CHAPTER 325: CHAPTER 325 REWRITING FATE (2)

Caelen’s throat bobbed as he looked down at the sleeping infant, his hands trembling. "Liora... you..." He couldn’t finish his sentence.

She smiled faintly. "I don’t have time left Caelen. Please, take care of her. Promise me, you will, promise me you won’t let harm come her way. Promise me."

His lips parted, but no sound came out, instead, he nodded silently.

Liora’s heart clenched, taking one last glance at Aeris. She turned away, walking into the rain, her tears blending with it. She didn’t look back. She knew if she did, she knew she would never want to leave her.

On the journey back, the forest seemed colder.

"Are you okay? You look pale Liora." Sylven said, as he walked beside her. He reached his hand to her face, but halted midway and retracted his hand to his side.

"I’m fine, Sylven." She answered, her voice detached and tired.

The sound of rustling leaves cut through the rain, followed by menacing growls.

Rogues emerged from the shadows, their eyes gleaming in the dark. Sylven stepped forward, drawing his blade. "Go," he said firmly. "I’ll hold them off."

"No, we can fight together," Liora protested, but he shook his head.

"Go!" he shouted, charging at the nearest rogue.

Liora hesitated before running. The sounds of snarls and steel clashing filled the air. When she turned back, she saw Sylven fall, blood spraying from his shoulder and his stomach, he was surrounded by the lifeless bodies of more than a dozen rogues.

Her heart dropped. "Sylven!" She ran back to his side.

"Sylven!" She cried as she helped him up. She wrapped one of his arms around her neck, and opened a portal, her tears streaming endlessly.

They didn’t travel through the portal so as not to alert the werewolves, but who knew they would encounter rogues.

"Stay with me, Sylven. Don’t you dare die on me." Liora sobbed as they stepped inside the portal.

By the time they reached the Fae realm, his breathing was shallow. "Help! Someone help!" she screamed, her voice raw with emotion. She stumbled to the ground with Sylven, she knelt beside pressing down on the wound on his stomach, and shoulder.

The guards stationed around the castle rushed forward to help her, but before they could lay a hand on him, Elowyn appeared, her eyes widening in horror as she saw the blood-soaked scene.

Her heart plummeted down her stomach as fear tightened around her chest. She rushed forward, pushing Liora aside. She fell to her knees, cradling Sylven’s head in her lap, and she channeled her magic to heal his wounds.

But no matter how hard she tried, his wounds were not healing. Blood drained from Elowyn’s face, she tried again and again, but nothing happened.

"No, no, please don’t," Elowyn sobbed, her tears falling onto his face.

Sylven smiled weakly. "Elowyn, don’t... blame her. It was my choice." His voice was faint, barely a whisper.

Elowyn shook her head violently, clutching him tighter. "No. You can’t leave me. You can’t!"

His hand brushed her cheek one last time before falling limp.

For a moment, the world went still, the earth seemed to hold its breath, not even a wind dared to move.

"Argghhhhhh."

Elowyn’s scream tore through the air, raw and broken. Her magic flared uncontrollably, shaking the ground.

"Sylven! Please, please, don’t leave me! Sylven!!!" Elowyn cried desperately, as his smiling face flashed through her head.

She remembered how she had studied hard to be elegant and learned her manners to be his wife. It had always been her dream to get married to him, to have his kids, and grow old with him, but that dream had shattered in front of her. And it was all because of one person.

Elowyn turned to Liora, her eyes burning with fury and grief.

"This is your fault!" she screamed, striking her sister with raw energy. Liora didn’t dodge her attack, the blast sent her staggering back, but she didn’t retaliate. Her eyes were lifeless, fixed on Sylven’s still body.

Elowyn struck her again and again, each blow laced with pain and hatred, blood spilled from Liora’s broken skin, yet she didn’t utter a word, almost like she deserved every hit. Elowyn collapsed beside him, sobbing uncontrollably.

Liora fell to her knees, her tears mingling with the rain and the blood on the ground. Zeir arrived moments later, his eyes widening as he took in the sight before him. His heart froze, his body refusing to move as he stared at his friend’s lifeless body.

Before him lay Sylven, motionless. Elowyn wept over him, and Liora knelt nearby, silent as a ghost.

....

~Present Day~

"That was why your aunt Elowyn hated me that much..." Liora’s voice cracked. "Everything was going fine, until you suddenly appeared in front of me, almost lifeless. You were covered in blood, and your wings were torn and bloodied. I knew you were my child, and at that moment I knew fate had come back to knock on my door again."

My cheeks were wet with tears, and I didn’t know what to feel. Was I supposed to be grateful that they tried to save me even when they were cruel while doing it?

’Isn’t it hilarious, you took your child’s powers away and made her useless. If only you knew how much Ember had suffered, she suffered to the point of begging for food, the days she starved to bed were more than the days she ate. She was bullied, harassed, beaten, and shunned by her father. She didn’t experience what love was before she died. And the daughter she did everything for died before turning eighteen. What was the point of it, if it didn’t save her? Why didn’t she let Ember live her life, happy and with love, and die at eighteen? Who knows she might have lived longer.’ I sobbed.

I didn’t feel any pity for the mother, but for the soul who knew nothing but suffering. I wished she was here to hear her mother’s words, at least she would have known that someone loved her even though her ways were cruel.