The bright sky—no, the white, luminescent cage—still loomed overhead, ever-present and hateful, chaining joy and sorrow alike within its glare. It pierced the land below, casting its unnatural light upon Xu'er, whose androgynous features had been shaped by guts and gore, framed now against the backdrop of that abomination.
From the jagged cracks of this persistent dome—an open wound in the heavens—a soft red light spilled, falling over his delicate, alabaster skin. Crimson gleamed there, blood and bile glistening. His sickly, tired eyes pierced through it all. To some, it might have been beautiful—like the last twilight rays before dusk, drawing in misery with quiet grace. Yet there was something else too: a strange gravity, an inexplicable pull beyond logic or sense.
The scrawny youth staggered, then collapsed to his knees on the weighted path, breath shallow.
"Shi... shit... not again. I'm fading..." Xu'er's wavering voice hung in the air, choked . As if constricted by the newly-formed script carved just above his collarbone, its grip snug against his throat.
His vision flickered. A sudden, familiar weightlessness overtook him.
Once again, Xu'er fell unconscious.
…
...
.....
"Wake the fuck up!"
A boisterous voice—familiar, unmistakable. Xu'er could never forget that voice. How could he?
"Ahhh fu—cough—cough..." He barely had time to register the sharp déjà vu slicing through him before a heavy thump landed square on his chest.
Xu'er flinched up from what had been a rare moment of peaceful sleep.
"Dan, what the hell?! Urrgh—it hurts! Can't you wake me up like a normal person for once?" He clutched his stomach, wheezing between hyena-like pants.
"And let you miss out on me finally becoming an Extractor? Hella no, Xu'er. Think about it, man—I can finally buy us all kinds of cool shit!"
"Sure... us. Yeah, totally."
"That's if you pass the national qualification exams. Any idea which clan you're aiming for?"
Dragging himself out of bed, Xu'er reached for his phone still resting on the wireless charger beside the nightstand.
"Dunno. Maybe the June clan or the Zxhyer? I mean, it's gotta be one of the Aves Houses. Birds of prey need sharp eyes, right? And—not to brag or anything—but I've got that in the bag, baby."
Dan was already halfway out the door of their cramped little room, throwing a sly smile and a wink over his shoulder like he hadn't just dropkicked Xu'er out of his peaceful slumber.
Xu'er stood, stretching stiff limbs, and made his way toward the washroom like he did every day. The wind outside rattled the windows, same as always. It was the usual—quiet, mundane. Familiar. And yet, something felt off. As if he'd just climbed out of a dream that had lasted too long. A heavy one. Something he couldn't quite put his finger on. An oddity clung to the edge of his mind like static.
The hallway to the bathroom was lined with ruby-red wallpaper, dark and glossy like old blood. For a moment, Xu'er could've sworn it pulsed—just once, subtle and slow, like a heartbeat. No... no, it was probably just his eyes still adjusting. He had just woken up, after all.
Like a machine, he began moving through his routine.
Brush the right side.
Then the left.
Gentle, circular motions—let the prickly bristles sweep across the enamel.
The top right.
The bottom.
The flat of the teeth.
The top left.
The bottom left.
Right, left—another sweep.
And finally, a quick gargle to wash away the paste now turned to foam and water.
Once done, he made his way downstairs. The small, quiet house greeted him like it always did: a cozy little home warmed by memory. Photos lined the walls—him, Dan, and Aunt Cheng Xiao, their smiles frozen in time. They looked like a happy family. And by all reasonable measures, they were.
"Owhh, you made it, slowpoke," Dan called out, his voice half-muffled by the scientifically blasphemous combination of whatever monstrosity he'd stuffed in his mouth this morning.
"Good morning, little Xu'er," Aunt Xiao chimed in, her voice gentle, the usual small smile tugging at her lips. "Sleep well? Or were you up late whispering sweet nothings to that special someone, hmm?"
"Oh please," Xu'er scoffed, slumping into his chair. "As if I could pull someone. You and I both know I prefer my life quiet. It's already a handful dealing with you, lady."
A small chuckle escaped Aunt Xiao's lips, her smile soft and knowing—the kind that said she was just happy to see him there.