A True Rhombic Comes in Time

16

Tears were rolling down my eyes uncontrollably now.

I couldn't hear a thing, but my ears were ringing deafeningly. I felt an overwhelming urge to run toward the dying woman to help, but no matter how hard I tried, my character's body refused to move.

It was then that I saw the woman with a short bob rush closer to the couple. Her face was now visible to me, and I realized that it was none other than the CIO I met earlier.

Virpal Bansal.

Her hair was different, and she looked immensely younger, but I had no doubt it was her.

The shock didn't end there. As if my name was called, I turned to my right again toward the villain and Valiant Vesper. The vile duo both looked at me menacingly, and it was the older one who jolted his wings toward me. This time, I saw the black dagger-like feathers spew out from them. Even though they had to be coming at me at the speed of light, it felt like the movie turned slomo again because I could see each and every sharp blade.

They headed straight toward me without fail, and my body became knocked down to the ground. It was such an odd sensation because even though I didn't feel any pain, I still experienced the daggers entering my body.

It didn't take much to realize that I, no my character, was dying.

I cried. It was like there were hoses behind my eyes and someone turned on the faucet. I cried for the couple who died, and I cried for the character I was playing. Although I didn't feel the physical agony this character must be going through, her emotions resonated with me as if they were my own.

Despair, anger, and sorrow flooded out from every pore of my body.

My character couldn't have had much life left in her, but to my shock, I felt her lips move. Again, no sound came out, but because they were my own lips now, I sensed her words. It felt like I was munching on glass shards as she and I promised ourselves.

"Don't be weak."

A shadow appeared above me. When I managed to look up, I saw that it was Valiant and his evil partner standing over me. The villain looked almost bored while Valiant's eyes filled with resentment. The villain turned toward Valian and said something. I couldn't read his lips, but it appeared he asked a question because he waited with amusement in his eyes.

I could feel the violence Valiant felt toward me. Still glaring at me with unnatural intensity, he nodded. This seemed to have been some kind of a signal because the bad guy leered and waved his hand.

I didn't know what was happening at first, but it soon became apparent that it was something terrible. An ominous feeling took over my body when I looked down, and what I saw horrified me.

My body was on fire.

The black flame crept from my feet and moved upward.

My legs, my torso, my weapon-held hand, and my neck.

It happened so quickly yet excruciatingly slowly.

I felt both terrified and calm at the same time.

The fire was both cold and hot on my skin.

I watched it all happen, and before I disappeared, I saw Valiant knelt beside me.

Sick bastard. Was he enjoying watching me burn?

I refused to look away. If he thought he could intimidate me, he should have known me better. I would stare him down, or at least die trying, until my last breath swallowed this fire.

"Goodbye," he mouthed the words to me as I became completely covered in flames.

Tears and blood.

My tears and my blood.

I burned.