4.16 What kind of love was this?

They didn't know the right way out of the cave channel. But once Shu XinYi was able to walk properly, they decided to leave the main cave to find a way out. "How did you know about Shira's origin story?" Shu XinYi asked, he had much more questions but he tried to remain calm. Right now they were navigating through the cave channel, going south.

Xuval silently clenched his fist, but he was calm as he said "I knew Shira. You can say we shared a fate 1000s of years ago. Before I came to Sivaal, I didn't know she was still alive. In the end it was only me who could stop her. If this wasn't the end for her, she would've ended Sivaal sooner or later. Then she would've gone even crazier and-" Xuval softly sighed, he wanted to say it's all over now. He felt Shu XinYi softly hold his hands.

Shu XinYi said in his soothing voice "You don't have to justify yourself to anyone. I understand. As for those who don't, they don't matter."

Xuval knew that Shu XinYi was comforting him but it was not Shira's death that troubled him. Although he didn't expect Shira to so easily kill herself and give up on her creation, it was an inevitable end. Xuval said "I didn't want to hurt you. I have been so useless to you. I thought I would be strong enough to take Shira's place, then you could've done what you wanted to do without worrying. But... because of me.. you now.. like this."

Shu XinYi couldn't understand Xuval's words for a good minute. Only after a minute of contemplating did he show a rare expression of anger towards Xuval saying "So you were planning to hold up the planet on your own? Then what? What about me?"

Xuval was actually scared right now, as he softly replied "I wanted to be of help. Shira would only create more problems for you, she wanted to use you to hold up for her. You don't know how manipulative she can be. You can do what you want without Shira trying to stop you. I just .. I wanted to be useful for once."

Shu XinYi tried to remain calm, he never wanted to be angry at the man in front of him. But in the end he had to say it "What if you died? Do you even think before risking your life like this? Why are you so f*cking eager to leave me behind? Are you trying to pay me back for loving you by becoming my stepping stone? Have you reduced our relationship to such a pathetic state of give and take? Have I ever asked you for anything other then your love and trust? HAVE I? I swear to God, If you even think of leaving me and go dying alone ... I will leave you. For good."

After saying this Shu XinYi loosened his grip on Xuval's hands and walked away. He only looked back to add on to his words "For once think, how it would feel if I left you behind and went to die alone. Don't worry, I will heartlessly tell you that it was for you that I died." Shu XinYi's voice had started to break at this point as he softly said "I love you Xuval. If your love for me is such that you constantly feel like you owe me something, then don't love me. My love is not a debt Xuval. Don't talk to me. Go back to Mira and see that your kind is safe."

Shu XinYi then walked away without looking back. He really was angry. What kind of love is this? It really was a great help that Shira was dealt with. But Shu XinYi was still disturbed at the thought of seeing Xuval so easily give himself up for something so trivial. Is Xuval's love too weak or too strong for him to even die for Shu XinYi, leaving him behind without a thought. Shu XinYi was weak to all these thoughts. He never doubted his amnesiac husband, but today he really was angry at him.

Shu XinYi knew that Xuval wasn't following him so he headed forward to find a way around the cave channels. Shu XinYi didn't want to find a way out. He wanted to find the cave mine. Shu XinYi had already seen through Snow, that Luxin had reached that mine. Not only was the mine giving him exceptional spritual powers. But because of some reason the mine affected only Luxin. In the original All the species present were powered my the mine, but since Shira is dead, somethings have changed.

Shu XinYi also felt his spritual veins weaken, as the time went by. It could only mean that the mine no longer served as a power supplier. Except, for Luxin of course. It was not difficult to navigate through the caves, since Shu XinYi could still feel the energy of the mine. Although he did face dead ends and several traps, Shu XinYi was very focused as he passed through all of them without any difficulty.

The cave was like any regular cave but it was difficult to find for normal humans, or even beasts. Shu XinYi found a way to enter and sure enough, Luxin was sitting in a meditative pose in the center of the cave. There was barely any light except for the faint blue glow, Luxin's body gave of.

Shu XinYi didn't wait as he created pure fire around Luxin to distract him. Once Luxin woke up, he looked up at Shu XinYi with an expression very familiar to Shu XinYi. Shu XinYi had the same look on his face when he knew exactly what was going on, and everything was going according to his plan.

Shu XinYi quickly covered himself with blue form, ready for anything.

Luxin smiled as he said dramatically, as he stood up, "You really are intresting. I was waiting for you. You have moon forms, yet you still urged for me to give you my hand." Luxin said showing off his newly recovered right hand. He continued "Why? To take revenge for Xuval? It makes sense. But why did you find yourself even remotely worthy of liking Xuval? Is that all you omega bit*hes can do? Offer your ass to the strongest? Now look, he left you behind to die with me."

Shu XinYi's expression had a very subtle change as he thought, it was me who left him. Shu XinYi was angry at Xuval, but he hadn't lost his touch with reality. He had already planned what he would do with Luxin. After all Luxin did try to kill Xuval, Shu XinYi won't just let him get away.

