Aeryth sat on a bed, gazing out of the window.

The world beyond was hazy, covered in white mist. The wind howled. The glass clattered, hammered by the onslaught of rain and storm.

"Aeryth?" the nurse, Grace, said.

Aeryth didn't look back. Her lightless charcoal eyes kept staring at the flower in the garden below. It was the furthest she could see in the storm.

The storm had ruined the entire flower bed. Snapped their stems. Beat the leaves and petals into the muddied soil.

A lone flower still clung on to life. Every companion of it has been crushed by the outpour.

Why? Aeryth wondered. Since all its companions were dead, what purpose did it have to live? Did it even want to live?

"Aeryth."

Her finger dug into the white duvet, clenched into a fist. A slight pain shot up her arm, making her body tremble in pain.

But that was all. The pain was all that she felt. No, that was a lie. She felt much more than that, but the pain was all she focused on. It was the most bearable thing she felt.

The wind grew sharper and heavier, and yet it was drowned by the sharp rhythmic echo of the beat ringing in her ears.

Aeryth shook her head. She had gotten used to it. Almost gotten over them, for the most part.

She refocused her attention on the remanent of the flower bed. The lucky ones were the first to die. They died without the suffering of the flower that still lived. How long would it last though?

She kept watching. The lightning flashed. The world turned into a day in a blink. It was dim again, followed by the roaring thunder. In her ear, it sounded sharp and shrill, like the sword drawn from its sheath.

She let out a breath. It was hard to focus on anything, and harder to shake away the image of that day, every wail that she had heard that night. The pain, the grief, and the despair. Despite knowing she couldn't have done anything, it didn't make anything less painful. Made her feel better. She should've died protecting those children.

"Aeryth?"

She didn't look back. She felt angry at herself for making the nurse's day worse.

She wanted to look back and apologize, but even that was hard. She was afraid to look at her. Every face she had ever seen—known—was gone. She didn't want to look at another face. What if she had been cursed by those immortal monsters, what if she looked at Grace and Grace died? Aeryth couldn't bear that thought.

The flower rattled on its hold, shaking violently. Only one of its petals held, everything else was gone.

It had been two weeks since that happened—the death march in the Sagewoods, or death parade. It had been named. There was no reason for her to cry over this incident. She was a hunter, born to bear the pain of loss, and accept it.

No one in this world knew her anymore. No one. Maybe her mother had survived. She didn't know. She didn't dare to hope either.

She squeezed her eyes shut, and tears trickled down her cheeks. The world was hazy for a moment as she opened them again.

When she saw again. The last flower was gone.

"How Lucky..." She muttered. Her voice was hoarse.

"What is lucky?" Grace asked. Despite Aeryth's attempt to make her leave. This nurse had not once left her side.

Why was she even here in the first place? Aeryth didn't have money to pay her, or this place where was staying.

Why was she here? Perhaps, being a sole survivor of a massacred village made her special somehow. She didn't know. She had no information about the aftermath. If there were any survivors. If her mother had survived.

Grace was supposed to take care of her. There was one before, but she didn't come back after the first day—afraid or irritated at Aeryth's refusal to acknowledge her existence.

Aeryth turned, looking down at her hands. Her hand drained of all energy. "I am sorry," she whispered, feeling bad for worsening the nurse's job. "I don't want to talk. Please leave me alone."

"It's fine." The nurse said, as she always did. Calm and composed. She possessed the patience of a saint.

"Light has asked me to feed you this." Grace placed a plate of peeled and sliced into bits fruits on her lap. Gently patted her head. Aeryth could feel the warm smile on her face. "Once you're healed, you can eat tastier things."

Aeryth bobbed her head, her throat hurt. She didn't even understand why was she on the verge of tears.

She picked up the fork and stabbed the fruits. Chewing small bits at a time. They were bitter like she was chewing acid. Usually, she was given this twice a day. Today, however, she was given a third one.

"Thank you," Aeryth whispered.

In the past two weeks, she had learned she needed to follow all the orders the healer lady gave.

Light supposedly saved her life. How? Aeryth had no idea. Still, her wounds had not completely healed. When you were hurt by the undead's corruption, healing magic didn't work. Light's magic held them at bay. The knight had cleaved her body in half. But her body was in one piece now, but weak and prone to opening the healing wounds.

But eating with a fork, stabbing the fruit, was fine.

