The white space shattered around Hu Die as the river reappared in front of her. She could feel a sharp pressure on her chest. Soon the pressure rose, traveling up her esophagus, to her throat, before it erupted out of her mouth as droplets of blood splattered on the ground before her.

“Hu Die!” she heard a familiar voice call out for her. She turned and watched as Qi Long, her husband, ran toward her with tears in his eyes. Despite her best efforts, the strength in her legs gave way as she began to fall. Qi Long caught her in his arms before fallingl to his knees.

“Hu Die!” he cried out as he cupped her soft, pale cheek. Hu Die smiled weakly before more blood forced their way out between her pink lips. “Hu Die!” Qi Long placed his hand on her stomach trying to force his chi energy into her body. The pain in her chest throbbed to a constant rhythm and slowly started to grow numb. 

“Don't. I'm fine,” she lied as she pushed his arm away.

Qi Long clenched his fist so tightly that it trembled. His eyes travelled up and down her body as tears ran down his face.

“Hu Die…” he muttered as one of his tear fell onto Hu Die’s face. Hu Die raised her hand and slowly wiped Qi Long's tears away.

“Qi Long, why are you crying? Smile for me,” she could barely lift the ends of her lips. Qi Long forced back his tears and tried to smile for her. She laughed, her voice quivering, “you are so... handsome, my husband.”

“And you look beautiful, my wife,” Qi Long pushed Hu Die’s loose, silky hair behind her ear. Although he was trying his best not to cry anymore, those salty droplets still managed to escaped his dark blue eyes.

 Hu Die could not bear to see her husband cry so sadly for her. She could feel her end coming with every second, but she had to be strong and hold on. She still had to tell her husband so many things; how much she loved him, how she didn’t want to die, and how she didn’t want to part with him and their sons. She knew she didn’t have enough energy to say all that she wanted to so she decided to say only the most important things.

“Qi Long... Shan Qi Long, my husband. Will you promise me three things?”

“What is it? Whatever it is I will do it.”

“First, please take care of our sons. Please don’t let them be lonely,” an image of her sons crying and reaching out for her each time she left the manor flashed through her head. One of them was ten and the other was barely three months old. Although she told Qi Long not to cry, she herself could not hold back her tears any longer as they trickled out and rollwed down her face.

“I promise you my wife. I promise to take care of our sons,” Qi Long gently wiped away her tears. Hu Die felt warmth run through her dying body as she thought about how the only person to have ever wiped her tears away was the man holding her right then. 

“Second, please guide the emperor of our country so that he will strive far and wide. So that he can be a king for the people and not for the nobles. Please support him in his duties. I cannot do it anymore. I leave the job to you,” Hu Die could remember the first time she met the emperor. The emperor was only a cocky 12-year-old brat who thought he could treat everyone like they were beneath his feet. She let out a weak laugh. Qi Long also smiled for he knew the emperor at that time too.

“I promise. I promise to guide the king on the right path and to support him in his duties.”

“That brat, I don’t even know how he became emperor. I think this promise will be the hardest to keep,” she smiled. Qi Long laughed, his deep voice resonating into her. Hu Die loved that sound more than anything than the world. It was music to her ears.

“I will try my best,” Qi Long gently looked down at his wife. Hu Die loved those deep blue eyes that she woke up to everyday for the last 21 years. 

“Third, promise me-” blood splurted out her mouth before she could finish.

“Hu Die!” Qi Long cried out. He was ready to give his chi to her as he placed his hand over her stomach. She weakly pushed his hands away.

“Stop! Don’t waste your strength!” tears were furiously running down Hu Die’s face, “Ah!” she let out a scream she suddenly felt thousands of needles were piercing her chest.

“Hu Die!” Qi Long didn’t listen to his wife as he insert his chi energy into her. Although he could not heal her, he tried to soothe her pain. Hu Die could feel his warm energy enter her body as the pain slowly faded. Hu Die's heavy breath return slowly back to normal and she looked up at Qi Long.

“Y-you! I told you not too! Why don't you ever listen?” she reprimanded.

“You always try your hardest to save the patients who have barely any chance to live. How could you, a Healer tell me not save you?” Qi Long pulled Hu Die into a hug. Hu Die could not refute him for because he only spoke the truth. A moment of silence passed before she felt his breath against her ear.

"What is... your last request?" his voice quivered. Hu Die smiled. She was happy at the fact that her husband was still trying to listen to her.

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“Lastly, promise me that you will not blame yourself for my death. Please,” tears could not stop running down Hu Die’s face, “live happily. I can’t bear to leave knowing that you will blame yourself for my death.”

