The decision that came next was not an easy one.

After the disaster that was the so-called Monkey King ruining the peach festival, you were left with only one choice. With the peaches gone along with any other means the monkey demon took to become immortal, there seemed to be no way to grant you immortality to live long enough for the beginning of the journey. So instead of becoming immortal, you would have to find another way to live for the next five hundred years.

That solution came to you in the form of the very realm you found yourself in. The heavens moved through time exponentially faster than the earth did. One day in the Jade Palace was an entire year in your home, and so the decision came.

After discussing the matter with the Jade Emperor, your master bid you farewell. You would stay in the heavens for the next five hundred days to ensure your involvement in helping the chosen monk to the west. Moksa delivered your belongings to you once the matter was settled, and you were set to spend the next chapter of your life in the Jade Palace.

You did your best not to show your disappointment in front of Guan Yin, but the entire situation left a bitter feeling in your throat. Who does this demon think he is? After fighting the heavenly army in his home and being tossed into Laozi's Trigram Furnace, all you heard among the others in the palace were whispers of the famed Great Sage, Equal to Heaven.

That title on its own is enough to make you roll your eyes, but then you started listening to those whispers, each piece of gossip surrounding the demon more outlandish than the last. Not only was he already immortal before he consumed all those peaches, but he had also gotten drunk off of the entire supply of celestial wine– which also made him immortal! He also took all of Laozi's immortal elixir, one would think he was on some idiotic quest to make himself indestructible.

Now his greed has cost you your home. You can't help but wonder what your friends are up to down in the mortal realm. It... it isn't likely that you will ever see them again. But what else can you do? Guan Yin said that she saw a future for you, a good future. If this is what it takes, you will have to accept that.

If only that stupid stone monkey didn't eat all of those peaches.

At this point, almost two months have already passed. With the events following the festival finally dying down, you find the palace life to be quiet. It's quite boring, if you are being honest. You have to admit, there is not a single building that can hold a candle to the magnificence of the Jade Palace, though with not much else to do, boredom is quick to take over.

You're fortunate enough that Moksa brought you some of your things before leaving, though all there really was to bring were your clothes and weapons, a bow and your dagger. After becoming one of Guan Yin's disciples, your brother was quick to teach you what he could for self-defence. He was the one who helped you craft your first bow, he taught you how to make your own arrows, and how to fight. You miss him.

The most entertaining part of your day is spent at the palace guard's training grounds, keeping your skills sharp for the day you would return for the journey. It also helps to keep the boredom away, if only for a few hours. There isn't too much that happens here. There are no demons stirring trouble, no bickering aside from the idle gossip that floats along the quiet hallways. Even the soldiers work long and uneventful patrols, but at least they spar with you if they have the time. Unfortunately, they don't often have that.

Sometimes to keep busy, you like to do odd jobs for some of the officials in the palace. You offer to do any odd job to keep yourself occupied. Whether that is running tedious errands for Laozi, cleaning and polishing the weapons in the royal armoury, anything you can find that needs to get done, you do. Unfortunately, there isn't always extra work that you can help with.

But you can handle a little boredom. If Guan Yin says this is the best option for you, then so be it. Besides, the gardens are beautiful here. You're beginning to miss your master's bamboo grove, but at least you have the variety of plant life here to walk through on the days where there is nothing to do.

Hopefully, Moksa had the time to explain your absence to your friends. To think that the actions of one stupid–

A violent rumble ripples through the halls of the palace, harshly dragging you from your thoughts. The ground shakes, making you stumble to find your balance against the wall. Before you can even begin to ponder what is going on, panicked shouts and screams echo through the halls and realisation dawns on you. An attack, something you can do!

As swift as your legs can take your person, you rush to your room to grab your bow and quiver. Whoever these attackers are that have decided to attack the palace, the panic they are causing quickly spreads through the grounds. You have to push against a crowd of officials, several residents of the palace fighting to get as far from the sounds of chaos as they can.

It takes time, but once you get through a decent amount of the crowd, it begins to thin out, a few stragglers following behind. Metal clashing against a wall sends shivers through the halls, quivering in fear of the carnage that takes hold over the palace. The closer you get, the easier it is to make out voices through the static of destruction. It isn't until you reach the site of battle that you understand what the others are running from.

