Chapter 19- Peony flowers

The first thing Elise felt when after opening her eyes in a dark dungeon was nostalgia. Bwi made sure that Elise can feel the warm from the spiritual power while in the dungeon for Elise to subside her fear.

Elise flinch after the stone stairs appeared in front of her. In the end way of the stairs was a gate. Bwi told her that was the entrance. After some time, Elise bravely walks to it.

Elise walk to the entrance and her body started to tremble. The familiar scenes flashes in Elise mind like a film of memory.

**

Elise open her eyes and found herself in a cell prison. She already forgotten that she was held captive by a magician she wasn’t sure of identity. It was cold in a prison cell and there was no sunlight or a fire that can comfort her from freezing.

The cries from the other orphans seem to be a daily lullaby for Elise and the melody was full of sorrow and grief. She was hungry. When was the last time she had eaten? She remembers the hot milk and a soft bread she ate every morning. She misses it now.

A sudden tud from the big door startle Elise. She was located at the end of the prison cell that’s why she can tell that someone coming for them.

“I need a child.”

A cold voice from the man echo at the alley of underground prison.

A man walks and get a child in a prison across Elise and the small fire from magic lights the room.

“N-no….. P-please…. I-I’m sorry…..”

A cried crying kneel and beg for mercy.

“You bitch!”

A smack sound from a hit surprised Elise. She can see the blood from the child’s face who was slapped by the man.

“Dilon, made sure she will remain quiet.”

A voice that much crueler reached Elise ears.

“But I like it when they beg. It makes me excited torturing them.”

Dilon replied like a lunatic.

“No. control yourself and I need her blood.”

After a minute, a crack sound of the bones was heard at the corners of the dungeon.

“Fuck! This child was weaker than the one I used yesterday!”

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Dilon curse after hearing the bones cracked and stop using magic.

“Agghhhhhhhhhhhhh…. Huhuhu”

A sound of painful cries from the child.

Elise tremble and put her both hands in her ears to cover it from the terrifying sound.

“You bitch! You are useless!!!! I haven’t even applied all of my spell to you!”

“P-please s-to-p.. huhuhu”

“This is not the right blood too. It was too weak.”

The man with Dilon said it without any remorse.

“Should I break more bones?”

Dilon suggest like a lunatic.

“Hmmm, I don’t care anymore. This child was useless.”

“Hahahahahahahaha!!! I wanna have fun! I will torture more kids tonight!”

Dilon made a statement that Elise choke in her breathe.

After few minutes of cries from the child Dilon enter her cell.

Elise brown eyes become darker and her body trembles after seeing Dilon at her. The other man with him was gone and just ignore them walking uninterested.

The first thing Elise experience the severe pain from the whipped touches her bare skin. The wounds appeared in fragile body of Elise. She was hit once, then twice and more she lost counting. The blood spread at her cell after being whipped for more times. Elise mind was hazy from the pain. The face of the man hurting her was no longer be seen because of the sweat and blood mixing in her face.

She did not plead and just quietly accepting the torture. Dilon angrily whipped Elise small body because he didn’t get the reaction Dilon put more force on hitting Elise.

Her consciousness was fading. She never felt this kind of physical pain in her life and the book she read because of her cousin. Elise started to cry, the warm tears dripped in Elise face but it won’t help her pain instead it made feel more miserable.

“Elise!”

“Elise!”

“Unusual soul!!!!!!!!!!!”

“cough.. cough…”

Elise open her eyes and continue to breathe heavily.

She saw Bwi worriedly waking her up. His round big golden eyes staring at her face. Elise gasp and look around. She was no longer in the dungeon. She was at the field full of flowers and butterflies.

The sun is set brightly and the endless different kind of flowers surround Elise. She slowly gets up while her eyes and body started to feel warm. White butterflies surrounding Elise gives her a familiar feeling.

“How?”

“You already in the exit when you collapse. I really have the hard time waking you up.”

Bwi explain to Elise how she reaches the spirit garden.

“Peony flowers are planted near that tree.”

Bwi point out the direction of a big tree.

Elise strangely feel lighter and all of the pain and negative feelings are gone like some miracle happened to her. Elise stand up and started to walk to the big tree.

The big tree Bwi pointed out to Elise was massive and beautiful and there’s a familiar energy coming from it.

“You don’t need to touch that tree like you did-“

Elise ignored Bwi babbling and walk near the tree and touches its body.

“H-hey!”

Unlike the blinding light before, the big tree only has pure clear energy. A bubbles clear light appears and as expected a spiritual guardian shows up.

“Welcome Elise!”

A cat with white color and golden eyes appeared before Elise.

“…..”

“His name is Rin, a spirit guardian of this place.”

“Hey! don’t introduce me to Elise one sided! I want to-“

“Shut up!”

Elise and Rin flinched after Bwi shouted. He was mad but Elise didn’t understand why.

Elise awkwardly smile to Rin.

“Hi, my name is Elise. I’m sorry for suddenly gong to this place.”

“Hmmm. It’s okay though. I am happy. Hehe”

“Thank you. But I’m here because of Peony flowers.”

“Then I will give it to you.”

Rin smile to Elise and his golden eyes are shining brightly.

“Eh? Really?”

“Of course! It’s all yours.”

“Thank you so much Rin.”

Elise sincerely thank him

“I can see that you formed a contract with Bwi.”

Elise smile in acknowledgement.

“I can’t get out of here for now, because I’m still guarding the place but I can visit you from time to time. Is that okay Elise?”

Rin golden eyes are beautiful staring at Elise.

“I will look forward to that.”

Elise nodded to Rin

“Bwi…”

Elise looks at Bwi after Rin called for him but Bwi ignored him.

“Don’t over do it.”

Elise was puzzled after Rin last message to Bwi.

--

After a moment, The peony flower changes into liquid. Elise requested it with the help of Bwi for it to look more like a medicine. Elise happily gets back to the cave to see Rj and Rio.

Bwi uses his power and teleported Elise at the cave. Elise after feeling dizzy approach Rj and Rio who are frowning to them.

Elise realize that she forgot to tell Rj about the spiritual garden but Bwi told her that he already informed them her whereabouts, Elise sighed in relief.

“Sir Rj! Sir Rio!”

Elise happily walk and slowly approach them.

“tuk”

The cold metallic smell invades Elise nose, a red liquid dripped from her nose. She’s having a nose bleed. Elise sight become blurry….

“tug!”

Elise lost consciousness.