Chapter 48 - CHAPTER - 2 : THE LIGHT OF THE STARS REFLECTED ON THE SNOW

CHAPTER - 2

THE LIGHT OF THE STARS REFLECTED ON THE SNOW

The village chief stepped forward from the crowd leaving his granddaughter behind; he came face to face with the strange creature that had suddenly appeared before them without any admonition.

"I am the chief of this Eirin village. May I ask who you are?" there were probably strains of tension on his forehead, and the way he stuttered while walking showed how badly he was affected by the overwhelming magical aura released intentionally by the visitor. But the old man did not falter and stood tall to represent his village amidst all chaos and danger surrounding his only home.

"Greetings beastlings. I am the appointed protector of this forest by the order of my master. My name is Corvus and I am the eighth apostle." The apostle stood aloof and his inhuman way of speaking showed how he looked down on the people standing in front of him. 'Disgustingly weak' that's the impression his expressions passed regarding the assessment of the villagers.

Most of the villagers were panicking, or either fell down on their knees because their legs could not hold them for long. The coldness from this creature had put everyone on the edge.

"May I ask the nature of business that you have come here for?" asked the chief.

"Directly moving on business are we. I see. News regarding the benefits other villages have received because of my protection must not have passed unheard of, I suppose."

"Yes your humble presence is surely welcomed here. But what can this small village offer to you for your utmost commitment you have shown in protecting this tiny village in the middle of nowhere." The village chief knew there was a catch to all of this which even the other villages were afraid or did not wish to share details of.

"A quick one you are. Saving me a lot of trouble. Then for you I can get rid of the dragons that have nested here and also assure you that no other monster or anyone else would ever bring harm to this village."

"Oh great Apostle thank you."

"Thank you for your protection."

"We are so grateful to you for gracing us with your powers."

Cheers of the villagers crashed in the compound, while their voices were muffled and dried out, contradicting to the enthusiasm they meant through in words. They were acting like they were pushed into some kind of suggestive hypnotic force.

"However, nothing offered by those in power ever appears itself without an offering from those who shall receive it." The Apostle made a deep remark.

"Great Apostle, but as I said this village possesses no luxury that I think would satisfy your taste." The chief's worries were surfacing on his face now, while the crow-head took notice of it and increased the push of his aura as if making fun of the and taking advantage of the insecurities of the people.

"Of course there is, I want you all to offer one of your people to me for the rest of their lives."

"That to… offer one of us to you." The shoulders of the chief were now shaking hard. His breath became heavy as he gasped for a mouthful of air from the thin cold atmosphere in his surroundings.

"Is there a problem. All I ask is to offer one of your people's life to me and accept your happy lives. Is that such a heavy price for the happiness of hundreds it is fitting that one must sacrifice his own freedom."

Everyone stood silent, while the crow-head rotated in first clockwise and then anti-clockwise as if searching a specific someone from the crowd. His eyes fixated on one of the villagers, a young girl with light brown hair with fox-ears and a bushy tail.

The eyes that were embedded in the crow head, narrowed to as fine as needle like, a curvy smile surfaced on his face.

"That one will do just fine." He pointed his wings at the young Lucia who were holding her hands tight as if offering a prayer. But it seemed her prayers were damned even by the forest spirits that were said to listen to every heart-felt wish.

The colour of the face of the chief paled to almost make his cheerful face look dead. In desperation he could not hold himself back and in his anxiousness begged the strange being.

"Great Apostle, I beg pardon. But a young child as an offering. You can even take food, money or me but spare her. She is just a child who hasn't even enjoyed her life yet; please do not rob of her at least that when all people in this corner part of the world have their small meager life to live for themselves. Please reconsider it, a wish of this old man who will soon depart from this world. Also this girl is an instrumental force in keeping the people of this village healthy; if there is even something else you can change your mind on please…" Everyone in the village was now under a pin-drop-silence to hear what the chief said.

Lucia's mind had gone blank as she stood expressionless there trying to fully understand and cope up to realise the predicament she was about to face. Her eyes flinched almost shaking out a small stream of tears.

"There is no room for negotiation. You do realise your situation, do you not. As I can tell the dragons nested nearby would probably make this their feeding grounds the very next day. I have already made up my mind with the offering. It's for you all to decide whether you would give up on one of yours and save others or either end up being annihilated all at once. But just so you know, if you displease me a great disaster shall befall on you. Now I shall take my leave."

