61 Death 3

Gaius raised his head as he heard those that fell. His face was covered with confusion, but when he saw the people who were helping them dead, he inhaled sharply. Almost all the numbers here were dead besides them; Flora, Alaric, Caine, Jude, Nathaniel and him, Gaius. He was aghast by the sight in front of him.

Suddenly, there was a shadow that immediately took form. However, her skin was deathly pale and body was dried up. Gaius couldn't even recognize that person. That figure lost her strength and collapsed on the soft ground, coughing out blood.

"Master!" Flora suddenly screamed beside Gaius. His eyes widened as he quickly looked at Chang Xiuying's feeble figure. It was as if… she was on the verge of dying.

"Master, can you hear me?"

"Too… loud..."

"I'm sorry, but I have to take you to Lasirion..." she whispered.

"It's... fine..."

"It's not fine! Alaric! Help me carry Master!"

"Okay!"

"Master… please hold on."

Chang Xiuying weakly chuckled as she succumbed herself to sleep.

Next thing she knew, she was in the dark abyss. It was strangely familiar. However, there was a shard floating in front of her. She instinctively reached out and grabbed that shard. It assimilated in her body almost instantly. She could faintly remember some memories from her original birth. Where she was gazing up and saw the blurry faces of her family. There were four… one seemed to be her father since he was huge. The one with long silver hair seemed to be her mother. The other two little heads seemed to be her siblings. Their warm and soft caresses were enough to know that she was loved.

Chang Xiuying felt relieved and grateful. Despite all the tragedies that happened, they were still holding on. Holding on the hope that she would wake up one day in her original body. She closed her eyes momentarily then opened them. However, the scene in front of her changed. She was inside a cylindrical container that was filled with a strange green liquid and a small tube in her mouth to help her breathe.

"Young Lady! Can you see me?"

"Your Majesty! Where is His Majesty?!"

"Why?!"

"Kunage!!! Her pulses are decreasing!"

"This can't be..."

"Calm down," a deep voice rang out from the door. "She must be assimilating with her shattered soul. Rest assured, it will pass."

"Your Majesty..."

His footsteps echoed as he approached. "Great job, my daughter. A little more and you'll be with us."

"Host!" A voice suddenly sounded deep in her consciousness.

'Xue…?'

However, even after she closed and opened her eyes several times, the scenery didn't change. She could almost feel the loss of connection to one of the shards of her soul.

"Host!" It once again sounded out, stronger than before.

She could feel the abyss sucking her in.

She lost consciousness.

***

"Master's… heartbeat stopped…"

"..."

"No! Ying!!!" Gaius screamed as he grabbed Chang Xiuying's arms. "Xiuying! Wake up! Guh… don't leave me…"

"Prince…" Caine called as he pried Gaius off Chang Xiuying's cold body. However, the man fought against his hold, trying to reach the dead woman before him.

"Master… Master… Master..."

Alaric bit his bottom lip as his eyes looked at the peaceful countenance of Chang Xiuying. There was a small smile on her face, almost satisfied from what she achieved. That made his heart ache. Although she even killed the people that came to their aid, she still finished this war in one fell swoop. She would be hailed as a hero and also, a murderer. She wouldn't be buried under a ceremony, nor people would come to her funeral. After all, she didn't discriminate between ally and foe.

Flora wailed, loud enough to be heard through the battlefield.

Jude was holding his head as he staggered at his feet. He couldn't comprehend what happened since it all happened so fast. Waltham… that person who was one of the strongest in the Blanche, was easily killed by the hands of a girl. Even the people who came for their rescue were killed. What would he do if they started questioning him why he is alive? Why did Chang Xiuying save him? He could never know… he will never know.

Jude slowly said, "Let's bury her now."

"No!!! My Master is mine!"

"Flora… you're being unsightly," Alaric commented as he sighed.

"I don't care! She belongs to me! To us… us... waaaaa!!!"

"Xiuying won't like it if you act like this…" Alaric said, carefully peeling Flora off Chang Xiuying.

