Torch light flickers and dances along the walls of a massive cave. Atop the platform in the center of the cave, a lady lathers herself as she lays in a crimson pool. Nine raging fire pits surround the pool, making it difficult to see her full appearance. A single figure in black clothes approaches the base of the platform before kneeling.
“Lady Blood Rain.” The figure in black presses his forehead into the cave floor. “The tigers have left the den.”
“And what of the pups?” She questions.
“Two sunrises from now.” The servant answers promptly. “As for the deserters... Their records, identities, families, everything about them has either been destroyed or are being heavily guarded behind powerful forces.”
“The Grand Government. What about it? Just contact the Order.”
“Lady Blood Rain… This servant has tried contacting the Order. Whoever is protecting them must be at the highest echelon of the Grand Government. Even the Order’s highest ranked insiders can’t do anything.”
“Tsk. I should’ve slit their filthy throats the moment they came back empty-handed. Let the rats be for now. Go rally the Night Walkers. We strike when the tigers hunt.”
“Yes, Lady Blood Rain.”
The servant in black disappears into the narrow pathway with haste. The cave falls silent once more. As the fires rage around her, Lady Blood Rain begins to chuckle. The chuckling slowly devolves into a maniacal laughter as her body falls deeper and deeper into the pool. An eerie silence fills the cave once again as Lady Blood Rain submerges fully beneath the surface of the pool. The red glow from her eyes shine even beneath the crimson water. Her mouth curls into a smile before she closes her eyes.
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Sun sits beneath the lone maple tree in the center of the courtyard. The rhythm of the rustling leaves accompany him as he sits cross-legged in contemplation. Although he had tried many times to enter meditation, the contents of the Ghost Doctor wouldn’t let him. He sighs as a golden maple leaf floats to the ground in front of him. Accepting that he wouldn’t be able to meditate with his current state of mind, Sun pushes himself to his feet before making his way back into the house.
“Hey dummy.”
A voice calls out to him from behind, causing Sun to pause in his steps. He takes a deep breath upon realizing that he had been so lost in thought that he had failed to detect Lia’s presence. After exhaling slowly, he turns to see Lia standing by the door with a candle in her hand.
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“It’s late. What’s keeping you up?”
“Your hair, dummy.” Lia chuckles as she makes her way towards him. “You know it looks silly, right?”
“I know.” Sun smiles as he reveals the truth. “But Yuyu is happy. The hair will grow back.”
“You should’ve seen her face when I walked in. I’ve never seen her so flustered.” Lia covers her mouth to try and muffle her laughter as she recalls the panic on Yuyu’s face. After recollecting herself, she continues. “Come, dummy. I’ll fix it for you. And don’t even think about rejecting me. You can’t walk around looking like that. I can’t function if I have to fight the urge to laugh everytime I see you. Besides, Yuyu will be happier if she wakes up to a handsome Mister.”
Sun relents as the two make their way into Lia’s house. Upon entering, Lia makes her way around the room. She stops at each corner and carefully tips the candle into the lantern before moving to the next. After lighting up all the lanterns, she blows out the candle and sets it onto the table. She picks up one of the lanterns and disappears upstairs. A moment later, she returns with a pair of scissors and a wooden comb. After placing the lantern back in place, she turns to Sun and signals for him to sit on the floor.
“Oh Heavens.” Lia sighs as she examines the messy haircut. “When the old man told you to get a haircut, I don’t think this is what he had in mind…”
“It’s okay.” Sun chuckles as he remembers the first time he met grandpa Liu. “Just do your best. Promise I’ll look handsome regardless of the outcome.”
“I feel bad for you, so I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that.” Lia laughs as she sections off his hair.
Lia clamps a layer of the shortest part of Sun’s hair between her fingers. She carefully slides her hand down towards the ends of the hair before trimming it evenly. Using this section as a baseline, Lia works outwards to match the length of the other sections. Sun sits cross-legged, completely motionless, as Lia works her way through the left side of his head. He closes his eyes as he enjoys the crisp and soothing sound of the scissors as they cut his hair. The peaceful moment pushes the conversation with the Ghost Doctor out of his mind, allowing him to unconsciously enter a state of meditation.
“Hey, dummy. It’s done.”
Sun opens his eyes upon hearing the soft voice. He smiles as he gazes out into the courtyard.
“Thank you, Lia.” He says as he continues to gaze at the lone maple tree in the courtyard.
He watches as the branches sway in the night breeze. The rustling that accompanied him through the nights, once strong and vibrant, has grown light and sparse as the days pass. He watches as another leaf sways through the air, floating onto the ground. His eyes are drawn to the many leaves that had accumulated beneath the tree. They remind him that, like him, the seasons have changed. Like him, the lone maple tree is no longer lonely.
“It must be heavy.”
His comment catches Lia off guard. Although random, Lia smiles with glazed eyes as she understands the meaning behind his words.
“I won’t ask about it. Just know that you can always lean on me. You can lean on Yuyu, she's a strong girl. If it ever gets too heavy, you can always lean on us.”
The scissors clang onto the floor as Lia throws her arms around Sun.
Thank you, dummy.