Forgotten Dreams.

Roan calculated his odds. First thing first the barrier around Sirae that was erected by the Word tree gave him peace of mind a bit. The thing he had to do now was either to kill the masked fox before the barrier dissolves or so the thing he was dreading since he started this fight. Seeing how all the odds were against him. His body ready to give up at any moment he had to choose quickly. But before that he had to buy time.

"Why are you causing havoc to the people of Elvidia? Why did the Dark Foxes kill my son and his sons?"

He felt the long aged bitterness in his heart reopening. Hatred brimming in his eyes. A murderous intent so heavy filled the cave all directed at the masked fox. The number of assassins dropped as Roan launched more long ranged fire attacks while fighting his opponent.

" Why do I have to answer to you, King Roan? Especially when I consider you dead."

The masked fox mocked. Amused at Roans pitiful state. Their bodies turned into a blur as their speed increased tremendously. Roan fueled by intense rage while the masked man kept up with the pace. The clashing of singing metal-like claws were like a harrowing musics to one's ears.

Roan landed a devastating swipe on the Fox's gut. To find himself gutting an assassin's corpse instead. The masked man must have switched their bodies. But Roan didn't see him clap and he didn't see the man too...

His eyes widened to see the masked fox dangerously close to his granddaughter. Roans head was in chaos, utter mess at the mistake he made. Forgetting for the spatial ability of his to work he had to switch a body with his.

The priest narrowly dodged the masked fox attack to his head.

"Remove the corpses away from the lake now!!!"

He ordered the priest before he turned into a blur directed to the masked fox to distract him from killing the priest.

The priest was shocked stiff. His garb was wet from the bloody lake. The blood marks on his face was washed clean due to the red water. The fake chains dangled as he moved the corpses throwing them into a pile as Roan lit up a fire on them. Their speed was hasty.

Roan was a bit disoriented trying to control the shock he felt to see his granddaughter in danger. The masked man laughed. The sound buzzed his ears.

Irritated he cursed at him.

"Damn I didn't know an old man like you could curse so loudly. But I have to give it to you. You are the only one who has stayed alive for as long as an hour while fighting me. Even when distracted. I wished we could fight together with nothing holding us back. But I have strict orders to follow by a nagging woman and I don't want to be nagged when I go back home."

Roan suddenly moved unexpectedly to stab him on his chest with his claws. But their positions switched. And he found himself almost stabbing his granddaughter. He retracted his claws before it could hit her. Clearly flustered. "Sirae"

He tried to grab her instead but his position switched again. Instead of holding her. He found himself hugging the damp priest tightly to his chest. He pushed the priest who fell back into the bloody lake.

"I see. Somehow the barrier only activates on sensing ill intentions to the Princess. So as long as it doesn't sense any ill intentions from me I can come closer to her. All I have to do is clear my mind."

Roan's eyes widened. The masked Fox's deadly claws closed nearer to his granddaughter's neck.

"Move and you will see the bloody head of your granddaughter in your arms, instead."

Roan froze on the spot.

" You can't kill her the barrier enchantment will activate and kill you."

The Fox let out a conniving smirk.

" Thanks for worrying for my safety. But I already know that. I will kill her once the barrier dissolves. Easy."

The Fox whistled.

" The barrier is getting unsteady so it won't take long."

***************************************†††

"Your options are your Grandfather's life or your memories."

Hazel took some time to process those words. Before she tipped off in anger. Cursing the goddess and everything associated with her. Blinded by rage she moved to strike her at her slender neck. The Goddess casually waved her hand crippling Hazel's movement.

She could feel the intense pressure of gravity pushing her hard to the floor. Her feet was making a small crater from underneath her. Hazel instinctively fully transfomed to resist the pressure.

She felt a sense of accomplishment knowing she succeeded a bit in resisting. She was proud that she stood up for herself against the gods and goddesses. The once statues.

"Know your place, puny fox." Her gaze was intense. Hazel felt mentally strained.

"Oh stop the squabbling. Time isn't on your side. Not anymore."

"You are telling me to lose either the most important thing in my life or my identity? How could you be so cruel?!!!" Hazel yelled her heart out.

"If you put it that way. Yes. It is the perfect exchange for your immense power."

"I refuse!"

"So it's the third option then ...too bad I thought we would later see in the future. I guess it was only wishful thinking."

Anne snorted.

" Wasted time and potential. Tsk..Tsk..Tsk."

She smacked her perfectly shaped lips, shrugging. Before lifting her hands casually. A dark aura formed before condensing into a heavy hammer.

Hazel felt her entire body shudder.

A hammer to pound her soul into a puddle of blood. A big splash!!

