Darkness' Touch

Chapter 30: Long night

*growl*

But Kill was waiting for her.

That night was a full moon. And the bright moonlight seeped through the leaves on the tree branches towering above them. She was able to witness how the bear slowly made its way towards where Kill was.

"N-no. No."

Avy couldn't feel her legs. But she was able to lift herself a little with her knees and right hand.

"Stop. Stop it!" she desperately tried to run towards the bear. But she had no strength in her body after everything that she did.

He's going to die. Kill is going to die. Someone's going to die in front of her again.

"Ma fille chérie..."

"I love you, my darling daughter."

"Let's watch the snow together."

"Don't worry. I'll keep your hand warm."

"I SAID STOP!!!!!"

Along with the deafening sound of the thunder, Avy's voice echoed throughout the forest and as if the world suddenly stopped, they were enclosed in a transparent space and everything inside that small space, including the trees, plants bushes, grass, and every single thing withered and died.

And even the bear didn't escape its cruel fate.

~~~

Ares, who was on the other side of the forest also felt the sudden change made by his master.

'She's using it?!'

How did that happen? She hasn't even trained herself to take that much burden on her body, it wouldn't manifest unless she really wishes for it. He was sure she's doing just fine since she wasn't calling for him. Did she perhaps encounter an obstacle on her way out?

"Avy? Avy get a hold of yourself! Don't take too much!!"

He tried to communicate with her through their connection but he didn't hear any response. He cursed under his breath and started running in the direction where he remembered Avy went. If she manifests her power now, he would be sucked in the darkness unconsciously for him to regain his power. But that would be disadvantageous since he would be locked inside for quite a time and wouldn't be able to help Avy the whole time. That means she would be alone while finding a safe place for that kid.

"Damn it." He whispered as he felt his whole body returning to smoke. There is nothing he could do now. 

'I'm sorry Avy. You have to do this on your own.' he thought to himself as he surrendered his body to the darkness. 

Of course, Avy's condition was far worse than he had imagined. She lied down on the dirty ground gasping for air and clenching her chest tightly. All her wounds had healed but the pain she felt became much more unbearable after all the black smoke entered her body. 

"Ahhgg... stop...stop..." she begged the pain to stop, she couldn't describe the feeling as if she was being set on fire while also freezing to death. Tears trickled down her face, why did she go out of the mansion again? 

Right. Because of the kid that she met two weeks ago. Knowing only his name and his age, she wondered why she felt connected with him somehow, to the point that she didn't intend to leave him behind even after suffering countless troubles. 

But she's dying in pain. Can she really save both of them?  She was never strong physically, and the only thing she can boast about is the smarts that she honed for the past nineteen years of her existence, aside from that, there is nothing really special about herself. She was wealthy in her past life, with a loving family and a good friend, she lived a comfortable life and had no unresolved trauma whatsoever. She just lived simply until now. Why does she have to go through all this?