The nurse took the plate once she was done. Grace understood that Aeryth didn't like to talk, so she didn't try to start a conversation unless necessary. But she didn't leave her side either.

"Aeryth, if you need anything, ring the bell. Light has made it explicitly clear you are forbidden from walking."

It happened two days ago when she tried to go to the bathroom alone but failed. And fell. The wound on her chest burst open. Everything was covered in blood. Since then, she has not tried to walk. Except for Grace and Light, no one was allowed here. So Grace had to do all the cleaning. The healer lady had been quite angry after that stunt.

Aeryth nodded. The nurse left. She would be alone now. "Can I open the window?" Aeryth asked. The silence was the most painful part of it all. The howling of the wind was still a more preferable option than the hollowness of silence.

"You'll get cold, may even get wet," the nurse said.

"I don't mind," Aeryth whispered softly, as she placed her hand on the window. It was quivering.

"Please don't," Grace said. "I can stay here if you would like."

"No, I want to stay alone."

"Aeryth. Light will see you tomorrow," The nurse said as she closed the door behind her.

"Thank you," Aeryth nodded.

"Is she better?" someone asked outside the door. A man's voice.

"Poor thing. She does not even bat an eye eating those horrible fruits." The nurse said. "Can we not do anything else?"

"There's nothing for us to do. It is already a miracle of Ella that she survived," he said. Their voice grew distant. "I just hope Light knows what she is doing."

Aeryth looked outside into the hazy world. It was growing darker.

A part of her still couldn't believe she had survived. But the wounds and pain were the glaring proof it was not a nightmare.

She closed her eyes. There were two inside of her—split by the sword of the undead knight. One that burned with anger, the preferable one, and the other one that was here right now, thinking. The scared one, who wanted to hide in a corner and never look at anything, never hear anything, never think or feel anything.

Both of her knew she had survived, and she must live on for her family's sake. For her father's sacrifice. In a way, her father had succeeded, She had lived. And for that, both parts of her wanted to blame him. If he had not held the death knight at bay until his last breath, she would have died.

The healer lady believed Aeryth survived due to the awakening of her affinity. If it was a moment before that, she would've died.

The angry part of her wanted to blame him for everything, blame the nurse for being so kind and caring, blame the healer for saving her, blame this world, Ella for making her go through this.

She preferred that part of her, blaming and feeling anger at everything made this suffocating life bearable.

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The sleep was the worst part of her day, but she was slowly getting used to it. Nightmares were always different versions of that night as if she was seeing it over and over from different people's eyes.

She fell asleep, watching the storm, wondering if there was a way to return to the time before. As if that night never happened.

----------------------------------------

She woke up in the night. The storm had dwindled. A moonless night. She didn't sleep afterward. Just sat there, staring at the stars. Which one was her father, or Gene, or the children? But it all looked at same. She couldn't tell them apart.

Then, the sun rose again. Time passed in a blink, yet it was slow.

The nurse came and helped her to the bathroom. Then, back to the bed again. The window faced east, so the bed became warm by the eight, shaded in sunlight. She sat on the bed, staring at the sun. Her thoughts had run out. Her mind just thought of that incident over and over. Was there anything she could've done to change the inevitable fate? If we could kill those monsters.

She ate the same fruit for breakfast again. Grace had work to do, so she usually came to watch over her in the noon, or if Aeryth rang the bell. The bell only collected dust, unused still.

At eleven, Aeryth saw the healer lady in the garden. This was the first time, she had seen Light there. Was it because those flowers had died? Was she searching for that one flower that might survive and mend it?

The nerves inside of her flared at the thought. Why did Light get to decide who lived and who didn't?

Light looked up at her. Her cerulean eyes were clear. For some reason, Aeryth felt as if Light knew whatever she was thinking. It wouldn't be too farfetched for a woman who could heal someone cleaved in two pieces.

Light looked back at the flower. Lowered to her knees and placed her hand on the brick boundary of the flower bed. In a blink, it was cast in ice. Blue as sky. A box. A coffin?

She left soon after.

A few minutes. Light knocked on the door. "Can I come in?"

"If I say no, will you leave?" As much as the wimpy Aeryth wanted to have someone in this room, the angry one didn't.

"I cannot do that." Light replied after a small pause.

"Then, what's the point of asking, giving me the illusion I have a choice." She barely stopped herself from screaming at the top of her lungs.

