Lucivar ran through the street, tears welled up in his eyes.
He heard what his Mother had said earlier and he couldn't believe it.
Not to mention, there was no hesitation on her part, she willingly sold her son for money.
'I'm not her son...? No, she's only saying that out of anger'
'Does she not have any hope for me...?'
'Does having power matter that much? I tried... I really tried to be as good as I could'
'But why can't Mother see it? Is power all she could think of? Can't she settle with me?'
Countless questions swirled inside Lucivar's mind as he ran, but they were left unanswered.
Even though Lucivar knew that his Mother began to dislike him because of the fact that he couldn't awaken his bloodline at his age—he didn't expect her to dislike him, this much. He heard what he heard, but he didn't want to believe it.
As Lucivar ran, heading to the forest, he could feel an ache in his heart with every step.
Ignoring the onlookers, he went straight out of the entrance.
Knowing that he would be chased by the guards—Lucivar decided to hide in the forest with nothing on him. Tomorrow is the day the Dark Volunteers were picked up by the servants of the governor to be brought to the castle.
Lucivar was planning to get past that day before coming back at a later date.
He was very scared.
Even though the House of Ashborne stated that the Dark Volunteers were only a mandatory gesture that the city was still subservient—there were no Dark Volunteers, who managed to come back after being chosen.
It was stated that the Death Volunteers weren't going to come home.
All people assumed that they were dead, and there was no reason to think otherwise.
Upon entering the forest, Lucivar looked back over his shoulder.
His pupils dilated in fear when he saw several guards in crimson uniforms come out running.
It was fortunate that none of them are a Hybrid, but there soon will be.
Huff... Huff... Huff...
Panting heavily, Lucivar stopped behind a tree and slid down to the ground in exhaustion.
Running in winter is a problem, his lungs get colder with each heave.
Catching his breath, Lucivar took out his phone from his pocket and opened the lock screen.
He was then instantly greeted by the voting screen, and saw two names there—his, and also Bianca's. Below their names written in big letters were their age and the number of votes and surprisingly, the number of votes for both of them was quite far apart.
Bianca's votes were sitting at around sixty-nine thousand, while his was at ninety-nine.
A thirty-thousand difference, which was quite a big gap.
"I don't understand... How could this much pick me? I tried to be a good citizen—and helped all in need, and this is what I was repaid with?" Lucivar muttered, clutching his phone tightly. He was the role model of a good citizen, he aided everyone who needed help, no exceptions.
Compared to Bianca, who was extremely cold to others, he was more likable to people.
Even then, the majority of the city still voted for him to be sent to his death.
Looking at his number consistently rising, Lucivar could only chuckle in ridicule as more tears flowed down his cheeks. He supported his forehead, looking at the screen helplessly. Lucivar could feel anger boiling inside, but it quickly got overpowered by helplessness.
In frustration, as his vote was still rising, he clicked Bianca's picture and voted for her.
Not that it would matter, so he did it to vent the little anger he had.
Just then, it abruptly hits him, "If I hide here, then doesn't that mean Bianca would be taken?"
As much as he was afraid, he didn't want Bianca to suffer because of him.
It would be better if Bianca ran with him, but there's no way he could bring her here.
"What should I do...?" He muttered silently, stressing at his situation.
Checking the surroundings, he found that the guards were nowhere to be seen.
He was quite deep inside the forest, and there were ferocious beasts around here so none of the guards would reach him. He's the only one who knows that this place is safe, none of the dangerous beasts came to this area for some unknown reasons.
"Okay," He wiped his tears away. "I'll surrender myself tomorrow, I'll not let Bianca suffer,"
Despite the fear, he was not going to let Bianca bear the responsibility of him running away.
He would be chosen in the end, so it's his fate to be sacrificed.
Under exhaustion, anger, and helplessness, his body began to take a hit in fatigue.
Slowly, his eyelids became heavier, and he drowsed into the dreamland.