The next moment the huge wings of the crow flapped for once and a heavy gust of winds, almost destroying half the walls and wrecking the nearby houses he vanished into the vastness of the sky.

The people around were too devastated to realise the amount of damage incurred. While some of them stared at Lu and the village chief, most of them were dumbstruck with the warning that had left a bloody picture in their minds.

Lucia quietly started walking towards her grandfather as others watched silently, unable to come up with anything they just stood there as observers. Even in that crowd Lucia felt lonely.

Village Chief and Lucia's grandfather caught her by the shoulder before she fell on the ground.

"Grand…grandfather…."

"I am sorry my child, I couldn't do anything. I feel so useless, even though I promised to keep you safe."

"It's all right. It's really alright. See I am just fine. I will be just going to another place with that person. He won't do anything bad to me. Isn't he just going to protect our village, so he might even sometimes allow me to meet you? I will be just fine, so please don't worry." Astonishingly, Lucia wore a calm expression, but her eyes said otherwise.

"No, Lu it's not fine. But grandfather will figure something out."

At that time the cries of a young girl being separated from her family might have been heard loud and clear to a great distance and yet the people near her were powerless. Even the only person lending her a shoulder, her own family member, no matter what he sacrificed, things just couldn't be restored. The same usual tomorrow where she would go to gather herbs won't come. The basket would stay at the rack, with no one around to move it.

Endless despair doesn't even come close to describe what she was feeling then. After being the only survivor of the tragedy three years ago, she again ends up bringing sadness and misfortune for people around her. Finding yourself at the centre of everything and even then being unable to control the situation and things starts heading towards complete dead end…. Nothing is more painful than that.

Right about the same time, the eighth Apostle landed on an elevated plateau, or rather a long chain of flat-top mountains. His large dotted black eyes looked furious as he was unable to locate the dragons he had left there to scare the villagers and corner them. But his plan was coming along so smoothly that he decided to rather ignore the situation.

"Those damn young dragons always run away and never listen to what they are taught. Hell with those empty-minded ravenous creatures might have run to somewhere else in search of food. No matter, I have as many monsters at my disposal to take care of the village if need arises to. Tomorrow just might be the final day. The wait is just about to end and Master Zero will be glad to hear of its success."

***

////////////// ALICIA ASCALON ASHBORN - POV ////////////////

Lucia is taking quite longer than I expected. Did something really bad happen. Al did you come up with something in the search.

[AFFIRMATIVE. FIVE DRAGONS DIRECTLY TO NORTH CONFIRMED.]

Now hearing of dragons makes me all fired up. I fought one of them in the labyrinth, but I never saw one of them flying. Dragon riding is one of the things I wanted to try. Then again it might be a sport here. And if it's not what about I make a racing one. I can roll a fortune if I start a betting business on the dragon race. Then again I don't think gambling is a thing that can save this world. So I should drop the thought of opening a gambling business… probably… I mean for sure. But I won't give up on riding dragons.

Now for the address, if it's nearby then I can directly teleport there, better than travelling and again getting lost. I have already learnt my lesson.

[TELEPORT]

I was now on a plain grassland, but the smell in the air stink of rotten flesh and blood. The wind was stronger than other places. I didn't have to search for them because five large lizards with wings growing out from their back, long thorny tail with sharp claws and fangs embellishing their bodies were flying right in front of me.

Now that I remember there is always a den of over-dramatic, over excited and extremely-weird possessing overly-superficial tendencies going beyond the cosmos – the UFO club, which probably studies on finding evidence over existence of extra-terrestrial life forms. And they make it sound so legit even displaying a flying Frisbee in such a dark background and a glowing light with an overly-descriptive account that one ends up in believing them. They are a scary bunch of people, for sure.

And now that I remember, I wonder why someone never bothered with dragons. Finding dragons in my previous world shouldn't be impossible if people really claim on finding UFO and aliens. I mean we can even club the two factions in one to increase the scope of search and success rate.

But a dragon club existence might be another perk of being reincarnated in another world. I can probably tame dragons, see dragon eggs hatch, dragon riding. I might even ask their help with the gambling business…no…no. I mean with the dragon entertainment sport race. But now that I take a closer look at these five…

"Are these five really dragons?"