There is no army, no group or collective responsible for the disruption. No, instead your gaze lays on a heavenly official, golden whip in hand and striking at a demon. Smoke billows off the monster, who doesn't bother to block the attacks. He charges his opponent, an iron rod is held tightly in his grasp. Moksa has told you enough about the demon when he left to fight him with the heavenly army. Even without seeing him before, you instantly recognise the features of the stone monkey.

Sun Wukong has been released from the Trigram Furnace? But how? The self-proclaimed Great Sage holds a crazed– no– feral look in his blood red eyes. His expression twists and screams in outrage, his attacks like those of a wild animal. The red and golden robes on his person are singed and burnt, the stench of burnt hair filters through the air and reaches you, making you scrunch your face in disgust.

His wild attacks are forcing the celestial to take the defence, the man just barely dodging each swing Sun Wukong makes with his staff. To keep up with the demon will be near-impossible, the monkey is relentless with each and every attack. With such blind anger, he is striking to kill.

Your brows furrow as you think of what to do. Running is out of the question, but you stand no chance against that demon. Moksa was barely able to keep up with him! With the force it took to capture him before, there is no way for you to match that on your own. But you can't just leave the poor official on his own, he's barely keeping up with the demon enough as it is. Besides, is he immortal, or merely ageless? In the time you've spent here, you know that not all residents of the palace have true immortality. Can he hold his own much longer?

As the questions swarm your mind, an idea strikes, your eyes narrowing as a plan begins to materialise. Defeating this monster on your own is out of the question, sure, not while he is in such a crazed state of mind. All you have to do is take him out of that state.

Nocking an arrow, you draw back the string of your bow. You will just provide a distraction, one that will get you close enough to use it, your gift. That should return him to his senses.

You will just have to be quick about it, Guan Yin likely wouldn't approve of your death after sending you up here to live.

The man locked in combat falls to the ground, and you slow your breath. Just as the demon pounces, you release the arrow, letting it strike the Monkey King. It plunges into his side and although his reaction is minor, the quick swivel of his head in your direction shows that you now have what you wanted. The stone monkey's attention.

In the flash of a moment, your head collides with the ground as the monster tackles you to the floor. A strangle of a gasp manages to escape your lungs, your breath leaving the moment your back hits the floor. Your grip on the bow is quickly lost as it clatters to the ground, your head pounding as it fights to make sense of its abrupt shift in orientation.

The demon glares down at you with a murderous look. His breathing is ragged, canines on full display in a snarl. While his eyes from a distance were a crimson red, you only now realise that the colour does not come from his irises. Those are much too small to discern any colour from, and the slight trail of smoke that escaped the corners of his eyes takes most of the attention away from them anyway.

He holds you down with a hand that grips your collarbone in an iron-tight hold, any harder and it might just snap in two. You already know of his strength, having heard of his fight with your brother, but to experience it firsthand is beyond terrifying.

The Monkey King holds his staff high over his head, your eyes widening at the threat of having your skull crack under the weapon. With your senses returning, you wrap both of your arms around his own holding you down. Shutting your eyes tight, you begin to focus on your own energy. Just like you've been taught, how Guan Yin showed you to envision it.

Every person holds their own pool of energy, their own force tethered to themselves. With your gift, all you have to do is envision that divide between every person, the earth separating each individual's pool, and move it. With a shuddering breath, careful to only share what is necessary, you begin to move the blockage.

The moment your pool of energy trickles into his own, the demon's breathing slows. His vice-like grip on your person starts to loosen, the bones beneath your skin no longer held hostage. Opening your eyes, you can see how his own begin to dilate, revealing golden irises that make your breath hitch, their diamond shimmer taking you off guard.

How can a monster like him have such stunning eyes?

Blinking slowly, the Monkey King lowers his weapon while you breathe a sigh of relief. The demon is back to his senses, hopefully that will be enough to help that official. Was your distraction enough time for him to recover?

As relieving as it is for your plan to have worked and to no longer have a magical staff looming over you with the threat of death, you are still unable to escape the underlying sense of dread created by the Great Sage's open stare. While his gaze is no longer filled with a violent rage, the calculating yet curious look he now gives lends you no sense of comfort.

A few silent moments pass before you attempt to sit up, but the demon keeps his hold firm. Your struggles don't seem to do anything to him, the stone simian tilting his head in an inquisitive fashion. "What was that?" He asks, ignoring your attempts to remove his hand. His voice is a little husky, perhaps from the smoke in the Trigram Furnace. "What did you do to me?"

