13 Pretty boy in a cave

Quiet yet dominating young man stared at the cold girl on the brink of death, her skin was pale and alarming with her breaths small and almost unnoticeable. His long gold hair sprawled across the floor as he bent down, getting closer and closer to her, wondering if he should save her. She was beautiful, her black hair contrasted with her soft skin giving her the aura of a goddess, however, she was dying. Her life was gradually fading, slowly but surely.

"What shall we do then?" He said seemingly talking to himself, how strange it was to refer to yourself as 'we' unless you were talking with someone else in the vicinity. But she couldn't feel anyone, but then again she couldn't feel him either. It was like he was not there, but he clearly was. Yet she couldn't feel him, body heat, air that was being exhaled from his lungs, even his fingers as he reached out to touch her cheeks, she couldn't feel any of it. Was she really going to die like this?

The boy kept staring at her, ignoring the fact that she only had a few minutes left. He didn't feel affected, instead he talked to her. "They say you're not from this time." They?

"That you're an abnormality." He continued as her eyes slowly closed, she found herself in the familiar embrace of death, like the first time she had died. Was sh going to be transmigrated again? Or was this truly the end? She was too careless this time, it didn't occur to her that someone would try to assassinate her. And she couldn't even fight back...

It was all her fault, her resolve was weak, or else she would've taken precautions against this kind of situation. She could have... Her breathing stilled.

He retreated his touch from her icy cold skin, he closed his eyes as if saying a prayer for her soul, then he stood up, and he was about turn around and walk away he was blocked by a spirit.

Liu Ji Lian.

She stood with her arms crossed staring at the man, her eyes full with resolve. "Save her."

Naturally, if he didn't save her then there was nothing Liu Ji Lian could do about it. However, Liu Ji Lian was pitiful, and the girl in her body was beginning to reclaim everything Liu Ji Lian had lost, including her life.

This wasn't the first time the dead had intervened for the living, but he felt himself moved by Liu Ji Lian. He had seen stories worst than hers and yet..... he turned back towards the girl and a light ball appeared in his hand, with a flick of his sleeves the light ball gracefully floated onto the body of the deceased, it settled and sank into her body. Immediately, her skin returned to its vibrant colour and her heart began to pump blood around her body again.

Liu Ji Lian smiled, the she whispered, "Thank you, gege.... please take care of her...." with that she vanished and his eyes widened as his lips curled upwards. So that was the reason he had been compelled to help her!

He smiled, "no problem, mei mei..."

Liu Lian gasped and quickly sat up, her breathing was labored and quick, her heart knocked against her ribs violently as she felt tempted to throw up. She was this close to death!

Catching her breath she quickly looked around the cave but she couldn't see anyone, she could only see the dark cave void of light.

What happened to the pretty boy in the cave?

"Hello."

Suddenly an unexpected voiced broke her thoughts causing her to violently jumped back hitting her head on the wall of the cave.

"Ouch" she said loudly,

"Oh my, are you ok?"

She looked up to see the man with extremely long golden hair, they nearly reached the floor, his bangs covered up his eyes preventing her from seeing the beautifully crafted pair of gems. He seemed to be glowing and his smile was mesmerizing. Was this guy Rapunzel? What was with the ridiculously long hair? She asked herself completely ignoring the fact that he was glowing.

"Who are you?" She asked keeping her distance.

"Me? My name is E"

"E? What does that stand for?" She asked sceptical about this long haired boy. This world seemed to mimic that of ancient China, then why was he blonde?

"E can be many things."

That didn't answer my question!

"Was it you who saved me?" she asked still unsure if this pretty boy in the cave really did bring her back to life.

"Yes, you'd still be dead by now if not for me going back to get your soul." He said with the same smile on his face.

"Then thank you", she immediately bowed to show her gratitude, "I owe you my life."

"I'm just returning a favour." He said nonchalantly before forming about ball of light in his hand. Returning a favour? But she had never seen this man before. She gasped slightly as she noticed the ball take the form of a snake, an albino snake.

"Take this with you, it'll help you on your journey." The snake slithered to her and wrapped around her hand. "This snake is a divine beast so be nice." What did he think she was? A child? Nevertheless, she nodded and tried to keep her hand as far from her body as possible. Pretty boy didn't notice her obvious discomfort with having a snake on her arm and instead he proceeded to knock on the cave wall.

The wall parted revealing a passage way that was dusty and dark. "Follow this tunnel out, everything else Is up to you, if you have the strength, then you'll survive."

With that he vanished leaving her alone once again in the dark cave with a tunnel leading to an unknown destination.

"Oh well it's now or never." She said as she approached the tunnel, glancing at the intimidating snake that curled around her wrist, she swallowed the urge to scream as it moved and focused on the tunnel, he said this snake was a divine beast..... She wanted to avoid another death. "If I'm lucky I'll find something interesting to give the princess..."