An unknown amount of time had passed—and as Lucivar woke up, his eyes widened fully as he took in a deep inhale. Snow already submerged most of his body, but he thought nothing of that and checked his phone.
It was already about three in the morning, and the pick-up team would come at five.
"I need to hurry back..." Lucivar muttered and stood up.
Out of sheer curiosity, he checked the voting screen again before going.
But in the next second, his breath was caught in his throat seeing an unexpected result.
Instead of him being chosen, Bianca was the one chosen.
Somehow, overnight, the vote for Bianca was catching up and eventually surpassed his.
Lucivar did not know what to feel, about this—there was relief, that he was not the one being chosen as the last Death Volunteer, but there was also guilt and pity for Bianca. As he looked at the vote once again, he realized something.
"I... I beat her by one vote...?" He muttered in absolute shock.
Gritting his teeth, Lucivar ran back to the city with all his might, the Offering Dome in mind.
Pushing himself through the thick snow, that reaches above his ankle, he made his way back to the city in a hurry. His eyes show signs of unwillingness, as he moves through the snow, "I can't believe my vote, out of anger—became the detrimental vote! Even if she ends up being the one chosen, I don't want it to be because of my vote!"
"No... even if it's not because of my vote, I don't want her to be chosen!" He added.
It took him longer to reach back the city even though he was exerting all of his strength.
Upon entering the city, all onlookers' eyes were on him.
Just as expected, the guards that he passed didn't try to catch him as he was not chosen.
Even the deal his Mother made couldn't go through as he hid throughout the night.
But even then, the people whom he was close to cast him a contemptuous gaze.
All seemed to somehow blame him for this situation.
In the nick of time, Lucivar managed to reach the cathedral which was already packed but he didn't mind the crowd and went straight to the Offering Dome. Reaching there—Lucivar burst into the room, surprising everyone inside.
He scanned the room and found Bianca, the priest, and the other nine Death Volunteers.
"Lucivar...? What are you doing here?" Father Bellomond asked.
Catching his breath with sweat dripping across his form—Lucivar looked at Bianca, who was already pale, and frightened before fixing his eyes on Father Bellomond, "Tell the Ashbourne House... Bianca requested the Rite of Fate"
Father Bellomond gasped when he heard this, he was surprised that Lucivar knew that.
"There's no point, Bianca is not a fighter, she wouldn't pass the rite," He shook his head.
Gritting his teeth, Lucivar then pointed at himself, "Then I'm going to come with her!"
"A- Are you sure? You're not chosen, Lucivar..." Father Bellomond asked.
"Yes, I'm sure! It's young master Arkan's birthday, and it was rare for Death Volunteers to ask for the Rite of Fate, I am sure that he would accept it. Please—Father, tell them that," Lucivar pleaded, he was not going to let this go through.
After a moment of deliberation, Father Bellomond eventually accepted.
It was only then that Lucivar made eye contact with Bianca, and he smiled assuringly at her.
Sometime later, Lucivar and Bianca were now inside a carriage alone.
Not a single word came out of their mouths, the air was tense, and that was natural.
"Why did you come back? I know you know what the governor suggested," Bianca asked.
Upon hearing this, Lucivar looked down as the pain from hearing that was still burning inside his chest. Additionally, since Bianca's family offered to pay his Mother, then that means they also agreed that he was the one who was more suited to be sacrificed.
Out of anything, he should be angry at her and her family right now for doing that.
Regardless of their relationship, he should be cursing and shouting at her.
"I don't know..." Lucivar mused, whisperingly. "I always cared for you like a sister. At the time, it just seemed to be the right thing to do. You can not expect me to do nothing while you got chosen and be brought away"
Bianca's blue eyes widened when she heard his answer.
She looked at Lucivar in shock, she couldn't believe that he would go to such lengths.
Even though it was true that in the last couple of years, it was Lucivar who sneaked a portion of his hunt to give to her family when they were struggling despite risking being cursed—and beaten by his own mother, she thought that he was doing it out of pity.
