NEPHALEM : DAUGHTER OF HEAVEN AND HELL

EIGHT

With painful groans of near lifelessness,Khaos grappled with the intense feeling of betrayal and stupidity.

As he felt his life slowly ebbing away,he cried out of disappointment for himself.

In his piteous state,he sobbed miserably,wishing everything that's happened within the last weeks hadn't.

Maybe he should have listened to Florence,he should have maybe let her do.....

Florence!

If anyone could heal him,it was her!

He painstakingly pulled himself away from the bench he has collapsed on and held up his half broken neck in his hand as he crawled to the door,out to the entrance.

As if the Lords of hell were smiling on him,Anakia appeared and gasped in sheer panic.

"What happened?"

She gathered his head into her thighs and cradled him in a relieving mutter of spells that healed him in an instant.

"Karrone and Laila took the baby. They're going to hurt her Anakia.
Please get Florence." He babbled without control and Anakia nodded frantically to understand everything he was saying.

"Wait" was all she said as she dashed away at the speed of lightning to tell Florence the worrisome news.

On her arrival,Florence humped arrogantly and told Khaos off for not listening to her from the beginning.

"The child would defend herself. Her consciousness will develop in a few weeks times and she would begin to grow at a pace four times faster than a normal child."

"How?" Anakia asked.

"For these type of children,they could be six years old and look ten. When she clocks sixteen,she stops growing physically. By then,nothing can stop her powers"

"Oh Gods!" Khaos trembled,getting off the floor and helping himself to a seat.

"Karrone is going to take away her grace to empower herself,that's why Laila told me"

"If they succeed,it's all for the best,she won't die but she wouldn't be able to hurt anyone as well"

"She's Inka's child,Drak's child. I promised to protect her Florence"

"I understand but..."

"No!" Khaos muttered,getting up and moving slowly towards Florence.

"Please help me"

The sight of his brim eyes and sorrowful expression melted Florence's heart and for the first time,she considered the child an actual being worthy of a good life.

She looked briefly at Anakia who was begging her with her eyes.

Sighing resignedly,she looked at Khaos' tired form and nodded.

"I'll help you"

              * * * *

Laila ambled around the old dusty apartment and wondered why her sister settled for this run down abode.

Sneezing repeatedly,she groaned and rushed down the stairs to where Karrone say cradling the child.

"Why this abandoned place?"

"It's only abandoned because I haven't been here in years"

"You haven't told me about your past times here on Earth" She sat beside her sister,her eyes burning with envy and adoration for her.

"There's nothing to tell" Karrone simply dismissed,sighing and setting the baby to the side.

Wanting to end the awkward moment,she asked.

"What's the baby's name?"

Karrone seemingly ignored the question and poured herself a cup from the drink they'd gotten from the store on their way there.

Laila's gaze diminished into slight disgust as she stared at her sister's frame at the kitchen counter.

Taking a prolonged slurp of the hot drink,Karrone set the cup down and then turned towards Laila.

"I did see her name carved on the wall when all the brouhaha was going on"

"You did?!" Laila asked incredulously.

"Her name's Nika"

"Oh after her mother?"

"Obviously" Karrone huffed and snatched a broom from the side of the kitchen refrigerator

"Time to clean and make this place habitable sister" she smiled at Laila who rolled her eyes and grabbed the broom.