The visions ended, and I found myself lying on the floor with Anais's body over me. Her heart was beating steadily, and her breathing had stabilised.
I lifted her up from my body and peered into her face. Unknowingly, the ability 'Colour Feel' was activated. The colours swirled over the body and distorted, forming a new figure overlapping Anais.
I was shocked to see the new figure. Before I could do anything, the colours distorted again and returned to the back to the usual figure of Anais. Then, the ability was automatically deactivated.
I was still looking at Anais, disbelieving my eyes at what I had just witnessed. My heart was racing. I felt excited to see the person who was there with me on 'my deathbed' again.
That new figure created by the 'colours' was none other than Sheila.
I gazed at her face but couldn't find much similarity between the appearances of the two. But I remembered the sense of unfounded trust I felt in Anais from the moment I had met her. And I felt the pieces clicked.
I didn't have any proof, but I speculated that the vision I saw was related to me and Anais, and it was fate for us to meet each other again in 'this life'.
I activated the ability of 'Colour Feel' once again and scrutinised Anais. The warm red burning flame was now free from the oppression of the sinister purple. But could feel that the 'purple' had put the shackles on the 'red' and could take over the control at any time.
I instinctively felt that I could sever these shackles with the black flame that I had subconsciously used before when the Spirit Beast tried to devour my soul in the Turquoise Realm.
I willed and looked at myself using the ability of 'Colour Feel' and found that my whole body was painted in swirling tendrils of black flame. I could not see any other colour present in me except the 'black flame'.
I tried to understand why this was the case with me but couldn't find any answers and decided to leave it be for the time being.
I put my hand on her abdomen and willed my 'black flame' to enter her colour composition.
It was difficult to guide the colour through her and reach the core of her body. At first, the black flame devoured every other colour present on its way. But with the strong interference from my will, I could control its destructive power.
I then did an extensive and meticulous operation of removing the sinister 'purple' using my devouring 'black' and made the warm and persistent 'red' light up the core.
After withdrawing the 'black flames' back in me, I scrutinised Anais for any other complications, and only after finding her free of them did I heave a sigh.
I pulled over the still-unconscious body of Anais and carried her back to her room. I placed her on the bed, and after giving a final look, I left the room.
It was still in the thick of the night, and not much time had passed after my fight with Anais. As the guards she had killed still remained undetected by the other guards.
Anyway, there would have been a huge commotion if they had found out about it. But they didn't, and I used the opportunity to fabricate a story of assassins trying to kill the duke only to flee away after they couldn't pass through me.
After informing the head of the guards about assassins along with my fabricated story, I went back to my room to rest.
It was an exhausting night with many events and discoveries. And healing Anais for both times had drained my mental capacity to its limits, and I couldn't overcome my sleep any longer.
I went to the free bed near Alice's and laid down to sleep after changing my clothes.
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Anais saw a hazy dream. She was commanded under the 'Soul Control' of the emperor of the Vangan Empire to kill the old duke Luna and get the duchy under the direct control of the empire.
She couldn't disobey even if she wanted and tried to assassinate the old duke in the night after drugging everyone to sleep. She thought she could easily do it without being found out by Alice and Lucas. But not only could she not finish the job in her first hit, she was also caught in the act by Lucas.
The thing she dreaded the most happened. Even though she liked the siblings very much and didn't want to betray them, she had to eliminate Lucas because she had to persevere and line on.
But she couldn't win and decided to give up at last. She thought she was dead after having her neck pierced by the blade, but she didn't and fell unconscious.
In the darkness of unconsciousness, she couldn't see or hear anything, but she felt the injection of warmth into her and her fleeting life was saved. After feeling the dark surroundings turn white, she felt the oppressive shackles latched on to disappear.
She didn't know how, but she was free at last. And she credited all of these to be the doings of Lucas. She was happy that she persevered and could now live freely without anyone else subduing her will.
Anais felt a warmth she had always felt but never appreciated caressing her face. She opened up her eyes and found her sleeping in her room. The morning rays filtered out through the window and fell on her face. She looked outside at the beautiful morning and smiled happily at finally regaining her freedom.
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I woke up the following day due to the sounds of commotion coming out from the hall.
After cleaning myself up, I went outside the room only to find the guards in a frenzy. It looked like something major was going on, and I had some inkling of what it was about.
I went to the main hall of the castle and found the Luna family, including Elfie and Seline. My sister and Anais were also present there.
While scanning the room, my eyes met with those of Alice, but she snorted and turned her head away from my sight. I was amused by her pouty expression and then met my eyes with Anias's. She looked bright as if a heavy burden was lifted from her, and lastly, I looked at the Luna family, who were quite tensed.
The atmosphere was tense, and the old duke was chatting with the security head. Seeing me enter, the security head's eyes lit up, and he said something to the duke. The old duke looked at me in gratitude and announced to everyone present in the hall.
"Yesterday night, after the banquet, a group of assassins tried to attack me in my sleep. The guards in front of my door were cleanly killed by them. If not for the timely intervention of my benefactor, Lucas, I would have woken up from the coma only to get killed. I will forever be grateful for his help."
He stood and did a bow in my direction in front of everyone present. This action of his showed the sincerity in his words. I took a glance in Anais's direction and told the duke.
"It is only natural that I help the relatives of my friends Seline and Elfie. But you have to be prepared for what is going to come next for me and my sister will be leaving soon and couldn't help you directly anymore. Just remember that the one who orchestrated the assassination attempt was the emperor of the Vangan Empire.
The same thing has happened with many other dukes. And if you want to take revenge, then joining the other dukes and rebelling against the empire is your only way out."
After finishing my words, I went towards my sister. I grabbed her hand and went out of the halls together with her. Alice looked at the Luna sisters apologetically but followed me nonetheless. Before leaving, I shot a glance at Anais, which prompted her to take her leave from the hall, too and follow us out of the hall.
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The members of the Luna family were shocked by the revelations, and the room became more tense.
Many ideas were thrown out on how to handle the situation. Many proposed to sacrifice the Luna sisters for they had offended the crown prince before, while the others wanted to apologise and save their tails by giving their family lands and treasures away to the empire.
The duke listened to their words but felt disappointed and depressed seeing the crumbling familial ties. He didn't think that his family members had become such cowards. He agreed with Lucas's words and decided to band up with the other dukes and launch a rebellion against the empire.
His final decision dismissed the other members' thoughts, and they started preparing to send letters to others and train up their army.