Oblivion Of The Heart

Chapter 26: A New Bud (1)

Chapter 26: A New Bud (1)

My choice?

Before she could even make up her mind, the dark figure lunged forward. But not at the saintess this time. Rather, he lunged forward for the princess this time.

Athlos Hiver clicked her tongue and gathered power in her palm as she punched the figure back. But her hand passed through him, proving that he was made up of nothing but smoke, holding no physical substance. The figure exhaled a fiery breath, strangling everybody's senses. The strongest impact was on the princess. After all, she was the one standing the closest to him, and her body did not contain the holy energy of the saintess.

Athlos Hiver was distracted for a moment and gasped for breath. The figure took the chance, and surprisingly, he held the princess by her neck as he raised her. As the smoke cleared, the princess unsheathed her dagger and slashed it across the figure's hand. The figure let go of her and bent as if it were hurt which seemed impossible because of the fact he was nothing more than devious smoke.

Esperanza's eyes widened as she saw the glinting ruby on the dagger, which was layered with black. Ruby's were the symbol of the demon clan, and only the rubies which were filled with pure mana were placed on their ancient treasures. There was no mistaking it. The dagger Athlos Hiver held was one of the rare treasures of the demon clan, which could slice through anything. Perhaps that was why the figure had been injured.

Athlos took the momentary chance for her advantage, and with her unbelievable speed, she slashed across the figure as it defended itself. The battle was silent, yet giving the deadliest of vibes.

The figure slowly divided itself into two: one which continued to battle with Athlos Hiver, and the other charged for the saintess. The saint recovered from her shock, and she dodged just in time. Her expression changed. It was no longer soft. It held annoyance.

"You're really testing me." She muttered, and a golden light emerged from the palm of her finger as she pointed it at the dark figure, and the light pierced through it like a lazer. The figure disintegrated, and it could no longer hold the possibility of being reformed, as it had been destroyed by the holy energy.

Athlos Hiver continued to fight. Her movements were rough and stiff as if she never experienced a real battle. In a moment of recklessness, she missed her aim and slipped. The figure did not let go of this opportunity. He bared his fangs.

That moment.

That single moment, she realized. 

She sank way too deep into her feeling.

Before the fangs could sink into the princess's neck, Esperanza covered the princess with her body. She could feel the intoxicating pain as the fangs sunk deeper into her shoulder. Her body felt as if it were on fire. She stifled back her scream, as tears gushed out of her eyes. Blood sprayed like a fountain, and the drops of blood fell on the stupefied princess's cheeks. The princess was still, her mind blank.

"Zhang Wei..." She softly whispered with her cracking voice as a tear raced down her cheek. "I'm home."

Darkness became her world once again as the pain overwhelmed her senses.

Six months later.

A man with haggard eyes knelt on the floor, beside the crème-colored bed as he stared at the person lying on the bed wearily. His eyes were red and puffy, holding dark circles under them. His appearance was pathetic: messed up hair, clothes that were wrinkled and old, as if he had not changed them for a long time. He held the person's hand tightly as he whispered in his fragile voice.

"Wake up........ please." He bend down his head as tears streamed out of his eyes. He silently wept. The hand he was holding twitched. He looked up at the person with sparkles of hope in his eyes. The person, who was a young girl, around fifteen, twitched her eyebrow. Slowly, her eyelashes opened, revealing those mesmerizing sapphire eyes- which were now clueless. The girl stared at the ceiling for a second, and then looked at him. 

"Who.... are you?" She muttered before the man could joy for the miracle. The man's hopes shattered, and his body trembled. It was funny, that even the rumored bloodthirsty duke Ilamas knew how to tremble.

"Ranza, ranza, you don't remember me?" He asked with his voice shaking. The girl stared at him with confusion and shook her head.

Maybe that's for the good, the duke thought bitterly. He caressed her hair with doting love in his eyes and covered her eyes with his palm.

"Sleep now, Ranza. When you wake up, everything will be fine." He said, and when he lifted his palm, Esperanza was sleeping. He stood up and looked at her with wistfulness. He sighed and left the room.

Now, after this day, there is no reincarnated Esperanza, no Qing Lin.

Only the Esperanza who knows nothing about herself, a girl who woke up from a coma with amnesia.

A girl who is free from the shackles of her traumatizing past and the tormenting truth of her life.

A new bud.