Ceres

118

"As long as I don't pass this ability to anyone, I am still the head of this clan. I am still the Blood Snow."

Blood Snow was clearly fighting for her and her child's life. She was obviously weaker than when she was in the competitions.

The group of women pointed their swords at Blood Snow; indicating for her to shut up.

The woman in her 50s, narrowed her eyes and gave Blood Snow a smile that seems to mock her.

"You no longer have the right to be the Blood Snow."

"I have no right? Or, you don't have any use for me? Tell me which one is it, granny?"

Blood Snow kept on showing her strong side even though, she was hurting inside. All the fighting that happened a while ago that led to her capture drained her energy and for some reasons, she couldn't regain her spiritual essences.

"You clearly know of your responsibility; the responsibility that comes with your title. Yet, you would choose for everyone to die? We've waited long enough. Do you think that all of us here are idiots? That child you're carrying..."

What the granny said came as a shock to Blood Snow. She looked everyone else and finally, at granny. She couldn't help but suppress her feelings right now while biting her lip and tightly closing her eyes.

"Kill it and, pass the title to someone else. Don't make your life more miserable than it is right now."

The granny harrumphed after saying those words. It's as if she doesn't care about killing two lives, and one which is still innocent of this world at that.

"Miserable?"

Blood Snow couldn't help but bitterly laugh. She has given everything to this clan all her life. She has killed her friends, severed her emotions, completed the missions, and sacrificed her life span, all for these people. She did everything she was told to; without complains, without asking for anything in return. All of those things, she did for them yet, this one mistake, a beautiful mistake, they cannot forgive?

"If all of us die here, I regret nothing but not being able to let this child see the world."

A tear fell from one of her eyes but her eyes were still showing the determination she has. She will not let them kill her and her child.

With the last of her magic, she was beginning to gather everything she could to escape from this place.

"Blood Snow!"

Granny pointed her sword at Blood Snow's neck. The tip was so sharp that some blood was already dripping from that small cut.

"Granny, I'm sorry. I really am. But this child is innocent. I can't let him die."

"All of your hard work, would really throw them away in order to save this child? All of us here... Would you throw us away for the sake of your child?"

"We have sinned. We have killed far too many people already. Can't we just leave this homeland? Can't we just live quietly and peacefully?"

"You are too naïve. You have forgotten your roots."

Granny turned around and walked away.

"Kill her. Drain her blood and bring it to the shrine. I will wait for it there."

Granny closed her eyes. Even though she was ruthless, the most ruthless perhaps in the clan, she was still the person who raised the current Blood Snow. She couldn't really watch as they have to end Blood Snow's life.

"Sister, forgive me. Forgive us."

"This is all for the ancestors, for this land, for everyone."

"I hope in your next life, you will be able to find your happiness."

Blood Snow knew some of these women. They did not grow up with her but she did watch them grow up. She taught them a lot of things and she was kind to them at some point. Somehow, a bond was formed between them; a bond more than just being assassins from the same clan.

Just when someone was about to slash her with their sword, she gathered her magic and used it to get away from that place.

She was coughing out blood but she was able to make it out alive from the clan's land. Currently, she was walking amidst the snow storm; trying to open her eyes and see where she was heading to.

Because of the huge amount of blood she lost and because she was carrying a child, she was getting weaker and weaker. This resulted to her collapsing on the snow-covered ground.

"I'm... Sorry... Child. I... Wasted everyone's life... And... Even yours. If there is... A life... After this, I... Wish to... Live... It with... You... And... Your father."

When Blood Snow fainted, because of the snow storm, her body was quicklybeing covered by snow. At the moment that only her hand can be seen, someoneactually pulled her from the snow.