Nao-Zai lunged, taking hold of Kai-Se's wrist right before he slipped off the edge. Kai-Se's chin hit the ground as the pull strengthened. His ankle burned and shot sharp stings up his leg. Down below, Han-Xi's roars bordered on triumphant.

Kai-Se cursed when the void howled and pulled Han-Xi back. The dragon, in turn, uprooted Nao-Zai and dragged them until the crater's edge. They only stopped when Nao-Zai tugged back and held on against the edge with his free hand.

Kai-Se dared to glance down. His leg disappeared underneath the sharp bristles coating the end of Han-Xi's tail. A weapon. He needed a weapon. Maybe if he stabbed at the scales, the dragon would let go.

The soil on the crater's rim groaned. Nao-Zai swore, his knuckles turning white with the tightness of his grip. The hand around Kai-Se's wrist didn't let up either. They've got two Divine Beasts on their side. They could help and pull Nao-Zai up. Maybe.

So why were they standing there, looking at the entire commotion with nothing but a passive stare?

"Kai-Se, can you try and dislodge the barbs with your other hand?" Nao-Zai asked through gritted teeth. A wince twisted his features. His joints couldn't be having the best time in their lives against the primordial pull of the void. "I can't...I can't hold on."

Han-Xi growled from the crater's base, claws scratching against the dissolving soil. His tail tugged at Kai-Se, driving more pain up his leg. He's not going to let go. The dragon would never. "Let go," Kai-Se said. Not to the golden dragon but to the soldier doing his best to not lose Kai-Se over again. "Let go, Nao."

Realization passed across Nao-Zai's face. There's no way to fight against a Divine Beast or the pull of the prison they built themselves. Guilt must be worming its way into the soldier's gut. If he didn't push to build the prison to stop Han-Xi, he wouldn't have stood to lose Kai-Se to it.

But what if that's Fate? This was all playing between the three of them, with one always in the danger of getting killed. Kai-Se was no fool. Just like how his soul and Han-Xi's meddling was eternal, Nao-Zai was too. And through all those lifetimes, he always found Kai-Se. In whatever form, he had always been there. Just like he promised.

And Kai-Se knew how it would end, and he couldn't bear to see it go down that path again. This life was different. It should be different, because Kai-Se would make it so. Even if it's the last thing he'd do.

This time, it'd be Kai-Se who would save Nao-Zai.

"No," came Nao-Zai's answer. The soldier might have repeated it over and over but it's impossible to tell over Han-Xi's roars and the pain engulfing Kai-Se's flesh and bones. "Not a chance."

"I'll deal with Han-Xi on my own. This is not your battle. It never has been and it would never be," Kai-Se's breath hitched. Was it because of the pain or the layer of stinging warmth budding at the corners of his eyes? "Let go, Nao-Zai. Please. You're getting hurt too."

And they wouldn't need a physician to see it. Blood sprouted at the shoulder part of the soldier's fenhai. Might be skin tearing. Or more. Nao-Zai shook his head. "Pain is nothing," he said. "Come on. Pry the tail off your leg."

Kai-Se opened his mouth to answer but Han-Xi tugged harder. A cry escaped Nao-Zai's lips as his body slid halfway past the ledge. Tears tore off Kai-Se's eyes without his inhibition. Slowly, he raised a hand towards his ear. Despite the shame and guilt washing over him, he slipped off the earring off his lobe and passed it over to Nao-Zai.

"Take care of An-Ri and the others," Kai-Se instructed, his voice breaking into a thousand shards like his heart. "I'm sorry I can't do more, Nao-Zai."

Nao-Zai's eyes widened. "What are you planning?"

That's the thing. There's no plan. This was the only way to go. To save Nao-Zai, to change the course of Fate, Kai-Se needed him out of the way. Because getting tangled with him would only result in death and bloodshed. No more. For the lives he wasn't able to protect, this was his final penance.

He pressed the earring to Nao-Zai who gingerly took it. Oh, the trust dancing in the soldier's eyes drove another flaming pike deep into Kai-Se's gut. Once he was sure the spirits' essences were in safe hands, he laid his free hand on the wrist Nao-Zai held.

"No," Nao-Zai squeaked—a sound uncharacteristic of the soldier. Kai-Se really did break him in ways more than one. "Kai-Se, please. No."

"This is the only way," Kai-Se said. This is the only way I can save you.

He stared up at the soldier's face, memorizing every inch and curve of it before he lived an eternity without it. "I'm sorry, Nao," he whispered. "For a lot of other things, not just this."

