"How is she?" Seth whispered softly as he gently carried a tray with three cups of steaming and freshly brewed tea. It has such a gentle and mellow fragrance that one could not help but smile in its presence.

The door gently closes with the aid of the sisters outside. "She is doing well more or less. Though I had hoped it would have been better." Emma sighed as Rose gently draped a fresh cold towel over her burning forehead while she firmly held her right scarred hand.

It felt so fragile and small all the while rough and coarse over the years of torment. "Sister Emma please, we’ve talked about this.." Rose sighed. "We didn’t even know what triggered her this time, how could we have possibly known?"

Rose said coolly as Emma shook her head. "It is exactly because I can't do anything for her that... ahh never mind." Emma said as Rose chuckled.

"I suppose Emma’s are a worried bunch eh?" Rose tried to laugh but it was quickly shot down by sister Emma's stern gaze. "Emm... I would just be quiet now." Rose mumbled as Emma nodded.

The room was lit by a single frail candle. Although the room was significantly larger than Lucy's original abode, the young lass had never switched to a much brighter lantern despite everyone's insistence. Seth had provided more than enough for everyone, yet she still refused.

If it were anyone else, Seth would have laughed at the idea. A noble lady who preferred a candle over a lantern? It would have been a suicide to their social life. For a former noble lady, however, it meant little to Lucy. Ever evident in her lack of interest in even the simplest of jewels.

"Here sisters. Fresh out from the kettle." Seth offered a fresh cup of barley tea to the two.

"Ah, thank you sir Seth." Rose gladly accepted the cup, downing its contents greedily without a care in the world. "Sister Emma?" Seth said, waiting for the older sister to reach out.

Emma turned with a tired smile. "Thank you sir Seth but I am well." Emma lied as Seth frowned slightly.

"I insist. Your eyes already told me what I needed to know." Seth said as he nudged the tea closer.

"But I-"

"Please." Seth persisted.

"... Do children these days grow up so fast?" Seth pretended not to hear anything as Emma finally relented. "All right. Thank you sir Seth." Emma chuckled as she accepted the cup, taking a sip before frowning slightly.

"Is it not to your taste?" Seth worriedly asked as Emma gently shook her head.

"No, it's just... I can’t get used to drinking tea. It felt as if I was throwing silvers down the drain. You could buy three, maybe even four kilos of grain with this amount, such a shame." Emma said before taking another sip.

"Ah, I see. You don't need to trouble yourselves, sister. I have enough savings to last me for an entire year. A small serving of tea such as this could not even put a dent in my pocket." Seth confidently proclaimed.

"That is what I am worried about. Children these days don't value the worth of copper as we did back in the day." Emma said as Seth grunted.

"I am 15. I am not a child." Seth stated as Emma chuckled.

"You are still a child relative to me sir Seth." Emma smirked as Seth frowned.

"Then why do you keep calling me sir Seth if I look so young in your eyes?" Seth gruffed as Emma softly replied.

"I can't just put our benefactor in such low esteem. You have helped us so much so far. The least I could do is to show proper respect." Emma said as Seth frowned.

"You don't have to keep calling me sir you know? It feels as if I am an outsider all this time." Seth grumbled as Emma's eyes widened before replying.

"Then would you like me to call you something else?" The young man stopped them before nervously scratching his crimson hair.

"I-I guess?" Seth softly whispered as a small smile crept on Emma's face.

"All right then. Hmm, how does munchkin sound to you?" Rose coughed loudly, almost choking on her drink as Seth reddened.

"T-that's-"

"Munchkin? That sounds wonderful sister! A fine name!" Rose boomed as Seth reddened further.

"C-can it be something else?" Seth struggled as Rose's laughter boomed ever louder.

"Aww, is our munchkin shy?" Seth shot a glare that only made Rose laugh harder.

"Hmm, then how does nugget sounds?" Emma said, a hint of mischief clouding her voice as Seth reddened.

"T-that's... well I guess it is better than munchkin." Seth mumbled in defeat as Rose let out another boisterous laugh.

"Well, I guess we have ourselves a golden nugget eh?" Rose said as she ruffled Seth's hair roughly.

