5 The Beginning 2

Blazing storms and burning waters could not keep her hatred at bay.

Devastating cries and bloody howls could not mend the excruciating pain she felt. Heartbreaking pain that shook her to the very core.

It was hatred.

Deep, pitiful hatred that kept her sane, clouded her piercing eyes filled with nothing but the last bit of hope flooding away with the single tear that came out.

"In this lifetime, in the next, even if I'm stuck in an endless cycle, even if I ignite heaven's wrath to endorse me, even if I have to wander through the bloodiest hell, be tortured on the most inhuman battlefields, even if I have to burn off all of my skin, I will curse you to death, cling onto every pore of your body so that you can never forget me and despair into insanity and I promise you, I will accompany you to the very end to see through the cruel and justified demise of you!"

She looked at him and he looked down at her. A mocking smile decorated his lips,

"What can a corpse do?"

Rage that could overturn mountains and seas, rage that could penetrate even the iron fortress of heaven's gate welled up inside of her. She cursed him.

Cursed and cursed and cursed him into a fate of million torturous death, yet the only thing she could do at the moment was to cry.

To unsightly and powerlessly cry as the male before her, the very male she once loved and nurtured to this position coldly and blatantly watched, even enjoyed her impending death.

That was all her life amounted to. That was all she was worth. To be born to be killed.

She laughed silently, bitterly.

In this grand hall, shimmering in blue, purple and green only they both were present.

He took it upon himself to sacrifice her. To torture her with his very hands to sever any bonds they had. She knew why because all she was in his eyes was nothing more but a hateful burden.

And this very notion of her could never be released, not even up to the point where she could rest in peace.

Her fate was sealed.

She hung her head low. She knelt in front of him, unable to move, unable to escape, bound to bear through every word, every treatment he gave, while he sat on the crystal throne from a top and watched her pitiful small figure before him until he finally decided to put an end to this.

She couldn't return, she couldn't go back. Nothing but this endless pit of darkness surrounded her, lulled her into a sweet promise that overtook her senses and any desires she tightly clung onto.

She wanted to return, she wanted to go back. Just one chance, one last chance, to turn everything around, to turn her life around to escape this cruel fate.

Just one chance... but nothing could ever be benevolent. Nothing would smile upon her, take pity on her and gently take her into their hands, whispering empty lies of how everything will be alright.

It was darkness, only darkness that accompanied her through the humiliation and pain. It was darkness which took her hand and danced her into a state of sadness and lingering melancholy.

She slowly opened her eyes, her long eyelashes graced her wet, delicate skin.

Now, not even darkness followed her to take the final step as his figure solemnly, in all glory and might approached her.

The reflection in her eyes appeared to be dignified but nothing but vicious destruction and inescapable death clouded his heart and mind.

To purge her, to purge this world from her. To set this world free of any evil spirits and menace. Thus he needed to sacrifice her, sacrifice and use her to attain great power where even the gods in heavens would fall to their knees and tremble.

Lia knelt in front of him pitifully, her gentle and bright beauty that once showed through her vibrant smile was now haggard and morbid. Her clouded eyes only looked at him with hatred. All of her feelings for him, everything she did for him became nothing but a laughable farce he tore down and viciously stomped onto.

"You might have the wrong idea," Min stopped, "I won't kill you but you will die over and over again."

He grabbed her face and forced her to look up at him. A small, mocking smile played on his lips and yet he was still so handsome that he could melt the hearts of maidens.

Lia spit mentally, "If you hate me so much, you could take it out on me, you didn't have to involve my family who didn't harm you the least bit."

He let go of her face and then slapped her hard.

Once, "the K family is too powerful and a thorn in many people's eyes."

Twice, "Sooner or late, this would have inevitably happened anyways."

And for a third time.

Blood spilt yet Min grabbed her by the hair, "however, I should thank you for helping me to this position. Since you love me so much, I should reward you."

His dark eyes held no smile his lips mirrored. They were an endless void swallowing up everything good and bright.

Then he held her hand and green light emitted, "The Ghost King gave you powers, so-"

"No!" Lia desperately tried to remove her hand, to break free but her body was too weak and she could barely move. Her skin was still scraped and bloody and despite being an immortal the wounds didn't heal.

The Elders fed her a pill and tortured her to the brink of insanity before she was yanked in front of Min in this throne hall that was supposed to give her joy. She didn't know what the pill was but once she had to swallow it, her body instantly collapsed and she couldn't use her powers nor heal herself.

It was a vicious and cruel thing. She now realised that Min must've be the one to develop it and at this moment he was going to fully destroy her powers. Without any ability left to defend herself, she would truly be at the end.

Revenge? It would only be a fleeting dream, a word so far she didn't even dare to mutter it.

She wanted to move. Move! Move! Move!

