The scream made my eyes shot up.
I saw Lord Chronos standing beside my bed, a gold shimmer coming out form his hands.
My heavy body was starting to feel light. The poison was disappearing from my body.
I thought I will die but I am being saved instead. Perhaps they will give an even worse of a punishment than death.
The shimmer stopped.
"Ophelia what happened here?"
A woman with a deadly intent told me to die so I did doesn't seem like a good answer…
"Did you drink poison?" He held up the vial that he pried out from my hand. "Where did you get this from?"
He glanced around the room and narrowed his eyes. He swished his arm around and a fog appeared.
"It looks like someone played a cruel joke on you." He snapped his fingers; immediately the fog disappeared.
The Holy magic started to properly flow out of my body.
"Child, tell me what happened here?" He crushed the vial between his index and thumb. Despite his calm voice, the way his magic was lashing out was a clear indication he was angry.
I fell silent, afraid. Due to him always being a calm and gentle mannered person it had slipped out of my mind that Lord Chronos was a god. His anger could destroy the kingdom he founded.
He signed. He must have noticed the way his magic was acting out because he calmly repeated the question.
I said nothing. Claudina would approve of this brazen boldness.
"Very well." He pulled out the hourglass and turned it over. No sand moved downward. Instead sand filed out from cracks to form doll figures to reenact what events took place in the last hour.
He looked angrier and angrier by the second. He nearly broke the hourglass when he saw how willing I drank the poison. My mouth formed a thin line and I avoided looking at his glare.
The scene ended and the sand went back how they came from.
Lord Chronos muttered something I didn't hear.
"What is your reasoning for this?" I could hear the crack forming in the glass door due to his voice. I tried to avert my eyes but he grabbed my face before I could do so. I could no longer avoid his death stare.
"Well?" He let me go. I gently rubbed the place he bruised me.
"I assumed I would be…punished for what I have done. For killing the Crown prince; for failing the mission," I answered while trying to determine the where the worst damage was. I found it. It was a cut lip. He must have dragged his sharp nails across it.
"But child you didn't failed the mission? Do you even remember what the mission entails were?"
"…To kill Claudina at all cost."
"And you delivered it."
I was silent once more.
"The number of casualties is nothing compared if Claudina was left to live. You should be proud of the people who sacrificed themselves."
"Claudina!" I blurted out "Claudina also sacrificed herself. But is anyone proud of her?"
Lord Chronos was quite for a long time before speaking again. "Child do you believe that Claudina is dead?"
My eyes widened in surprise.
Claudina's…alive? My heart was beating so loud I could hear it.
The only time Holy magic worked on Claudina was fourteen years ago so I had no hope of ever healing let alone resurrecting her.
I gripped Lord Chronos' robes "She's still alive…?"
He shook his head.
Whatever hope I had was crushed in an instant. It was like someone had pulled out my intestines with a blunt knife before twisting them around.
"Child, don't cry when you haven't heard till the end." A gentle had patted my head. He used his sleeves to wipe away my tears.
I had expected all my tears to dry out by now…
He started "When I found you I had the arch bishop along with a troop of holy knights to where you teleported from. They didn't return so I waited until you wake up. After hearing all what you told me, I went there myself in secret. Upon arriving on site I discovered that the arch bishop and the knights were all killed."
He stopped for a moment to look at me. I stared back in expectance. "Claudina was grievously injured; one of her arm was missing and her right eye was beyond recoverable. She had been fighting two demons."
I repeated "Two demons?"
"Yes, somehow the sealing of the New Born demon was disturbed. Although I do have an idea on who disturbed it, how they did it I have no clue."
Worry creased my brows. Was it that nun from before? If she wanted me to die and for Claudina to live why did she released the sealing? Rather how did she do it? It is impossible to reverse a saintess' sealing
"She managed to kill both demons using a rather…curious set of swords. Although all of them were broken to pieces."
I cringed. Swords, did she have the other four Holy swords? I won't be surprised. Claudina was someone who kept a lot of secrets.
"As I was saying, I only arrived after the fight ended. Claudina had no mana left and thus she was unable to stand up. I had banished both of them as per her request. There were other things she had requested out of me -the contents of which shall be kept between her and me-but among them I will tell you five of them."
Slowly I nodded.
"The first one is to ensure that you do not take your life." I closed my eyes. She already knew what I had been thinking.
"The second one is you resurrect all that had died. The third the resurrected people should have their memories wiped of what had transpired. The fourth is to not to let anyone know of the events that occurred."
I opened my eyes again. "And the fifth…is for you to find happiness by forgetting her."
"How does she expect my happiness when her existence itself was my happiness?"
"…Child."
My body trembled. He was avoiding the topic I wanted to hear the most. I know he will tell me but I am sure I would refuse to believe it. And even if I did who would act my revenge upon? The banished demons?
I just had to ask him.
"…When you found her, was there any way to heal her?"
"You and I both know Holy magic doesn't work on her."
"Did she ask you heal her?"
"No. Rather I asked her if she wanted to be healed. She refused and died a martyr hidden in the shadows. She had been cursed by the King grade demon so she turned to dust as soon as she died. I doubt she will ever reach the World Tree."
I harshly breathed in.
The rage that was boiling in me had no outlet. Not only was she cursed but she won't be able to proceed to the after world? Where am I supposed to direct this anger?
"Her last words…am I allowed to hear them?"
"She said that she wished solely for your happiness."
I bent my neck down. "Lord Chronos, may I be left alone?"
"Alright." As he opened the door he added "Whatever your wish is I shall respect it, but I won't allow you to die. So I hope you make a decision that Claudina would be proud of. She loved you more than her life."
I swallowed.
Claudina planned everything. The conditions…were just perfect if I wanted to start anew. My friends will be back and I can be with the person I love.
But I don't want to. I don't want a life where Claudina is not alive. I clutched the lacy front of my night gown.
If there is any way to save her I would do it. No matter the cost, I would save her. I won't let her sacrifice anything anymore for me. I would have protected her just as she had done for me. If only there was a way to rewind time then I could stop her from sacrificing herself.
Wait. Rewind time? That's possible…right?
I pushed the duvet off me and dashed to the door. I jingled the door handle open. I looked both ways in the hallway and saw Lord Chronos. He hadn't walked far enough.
There is a way to rewind time.
I ran towards him.
A way to save Claudina.
"Lord Chronos!"
There was always a way to save her.
He turned in surprise. "Lord Chronos, I have decided what I want!" I cried out.
Whether Claudina would be proud of my answer I don't know but I am willing to give up anything for her to live.
I halted in front of him.
Claudina…as you sacrificed for me…I shall do the same…
"Lord Chronos …I want to reverse time."
…I will make sure you live this time.