Hell gave a dismissive flick of his tail and darted away towards the shadows of the surrounding trees, a streak of obsidian against the fading daylight.
Ye Yang watched him go for a moment, a faint frown touching his brow. Hell's disturbed emotions were unusual; the creature was typically supremely confident, even arrogant.
Something about the demon seemed to genuinely bother him. Shaking off the mild disquiet, Ye Yang turned and stepped through the gates, the stone sentinels now seeming to welcome him back into the fold of his own lineage.
A sense of weary relief washed over him as he walked the familiar paths. Despite the harrowing experiences he'd endured, this was home.
His thoughts immediately turned to his mother, Yu Mei. Months had passed since he'd last seen her, months filled with danger and isolation.
He yearned to see her face, to assure her he was safe, and to simply feel the comfort of her presence.