But it was futile as the green light went inside her body and she could physically feel how it purged her powers. In order to use powers, the immortals needed to use their own life force and transform it into energy that would manifest their powers.

Since the life force of an immortal was unlimited, using their own lifespan as power wasn't damaging to them. But what if there was a way to consume the life force? To completely empty it until there was nothing left to be transformed into powers?

If there was no life force, there would be no power. The body of an immortal held an abundance of life force, it overflowed with it and no matter how much one drained, it instantly refilled like white smoke that moved around in the body.

Yet, Min's green light was like a green cloud swallowing the white smoke. Lia's own life force was drained. But instead, the green smoke would stay in her body not usable as power.

The process of purging someone from their own life force was a violent and excruciatingly painful experience.

As Lia writhed in pain, spit mouthfuls of blood, as her veins burst, Min just remained unmoved and watched coldly how pathetic she was.

"You're surely thinking why I don't just kill you," Min still held onto her hand but he started to drag her out of the room.

She couldn't process anything, the pain was so great, it numbed her brain and her senses, only this powerful torture remained vibrant.

"Because you need to live in order to be a sacrifice," Min's lips turned into a small smile again.

Once, outside the hall, the four Elders noticed his appearance and in amusement watched Lia's suffering. Min spared them no glance and moved along to leave the palace.

The four elders followed them. Lia couldn't make out her surroundings, millions of needles pricked her brain, gallons of lava poured over her body and pus formed on her mouth as she kept throwing up blood.

It was a tragic sight yet no one spared the least bit of pity for her. Her insides wretched and her nerves shook at the thought of all the chaos of feelings possessing her.

To kill, make them pay, make them suffer the same fate, was the only way she held onto the thin thread of sanity, preventing her from falling into an abyss she could never escape from.

Then all of a sudden the pain left and her misty eyes cleared up to see an unfamiliar surrounding. They were standing in a land with nothing but rocks and green light surrounding them, even the sky was an eerie green.

She wanted to say something but her mouth was so sore nothing could come out.

Min harshly pulled her with him and dangled her over a cliff. She barely looked down and saw the millions of corpses lying at the bottom. Who were all those people and why would Min and the Elders know about this place?

Yet, she wouldn't get an answer as Min let her go and she felt herself falling. The last thing she saw was etched into her heart, engraved into her bones and she would use it as fuel for her wrath.

This wretched and hateful sight of Min and the four elders arrogantly and in disdain looking at her.

This sight, she would never forget.

As she fell, she saw Min casting a green translucent veil over the abyss that was waiting for her and she knew that even if she managed to climb up, without any powers she couldn't destroy the veil keeping her confined.

Her impact was softened due to the rotten flesh of the corpses and she immediately, to the best of her condition, retreated. She crawled towards the rocky wall of the mountain and leaned against it. Then she laughed hollowly with intense hatred.

Before her eyes was a statue of none other than Min. It got every single handsome feature of his portrayed.

This was the so-called reward he gave her. To forever stare at him because she loved him so much.

Love? There was no feeling of it anymore.

Very well.

She chuckled and a burning fire was in her gaze. She would use this statue to remind herself that she will get out.

Get out and massacre every single one to them. There was no other sweeter justice than this.

But before then, she curled into a ball and wept.

She has lost everything. For now, it should be alright if she could indulge in her own worries, grief and heartbreak. After all, she was still a person.

***

Min and Elder Z sat in Min's studies.

"For how long are you planning to keep her there?" Elder Z sipped on his tea.

"The statue needs to absord her life and feed on her for 20 000 years."

"So long?" Elder Z was shocked. if they had to wait for 20 000 years anything could happen and destroy their plans. First of all, would they even live so long?

"The time runs differently in the abyss. 1000 years there is one year here. The power then will be ready for me to harvest," Min didn't drink the tea.

"I see. That is reassuring. Then once you have attained the power you can become a deity. I hope you have not forgotten our deal."

"Of course not," Min sneered in his heart, "you will have full control over the council and all matters."

"Then the powers-"

"I can't easily give it to anyone. But you shouldn't worry for now. Although, I used up all of my energy right now and am still not used to being the Ghost King. We need to do the ritual tonight."

"That can be easily arranged. I will immediately call the other Elders."

Min just nodded and a mocking smile appeared on his lips once Elder Z left.

He relaxed and loosened his collar to reveal his toned chest. It was only a matter of time before all the other families will suffer the same ending as the K family.

Once Lia's sacrifice was enough and he could attain the golden power, he wouldn't need to rely on the families anymore. Soon no being could rival him.

So, Elder Z should indulge and enjoy his brief time of fabricated power.

Min sipped on the tea and the warm liquid filled his arrogant body. He needed to be patient for a while. 20 years would be enough to prepare and wait.

Then he could finally take revenge on the families and the immortal world.