Chapter 16- Memory
'What is happening outside?' Edward thought as he tried to listen carefully to any sounds made.
However, no matter how much he tried, silence had taken over completely. The chaos of the fight subsided as if it was swiped away in a moment.
'I need to get out!! Dammit!!' Kicking the box with his leg, he failed again and again.
"Fuck! Why am I this weak?!"
"Ugh… That was a decent fight, princess." Suddenly, he heard the voice of the woman outside. "I never thought you might be able to injure me. You have indeed exceeded my expectations just like how your clan exceeded our expectations. I can see that it certainly runs in the family."
"Blah-Blah… Aren't you going to finish this job? My head hurts…" Sali murmured as she chuckled. However, even Edward could determine the difference between her usual tone and this one. The confidence and energy she always had were gone and were simply replaced by weak, tired sarcasm.
"Huh?... No…" Feeling his heart sink as a feeling of dread took over, Edward's eyes widened.
"It's certainly pointless to talk~ However, I am a woman who honors the death of great people and you, princess certainly belongs to that category~"
"Hahaha… Ugh… Am I supposed to celebrate?"
"You certainly don't. Goodbye, princess. May your soul go to a better place."
*Swish*
"WAIT!!! NO!!!!!"
The mysterious woman swiftly pierced Sali's chest with her arm, hitting her heart. The latter spat out blood as she looked surprised for a second.
'I need… to stay conscious until she leaves… I have to maintain the silent barrier around Asher… I have to hold on…'
However, as seconds passed, coldness took over her body and mind, threatening to make her close her eyes once and for all. But, as a last resort, she bit her tongue sending a shock to her brain to keep her awake.
"Fuuh, it's almost pitiful that we have to end a clan as prestigious as yours, princess. But, humanity comes first." Saying those words, the woman turned around, and just like how she appeared, she vanished from sight as if she was merely an illusion.
"SALI!!! OPEN!!! COME ON!!!" Edward completely lost it as he punched and kicked the cover with every ounce of his strength.
He kept punching and punching till the bones of his fingers were broken and the skin on his hand was peeled off completely. He didn't care about the pain as his mind had one single thought in it… to get out.
Fortunately, at some point, his hand pierced through the lid and he was able to push the boxes away. Then, he quickly jumped out of the box and ran toward Sali with a horrified expression.
"SALI!!!" Seeing his sister laying down nearby with a pool of blood beneath her, Edward felt the whole world spin around.
"SALI!!"
When he reached her, he bent down and looked at her body.
'No, she lost too much blood! I have to stop the bleeding!' He tried to put his hand on the place of the injury but it was only coated in blood.
"Please, don't do this to me, Sali! Please!" Tears welled up in his eyes.
"A-Asher…"
"Yes! I'm here! Just don't speak, I will get you to the doctor! Just hold on for a second!"
"N-No… I-It's over for me…"
"Don't you fucking dare say that! You aren't going to die! I won't allow it!!" He yelled as he tried to lift Sali up.
"L-Listen… to me… I don't have much longer…" She said as she coughed blood.
"No… Please, hold on a second… Just one second… Just one… Hick!" Tears fell down Edward's face as he tried to hold himself.
"T-Touch my hand… Asher…"
Hearing that, Edward quickly picked her hand up, feeling the coldness of it.
"I'm sorry… I can't continue the journey with you…"
"..."
"I'm sorry… I couldn't give you the life you want…"
"You already gave me way more than I could ever ask for…" Edward replied as he tightened his grip on her hand.
Looking at her little brother, Sali smiled weakly.
"I'm truly glad… you were my little brother… Can I ask one thing from you?"
"Yes…"
"Please… live your life… Don't let yourself get consumed… by hatred…" Sali murmured. "It's not your fault… that you were born this way… So, please… Don't die for our sake…"
"I-I…" Edward found himself lost for words. His mind was in complete shambles as tears kept flowing from his eyes like an endless torrent.
Then, she said.
"Can you… put a cigarette in my mouth?"
"Y-Yes!"
After rummaging through Sali's pockets, he pulled out the last cigarette she had. It was broken and wet from the blood beneath her. However, Edward didn't mind and quickly put it in her mouth.
"Light… it up."
*Flick*
"Was I a good… sister?" After puffing out the smoke, Sali asked.
"You were the best! You were the best thing I could ask for!"
"I'm… glad." Then, the light in Sali's eyes slowly dimmed until it was completely gone.
"No… No, Sali! Answer me, Sali! Please no! You promised to find a doctor to restore my memory, didn't you?! You promised we will create more memories together! Answer me!! I finally found someone I can call 'family'!!" Years dripped from Edward's cheeks as they fell on Sali's face.
However, no answer came. At that exact moment, the cigarette that was burning slowly in her mouth fell down to the ground and quickly lost its light too. But, till the very last moment, a peaceful expression and a small smile stayed on her face, never changing.
'Did I do a great job, Mother?' Sali asked as she looked at the silhouette of a person in front of her.
'Mmm, you have worked hard enough. It's time to rest.' The woman answered as she grabbed Sali's hand and pulled her along toward a light… a light that was at the end of a long, dark tunnel.
'You have kept your promise, Sali… You have protected your brother till the very end.'
The promise of 14 years was still there, vivid in Sali's imagination. The sight of her little brother as he cried in her mother's embrace, fidgeting adorably.
'Can you see him, Sali?' The mother asked.
'Yes!' A younger Sali responded as she touched his hand which made the baby grasp it unconsciously.
'He is already holding your hand. Never forget, Sali. Your brother is your most precious treasure. You must keep it safe and protect it even when we aren't present.'
'My most precious treasure?'
'Yes. He is your family and so are we. You must cherish your family no matter what. Do you promise to do that?'
The little girl looked down at the baby for a few seconds, memorizing every detail about him as if he was a piece of art.
'Mm, I promise! I will protect my little brother forever!!' She then replied excitedly.
'Fufufu! Good girl!'
It was a memory, but memories are created to be kept alive in the heads of those who carry them. Some memories are good while others are bad. However, in a sense, those memories are proof that at some point in time, in some place in the world, people lived, smiled and cried, loved and hated, and experienced everything life presented to them.
Yet, at this exact point, a memory created a new human being. A person that gained everything quickly and lost it as quickly.
[Prologue End.]
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