Memory box

"So her friend betrayed her?" Equinox asked while looking down disappointedly.

"Sadly yes." Morana sipped her green tea and said. "You know… In our life, we will face betrayals many times. But because of that, you don't need to be sad. All we have to do is move on." That's the law of universe. You'll meet many karmic people, who are just here to make us a better person. To glow like a sun, you need to burn like it. That's the process everyone in the world goes through."

"I agree. I have been through that too. I know what Anastasia might be going through." Equinox sighed. She knew all this is supposed to happen. But sometimes she wonders. Why is this world so cruel? "I don't understand why the people we love the most, hurts us?"

"Betrayal never comes from enemy. You know that right?" Morana crossed her arms. "After all, every thing happens for a reason. Sometimes some people betrayal causes the whole world to suffer." She smirked.

"What do you mean?" Equinox asked with confusion. She felt like Morana was taunting her.

Like the sentence she said was just to remind her about the blunder she made centuries before.

"Look at your face." Morana chuckled. "Don't get too anxious. I am not trying to taunt you. Let bygones be bygones. Right now, you should focus on your present." She looked at the door. "Anyway… Change your appearance. Someone is coming to meet you."

"Who?" She asked.

Morana replied. "Your forgotten past."

Equinox didn't understood what she meant. But her vision became clearer when she heard voice of someone who she never wanted to meet.

***

In the Hepswell valley, Ezen was called by some fellow demons to investigate a new porter which was found there.

When he entered inside the small cave, a demon named Telvoz greeted him. "Hello your highness." He bowed.

"Yeah whatever" He covered his nose and said. His mood was off when he entered this place. Even though there were many trees in these area. A disgusting awful smell was coming from inside the cave. "What's with the smell? It's looks like someone left a stinky rotten corpse over here. Even hell don't smell like this."

"Actually, some miles away, humans drop their garbages there. The smell is so bad that even magic can't take it out." Telvoz bowed apologetically. "Sorry for inconvenience Sir."

"Don't worry about it. I have dealt with worse." He remembered the time he was locked in the forbidden forest. Atleast this place is better than that. "Anyway.. where is the portal?"

"Yeah.. this way sir." He showed him the way.

When they arrived there. Ezen saw a big blue hole inside a wall. The hole was sparkling and felt like it was a portal. But if you looked close enough, it was something else.

"I need someone to go inside it." After he said it. A large black raven came flying towards him and sat on his shoulder.

"Order master" The raven bird stuttered his wings and bowed.

"What took you so long Sam?" Ezen asked.

Sam was one of the rare raven who could talk.

Before Sam was also a normal human being but because of the sin he did in his past life, he got trapped inside the purgatory.

As an option he got 2 choices, Either he can live in hell for rest of his life or he can transform into a raven and serve Ezen.

Both of the options was very hard for him, but he choosed the second option. So atleast after serving him he can get reincarnated again and relive his life as a good person.

The raven hided his face with his wings. "Actually Master…" He looked scared. "I was sleeping." He laughed awkwardly.

"What!?" Ezen decided to let it slide. "Anyway just go inside this hole and check which portal is this." He told him.

Sam looked at the portal and got frightened. "No master. Don't do that. If you want you can punish me but I can't go in there." He cried.

Seeing a raven cry made him laugh. "Why don't you want to go?"

Sam moves closer towards Ezen's ear and whispered softly. "What if empress Lilith saw me? If she saw that i am in hell then she will cook me in the flames and eat me." Sam whined.

"Why would she eat you?" He said while comforting him. "And we don't even know if this is a hell portal or not? Just relax. Don't be a coward. If you don't do this then I am not going to let you reincarnate."

"No master." Sam gave up. "Fine. I'll do it." Saying that he started flying towards the portal. He was little scared but he became brave and entered it.

When Sam entered it, his surrounding was burning. Everything was set in fire. His wings also slowly started to burn. That's why he got frightened and ran outside.

"Master! Master!" He jumped outside screaming.

Seeing him burning, Telvoz demon threw water on him.

Sam huffed like crazy and saw around him to see his wings being torn apart. "Ohh no! My wings!"

"Don't worry about that." Saying that Ezen snapped his fingers and made his wings normal again. "Now tell me what you saw there."

"Thank you master. You are a life saver." Sam breathed sigh of relief. "And yeah, this thing is not any kind of portal. It's a memory box. I saw a thing burning inside it. I don't know what it is."

"Ohh" Ezen thought about it. "I think I need to find it out." He went towards the portal and slided his hand inside the blue portal.

Because of being a fire demon, His hand didn't burned in it. But as his hand searched for the thing, something touched his hand.

He quickly took out the thing outside and kept it in his hand.

"What is it master?" Sam asked.

Ezen carefully examined the thing and said. "It's a key."

He again stared at the porter and saw that it was no longer there.

He took out the key which means there is no use for the portal to be there anymore.

So what was the use of the key? Why will anyone keep it here? Does this belong to someone else or was this kept here so he could find this?

Ezen's mind was struggling while thinking about this. He was so focused that he didn't noticed Julian in the back hiding behind the wall, smirking while letting the scene unfold.

