When Lan Zhan woke up, he had a severe headache. "What the hell was in that blood? Hey bro! Hey, who was the blood from? Maybe from a combat drinker?"

Xichen yawned and held his aching head. "Don't shout like that Wangji. I don't know whose blood it was. Why don't you ask Wen Rouhan? I got the blood from him." Replied Xichen.

"Well, it doesn't matter." Said Lan Zhan, touching his chest thoughtfully.

"Is anything wrong?" Asked Youn, who had been awake for an hour, handing Lan Zhan a cup of potion for the headache.

"Uh yeah, everything's fine. I guess, at least."

"What does that mean exactly?"

"I don't know. Somehow my chest, my heart, feels strange. It hurts."

"How can that be?"

"I don't know. I just know it hurts a lot."

"Mhhh, when I woke up, I felt like something was missing."

"That's how I feel too Youn. I feel like I forgot or lost something important. I need to go and wash myself first and then I'm going to take a little walk."

"I'll come with you."

"No, I want to be alone." Said Lan Zhan, jumping up and hurrying to the sea. He went into the water and dived under. Suddenly he found himself crying and couldn't even explain why. For minutes he stood in the water up to his chin, crying silently and bitterly. But then he caught sight of Yanara, who was pacing back and forth on the beach in confusion.

Lan Zhan ran to her, grabbed her by the shoulders and asked her if she had forgotten something too? She nodded. "Ever since I woke up, I feel like I'm missing something. But I can't tell what it is. It feels terrible. And if I may say so, you really don't look well."

"I don't feel good either. My heart hurts. My throat feels like there's a thick lump sitting there. I just want to cry and scream all the time. And I don't even know why! I can't explain any of this." Replied Lan Zhan.

"I think someone has tampered with our memories. And the reason the missing memory is weighing on us so much is because this is someone or something very important."

"That's what I think too Yanara. And you know what I'm going to do now? I'm going to get dressed, pack my things and go in search of my lost memory. I'll find whatever has been torn from my heart!"

"Then I'll come with you."

"No, you accompany Rouhan and bring Youn and Ali home safely."

"But I would like to accompany you."

"No, I feel like this is something I need to do on my own. I just feel that."

"Well, if you don't want my little sister's help, maybe you want mine?" Asked Essam, suddenly emerging from behind a large tree.

"Essam? What are you doing here?" Asked Lan Zhan. Yanara who saw her brother again for the first time since her rebirth, ran to him and hugged her big brother.

"Well now. I'm here to help you."

"Help me? With what?"

"To find what you lost."

"How?"

"By first telling you what you're looking for. And then I'll explain, why it's not going to be easy to get back what you lost."

"Okay. Then tell me."

"His name was Teremun. But you knew him as Wei Ying. He was the youngest brother of Yanara and me. You loved each other very much and were chosen by fate to be mates. Last night, when you went to the Inquisitor, Wei Ying had a double-edged sword with him that was forged in the underworld. It is called the "Soul Snatcher" and can only be used by someone who comes from the underworld. This sword can kill anything and anyone. But for each death it takes a tribute. Namely, the soul of the one who wields the sword. Last night it was Wei Ying who used the sword to kill the inquisitor. Because it was clear to him that no one else would have been able to do that. Last night Wei Ying killed the Inquisitor and died himself about two hours later in our father's arms."

"Wei Ying...I...why can't I remember him?"

"Potion of Oblivion. A magical potion that allows the one who ingests the potion to forget something or someone in particular."

"And how do I get Wei Ying back when he's dead? And how do you know all this?" Lan Zhan had tears running down his cheeks as he asked this question. He knew through it that Essam was speaking the truth. And in his heart, he could feel it too.

"My father told me. Getting Wei Ying back will not be easy. Because we have to find his soul. Once we find it, Father will do the rest and bring Wei Ying back to life. But for that, we need Wei Ying's soul. And finding it will be very difficult. And when we find the soul, we have to persuade the soul to come with us. Because you should know one thing. Once a soul leaves a body, it leaves everything behind."

"Let's do it then. I'll get my things and then the search can begin!"

"You won't need your things where we're going." Said Essam and then turned to his little sister. "Dear, please go back to the others and explain to them that Lan Zhan is being tested by fate and must pass an important test. Only he can and must pass this one alone. Return home with the others and wait for our return."

"Brother, please take me with you." Begged Yanara, clinging to her big brother.

"Dear, you can't come with me. This is a task Lan Zhan must do and pass alone. I will also only accompany and guide him. Once Lan Zhan completes his quest, we'll follow. And then my dear sweet little sister, I will spend time with you."

"Promise me!"

"I promise you by all that I hold sacred."

"Good, then I'm off to see my Rouhan."

"That's right little one. Concentrate on your boyfriend. And take good care of Lan Zhan's sons."

