Xiao trudged through the blurred winds that carried the white flecks of snow across the heavily wooded forest. A trail of red blood followed behind each footstep, conflicting with the powered snow. Xiao panted, holding his ribcage tightly. He stumbled into a tree and grasped the closet branch to keep himself steady as he gasped out ragged breaths that came in puffs of cold smoke.

He could feel it, clouding his thoughts like an intricate web pulling at his insides, corrupting his mind. His body felt hollow, but still- he pressed on. He refused to let a demon of this caliber roam free to cause more havoc. It was his duty as the final Yaksha to eradicate such evils- whether he died doing it or not.

He huffed, looking out into the snowed forest with squinted eyes to attempt to sense his fleeing enemy; more blood dripped down onto the snow, refusing to let up as his body began to give out.

“I.. have to.. finish this…”

His legs gave out, his body thudding onto the snowy forest floor. All he could do now was shiver in the cold comfort of snow and struggle to get up. Somewhere in his mind, he wanted a quick death- but this would be far from that. If he was to die now, it would be from a death filled with pain and the freezing chill of icy wind.

Xiao opened his eyes, the blurry vision obscuring any detail that could have possibly been available. He let out a final cough, blood splattering on the snow next to him, before his eyelids fluttered shut and he lost himself in the comfort of unconsciousness.