author's note: comments and suggestions are welcome.

Warning! Mature content, Not for Children, Not for Adults acting like children, & Not for members of the Lily faction.

chapter 19 : My Insane Lover

-Kim

( No Kim, She's your replacement... )

These were the words that struck me out of nowhere.

It felt wierd, something inside my chest was hurting, like a piece of myself was being torn out.

During that time, I wasn't exactly sure what it was.

Aria looked straight at me and said these words like it was nothing to her.

I was unable to say anything to her in return.

I just stood there like a statue and watched her as she walked passed me, dragging the body of the unconscious red haired knight.

After a while, I finally regained my senses and followed her from behind.

Looking at her back, it felt like she was getting further and further away from me.

" What is this? whats going on... "

" What did you mean when you told me she was my replacement? "

A lot of questions were running into my mind until we arrived near Centor's body.

Aria sat beside him and plucked his feathers, and soon enough he got up, alive and healthy.

It seems he was only severely injured and not dead, I was supposed to be happy he was alive but the words that Aria said, kept me from doing so.

" She's your replacement... "

I took a glance back at the red haired knight, wondering if they were going to heal her too, but Aria didn't and just asked Centor to carry her body.

I guess it was the right decision, we wouldn't want her to make any trouble for us while inside the labyrinth.

I walked up to Aria because I wanted to know what she meant when she told me that the red haired knight was my replacement.

That was when I saw it.

Aria had a fond look on her while she was staring at the sleeping face of the knight.

Then I felt another pain that struck me in my chest.

" Aria... what did you mean by those words... " I asked myself these questions that I wasn't able to tell her.

We walked back slowly towards the exit, Aria took care of all the enemies on our way so the rest of the group didn't have to fight. I was drained completely of my magic so fighting monsters isn't something I was looking forward to at the moment.

I just walked closely behind her, following her steps.

Her scent was sweet, and I was able to smell her fragrance whenever a slight wind blew from her direction.

It gave me a peace of mind, and it felt like she was the most reliable person in the world.

She was really strong, no matter how hard I trained, it just felt like I wasn't even catching up to her. She even defeated the red haired knight that I was so powerless against.

" She's your replacement... "

" huh!? "

Those words struck at me once more, and I looked back at the sleeping knight.

" Is it because i'm weaker than this knight? Am I being replaced because I wasn't able to win against her!? "

The questions inside my head just keep getting more and more complicated.

I wanted them to be answered, so I quickened my pace towards Aria and soon enough I was walking right beside her.

However, Aria suddenly stopped and raised her hand telling us not to move.

I looked ahead infront of us, trying to see what caused her to stop walking, then I saw it in the far distance.

Aria was looking straight at a group of Orcs that numbered more than three hundred fighting against a rather small group of adventurers.

It was a hopeless situation for them, and it was clear as day that they will lose because the number of Orcs that they were up against was staggering.

All the vanguards in their group has been killed, leaving alone two women to fend for themselves.

One of the women, took notice of our group and screamed at the top of her lungs... Please help us! There was a bit of desperation in her voice, and I had to control myself from running blindly into the fray.

I held on to Aria's arm and spoke to her while my body was starting to tremble.

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" Aren't we going to help them? " I asked her, pleading and looking straight into her eyes, and she answered me.

" This is the true color of this world, if you try and save them, you will only die and accomplish nothing. "

Her words were cold and indifferent, it was void of any goodwill and compassion towards the two helpless women.

" Please help them Aria!!! "

I screamed these words out towards her, and I was surprised at myself for acting in such a way not even noticing that I was already crying once more.

When the Orcs started to undress the women, and defile their bodies, I wasn't able to keep myself from standing.

I fell on the floor hearing their agonizing screams.

" Cruel, this is just too cruel. "

Suddenly, I felt Aria's hand above my head and she proceeded to brush my hair softly, the comfort that it gave me was enough to bring myself back from the despair that I felt.

Her hand was warm, and filled with love.

It felt like, as long as i'm with her everything will be alright.

however, her following words that came after, reminded me of the cruel reality.

" this would have happened to you aswell if I hadn't saved you back then. "

( huh? what are you saying... )

" but because you looked a lot like my best friend, I wasn't able to bring myself to abandon you. "

( I resembled someone whom you knew!? )

" Don't worry Elena, I won't let any of this to happen to you, until I successfully bring you back to your father. "

( bring me back?... what do you... )

Then, it finally made complete sense, after this is over, Aria is going to give me back to my Father, and the red haired woman was going to be my replacement.

" I'm going to protect you, so cheer up... "

( no... I don't... no... no... )

We left, and without looking back, the crying sounds of the women soon vanished from my ears.

the next thing I knew, we were already in the exit of the labyrinth.

this was going to be the last time that I will be able to spend with her.

Suddenly, Aria grabbed hold of my hand and spoke words that I didn't want to hear from her.

" Isn't this day great!!! you'll finally be able to meet with your father again, I'm so happy for you. "

I wanted to retort, but she prevented me from doing so when she placed her fingers on top of my lips.

They were soft, and gentle, like a kiss coming from her.

the next words that she told me came as a surprise, but they were enough to break the walls around my heart.

It was the words that I wanted to hear, and it made me realize just what Aria actually meant to me.

" I Love You "

I never knew such beautiful words ever existed, until the moment when she said them to me. It was enough to make my heart race, I was so happy, but I was also sad because those words were meant as a form of Goodbye.

Without thinking, I grabbed her close and hugged her tightly in my arms.

" I'm sorry Aria!!! hik.....hik...... I never wanted to treat you that way!!! I didn't mean to hurt you... hik....sniff.... "

" Huh!? Elena? Whats wrong? whats happening to you? "

" No!!! Elena is not my name!!! My name is Kim!!! this is the name that you gave to me!!! Don't call me Elena!!! "

" Ehh!? wha...whats happening to you? why are you suddenly crying again? "

I looked straight into her eyes and told her how I trully felt.

" I love you Aria!!! please don't leave me!!! I promise to cherish you from now on! just... just don't replace me with somebody else!!! I want to stay with you!!! I dont want us to be separated!!! "

Aria looked shocked for a moment as I said these words to her.

The next thing she did when I released her from my Arms, left me with a stupified expression on my face.

She ran Away back into the Labyrinth and left me in the dust after my confession...

( why did she ran away from me? )

the three of us stood there, Centor, Athen and Me...

the two of them watched me in silence...

chapter end...

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