We can’t abandon her

Equinox couldn't say anything but stare at Victor, her heart torn between the flood of emotions rushing through her.

The memories of their shared past, the love they once knew, and the pain of their separation surged within her.

Looking at him she only wanted to ask one question about why he killed her in past. She didn't know if it was true or not but others kept telling her this only. She wanted to know what happened that day.

As Equinox gathered the courage to speak, her lips parting to address Victor, a sudden vision seized her mind. The 2nd vision she saw about Anastasia was coming true. The vision where a woman was walking near a pit of fire. That time she couldn't tell who the woman was, but now she could see it clearly, that girl was Anastasia herself.

"No... not Anastasia!" Fear claws at Equinox's throat, choking her words as she struggles to convey the urgency of her vision to Victor. "Go save her!"

"What!?" Victor got confused seeing her crying. "Anastasia what!?" He also started to panic.

"Equinox!" Ezen barged into the room to tell her about what happened. If it was some other day he would have been mad that she met Victor. But now he was so desperate to find Anastasia that he didn't even notice them holding hands.

"Larissa and Julian abducted Anastasia. I am so stupid. I should have never left her alone in that room! I don't know what to do." He said with a heavy heart.

Victor's composure faltered, panic flashing across his features as he confronted Ezen. "Why did you even bring her here? You knew she would be in danger then why!?"

"Listen, Victor, it's not time for our argument." First time in his life, Ezen swallowed his pride in front of his enemy. He was ready to do anything to save Anastasia. "Just tell me where Dahlia is. She is the only one who can save her now."

Victor sighed and replied. "I don't understand why you guys came all the way here to find Dahlia when she was right beside you all along."

Ezen got confused. "What do you mean?"

"Anastasia is Dahlia! She is her reincarnation. It's weird that you couldn't feel your own soulmate's existence. Did you never felt any relation with her? Or why didn't you wonder about why out of all people only Anastasia took you out from the forbidden forest?" Victor says in a calm tone. "It was all Dahlia's plan before she became human. She wanted to meet you in her next life that's why she freed you."

Ezen thought it was all a joke. It can't be true. "You are lying. Dahlia was supposed to be born 1000 years ago in your family. It can't be Anastasia as she is only 22 years old. Your entire bloodline died in 1400 then

How can she be dahlia?"

Equinox was shocked when she heard it. That's when she started to remember. "Ohh. Now I know how... in the 1400s Princess Amara gave birth to a baby in wedlock. No one knows where that baby went after the chaos. So does that mean Anastasia is..."

Victor nodded. "Yes, Anastasia is my niece. I brought her in the future so no one could harm her. I first gave her to Agnes and then she kept that baby near Isabelle's doorstep as her grandchild died that day."

Equinox started to connect the dots. "So the mimi Anastasia talk with is none other than Amara Dalton?"

"Yes. And now Mimi is the only one who can tell us Amara's location."

***

"Please, anyone!" Anastasia whispers in a hoarse voice, lying there in her jail cell. She's desperate for help but resigns herself to the fact that none will come. She lies there, wounds stinging and pulse in her leg still painful and throbbing.

When suddenly, there's noise. A low buzzing, humming noise that gets louder. A soft, warm light begins to slowly fill her cell, and she looks up in surprise.

It's strange, and she doesn't think anyone would come to her rescue, so she must be hallucinating. She closes her eyes, but the light gets brighter.

"Help?" She whispers to the light, in a confused and tired voice.

The light suddenly seems to take a form, a hazy, ethereal image before her that she squints to look at.

"Mimi?" Anastasia couldn't see her face properly but she had blonde hair so she thought Mimi had come to save her. She opened her eyes and was shocked. "Princess Amara? I thought you were Mimi." She said being confused. What is Victor's dead sister doing here?

"Yes, my child. I am only your Mimi." Amara says, "I'm here to take you away. Come now."

She extended a soft, ethereal, hand towards Anastasia and beckoned her to come. But the girl stays still, her brows furrowing.

"Wait... who are you?" She says, taking a slow, cautious step towards Amara. "You look like Uncle Victor's sister, but you can't be. Aren't you... dead? You are my Mimi? How?"

"I know, my little one," Amara says, her voice quivering with emotion, "I want to stay and tell you so much, I want to be part of your life again... but..."

She looks down, a hint of sadness in her eyes, "I can't reveal the truth, not here... not now. But please... come with me, you need to leave this place. I promise, in time, I'll find the chance to tell you everything."

"What!?" She was about to question why she came to help her when they had no relation with each other but she couldn't say anything as she was too weak. The ring she wore was making her unable to use her powers.

Amara looked at the cell gate, which was firmly locked with magical incantations that would make it nearly impossible to open. The magic was strong, but she was stronger. With a wave of her delicate hands, the gates flew open. "Now run fast. Don't look back. I'll be with you only."