"Golden nugget? I'll have you know I am worth more than some spare change!" Seth protested in annoyance, trying to stave off Rose's advances to no avail as the older lady grinned ever wider.

"This is all a spare change to you?” Rose exclaimed incredulously as Seth held his chest high in pride before another smirk graced the sister’s lips. “Sister Emma was right; you do grow fast!" Rose giggled as Seth fumed.

"Sister Rose please stop. We wouldn't want to anger little nugget do we?"

"H-hey! I thought we agreed on just nugget??" Seth turned back in dismay as Emma smiled.

"Oh? So you do like your-" Lucy twitched.

The once playful atmosphere died instantly as the three hurriedly rushed to her side. “What is happening?" Rose grimly inquired as Lucy continued to twitch uncontrollably.

"I-I don't know. M-maybe she's- wait. She's burning up again!" Emma panicked as she quickly replaced a new towel.

"It's no use, she's still burning up!" Seth cursed as Emma clasped Lucy's limp scarred right hand tighter. "Edrak." Emma quivered softly as emerald light bathed Lucy's right hand.

"No sister! Don't!" Seth shouted in dismay as he tackled Emma away from Lucy.

"Sir Seth, what are you-"

"Stop for a moment will you? Stop and think for a second!" Seth shouted, panic and restlessness in his eyes. "I understand what you are trying to do, I get it. But that is not what we need right now." Seth said as Rose struggled to help Lucy.

Panic seeps back into the older nun as she tries to pry Seth free. "Bu-but I can help her! I can-"

"Kalva be damn, listen to me! What does Edrak do?" Emma blinked before slowly falling into clarity.

"I-it... it helps people." Emma weakly replied as Seth shook his head.

"It does not work like that. You can’t mend what’s inside sister, only the outside.” Seth said as Emma went agape.

"B-but I can still t-try to-"

"Did you think I haven’t tried that before? If it did work, I wouldn’t be doing this in the first place!" The tone within the young man made the sister pause. His passion and frustration intermingled as one as a horrifying understanding settled in. Before she could answer, however, Lucy suddenly screamed.

They turned back to see Lucy flailing wildly against Rose’s restraints. Screaming and scratching as the older sister desperately holds on. "Lucy! Lucy it's just us! Please calm-" Another painful scream escaped the young sister’s lips as Seth rushed before she could move another step.

Oh Lucy... Why do you look so much in pain dear? Emma sobbed as she stared back into those listless dull sapphires. Not a single shred of light possessed in those dark depths as pain and misery was all that is left.

Just what hurt you so much dear? Lucy tried to crawl away but failed. Gods, please. Please make it stop. Rose desperately tried to ease her cries but to no avail. Still screaming, still crying in pain. I'll do anything. I'll do anything you wish of me, but please... She twists and turns as if she was burning. Please just make it stop!

"S-sister Emma!" Emma blinked out of her daze as she turned to see Seth desperately trying to hold her back. "You have to talk to her! I...I cannot reach her! She won't listen to me! She won't listen to anyone right now! But maybe you can!" Emma blinked as Lucy screamed.

"W-what? B-but I-"

"Please! You are the longest one around here! You are the one who found her! Found her from death! So, please! Find her from this nightmare once more!" Seth yelled one last time before powering everything to stop Lucy from rampaging.

Emma hesitated for a moment, looking back at the screaming unconscious lady. Emma could see her lifeless sapphire eyes. It did not shed a single light of consciousness, but Emma could see it. She could simply see the pain within those lightless eyes as she continued to scream.

Her heart twisting into knots, Emma shakily and gently cupped Lucy's face as she shrieked. "L-lucy... L-lucy it's me..." The young lady could not hear her as she continued to weep. That awful terrible screaming. It was as if she was burning in hell.

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

"O-oh Lucy... you look so miserable," Emma whispered as she gently wiped away her tears to no avail. "Y-you look so much i-i-in p-p-pain..." Emma trailed off as her voice broke. Lucy's relentless and tireless effort to break free crushed her heart. Her voice was beginning to break from the constant screaming.

It was no longer a loud painful roar, but something far worse. It sounded tired... it was so tired. Watching what once might have been delicately tendered nails breaking within her assault. What once could have been a well-treated skin became nothing more but a barren wasteland of scars and trauma. And a sanguine voice to devolve into the lowly grunt of an animal.

