The manor was bright on the inside, the white curtains flowing freely as the wind blew them, caressing the walls and tables. The stairs were shining with the ray of the sun, the wooden chairs also had the same shine, and her breath got caught on as she realized one thing. It was another time.

The portrait was smiling awkwardly, almost as if they were hiding a secret. Her hands were trembling as she walked towards the stairs, looking up as she took a deep breath and started to call someone. “Alina! Traven!” She screamed as she walked towards the stairs, her hands gripping the handrails tight. Her nails, white as clouds, as paper, dug deep within the wood as she pressed the handrail. “Traven, come out here!” She said once again, and on top of the stairs, Jiyong appeared, his shirt slightly open, his eyes widened in surprise.

“Jocelyn, what’s happened to you?” He said. She shook her head as she hit the handrail, her knuckles turning white.

“Don’t give me that, where’s that goddamned !” She said. Jiyong raised his eyebrows at her.

“What the hell are you talking about woman?” He said as he took a few steps down. She put her hand in front of her, one finger lift, showing one perfect white nail.

“Don’t talk to me like that Traven, I warn you.” She said. Jiyong stopped, his hands up. “Where’s Alina? We both have one score to settle.” She said. Jiyong shook his head, one hand put over his forehead.

“It was a mistake.” Jiyong muttered. Chaerin hit the handrail again, and Jiyong’s body flew back towards the top of the stairs.

“A mistake? One mistake is to accidentally pour liquor in your lemon juice, but having with my sister, that’s no mistake, that’s a treason! Betrayal!” She screamed at the top of her lungs.

“She forced me!” Jiyong screamed. Chaerin shook her head as she smiled at him.

“No, she couldn’t have. Her powers are still diminished.” Chaerin said. At her back, she felt a burning sensation, then her own hand caught fire, but it didn’t burned her.

“My dearest sister, we both share something too precious, yet I want it for myself.” Another voice said. Chaerin turned around, and saw Alina smirking at her, her eyes sparking fire, so were her hands. “And I will have it.” She hissed and threw the sparks towards Chaerin. She grabbed it with her hand and vanished it, grunting in anger.

“You want it for yourself? Yet you cannot have it, the Gods don’t want you to have it.” Chaerin said. Alina laughed.

“The Gods, so weak. Give me something else!” Alina said. Chaerin took a few steps down, glaring at Alina.

“You may have taken his carnal self, but his spirit is still with me. Our powers are united, and you can’t never break that, even if you cursed us to an eternity of being separated!” Chaerin hissed.

“I shall curse you, he shall be mine!”

“Try it! You are still too weak to even muster one spell right!” Chaerin hissed, her hands shaking in anger. Alina scoffed and looked to the side, Jiyong was standing next to Chaerin.

“The Gods are sure cruel, and I have found something far more powerful than them. Come with me, my dearest Traven, we shall be powerful together.” She said. Traven scoffed and crossed his arms.

“Never, you can’t never take by force what’s not yours.” He said. Chaerin looked at him and scoffed.

“I had already taken it, what’s left is your power, and I shall have it, too.” Alina said and lifted her hands. Chaerin widened her eyes and crouched, ready to attack, but Alina was doing something else. Her eyes turned dark, disoriented, as she chanted words. Chaerin felt murmurs on her mind, and when she looked at Jiyong, she noticed he had been the same.

“Wake the power, feel the pain, love unrequited, still unveil. Shall you suffer alone, agony consuming you, watching it vanish from your grasp as your heart slowly dies, but your body still lingers. Only love shall destroy love, without the other you shall not die, but by the hand of the other you shall perish. By my hand and broken heart I beg, for you to suffer all my pain.”

Both Jiyong and Chaerin gasped, an invisible force throwing them to the back. Chaerin landed upside down, her body hurting as her belly hit the ground. She shrieked, quickly turning around as she grabbed her belly, protecting it. Jiyong was quickly at her side, helping her up. “Taste your own medicine, my dears, but first, start with a tragedy, feel the pain in flesh, feel the pain in thy soul!” Alina said laughing and disappeared, but that didn’t changed what they were both feeling.