Shouldn't they be twenty times much larger than this? Even if I add hundreds of these they don't even come close to the one I defeated in the labyrinth. Might have been a mistake by Al in identifying them, they probably are wyverns, a sub-species of dragon.

But even if they pose a minimal threat to the villager's life they don't deserve to live.

"ROOOOAAgggghhhh….."

So they finally noticed me. The screams of the dragons became louder and louder until they started talking among themselves. It would have been bad if they continued, then it might have attracted attention and I might have been found out.

"I smell fresh prey."

"But what's a little puny human doing here."

"We of the strongest of all races, how can you be just satisfied with one."

"Can't you see there's a whole village there on whom we can feed."

"We have already disobeyed those stupid laws that bound us from attacking people and confine ourselves on the dragon island. But now is the time for the big haul."

"You all can wait all you want, I am going to taste dish that human. Look how afraid the human is to wear a mask and hide their crying face." saying that one of the dragons bending their mouth and strong fiery heat rays started collecting in its mouth.

It seems they think that I cannot understand what they are talking about. But it makes me happy that I learnt all of the languages, because now I know that I can get rid of these guys. It would be quite distasteful and boring when I wouldn't even know what they were actually doing out here.

As the flames were about to leave the huge mouth of the dragon as it open in two fold, I launched my own simple magic.

[BLACK FLARE]

A small black flame ball headed towards it. The inside of the mouth of the dragon suddenly turned black, as it started shrieking in pain. The other dragons unable to understand what suddenly happened, they started flying around him. Though there concerns doesn't matter to me now, as they had already stated their hostility towards me and the villagers. Leaving a single one of them can prove to be disastrous. I can't allow myself to be a merciful person to leave the others alive and later learn that they caused another accident.

"Hey, what's wrong with your flames, you haven't still learned how to control them. Haahaaaaa… what a joke you are."

"It's not me… something is not right. I am burning." Suddenly the insides of the dragon being burned he died and fell to the bottom. The other dragons stood puzzled mid-air.

"Did he really die of his own flames."

"No, I think it's the work of that masked human."

"Go and get her, maker her pay."

"Damn you human, just die."

The next moment the remaining four charged their mouth with blistering fire blasts as it was released into a brilliant flash of light, to even change the density of air as the oxygen in the area was burned out in an instant.

I snapped my two fingers a small black flame launched from my hands, the moment it came in contact with the huge magical concentration of the raging fire magic, it spread like a virus corrupting all of the fire into a dense black flame.

"You shouldn't play with fire, if you can't take the heat. And don't go on creating environmental hazards in this new world."

The next moment I knew the remaining four sizzled flying monsters too fell down on the ground with a huge thud and disappeared in my black webs.

Since the problem has been taken care of, I should probably return before they find me missing from my place. I don't think I will be able to explain myself and I also don't feel like lying to them either. Something tells me that even if I did, they will catch it no matter what.

[TELEPORT]

I was quietly sitting on the designated sofa, when the three of them walked in. Lucia and her grandparents. Now I started wondering that I did not see her parents or any of her siblings if she had any.

As I was about to wish them on coming back, I realized it was not my place and also something made me hesitant when I looked at their depressed faces. Wait! Didn't I took care of the dragons, so what could be the matter to make them sad. Were my actions that made them upset?

Now I was having second thoughts, about re-evaluating my work. I make sure not to burn a single ribbon of grass, or harm the land. I was as secretive as a pro-assassin at work. No one would have noticed. So what it is actually.

It can't be… but surely I would be…..no, what have I done…

It's my fault, I am sorry Lucia. I know, but it's something I cannot prevent from happening. Even though I am such an avid fan of fantasy worlds and yet I failed to notice. That dragons are quite a delicacy. Though I myself have not tasted them. But when I think deeply about it, the disappearance of five hefty fat dragons, from the food chain of their is quite a big loss.

But how could I even tell them. Don't worry Lucia, those were just wyverns maybe, I will hunt a real dragon and make a new tasty dish out of it just for you. It's all those wyverns fault, who decided to attack first. Those fat lizards, I will ask Nekros to make their soul suffer and make them pay even in hell.

'As you command My Lady.' A bone rattling voice rang in my mind, as my shadow flickered a little.