Luxin missed this expression, and continued to say "I have to kill you. Maybe I could've left you alive. Maybe."

Although Shu XinYi was vigilant, he couldn't defend himself against the thick vine like ropes that bounded his entire body. Shu XinYi didn't know he could make ropes using the silver form, technically they too were made out of fibre. Shu XinYi remained calm as his body was lifted in the air. Right now Luxin was more powerful than him. It wouldn't be beneficial fighting with brute force.

Luxin walked forward to the totally bound Sceptor and said with some mirth, "I am thinking... how should I kill you? or.. Should I keep you as a slave? Don't worry though, I am an omega too and I don't have kinks like that. I can just offer you to the beast and-"

Shu XinYi obviously knew what he wanted to do so he interjected in a nonchalant tone "I am sterile."

Luxin made a disappointed face and said "Tch.. I'll just have to kill you then."

Shu XinYi said in a curious tone ignoring the flames, Luxin had birthed on his body, "I didn't know you could make ropes from the white form. Isn't it interesting, how we have been living with our forms for a long while yet we don't come even remotely close to understanding them."

Luxin chuckled as he said "Are you making conversation? No matter, go on. I'll lend a ear for your last words. The blue form won't protect you forever."

Shu XinYi said in his unchanging calm tone, like the one burning under pure fire wasn't him, "Obviously, that doesn't matter to me in any way. I am not using the blue form at all right now."

Luxin wanted to laugh at Sceptor's failed attempt to decieve him. But he couldn't laugh anymore with what he saw using the purple form. Sceptor actually didn't have even the shadow of blue form around him. Luxin said in pure disbelief "Then how?"

Shu XinYi smiled saying with a wink "Offered my ass to the strongest."

Luxin increased the intensity of the fire saying "What the hell does that mean?"

Sceptor softly chuckled as he said "You don't know a lot about your forms do you? I have Xuval's blood running through my veins, No fire can't harm me. Unless both hell fire and pure fir-" Sceptor shut his mouth in pure horror. He tried to salvage the situation feigning calmness as he said, "No.. I mean no fire can harm me. Nothing can harm me as long as I have Xuval's blood." Sceptor said as he failed to free himself from the ropes.

Luxin obviously knew how powerful and deadly Xuval's blood was. Luxin laughed as he said "Unless both pure fire and hell fire are used ... together. Right? If that's the case then I can kill Xuval without combat? HAAHAHA FUXKING FINALLY. You were right Sceptor, I don't know much about my form. Thankyou for informing me."

Luxin retracted the flames from Sceptor's body, as it was useless trying to burn him down like this. Luxin decided to experiment his new found knowledge on Sceptor, before he went to battle his last enemy. Xuval.

Sceptor said in an anxious manner, "No please don't. You can't merge two powerful opposites like this. It can be harmful. I never dared to try it. Even Xuval neve- mmph" Shu XinYi's mouth was blocked with a rope. Luxin focused on merging the 2 fires together using the newly acquired power from the mine.

Shu XinYi silently thought, I did warn you. Shu XinYi used the last of his blue form reserves to cover himself up. He did a final check on Xuval, he was still standing in the same place Shu XinYi had left him. Looking in the direction Shu XinYi had walked in, Xuval silently waited. Waited for his XinYi to come back. Even if it took a lifetime, he would keep standing.

Shu XinYi hadn't planned on dying, so he had done his best to layer himself up with the blue form. Although there was a chance that things might go wrong, but Shu XinYi was prepared for anything, even an end.

Shu XinYi closed his eyes and ears, waiting for an end. There was no end for him, at least not now. Shu XinYi was still breathing. The ropes on his body loosened, as he balanced himself on the ground. Shu XinYi birthed fire to see better in the deathly darkness.

Luxin was laying in a pool of blood, his breaths shallow. Barely there. Shu XinYi was glad that it was not a nuke. But then what?

Snow answered naturally "It is a nuke, Don't you feel the fluctuations in energy levels. Luxin's body is already affected. When he tried to merge the 2 fires, his spritual veins busted open on impact. He won't stay alive for long. But master, We should get out of here. This cave seems to be affected too. It's better to get out."

Shu XinYi nodded as he found a way out of the cave. He could physically feel that the ground was shaking beneath him. There was too much energy gathered in that small cave, obviously it won't hold out. The tremors in the ground only grew stronger. They were not strong like the ones from when Shira died. But Shu XinYi could tell that atleast the whole northern peak was about to collapse. With how powerful Luxin had become, it was a blessing that only a mountain was collapsing.

Shu XinYi quickly found his way back to Xuval. Xuval didn't question anything as he hugged Shu XinYi. He just said "Let's go, the mountain is about to collapse."

