waning crescent

by Ebb

"And so you cannot bear to meet him."

Jiang Cheng says nothing, only flicking his blades outward in a powerful arc and spraying drops of blood onto the soil at his feet. He sheathes them still damp with war.

The minor palace they've destroyed is a bit of a downgrade from the original plan, but the gore spread across the courtyard eases the taut tension in Huaisang's chest, easing that pounding that calls for more, more, more. It calms him enough for him to manage a smile as Jiang Cheng turns about and walks past without a glance for him. "Well?" Huaisang calls after him. "Nothing?"

Jiang Cheng pauses, scraping some gore off the bottom of his boot and onto the robes of a fallen Wen cultivator. "You don't need me to tell you that you're sharp," Jiang Cheng intones. "But maybe you need someone to tell you to have some tact."

Nie Huaisang only laughs. The wind swallows it hungrily, scattering the cold sound over the ruined palace as they leave, side by side.