Wait… wait... I was just joking, but then again maybe I shouldn't stop him, because it's his actual line of work perhaps. Then also, I purified and destroyed all the souls he kept in his personal purgatory. So its fine.

For the remaining day, the atmosphere of the house remained gloomy. Though I talked with Lucia for a bit and also had a small chat with her grandmother. But they were just normal things, most of them I already knew about and the rest was evident from the technological development and the lifestyle of theirs.

Most of the time the village chief remained quiet and kept himself shut inside the room. I also helped Lucia in preparing the dinner and she was thankful for my help, but rather I pitied myself for snatching away what could have been their main course dish.

Just look at Lucia how sad she looks… that it frightens me to even think about it that I won't be able to see her smile again, like she did after saving me.

Later that night I was invited to the dinner table to share the meal with them. They are quite a generous family to let a stranger sit and eat with them. But then again, travelling is quite common in this world and people's hospitality is what attracts the traders and merchants in the first place bringing riches and information from all parts of the world.

But the atmosphere was quite tense. The chief and Lucia's grandmother did say that they liked the food and how the taste has accentuated with some of the ingredients I added from my storage. He also complimented Lu and me for the sweet root dish, to the extent that he cried as if he would never be able to eat that dish again.

After a few moment of silence and some small conversation that ended following a small crackle of laughter and a deep sigh. As if they were subduing their feelings on purpose.

"Lu, why don't you get the room prepared for our guest, I am sure she has been tired after all the things she went through today." The village Chief said to his granddaughter as he passed his plates to his wife who was cleaning them.

Lucia left the room, while after the washing of the dishes and the strange silence, Lucia's grandmother joined the two of us on the dining table once again.

"Miss Alicia it's my understanding of the present predicament I find my village that I ask you a favour?" The village chief curled his fingers round the empty glass as his face revealed his true expressions. He was purely sad, and I could feel the pain that was akin to losing someone important to us.

"Please don't hold yourself back, I am willing to do anything in my power to pay you back for your spontaneous hospitality you have shown a stranger like me." I know I might have stammered in between my speech a bit but I meant every word of it.

"So, before that I want you to know something." said the old man in a serious tone.

"What is it about?" I had no clue, to what he was reaching at. First for a favour and now suddenly answer my pop quiz. My hippocampus couldn't get its way around comparing these two things.

"I want you to know that we are not the real grandparents of Lucia. Also Lucia once had a sibling and her parents…" the old man suddenly stopped speaking as tears dripped from his cheeks and wetted the table cloth.

"I see. But can you tell me what exactly happened to them. It seems that it is quite important for me to know." Now that I remember Lucia did mention of a tragedy. It is probably something related to that, of which details I must know.

"About three years ago, Lucia lived in a village located on the other side of the mountains."

Wait isn't it in close proximity from where I came from. If there was a village I must have seen it beforehand. So what happened to make it disappear like that? The village chief continued…

"At that time a human army invaded several of our settlements and took our brethren as slaves at the same time killing any of those who tried to oppose them or run. It was a complete disaster. No matter even if we put all of our resources and man power it was difficult to repel them, with their huge army. Unfortunately, Lu's village was wiped on the previous night before our main forces arrived. No matter how much we tried we failed to locate her parents and her big sister. As for Lu I found her lying almost dead on the snowy mountain covered in a blanket of cold white ice. I still remember that event as clear as day, when I thought she was dead, but I still carried her back home. At the end we were glad that she still had a faint heartbeat. She not only survived an entire ice-storm but was also the last and the only survivor of that tragedy."

"I see…" that's all I could say, my head facing downward I clutched my hands tightly. Thinking about how difficult it has been for her to lose her parents at such a young age.

"But why are you telling me all of this." I asked the village chief.

"You see we thought that Lu held a grudge against humans or were rather afraid of them. Just mentioning about them makes her feel uneasy. But around you she suffers from no such pain and I rather find her happy. I don't know what caused this change, and as an outsider I don't want to involve you into the village matters but tomorrow early morning I want you to leave this village as soon as possible and take our Lucia with you."

THUCK.

The three of us heard a crashing sound of a pot placed in the room next to us. The next second we heard the outside door booming with the wall and the running footsteps of someone.

"Lucia… wait…" The village chief and his wife stood from their place, but their old age seems to be preventing them from following her.

