CHAPTER 17: AWAKENING

Anna slowly opened her eyes and looked around. When The Guide had sent her back, she thought she would return to her world... to her home... However, she stood at a lake filled with deep black water.. There was nothing except the black water there...

Soon, however, the water began to ripple violently, the water parted as golden threads began to come out of it, All of the threads began to merge at the centre of the lake, soo,n it took the shape of an egg, complex geometric patterns and other symbols began to form and vanish on the egg’s surface.

When Anna looked at it, she felt a sense of familiarity towards the egg. It felt like something that belonged to her and her alone. She continued to look at the egg and suddenly.

"AUUURGHHHHHHHH!"

A mind-piercing headache attacked Anna, causing her to fall to her knees while clutching her head in agony. Veins bulged on her forehead, and her face was distorted by pain. After a few moments, the pain subsided. Anna looked at her hand and mumbled to herself.

"W-what is going on?" Anna was both shocked and horrified by the current events. She gulped a few times to try to calm herself.

However, it was like the very world didn’t want her to take a breather from the horrifying pain she had just endured

The golden egg began to ripple as a few golden threads loosened and moved towards her. When Anna looked at the threads, she became even more horrified. She felt like she was at the end of her life.

Slowly, the threads reached her and began to coil around her body. The pain began to fade. Anna felt a sense of calm and soon closed her eyes. The threads coiling around her began to glow brighter with each passing moment---then suddenly, they exploded.

Anna could be seen floating within a torrent of broken golden threads. Her once-shining blue hair began to ripple, strands turning to liquid silver under the light.

Her emerald green eyes darkened, shifting into pools of onyx so deep, they seemed to consume the very light around them. And within those eyes---faint shapes danced: ancient symbols, geometric patterns, and unknowable forms that flickered into being and vanished just as quickly---creation and destruction, locked in endless rhythm. But Anna remained unconscious. Her face was blank, untouched by fear or wonder. She hovered amidst the broken threads like a maestro conducting a silent orchestra---one whose music had not yet begun.

***

Unknown-

Somewhere, a room bathed in soft red light could be seen. Multiple glowing red runes were engraved into the tall, dark walls. At the far end of the room stood a magnificent throne made of dark stone, decorated with silver patterns. Red light pulsated from it like vines, flowing beneath the throne like blood. Seated upon the throne was a man with white hair, a demonic black-and-red mask, and a crimson coat adorned with silver embroidery. His very presence exuded power and control.

He sat upon the throne, his posture relaxed, deviating with the ominous room. He slowly opened his eyes, looking somewhere, and a chuckle escaped his lips.

"Marvellous," Praised the demon.

"Zaria...." He called out

***

The starborne Mansion-

A shiny, blue-haired girl with pale porcelain skin lay on the bed, her breathing calm and steady... Indicating that she was still alive..

Damien sat beside Anna’s sleeping figure, holding her left hand in his palms. He had a solemn look on his face as he remembered the doctor’s words.

’Miss Anieal seemed to have hurt her brain due to the accident, which might delay the recovery. We estimate the recovery to take at least a month.’

"But... 28 days have already passed, but there’s no improvement... no sign of her waking up." Damien blurted out with a defeated look

"Maybe I should take her to Azor?" Damien continued to mumble

"Maybe a midnighter can heal her?"

"But what if... they hurt her instead? After all, she is a Starborne too..."

"What should I do, Father... If only you were still here..." Damien said as he shook his head and stood up.

He walked forward and kissed the forehead of the sleeping Anna.

"Wake up soon... Anna"

Damien said as he walked out of the room with a clenched fist

"2 more days...."

The sleeping Anna still lay like a log on the bed, however... There was someone else who was looking at all of this with a shocked and confused look on her face.. Yes, it was Anna in her soul body standing beside where Damien was a few moments ago.

’Azor? What’s that?’

’Midnighters? The ones Amaya told me about? But wasn’t that just a joke?’

’Why would they hurt me for being a Starborne? Who will hurt me?’

’Father? What does father have to do with this?’

Anna was lost out of her mind... even though she knew about things such as the spirit realm or the awakeneds... she hadn’t thought Damien would be tangled with them...

’Well, I guess it makes sense... he’s the head of one of the biggest corporations. Connections like that come with secrets.’

Anna nodded her head as she found a desirable conclusion of Damien’s relation with these midnighters..

Anna turned around and looked at her body, which was on the bed.

’I look cute and beautiful, even when I am half dead...’ Anna thought like a complete narcissist...

Damien, who had just walked out of Anna’s room, stopped and called out.

"White"

"Yes, Young Master"

"Make sure to check on her from time to time."

"As you say"

White bowed towards Damien, seeing that, Damien continued to walk out of the room.

Anna was standing beside White as she looked him from up to down

’Not bad,’ She said as she looked at his well-toned body

White turned towards Anna’s room and entered it with silent steps... He leaned against the corner wall of the room.. While he continued to look at Anna

"I wish you would wake up soon, Miss Anieal, otherwise... Young master might have to return to that treacherous place," White said as he heaved a sigh.

’Huh? What do you mean?’

White walked towards the mirror beside the dressing area and stared at it. A few moments later, he began to remove his hood and mask. Anna intently looked at White, but when she looked at his face, she was shocked out of the world.

’W-what?’