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Jion

I watched the woman’s retreating form with questions crowding my mind, each one demanding an answer.

Who was she? Where did she come from? How did she possess knowledge of words from the other world?

My initial anger at finding her sleeping in my cave had been fierce. I treasured that place because it was a place intertwined with memories of my beloved wife. The fact that no one was allowed to enter it made the woman's intrusion even more infuriating. My first instinct was to drive her out, to protect the sanctity of the space that held so much meaning for me.

But my rage had subsided the moment she uttered her name: Sarani.

Just hearing it brought a flood of emotions, memories of Dharani filling my head. It was like saying her name summoned my wife’s memory. But what struck me more was the way Sarani’s voice sounded. It was identical to Dharani’s. Not only that, but the way they talked, their tones, and even their height matched.

If I closed my eyes, I could almost believe it was my wife standing before me, but that illusion would quickly shatter as soon as I opened them because their faces were different.

Dharani had slightly almond-shaped eyes, a small nose that fit her face perfectly, lips that could be both thin and slightly full depending on her expression, a jawline that was soft yet well-defined, and those distinct chocolate brown eyes that held warmth.

On the other hand, the woman named Sarani had eyes that were rounder, a straight nose, a rounded chin, and lips that were full in a way that was distinct from Dharani’s. The only thing they shared was the color of their eyes, but even that was different. Sarani’s chocolate brown eyes held a different depth, as if she had gone through some hardships.

My attention shifted to Blaze, who had always had a strong aversion to people. He held an intense dislike for them that he rarely tolerated their presence. The only exceptions were Dharani and myself.

Yet, the way he gazed at Sarani was unlike anything I had seen from him before. It was similar to how he used to regard Dharani. Blaze had adored her more than anyone else, even more than me.

A shock ran through me as I watched Blaze nuzzle Sarani, a gesture he only reserved for Dharani. And when she called him the same endearing name “Beautiful Beast” that my wife had always used, something inside me snapped. 

Overwhelming emotions rushed through me, breaking down the barriers I had constructed to protect myself. It felt as though all the painful memories, love, and loss of my wife had collided, creating a tumultuous storm in my mind.

The rush of emotions was overwhelming. Anger, confusion, grief, and regret all tangled together, blurring my thoughts until all of it consumed me. Without realizing it, I found myself moving towards her, driven by an overpowering force that I couldn’t fight.

Before I realized it, I had attacked Sarani. It was as if all the agony that had festered within me since Dharani’s disappearance had materialized. At that moment, reason deserted me.

The day Dharani went missing, I had never felt so out of control, so consumed by pain and anger. It wasn’t Sarani’s fault. I was well aware of that. She was merely an unknowing catalyst of a flood of emotions that I had kept buried. But her presence and the memories she inadvertently awakened pushed me beyond my breaking point.

Since Dharani disappeared, I felt lost and empty. It felt as if an important part of my life had been torn away, leaving me with a sense of loss that dominated every aspect of my life.

For ten long months, not a single day had passed that I didn’t find her, think about her, and miss her. I missed the way she smiled whenever she looked at me, the way her eyes lit up whenever I touched her, the way she sighed whenever I kissed her.

I remembered the countless hours I spent searching, hoping to find any clue that could lead me to her. It was a desperate attempt to find her and bring her back into my world because her not being around hurt so much.

Griseu and Topher had reminded me countless times that Aellos rarely left their victims alive. They said the chances of finding her were very low, and she might not come back. But no matter how unlikely it seemed, I couldn’t accept that she was gone forever.

What kept me going was hope. Hope that maybe she was still out there, waiting to be found and brought back to me. The thought of her being gone completely was too much to bear. If she was not with me, I wondered what the point of my life would be.

Every day was a struggle. I fought against the pain, doubt, and fear all the time. Memories of her, her smile, her laughter, and the warmth she brought haunted me. It felt like I was just existing, and everything around me didn’t matter compared to the pain inside me.

I couldn’t imagine my life without her. Dharani was my anchor, my life, my air, the core of my world, the one who gave my life meaning. To lose her was akin to losing the foundation of everything that defined me. Without her, living was utterly pointless. Unbearable. Suffocating.

Even as those around me urged me to move on, that my kingdom needed me, especially now that Fafnir had already awakened and would rise at any given time, I held onto hope.

Dharani was my better half. Our fates were written in the sky and our souls were so deeply entwined that even the gods wouldn’t dare to separate us.

I clung to this belief in everything I had. It was the reason that made me keep going, to find her and bring her back.

Blaze’s snort snapped me out of my reverie. I turned my attention to him and noticed his intense gaze fixed on me, as though he were trying to communicate something. It was as if was telling me I was out of line and had to follow Sarani to get her back.

“No,” I muttered, shaking my head. “We have to head back to Critias or Topher will never let me hear the end of it.”

Ever since Fafnir had awakened, Topher had warned me multiple times about the dangers of venturing into the cave alone. But every time I felt like I couldn’t bear the pain anymore, I would find myself going to the cave. It was as if being in that place brought Dharani back to me.

Blaze snorted again, his disapproval obvious. But I brushed it off, determined to stick to my plan, and strode towards him. With a swift move, I leaped onto his back and gave a gentle kick to his flank for him to move. However, he remained rooted in place, refusing to budge.

“Blaze,” I warned him, my voice firm.

I tugged at the reins, hoping to coax him to move. But my beast remained stubborn, almost like a five-year-old child rebelling against a command.

I was growing increasingly frustrated and was just about to give him another command when a piercing shout suddenly shattered the air.

* * *

Sarani

As I walked away, uncertainty, fear, and annoyance gnawed inside me. I didn’t know where I was headed or how I could get out of this forest. Besides, I was also annoyed with myself.

I knew it was not right for that jerk to go crazy at me, but other than his stoic attitude,