The Sacrifice

The new assassins pulled their dagger out. It dripped fresh blood from all the innocent victims they had massacred.

Panting loudly, Ambai hugged Zhong and pushed him behind her. His shoulder was already hurt badly because of the pervious assassin, so she didn't want to aggravate it even more.

"I—I... why do you want to kill me?"

"Let's not waste time," An assassin rushed towards them with his sharp dagger aimed for her solar plexus. She retaliated with her own dagger. Daggers clashed, creating sparks. It was not a dab or a slice anymore; it became a war of strength.

Ambai pushed further, bringing her dagger close to the assassin's throat. He smirked widely with a crazed look in his eyes. "Good, fight back. It will be all the more fun,"

The small chipmunk squeaked loudly and scratched his face, but the man did not deter. With his free hand, he swatted it.

"Enough playing Helu, Kill him."

"Oh, but where is the fun in that,��� The psycho assassin said. Stepping forward with his right leg moving closer into her personal space; with a small nudge, their clashed daggers sliced through her shoulder.

Blinding pain shot thorough her spine, almost incapacitating her entire right arm.

"AHH," she screamed.

The killer's eye.... His eyes they were fully blown out.

'Sadist.'

That was the only thought that came to her mind through the blinding pain.

A small dagger slashed the assassin's wrist, freeing her from her predicament. Zhong pulled her back and stood in front of her in a protective stance.

"Oh, a pair of love birds, I'm so going to enjoy killing you," The psycho said.

"Okay, you've had your chance, now it's my turn," Another assassin stepped forward, pushing the psycho away. He hit the wall and collapsed.

The assaying moved swiftly and slashed Zhong's arms; before they could react, the man jumped behind them and aimed a dagger at her. Eyes wide, she watched the dagger move in front of her face in slow motion.

'This is it.'

Eyes squeezed shut, she waiting for the dagger to slice through her flesh. But the expected didn't happen. She slowly opened her eyes to find a broad back in front of taking the brunt force of the blow.

"Zhong," she cried, holding the collapsed man. Blood flowed like a river from his chest. "Zhong," uncontrollable tears rolled down her pale cheeks. His chest cavity was torn by the ridges on the assailant's dagger.

A thick black boot appeared in front of her. He crouched down next to her and pulled her face up. "Sorry, for my freedom you have to lose your life,"

Panting, she bit her lips and prayed. Prayed that she won't be killed, prayed that Zhong would live.

But before the assassin could make his move on her, the psycho assassin unexpectedly threw a dagger at his face.

"They will be my kills," He whispered, wiping the blood from the corner off of his mouth.

"What the hell, why did you kill him. He's our own comrade," Another assassin drew his blade and rushed towards the psycho.

"Hell, we all are here for our freedom. And I want mine desperately," the psycho said.

All the while Ambai kneeled on the ground next to Zhong's cold corpse, putting pressure on his oozing wound.

'I was weak.' Placing her head on his chest, she slowly shut her eyes. A single drop of tear rolled from her eyes, shimmering blue, it entering the devil's chest cavity.

The man gripped her hair and dragged her up, her legs dangling in the air. "Let's carve out your beautiful demise."

He ripped the veil from her face. For a second he looked stunned, but he got over it fast. Licking his lips lecherously, he sniffed her. "Oh, such a beautiful face.... so good, I can carve a beautiful sculpture out of your skin," he lightly tapped her cheeks with the handle of the dagger. He sliced her cheek slowly.

Excruciating pain pulsed from her face, her head throbbed and her eyes watered. "AHHH," Ambai screamed, struggling in his hold.

"Shh, shh, don't disturb my art,"

She sobbed, gazing deep into his crazed eyes.

"Hmm, your eyes just like a beautiful gem.... I can preserve them well... or maybe I can even auction them off..."

Swinging her legs back, she kicked his crotch. The man stumbled and dropped her onto the floor.

She crawled away from him. "You have to fight... fight him and live," A delicate female voice whispered gently in her ears. He grabbed her legs and dragged her towards him. Her eyes met the murderous eyes of the assassin.

"I have to fight," she whispered inaudibly. Subtly, she grabbed the dagger near her feet.

"What? Is that your last words?" the psycho said with a mocking smile.

"I said I HAVE TO FIGHT," she screamed, stabbing the dagger up the man's throat. Wide eyed, the man glanced at her with a stunned look. His throat was slashed and his blood splashed out from his pulsing vein.

"You... cough, cough..." the man finally collapsed on the ground.

Ambai closed her eyes in relief and clutched the dagger to her chest and held onto it for dear life. Someone held her shoulder. Startled, she glanced back in fear.

Her father stood behind her with tears streaming down his face. Plucking the dagger from her firm grip, he tossed it onto the ground. He lifted her into his embrace.

"Eru, my dear Eru, sorry father was late." He sobbed, clutching her shoulders.

She felt all the tension leave her body, but alongside her eyes turned hazy. "Zhong...." she whispered and fainted.

#

She woke up in the dark of the night. She was in the infirmary; her left hand was in a cast and with bandages tied around her body. "God, I look like a mummy." Propping her other hand, she slowly sat up.

"I wouldn't do that," Someone said in a hoarse whisper.

"Zhong! You are alive?" Ambai said.