In that case…

"I won't try to find out what really happened, as you asked of me and I will consider your proposal. Let me go after Lucia." I looked at them straight into the eye for their permission, because I wanted to be the one to bring her back.

"Please bring our granddaughter back for us; we will be grateful to you for the remainder of our lives if you can take her away from here safely. She is a smart girl, I am sure she will find a way of her own. We two can't bear to watch her to be harmed while we two are still alive."

"She will be back smiling in no time. I promise you two." Saying that I too left from the house.

***

////////////////// A WESTERN CLIFF ////////////////////

Al please track Lucia as soon as possible. She shouldn't have gone far away, and I would be able to teleport there.

[LOCATION CONFIRMED]

"Good… [TELEPORT]."

I was now standing on a cliff just behind some huge rocks, and in between through a passage way, there was a short extension, providing me a perfect view. Through which I could see a figure staring up at the sky and the sweetness of a song I had never heard before.

.

{One day, crossing over the highlands,

I hear a voice calling me

I may turn back now and then

You were always by my side no matter what.

.

Let my voice, let my song

Connect with those memories

Your feelings give me hope

That in the end I will meet you someday.}

.

"Miss Alicia…" suddenly Lucia called out to me, and I felt a bit worst seeing that I might have interrupted her song.

"Ahaaa…. So you found me out. Sorry for listening on, on you." I came out from behind the rocks through the passage way, with an awkward laugh escaping my face.

But I think Lucia didn't really mind at all. She had a calm expression on her face, her eyes swollen from tears dried and wiped away. She looked lifeless and yet her eyes held kindness for me. Her hopelessness and alone struggles were obvious to someone like me, to make me realise that something else was bothering this village. And of course it was hurting her too, more than I can imagine, because it's her home now.

I felt shut down and powerless in my inability to provide them with help. The chief village already asked me not to meddle. It is probable that if I am unable to solve the problem, then I might bring more harm than good. Just having the information might prove to be disastrous. Then again, he asked me to take Lucia with me, tomorrow early morning. Is her life in danger? And if it is then she should run with me.

At least let me ask that much…

"I am so sorry…for running away like that. I made grandfather and grandmother upset didn't I... Even when I promised myself that I will never make anyone else cry."

"So, why don't you come with me back?" I hurriedly asked.

"Miss Alicia how do you find the stars here." Lucia suddenly threw an unrelated query at me.

"The stars…" I looked up.

And my gazes froze. How I had forgotten the night sky, and the bright little lights twinkling in its emptiness. A garden of glowing flowers, and a single moon shone like a ghostly-silver disc in the sky. A carnival of scents blew in the cool breeze, which made me forget all the tension around, as strands of thin light shone upon the colourful flowers growing right down below the cliff. Almond-brown trees stood serenely, awash with a tender glow. It was such a mesmerizing and spirit lifting view that I felt blessed for the first time after coming on the surface. So this was the world in which Goddess Athena helped me to come. How could I ever repay her?

But more than that, it was thanks to her that I was able to see this place at all.

"Miss Alicia did you like it."

"Yes… it feels like I can touch the stars from here." I said excitedly. The night sky in the labyrinth did not held a candle to the darkness the night reflected and the dazzling soothing light the stars poured itself in my eyes.

"Hhaaaahaa… it would be nice if I can do that too." Lucia was shocked and at the same time amazed to see the wild nature of Alicia whom she thought to be a quiet and a secretive girl who kept to herself. She always felt a boundary between her maybe because of that mask, that she did not wanted to reveal herself about her much. But Lucia still wanted to know more. She had a feeling in her hear which she just couldn't let go off.

"Did I say something wrong?" Alicia had no clue of why Lucia was laughing, because just a minute ago she found her utterly sad and miserable.

Lucia stood there for a while with her head down and then she suddenly spoke with a distressed look on her face.

"I am sorry for running away like that. I did not want to eavesdrop on you. It's just that…that."

I put my hands on her shoulder, because that's what I had seen in various shows people doing to give others support. I heard her clench her teeth. I felt like she had bottled up the loneliness and sorrow that must have been caused due to the tragedy, letting it lay dormant.

She'd endured it. I don't know why and I don't want to know for now. Like a baby clinging onto their parent, Lucia grabbed my arm. There was only a faint glimmer of light left in her teary eyes as she gazed back into mine. If she was left alone now, I am sure she would still recover, because unlike me who shut down herself, she lived through each day and was alive. She was strong, and I know it.

