CHAPTER 16 - THE ONLY ONE I SAVED

“Ah… ahhh.”

My mouth uttered gibberish groans. The pain in my holed chest is surreal. I’m having trouble breathing. I felt my warm blood oozing from my lips.

I did not realize that I have already fallen flat on the ground. My brain is too focused on the pain in my ruptured chest that I do not know if the back of my head hit the asphalt. I tried to cover the wound with my trembling hand, but the warm red liquid kept on exiting from the wound.

“Mister Elzane! Mister Elzane!” Raynevere cried.

I slightly turned to look at my Gladiatrix, and she is being pinned down by the lady in the black dress. My hearing is already getting weaker, but I can still hear the loud metallic footsteps that are about to reach me.

All of a sudden, I felt a boot pressing against my cheek to the ground. I couldn’t do anything but watch him trample on my face! This bastard!

“Look at this, Miss Treenity. Your village is gone. Your family is obliterated. Your grandfather is missing. Your father is dead. And now, your Kaiser is about to croak. Look at him! Look!” The masked Kaiser mocked.

“Let Mister Elzane go! I’m begging you! I’ll do whatever you want!” Raynevere cried, her tears sprinkled to the ground.

“Shut up, bitch!” The lady in black dipped Raynevere's face into the dust.

“You’ll do whatever we want? Too bad, all we ever wanted is to make you suffer! Not even your life is enough payment for what you did to me!” The masked Kaiser laughed.

“...Ah.” I croaked.

My vision is getting blurry and multiplied as if I’m looking in a dusty kaleidoscope. The voice of the masked Kaiser and the cries of Raynevere is barely hearable to me. I’m getting sleepy. My eyelids are so heavy that I can’t lift them open anymore.

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“No! Mister Elzane! Mister Elzane!” Raynevere cried, but her voice could no longer revitalize me.

I’m passing out. My strength has abandoned my body. I couldn’t even feel the wound on my chest nor the boot on my face. I’m dying.

I’m sorry, Raynevere.

<>

When I woke up, the skies are still dark. I can hear the rain pouring all around me. I can feel the droplets hitting my skin and making my tattered clothes wet.

At the center of my sight is Raynevere. She appears to be cradling me, my head resting on her thighs. Her breasts slightly obstruct my view of her beautiful face which is quite pale and soaked wet. Her purple eyes are endlessly crying as if it’s matching the speed of rain around us.

“Thank God! Thank God, you’re alive, Mister Elzane!” Raynevere sobbed.

“R-Raynevere…” I tried to raise my head, but I felt that my chest is heavy. It appears that both of her hands are pressing on the left part of my chest with all her strength.

“Please don’t move, Mister Elzane. I’m applying pressure on the wound. You have already lost a lot of blood, and this is the only way I can keep you alive.” Raynevere muttered.

I fully surrendered to Raynevere as I tried to relax and analyze the situation. It doesn’t seem that it’s been an hour since I passed out. The enemies are nowhere to be seen, and the masked Kaiser said that they do not want to kill Raynevere, so it’s safe to assume that they let us go.

“R-Raynevere. Who are those people?” I asked in my weak voice.

Raynevere just shook her head, telling me that she does not have any slight clue who those were.

“They took everything from me, Mister Elzane. They took everything! They destroyed our houses, massacred my clan, and murdered my parents! You’re the only one left. You’re the only one I managed to save. I’m so pathetic, aren’t I? I’m so useless that I can’t even protect a single relative! I can’t even protect you properly! It’s all my fault!” Raynevere hollered out loud.

“R-Raynevere…” With my remaining strength, I raised my left arm and patted her head.

In response, Raynevere bowed, almost dipping her face into my chest. Her tears showered all around my face that which makes it hard to identify which are raindrops or teardrops.

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” Raynevere wept.

“R-Rayne-” I tried to speak, but she shook her head once again, telling me not to talk. It might be best to save my strength for now until help arrives. However, it makes me feel pathetic for not being able to comfort her at her lowest point in life.

“I swear that this will not happen again. I promise I will save everyone next time!” Raynevere whimpered.

It stopped raining.

Right after Raynevere’s shout, I heard sirens and vehicle engines. I slowly turned my head and saw the distant ambulance and the fire truck rushing to reach us. We’re finally safe.