Shu XinYi didn't argue. Hand in hand both of them ran at full speed to find a way out of the collapsing caves. Once outside Xuval transformed into a pheonix and took flight. Shu XinYi looked back to what should've been a high and mighty mountain was now nothing but rumbling ruins. The snowy fog covered the air as the ruins spread further and further away. Shu XinYi and Xuval were already at a safe distance.

They flew for 3 hours and finally reached the southern cave to meet up with Mira. The situation here too was no better. But atleast all of them had reunited, knowing that the other was alive and well.

------x------

Mira had effectively managed all her kind and Ariya had taken the responsibility of the human rescue team. She generously helped to gather all the humans together. Xuval too had become busy as he had taken his old form, of the army cheif.

For the next 3 weeks, Shu XinYi and all the others worked non stop. Shu XinYi was automatically made the head of this huge encampment. They had taken over several caves in the south of the northern region. Shu XinYi didn't have time to talk with Xuval at all.

Xuval too was busy trying to accommodate his kind. Hector and other humans who had worked in the technical feild, were trying to make contact with the outside world but to no avail.

Shu XinYi effectively managed this encampment, making sure no humans or pheonix's go out of line. It was necessary to keep the situation under control until Hector's team could make outside contact.

Shu XinYi was resting on a tree nearby a stream. He had just evaluated 40 humans that Ariya had bought in. It was necessary to evaluate all the humans bought in, since any of them could prove a threat at anytime. They were expanding their range of caves since more and more humans were gathering. Shu XinYi had strictly prohibited the killing of beasts, unless absolutely necessary. The beast were in the end, innocent.

Shu XinYi missed Xuval. Desperately. He was obviously no longer angry at him. But he didn't know how to move past that event. Xuval had so easily decided to give up on himself for the sake of love. Can a person in love even do that? Shu XinYi obviously never doubted Xuval. He just wanted to understand why he would do that.

Shu XinYi was lost in thought when he felt someone sit beside him. He didn't have to look to know who it was. Shu XinYi had refused to talk to Xuval, but everyday just when the moon was about to set, he and Xuval would come here to watch it together. Shu XinYi loved this part of his day the most.

Xuval said looking at the silver moon setting "I was wrong my XinYi. Will you forgive me?" Everyday Xuval would ask this same question. And was always replied with silence. Xuval wouldn't say anything anymore. Neither did Xuval expect anything more, even his silence was enough.

Shu XinYi had been quiet for long enough, he said in a little voice "Will you repeat your mistakes?"

Xuval never hoped to hear anything in return from Shu XinYi, so he was a bit shocked. He didn't look at Shu XinYi but he firmly replied "Never. I won't. Maybe you will get hurt, but I'll endure your pain if the situation requires it ... as much as I can. Neither will I think of your love as... as a debt I owe you. Nor will I leave you behind."

Shu XinYi held Xuval's hand and slipped a ring on his 3rd finger saying "Then I too will endure your pain. But isn't it just better to not get hurt? I don't like it. But I would absolutely hate it if you die. So I guess a little hurt is okay." Shu XinYi interlocked their fingers and pouted saying "But you are not allowed to get too hurt either. You always get so hurt. Are you a masochist?"

Xuval's brain and heart were both about to burst seeing his little bunny talk to him normally. He even pouted. And.. did he just give me a ring?!

Xuval didn't know an appropriate response so he just said in an irritated voice and a red face "You are a masochist. Your whole family is a masochist."

Shu XinYi said pointing to the ring, "Then welcome to my masochist family, dear husband."

Xuval slowly kissed Shu XinYi, just a soft peck on his lips. How could Xuval ever disobey his little bunny? You can have all of me. Xuval thought.

------x------

It took 2 more weeks for Hector to actually make contact. He first contacted Mira's planet and then Esperance. In about a month the rescue teams had started to arrive and many of Liyu beings had already left. Today, Mira and Ariya were leaving with the last batch.

"Boss, We'll be leaving in an hour. Are you sure you don't want to come back with us?" Mira asked once again. She didn't understand why Sceptor wanted to go back to Esperance.

Shu XinYi ignored Xuval, in his small pheonix form, resting on his shoulders as he replied "No. I have some matters to settle with the MoS. Later maybe I'll settle on an abandoned planet with Xuval. You be careful. Keep in contact. I'll plan a meet up soon."

Shu XinYi hadn't forgiven the MoS yet. Once he was back on Esperance with Xuval, he created the identity of a survivor and exposed MoS and it's twisted ways. Soon enough the MoS was disbanded. There was still a need to find new planets to reside in, but that wasn't Shu XinYi's problem.

He wasn't joking about going to live on abandoned planet with Xuval. As long as his amnesiac husband was with him, he could make home anywhere.

The 2 protagonists had both died, and the world was now successfully disrupted. After spending a long life with Xuval, it was Shu XinYi who left first. But Xuval too left soon after him. It was not that it was Xuval's time, he just didn't have a reason to live in this world anymore so he too left. Side by side with his love.