“Hu Die…” Qi Long knew that he couldn’t make that last promise. If only he was here earlier then his wife wouldn’t be in this situation. If only he had trusted in her more than she wouldn’t be laying in his arms waiting for her last breath.

“Qi Long. Please, for me, please don’t blame yourself,” Hu Die begged. She knew what kind of person he was and she couldn’t let him live in that misery. Qi Long could feel that his wife would not last long. As a Master Swordsman he can feel her Chi slowly dim inside of her.

“I promise,” he whispered in her ear, not able to say it out loud. She could only nod her head. Hu Die moved back away from his embrace enough to see his face. She observed his face carefully, carving every detail into her memory. She stared into those deep blue eyes, that tall nose, and those naturally pink lips. ‘No matter where I end up next, I will never forget this face,’ she swore to herself.

“I love you Shan Qi Long. In this lifetime, you are the only one who I have loved. My first love and my last love,” she brushed Qi Long’s loose hair away from his face.

“I love you too Li Hu Die. In this lifetime I have never loved anyone as much as I love you,” Qi Long cupped her face with both of his hands. A smile broke out on her face. She could feel her chi slowly dissipating from her chi center. She place her arms around his neck and leaned in to kiss him. They both closed their eyes as they felt each other’s soft lips. Hu Die smiled with her lips on his before moving back. She put her head on his shoulder.

"I'm tired... let me rest... just for a little bit... just a little... I will be right up," she snuggled up to him. 

"... un... rest," he stroked her hair. Her lips trembled as she tried to force her eyes open.

"Qi Long," she grabbed onto his shoulder. 

"Hm?"

"When I wake up... let's go home and have dinner with our sons, alright? It's been a long time since we had a family dinner together."

"Un."

"Then after that I will help bathe them."

"Un."

"Then after they go to sleep we can talk about how our day went."

"... un..."

"Then... I will light your favorite incense... and make you your favorite tea..." Hu Die's vision was growing dark as she was losing the strength to keep them open.

"Un."

"Then... I will give you a body massage... then we can go to bed... how does it sound?" her eyes were now fully closed. 

"... it... it sounds great..."

"Then... that's good... Qi Long?"

"Hmm?"

"Don't forget... to wake me up... just a little bit... okay?" 

"... un... just a little bit..."

"Good... Qi Long?" she mustered all the strength within her.

"Yes?"

"I... love you... thank... you..." she breathed out. She felt his grip around her tightened as he brought her closer to his chest.

"No... thank you... for loving someone like me... I love you," he said back. Her lips curled up into a peaceful smile. After a moment, her hand slipped down his arm and dropped down to her side. Silence surrounded the two as Hu Die's chest stopped moving up and down. 

"Hu Die?" Qi Long asked as he broke the terrifying silence. There was no reply.

"Hu Die?" he asked again. Still no response. He gently shook her but her body just swayed to his movements. He didn't want to accept it... but he knew that the end had already passed him by. He stared at her face as time continued to tick by for him. 

“Ahh!” he cried out loud as he held onto her body. He wept loudly his whole body trembling from sadness. “Hu Die!” he screamed, sadness in his voice. Qi Long heard horses approaching them but he did not care. He continue to cry out. A man in a black silk robe with beautiful golden patterns engraved in it jumped off his horse. He ran to them with soldiers following behind him, his face full of worry.

“Qi Long, how is Hu-” he stopped mid sentence as he saw the sight before him. The man eyes widen as he saw Hu Die’s lifeless body, and Qi Long crying. He clenched his fist so tight that blood started to gush out.

“Your Highness!” the soldiers yelled out as they reached him. The man turned toward his soldiers.

“Listen to me my royal subjects and obey!” his voice roared and shook with anger. All his soldiers stopped in their tracks and saluted to him.

“Yes, Your Highness!” They all shouted in unison.

“Search the whole continent for the evil dark elf, Lan Hei Kong! He is charged with treason and murder. Capture anything with a drop of dark elf blood in them that is trying to leave the continent and do not let one of them go. Until we find Lan Hei Kong, not one of them will escape this country!” he commanded.

“Yes, Your Highness!” the soldiers bowed their heads deeply. The Emperor turned back to look at his teacher and his best general who had gone silent. ‘No matter what I do, I will avenge your death teacher,’ he swore to himself that day. Qi Long who also sat there embracing the body of his wife also swore to himself ‘Lan Hei Kong, I will search the whole world for you. Until the day I kill you, don’t you dare die!’ Qi Long wiped his tears away as he stood up, carrying his wife to their home.