Her eyes widened. In a millisecond she thought of her Grandpa's pained look on his face in the sight of her dead body. Especially when he believed she would survive. She couldn't do that to him. Couldn't let him suffer more. He had already seen his family died right before his eyes. How could she not allow him carry her child after everything. Her death alone would kill him. But..but with her lost memories, she could gain new remarkable ones filled with love and happiness with him.

"W..wait."

She muttered, her eyes creaking open to see the hammer so close to her head. Cold sweat bathed her skin. In just few seconds she could have been pudding. Bloody pudding.

She gulped a bit. Sweat trailing her skin.

" I choose loosing my memories and identity. I will create new ones."

A genuine smile graced Goddess Anne's lips. Perhaps the only genuine thing Hazel ever saw from her. Come to think of it. Those big tits were they fake too. Since you know she was fake.

She had like that very much.

********************†*************†††

"Eight...Nine...."

The barrier weakened before their very eyes. Then collapsed abruptly. The masked fox hurriedly swiped his claws towards her neck.

"Ten... Move."

Roan muttered. The Amber amulet on Hazel's neck brightened tremendously before exacting a heavy force at the fox pushing him towards the wall of the cave.

It happened so fast that the masked fox could not react. The force alone made the cave to start crumbling.

Hazel's body fell into Roan's arms.

Her thick long purple lashes fluttered open. Revealing a brightly lit pink sapphire gem-like eyes. It dilated. Disoriented trying to adapt to the dim light of the now crimson shimmering lake.

" Sirae we need to leave now. So hold on."

Roan informed her, ready to move with the last energy reserved for that very moment.

"Who are you?"

Her small voice shook.

"What? Am your old...."

An arrow speedily swished towards Hazel's back. Targeting her heart. Roan reacted in a spilt moment. Forcefully turning around. The arrow then impaled his heart.

Hazel's eyes widened.

Roan watched the shocked expression of his granddaughter, before spitting a mouthful of blood. His chest wound was not trying to heal. Confirming his suspicion. It was laced with poison.

He remembered the divination made by Fox druid, seven years ago. He prepared of it even though he didn't want to let her go.

So it was the second option after all.

"So that was what you lost. Your memories of every pain and happiness you experienced that moulded you to what you are and am proud of. A clean slate. Indeed."

A sad smile played on his lips.

Hazel instinctively screamed, "Grandpa!!!"

Before abruptly stopping wondering why she called him that. Her hand rose wiping the blood on the side of his lips.

Roan nodded in understanding.

"You forgot but your body didn't."

Tears welled up in her eyes. Hazel felt so confused. She was crying bitterly without knowing why. Her heart felt so heavy she couldn't breathe. As if she had lost something so dear to her.

" I better not create more bad memories then. Am happy at least you won't feel too much pain when I leave. So get happy new ones once you leave this shit hole."

Roan tore his robes. Tying the cloth to her eyes covering her view.

"That's so sad, I almost felt repentant. Almost."

The masked fox lazily walked towards them to finish them off.

"So wait Hazel....am going to put you in a better place."

Roan silently promised.

"Her death you mean, King Roan."

The fox taunted. His claws elongated again.

Roan breathed heavily, burning his remaining Life Force. The space around them distorted. The man was shocked to see a portal emerge behind them and the frightening pace Roan's body shattered into dust. He glided towards them in full speed to stop Roan from pushing Hazel into the portal.

Roan gripped his granddaughter tightly before whispering in to her ear his last words.

"Live my child, Live Hazel."

He feebly pushed her confused body into the portal.

"Noooo!!!"

The fox growled. Burrowing his claws into Roan's chest. Half of Roan's body disintegrated. Roan let out a slow mocking laugh.

"At least I get to take you to hell with me."

Roan then caught him offguard pushing his claws deep into the masked Fox's chest. Forcefully pulled out his beating heart.

"You think am the one you should be worried for? Hahaha am only a pawn. King Roan."

His eyes turned glassy.

Roan in his last moments pulled off his mask. What he saw shook his entire being into ballistic shock.

"Lance?!"

His lost son.

Roan finally sdisintegrated to nothingless.

The portal closed.

Under the crimson lake the priest came out shivering in fear. His dull eyes darting around in search for danger. Sensing nothing he proceeded to run away from the cave. When a menacing voice stopped him on his tracks.

"You are still alive, puny human?"

The priest eyes widened in shock. No one had discovered his identity until now. How did the information slip? He turned to see the statues that he saw all the time since he took the role of being a priest.The rocks that sculpted the statues were all on the floor and replaced with very much alive gods. Rusts, they were alive?!

When did the rocks fell? Why didn't he not hear it?

Goddess Anne casually waved her hand. The priest's head separated from his shoulders that jerked in reflex. Blood spurted out from the body. Gushing out from the whole like a fountain.

Her evil grin along with the six statues disappeared into the darkness.

Leaving a forlornly empty once beautiful cave into a bloodbath filled with lifeless corpses.

And forgotten dreams.