Gaius wiped away his tears and immediately carried Chang Xiuying in his arms. Her body was so cold, contrary to his warm body. Suddenly, her body turned into black smoke.

Flora shrieked as she tried getting the smoke in her hands.

When the smoke disappeared in the atmosphere, she turned to look… no, glare at Gaius as she grabbed the collar of his clothes.

"You shouldn't have touched Master! Now, she's gone! What will you do about this?! She's gone! Gone! Forever!"

"Flora… she is already gone in the world the instant she stopped breathing…"

Instead of answering, Flora wailed once again as she collapsed to her knees. She screamed her heart out as the pain of losing her Master overwhelmed her. What would she do once they got home…? Back home… it wouldn't be called a home if Chang Xiuying wasn't there. Will they go somewhere else? Will they live separately? What will happen once they know about her death?

After a while, Flora stood up with an empty look in her eyes. She gazed at the portal and started walking towards it. When she arrived in front of the liquid like surface, she entered and disappeared from their sight.

Gaius' hollow eyes looked at Caine and his aide flinched from the sight. He led his feet towards the portal as he also disappeared into the liquid like surface. Just as he exited from the Gate along with Jude and Caine, pandemonium spread out from the castle. However, he couldn't care less at the situation before him. He walked and walked until his feet took him to the building where Chang Xiuying once resided. He also saw Flora in front, crying her hearts out as she clutched at her chest.

"Your highness!" Someone shouted at a hushed volume from the bushes.

Gaius turned to look at where it came from and saw a man he recognized with dirt and wounds on his face.

"Your highness! Come!"

Caine looked around, looking for the owner of that voice. When he saw Gaius looking at one part of the bush and never attempted to move, he grabbed the prince and led him towards that specific direction. Just as they neared, they were immediately pulled into.

"Hugo?" Caine muttered.

Hugo shushed them and whispered, "It is dangerous, Caine. I barely left alive from the castle."

"What happened?" Caine whispered back.

"The Queen's faction attacked the castle and killed the King. And now, they hold the reign over Lasirion. They are looking for people who are loyal to the King. What do you think they will do?"

"Kill them?"

"Exactly… they don't even permit people to change sides to them. Currently, they are looking for the missing prince. Fortunately, just as I was hiding here, I saw you two. You two have to hide or else, you'll be killed! They show no mercy, Caine. No mercy!"

Caine looked at Gaius who became even more empty when he heard the death of his Father and the betrayal of his Mother.

"Let them catch me..." he suddenly muttered.

"Prince?!" Caine exclaimed.

"You can't, Your highness! How will we overthrow the Queen and change the reign to you?! You have to stay alive at all cost!"

"My life… serves no more meaning… the love of my life died… I couldn't even had the chance to confess my love… my beloved father died… my birth mother betrayed the kingdom… how will I continue? It is all but meaningless… I can't possibly go on… I can't do it..."

Caine and Hugo's face turned deathly pale as they gazed at the prince. They wanted to comfort him, but they were afraid that they would only escalate things badly. They didn't know what to do but stare at each other and sigh.

Suddenly, Gaius felt arms gently circling around his neck. He suddenly felt warm and secure as he held on to that feeling. He couldn't fathom, but he knew that it was Chang Xiuying. Could she knew what he was feeling and came to comfort him even after death? His heart skipped a beat as he cherished this moment and etched it in his very soul. He felt a light kiss on his cheek before the feeling disappeared. His cheeks went to a bright shade of red.

"Thank you..." he muttered. He took a deep breath and looked directly into the eyes of the confused people in front of him, "I will reclaim the throne."

Hugo's eyes went wide and he almost jumped in joy, but he refrained himself. Caine smiled widely as he patted Gaius' back with his calloused hand.

"Prince, I will be with you until the end."

"Thank you, Caine, Hugo."

"But Prince, where did you get that new found strength?"

Gaius smiled, "My Ying gave it to me. Now, we have a throne to take."