“Jocelyn, are you alright?” Jiyong said as he helped her stand up. Chaerin nodded, touching slightly her belly. She was confused, slightly dizzy and lightheaded.

“I’m alright.” She said and shoved him away. “Don’t touch me, you filthy monster.” Jiyong widened his eyes at her.

“What?” He said, his head slightly crooked. Chaerin smiled and walked back towards her room, locking the door. She stood in front of her mirror, looking at herself. It was strange, looking like she wasn’t there at all. Like she had been changed and now an empty vessel looked at her, completely astonished at her own reflection as she thought many ways to end things, to get revenge, to make the man suffer for his treason.

The sky turned dark, the candles were already lit, illuminating slightly the corridors and the rooms. Chaerin stood up, after many hours looking at herself, though nothing hurt, no numbness, no feeling of being tired. She walked aimlessly until she reached the kitchen, her mind was filled with empty thoughts of hatred, of pain and sorrow. As she entered, the servants looked at her with worried expressions, but only one approached her.

“Lady Jocelyn, are you feeling alright?” The servant, Safira, said. Chaerin only looked at her with an empty expression, then walked towards the main counter. A knife was set in the middle of the table, besides an uncooked chicken. Chaerin grabbed it, her hands trembling. She was fighting within herself, trying to let go, but she held onto the knife firmly, and walked out of the kitchen.

She crossed the main hall, until she reached the big, mahogany doors. She opened them, and as she did, a cold wind entered the manor, throwing a few vases, breaking them in million tiny pieces. “Jocelyn?” She heard at her back, but didn’t looked, she didn’t had to look to see who was calling her. She took a deep breath, fighting all the urges to walk out, but her body wasn’t cooperating anymore. With trembling steps, she walked out of the manor and into the garden. “Jocelyn, wait, it’s too cold. It’s not safe for the baby!” Jiyong called her. She slowly turned around, knife held firmly in one hand, and smiled at him.

“The baby, your baby.” She said. Jiyong stopped abruptly, his eyes widened as he saw the knife on her hands.

“Jocelyn, please put the knife down.” He said, but Chaerin only smiled, slowly lifting the knife.

“We shall meet your baby, Lord Traven Salvatore.” She said. Jiyong took a few steps forward, but it was too late, she stabbed her womb with the knife, inserting it until it’s handle touched her skin. Jiyong shrieked as he looked at her, and she felt a pain running through her as the stream of warm blood ran down her belly.

“WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!” He screamed as he held her shoulders, but she collapse, and he held her tight, touching her womb. She felt a cold current run through her, but nothing happened, the pain was still there. “Jocelyn, what have you done?!” He screamed again as he cried, touching her womb.

It was as if she was snapped awake, and the pain worsened. She screamed as she grabbed her belly, her hands stained with blood. “By the Gods!” She shrieked, the pain almost unbearable, but the pain on her chest was far worst.

“You killed my son!” Jiyong screamed. Chaerin screamed again, and a few females ran out of the house, surrounding them.

“Lord Traven, please come with me.” Safira said as she touched his shoulder. He shoved her away and held Chaerin by her face, holding her so strongly she felt her skull might break apart.

“You killed my son! You witch!” He screamed. Chaerin cried and shook her head, another gush of pain running through her.

“Lord Traven!” Safira said, pushing him away from Chaerin. Dara ran towards Chaerin, holding her in place as she looked at the wound on her belly.

“Take him away Tristan, keep him away!” She yelled as she put a hand on the wound.

“Don’t touch me!” Jiyong screamed, looking at them with such fierceness it made Chaerin shiver. Dara tried to heal her, but nothing worked.

“I have to take the baby out! Safira, bring hand me that knife!” Dara said. Jiyong widened his eyes at her.

