49 _ Flames.

How could it all go so wrong, Mizuki Yang thought inwardly as her heart burned seeing the smug look on Dai Fang's face knowing he had caged her.

Knowing he had won the battle of wills.

That and the fact she was literally burning up from the inside.

It had been so easy. Too easy. The halls were quiet and empty and the Devil King was no where to be seen as she and her other accomplices moved towards their supposed freedom. Mizuki had kept an eye out, caught her breath at every flutter in the wind, her heart skipped at the slightest shadow.

Hua Jun had reassured her that all would be well and she became less tense and loose guarded , the thought of seeing her dear father and her loving mother. Her estate that she had so cherished and had been fond of until she was cruelly captured.

But what a fool she was. Every thing that seemed to be perfect roses became a hot , burning bed of fire when the four women had successfully escaladed from the Forbidden Palace. Up ahead was the vast woods, that held numerous different possibilities for them. Freedom was just beyond their reach and soon it would be totally theirs.

"Together?" Ai Feng looked back at Mizuki and the rest who nodded in affirmation.

As they moved passed the boundary to their exemption, Mizuki stopped suddenly. Something was wrong, she felt a chilling air around her and in that very instant she knew .

It was him.

Afraid to turn back , Mizuki gulped down her fear and turned around . Every bone in her body trembling and she did not know the reason why. He was at the highest peak of a tower that was secluded from the entire palace , looking down at her with a fear inspiring curve in his lips and in his malignant eyes. Mizuki had wanted to warn the others but as she opened her mouth to speak , no sound came out and then...

She heard the first scream.

As soon as Li Ying crossed over the barrier , she fell downwards as her flesh began to sizzle , growing red as the blood bubbled underneath as she screamed in agony. Hua Jun and Ai Feng were not an exception either as they too lay writhing against the sands as flames consumed them and were burned inside. Mizuki wanted to do something, to help them out of this situation she had gotten them into but she could not move. He wanted it that way. Dai Fang wanted her to watch...

Tears slid down her cheeks.

"Mizuki...Help..." Hua Jun groaned reached out her hand , beckoning Mizuki to save her from the fiery flames as she was the last one left alive, the others being incinerated into nothingness.

"I can not." She replied almost crying, her voice cracked and hoarse still doing the same until Hua Jun voiced was forever silence by a terrible, gruesome death. Mizuki crashed to her knees , not caring if her delicate knees were bruised or her pure hands soiled. Her tears fell freely to the ground as she dug her hands into the sand , feeling waves of regret crashing over her.

It was her fault. It was all her fault. She had lied to them , given them false hopes , spurious expectations just so that she could escape. And now they were all dead...

Because of her.

"How did it feel to see them die?" Dai Fang whispered sultrily as he stood behind her in his blood red robes , his eye brows arched in mischief. "Knowing that it was all you to blame?"

"Why did you do this?"

He kept his face impassive as he regarded her with an icy tone. "I told you not to bother escaping did I not? My Forbidden Palace has already been sealed long ago and can only be released by me. Any fool who dares to venture either in or out of my wards will be instantly set ablaze with the Eternal Dragon Flame , a rather potent technique."

"You Monster!!!" Mizuki shrieked as she jumped at him , her heart pounding in side of her chest as Mizuki felt like tearing this Devil before her , apart limb from limb. With only a gesture of his hand , Dai Fang stopped her wild motions and they were now face to face , the feel of harsh breaths on each other's face.

"What do you want from me?" She spat out irascibly as she felt reviled by this man in front of her.

He stroked her cheek , letting his hand slide down her elegant nape resting in the valley between her breasts. "I believe you know what I want."

"Never."

Dai Fang gaze hardened and Mizuki felt her body being consumed by an innerly flame, rending her organs as she gasped for the slightest of breaths.

"I decided to be merciful and allow you to give yourself to me of your own accord but you took such mercy fore granted." His eyes turned red as he held her face to his, placing a finger on her lips as her eyes widened in fear.

"Now Mizuki Yang , I am going to show you what agonising torture truly is."