The scent of blood circulated through the air. It was suffocating and disgusting.
The sight of the several corpses surrounded me. It was hard to think that half of these soldiers had once protected me yet, the same half had participated in killing me.
Standing before me was my father, the Emperor, and the man who had ordered my entire bloodline for an execution. His sword pointed at me while mine to him.
A grin had surfaced my lips, "Hello, Father."
His eyes flashed a glint of sadness and pity after striking me with his sword, my hands elevated my own weapon and blocked his attack.
"This brings back memories, eh?", I had mustered enough strength to repel back his attack.
"This would be the last sparing as father and daughter. Only that, the defeated would parish.", he commented as I charge in for a strike.
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The long and painful battle between the last two warriors of the Empire had lasted for an hour, in that span, both parties had tire themselves.
Tears streamed down Anastasia's cheeks while smiling. Her father was on the ground, while trying to suppress the blood from gushing out his stomach, his golden-hued eyes stared back at her. Several cuts were evident on His Highness' body yet, she was the most hurt.
"Why did it have to turn out like this? Why did you do all of those horrible things, Father!", Anastasia's voice trembled. She had been itching to see this moment, she wanted to see her Father suffer just as much as how her and her mother did. Witnessing the situation at hand, she realized that handling this was painful.
Her knees were weak, it gave out as soon as the second came by. The agony she felt for her mother was similar to the agony she felt in front of her father.
"Anastasia...", he held out his hand to her cheek, the coldness in his voice and his hand shook her mind.
"I'm sorry. For all the things I have done. I thought it was the best way for you and your mother to survive. I guess I only caused both of you pain." His Highness felt heaviness in his heart. The regret swelled up but he knew he could do nothing now that his time has come to a near end.
"You were stronger, yet you let a mere daughter of a count dominate your shadow. How could I forgive you?"
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One of the two royal bodies slowly faded in silence. Anastasia's mind was empty. Her father's corpse was in front of her. Gripping his coat tightly, her body was shaking.
She gazed up and saw the shimmering dots covering the black void.
The sky made her reminisce a memory of her and her family during a vacation trip. A happy memory. For each picture she remembered in her head, her heart grew drearily.
I want to go back
The desire for a change expanded deeply.
The mana in her body had suddenly released. Golden light surrounded her and as the second passed by, it widened rapidly.
"Please, come back. Father, mother, brother." Her voice was gruff. It trembled in sadness. Tears streamed down her amber eyes, a trait she had inherited from her father. Those gold eyes that once held the image of jewels had dimmed and became plain, blinded by anger and agony.
Finally, she couldn't hold it in. She let her voice out at the top of her lungs. Along with the cries had followed the pain. It was like a lion's roar by how loud it was, yet it resembled more like a wolf's cry.
The golden aura that had surrounded her blasted in an instant. She suddenly felt a burning sensation in her body. It was like a fire had been set, it felt painful from how it burned her from the inside. The scream that she let out was from a mix of feeling and emotion.
The overwhelming sensation was enough to make her faint. The last view she saw was the wall of the castle burning, along with the several corpses on the ground, and her father who she had killed. Her vision started to dim rapidly and soon enough, she collapsed.
-
Soleil Empire Year 358
At the Imperial Garden, the Crown Prince took a walk along with the Captain of the Imperial knights, Duke Aslan De Atlevera.
Breathing in the fresh air of the early morning, Crown Prince Nox gazed at the lake. The scenery brought an enlightening memory to him, he compared it to the smile of Navier, the daughter of Duke Romen Castiver Florence. A smile graced his lips as he thought of the sweet feature that the Rhea had.
In the speed of light, the wind started to gush swiftly along with the leaves to the direction of the lake. The spiraling form soon emitted a golden light in it's center.
The Crown Prince's eyes widened at the sight from what happened in the next second. A person had appeared. As soon as the body appeared, the wild wind had ceased and the person fell into the water.
He made no hesitation to run into the water.
"Your Highness!" Aslan shouted. His Highness jumped into the water without any warning whatsoever.
The Crown Prince found the body in a matter of seconds. Pulling the living load up, he realized that the person was a young girl. Black hair and pale skin. He carried her back to the land in his arms.
Flustered by the situation, the Captain called out to the maids that were near and ordered to cover the Crown Prince in towels to warm him up.
As the royal laid her down, he saw the wounds that ranged from her stomach up to her arms.
"Call the royal physician and bring her to a room." He instructed the Captain as he stood up.
"Yes, your Highness." Captain Aslan replied back. The Crown Prince walked away from the scene and went back to the palace. Aslan took the girl in his arms. He noticed the design that was engraved in her collar. The seal of the Imperial family. Furrowing his eyebrows, he made a mental note to check if she had any relations or origins to the Imperial family or the Magic Tower.
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