She slowly lowered her eyelids and brought her teary face closer to mine. She barely managed to squeeze her voice out through her tears.

"I don't want to leave from here. I don't want to go away from grandfather and grandmother. I am so sorry that I am only thinking about myself."

"It's okay if you want to be the only one happy, that's what I think." And it's exactly what I truly believe and for that purpose I was willing to do anything. Seeing Lucia sad, made me sad too. After she had quieted down and became calm, I wanted to ask her a question for a long time.

"Lucia why did you help me, there. Even though you know that I was a human. That you lost your family because of…m…" I was unable to speak any further, seeing that how painful it was for myself. It was not like I couldn't change my race using my skills and then later pretend nothing happened, but I wanted to live in this world mostly in my human form. Because that's who I am. But now seeing how cruel this world humans could be to do such a terrible thing I might have lost sympathy for any of them. It wouldn't come as a surprise if Lucia hate or detests me too.

"Miss Alicia you really want to know about that?"

"Yes, I do." I said adamantly.

Lucia gulped for a moment and then looking straight into my eyes she smiled for the first time, as if she wanted to share these feelings of her for the longest of time she had known me.

"It was because I was attracted to you."

"Whhaaaattt." Somehow I felt uncomfortable, as my eyes circled out. I never expected a straight out answer from her.

"It's not like that; it was because of your smell."

So, it's even worse than I thought it to be. Yes beast-folk, obviously have an excellent hyper-senses and catching on to someone's scent shouldn't come as a surprise. And someone like Lucia who had shown excellent beast capabilities, like her quick speed and sensing me from this far, I would say she is naturally talented. But don't tell me I have a peculiar or funny-kid of smell. That would be disastrous. Are my cleaning spells not working.

"When, I was travelling deep in the forest, it was then I felt someone's presence and the smell… it was so familiar. To the extent I could call it to be that of my own family specially it reminded me of my big sister. Even now you know that it's not possible, I still couldn't help myself but look for you. Even though I never met a human later on or avoided them, I wanted to come closer to you. Please forgive me Miss Alicia if I offended you in any way."

"I am so glad, that you finally felt like talking. But I think you should be glad that you reached out to me. Because you finally can have a big sister."

"What do you mean Miss Alicia, I am confused?" Lucia looked at me with a question mark expression on her face. Therefore, I didn't make her wait long.

"You should start calling me big sister, and from today onwards I will be looking after you, Lucia."

"Then I want you to call me Lu as well….ok big sister."

I blushed with redness spread over my face, the way Lu spoke it even made it more embarrassing and we ended up having a good laugh over it.

"You know Lu, I came from very far away from here and I am searching for a person very dear to me. I will do anything for that person and would go any length to search for her." I finally said to someone for what I was here for and realized that I was still far away from my goal. I didn't exactly know where she was, what she might be doing, what her name is or whether she is even safe or not.

I needed to move fast, as each days passed by I could sense the danger increasing. It was as if my own spider bells were ringing loudly giving me a premonition of the fore looming disaster.

"Since we will be together, big sister then let me help you search for that person. She must be wonderful just like you if you care about her so much." Lu finally looked for a moment cheerful and had something to look forward to. Maybe this time she was ready to move on.

"Of course she is. She would be really happy to meet you too. So, let's now go to bed so we can head out early. With the new-fangled sunrise our new journey will begin." I said pointing at the dark sky decorated with twinkling stream of countless possible stars.

But even such a motivational pose made Lu hide her face, as if she did not wanted me to see something.

After that we returned back to the village, while Lu's grandparents hugged her as soon as she stepped inside the home. I am sure they needed some personal space to discuss things, so I retarded to the assigned room I was given to sleep.

The bed was not as big and comfortable as it used to be in the mansion, the roof was low and the walls were not even strong enough to withstand a gale storm. It's not like I am complaining about the weather or the living conditions here, but more importantly I felt saved.

Today, Lu may have taken my hand to save me from monsters, but in truth she actually saved and rescued me from my loneliness, which I might have suffered if she did not happened to be there. All alone lost in the woods… I might have lived the day, but this beautiful possibility would not have existed. The feeling of being surrounded by people whom I can trust when asleep made me realise how abandoned I felt in the labyrinth for the year I spent alone, where no one knew me. I thought the outside world will be similar to that, but it was thanks to the kindness of Lu that I got to spend such a fantastic day.

