gave way to light, and the light to brilliance, until it felt as though the sun itself hovered above us.
A ball rolled to my feet.
A small boy ran after it, laughter trailing in his wake and in that instant, the world unveiled itself fully.
Children, countless children, all of my age, filled the vast expanse.
Waterfalls cascaded in silver streams, weaving through lush greenery.
Flowers bloomed in vibrant profusion, their fragrance carried upon a gentle breeze.
Elegant structures rose amidst it all, their beauty rivaling the heavens.
The children played freely, their joy unrestrained, while the adults moved about in garments of exquisite refinement.
It was a world torn from the pages of the books I once cherished… before Master consigned them to ash.
Qian's voice drew me back.
"Follow."
He led me into a chamber lined with shelves upon shelves of books. At its center stood a finely crafted wooden table, polished to a soft sheen. The room exuded a quiet warmth, comforting, almost unreal.
Is this… heaven?
Did I perish in that fall?
I turned to Qian, disbelief etched into my very being. He merely selected several volumes from the shelves and placed them upon the table.
At the doorway, he paused.
"Read them all," he said, his tone leaving no room for defiance.
"Fail, and you will never leave this room."
The door closed behind him with a quiet finality, leaving me alone amidst silence and mystery.
Slowly, I approached the table.
And looked upon the books.
The words written on both the books infront of me ,
"Life" which failed to grab my attention but the other "Death".
My eyes stopped searching for other things as my hand went to grab it.