Cunning General Si Ning

Darkness?

Darkness!

That was all Si Ning could see and feel, he tried to reach out only to see he wasn't able to touch a thing, after trying to touch anything or feel anything he found out it seemed there was nothing around him which was odd.

"Ah Dai?" He called out in a little voice when he heard someone talking so he tried to listen.

"....Si...e.. Si Ning ...op.. yo... ey..."

The words were not clear so Si Ning stood and he tried to listen again, what he heard that was clear was his name being called so that person was talking to him.

"...Si... open... y... ey... Si... Ning Si Ning open your eyes."

Xiu Zhicheng?

Si Ning turned in the darkness, he couldn't see a thing nor could he touch anything but he knew the voice calling him was Xiu Zhicheng and not Ah Dai because even if he was asleep, he would recognize Ah Dai's voice anywhere so It doesn't make sense to him to hear the Emperor's voice because since he moved into the palace Xiu Zhicheng didn't come once to see him nor did he care to even send welcoming gifts, his Concubines didn't show up and the Queen Dowager didn't want to see him that it almost seemed like the Imperial family didn't want him there yet he was hearing Xiu Zhicheng calling him repetitively which was confusing him because the voice sounded far but near, everything was dark so he couldn't see a thing and doesn't even know if he was hearing things or Xiu Zhicheng was indeed somewhere around him.

"Xiu Zhicheng?" Si Ning whispered as he turned then he heard some distant voices and Xiu Zhicheng's voice drowning among them.

"....Si Ning open your eyes... can you hear me? Si Ning..."

Si Ning was confused because his eyes were certainly opened that he was sure of it so he doesn't understand the meaning of Xiu Zhicheng words, he was still trying to listen more to those words when he suddenly felt like he was pushed into the darkness and he fell closing his eyes to brace himself for the impact of his body hitting the ground but that didn't happen, he only felt a ray of light behind his closed eyes making him open his eyes and all he saw a speck of light which became clearer, he doesn't understand where he was or why he was there and the odd part was he wasn't able to move, someone was above him looking down on him but he couldn't see who because of his hazy vision so he tried to focus on the hazy figure above him whose arms was around him, holding him up while a warm hand was placed on his cheek in a comforting way.

"Your Majesty he is awake and now is the perfect time for me to feed him the medicine."

Medicine? Who?

"Bring it."

Xiu Zhicheng?

Si Ning wondered about the identities of the people around him but then he perceived the fresh scent of sandalwood and the protective warm arm around him made him realized it was Xiu Zhicheng holding him up, he felt something warm being placed on his lips almost in a way to make him open his mouth and this made Si Ning to slightly part his lips and some warm tasteless liquid flowed inside and he found himself automatic swallowing it slowly and when it seemed there won't be more flowing into his mouth, he felt his mouth being dabbed by something soft making the scent of sandalwood stronger since the material that was being used to dab his mouth smelt of sandalwood.

It was hard trying to maintain his gaze, hold the light and try to see Xiu Zhicheng clearly, he wanted to sss his clear Phoenix eyes but trying to force his eyes open was taking a toll on him so he slowly closed his eyes till everything went dark.

The next time Si Ning opened his eyes it was all dark and he wasn't able to touch anything, feel anything around him and it was all dark then it occurred to him what was happening when everything suddenly became brighter, chasing the darkness instantly away for him to only see nothing but sand.

"Uh? What am I doing here?" Si Ning felt so frustrated when he knew he was having that same dream of not having a physical body and he was in the desert, he braced himself of the impact of the same suffering of the scorching sun that was making his feet and head hot.

Si Ning doesn't know why he was having that same dream nor does he care to find the real meaning behind the dream, he doesn't believe in dreams especially a dream that doesn't make sense. Dreams to him were nothing but what the subconscious mind created just to accommodate the fantasies, fear, things they had seen, touch and things almost in a tie with their everyday life so Si Ning doesn't believe a dream might have a meaning all he knows was not having a body in a dream while feeling hot all over was nothing but a nightmare. He felt so tired waiting for the scenery to change and it did change to him drowning in the water, no matter how he would never get used to a dream like that because him drowning was still scary it almost felt like the dream of him drowning was the punishment meant for him for letting go on the bridge just because of a setback and letting himself drown without trying to float.

This time around he started to swim calmly upward, his hot body already cooled down, his eyes on the hazy figure standing above the water, and for some reason, he wanted to grab the person standing above the water's leg and when he was about to succeed when the scenery changed and he was now in the field then he saw a figure but they seemed closer than he remembered because this time around he could clearly see the blonde hair, pink top, and dark blue jeans.

"Ah Dai! Yang Sheng! Xiao Pei wake me up!" Si Ning yelled at the top of his voice. "Wake me up!!!" All he wanted was to wake up, he doesn't know why he suddenly felt fear seeing a modern clothed figure.

It wasn't the first time Si Ning would see them but all he was interested in was to wake up and seeing that the figure was starting to move away and no one seemed to be waking him up means it was up to him to make the miserable dream end so just like he had always done he started to run towards them because he felt that before the scenery change he might be able to reach them to uncover their identity but the more he ran the more he felt that they were getting away so he carried his nonexistent body, doubled the pace, his heart beating fast and all that was needed was a little more for him to catch them only for the scenery to change to the woods.

All Si Ning wanted was to catch up to the person before the scenery change and now he had to deal with the harsh weather of snow falling making his temperature dropped instantly and it was so cold he started to shiver, the cold sipping through his nonexistent body, crawling all over that he wanted to cry for someone to wake him but when he raised his head all he could see was the figure being closer to him and they were standing still.

This time around, he was going to uncover their identity at all costs, and maybe uncovering their identity was going to put an end to the nightmare once and for all.