Douluo Dalu 3 | Divine Destruction

"I was…" A shaky breath left his lips as the usually courageous Golden Dragon who stood unrivaled in battle faltered before a few simple words. It was heart wrenching to see him struggle so much but at the same time, she was glad. After all, his struggle meant he truly treasured her. 

Holding the strong body of her other half, she felt as though she was holding something so incredibly fragile and precious. His body may be impossible to injure but at this moment, he was vulnerable. Incredibly so.

"Take your time." Calmly running her hand up and down his back, Yuena felt her heartbreak at the tears in the corner of his eyes. In the past, he was stoic and unfeeling. In the present, he was confident and serene. But none of that could be seen at the moment. For the first time in this life, Wulin had allowed the walls around his heart to fall.

"I was… a test subject." The words that spilled from Wulin's lips instantly changed her sorrow into unadulterated wrath. To her partner, to her mate, they dared?! "Every day was… cold. Cold walls, cold syringes, cold scientists, it was all so cold." Chuckling in an attempt at normalcy, Wulin's expression was somber.

In the past, she had thought Wulin had saved the second to fourth slayers out of the simple hatred of the abhorrent practice. The truth went far deeper than that though and that realization broke her heart. Wulin saved them because, in a way, they were him. He saw himself in them and their fates and he wouldn't, no couldn't allow them to follow in his footsteps.

"Eventually, more people came. A caring nanny and even twelve younger siblings. The world was still very cold but… it was getting a bit warmer. We dreamed of a naive future once we saw the sun, a future where we would become heroes in the dark and be paraded as Gods. Thinking back on it, it was a bit silly." Chuckling weakly, Wulin pressed his head into the comforting presence of her bust.

'So that was the origin of FUG….' It had always felt a bit random for somebody like Wulin to create a group like that to her. It had its logical basis however it was also true that they would be a weakness, his greatest weakness. He could be a god whenever he pleased, eradicating anything that stood in his path. And yet he allowed mortals to stand beside him and tether him to mortality.

But it wasn't just those logical reasons that pushed him to create that world power, it was the childish dreams of his siblings. He lied to himself and claimed it was logical however, in truth, he just wanted to remember his siblings. He wanted them to be eternally remembered in this world even if they weren't standing alongside them. He wanted to make sure he never forgot them.

"Some of us used our own names and some added something of their own. It was a… nice delusion to live in." Speaking softly all of a sudden, Wulin didn't even notice the crimson leaking from his body. A soothing violet energy emerged from her body, surrounding the two in a cocoon of comforting warmth.

That was also something she had been interested in. The names he used were all so strange with very few existing in their native tongue. It was almost as though it was from an entirely different language despite the language of the Dragon Clan being the only spoken language in the world. 

The answer was simple, it was from a different language. The names of the slayers, the names that they all bore, were simply reminders of his siblings' dreams. His own name, however, was a reminder of what he had lost, what he would never see again.

"Then… that man came. He systematically sent my siblings to their deaths until again… I was the last one left." His throat was hoarse, his voice coming out weaker than she had ever heard, and yet the raw emotion in it… she felt like all the world's hatred was contained in his voice.

"Why?" Softly urging him to continue she knew it wasn't the kind thing to do but the hatred bubbling in her stomach couldn't be quelled any longer. For this man to do that to her partner, to anyone, was worthy of a thousand deaths. Universes weren't so easily breached let alone ones so far however she would wait until the end of time if it meant she could kill that monster.

"It was a silly goal really." Chuckling with false bravado, Wulin clearly didn't think it was as amusing as he presented. She was supposed to be comforting him, but he was trying to take care of her instead. It was always that way. Why couldn't he just accept help? "They wanted to make the epitome of humanity. They want to raise a child to be brilliant, a genius in every sense of the word. Emotions, friends, entertainment, all of that… well it wasn't necessary."

Yuena had long since understood the underlying reason Wulin struggled with emotions in the past, it was obvious after all. But to have it so plainly revealed, to have it treated as something unavoidable… she hated it. She despised the very notion.

"They aren't useless. Emotions, bonds, pleasure, all of it is what makes us human. Without it, what point is there in living, in evolving?" Holding his face close to her own she spoke solemnly, her true thoughts spilling out. "Those bastards had the wrong idea, they pushed you to the wrong conclusion. Here… here you really managed to shine, don't you think?"

Tears brimmed in the corner of her eyes as she thought back on his growth, the sudden realization that all the growth that she took for granted carried an unbelievable weight for him filling her heart with so much sorrow she felt like she was drowning. His every step forward was like walking through an abyss, shedding off the very thing that made him the man he was.

Those people, those bastards that thought they could play god and ruin lives for their own satisfaction didn't let him go even after he died. They kept their claws on him, dragging him down into the abyss when he finally saw the light at the end of the tunnel. 

"No, that's not true." A weak smile brimming with infinite warmth graced her partner's face, as he gently cupped her hand that rested on his cheek. "It wasn't because of this world that I'm shining. It's because of you."

The crimson surrounding Wulin dissipated, the violet energy of creation faltering now that the annihilation that tethered it to the material realm vanished. Slowly merging with the world, crimson and violet specks of light danced in the night sky like stars. Their own stars, not ones belonging to anyone else. They glowed brilliantly in the heavens, their shine unmistakable even amidst her blurry vision.

"You saved me, Gu Yuena."