|Ch.103

[Taehyung Pendragon]

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The bright crimson eyes of the Pendragon mage Taehyung,stared at the destruction of his motherland,and it was caused by non other than his beloved sister. His robes flattered against the wind as he stood at the peak of a nearby mountain. Looking at the burning kingdom,he absolutely felt nothing. He even doubted if he was that much heartless to not feel anything but then again,he had always been like this.

He teleported himself to the burning capital and wandered around while keeping his face hidden under the hood. The knights and mages were still fighting to protect people from the devils from the hell. And he had no intention of helping them.

Though he came alone,he knew that his brothers must have also come to see what was happening. They probably wouldn't be able to sit back and wait.

His gaze went to the palace gates. He knew that she is there. The one he came to see. But he also knew that it wouldn't be a good time to see her. Thus,he turned around and teleported himself to the empty Pendragon estate. The Manor was empty with no one around to clean. Every servant and knight had gone to their own hideouts since they were never allowed to work for anyone else. They were all bounded to Pendragons with a magic portion Taehyung had made. Betrayal was never a solution for them if they wanted to live.

After teleporting himself to his previous home,he found himself infront of the family portrait. It was covered with a red cloth as to not let the dust ruin it. He raised his index finger and the red cloth immediately fell down.

In the portrait,his sister was 12 years old. She was happily smiling as she stood next to Kalisto. Himself and his brothers were all standing behind Kalisto's chair.

"Nabi Pendragon huh?",Taehyung murmured as he took off his hood.

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It was the beginning of the darkest era of the kingdom. The era where the darkness rules. The era where only blood could pay the price. The era where lovers killed themselves. Only blood could pay the price.

Because she only wants blood.

Leo stood infront of the throne frozen. He couldn't bring himself to fight knowing he had been a puppet in Nabi's play. Is there a point of fighting now? The kingdom had already been destroyed by the hands of the woman he loved. He felt like a criminal. The fact that he couldn't raise his sword to hurt Nabi hurt him even more. He fell into a despair. Maybe death will not he bad at this point?

But his knights were still fighting for him. Isabella,his comrade was still alive. She was fighting for him. Even Ethan was fighting for him. But he couldn't find a hope.

And there was another person who was grieving at the sight of the broken Prince. The real Hazel Pendragon who was still in love with him. She was there all along. At the sight of her beloved,she couldn't help but cry. If she didn't let Nabi take her body,would the outcome be different? Yes,definitely. But it was already like this. And she was the one who started all this. She gave birth to the destruction of the kingdom the moment she gave up on herself.

Nabi could see her sister's pain watching Leo in pain. She didn't feel any sadness over them but she still cared for Hazel enough to give her a final gift. A small gift so she could make it upto her love. She casted a spell.

Leo fainted ontop of the throne. His soul entered to a dreamland Nabi created. She trapped Hazel there with him. In the dream,Leo forgot all about Nabi and his kingdom. Leo only had the memories of his first life where he met Hazel instead of Nabi. They were best friends.

And when Leo saw Hazel,he smiled so brightly.

There was no Eva. Only the two of them.

Nabi let them have their moments and focused on the present time infront of her.

"You are overdoing it", Orpheus whispered next to her ear. "You don't have to care about extras"

Nabi,"She my sister. And Leo...."

Nabi didn't have a word to describe Leo. He wasn't a friend. She never considered him as a friend. She hated him but at the same time,she did not.

Nabi decided not to say anything about him.

And her eyes caught Isabella desperately trying to protect him by his side. Meanwhile,Ethan and Julia were facing each other as enemies.

Ethan was not attacking to kill Julia and she could feel it. Julia felt like her heart is being ripped apart as she gritted her teeth. "Ethan Black! Why are you being so considerate now?! There was a time you could show me how considerate you could be but you did not! By doing this now,what do you try to accomplish?!"

Ethan blocked her attack with his sword and found her eyes,"I failed. But I do not want to fail again"

Julia,"Too late"

Ethan shook his head as his eyes softened,"Please,I don't want to hurt you again. No more. Please"

Julia also softened her eyes,"It's already too late Ethan. To me,living is like hell. Every time I breath,I feel pain"

Their blades clashed again.

