Heavenly Opposers

"So, how have things been?"

Xiao asked as he took a seat beside Li Lun, who held onto his hand, refusing to let go. He didn't reject her request, sitting beside her, he focused on her. She seemed to be doing a bit better than the last time he saw her.

"How are the nightmares?"

Xiao asked, looking into her blank eyes that were trying their best to focus. He could tell that she was trying her best to act normal, but some things weren't meant to be.

"It's fine, things are getting better."

'Sigh...why lie.'

Xiao shook his head as he held her hand tighter. His voice was serious as he spoke,

"Li Lun, I am your fiancé and, above that, your friend. Tell me what's bothering you. I want to help you."

Hearing his words, Li Lun was silent before tears started to pool in her eyes. Her voice was croaked as she spoke with hiccups,

"I-It's hard...hick... every day I wake up and only darkness fills my eyes...hick...I think it's a dream and that it will go away, but...hick...it doesn't."

Xiao didn't say anything as he stood up and hugged Li Lun, bringing her to his chest as she sat in the wheelchair. He patted her back as she continued,

"It's so hard...sniff...I keep thinking that it will get better, but it doesn't...hick...if I need to do anything, I need someone to help...hick...I-I feel so lost. I can't move my legs, and the darkness scares me...sniff...what should I do?"

Li Lun asked with a despairing voice. Xiao stayed silent as he patted her back. Whatever he says would just be powerless words. How could he speak about something that he doesn't know about? Only the ones that face the loss of sight could know the pain. Plus, Li Lun had lost her legs too. In this cutthroat world, she was truly helpless.

Xiao could never say that he understands her pain. All he could do was hug this grieving child as he patted her back, being there as a support. Slowly her cries dried out as she clutched onto his chest, taking in his warmth. Slowly, Xiao continued to pat her back as he finally spoke,

"Li Lun, I can't even fathom the pain you are going through, nor can I promise that things will definitely get better. But I can tell you that you're not alone. You have people that care about you: me, your father, and many more. So, know that you don't have to go at it alone."

"Um."

Finally, after a minute, Li Lun responded, hiding her blushing face against Xiao's chest. All this week she planned to act tough. She wanted to show Xiao that she wasn't a weak girl. But one word from him and she ended up bawling like there's no tomorrow. No matter what she tried, she couldn't keep her cool with him. He always seemed to draw out her true feelings.

All the time she was away from Xiao, she kept thinking about him. Ever since that fateful day, she missed him dearly. Within the dark world, the memories of Xiao kept her mind awake. Sometimes the nightmare that haunted her got better when she thought of him. More than any other, she feared losing Xiao.

These fears lingered deep in her mind. By now, most of her pride had faded away. The world seemed to be against her. While nightmares and pain surrounded her,

"Li Lun, why don't we try something fun?"

Xiao spoke, breaking her out of her thoughts. Wiping away the tears in her eyes, she hesitantly let go of Xiao's warmth as she spoke,

"What fun?"

"Well, now that's a surprise."

Saying so, Xiao walked behind Li Lun as he clutched her wheelchair, pushing it forward. Guiding it through the mansion, he took them to the desired location. Along the way, no one stopped his path. He was a direct descendant of the Yun family; none dared to mess with him. Soon, minutes later, he reached a certain training ground.

"Are we in a training ground?"

Li Lun asked, her 'eyes' looking through. Her life might be dark, but her hearing, smell, and other senses were improved. She could even faintly 'feel' the aura and shape of things. In fact, recently she started to feel some sort of connection with another plane. She couldn't tell why, but instinctively she understood that the things she was feeling were a plane and that it felt like home, something deep within her calling her towards another realm.

At first, Li Lun thought that she was tripping, but the feeling was getting clearer as the days passed. The growth was extremely minuscule, but it was still there. Breaking her out of her thoughts, Xiao spoke,

"So, Li Lun, what do you think about archery?"

"Archery?"

She asked back, confused. Xiao smiled as he walked toward a stand, taking up a bow and arrow. Walking toward Li Lun, he took her arms, carefully placing them on her hands. Making sure that she wouldn't hurt herself, he spoke,

"Li Lun, aren't you now capable of feeling things?"

"Yes..."

Li Lun spoke hesitantly, in truth the range of what she could 'see' being extremely huge, making it such that she could feel the targets away, this being a secret that she told to only her father and Xiao.

"Then why don't you try using the bow? After all, you just have to feel the target. In this regard, you don't have to see it."

"But..."

"But what?"

Xiao asked back with a smile. He knew that she wasn't confident in herself. So, he moved behind her as he helped her hold the bow and arrow. He wasn't an expert at it, but he did know how to use the bow. Back in Ingrid, his master had taught him how to use all the weapons. He is not a master, but he is decent.

For a mercenary, it was all about survival, and using all the tricks in the book was the best way to move forward. Angling correctly, he helped Li Lun sit straight as he guided her hands, holding the arrow and helping her place it correctly. As he gently pulled the arrow on the string, just as her posture became perfect, he silently let go of his control over Li Lun.

Standing back, he watched as Li Lun's hold on the bow became better. Her stature situation improved on her own. It wasn't a huge change, but it wasn't a small one either. Her body, by instinct, moved to perfect her shot. Her talent in archery was truly terrifying. Her body to her mind was the perfect tool for an archer.

In the future, when she held her bow, enemies hundreds of miles away would tremble in fear. Her breathing slowed down, the hands that were trembling balanced. Her hands moved in sync. It wasn't perfect, but it was terrifyingly good for the first time. By now, Li Lun's mind was blank. The moment she touched the bow, something inside of her shook.

The bow felt natural in her hands as if she was meant to hold it. She didn't even register Xiao coming behind her as he led her. Li Lun's mind was in a daze as she followed Xiao's teaching. By now, she, who was without any cultivation, had entered enlightenment on the path of archery! News that would surely create waves just took place. Such a situation is enough for Countless masters of the bow to fight each other to take her as a disciple.

That is if she could cultivate.....