{Note :- Scenes depicting violence, somewhere in the middle of the chapter. Readers discretion is advised. }

Xian's POV

It's bright when I open my eyes...a little too bright.
I find myself lying face down, on the cold hard floor.
'Jun...? ' I whisper, the surroundings remind me of Jun. I stand up, and look around.

White, an endless ocean of white marble is all that my eyes can see.

'JUN.' I whisper a little louder, and begin to walk aimlessly towards...I don't know what I am walking towards.

Am I even moving?

The endless white continues to stretch till a familiar scent makes me stop, and look around.

'Sandlewood... Jun.' My mind supplies, and I start following the scent.
The further I walk, the stronger the scent gets.
Soon, the scent is not so pure anymore....it's tainted...it's familiar.

It's blood.

I start running. I feel my heart constricting and bile rises in my throat, I decide to swallow it back, and keep running.

Slowly I see vague forms marking the pure white marble floor.

I run closer, and the mark start taking humanoid shape.

A woman, and two men...and something else.

A few seconds later that 'something' takes shape too.

It's a tree.

A tree with something tied to it.

I keep running.

It's a man.

It's my Jun.

I slow down. My eyes are glued to Jun.

He is tied up. He is bleeding.

Why?

I keep walking. I look around. There is no place to hide. I am afraid that if I go any closer, I will be caught.

Would it get Jun in more trouble?

I reduce my pace further, hoping to avoid being detected. The two men have their backs turned towards me and the woman who was standing next to the two men just moments before, falls to her knees.

She is crying.

She lifts up her face, and holds the taller man's hand.

"It's okay sister." I hear Jun speak, and the woman looks at him.

"It's not okay, Gege." The woman says, her voice cracking, she looks at the taller man again, and pleads, "Father, please don't. He doesn't deserve this. You love him... don't you? You are the Heavenly Father... you can change the rules... Father, I beg you. Please don't let it happen."

'This is heaven.' I realize with a start, and my feet stop moving. This is Jun's family....the family that hates him...the family that he had turned his back on... For me.

Shivers run down my spine, and for the first time, I realize how cold it was out here.

I have to rescue Jun at any cost. He is in trouble with his family, because of me. If I beg the Heavenly Father, maybe he will let Jun go.

He will probably kill me, but it will be worth it if that will make him forgive Jun.

I walk confidently towards the taller man, The Heavenly Father.

As I walk closer, I take in Jun's appreaence. He has cuts all over his body. He is wearing a black jacket and it looks wet.

Blood... Jun's jacket is drenched in blood.

Why?

I stop once more, and look at the man, my Jun had addressed, as Father.

Majestic....royal....Cold.

The man's eyes are devoid of emotions. But the same couldn't be said about the other two.

The woman continues to beg...and the shorter man looks sad, like someone who had lost a loved one.

Why?

Jun was right here. Yes, he is hurt, but he is strong. Don't they know that?

Jun can heal. And he will. I will make sure of it.

Has it gotten colder?

The Heavenly Father turns away from the woman and Jun, and for a second, a look of grief crosses his perfect features.

Why?

"Let it commence." The Heavenly Father says in a loud clear voice, and I feel like my heart is being crushed by slabs of ice.

'Stop please.' I say, moving closer to the king of heaven, and try to hold his arm.

My hand moves through the man's body like like sold through smoke.

No! I can't touch him!

The woman turns to look at someone approaching and stands up.

"Please Father, don't do this." She begs again, but he raises his hand effectively stopping the woman's protests.

I turn and I see a huge man walking towards us. In his hand, he carries a saber, almost two meters long.

What is he planning to do?

I watch as the Heavenly Father once again turns to Jun and says in dead serious tone, "This is your last chance, Son. Leave him, and I can still stop this."

Jun smiles, "Forgive me Father, for I have sinned... I have sinned repeatedly... For him. Do what you have to do. I will not forsake him." He pauses for a second and declares confidently, "He is Mine... To protect.... and to serve."

'My Boy, that is what Jun has always called me.' I recall.

Is he talking about me!?

Is he being punished because of me?

I run to where Jun is tied up to the tree, and I try to loosen the knots that hold him there securely.

"YiJun!" The Heavenly Father yells. His voice sounds desperate instead of angry.

"It's okay Father, I can take it. I have no regrets." Jun says, trying to comfort his Father.

I watch as the huge man carrying the saber, comes and stands next to Jun.

"Ready when you are." The man says, with his eyes to the floor.

"Father, please don't." I hear another voice beg. I stop trying to undo the knots, and look at the source of the voice.

It's the man standing next to Jun's father.

