9 :A dream of dreams
thesereneountavilthathadbeesukieandhanfenglg’ssanctuaryceoftranilityandloveyet,despitethepeacetheyhadfound,alrgsenseofunfishedbessgsukiesheoftenfoundherselflostthought,ptiureandherroleitherdreaswerehauntedbyvisionfherforrlife,theodernworldshehadleftbehd,andtheunrelvedthreadsthatstilltugdatherheart
onecrisp,sukiesatbythestreathatranthroughthevil,thewater’sntleflowothiroubleddhanfenglgapproachedietly,hispresencealwaysaurceofforthesatbesideher,hishalybrhghers
“whattroublesyou,sukie?”heasked,hisvoiceftandfilledwith
shesighed,turngtoethisgaze“i’vebeenthkgalotaboutthelifeileftbehd,theodernworldtherearethgsileftunfished,peopleicareaboutandthere’sapartofthaondersifiuldhavedoneore,beenore”
hanfenglg’sexpressiohoughtful“doyouissit?thaorld?”
“ways,yes,”sheaditted“butit’snotjtaboutissgitifeellikeihavearesponsibilitytogoback,tofishwhatistartedandaybe,ifido,iakeabetterfuturefor”
henodded,uandgdawnghiseyes“you’retalkgaboutreturngtoyourti”
“yes,”sukiesaid,hervoicefirwithrelve“iogobadfaceypast,akethgsrightandaybe,jtaybe,ifdawaytosecureourfuture”
hanfenglg’sgriptightenedonherhand“iuandandiwillsupportyou,noatterwhatbuthowwillyoureturn?”
shelookeddownattheiriedhands,aixtureoffearaerationhereyes“i’vebeenstudyis,theohatspeakoftitravelthere’saritual,awaytoreversetheprocessaurntoyti”
hanfenglg’seyeswidehaixofaweand“itundsdanro”
“itis,”sukieaditted“butit’sariskihavetotake”
withhanfenglg’sunwavergsupport,sukiebeganreparefortheritualthevilrs,unawareofthetruenatureoftheirefforts,offeredtheirassistance,providgthenecessaryherbsandaterialsthenightoftherituarrived,theairheavywithanticipationanday
astheoonreacheditszenith,sukiestoodattheterofacirclearkedwithasybolshanfenglgstoodbesideher,hispreseeadygforcethevilrswatchedirevereheirfaithsukie’sabilitiesunshaken
sukietookadeepbreath,herheartpoundgherchestshebegantotthetation,hervoicesteadyandstrongtheairaroundthecrackledwithenergy,thesybolnthegroundglogwithanotherworldlylightthepoweroftheritualsurdthroughher,fillihasenseofpurposeandrelve
hanfenglg’shandtightenedaroundhers“reber,noatterwhereyougo,iwillwaysbewithyou”
tearswelledsukie’seyesasshelookedathi“iloveyou,fenglgiwillebackforyouiproise”
asthefalwordfthetatioherlips,abldglightenvelopedsukieshefeltherselfbegpulledaway,theworldaroundherdislvgtoabroflorsandundsthesensationwaverwhelg,butsheheldontohanfenglg’swords,hislovegroundgherasshewasthrtbatotheunknown
whenthelightfaded,sukiefoundherselfstandgthefailiarsurroundgfheroldapartnttheoderedherwithitscaphonyofundsandsightsshetookaonttosteadyherself,herdreelgfrotheabrupttransitiontherealityofhersituationhitherwithfullforce–shewasback
deterioaketheostofherreturn,sukiewastednotisheicklyirsedherselfiudies,re-enrollghighschoolwitharenewedsenseofpurposeherfriendsandteachersweresurprisedbyhersuddentransforation,theonce-ordarygirlnowdrivenbyanunyieldieration
herfirsttaskwastoacetheentranceexassukie’