At the Fire Phoenix Brigade's warship.
Inside the room which was secured enough to block any attack from inside and used to imprison wild criminals is now used as a personal room for Xue Ying who is suffering from mania. After being out to sleep caused by his own family, he was placed in that secured room just in case he goes crazy for the third time.
Xue Ying doesn't remember much as he felt like his mind had blackout in the main tent after receiving the information brought by the young man named Zhi Yue. The contents of their conversation were so depressing that he felt that his mind was clouded with negative thoughts which allowed the enemy's skill to once again flare. Unlucky as he is, the effects of the qi his younger cousin brother, Feng Jing had been used up. This is why he failed to control his emotions and once again fell into a state of mania.
He could feel an almost endless pain stabbing through his head. It was a torment beyond physical wounds or even torture. He couldn't do anything about it and he couldn't even take control of his own body. As if an evil part of him had taken over his vessel, hurting and attacking everyone that was around him. He couldn't stop himself and just watched until he broke down. When he broke his cousin, Feng Yang's arm he felt more than just a throbbing pain in his head, he couldn't believe that he had harmed his own family. What he is most thankful about is that his potential isn't like Marshal Sirius which is the highest, that if he is left alone and unpaired, no one is there to stop him.
In their family, they have Feng Yang who has the same level of strength as he does. He could stop his rampage in exchange for light injuries and they would be able to prevent death. Moreover, there is Feng Jing who seems to be the strongest in the Phoenix Family, he would be able to restrain him if something else happened.
After getting beaten up by his only female cousin, Feng Yue, he was brought inside the battle spaceship under the Fire Phoenix Brigade which possesses a room that could contain his rampage. This way he wouldn't harm anyone during his mania. Thankfully, the sleeping concoction which was injected into him had strong effects. It forced his body to slumber despite his brain still in a chaotic state.
He was enduring the soreness all over his head and had already forgotten how much time had passed. All Xue Ying knows is that his body is beyond his control, numbed and heavy. In the middle of this everlasting discomfort, he heard a gentle whisper near his ears. The owner of the voice isn't completely affectionate like in those romantic stories but it is gentle like a wind breeze helping him focus his mind bit by bit.
Then a tiny surge of energy entered his soul domain, slowly and carefully purifying all negative elements in his mind. Xue Ying felt comfortable in those moments and he knew that the owner of that gentle voice is helping him purify his mania. He wanted to see him but his body is unable to move due to the concoction injected into him. He felt another kind of desperation sadly no matter what he did he couldn't open his eyes.
Moreover, the energy being passed on to him made him extremely comfortable and sleepy, easing the discomfort he had been suffering ever since he had fallen into mania. His ear is ringing with murmurs and all the words he could make up from those mumblings are too little to allow him who his benefactor was.
[I hope this can help you ease your nightmares even for a bit, kind soldier.]
These are the words that Xue Ying heard but it still didn't allow him to recognize the person who is helping.
Thoughts of Xue Ying, 'Who is this person? A young man… What is this scent? Flower no… this is lavender. Hm,~? I'm… feeling a bit… sleepy~'
Once the purification in his mind was taking place, the comfort brought to Xue Ying but that unfamiliar pheromones and energy made him drowsy. This is obviously the effects of that sleeping concoction on him. Now that the pain had greatly lessened, Xue Ying couldn't help but succumb to his vessel's desire to sleep.
In his last moment before falling into a deep slumber, Xue Ying's only regret is that he couldn't see the face of that person who helped him purify his mania, allowing him to return to normal.
'When I wake up I will find you my little savior who had the scent of the lavender.' The thoughts of Xue Ying as he fell into a deep sleep.
In the morning as the sun started to illuminate the whole planet, the couple who had been gone for the whole night had finally returned to the camp. Marshal Sirius comes back with Feng Jing within his embrace still asleep from over fatigue. The soldiers on duty immediately reported that their marshal had finally come home with Lord Jing.
"Hey! Look. Doesn't that approaching person look familiar?"
"Now that you said it. He indeed looks a bit like the marshal."
"Stupid fools! Look closely! That is Marshal Altair himself!"
"Marshal Altair!!!? For real!"
"Is that Young Lord Jing in his arms!?"
"Hm~ that beautiful long silver hair. It must really be the Youngest Lord!"
"Inform General Yang! It's the youngest lord. He's back!"
"Go. Report to our superior. Tell them that the Marshal had also returned."
"Yes, Sir!"
The remaining soldiers had welcomed the Marshal with a salute. They all wanted to greet them loudly but stopped when his sharp and cold gaze landed on him. Then they've noticed the Feng Jing whom he was carefully carrying within his embrace, they all collectively choose to shut up. He pulled the sleeping young man within his embrace tightly as if hiding him from the other's eyes. His pheromones spread in the area causing the other to suffer pressure than almost force them all to the knee. They were now unable to move from where they were standing thanks to that overbearing aura their Marshal had laid out.
After a few minutes, Feng Yang, Feng Yue, and Regulus Zenith had all hastily come out. They were all in a hurry to meet the two. Seeing this, the marshal couldn't help but want to hide his other half from these three.
Feng Yang was the first one to talk and approach them, "You are finally back. You bastard, how can you go to that place after Grandfather Celes had given you his warning!? Where is my baby brother? Xiao Jing… Xiao Jing…"
Marshal Sirius's expression turned dark and colder at Feng Yang's approach. Only Feng Yue and Regulus Zenith who could somewhat guess what was happening had to stop that unofficially paired Sentinel like Feng Yang. Zenith had to cover his brother-in-law's loudmouth before the marshal beat him up because of it. He pulled Feng Yang over to a certain distance and only allowed his wife to approach the pair.