It's all thanks to Lady Athena I was able to come to this magical place and meet such wonderful people. I am sure that I will find her soon. But now I needed to sleep, as I hoped that that Lu too would get some rest, because we were going to have a tough day tomorrow too.

***

//////////////////// LUCIA - POV ////////////////////////

It was just before the daybreak, I was about to open the door, behind which big sister Alicia was sleeping. I was so glad; when she allowed me to call her big sister and I could finally tell her something that which was precious to me.

But now I was going to betray her feelings, I am such a horrible person. Even when I promised her that we will be together when she searches for her friend, I am going to turn my back and run away. Just the same as I did to my parents. I never turned away… did I? Nothing has changed and I am still going far away from the people and village that I care about now.

Grandpa and grandma who looked after me, even when I had no one and when times were so difficult. I had to do this, but I did not have the courage to open the door and face her. The closer I get to the door, the stronger and heavier my breathing becomes. The thought of losing everything if I did not surrender my life terrified me more than anything. What if that Apostle finds out that I ran away with her? With his power he could even chase and harm big sister Alicia and it will be all because of me.

No… I won't let that happen. No one will get hurt anymore. Even if it means I have to keep diving in the darkness, my feeling does not matter any longer.

I started running at my fastest towards the place told to us by the Apostle. Even if he asks me to serve him for an entire life as a slave, I will willingly do as long as he promises to not harm anyone and keep my village safe. Being a sacrifice means turning and giving my entire life to the person indebted to. It was an old practice in the demon continent, but still being followed now, we had no choice but to accept it; otherwise the strong would always crush the weak.

I was just near the bottom of the foot of the chain of mountains which the Apostle described. I turned around to search for him and when I looked straight, a black figure was standing in front of me.

"Whhaahhaa…" The Apostle standing in front of me made me scared. The terrified aura he exuded made me submit to him in a moment. I realized I had no say in the matter except to follow him.

"So, those inferior beings finally decided to make an offering. Well weak people always know how to turn up a scape goat." The crow head was now laughing with his beak wide open in air.

"It's not like that; I came here to protect my village. I will do anything you say to me. I will prove to you my will is strong enough to protect my village." I put my hand on heart and as if listening to it said every word I meant from my deep within.

The Apostle twisted his head and following up a curved smile towards left he glared at me in amusement.

"Perfect. Purrfect. Purrrfect. That's what I really wanted to hear. But this will power you say of will be the one which make will make it more the painful. Now come along."

The Apostle did not move from his place and so I too stayed still, awaiting orders. But then the vision around me distorted and in the next second I found myself at a new place.

Most probably it was one of the highest grade- space magic teleportation. So he is even stronger than what we imagined. To wield such powerful magic and aura, there's no way we could have escaped his reach. But if I be a good girl just like mother wanted then I am sure everything will be fine. Even if I have to live a life of a slave, if it's for the sake of my beloved family I will do it without a second thought.

Looking around we were walking on a thin road and on both sides there was a deep chasm whose bottom I could not see. And in front of me was a hand shaped rocky platform, towards which we were heading.

The Apostle remained quiet and I was unable to understand the purpose of our visit here. It didn't feel like anyone could live here.

As I reached to the centre of hand and was pushed to stand in between a huge circular diagram, thick magical bars appeared in a circular pattern enclosing me inside like a trap-rat.

"Why I am trapped here? Please let me out." I shouted in desperation and confusion.

The Apostle looked at me with a satisfactory expression on his face as if he was expecting a good show.

"But didn't you say you would sacrifice yourself, do anything, which means even putting your life on the line. So, we will begin the sacrificial ritual, without further ado. I hope this will finally fill His stomach."

The Apostle flew high in front of me, as if escaping from something and started chanting some unfamiliar phrases I had never heard before. The platform below me started to shine with a bright red glow, as dust swept away a concentric and intricate magic circle formation appeared below me. With me at the exact centre and entrapped… it felt all wrong. Was my life really being sacrificed?

So am I going to die? Before I could proceed further or try to escape from the bars, the place started shaking heavily. But it did not felt like a natural earthquake otherwise I would have been able to predict it. But this shaking was caused by something from deep inside this chasm.

