"Are you going to kill her?"
A small boy asked, his purple eyes staring at the girl in front of him.
"...No." The girl replied, shaking her head. Her golden hair, highlighted with platinum at the ends, fluttered around.
She stood at the top of a large tree, the chilly wind breezing past her, a golden halo shielding her from the heavy rain.
"Then are you going to let her have the boy you love?"
The child Azariah asked, his gaze dropping to his side.
At the end of his gaze, a wall of fla burned everything in its path.
The very fla reflected in Ashlyn's eyes.
"...No," Ashlyn replied to his question, "...I'm not giving him to anyone."
"Then how are you going to win him over?" The younger version of Azariah asked.
"I'll think about that later," Ashlyn replied before jumping onto another branch, "first, I need to find where Azariah is."
The younger version of Azariah hovered in the air, following her as she moved.
"Do you think you're worth enough for him to leave his fiancée?" he asked as she jumped down to the forest floor, "...You are nothing but a burden to him."
"And I'm trying to be more than that," she rebuked, glaring at him. "...I will not be a burden to him... Never."
"That's what you're saying," he replied, staring at her. "...Even now, you don't know if you're a burden to him or not."
"Shut up," she snarled, "I don't want to hear your words."
"Have you ever thought about it?" he asked, a curious look on his face.
"About what?"
"Why did he even help you?" he asked. "...Back then, you just believed his words about how your mother sent him. But is that really... true?"
"I already know he was lying to us," she said as she walked toward the fire burning at the center, "I just never bothered with it because, even though I loved my mother... I never wanted to be with her."
"...Don't you see it?" Hovering in front of her, he mumbled, "...The only reason soone would approach a helpless girl on the street is because—"
"...I see," he replied, nodding his head. "...Where are you going?"
"I need to find Azariah," she replied, gazing back at the burning flas. "...I don't feel good about this."
"He wants to use for sothing," she replied, looking at him. "I already know that, and I don't mind helping him with whatever he wants."
"...I see," he replied, nodding his head. "...Where are you going?"
"I need to find Azariah," she replied, gazing back at the burning flas. "...I don't feel good about this."
The younger version of Azariah disappeared, leaving her alone.
"What even are you?" she whispered to herself, thinking about that being.
...All she knew was that he was a part of her.
But she had no idea how or why.
She drew in a deep breath and willed for sothing.
A silver hue appeared behind her, stretching toward both sides.
It trembled, twisted, before turning into silver wings hovering over her shoulders.
"Huff...."
She exhaled softly, flapping her wings and levitating above the ground.
Her body turned mid-air as she moved toward the north side of the island.
.....
.....
"Azariah!!"
Nella yelled, her voice echoing through the forest as she rushed toward the center of the island.
"Azariah, can you hear !!" she yelled again, her eyes frantically scanning the area.
"What is happening?" She frowned, her brows knitting together as she tried to see through the darkness.
"Tch." Clicking her tongue in annoyance, she jumped up, grabbing a tree branch before standing on it.
She leaped from one branch to another.
When her hand didn't reach, she willed her exoskeleton made of chi to assist her.
"Where are you?" she grumbled softly, stopping on a branch to look around.
Goosebumps raised all over her body as she felt sothing rushing toward her at a threatening speed.
The world around her slowed down, her pupils shrinking as she noticed a sharp blade inches from her face.
Without thinking, she grabbed her sword and brought it in front of her.
"CLANG!!!"
The blade deflected, grazing her cheek before lodging itself deeply into the tree behind her.
Peace was montarily restored.
Arianell's heart beat heavily, the intense rhythm refusing to subside.
The silence was both beautiful and terrifying.
Before she could even calm down, a man erged from the shadows.
The silver dagger in his hand glead as it aid for her midsection.
Arianell stepped back just in ti to avoid a fatal wound.
"Urgh!?"
But the strike still grazed her stomach, leaving a mark.
She jumped from the branch to the ground below, placing her hand on the wound and feeling hot, viscous liquid spilling from it.
"You're a lot faster than I anticipated, princess," the man comnted as he jerked his dagger free from the tree.
The tall man with black hair and eyes jumped down.
His distinct skin color, close to blue, shone under the flash of thunder.
Raising his hand, he touched the small horn adorning his head like a crown, his lips parting, "Honestly, if you hadn't used your infamous ability, I would've overlooked you."
"I suppose you know what you're doing?" Arianell whispered, straightening her back, her black hair turning white, "...Can you face the consequences?"
"Spare the useless talk, princess," Kurt grunted, looking at her. "We both know it won't do anything."
"Is the Dark Trinity's follower already getting restless?" she asked, her grip tightening on her sword, "...Or are you from the Principalities?" she guessed.
"Looks like you know your value," Kurt grunted, his gaze narrowing. "...Well, at least I won't have to explain why I'm going to kill you."
"I don't mind an explanation," she replied, her gaze landing on the layer of mana surrounding his body.
...An Overlord.
Her heart trembled violently as she ca to the realization.
If that's true, no matter what she does...
...She will surely die.
"But I do," Kurt replied, crossing both daggers in front of him, "So please, just die already."
His body blurred.
...The dagger inches away from her neck.
.....
.....
.....
"...Why?"
A sobbing voice echoed through the forest.
A girl sat on the ground, the heavy rain pouring down on her, but not more than her own misery.
"...Why ?"
Through her crying, she asked herself.
"...What did... hic... I even do?"
She clenched her head tightly, tears streaming down her cheeks.
"I love... hic... him so much," her breathless voice, filled with fear, echoed. "...I love him even when I shouldn't... Then why?"
Her tears fell harder as she rembered his last words. "...Then why? Why does he hate ?"
She could still feel the warmth of his blood on her nails, her eyes snapping shut.
Despite the resentnt she had for him, it didn't take away her emotions.
Just because he hurt her didn't an she stopped loving him.
Had she not loved him, it would have been easier to bear the pain.
Had it not been for the love and care he showed all those years... she would have killed him long ago.
"...He left again," she whispered, wiping away the tears that kept spilling, "...Why?"
Her gaze slowly moved up toward the heavy clouds, her lips parting as she whispered softly, "...I want to see you again, Shane."
"Look who we have here."
Her head snapped toward her side as a voice echoed.
A man with dark chocolate hair walked toward her, accompanied by another man.
The tall, dark-skinned man with amber eyes walked behind him, glancing at Shyamal.
Bradyn looked at Shyamal curiously, whispering, "...She seems broken."
"And I don't care enough about that," Roen said, a displeased look on his face. "...We're not here for her."
"I know," Bradyn replied, looking down at her as she stared blankly back at them, "...But killing such fine experintal material is such a waste."
"No matter what you say, it won't change Mother's order," Roen snarled, turning to look at him. "...We don't have enough ti."
Bradyn nodded in reply, but a bitter taste still lingered in his mouth. "...Still, killing a vessel."
"We already know who the next vessel will be after her," Roen grunted. "...So don't even bother."
"...Fine," Bradyn sighed, taking out a dagger from his bracelet.
Shyamal blankly looked at the dagger inching toward her neck.
"My life would have been better if only you weren't part of it."
Azariah's words echoed in her mind.
She gently closed her eyes as the dagger's cold blade touched her fragile neck.
The slicing sound of flesh echoed, blood dripping down on the ground.
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