Feng Yang struggled as his brother-in-law pulled him away, "B-Brother Zenith, what are you doing? I want to see Xiao Jing ba!"
"Not right now. If any other Sentinels try to approach a newly marked Guide, he would be killed by the other Sentinel. Do you honestly not feel the murderous intent coming from Altair Sirius when you tried to approach him?" said Regulus Zenith.
Only then Feng Yang calms down and looks up to observe the youngest marshal in front of him. Meeting his piercing glare full of warning, he flinched and felt the gap between an SS and SSS-ranked awakened person. Right now, the Marshal feels like an immovable mountain before him.
The majestic figure of the marshal stood before them. His eyes were cold and deterrent because of this, those who are weaker than he is, could feel the overbearing aura he is spreading.
Feng Yang murmured, "This… is it mania?"
"No… his possessiveness is at its peak after permanently marking his other half. At this moment, he wouldn't be forgiving to those who wanted to take away his Guide. Don't try it, A'Yang. A possessive sentinel is deadlier than a zerg when it comes to protecting its guide. You'll die if you force your way." warned Regulus Zenith.
Feng Yang frowned after hearing all those, "How long would this last?"
"Until his other half wakes up and comforts him. He is a lot more dangerous now than in his mania state. Leave them alone for a bit. Only the guides could go near them for now," said Regulus Zenith who pats Feng Yang's shoulder, "For now, why don't you check on A'Ying. Leave them to my wife to look after."
"Then… I will leave them to you, Brother Zenith," said Feng Yang as he spoke to the petite figure Marshal Sirius was holding within his embrace only to feel a chill on his spine when he met the marshal's sharp glare on himself. "I… I'm going now, Brother Zenith."
Regulus Zenith replied, "Go. Leave the things here with me."
Feng Yang could only reluctantly walk away after staring at his little brother once again. He knew that he couldn't stay with them longer as the Marshal treats him as a rival knowing that he is an unpaired Sentinel, unlike his brother-in-law. Of course, Zenith kept his distance but his eyes had never left the figure of his wife, Feng Yue.
Feng Yue had to convince the Marshal to move somewhere else where he could put his Xiao Jing down and take a rest. She didn't talk to them all the way and made sure to keep a meter distance from the couple. The sensitivity and territorial tendencies of a newly paired sentinel and guide are quite high during this moment. Only when the Marshal had brought away Feng Jing with him and headed to the Fallen God's battleship that those who were freed from that pressuring aura took a breath of relief.
It was quite hard for them to breathe normally in the presence of their marshal just now. His possessiveness couldn't even allow a guide like Feng Yue to touch him or his partner.
Feng Yue said, "This is quite hard. He is resisting everyone's presence. He doesn't want anyone to approach Jingjing at all."
"I've told you their situation last night right? The circumstances of their permanent mark are due to Altair Sirius's mania. It is normal that he is detached from everyone right now and thinks of us as enemies." explained Regulus Zenith.
Pouting, "But Jingjing must be checked by a doctor just to be sure. He is a bit young to get a permanent mark. We need to check if there are some effects on his body," complained Feng Yue.
"Is there a guide doctor that has come with us? We only need one. The most experienced for this type of case."
Feng Yue answered, "There is one but… would he even allow him to approach Jingjing?"
"I will talk with him but the doctor needs to be someone not afraid of Sirius," said the crowned king of the Oberion Empire.
Meanwhile, Altair Sirius had brought back his other half in his own battleship. The soldiers had all avoided thanks to the scary aura around him. Moreover, most of the soldiers here have the common sense of not provoking a newly paired sentinel. They knew the dos and don'ts for this kind of affair.
He brought his lover into his own room within the spaceship. Preparing a lukewarm warm bath for Feng Jing, the marshal had carefully placed him in the tub allowing his other half's body to warm up. The water in the forest is cold, Altair Sirius was afraid that Feng Jing might suffer a cold after his body had weakened after the deed which is why he had urgently returned to the campsite where he knew that his battleship would be around.
The marshal once again carefully wiped the body of Feng Jing and didn't forget to give him a massage to relax his stiff muscles. In the middle of the bath, Feng Jing groggily opened his eyes and felt that the pain from before had totally disappeared. He knew that his husband must have treated him while he was asleep.
The cold eyes of Sirius had softened instantly when he saw that his lover was now awake. His eyes were full of gentleness, guilt, and love.
With a slightly hoarse voice, the marshal spoke, "Darling~ do you feel uncomfortable somewhere?" asked Sirius with a low and careful voice.
"Hmm~… body feels heavy. Still so sleepy~" answered Feng Jing as he reached out his hands to hug the marshal's head as if comforting him. The heartache from the marshal's eyes was a bit unbearable even for Feng Jing to see.
Altair Sirius's eyes slowly redden as he bit his lips trying to stop his tears from falling. He lightly grabs Feng Jing's hands and kisses it reverely.
"I'm sorry… so sorry. I promise it will never happen again. I-I… I never wanted to hurt you. I really do now wish to harm you at all. Please forgive me~" whispered the marshal. His tone is pleading as if he is willing to lay out his life in exchange for all the misery and pain Feng Jing had suffered.
Tears couldn't be helped but once again fell from Sirius's eyes. As the pain in his chest is akin to some directly digging his heart out.. Extremely unbearable and as if death itself is more of a comfort than hurting the person he loves the most.