"You've answered your question yourself," Light twisted the doorknob and stepped inside.

She yawned, fixing her royal mess of hair. She wore a loose white shirt and trousers. "It is, indeed, to give you a sense of choice and freedom. Most people cling to it, dearly so. Despite being aware there is none."

Her eyes were still clear, unbothered by Aeryth's sour face.

"I don't need Illusion!" Her fist clenched. It hurt, and that made the skin burn even harder. She clenched her hand harder.

Light strolled to her bedside, and placed her hand on her shoulder. Icy cold palm sent a shiver down her spine. It drained Aeryth of all her energy, and the anger along with it.

Aeryth sagged and shrunk away. She hated how easily the healer did that to her. The pain from her hand had vanished like it never existed.

"The real reason, I asked was to make sure I don't stumble upon something you don't want me to see. Really. If you ask me to wait a few minutes, I won't mind," Light sat on the stool that Grace used, made of steel with a cushion. "How are you feeling?"

"Can you not tell?"

"No..." Ligth said unsurely. It had to be a lie. "Grace said you still refuse to look at her."

Aeryth didn't say anything. Light wouldn't understand how it felt to know every face you've ever seen was dead. She looked outside the window.

Light sighed. "Aeryth, if you don't talk to me, I will not be able to help you."

"I don't need help." Aeryth breath rose sharply. She needed something, but it was not help, and especially not Light's help. "Leave me alone."

"I have a good news for you."

Aeryth felt a glimmer of hope. Did her mother survive? Aeryth looked at her. "What is it?"

Light smiled. "You're going to be completely healed. No longer will you feel pain from those wounds, and neither will you have to eat those fruits anymore."

Aeryth was confused. She stared at Light, whose smile vanished as quickly as it had come. She, too, realized Aeryth didn't find her good news good in any way.

"Are there any other survivors?" Aeryth asked instead. For the hundredth time, perhaps.

Light's apprehension to answer her question had already crushed her hope. Still, she kept asking. As long as Light didn't say outright, there was hope of finding her mother.

Light took a deep breath. "We can talk about this after you've healed."

"NO!" Again, the flames flared in her veins. "Why can we not talk now? I want to know if my mother is still alive. Or my father. Or anyone. I want to know who did this to us, and why? Tell me something that I want to know." Her chest heaved.

Light patted Aeryth's back, sucking out the anger again. "Take deep breaths."

Aeryth did.

Light sat on the stool, taking her hands. Light's hands were as cold as ice, even under her gloved hand. "Aeryth. You need to focus on recovering. The more you worry... the worse and longer it will take to heal."

"I just want to know what happened. Just tell me once. Did my mother live? What about my little brother?" She clenched her jaw, refusing to cry in front of Light.

Light sighed. "Fine."

"Your mother's body has been identified, as was your father's and brother's. No one from your village survived. No one even stood a chance at survival. You all were far outwitted to even run away. The only reason, anyone made it to the forest was because they took their time to hunt you."

She spoke like she was reading a book. There was no judgment, no consolation, no softening of words. It hurt to hear.

But, at least, she now knew that she had lost everyone, and there was no hope of seeing them ever again. At least, they were dead. Somehow that was better. They were not suffering in guilt of survival like her. Neither were they accursed with the life of the undead. They could rest without suffering.

"Thank you," Tears streamed down her face. There was a clarity in her mind.

Light patted her back but didn't take away her emotions like before.

Aeryth wiped her face with her sleeve. "Sorry... I shouldn't have wasted your time."

"You didn't. I expected you to have a far more violent reaction to that news," Light said. "Most patients do. Especially the ones prone to anger."

"I already knew they were dead. I just wanted... clarity, if they were dead. In peace."

"It'll take time for you to come to terms with everything... eventually you will. We all do. Let's focus on now, on healing for now."

Aeryth nodded.

"What about the undead knight?" Aeryth asked. "Where can I find them?"

"That... if that's the route you plan to take your life to, then you'll have to find your answer on your own. I did not save you, just for you to throw away your life, seeking revenge on the dead." Light voice hardened.

Aeryth looked her in the eyes, resolute, "I will find them. And make them suffer for everything they did."

"They are already suffering. Dead and unable to pass on to the next life, they seek life to vanquish. The only thing you can truly do is relieve them of their curse." Light sighed, "Anyways. Let's focus on your healing. The fruit I've been feeding you is called mana fruit Azyr. It's filled with mana. Right now, your body has quite a lot of surplus mana."

