[88.6] Hazel POV: Goodnight, Sweet Fox

[Author's note: this chapter is from Hazel's perspective.]

As soon as the words left my mouth, she was thrown into a frenzy. Without hesitation or guilt, she started pummeling my face. I felt every bone break and tried to put my hands up to protect myself from her. Just as I did, her slender hands clutched my throat. With crazed inhuman strength, her hands tightened and pressed against my windpipe.

"You should be idolizing me! You should be kissing my feet!" Her grip on my throat tightened, "Every single human who saw the truth, knew I was their god! And yet, you were the only one who dared stare at me in contempt!"

As I was losing air, I tried to imagine a holy weapon, but nothing happened. My mind was too hazy and confused from the head injury. I could only instinctually claw at her hands in a panic, then tried pushing her away in vain as I struggled.

Her grin grew larger as madness flashed through her eyes, "Even though you were made in my image… Even though you were perfect. You were too stupid to understand my magnanimity. My brilliance."

I choked as I fought to stay conscious. 

"I gave you everything. When you returned, I welcomed you with open arms. I forgave you for destroying all of my churches and cities. I even let your friends live to adulthood because I am kind enough to honor our deal… And yet, you never honored yours. You never gave me Elam!"

I focused my remaining strength on creating a dagger and stabbed it forward. However, Vira was one step ahead of me yet again.

She threw me with the flick of her wrist, slamming me into the bricks of the wall behind me. I could hear the crumbling of bricks and the heavy sensation of rock on top of me. I struggled to pick them off while her voice grew louder as she walked to me.

"You need to obey ME! I am the one who gave birth to you! I am the one who brought you into this world! I AM YOUR MOTHER! Not that b*tch on the mountain!!! Not the woman who turned you into THIS! ME! I AM YOUR MOTHER!"

With deep heavy breaths, I picked up my heavy body once again. With all my strength, I pointed my dagger at her.

Words leaked out of my clenched jaw, "You… Will… NEVER… Be… My… Mother…"

Vira stood in front of me. Her eyes were wide, but no expression on her face. It was so chilling, my body started trembling.

She took a few steps toward me, her rage building and growing out of control behind that gentle facade of her face. Her harmonious voice cut through the silence, "It seems I still need to teach you manners."

She slammed the blade from my hands, and I was too weak to resist her.

The next thing I knew, I felt an open palm slam into my cheek.

There was so much strength behind it, I was thrown back into the wall. Cracks formed behind me, breaking the surface. Before I could raise my head, a fist punched me in the stomach, making me vomit on the ground.

Ah…

It's been so long…

Since I've gotten a beating like this…

I almost forgot…

How much it hurts…

I collapsed on my knees, coughing out bile when my chin was forcibly raised.

All I could see were those transparent blue eyes, staring into the depths of my soul.

"Alora… You have disappointed me greatly… But if you apologize-"

I spat into her face, my eyes full of defiance, "I will never apologize to you."

"You UNGRATEFUL SWINE!"

She backhanded me swiftly, breaking my jaw as she did. I fell to the ground but forced myself up to continue glaring at her.

This only fueled her anger more as she pulled out another blade, "YOU SHOULD BE PRAISING ME ON YOUR KNEES!"

She slashed down at me, drawing blood with every stroke.

Zephyr had finally caught up to us despite his wounds, "S-Stop! She's going to die!"

She raised her sword as madness was reflected in her eyes, "Why would I care if she dies?! Abadi will just bring her back! Abadi loves her so much! And you know why!?"

She continued to hit me with her sword, cutting into my skin, but not enough to kill me quickly.

I fell back, feeling my own blood splatter on the ground. On the ground beside me was a thin arm, no longer attached. My eyes trembled as I stared at it.

If this was my old body… I would heal immediately…

But now-

Vira shouted at me, "It's because Abadi always hated me!!! Ever since she met me she always had it out for me! She always wanted to get rid of me! But that dumb peace peace-loving hypocrite could never do it herself!!! So when YOU died! She brought YOU back to kill ME! SHE KNEW SHE COULD USE YOU AGAINST ME!"

I felt another painful slice, this time rendering my other arm numb. I didn't have the stomach to check why as I collapsed onto my knees.

There was a maddening evil in Vira's voice as she whispered, "...Abadi will bring you back again. I know she will… After all, she knows you're the only one who can be used against me."

My breath sucked in as I felt the burning sting of something plunging deep into my chest.

My head shakily looked down, afraid of what I would see, but I was unable to look anywhere else.

A pale, elegant hand held a blade covered in a blinding light.

However, that blade no longer looked holy as it was buried deep inside, with only the hilt showing.

I could feel a sickening warmth, spreading all the way down my back.

As my body slid backward off that bloodied blade, I stared at the blue sky that seemed so peaceful.

Reika… 

I'm sorry…

I never got to make it up to you…

Zephyr…

Once again…

I've ruined everything….

My body crashed onto the concrete, but I couldn't feel anything anymore.

Reika… Zephyr…

I'm so sorry…

I wish…

I wish I would have never been born…

Then maybe…

Maybe you all would have been happier-

"HAZEL!"

In my blurred vision, I could see that messy black hair and red eyes peering back at me.

"HAZEL! YOU'RE GOING TO BE OKAY!"

Zephyr…

No…

I don't want you to see me like this…

I sucked in a painful breath. "Run…"

"HAZEL! HAZEL!"

I… I can't raise my arms to hold him…

I have…

No more strength…

My eyes glistened with tears as I croaked, "Please… Zephyr… Leave me…"

It hurts…

It hurts so much…

He cried, clinging onto me, "NO! I WON'T!"

I stared at him, desperately wishing to force him away.

"You… You need to be safe…"

"I DON'T CARE!" He shouted at me through his tears, "YOU CAN'T LEAVE ME AGAIN! I WON'T LET YOU!"

As my vision faded in and out, I stared at that sobbing expression of his.

Ah…

It wasn't I who needed him in this life…

He was the one who needed me…

But Zephyr…

You're a fool…

Your life is the only thing that has value….

Not mine.