“Don’t Erlina, that’ll kill him!” Jiyong said. Chaerin saw how she looked at him, how her eyes showed the pain and the apology flashed on her dark eyes. In that moment, everything fell silent, the only sound was the thump Jiyong’s legs made as he collapse on the floor, sobbing silently.

“He’s already dead.” Dara said. Chaerin felt her whole worlds turning around as Dara made a small incision on her womb and introduced her hands inside of her. She knew it hurt, more than anything, but she was numb, she couldn’t scream, or flinch, or whimper, she was numbed completely, from emotions, from feelings, from pain.

The sound of flesh breaking made her look, and she saw Dara’s hand taking out a limp baby out of her, his body bloody, so were Dara’s hands. She saw Dara crying as she touched the small baby on her arms. He was big enough to live, Chaerin realized, big enough to be born. She heard Jiyong holding in his breath as Dara caressed the baby’s face. “He was a boy.” Dara said with a pained voice. Jiyong sobbed harder, looking at the dead baby on her hands. Chaerin felt tears falling from her face as she coughed silently.

“Let me see him.” Jiyong said between sobs. Dara looked at him and nodded, handing him the dead baby. He held it between his arms, his shirt stained with blood. He was crying as he looked at the baby that could have brighten their whole life. He touched his face, his hands, his little chest and sobbed harder. “T-Tristan… take him away… please.” Jiyong said looking like he couldn’t take it anymore. Chaerin coughed again, and he looked at her, his eyes too small for her to see their color clearly. Taemin held the baby and took him away from their sight.

“Traven.” Dara said in a warning tone.

“You killed my son.” He said, his voice filled with pain and agony. Chaerin coughed again, feeling weaker by the minutes. “You killed my first and only son.” He stated again. Chaerin shook her head, too weak to muster a word.

“She’s dying. Traven, she had lost too much blood.” Dara said. Jiyong didn’t looked at her, his eyes were fixed on Chaerin’s.

“My son died.” He said. Chaerin shook her head again, her hand slowly reaching his, but he slapped it away. That sole movement sent a terrible pain to her heart, he didn’t wanted to see her, to touch her. “My son died because of you.” He said and slowly stood up, looking at her with a disgusted expression.

“Traven, let me heal her.” Dara said. Jiyong lifted a hand, and Dara stopped. He didn’t said anything else, but his expression told her everything. Chaerin nodded as she silently cried, coughing but no sound came out. She felt like something was choking her, avoiding the air to reach her lungs. Dara touched her, but Jiyong slapped her away.

“No,” He said, still looking at Chaerin. She coughed and a mouthful of blood came out of . Another tear fell from Jiyong’s eyes as he shook his head, then turned around and left, so did everyone else. She was left there, alone, slowly dying as she thought over and over again what she had done, and how she had fought it, but still happened.

Chaerin gasped as she fell on her knees, gasping for air as she felt the sensation of being chocked on . She was back to her time, the skies clear and bright, the manor the same dark color. She coughed as she held , tears streaming down her cheeks. She couldn’t believe it, her mind couldn’t process it. She had lived it again, she knew, she felt the pain on her womb, the pain on her heart and body.

“I have suffered more than you can imagine.” Jiyong said, now kneeling in front of her. She looked at him, her eyes blurry by her tears. “I had to burry my own child, killed before being born.”

“I am so sorry.” Chaerin said. Jiyong nodded, his eyes watery.

“Don’t say I hurt you, because in the end, I was the one who paid the higher price.” He told her. Chaerin nodded, guilt washing over her, through her veins.

“You let her to die out there.” Chaerin said, she wasn’t accusing him, it was just a statement.

“What would you have done? I was angered, pained, confused. You have no idea how much I have expected that baby. How much I have loved him before he was born, how much I yearned for him to be on my arms, and the first time I carried him, he was dead and cold.” Jiyong said, now tears fell from his eyes. “He was dead and cold, and all my hopes had died with him.”