Anastasia did as she said and ran away towards the light at the end of the tunnel. Without looking back because right now getting out was her main focus.

Amara glanced at her arms and noticed it slowly disappearing. She broke the law of universe just to meet her daughter again. No spirits were allowed to make contact with the human world but she didn't listen. She stayed with Anastasia all her childhood as Mimi to take care of her. But the moment she got older their connection broke and she was unable to talk to her anymore.

Amara sighed and slowly closed her eyes, and her consciousness slipped back into the spirit realm, as she was only allowed to be on earth for few minutes.

Before completely disappearing, she telepathically communicated with Victor and told him where Anastasia was. She knew however far she would run, Julian and Larissa would catch her again. She can't get out of the place without help.

***

As Victor got the location of where Anastasia is right now through Amara, he was ready to go but he stopped and glanced at Ezen. "Funny, isn't it? How quickly your willingness to save her disappeared the moment you realized she could be your downfall."

Ezen winced at Victor's words, many things were going through his mind that he couldn't even reply.

"What else can be expected from you? Even though you have emotions, how can I forget that you are also a demon who are known for their selfishness and cruelty. The moment you found out Anastasia is the last human alive from descendants of heaven and could kill you, all your feelings changed." Victor scoffs as he didn't expect it from Ezen. This is why he kept Anastasia's truth hidden from everyone. "Let it be. I'll save her myself. I don't need your help." Saying that he left the place hurriedly.

"Wait no! Ezen tell him you are not like that!" Equinox said desperately. "Tell him you are not like those demons who sacrifice people for themselves. We can't leave Anastasia. Just because she is part of heaven and could kill you as per the prophecy, you'll just abandon her? Did you forget the time she helped us? If not her, you would still be in the forbidden forest and I would be getting tortured in hell. She helped us so many times and when she needs our help we can't let her go."

Ezen kept his head low and sat on the chair. He had no energy to say or do anything. Everything was just too much for him to digest.

"You know what your problem is, Ezen? You still haven't let go of the dark part of yourself. I thought you changed but guess not. I know you also feel something for Anastasia. Not because she is your soulmate or something, you liked her for who she was, not because she was Dahlia's reincarnation. Your eyes always confessed it." Equinox's anger softened into

desperation as she reached out to him, her voice pleading. "I know you are in lot of pain right now but get up and do something. If not, you'll regret all your life. If you don't save her you'll also lose my respect so get up!"

Even after saying all that, Ezen still stayed in the same place which made her mad. "You know what!? Screw it! You are also like Lilith! Selfish! I don't care if you come with me or not. I am going! You stay here and don't do anything."

Frustration mounting, Equinox stormed out of the room, determined to aid Victor in their mission to rescue Anastasia.

Ezen wanted to move but the black shadowy mist was holding him. He couldn't move his body or speak. He knew who was doing all of this.

Only person who could make him this vulnerable and powerless was Lilith herself.

***

Anastasia dashed through the dense forest, her heart pounding with each frantic step. Suddenly, Larissa emerged from the shadows, blocking her path with a sinister grin.

"Let me go!" Anastasia pleaded, her voice trembling with fear.

"You can't escape your destiny, Dahlia," Larissa sneered, her grip tightening on Anastasia's arm.

Anastasia's mind reeled at the mention of the name, confusion swirling within her. "I'm not Dahlia," she protested weakly, her eyes wide with terror.

But Larissa paid no heed to her pleas. With a forceful shove, she pushed Anastasia towards the blazing fire pit at the center of the clearing. As the flames licked the air, Anastasia felt the heat sear her skin, her pulse quickening with dread.

"What do you want from me?" Anastasia cried out, her voice echoing in the eerie stillness.

"Your soul my dear. If you don't exist then there is no one in this world who can take away my immortality." Larissa declared, her voice echoing with reverence. "So for your freedom, all you have to do is erase me and Julian's name from this book so the universe wont have control over us."

Anastasia shook her head in confusion, "I don't understand," she murmured, her voice barely audible above the crackling flames. "How can I do that? Only angel of destiny has power to do that."

Larissa's grin grew scarier. "You're more than you think," she said, waving a mysterious book which belonged to dahlia

Anastasia's mind reeled as she stared at the book, feeling a strange tug of recognition.

Before she could comprehend, Larissa's dark magic enveloped her, placing her in a trance-like state.

Larissa smirked seeing her magic successful. She screamed to everyone to start the sacrificial ceremony.

In trance state, Anastasia walked towards the fire pit. All the cult members bowed towards a statue and started chanting spells to bring Lilith back in human world to watch the sacrifice herself.

Everything was going just how equinox described in her second vision.