The Author's Will

46 | Mirrored Blades

　　 Irene froze up for a second, her body becoming iced over by Snow's words. The cacophony of voices in her mind intermingled with Snow's calls — but the only thing she could think was the fact that she needed to get there immediately.

Breaking out of her fleeting trance - Irene swirled on her heel and rushed instantaneously toward Mikael's chamber, ignoring the odious voices that still ambushed her consciousness the whole time.

White hair fluttered behind her - dress rippling violently from the sudden movements. A sense of urgency fuelled her body to hurry, her mind swirling with anxious thoughts.

Some of the servants noticed her running in a total panic, and tried to call out to the girl. "Go and get my father!" She shouted in turn, her golden eyes searing like a castle ablaze. "Tell him to come to Mikael's room immediately!!"

The servants exchanged glances for a second, but when they saw the look on Irene's face, they hastened to carry out her command. For a moment she faltered between the decision of waiting for Rudien to arrive before heading to Mikael's room. But her father's office was located on the opposite side of the gigantic estate — and there was too little time to get there and back.

Why does this house have to be so damn big?! Shaking out of her thoughts, Irene decided to continue to advancing through the length of the corridors without her father, hoping she could at least buy time for his arrival or help Mikael get to safety, until she finally reached Mikael's bedroom.

Her heart was racing — body trembling from the adrenaline and anxiety settling in to the very marrow of her bones. But the feeling of determination overwhelmed her more than anything else, as Mikael's innocent visage clearly came to mind.

Hang in there, Mikael!

With haste, the girl flung the door wide open, her eyes glazing over the room and her body freezing in complete horror when the scene before her finally came into view.

There, laid against the back wall which had been crushed as if a great force suddenly collided with it, was Mikael's beaten body. His eyes were dull and almost lifeless — blood staining his pale hair, white shirt torn and disheveled.

She could see the bruises and swellings painting his pallid skin with purples and reds. Towering in front of the boy, was the slender, darkly-dressed figure of the woman who caused him to be in this state.

Sophia Cather slowly turned, her pupils completely dark - like endless black holes yet to destroy everything they absorbed.

"So, you've finally decided to show up," The woman chuckled. "You took your time. Even this bastard got impatient and attacked me first."

Her voice was deep and discordant - as if twelve others were saying the same thing at the same time. Frozen terror settled into Irene's expression when she realised there were demons lurking in the room.

A sinister atmosphere weighed heavily in the air - and Irene could feel it the moment she stepped inside. This room was teeming with dark entities, and the voices whispering into her mind were as unrelenting as ever.

So this was the power of dark magic. Irene knew nothing of the phenomena - but it filled her with a deep dread - as if falling through an endless pit where no light would shine. Her body shivered at the cold feeling of something touching her.

But with all her might, the white-haired girl kept her composure and strengthened her resolve. Right now, her main priority was saving Mikael.

Instantaneously, the old woman swivelled to face Irene and lifted a hand — approaching her suddenly with a totally hollow expression. Irene flew into motion without hesitation, as she attempted to dart away from the old woman's grasp.