Aeryth looked at Light. "Like a stuffed pig before it is slaughtered?"

"That's about right. You'll make one fine pie," Light grinned. "On to the real explanation. To forcefully start the assimilation process."

"What is that?" Aeryth had never heard of it.

"You are blessed by the system, you know that right?"

"Yeah," Aeryth said unsurely.

"So, there were two types of awakening, one that directly grants you a skill or class, or an affinity of some kind—an instant awakening. There is a second type, the mutation route. In extremely rare cases, a person awakens an unusual kind of power, an aspect of reality, instead of an elemental affinity. This kind of power physically alters them. From change of vision to the total switch of skin colors. The said change is gradual, it takes time. And a generous amount of power."

"I will change?" Aeryth mumbled. She looked down at herself. She had already changed, even if she looked the same on the outside.

"Your blood will. You are blessed by Life. Life cannot exist without a medium, so it has mixed with your blood, creating a unique affinity—lifeblood. I couldn't find any record of someone with the same type of affinity or even a skill, so it is safe to assume you're the only one to ever possess this aspect in all its glory."

"An unique affinity..." Aeryth mumbled. Unable to understand. She knew that should make her happier. Oh, how proud her father would've been knowing she had a unique kind of power. "You said life cannot exist without a medium... then how is it keeping me alive, right now?"

"Be it normal, or mutation type of power, both require you to go through an awakening ritual."

"I know that." Everything for the awakening ceremony was prepared.

"And it is supposed to happen within twenty-four hours of blessing."

Aeryth nodded. She didn't know the reason though.

"When you're blessed, an influx of mana fills your body, which keeps you alive through the awakening ceremony. But it starts seeping out of your body as the time passes by. Thus, the ritual has a time limit. In your case, however, the mana was consumed to keep you alive."

"I understand. So you were feeding me mana to force me to awaken. Why?" Aeryth asked. What good would her awakening do?

"Not awakening. I've been feeding you mana," Light stood from her stool, and pulled out a small gem, as black as the lightless world. "To start the assimilation process. The awakening is something that you can worry about later, once I've saved you."

"I am still dying?"

"Yeah. I found you too late, though I can keep the corruption of undead at bay, you'll inevitably succumb to it. Life is a direct counter to death, so the corruption within you will be expelled once the assimilation process starts."

Aeryth nodded. It was her father's effort that kept her alive. For that reason, even if she loathed it, she had to accept the power that came at the price of every face she had ever seen, every name she had ever heard, every person she had ever talked to.

"It's ironic, isn't it? I am cursed by the power of life." Aeryth couldn't help but chuckle.

"You're not cursed, Aeryth. It's a gift, the manifestation of your father's desire, his last wish before passing away," Light kept circling her back.

"Can we start?" Aeryth said.

"Take a deep breath. You will feel slight pain. I will start the assimilation process."

Aeryth nodded.

"Close your eyes."

Aeryth followed the instructions. Light placed her hand on Aeryth's back.

Don't look back. There's nothing behind me but death and darkness. No place to go, no home to live in, no family to care about me. I am just an indenture of a tragedy, lived only to weep for them.

Slowly, warmth spread through her spine, and then her entire body.

"You said assimilation process only. Is that different from awakening?"

"Awakening gives you the ability to feel and control mana. Assimilation starts the mutation."

"I see..." Aeryth mumbled. So assimilation is practically worthless right now.

"Here it goes. It may hurt."

It didn't.

She felt lightheaded, and feathery, floating in a sea of white and warm light. She closed her eyes. She felt buzzing pain in her wounds. It didn't hurt.

"Done," Light removed her hand.

Aeryth suddenly felt hollow, as if something was missing from her body. Then, she was full again. Warm.

Assimilation Process has Begun.

Lifeblood Assimilation: 5%

All physical attributes +5

Additionally, Constitution +5

All physical attributes +5%

Unique Skill: Passive Self Regeneration Acquired.

Aeryth stared blankly at the screen in front of her. She didn't say anything. But felt drowsy. Yawing, she looked at Light. "Self Regeneration?"

"A life cannot be snuffed out, that is the promise of life. Unless your brain and heart are severed in one strike, you'll always cling to life."

Aeryth nodded. That made so much sense.

"You can sleep."