He dialled Larissa's number in his phone and told her about it. "Don't worry sister. Everything is under control. Ezen got the key." He smiled evilly. "Sooner we'll get what we want.

***

"Victor? Come here my child." Morna called him to her side. "Is everything okay? Why are you so upset?" She asked.

"Actually, about Anastasia…" He was about to question Morana, when his eyes fell on the girl who was present in the room with them. Because of the hair hiding her face. He couldn't see the girl's face.

Seeing Victor staring at Equinox, Morana knew what he was thinking. She laughed and answered him. "Don't worry about her. You can speak. She is one of our own." She hugged Equinox to not make Victor doubt.

Looking at the seen unfolding, Victor became more doubtful. Morana never hugged anyone. Was she trying to hide something?

He looked at the girl who was sitting beside Morana.

When the girl's head tilted up, he got glimpse of her face.

It was Anastasia's friend. What was her name again? Erica?

"You!?" He asked while being stunned. What is she doing here? Are you also here to ask about Anastasia?"

At first, Equinox was very nervous. When she saw that Victor was here, she immediately changed her face.

When she heard him her something. She froze in the spot. She didn't know how to answer.

In their first meeting, Anastasia told him that Erica was mute. If she is mute then how is she supposed to answer?

She looked at him and nodded her head with a cold expression. She don't know why, but staring at Victor was making her feel very weird. Like she was mad.

It's been more than decades. Why can't she forget him? Whatever they had in the past was a mistake. She don't know why they were still crossing paths with each other after all that happened. What type game this universe was playing with her?

Seeing Equinox's cold demeanour, Victor got confused. He never did anything to this girl then why was she acting so cold?

Morana felt that temperature of the room was rising, that's why she decided to break the silence. "So.. why are you here Victor?" She asked like she didn't knew anything.

Victor who was before staring at Equinox, turned his attention towards Morana. "Actually.. I came here to ask about Anastasia. I heard about the prophecy. Is she alright?" He asked with concern.

Seeing Victor being concerned for Anastasia. Equinox felt confused. It sounded platonic. What type of relation do they have? She got curious.

"Don't worry. She is fine. Got little upset that's it. She'll be better tomorrow. I think."

"Thank goodness." Victor sighed with relief. "I was so scared when Cassandra told me about the prophecy. I am glad she is safe."

Equinox raised her eyebrows when she heard about Cassandra. Are they still together? She thought. Anyway, if they are together then good for them. She don't care.

She showed that it didn't affected her. But deep down it still hurted.

"How long is this things gonna last? What if Ezen is the one who is doing this? How can we trust that he won't do anything to Anastasia." Victor voiced his thoughts.

"Ezen will never do anything to her!" Hearing Victor talking about her brother like that, Equinox became mad. She was so furious that she didn't noticed that she just made a huge blunder just now.

"Y-you? Aren't you mute?" Victor asked while being confused. Why is this girl defending Ezen. Did Cassandra said truth? Is this girl a demon?

Seeing the scene, Morana hitter her head with annoyance. How can Equinox be so careless?

If Victor found about her then god knows what will happen?

"Eq… Erica? Child can you go bring bible from the storeroom?" She asked so Equinox could leave the room and calm herself down.

Equinox agreed to it and left the room with cold face.

"Wait! What exactly is happening? Is she a demon?" He asked with disbelief. If she is then why didn't he felt it? "First Anastasia and now you. Why did you hided this from me? If she is a demon then why not tell me? I don't care. I am not going to do anything to her."

"Victor!" Morana became stern. "I have things to do. It's better if you leave now."

"So you really are hiding something from me?" Victor understood. "Okay. No worries. I'll find everything on my own." Saying that, he left the room angrily.

After few minutes, Equinox came back in the room and handed the Bible to Morana. "Thank goodness he is gone." She still looked mad.

"Mad?" Morana smirked. "I thought you would be happy to see him?"

"Why will I be happy to see him?" She crossed her arms. "I don't understand why you didn't told him about me. Not like he would care."

"You both are idiots." Morana scratched her head. "If I would have told him about you. Were you ready to face him."

Equinox became hesitant.

"No right? That's what I thought." Morana sipped her tea.

"But why didn't he choose peace? He had direct access to enter heaven. Why did he choose to suffer in despair by being an immortal?" She always had this question. What was reason for it?

"The same reason why you choose to be in hell." Morana looked at Equinox who looked like she was in trance. "Stop punishing yourself. It's been decade. There is no need to be mad about the past." She tried to make her understand. "If you think Victor is at fault. Then why is your heart heavy?" She asked. "You know why it happened? Because you are not sure." She advised. "Try to get your memories back. When you get them back, you'll understand what exactly happened that time."

Equinox was in loss of words. "I am sorry. I need to leave." She was so panicked that she wanted to leave. But Morana stopped her.

"Wait! Take this with you." She handed her a box.

"Memory box?" She tried to open it but it was locked. "Why is this not opening? Where are the keys?"

"It won't be opened by you? This box only gets open by their owner." She looked at the box. "Give this box to Anastasia. This box will not only help her but also you."

Equinox nodded and examined the box. "Okay. Thanks."