With the last of his strength, he pried Nao-Zai's fingers around his wrist and surrendered himself to the void's pull. Nao-Zai's scream was raw, hoarse. The only word pouring off the soldier's lips was his name.

Kai-Se.

He continued reaching up for the sky that's going farther and farther as he sank into the embrace of the cold void. The crimson mesh burned in his vision so brightly it was the only thing he saw even when he closed his eyes. Darkness claimed him and finally, the doors to the cage snapped shut. This time, no anchor would save him.

His body slammed into a flat surface, flaying his side with more pain. Unlike the prison cell in Shaoryeong, the one he shared with Kaname, he could feel pain. Hunger clawed at the base of his gut. Thirst scratched against his throat. And what's worse...

Han-Xi rolled over, his claws slapping against the floor. The way they elicited a series of cold scritches told Kai-Se the prison floor must be made of stone. Or glass. Or marble.

Whatever. He's got more than a lifetime to figure it out.

"So, in the end, you chose me," Han-Xi coughed as he drew his neck up. His snout was a mess of wounds. One of his whiskers was missing. His golden scales had chinks on several areas, revealing soft, pinkish skin beneath. "Now, we have each other to our own."

Kai-Se turned to the dragon and leveled his gaze at him. "Explain yourself," he said. "Why go this far to get what you want?"

Han-Xi chuckled and bounded for him. Instead of stepping on Kai-Se, the dragon curled up at his feet. Possession—that's what this was. "Because you deserve it," he replied. "You deserve so much more than what Fate has in store for you."

"I'm never going to love you," Kai-Se said. "Why can't you see that?"

The dragon tilted his head at Kai-Se. "What is it with that foolish soul that you choose to run to it again and again?"

Kai-Se's fists clenched at his sides, but he didn't dare step over Han-Xi's body. He's been running all his life. It's time he stopped and faced this head on. "Nao-Zai is always ready to trade his life for mine. Even when I tried to push him away, he didn't hate me. Didn't even get angry. He understands me," he enumerated. "Nao-Zai never makes me feel like I have a duty to fulfill. With him, I wasn't a prince of a fallen kingdom. I wasn't a piper. Wasn't just a vessel for the spirits."

"With him, I can be what I want to be," Kai-Se raised his gaze to Han-Xi's blood-red eyes. "And I can trust him he'd love me nonetheless."

Han-Xi lowered his head enough to be level with Kai-Se's height. "Haven't I risked the balance of the world for you?" he asked. "You mentioned being able to write your own story, but here you are still bending to what Fate dictated."

"Unlike you, he lets me make my own choices," Kai-Se said. "I'm not a conquest he can own. I'm not even a goal or an end of a story. And that's what you could have done, Han-Xi. Fate is not to blame for how things turned out. Most of the times...it is our own choices."

He held the dragon's gaze, not allowing his resolve to flinch even for a bit. "And I choose Nao-Zai in this lifetime."

Han-Xi drew up and planted his front legs to the floor. "Then, what will you do now?"

Kai-Se opened his hand and called for the last of his magic. Without the spirits' essences to borrow from, he'd be relying on his mortal might. It wouldn't be enough to kill a Divine Beast, but perhaps, it'd make Han-Xi stay here a bit longer before trying to break out. The others sacrificed a lot to get here. He should do his part.

His korza answered in a weak fizz against his skin. The prison had limited resources and that might be the reason why Han-Xi's wounds haven't healed. "I'll end you," Kai-Se said despite the tightness in his gut and the fear squeezing at his heart. He had faced death more than once, but it never got easier. His own mortality and the regret of not having done things in life—they made it a trek up a slippery mountain trail. "You've never experienced dying, right? Maybe I'll get you there. It's the only thing we'll be doing together."

The dragon chuckled. "I shall look forward to that," he said. He opened his mouth and plumes of smoke rose from his nostrils as he geared for another blast. "But I can't give you the satisfaction of ending a Divine."

Han-Xi drew back one step before launching himself towards Kai-Se, fangs, flames, and blood all prepared to survive. Kai-Se stumbled back, narrowly avoiding the dragon's snapping teeth. Then, a column of fire heated the air to a crackle. And they sped for Kai-Se.

An explosion rocked the back of Han-Xi's head. Kai-Se threw his arms over his head. A weight pressed against him and, within seconds, he could feel himself dashing away from cursing dragon without moving his legs. Rather, they dangled from an arm slotted behind his knees. His eyes slowly traced up from the torn fenhai draped over a chest, to a nack then to the face bearing down on him like a painting that wouldn't ever let him forget.

Nao-Zai smiled at him. "I'm worse than Han-Xi, it seems," he said. "I can't let you go either."