The War on The Xuidian Kingdom (2)
"Your brother Cronus told me to come look for you; unfortunately, he is dead." She shook uncontrollably before breaking out into hysterical laughter, tears running down her cheeks. "WHY?! He protected us all, so I could live! Why couldn't you have protected my brother and our home??" she screeched, grabbing hold of my shirt collar in anger and rage.
"I killed him. I deeply regret what I have done. Your brother was a pure soul, and it saddens me that I had to end his life. However, he told me one thing: he told me to protect you, and that is an honor that I will not run away from. I am not able to reverse what I have done, but I can be there to protect you. So please stop crying and let's leave this kingdom." I offered with a serious tone. Her expression held a look of disbelief, staring at me with a look that told me how little of an impact my words actually made upon her, her emerald green irises burning holes through mine before shifting away as quickly, turning sharply, to return directly down onto hers, narrowing her gaze and frowning darkly.
"I can bring him back, and I can promise you that I will. After all, once I accomplish my goal, I can finally die in peace."
"YES, JUST GET ME TO WHEREVER IT IS YOU ARE TAKING ME, AND LEAVE ALONE, IN THAT CASE." She agreed immediately after hearing my words. She refused to look at me at any cost as she let go of my collar and pushed past him toward the doorway.
"Unfortunately, you must stay by my side. I know how much you probably loathe me as a human being; that is something that I can accept, but I refuse to run away from the responsibilities that your brother gave me."
"Alright."
I gently tapped the top of her head, making sure she understood me. We traveled together through the forest. The air was still and quiet, with no noticeable sound coming through the thick treeline or anywhere else, for that matter. We continued to travel back to the Xuidian kingdom until morning.
My guards did not utter a single word during our journey together or ever ask why I would bring an outsider into our fortress, which makes me suspect some form of mind control. We reached my quarters within seconds, having spent a mere moment or two getting here.
"Before we go to sleep, let me ask you... what is your name?" I asked.
"Elena." She replied solemnly, her emerald eyes now lacking any emotion or sadness that accompanied them in the Dreaburg Kingdom, now staring dully and without care into mine.
"What do you feel towards me? Hate? Disgust?"
She just shrugged her shoulders as if she had nothing to say.
"Hey, I may look stupid at times, and yes, I have made many mistakes already, but there was no choice but to do it. I deeply regret them, Elena."
I decided that the best way forward is to answer honestly while keeping my gaze firmly planted on the ground between our two sets of feet, trying hard not to raise it toward the girl next to me or allow myself the satisfaction of seeing whatever emotions might cross her beautiful face when the news comes pouring out.
"Would you like to see your brother?"
Elena's face instantly lit up with excitement and curiosity before fading into one of deep concentration. I don't blame her for wanting to see her beloved brother once again, but he's been reduced to a pile of ashes. I know where his body is located, but it might traumatize her further.
"So... where is my brother, exactly?"
Her expression darkened slightly as the realization hit her. She wanted answers, she wanted clarification, and most importantly, she wanted to know why this happened.
"Your brother is a pile of ashes."
Those simple, meaningless words left a hole in the room where conversation should have existed. They hung between us, lingering uncomfortably, before either one of us could reply or attempt to answer what I'd said.
"Can you show him to me?"
He's a pile of ashes. I figured this was to be expected; however, there wasn't anything I could do about the situation.
"How can I get him back from ash to his previous body?" Her voice trembled and shook so slightly that I almost didn't notice, her throat barely audible, which caused every syllable uttered to escape from her mouth raggedly and unevenly, like a coarse cloth worn down after years upon years of usage. She continued, "Sora, you can't possibly have brought me all the way out here just to lie to me about bringing him back!"
"Elena, this power that I can use to bring back the dead can only be used once; the trade-off is my life. Before I bring him back, I need to finish my goal. Will you be able to wait until then?" I said it with determination. She stared at me silently, nodding her head and clutching her hands tightly together in front of her chest. "Are you sure you want this? The fact is, I'm not an angel. It's more likely that you might lose something rather than gain it from a bargain like this."
"Then do what's necessary! This isn't negotiable. Cronus will want this, so please do everything you can." Elena screamed out with a resounding conviction. "After all, you asked me first."
"It seems that Cronus raised you well. Goodnight, Elena. Tomorrow, the chaos will be decided." I offered my final words before departing for rest. The palace is going to be a battlefield tomorrow, and this fight will decide the outcome of the war. I had hoped not to bring harm to the inhabitants, but I cannot allow them to join me due to fear of being slaughtered by their own. I'll wait until I get to that point.
The next day…
"Elena, Xavier, we are heading out to the capital now." I explained after opening the door. She rushed outside without hesitation. She was quite enthusiastic, which was strange considering our situation. It might have been that she wanted to see her brother once again, or maybe that she felt uneasy about my goal. She just continued to observe us quietly, a small frown still creasing on his lips.
As we entered the capital, it was nothing but a desolate land filled with rubble and ashes. Only a small portion of it remained untouched by destruction, and the rest burned intensely in the dark flames of embers scattered across every inch. We walked slowly through the smoke-filled streets, the smell of burnt flesh surrounding us while smoke choked and irritated my throat as we continued onwards, onward toward the castle where my destiny awaited me