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“Director, almost all preparations have been made. The ceremony will begin soon.”
“Is that so? I’ll be off shortly, then. No need to wait for me.”
As assistants hurried away, preoccupied with funeral matters, Hu Tao was promptly left alone to meander in the thicket of Wuwang Hill. Out in the abandoned expanse, where grass grew lush and spirits abound, anyone would find themselves in silent solitude to contemplate themselves.
Such was an occasion for the director.
Once alone, Hu Tao found herself trembling, releasing a stagnated breath. She had performed hundreds, maybe even thousands of ceremonies, and not once did she find herself unable to handle the cries of loved ones or the mangled, unsightly bodies stripped of life. So why now? Why did such a ceremony, hidden from all, and attended by none but Hu Tao herself be able to induce such emotion?
Her heartbeat sped up, cold dread building up in her throat. Merely the thought of it pushed her to the brink of breakdown. Steady now. I mustn’t be afraid. Her fists curled, her nails digging into her skin in a burst of revolt, before unfurling in exhausted defeat. Hu Tao directed her gaze to the cloudless sky, where the moon laid bare. Its ascension was nearing its peak, a void-like sky graced by the aura of pure radiance. It was time.
Accompanied by her entourage, Hu Tao led the way through the winding trail, their path lit by flittering specks of fireflies and the moon’s watchful gaze. Upon arrival, only two things were present; the funeral pyre, and the coffin. Hu Tao could only cast her eyes upon the casket whilst still as a statue. The moon’s glow had cast rays of ethereal light directly onto the coffin, framing the sleek, polished wood. Hu Tao tentatively took a step forward, treading lightly as if to avoid waking the one inside.
The open casket was illuminated by moonlight, a bed of red spider lilies adorning the inside. Amidst the flowers, with slightly torn clothes and skin wiped of blood, was a young lady, lying in rest. Hu Tao’s stomach churned, reaching out her hand to the corpse while fighting back tears.
“Yanfei…”
Hu Tao’s efforts were in vain, as a stray tear had already escaped, dropping onto a petal. She picked the lily from the casket. She observed Yanfei’s delicate face, free of pain, grazing her cheek with her hand. Hu Tao was stuck in a state of denial and grief, simultaneously accepting her beloved had passed, while all the more desperately hoping, that perhaps, she was truly delusional. That when she spurred to a wake, Yanfei would be beside her, saying something along the lines of “Come on, Tao~ Let’s go!”, grabbing her hand and dragging her along to a new adventure. Better yet, she would finally, finally tell her, with a deep blushing face under the brightly lit lanterns of Liyue Harbor, words she could not muster her courage to say.
“I love you.”
Of course, this was not the case. Hu Tao knew very well that she would never see her comforting grin, hear her legal anecdotes or engage in spontaneous rap battles. Hu Tao had never felt pain over any death, even those of her loved ones. She knew that their passing was simply a part of the cycle, and that she ought to let go. However, it was in this particular moment did she finally feel the strings of mortal attachment tug at her heart, crushing her bit by bit.
Hu Tao’s quiet mourning was coldly interrupted by the signaling of the cremation. Hu Tao hesitated for a while, before finally regaining her solemn composure. No matter how pained she may be, she must see this through. It was her duty.
Her vision flashed, and a trail of pyro came forth, a flurry of butterflies rushing towards the pyre, before incinerating in a rupture of fire. For the last time, Hu Tao caught sight of Yanfei’s figure in the blinding flames, and clutching the lily tighter in her hand, parted ways, a single wilted petal falling onto the ashen ground.
–END–