Despite the steady growth of your underlying panic, you manage to keep your composure and face him with a wry grin. "I kept you distracted, bastard monkey."

"Oh." The response makes him smirk, finding amusement in your words. It's clear he's taken aback from the twitch at the corner of his lips, but doesn't show it aside from that. "Such vulgar words, little maiden?" He leans down a bit, almost teasing as you catch sight of his tail flicking slowly from the corner of your eye.

"Only reserved for those who deserve them." You grin as the heavenly official from before sends his whip towards the monkey, your distraction giving him the chance to recover. The golden whip lashes around the arm holding you down and pulls it away from your person.

The weight now lifted off your chest, you are finally able to scramble away from the Monkey King. "Hurry, go now!" The official calls out, pulling the Great Sage towards him while the other readies his staff. The demon smirks, but before he can make another charge, the sound of thunder crackles through the halls. Yeah, this is now a much more even fight.

With a sigh of relief, you grab your bow from where it fell previously and run back around the corner of the hall. You've done your part, and hopefully now the Monkey King will be more easily subdued.

Ugh, he was even worse than you thought he would be. You can only pray that they lock up that demon for the rest of his immortal life.

~~~~

Several hours pass before news catches your ears of the Buddha's involvement. You must admit, the Monkey King's reign met an interesting end, not to say you aren't grateful for it. Hearing of his feats and mischief was one thing, but to see his power yourself was a truly grounding experience. Good riddance to that headache of a demon. It didn't take long for the celestial host to hold a banquet in celebration.

That's when the news arrived.

"Moksa!" You couldn't have known your fellow disciple and brother would visit after the celebration. It may have been a surprise, but a welcome one at that.

Not caring for any who may have been present, you drop all formalities as you run to encompass the man in your embrace. His laughter is comforting to hear after going so long without a familiar face. "Hello to you as well, Sister."

Your smile could bring light to the darkest of nights in that moment. "What are you doing here? Is it time already? Can I go back home for the journey?"

"No." Moksa shakes his head in amusement, though I notice his smile falter. "There are still many years below before that. You're still so impatient." You step back to release him from your hold as he answers, less annoyed than you usually are whenever he makes such side comments.

With a roll of your eyes, you shake your head. "Does Guan Yin have a message for me? Or maybe you just miss me?" The hearty laugh that leaves your brother quickly makes you dismiss the idea.

But the laughter quickly subsides, the air suddenly becoming thick as his smile fades. All of a sudden, the situation feels much more serious than you initially expected. Moksa sighed. "Guan Yin did send for me to retrieve you, but only for a little while. She felt you would want to be back home today."

What does that mean? Of course you want to come back home, that's how you've felt since the day you were left here. But what makes today so special? As excited as you feel, you can't help but frown as Moksa leads you to the Southern Gate.

Summoning a cloud, you both descend onto the earth. Warmth fills your chest at the sight of your old home, the mountains that stretch over the horizons, the winding paths taken by travellers and merchants. It's funny, you never think about those kinds of things until you don't have them anymore.

Nonetheless, the sight of the village brings you a sense of joy you haven't felt in ages. The village is larger than you remember, they must have expanded in the time you've been gone. How much has changed since you left?

It doesn't take long for you both to land, though Moksa quickly begins to rise again as you step onto the ground. "I will return to help you back to the Jade Palace once you are done." He explains, the sombre look on his face grounding you once more.

"Wait, but what am I..." He's gone before you can even finish. "...doing." Huh, okay. You take a glance around the village, instantly recognizing the houses before you. Moksa had dropped you off just behind the house you visited frequently before this whole peach festival mess even happened.

Walking over to the front of the structure, you see a little kid running towards the house, maybe around ten or so. You pause the moment he locks eyes with you, the little boy frozen at the approach of a supposed stranger. He looks... he's just like...

"Shun!" A voice calls out, and the boy immediately looks past you towards the house. Your eyes widen at the sight of an older man. With hairs starting to grey and wrinkles only just beginning to crease his forehead and the corners of his eyes, before you is the older face of a dear friend.

Without hesitation, you run to hold the man in your arms. "Lin! Look at you, old friend!" The man stiffens in your hold, his eyes large as you grin widely. He really did age gracefully. "I've counted the days since my departure, I hope Moksa kept his word and explained why I never came back. Are the others still here? Has Guiying finally—"