Watching it all was too much for the eldest sister as she closed in and gave a tight embrace despite the others protest. "L-L-Lu-Lucy... m-my p-precious L-lucy... I'm h-here... s-si-sister E-Emma is here..." It was all Emma could muster out as her voice struggled beneath the tears.

It did not help how Lucy's voice sounded so weak right now. So tired. "I-I kno-know... I know you a-are tired. I-I know y-you are. S-s-so p-please... s-s-sl-sleep... sleep for a w-while... y-you m-must have been tired. S-so so t-tired." Emma wept as Lucy's struggle grew weaker.

The smell of iron washed over the room as Lucy coughed out the liquid of life. The young sister continued to struggle, albeit significantly weaker this time. She flailed desperately from beyond Emma as if she was trying to reach something out of her grasp. Emma turned wildly, desperately trying to find whatever the miserable lady was searching for.

It was a pitcher. "A-ah. A-are you t-thirsty? O-ok wait h-here ok? I-I'll get y-you something." Emma quivered as she ran to the door. Several sisters were waiting outside, worried and concerned glances were thrown at her, but Emma did not have the time to respond. She needed water.

The hallway was dark, saved by a few scants of lights provided by the torch. Emma could hear the distant cries growing weaker with each step as her heart raced. Please wait for me. Please please please! Emma burst through the kitchen door, throwing the cupboards open as she desperately searched for a cup.

"Where is it? Where is it?? Kalva be damn, where is it?!" Emma yelled in frustration as she opened cupboard after cupboard and found nothing but plates and cutlery. Another scream echoed from the bedroom. Emma flinched before starting anew, pulling the cupboard much rougher this time as its contents shook.

After the 5th cupboard, Emma's eyes grew as wide as a coin when she finally saw it. With shaky hands and heavy breaths, the sister clumsily grabbed hold of a cup. Before she could use it, however, her grip lost its hold as the cup plummeted down to its doom. Another painful howl echoed across the halls.

"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!" Emma cursed as she grabbed another, holding with two hands this time before refilling the pitcher along the way. "I'm almost there. Please wait, Lucy." Water violently poured off from the aging holder as Emma made her way back into the room.

By the time she poured a cup of water, only half of its original contents remained. The rest was spilled by Emma's complete disregard, drenching her clothes, though it mattered little to the older sister as she began to pour. Her heart beats so loudly that her ears could hear its violent rhythms.

Her eyes dilated for a moment by the lack of air in her lungs, but it did not bother her. What mattered was to fill this cup. By the time she had one, Lucy’s voice was nothing more than a weak rasp. "H-here L-lucy. Come d-dear please d-drink some-" Lucy blindly swung as she struck the cup free from Emma’s hand.

Emma was fast enough to catch the cup from breaking, but it did not save the water from within. "I-I know y-you're tired. P-please Lucy. I-I know, b-but you have to drink." Emma pleaded as Lucy only yelled weakly.

"H-here, I'll p-pour it for y-you." Emma fills the cup once more, half this time as she gently caresses Lucy's disheveled head. "P-please drink L-lucy. E-even if it's just a l-little bit, ok?" Lucy's unfocused gaze stared directly at the cup as Emma poured the contents gently into her parched lips.

As if renewed by the taste of moisture, Lucy greedily tried to snatch the cup free, but Emma was ready this time. "H-haha. E-easy there, easy there l-lass." Emma cried weakly out as Lucy's weak grip constantly tried to pull the cup free into her control.

It was as if she was not satisfied by the slow and steady pace and wanted to drink it all for herself. "Y-you are quite l-little greedy a-aren't you?" Emma chuckled softly.

"F-finally. U-Urums light be blessed." Rose breathed out in exhaustion as Seth nodded in reply.

"I-I agree. K-Kalva be d-damn... I m-might have broken a s-shoulder." Seth half-heartedly joked as they turned to look at the two. Like a mother feeding her hungry baby, Emma finally tries to calm down when Lucy chokes.