The Heavenly Father shakes his head and closes his eyes.

"Untie him." He orders and the man with the saber nods and swiftly unties Jun, who fall to his knees in front of his Father.

I smile.

'He is not so bad after all. He is mercifully and benevolent.' I tell myself.

Little did I know how wrong I was.

"Revel them." The Heavenly Father orders, and a fraction of a second later, beautiful black wings erupt from Jun's back.

It's a sight to behold. It's magnificent. It's breathtaking.

"Gege!" The woman exclaims, and runs to Jun. She shields his body with her own. "Father, Gege is innocent. It was.... "

She doesn't get to complete her sentence.

"Quiet!" The Heavenly Father roars and a tear rolls down his perfect cheek.

The woman falls to her knees, and a second later, pure white wings erupt from her back as well.

They are gorgeous too... But they are nothing compared to Jun's.

"Father," She says, "If anyone deserves this punishment, it's me."

"Meimei, move. It's an order. If you have ever loved me. Step away now."
Jun's voice hold immense resolve and confidence.

Fresh tears stream down her cheek, but she does as she is told.

"Do it." The Heavenly Father orders and an instant later the huge man lifts up the saber and bring it down on Jun's wings.

A blood curdling scream leaves Jun's mouth and I can feel the floor below me shake.
"Noooooooooo" I yell, as one wing detaches itself from Jun's back and falls to the ground, splattering the once white floor with red.

Jun closes his mouth shut and opens his eyes. They hold unshed tears.

"No... Please... Stop." I beg, falling at the Heavenly Father's feet.

'Please.... Please...don't... Please.' I beg, my eyes fixed on Jun who tries to smile.

He looks at the man who had wielded the saber, and says slowly, "It's almost done... I am fine brother."

The man looks at the King of heaven, with tears in his eyes.

The King nods, and the saber falls on the other wing and joins it's mate on the white floor.

Once again Jun screams.
But I scream louder, drowning his scream within mine.

I don't want to be here anymore... It's cold... So very cold...

My body starts to shiver...

'Please help him...he will bleed out... Please... Please.' I call out to whoever can or will listen.

I suddenly feel a pull and I am being dragged away from Jun.

"Wait... Stop... I need to take care of him... I need to make sure he is okay... Please..." I say, resisting the pull when I see that no one is moving to help him.

The last thing I see is Jun falling to the floor next to his wings, and closing his eyes.

Please, someone help him!!!

I scream as darkness surrounds me and I can no more tell if my eyes are open or closed.

"Xian... Please" I hear a voice.

Jun?

I feel warm water hit my chest and a second later I feel it on my face.

I feel it scald me, and I wince "Ah"
My legs turn to jelly, and I know I am about to fall.

I don't fall... He doesn't let me fall...He has never let me fall... And I know he never will.

I find Jun's strong arm around my waist, steadying me...pulling me to him.

I forget everything and throw my arms around my Jun and hold him close.

"It's okay. You are alright. I am here." He tells me before burying his face in my neck.

I feel hot.. I can feel myself grow hotter by the second.

And as expected, Jun tries to move away.

No.

Without letting go, I plead, whispering in his ear, "Please, just a few more minutes."

I expect my plea to be rejected, but Jun does something unexpected, he pulls me closer.

Am I imagining it or is Jun's heart beating fast!?

We stay like this for a few seconds when my body once again threatens to betray me.

I need to see your face.

I move away and cup his face.

"Jun... " I whisper and give his body a once over.

He is ok.

But why am I checking if he is ok?... Did I have a nightmare? Was it related to Jun?

I try to remember what I had seen, but like sand slipping through my fingers all I can recall is being cold.

He guides me out of the washroom, and immediately starts mothering me.
He hands me a set of cloths and I ask him to pick some for himself. He agrees and turns away from me.

We both take off our wet clothes and dry ourselves. I try not to peek at Jun in all his glory, but I fail.

Shameless, aren't I?

I wear my shorts and am about to wear my shirt when my eyes fall on Jun's shoulder blades.

I see flashes first and then, like a canon ball, the nightmare that I had apparently forgotten, hits me.
I feel like someone has plunged a knife in my heart.

I feel wetness on my cheeks, and realize that I am crying.

Jun's words, "He is Mine, to protect and to serve." Echo in my mind, and without thinking I move closer to him.

"Jun..." I whisper,  before tracing my fingers over Jun's shoulder blades.

{Note :- I know this update is sad.. Sorry. But it had to be done.

If it was not clear, the first half of the update was a nightmare... Or was it? 😅

Please Vote to show your support for this update if you have enjoyed it.

Thank you for reading.
Have a nice day.}