The Madame's voice continued to ring in the duo's ears, "She stood in my way, so I slaughtered the Rainheart clan and brought her head for my dear sister. Now, I'll exact my revenge on both of you, claim this empire for myself, and send you to join Mother in the heavens."
Tears glistened in Lia's eyes as she knelt to pick up Emily's head. Her heart was heavy with a mix of sorrow, rage, and grief for her fallen friend. Her face was icy as cold, her expression filled with an indescribable mix of emotions.
Emily had been her childhood friend, and although they had grown apart in recent years due to Lia's duties, their bond remained strong. Lia knew that Emily and her clan had chosen to fight against Madame instead of betraying her and that knowledge only deepened her sorrow and sense of loss.
As she cradled Emily's severed head in her arms, Lia's tears flowed on their own, but her face remained icy - a mix of grief and anger. Despite being a brave girl, she couldn't bear the thought of losing her only friend. Rio stood by her side, placing a comforting hand on Lia's shoulder and silently offering comfort and love.
The sound of hurried footsteps reached Rio's ears as Helia, Nyla, and Layla rushed out of the Empress Villa, alerted by the commotion outside. They had felt the temperature dropping and sensed that something was amiss. By the time they arrived, Lia had already knelt to pick up Emily's severed head from the ground.
Upon seeing the silver-haired girl, Layla murmured, "Hazel???"
Rio was taken aback and asked Layla via telepathy, "You mean Hazel Cloven?"
"Yes, but what is she doing here?" Layla questioned.
Rio never expected Hazel to be Lia's sister, the one who had killed Emily and sought his death. Now he understood why his parents had hidden him from the world. They had known about the prophecy and were trying to protect him from this girl who wanted him dead.
As Hazel noticed the three new figures standing beside Lia, her anger seemed to intensify.
"Good, now that you're all here, it will be easier to kill you all. But first, let me kill this Asura Empress. Then I will deal with each of you," Hazel declared, her voice seething with anger. In her hand, she conjured an arrow that appeared to be consumed by a dark, menacing fire.
The arrow exuded a terrifying aura, as though it signified the arrival of a day of destruction. The sky above suddenly filled with the cracking sound of thunder, emphasizing the dreadful nature of the weapon.
Upon witnessing the arrow, everyone heard Emperor Dylan's voice, filled with desperation. "No, don't use that! If you must punish someone, let it be me. She's your sister... Don't harm her!" he begged, his voice strained with anguish.
As the fire swirled around her, the girl's once-lively form seemed to wither before Rio's eyes, her strength and essence being mercilessly ravaged by the unstoppable blaze.
Rio realized he wasn't the only one who wanted to protect Lia with all his heart; there was another person who loved her deeply and was willing to give everything for her - someone who even surpassed him when it came to saving Lia.
As Helia's collapsing figure fell into his arms, her lifeless and limp body explained the depth of her love for Lia. The girl who had selflessly thrown herself in harm's way to save her beloved sister was now gone, leaving a deep void behind.
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[SnowNote]
Tell me, who hates Helia now for what she did in the past?
Have you forgiven her?
Do you feel happy now that she's gone? Or do you still wish to see her get more punishment?
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Edited By: TheWhiteSnow