"Then let me take away your pain. Let me love you",Ethan begged.

Julia smiled sadly,"I have already past the limit where love cannot heal me"

Ethan,"Then why did you go to her? Why her? How was she a better option for you?"

Julia's blade made a small scare on Ethan's cheek.

"...Because she was the only one who understood my pain? Only a broken person could understand another broken one's heart....it doesn't matter whether she is a monster or not,to me,she was God. Her kindness gave me a shelter. Her arms embraced my pain. Her power gave me justice. So she is my god"

Ethan felt his heart tightening inside him. The guilt and regret were crushing him. If only he could see her pain before all this.

By now,they had unconsciously brought their fight away from the throne room to a hallway. They were alone.

Ethan pinned Julia to the wall and placed his blade against her neck but never let his blade touch her skin. "But your god couldn't heal you",he whispered.

Julia closed her eyes and opened them revealing her broken soul to him. "No she couldn't but you can"

Ethan paused and looked into her eyes as if to search anything in her eyes. Could he find a hope? But her next words proved him wrong.

"Kill me"

Ethan froze.

Julia had laid her naked soul infront of his eyes and showed him how broken she is. "Release me from my own darkness Ethan. These shackles of my past keep me in pain every day"

Her eyes were red but had no tears. But he could see her soul wailing. She is broken to the point of no returning back.

"We are past the limit of turning back. If you do not wish to see me in pain,then kill me. It is the greatest gift you could give to me. Or else I will continue to kill innocent by lady Nabi's side. And these clutches of darkness will never leave me"

Ethan understood. Julia does not like doing this either. But she had already accepted her fate to be by Nabi's side. Nabi gave her justice thus Julia gave her the loyalty. Even her god is a part of her darkness. A chain that shackled her to darkness. Julia has no turning back.

Ethan's eyes grew cold, "will death be able to release you? Will it be your serenity? Will you go to heaven? Or hell?"

Julia smiled,"Who knows. But I believe in lady Nabi. Right now,she is the absolute almighty with both hell and heaven under her palm"

Ethan stared at Julia for a long time as if he was thinking. But in reality,his mind was blank. He was just staring at her face as if he is trying to memorise her. "Then let's both die",he finally spoke.

Julia was surprised. She did not expect that.

"I cannot live without you. I had never imagined a life without you, Julia. Every time I imagined my future,you were there. I wanted you as my wife. But when I couldn't make you my wife,i was selfish and thought to myself that I would still keep you by my side.....and I still can't imagine a future without you.....So let's die together"

Julia's hand raised and touched his cheek softly with a sad smile. She leaned forward and kissed him. He did not hesitate and kissed her back as his sword slipped away from his hands.

"You have to live",Julia whispered against his lips. "....for our son"

Ethan froze again.

Julia kept her eyes shut as her forehead touched his. "....find him. I want you to live for him. Be a good father for him. And please tell him I loved him so much"

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Logan was on his way to the throne room when he was met with the sight of Ethan sitting on the floor with Julia's death body in his arms.

Ethan was blankly staring at the wall while tears were flowing out from his eyes like a river. But he did not let out a sound of cry either.

The pain of love.

It is worse than death.

Logan crouched down next to Ethan with look of genuine sadness. He tried to touch his shoulder but paused. Who is he to console Ethan? He is an enemy now. Once they were comrades and friends but now,.....fate had some cruel plans for them.

"....I'll help you take her to a peaceful place",Logan said after staying silent for a long time.

Ethan murmured a small 'Thank you' before looking down at his dead lover. He placed a small kiss on her forehead before standing up with her in his arms. He walked ahead of Logan without saying a word.

Logan followed him behind to make sure no one would attack him.

When they made it to a peaceful forest far away from the burning capital,Ethan buried Julia's dead body under a willow tree.

He stayed knelt infront of her grave silently.

Logan turned around to leave. His words would not comfort the man who lost his love. And he knew that Ethan does not need his comfort either.

When he returned to the palace again,Nabi was already sitting on the throne with other commanders.

All the nobles and Dukes were there along with the high priest of the kingdom.

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