"Father, who is this?" The little boy slowly approaches as you release who you expect to be his father from your embrace. He has to be Lin's son, he looks so much like him!

As the boy— Shun was his name wasn't it? As Shun approaches, you kneel down to greet him and tell him your name. "I was good friends with your father many years ago." You explain, smiling at the boy. It would be a lie to say that this isn't all a shock for you. Of course you expected Lin to have a family by this point, though the kid is younger than you thought he'd be— unless of course Lin had another older child.

At your words, the boy gives you a look of recognition. "Like the one from grandfather's stories?" His question makes you frown as his gaze shifts to his father. "I thought those were made up!"

It takes a moment for Shun's words to sink in, and for a moment, you're frozen where you kneel. Did he say... grandfather?

A hand rests on your shoulder, and you look up to see the boy's father a second time. Looking at him again... you begin to notice there are some features that are Lin's, but his eyes are different. "I think there has been a misunderstanding." He begins as you rise back to your feet. "I am Ru Jiahao, and I think the person you are looking for is my father."

"Your father?" You echo his words, not entirely hearing them the first time. This man, he's Lin's son?

The man gives an awkward sigh, nodding to the house. "Shun, go ahead and get inside. Everyone else is already in the house." The little boy nods, following his father's instructions and running into the house. With his son no longer present, Jiahao properly greets you. "It is an honour to meet you, my father always told us stories of how you kept our village from harm in the past."

His words suddenly feel surreal, the initial shock exponentially increasing as he guides you into his home. Inside awaits the little boy, Shun, accompanied by two older girls and a young man, their sombre faces all turning to you in confusion before understanding washes over. Are these all Lin's grandchildren?

This is all so much, you barely even register the question asked until you feel the room's expecting gaze on you. Blinking yourself from your stupor, you look back to Jiahao. "Apologies, would you repeat that?"

The man frowns. "Ma'am." Ma'am? "You have come to visit my father, is that correct?"

You look over the expressions across the room. Their faces, all sharing the same wide-eyed look of wonder, watching your every move. It makes you shift uncomfortably, the way they look at you. "I... My fellow disciple escorted me back to the village. He said I would want to be here today."

You can't shake the way they all watch the conversation, nor their sorrowful expressions before you entered the room initially. The air feels cold, a looming cloud hanging over the family. "Tell me, where is your father?" You ask the man before two women enter from another room of the house.

One seemed about the age of Jiahao, the other much older. The elderly woman has her hair tied into a tight bun, not a single silver strand out of place. Wrinkles carved soft features over her forehead and the corners of her lips, crows feet almost meeting her temples. Holding onto a cane for support, she gasps the moment her eyes rest on you. She calls your name, and though her voice is hoarse and scratched with age, you recognize who it belongs to.

Your eyes widen, and you can feel your eyes begin to water. "Mei?" The woman smiles softly as you call her name, it takes a moment for her to hobble to you while the rest of the house watches in silence.

"My... you look the same as the day you left." Her hand slowly reaches to wrap you in a hug, her arms no longer holding the strength she had in her youth. Her youth...

She quickly turns to cast a glare over our audience. "What are you all gawking at? Jiahao, take them all to see your father and give us some privacy."

"Yes, Mother." Your eyes widen at the reply, barely able to keep your jaw from going slack as the man escorts his family into the room Mei entered from. Mother?! Did that mean Lin and Mei... but what about that man she never stopped talking about? You thought she would have married him, but Lin?! They could hardly stand each other!

Before you can contemplate all that you must have missed, Mei takes your hands in her own. The smile she has is the same warm smile you remember all those months... years ago. "Is it time for you to go on that journey now? Prince Moksa told us what happened, I never thought we would see you again, old friend!"

Old friend? "No, there's still more time, but... what happened? You married Lin? You— you have a family!" You smile, overcome with a sense of pride and longing for your friend that overlaps with a thousand more emotions of joy and grief.

Mei's smile falters, her eyes casting down. "Yes, well... you came to visit with a funny sense of timing." Your brows furrow at her words, and she looks up at you with a sigh. "Here, follow me."

Taking your hand, your friend guides you to where the others are. The room feels cramped with the number of bodies in the space. A bed lays against the far wall, an elderly man it's only occupant. The first word that comes to mind is frail. Skin encloses bone with barely any muscle left. His movements are stiff, rigid. "Lin, look at who came to visit." Mei announces your arrival.