"Yes, I am barely." He huffed, holding his shoulders.

Letting out a long breath, she plopped on the bed. Relief washed through her entire being. 'Zhong is fine.'

"You know, I never thought I would say this but... I am glad you're alive," She said.

"So am I," he lifted his cast hand, "you're going to have to feed me though,"

"Please," she lifted her cast hand as well, "I'm gonna need some assistance in the toilet."

"Shit, I aint doing that," he said with a wince.

Laughing out loud, she started wheezing. Her midriff started throbbing.

"Oh by the way, you broke three ribs," he said pointing to her bandage wrapped midriff.

"So this is how broken ribs feel like." She panted, holding her chest.

He chuckled softly.

Facing him, she gazed deeply into his eyes. "Why?" she whispered.

"Why what?"

"Why did you save me?"

He peered into her eyes and chuckled softly. "Why shouldn't I?"

"For one, you are the Devil. And secondly you tried to kill me ones,"

"Am the Devil, so what? I don't go killing random people." He took a deep breath and continued, "I... I really did want to kill you, but not anymore."

"Why? What changed," she softly whispered.

"You," he said gazing deeply into her eyes. coughing lightly he broke their gaze.

Ambai felt her cheeks heat up; she broke away from his gaze. "Whatever do you mean?"

He softly chuckled.

She slowly tuned towards him. "You are not so bad for a devil,"

"You are not so bad for a human," he said with a small smile

She peered at him for a while. "But seriously. Aren't you supposed to be strong, considering you are the devil?"

"This body came along with some... complications,"

"Huff, complications," she pulled the duvet on her face.

A half eaten apple was thrown at her. "Are you mocking me?" he said.

She huffed and pulled the duvet closer.

"Maybe I should I remind you of your little mount,"

She pushed the duvet off of her face and shot up. "Hey, don't make fun of my baby Fynn." she hugged the little chipmunk sleeping next to her on her bed.

"Your baby haha," he laughed out loud.

She really wanted to kick his smug face. But unfortunately her legs were out of commission.

Huffing, she pulled the duvet on her face and went to sleep.

**{Enveloped in the strong aroma of daffodils, she slowly woke up. It was the grass field again. The tall grass slowly swayed in the gently wind.

"Nyx, you're here," A handsome man exclaimed. His luscious red hair swayed in the wind, creating fiery waves of fire in its wake.

"Rebus." she softly caressed her stomach and nodded at him.

He cupped her face and softly pecked her lips. "I can't believe It." peck, "I am gonna be a dad." He cried, hugging her.

"Yes, we have created a miracle," she said with tears rolling down her cheeks.

A large fire distorted her vision. Burning through her flesh.}**

"Ah," screaming she shot up from the bed.

Someone firmly held her hand, whispering it's okay. That everything was over. But all she could think of was the devastating fire. Fire that burned her alive.

"Erudite, snap out of it," someone screamed.

She glanced around, Sylas held her hands. Zhong was sitting up on his bed with a worried look on his face.

"You didn't have to shout like that." She sniffed.

Sylas cupped her face and pulled her into a bro hug.

"Hey, I am fine, see. Just patched here and there," she said.

But Sylas gazed deeply into her eyes. He sighed and wiped her cheeks.

"I am totally fin...." she stopped, glancing at his wet sleeves. She touched her wet cheeks. "I cried?"

"You were sobbing, Eru," Zhong said.

Stunned, she wiped her cheeks till they turned red.

"Stop, you're hurting yourself." Sylas held her hands in a firm grip.

"Oh," she pulled her hand away. "I—I didn't …." She said, but a strong voice interrupted her.

"Your highness, I am glad you are okay." A pink haired warrior walked into the room, golden armour matted with fresh blood. "Highness the King ordered me to give you this," He said and handed a small ornate box.

Ambai took out the veil from it and swiftly wore it on her face. "Thank you," she said.

Sitting next to her, Sylas started fidgeting with his hands. "I heard they are commemorating you as our hero today," he said with a light blush on his cheeks.

"No, I am no hero. I did what I had to save this kingdom," he said. "If you will excuse me, I have to check up on the border guards." he bowed and left.

As soon as he left Sylas let out a deep breath and held his chest. "Oh god, my hero looks even more majestic in real life," He said.

"Wait, he is Kaden?" She inquired in shock. He was the man she met in the forest, with the number Five on his forehead.

"Yes, and if not for his valiant effort, all of us would be dead now,"

"Why? What did he do?"

"He was the one who first noticed the Aaorlins enter the kingdom, AND he was the one who rang the warning bell yesterday," he shuffled and continued with an exited look, "And so they are going to name him the hero of our Kingdom,"

"Oh, that's nice," Ambai mumbled with a distracted look. She glanced around at Zhong sleeping peacefully next to her bed and sighed. 'Many people died today, and if not for him, I—I would be dead too,' she thought, biting her lips.

Sylas got up and opened the curtains. "Little sunlight can do you good," he said with a small smile.

"Thanks," she said, but she noticed something peculiar. The forest that was almost burned to the ground was good as new again, with green leaves swaying beautifully in the wind. "How... How are the trees not burned?"

"Oh, our mages repaired them by the night. With so many trees destroyed, it was quite hard for them," He said with a sigh.