The Other Side of the Mask

I realize what they are talking about, "Yeah, I seem really distracted for some reason… must've been because of that."

The Big Five? I'll need to study that.

I walk back to my room with the friends trying to support me although I don't need it.

They tell me to take a break and let them handle the rest. I lay down on the bed, exhausted from staying up last night. Well this is a nice break, I guess. I lift myself up and head to the bathroom. I look through all the makeup and medical products on the bathroom table. After skimming through, I find a product that will prevent swelling and quickly apply. I get ready for my infiltration tonight. I will rescue XiaoLong from the dungeon, and we'll escape!

After boringly staying for another day, I set out to where they are keeping XiaoLong. The elders have already retired which is great. All I need to do is knock out the half asleep guards.

It's quite a smooth journey, and I walk down quietly into the dungeon. My heart beats fast as I think of freeing XiaoLong. I can't wait to see him and then we can leave!

Little did I know of the horrible sight down there.

The moment I saw, the lamp dropped on the ground and spilled. The flame quickly smothered on the ice-cold stone ground. I cover my mouth and tears start to drip.

Drip, Drop…

Thousands of lash marks covered his entire body and knife marks on his face. Hung by chains, the delicate determined face is bruised. The worst is that the right side of his body was scorched and everything is untreated.

"X-xiaoL-long!" Tears drip as I look at the unconscious face, seemingly that it was dead.

I picked the lock as fast as I could. Rushing to his side, I scream as my tears flow faster and faster.

At that time, I couldn't care about anything else. Bringing myself to free him from his chains, I caress the swollen, unmoving face. My tears drip and drip until I could cry no more. My eyes went dry, and I carried the unmoving body and ran as fast as I could. Adrenaline surges through me, and I feel like it's the end of the world. My red face burns hot with worry.

Storming the door to the room, I gently put him on my bed. I run at lightning speed into the bathroom, grabbing all the medicinal products. This is probably the only time I felt thankful to that sassy woman, but I didn't have the time to worry about any of that.

I pick up a couple to treat burns and immediately rub them on. Then, I treat every single lash mark and knife mark.

"X-XiaoLong, please, wake u-up," I pray with my broken heart.

All I can do is cry, as my whole world crashes down before me. I hug XiaoLong's weak body and hold his hand.

Soon, I fall asleep by the bed, tired.