CHAPTER 70: FINAL DECISION

Anna let go of White’s face and ordered with a serious expression.

"Take me to her."

White nodded as he turned towards the door and began walking towards it.

"And... you don’t have to apologise, you only did what you were supposed to," Anna stated as White grabbed the doorknob. White stopped for a few moments, after which he nodded and opened the door.

White and Anna walked through the white marble hallways of the medical ward of the Starborne Emporium. Their steps echoed throughout the hallways as they made their way towards the room Elise was being treated in.

White stopped before the door of a dimly lit room and turned towards Anna.

Anna pointed at the room’s door and questioned with a raised eyebrow. They stood in front of a dim room after all.

"This is the room?"

"The doctor had advised us to keep the lights low," White commented, guessing her thoughts.

Anna nodded, she opened the door and stepped inside.

White followed and turned on the brighter lights.

The dim room brightened. Elise, who was lying in bed, came into view. Her face was being illuminated by the occasional green light of the devices; she had an expressionless face.

Anna clenched her fists as she walked towards her with a practised smile on her face.

"Elise," Anna called out to her with a gentle tone.

"Elise..." She called out again with a louder voice, but there was no reaction.

Anna turned and looked at White and questioned as she pointed at Elise.

"What’s wrong with her?" Anna tried her best to appear calm, but her trembling hands and quivering lips gave her away.

White looked at Elise for a few moments before turning towards Anna.

"She is in a coma," he replied.

Anna looked at White with a grim look as she questioned in a low voice.

"Coma?"

White nodded at her words.

"How long is she going to stay like this?" Anna looked at Elise as she continued her question.

White looked at Elise. He parted his lips to speak, but no words came out.

The door of the room opened, and Damien walked inside.

"Anna," Damien called out to her.

Anna turned back and looked at Damien, her expression sour.

"You are still unwell, Anna. You should rest." Damien said as he walked towards Anna and placed his hand on her shoulder.

Anna lifted her head and looked into his eyes. She pointed at Elise and questioned Damien.

"How long is she going to stay like this?"

Damien shifted his eyes at Elise and spoke with a shake of his head.

"We don’t know."

Anna nearly fell from the weight of those words, but she made sure not to; she parted her lips and uttered.

"What?"

"What do you mean, we don’t know?" she questioned, her shoulders trembled, but she tried to keep herself calm.

Damien didn’t say anything. A few moments later, he turned back.

"You are still unwell, take some rest," he said as he began walking towards the door.

Anna’s face dropped into a deep frown, and she spoke to resist.

"Why?"

Damien stopped in his tracks and looked back at Anna with a frown.

"What are you talk-" he said, but Anna cut him off.

"How long are we going to run?" Anna questioned, her voice turning louder and heavier with each moment.

Damien furrowed his brows in displeasure and replied.

"We are not running away."

"We ran away from Azor. Didn’t we?" Anna didn’t stop and pushed further with her questions.

Damien turned silent as he looked into her eyes.

"Anna..." he called out to her in a calm tone, seemingly asking her to listen, but Anna didn’t listen and continued.

"You said that I’ll be safe here, that I would be able to be normal again... and what did that lead to?" Anna questioned with a somber tone, and she turned towards Elise at the end.

And Damien, he just stood there with a grim look on his face. His thoughts unknown.

"What did she have to do with all of this?" Anna said as she walked towards Elise, who lay in the bed with the same expressionless face. She placed her hand on her cheek as she caressed her face with tears in her eyes.

"I am sorry... I really am." Anna said as she broke into tears.

Anna was angrier with herself more than others... maybe if she had used her trait, she could save Elise... but what if she had lost more than that?

Damien stared at Anna for a few moments before turning back and stepping out of the room. He walked through the hallway of the medical ward as Anna’s words echoed in his head.

’Was I wrong?’

’Did I make the wrong decision?’

’What do they even want from me?’

Damien questioned in his mind as he stepped inside the elevator and pressed the button for the top. The elevator shook and started to move.

"Hah..." A sigh escaped Damien’s lips as he thought back on everything that had happened till now.

"Harmes said that they are behind me, not Anna... maybe," Damien mumbled under his breath, his eyes glinting with resolve.

The elevator stopped with a chime as its door parted open.

"Looks like I can no longer stop Anna from becoming a true Midnighter, huh?" Damien muttered as he began to chuckle at his own words.

Damien walked into his office and called out.

"One..."

One stood within his office with a lowered head.

"My lord." One bowed without lifting his head.

Damien shook his head and spoke.

"It’s not your fault, One."

"But, My Lord-" One tried to speak, but Damien cut him off.

"It’s fine, One. We are going back." Damien said with a small smile and walked towards the windows.

"Have you decided to return, My Lord?" One questioned, his tone upbeat.

"I have," Damien replied with a nod of his head.

Damien gazed at the Necron city, which was still abuzz with activity. It was illuminated by soft moonlight, which enhanced the charm of the modern architecture.

’Let’s hope for the better,’ he thought and closed his eyes.

’Fate will decide its journey by itself after all.’

Or would it?