“I am so sorry.” She murmured again.

“It was after that that I realized I couldn’t die.” He said, now standing up, extending a hand towards her. She looked at it and held it, and he helped her up. “I tried to end my life, and even thought I achieved it, only to wake up, completely healed and breathing.”

“You committed suicide?” Chaerin said and Jiyong nodded, now walking towards the bench he was sitting on.

“I have tried many times, and, as you can see, I’ve failed miserably in every attempt.” He said, now sitting down. “I have died, or more like lost consciousness, and then wake up a few hours later, feeling completely renewed.”

“It must be terrible, living like that.” She said. He shrugged as she sat next to him, still having the feeling of guilt on her whole body.

“I have never known what it feels like to actually die, not until I met you.” He said, now looking at her with tender eyes.

“Thank you, it’s flattering, knowing you feel dead after knowing me.”

“You almost killed me, once.” He said. Chaerin nodded.

“Right, I almost died again that night.” She said and Jiyong laughed. She looked at him, at how he looked laughing, he was smiling, though his eyes showed sorrow, a pain, she knew now, had lingered on his soul for many centuries.

“Indeed, it would have been terribly stupid.” He said. She smiled and nodded.

“Forgive me,” She said. “For killing your son, I am sorry.” He got serious, now looking at her. She couldn’t quite read his eyes, they were strange, even to her.

“I have nothing to forgive you for. If it makes you feel better, now I know it wasn’t you, I mean Jocelyn, she was under a spell, bewitched.” He said. “I should have known, but I was too… confused, angered, I couldn’t think straight.”

“I wouldn’t have expected any less. After all, she did killed your son and herself.”

“I killed her.” He said. “I didn’t allowed her to heal, I killed her.” Chaerin looked down at her hands. They were a shade of magenta, and she narrowed her eyes, lifting her hand to take a better look. Jiyong looked at her, then at his own, only to realize they were the same tone.

“What does this means?” She asked. He smiled and put his hand over hers, setting them down.

“The final element has come to us.” He said. She crooked her head, and he smiled.

“Chaerin, sister of us, savior of our kind, come to me.” She heard, and just then, Jiyong planted a kiss on her lips. She widened her eyes as he put a hand on her neck, and her eyes closed, a figure of a man appearing in front of her. She gasped, and Jiyong kissed her strongly, fervently, and the man approached her. He wasn’t a man exactly, he looked like a man, but also as a woman. His arms were delicate, his chest broad, his face perfectly carved. Chaerin gasped again, and she couldn’t feel Jiyong anymore.

“Who are you?” She asked. The androgynous man smiled at her.

“I am Dei, god of gods, ruler of all.” The man said, he had the voice of a woman. Chaerin crooked her head.

“Dei? I have never heard of you.” Chaerin said, her voice polite and filled with respect. Dei smiled and nodded.

“My name is only talked by those worthy of it, for I am the Creator of all.” He said. Chaerin bowed. “Do not bow, sister, for I have come to bless you with a power far greater than anything.” Chaerin straightened, looking at him with admiration.

“Why me?” She said. Dei smiled and nodded, caressing her cheek.

“For you are our savior in these dark times, for you are the one who shall protect our kind and yours. For you have the purest of souls, and the purest of thoughts. You shall be the image of us on earth, and you shall be guided by us.” He said and kissed her forehead. She felt the burning, running through her body like fire. She held back a shriek as she felt thrown back to her body, and again, Jiyong’s lips were over hers. She opened her eyes and he pulled back harshly, touching his lips.

“That…” She gasped. Jiyong smiled and nodded.

“That was Dei, God of Gods.” Jiyong said. “Now you are finally the Insegnante, now we finally have all our powers again. Now we are strong.”

Gily's Notes: Now you know the misery... Oh well, I have to start turning brighter or else we will all die xD

Happy Reading ~

Gily ♥