Lucy cried out painfully as she vomited all the water back, dyed in red by her own blood to Emma's dismay. "N-no no no... d-don't throw i-it all away... h-here I-I'll get y-you a new o-one." Emma gasped; her breathing was growing haggard by the second.

The two moved to restrain Lucy again if she went berserk, but Emma stopped them with a tired gaze. "D-don't. Please. J-just stop. S-she's too w-weak." The two paused for a moment when they saw Lucy. She no longer flailed violently like before, only reaching out weakly for water.

Seth and Rose had never seen such a miserable state before. A fair share of battles? Yes. But they all died swiftly. Nothing like... this. It strangled their hearts to see Lucy in such a way. They could not bear to stand by and do nothing. "W-wait, I-I said-"

"We'll just hold her. Don't worry." Seth cut off as Rose nodded.

"Go get her a n-new cup sister." Rose whispered as Emma paused in stupefaction. Her mind was so muddled that she barely understood what they said. Thankfully, her hands were already at the pitcher as she poured in the last half.

"S-slowly. P-please Lucy. J-just-" Lucy did not listen as she still tried to steal the cup away. Emma did not let her, much to the young lady's frustration. The water came in so slowly that Lucy began to groan in protest, but Emma was not having it.

She fed the weakened young lady portion by portion, pausing in between to let her catch her breath. When the cup was finally drained, Lucy was wheezing out weakly as the three cradled her in their arms gently, her chest heaving in exhaustion as she desperately gulped for air. "H-how is she?" Emma whispered as Seth softly replied.

"S-she's stable for now." Seth said as Emma nodded silently. Tired of the ordeal, Emma finally let herself weep in complete silence. The urge to scream was so strong, but Emma managed to swallow it in. "Just why... just why her?" Emma whispered rasply, but no one replied.

"Just why does it have to be her? T-there are so many p-people out there who are more d-deserving, but... but why her?" Emma weakly cried out as Seth and Rose silently patted the weeping sister. Their throats were threatening to spill out as well, but they held it in.

They were far more accustomed than anyone else, they could hold it in if they needed to. Though, the same could not be said for the sisters outside. Emma could hear their soft cries from beyond the door as well as she did not bother closing it in when she returned. They probably saw the whole thing and could do nothing but watch helplessly from a distance.

The entire night was cold and unforgiving when a sudden wiggle caught her attention. "S-s-s-sister?" Lucy weakly called out as Emma's eyes widened. Their eyes met, both were exceedingly tired than the other as Emma spoke.

"W-where-"

"Shh. Don't s-speak right now. J-just rest."

"B-but-"

"Just rest will you?!" Emma unknowingly screamed before tears fell through again. Emma did not notice it then, but her tears dripped ever so slightly on Lucy's scarred face. Her eyes slowly regained their former luster.

Lucy meekly blinked as Emma shook her head softly. "I-I’m s-sorry. I didn’t m-mean to shout dear. But p-please... please j-just rest." Emma begged as Lucy weakly shook her head.

"I... d-don't... want t-to..." Lucy muttered painfully as Emma's gaze darkened for a moment.

"...Why?" Emma demanded though it sounded more like a cry, a plea. "Just w-why Lucy?" Emma trembled in anger and sorrow, boiling over her body as she watched the little lady try to put up a front again and again.

"C-can't you trust us?? A-are we truly that u-untrustworthy for y-you?!" Her voice was bordering once again on shouting. "H-have we still d-didn't earn y-your trust? Are we... are we r-really that unreliable to you?" Emma's frame trembled as her heart struggled to keep up.

Frustration gnawed at her core as she was forced to watch and could do nothing to better Lucy's misery. The same could be said for the sisters across the room who have heard her. Guilt and bitterness plagued their hearts, all they could do was watch their youngest agonize all alone.

Before it could gain any more momentum, however, Lucy finally replied in a soft, small, but terrified tone. "I-I'm s-s-scared..." All eyes widened as Lucy confessed in a familiar terrified tone once more. The one she used when she begged for their help.

"I-I do-don't want to sl-leep... b-because I a-am scared." Lucy's voice broke then as she began to cry. She did not hold it in like she did weeks ago, she did not mask her pain like she did days ago. Lucy simply cried as if she was finally given the chance to do so.