"I will." Said Yanara cheerfully. She kissed Essam on the cheek and hurried away.

"So, it's time for us to leave."

"And where are we going?" Lan Zhan asked.

"We're going to the in-between world. Or the afterlife. Some also call it purgatory."

"That's where his soul went?"

"That's where all souls go after they leave their bodies. For there the judge of the dead determines where the soul belongs. Whether to heaven, hell, or the great void."

"And how do we get there?"

"We have to find an entrance that will take us to the great gate of the afterlife. With luck, the gatekeepers will just let us go through the gate. If not, I have a bag full of shiny gold pieces. And four soul balls."

"What are soul balls?"

"These are balls in which are trapped the souls of very evil people who have so far escaped their fair punishment."

"I see, and you can pay with that?"

"Oh, yes. Such souls are worth a lot. But it doesn't matter now. We're going to look for an entrance now."

"I'm ready." Said Lan Zhan. Essam nodded. They walked slowly along the beach and Lan Zhan let Essam tell him when and how he met Wei Ying, what Wei Ying's character was and what he looked like.

With every bit Lan Zhan learned about Wei Ying, he felt the memories of him that were buried deep in his subconscious would resurface. But they were not yet tangible. And Essam additionally explained to him, "Your memories will return when you find his soul. However, you have to find it first. For it is one soul among many thousands in the afterlife. And the greatest difficulty is to find the soul you cannot remember among these many other souls."

"I will find him! Even though my memories of Wei Ying are still hidden deep in my subconscious, I will find him. For I may have lost my memories of him through the potion, but not my feelings! I have been feeling my undying and absolutely unique love for him ever since I woke up. And I am convinced that I can find him even among millions of souls. Because in my heart I can feel that his soul shines brighter than the stars."

"It's quite true. The potion could take away your memories. But not your feelings. And those very feelings will help you find him."

"Mhm, that's how it will be. Essam. Where are we going now?"

"We are looking for the entrance to the gate of the other world. There is such an entrance in every land. But since no entrance is like another, it is not easy to find it. However, it wouldn't be good if it were too obvious either. Wouldn't it?"

"That's right. God, I wonder why he did that? I hardly agreed with it, did I?"

"You mean why he sacrificed himself for you and your brother?"

"Yes! I can't imagine I was okay with him giving his life for my revenge or my brother's. I wonder if I even knew?"

"You didn't know anything. And you would never have agreed to it either. Which is probably why my little brother didn't let you in on his plan. And the reason he gave up his life for your revenge is probably because he loves you so much and knew that without his sacrifice you two could never have defeated the Inquisitor. Because he was just too strong for you. He just loved you too much to let anything happen to you."

"I understand."

"Ask him your questions after we find him and he has been resurrected."

"I will." Said Lan Zhan, stopping abruptly as he suddenly had an image of an incredibly beautiful man in his mind's eye. "Wei Ying," he whispered. Essam looked at him and nodded. He promised Lan Zhan that he would see Wei Ying again very soon.

After an hour, they left the beach and took a path up to a hill and from there a narrow hiking trail up onto a cliff. At the top, the two walked into the forest until Essam stopped and looked around intently. "The entrance is here somewhere. I can feel it." Explained Essam.

Lan Zhan could also sense something strange in this forest. But he couldn't see anything. At least not until he suddenly saw something sparkling in front of him. "What is that?" He asked Essam, pointing to it.

"Oh, you found the entrance."

"Huh? That's the entrance? It's not really protected, is it? What happens if a human accidentally walks into the entrance?"

"No human can enter that entrance. They would just walk through that portal and not realize what is behind it. We, however, step inside into the passage." Said Essam and disappeared behind the sparkling illusion. Lan Zhan hurriedly followed him and found himself in a long hallway lit with torches.

"This corridor reminds me of a dream I had." Said Lan Zhan, feeling that he had been in this corridor before, or at least, one of such corridors. However, in this dream he had not gone to the afterlife, but to the underworld. And suddenly he remembered talking to Wei Ying's father and mother in that dream. And he saw a flashing image of Wei Ying again.

"A dream?"

"Yes. In this one, your father called me to speak with him. Your mother, or rather, your mother's spirit also came. And I am sure Wei Ying was there as well. I saw an image of him in my mind's eye."

"That's possible. And it's good that you saw his image flash. Because that means we're getting closer to his soul. And um... what do you think of our mother?"

"I've never seen a more beautiful woman."

"Yeah, right?"

"And she was so sweet. She even said she forgave your father."

"She really did. She forgave him as early as when Wei Ying was born. And yet he tortured her even more after he was born. Because he locked her in that room from which she couldn't escape."

"Mhhh, I remember hearing about this before. I suppose Wei Ying told me about it."

"Yes, definitely so."

"I'm starting to remember again. Fragmentally. But the memories are coming." Said Lan Zhan. He felt relief at that.