I tried pushing and separating the bars, but just by touching them my hands got burned by the heat. But I did not take them away. Blood and steam started flowing off, but I tried pushing even harder.

"Trying hard are we, but it won't even budge. It's a magic that is beyond a mortal's reach. Now do what I say and give your life to me for the greater good. For that my Master can finally claim this world for his own. Now you will feel the wrath and sorrow you mortals and gods have given to us." The crow head then again flew away to the top of the roof.

I did not understand what he was saying but I was going to die if I do not get out of it. I was certain of it. My hands were burning but now I could hear strange noises form the chasm, of something flowing. My ears were picking some heavy movement of something rising from deep underground. Even though I felt like screaming with pain, I kept my head in shape to not lose focus if I wanted to escape somehow.

I tried to take a peek by bringing my face close to the bars and making sure it did not touch.

Whatever it was, it was glowing as light itself travelled from bottom to the top and a yellow and orange mixture of burning fluid started forming a pool all around me. The heat was already giving me a hard time breathing. Probably the air was being used up by the lava coming from all the sides.

I tried this time kicking the bars but to no avail. I kept on banging and again glanced at the lava ― something peculiar about it struck me hard. The lava was not flowing as it should have been. It was slowly but surely travelling towards me. Somehow I was attracting it.

Within few moments I was surrounded by the lava as it slowly started jumping along the bars making its way inside.

My breathing was still growing intense as if each exhale also took away some life out of me. Finally the bars were about to melt and when the splash of the magma was about to hit and burn me alive.

I wanted to be quite in my last moments and die peacefully. But something from deep within me let out a loud howling scream reaching the skies as if forcing every bit of my life out of it.

The next second I knew everything turned black and everything was wiped out in front of my eyes as the world became oblivious to me.

Is this what happens when people die. I tried to open my eye-lids as hard as possible. But to no avail. My body was slowly but surely growing cold as my burnt legs and hands stopped responding to me.

It was all over. I might be already dead. Will anyone feel sad for me if I disappeared? Obviously I won't be able to make anymore medicine for the villagers nor serve the sweet dish grandpa liked.

For the longest time everything seemed grey and endlessly stretching on forever into a dark cold sand desert. After losing my family and my birthplace, I escaped to a snowy mountain and then was caught in a violent snowstorm. Since then I think I have been stuck on that path and the same storm that swept away the happiness and peace from my life. But I had to live. Even when I had no hope, I had nothing of my own possession or my own power. But I wished to keep on breathing. To lie back on the ground for the first time and slowly fade away.

But that everything changed when I met her and fake splashes of light started seeping in through bit by bit in that ice cold desert I walked alone. For the first time instead of a violent snowstorm, today it rained snow frost with a brilliant shine and a gentle touch.

I was glad that I met her before dying. But now that I remember big sister Alicia properly, I never got to see her face. The mask she used to wear to hide her true identity. I wanted to at least know that before dying. I wonder how she looks under that mask, or maybe I just couldn't figure out that she may be hurt underneath because she never took it off.

I might have even gotten the chance if I went with her. I might have lived a happy and fun life. Being cared by someone else... But for my own happiness someone else might have been sacrificed, I just couldn't bring myself to stay like that and turn a blind eye to it. As long as I am alive I don't want others to suffer the same fate I had gone through. Everyone deserves to be happy and not to be dragged around by my own fate within which death dwells itself.

So, it's better if someone like me disappears from the face of this world…

"Lu…Lu…" I heard a loud scream in that stale peace of snow that was going to finally bury my face under it.

But as if the sound shook it off, voices and images returned back to me. The fast blowing wind passing and hushing into my ears. My hands and legs spread out only to reach and touch thin air. I looked around and I was probably falling. The hand platform disappeared from my sight and the narrow path through which I came was already melted down.

But directly above me, the view that stood in my front. The rooftop blown away, as myriad colour of morning glory light illuminated the entire cave-like holding.

Even though I was now falling at a great speed, I was not afraid. I was not sad anymore. Rather I was smiling and stunned….

Silver white hair like freshly fallen snow ― shining and beautiful.

Spread out like the pure wings of the bird I heard so much about just like the one on which Sofes travelled. The light illuminated on a face I might have always known my entire life – my big sister.

The one who called out to me….

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