It takes a moment for him to get a good look in your direction, his eyes growing larger in surprise. "Is it true?" He smiles, eyes landing on you and Mei. "My Love, are my eyes playing tricks on me again?"

Mei crosses to her husband, her smile warm as her hand finds his. "Our friend has come back to pay us a visit, Dear." She answers, looking at you expectantly. With caution, you move to meet the two at his side.

"Lin?" Your voice is barely a whisper. This doesn't feel real.

The old man smiles, calling your name as you take a knee at his side. "You sure took your time coming back."

"You didn't think you saw the last of me, did you?" You jest despite your throat feeling tight. This is all too much, seeing him like this. Of course you know that it's been decades for him, you know your friends would age without you, the whole reason you're living in the Heavens is because no mortal human alive now will live to the day you'll be needed. But at the same time, actually being here, seeing the state of your friend...

You aren't ready for this. "Lin, you—"

"I know." His wife lets go of his hands so he can rest one of his own on yours. "How are you? You promised to tell me what it was like up there."

Of course. Even in his old age, his curiosity is a top priority. "I'm fine. It can get boring, if I'm honest. You would love it, though, it really is beautiful."

He laughs, but it sounds pained. Before you can blink, he's jolting upright and lets out a horrid coughing fit. Mei sits on the edge of the bed, her hand running up and down his back before guiding him back to lay down.

Jiahao steps forward, putting a hand on his father's shoulder. The pain in his expression slams into your chest with brute force, your gaze wandering to the rest of his family. The younger children stand in a huddle with their mother's arms draping over them. The youngest one you met outside, Shun, has his face turned away into his mother's side.

Your eyes fall back on your friend, a man you can barely recognize as realisation forces its way through. A statement you have known but never truly accepted until now. These faces, both new and old, were the sharp edge of the blade of truth, and it cut deeper than you ever thought it could.

Your friends have lived their life, and you missed it all.

"Lin?" Your attention snaps back to Mei, her voice in clear distress. The elder's breathing is laboured, each intake of breath a struggle. His eyes are unfocused, almost glazed. "My Love?"

His eyes wander the room, looking at each and every person. When he looks at you, he weakly smiles, calling your name that he can barely get out. You shake your head, tears pricking your eyes. "Lin, don't. Save your breath."

"No." He sighs, his voice strained. "It's been over fifty years since I've seen my friend... I'd like to talk with her. Is that a problem?" Each inhale is a battle, fights that twists your stomach as you witness them.

This is it. "Not a problem at all." You smile, ignoring the tear that runs down your cheek. "Do you want to hear about the Jade Palace?"

His content smile is enough, and you begin to share with the man everything that happened in the Heavens. You notice some of the children listen with wide eyes, Mei asks questions in Lin's place while you try your best to be as detailed as possible. You tell them about the beauty of the palace and the gardens, the deities and officials, and the havoc caused by the stone monkey. You tell him everything, even after the moment he is no longer there.

Several minutes pass before it's only you and Mei left in the room. You've never seen such a pained look on her face before, her hand holding onto her husband's arm. It hurts to see her like this.

"...Where's Guiying?" You ask, eyes never leaving your now still friend.

Mei's gaze remains downcast. "You just missed her. She left two days ago after receiving a message for help. Merchants on the road needed medical attention." So she was able to practise medicine? Good...

The air feels thick, stuffed with grief and sorrow. Lin was one of the first people you met after Guan Yin saved you. At the time he was just a kid, like you were. Timid, but able to stand up for himself when he needed it.

Your eyes shift to Mei, her own clouded over. How terrible must she feel now? Losing your friend, the pain threatens to rip at your chest and crush your heart. Your stomach is heavy, stones of lament pulling down and grounding your body like a steel weight. But Mei's lost her love, her closest companion after decades that proceed your own life. They've lived so much longer than you, now.

"Mei?" You call her name gently, hand holding her wrist with care. "Do you want me to..."

She shakes her head, eyes now closed. "No. It's alright, I don't need you to use any magic." Her gaze falls back on you, a sad smile now resting over her frail features. "Your presence is enough."

You go to speak, but your throat begins to swell and all you can do is wrap your arms around your old friend. She reciprocates the hug, and you're not sure how long you stay like that, but it's comforting.

When it's finally time for Moksa to bring you back to the celestial realm, you find yourself grieving the life of a friend as well as the life you never got to live. If only you could have been there for them. If only there was just one peach left.