"I-I screamed a-and called o-out your names, b-but you didn't a-answer. A-all of y-you didn't a-answered m-me." All the anger and doubt disappeared within Emma's chest as it was soon replaced with pity and remorse. Lucy gasped as the pain simply did not allow it to be contained.

"I-I w-weep. I c-cursed, I-I cried… I b-begged… b-but not e-even the c-children answered m-me. I-I thought I was a-alone.” The word hurt far more than what steel could hope to do. “I-I thought y-you all h-have abandoned m-me… i-it was all that I co-could think of-"

"NO!" Tens of voices screamed in unison as Emma's grip tightened further as she embraced the frail lass in her arms.

The strength within those words was so strong that it shook Lucy off from her waking nightmare. "I'm sorry L-lucy... we are sorry f-for not u-understanding you... but w-we're here now... we're here now... we're here for y-you. W-we won't ever a-abandon you o-ok?"

Lucy's eyes widened ever so slightly; disbelief washed over them as she slowly began to turn. Her gaze landing on one of the sisters after the other as if she still could not believe it.

When she saw they were all there, she slowly began to weep once more. Thankfully, it was softer this time. "T-thank y-you... th-thank y-you. P-please d-don’t." Lucy cried as the sisters could no longer hold it in. All of them rushed inside, seeking for the chance to give Lucy a warm hug.

Emma did not stop her sisters as they all cried out with Lucy. Seth simply stands back in relief and joy for everyone within the room. Being too physical and open was never his style, but he wished them the best anyways. Beneath the warm cries, however, a single whisper remained.

They cannot save you. You will never be free. We will forever be what they molded us into. A soldier. A slave. The soldier, the champion that once was Emma whispered in bitterness and envy.

No… no, you are wrong. I will not be enslaved. For I am free. But through the cries and embraces of the others, Lucy found the strength to deny the soldier within and bury the pain of the past with the comfort of the present.

"All right sisters, let's give her some room." Emma began to disperse the others as they all groaned in discontent. “I know you’re all worried for sister Lucy, but we need to give her time to-“

"S-sister...Lucy?" A voice suddenly called out softly, almost like a child. Lucy's gaze seemed to grow frantic for a moment as Emma panicked and followed her gaze.

Behind was Iva being escorted by Ivy, eyes as wide as a silver coin as the little girl looked back to the disheveled and ruined mess of Lucy. "I-I-Iva..." Lucy wearily croaked out as her hands weakly reached for Iva. "I-I-Iva..." Lucy called out again as the little girl broke free from her confusion.

The little girl hesitated for a while, eyeing the weakly pleading Lucy back to Emma who shot a begging gaze. "Please." Emma softly whispered; eyes desperate as she feared for Lucy.

"I-Iva..." The weakened lady whispered again to the little girl.

Iva finally made her decision and slowly walked towards Lucy. "Iva... Iva... Iva..." Lucy rasped in between breaths as Iva finally reached within her reach. The little girl blinked, looking back at Emma for guidance. "C-could you fix her hair?" Emma softly whispered as Iva complied.

The little girl carefully arranged Lucy's disheveled hair as her weak sapphire eyes began to grow focused. Her voice was so guttural from all the screaming that it felt more like her last gasp of life rather than her natural voice.

"Iva...Iva...Iva...Iva..." The little girl winces and flinches whenever Lucy whispers her name, but she does not stop caressing her hair. "I-is that... really... you?" Lucy spoke slowly as her gravel tone was only masked by her sharp gasp. Iva paused for a moment before nodding.

"...I'm here-!!!" Iva and everyone else in the room were cut off by surprise when Lucy snatched the little girl into a hug before dragging her into her small bed. "H-hey l-let me-"

"-orry... sorry..." Iva could feel warm tears drenching her chest as a mounting pressure restrained her breathing.

"Sorry... I'm... so... sorry... p-please f-forgive me... p-please... fo-forgive... m-me... p-p-please...p-please...please..." Lucy wheezes out weakly as she trembles ever so slightly, hugging the small girl in her arms. Iva did not say a word as she simply continued caressing Lucy's hair. Lucy waited for an answer that would never come as she finally ran out of steam and passed out.