Sister's Sacrifice

"Sister! Sol? For the sake of First Goddess what happened here? Why are you not healing?" Oziyat couldn't believe his eyes when he reached Rosaline. Chris had never seen him so panicked and scared. "I will call Nolan. Let's take you inside, first, and get you some blood. You will be better after feeding."

Without waiting Oziyat tried to support Rosaline up but she stopped him.

"Oziyat! Listen to me!" Rosaline thundered.

"Rosa, please, you need to —"

"Oziyat, our protection walls were broken, do you understand what that means?" Rosaline whispered furiously.

Oziyat froze as Chris, Ginny, Luna, and Colin exchanged worried and confused glances.

"Someone betrayed us," Oziyat muttered clenching his fists.

"Exactly. Someone gave them a way in and we don't know who it is," Rosaline glanced outside, and even looking at the bright sunlight pained her. "Now the sun is up, brother, and our Guardians are fighting a losing battle. We can not let them lose their valuable lives for us, can we? Without them, our people will be defenseless."

"Rosa, what are you —" Oziyat worriedly eyed the large wound on Rosaline's side.

"There is a way, I can save them all, Oziyat but I need your help," Rosaline looked back at her brother with full of determination. "You need to take Sol, Christina, and all of her friends and escape through the West boundary over the mountains."

"Rosaline, what are you —" Oziyat frowned but soon the realization dawned on his face. "No-no-no-No! Rosa- No! You are already bleeding, you cannot use that power right now. It will kill you!"

The alarm in Oziyat's voice made Chris worried as well.

"What's going on? What will kill her?" Chris asked hurriedly.

"Rosaline is trying to send a powerful mind wave through the entire Titian, it will make every human unconscious or kill them if they are wounded, only vampires are immune to such mind shocks," Oziyat's voice cracked as he explained. "But that kind of magic is too powerful. It will take everything in Rosa. It can kill her after she performs the wave."

"But it's the only way, Oziyat," Rosaline snapped. "Did you forget your oath? Our people come first and right now if we want to save Titian, we have to save our Guardians, who are losing their lives in the sun."

"No, Rosaline, listen," Chris stepped forward. "I will help. I will fight the wizards."

"We," Colin supplied from the side.

"Yeah, we. We will fight for you. We have no problem with the Sun. You don't have to do anything. You need to heal," Chris said looking concerned.

"I appreciate the sentiment, Lady Christina but your life is more valuable. You are the change the entire magical world is waiting for. That wizard escaped, Malgino probably already knows you are here. If he comes and finds you it will be not good for any of us. I can not ask you to do this," Rosaline closed her eyes. "Besides, I know they are still too many here. I can feel their filthy energy all over my land. No! I – I have to purge them."

"Sister, this is madness. Listen to me, please — you can't sacrifice yourself." Oziyat was practically shaking now.

"Hey, why are you guys clustering here like a round table meeting, why aren't you fighti— Rosaline! Geez! What happened here?" Prince Kale suddenly came running towards them. 

"Kale, how is the fight going?" Rosaline asked him instead of answering him.

"Not good," Kale looked back forth between Rosaline and Oziyat. "I came here to see what are you planning to do next. We have lost a handful of Guardians since the sunrise."

"Alright, I am coming with you. We will finish them off," Oziyat told Kale glaring at nothing in particular.

"Oziyat! Do as I said," Rosaline shouted. "Leave. Every minute we waste discussing, one of our warriors falls. If you want to be the next King, be wise and understand the situation."

"Then I don't want to be the King, Rosaline!" Oziyat roared and everyone flinched. "Not at your expense."

"Woah!" Kale exclaimed, looking very confused.

"I still have life left in me, Brother, please," Rosaline's voice got softer as she clutched Oziyat's hand. "I promised. I promised myself, I would not let anything happen to you or Sol. The traitor is still among us. You have to leave. Please, I can't let everyone down again."

"And what about you?" Oziyat crouched in front of Rosaline clasping back her hands. "Even if you don't die after performing the insane level of magic, you would need help to recover. Who will help you? Who will save you from the traitor, after I leave? No one here can be trusted anymore."

"I —" Rosaline glanced at Kale, who was watching the entire thing unfazed. "I trust Kale. He will help me find the traitor or at least, help me fix the situation, at this moment."

"Me? Are you talking about me? You okay, Princess Rosaline?" Kale's eyes went wide in surprise.

"Rosa, Kale? How are you sure?" Oziyat mumbled skeptically.

"Oziyat, trust me and go," Rosaline pushed Oziyat away from him. "It's an order of the first Princess." She kissed the top of Sol's head, who was still unconscious. "Take Sol and leave, now."

Oziyat didn't move and Chris spoke, "Princess Rosaline, please. We can really help, you don't have to do this alone. We can fight. I can handle Malgino."

"Yes, we can help," Luna agreed.

Rosaline looked at unmoving Oziyat, Chris, and her determined friends to unconscious Sol. Her gaze hardened.

"I will do the magic in ten minutes, Oziyat. If you can not take them out of here in time and my son or Lady Christina dies, it's on you."

"You wouldn't Rosa," Oziyat looked at his sister bewildered.

"Ten minutes, Oziyat." Rosaline's voice was cold as she crossed her legs over the bench and closed her eyes. She lifted her hands and the middle of her forehead dimly glowed.

"Rosa!" Oziyat called terrified but he couldn't reach her. A shield was growing around Rosaline.

"Oziyat, is she doing what I think she is doing? She can do that?" Kale asked startled.

"Why does she trust you more than me?" Oziyat whirled on Kale and his gaze hardened at Oziyat's words.

"Maybe because you are her own brother and you are more important than me," Kale scowled. "But believe what you want. Also, you don't even have ten minutes to save your lady and Sol."

"I am not —" Chris began but Colin interrupted checking his watch.

"Oziyat, I want to help too but if Rosaline started the shockwave thing, we have to get Sol out of here. He is a child and he is wounded."

Oziyat looked at Sol then at Chris. Her eyes mirrored his worries and the reluctance to leave but the glow on Rosaline's forehead was getting brighter and Oziyat knew how stubborn his big sister was. His eyes became glossy and his voice softened.

"Please, save her." Oziyat requested extending his right hand to Kale.

Kale stared at him for a moment, before gripping his forearm and locking their arms together.

"I will do everything to save her, you have my word," Kale said sincerely. "See you soon."

Oziyat nodded and picked up Sol. Taking a last look at his sister sitting on the bench covered in blood, he turned to Chris, Ginny, Luna, and Colin.

"Hold on to me. We have to get out fast."

⟦To be continued⟧