"Well, surprised kiddo?" The new Master said with her left eyebrow arched. Elyse couldn't say anything, she stared at her with her widened eyes full of shock.
Ashamed, she blushed. She just showed Elyse her vulnerable side to the master of the Empire itself.
"My apologies, Your Highness," Elyse said showing her courtesy, and quickly ran away from the master. While on the other side, the new master could silently watch Elyse running away from her.
Suddenly, a vision flashbacked into her mind when she saw Elyse's back running. A picture of a woman with beautiful long black hair wearing a white dress running away from her. Elyse from behind looked exactly like the woman she once knew.
The new master clenches her fists, trying to calm herself by showing her emotionless eyes as she stared at The Headmistress of The Academy.
"Greetings to the Master of our blessed Empire, may The Moon guide you." The Headmistress said and once again showed her courtesy towards her.
'The Moon huh...'
"That child suddenly ran away from the Master without even showing her courtesy! Guards! —"
"You shouldn't mind that child anymore, Headmistress." She cuts her off with her sharpened words. The Headmistress flinched feeling ashamed.
"Don't go blaming others, Headmistress. That child just showed her courtesy before you could even do it." The master said and walks through her without even batting an eye towards the Headmistress.
The Headmistress gladly followed her behind. The Master walked in through the big and luxurious hallways of The Academy. As she walked with grace and confidence beaming from her face, other students were admiring her beauty as she walked past right through them.
While the master is walking checking each student silently only observing them, she bumped into The Student Council's President, Raymond.
With his shining blond hair that glows under the sun and his captivating beautiful ocean blue eyes widen in shock to see the 'said' Master looking at him with her emotionless eyes.
Raymond quickly recognized her and knelt on one knee. "May the Sun guide you, Master of our blessed Empire," Raymond said while his gaze looked below the ground. The Master stops, standing in front of Raymond.
"Rise, Ray. You don't need to do this." She said with her soft tone. He followed her words and stood up.
"Leave us alone," The Master ordered everyone who was following her behind ever since she entered the Academy. But the Headmistress didn't leave and she notice it right away.
"Anything else?" Asks the master.
"N-no, um. Have a nice day, Your Highness." The Headmistress said with her perplexed face. Confused about why The President of The Student Council addressed her as The Sun while the master is supposed to be addressed as The Moon.
When both of them are alone, Raymond and The Master went to the Garden that was built for the old Master of the Empire. They both stood up to the big old tree of the Academy while the rustling sound of leaves falling from the tree and her hair swaying with the wind.
The master fixes her hair as she quietly observes the tree.
"It's been a while, Aunt." Raymond broke the silence between us and it made her chuckle.
"Yes, it's been a long time, Ray." She replied.
"Should I still call you Aunt Hezelle even on the Academy grounds?" She nods her head.
"Of course, I am your aunt by blood. You should call me that." Raymond laughed.
Hezelle, the only Alpha lived until the present. In the legend, the book said that everyone died at the hands of Lucia after she gets her revenge she vanished since then. But truly, books also cannot be trusted. Lucia didn't kill everyone, for some reason she couldn't kill the only survivor of The Alphas, Hezelle.
Since then, after Lucia's disappearance. Even in the books, Hezelle is not mentioned in the book anymore. She wasn't in the legend and other stories some philosophers made. It's as if the name Hezelle has been erased from everyone's mind and only the other members of the Alphas only remembered her.
"Well then, Aunt Hezelle. I believed you just met 'her' right?" Hezelle froze and the image she had when she saw Elyse's back reminding her of Lucia made her heartache.
"Indeed." She answered.
"I believe she will participate in the Hunting Contest, Aunt Hezelle." Raymond said while staring at the tree not glancing at her.
"It's obvious. She will be there. I heard how she was treated in this Academy." Hezelle spoke.
"Will we be saved?" Silence reigns between them when Raymond asked the question suddenly. Only the sound of rustling wind can be heard.
Even Hezelle herself couldn't be also sure. It has been centuries since the curse Lucia gave to them. Hezelle understand her pain. The pain of betrayal that everyone caused. She couldn't believe that Lucia would be like this one day. But as years went by, she's convinced that Lucia can also be the person she is in the present. Not only Lucia but everyone.
Hezelle and Lucia are both close to each other. Lucia has always been there for Hezelle but Hezelle was not always there for her. As she watched Lucia drown in the pain Aniya inflicted on her, she wanted to do something. Something that she can be saved even just a little bit. Just to show Lucia that she isn't alone to fight this.
But Hezelle failed and in the end, Lucia found out. It was too late for her to save Lucia from the damnation she entered. Wreaking havoc and destroying the world everyone stayed, Hezelle felt for the first time what death is like.
She wanted to save her, but she was too late.
And then she vanished.
"Master!" The silence broke between Raymond and Hezelle when Lucas called her from behind. She turned around to look at him and notice him panting, catching his breath. He was running towards Hezelle to catch up to her.
"Lucas," Hezelle called his name and he showed his courtesy.
"The meeting is ready, Master," Lucas said and she nodded her head and turned her gaze to Raymond. Her gaze softened.
"Go back to your class now, Child." Raymond nodded his head. "May the Sun guide you, Your Highness." Hezelle nodded her head and Raymond went back to his class.
"Let's go," Lucas said and Hezelle didn't say another word. Before she followed Lucas from behind, she stops her tracks and looks at the Garden again.
This garden is built by her to honor the memory of all the Alphas. The garden's design was very similar to the garden they use to hang out in the past. This huge tree, veranda, and the little fountain in the middle of the garden. Their little "Paraiso".
She felt a strange feeling of nostalgia, remembering the days when everyone is still present and laughing not thinking about the dangers and misfortunes everyone will have to face.
"If there's a world out there, another me; I didn't fail to save you, didn't I, Tina?" Hezelle thought gazing up at the beautiful blue sky.
"I'm sorry." She whispered. Although her apology cannot be accepted — for all the things they've done towards her. She believed that Lucia couldn't forgive them anymore. But there's still lingering hope from her that Lucia will one day be free from the shackles she imprisoned herself.