Never once did she think that Lucivar thought of her as a younger sister.
"You're too kind for your own good..." Bianca uttered inaudibly.
However, tears began rolling down her cheeks as she began to cry out loud, venting it all out.
Lucivar, who saw her crying loudly, panicked and tried everything to assure her that she was going to be okay. It kept going until the carriage eventually came to a stop, and the backdoor was opened.
"Come out, we're here," a rough-looking guard instructed sternly.
Upon hearing this, Lucivar held Bianca's hand, which was extremely cold, and led her out.
Both of them stepped onto the street and found a massive castle to their right.
An eerie castle behind a square-shaped steel fence—each tip forming a menacing blade. Its massive door, was shrouded in darkness. Dead trees lined the path leading to the entrance, their skeletal branches casting ghostly shadows on the snowy road.
It was then they were led to the entrance of the fence, along with the other nine.
As they waited, Lucivar could feel Bianca's hand shaking violently.
She was scared, extremely scared.
"Don't worry, if we work together, we will come out in no time," Lucivar assured.
Soon, the door of the castle was opened—and two massive guards came out of it.
Judging from their towering stature, twice the height of a man, they were definitely Hybrids that awakened the Titan bloodline. Even their imposing, bulging muscles—seemed ready to burst through their armor.
Both looked strong, and they were also highly trained.
Not only were they strong, but they were also respected and sponsored.
Any Hybrid in the city is highly respected as they are the backbone of the entire city.
Not only did they protect the city from external threats—but they also fulfilled the quota that was given by the House of Ashbourne to the city. If the quota of Hybrids is not met—the city would be neglected or even abandoned.
If that happened, the city would not be saved from usurpers or worse.
Because of that, a Hyrbid with any bloodline has a high standing.
And any normal person, who awakens a titan bloodline will have a very bright future.
The House of Ashbourne would guarantee their lives and ensure their future.
Not even saying anything, the two titan guards opened the entrance and stood on the side.
Lucivar—and Bianca's bodies trembled—nobody had ever stepped out of the castle grounds once they entered. Outside of the line was life and the inside was death. Other than the two, the other Death Volunteers entered without much thought.
Gulping harshly, Lucivar nodded and stepped towards the entrance.
But he felt resistance as Bianca was rooted in her spot.
"It's okay, Bianca, we can go through this together," Lucivar assured again.
Just then—Bianca began crying once again, her pliant and innocent face was now a mess.
She was too scared to move.
However, as Lucivar was about to console her and persuade her to go inside before the titan guards forced them, he saw Bianca's gut-wrenching crying face—with tears and snot mixing freely in an ugly display.
Upon seeing her crying profusely, Lucivar clenched his jaw tightly.
He promised himself inwardly that he would do anything to save them both from this.
'I'll make sure we both survive this ordeal'
'Or... should I just convince the guards to take only me? I'm a hunter, I might succeed alone'
Just then, through her sobs, Biance forced out two simple words, "I'm sorry..."
"Huh...? What do you-" Before Lucivar could finish his sentence, he felt a force pushing him.
Caught off guard, he fell backward, still maintaining eye contact with Bianca.
"He was the one who asked for the Rite of Fate, so that means he willingly volunteered!"
"W- What...?"
It happened so fast, and Lucivar couldn't wrap his head around what just happened.
He looked around and found that he had fallen inside the castle grounds.
An aching pressure lingered on his chest, the spot where he'd been pushed throbbing with a dull, bruised sensation. Lucivar then looked back at Bianca—clear disbelief, was written over his shocked countenance.
"B- Bianca...?" He called, his voice was trembling and tinged with dread.
Instead of responding, Bianca turned her face away in shame, still rooted in her spot.
Lucivar stood—his gaze never wavering from Bianca's eyes. He moved towards the entrance with stiff steps and called her name for the second time. But, as he neared the entrance, the two titan guards crossed their massive spears in an inverted X-shape, barring his way.
Only then did he come to his senses and realize what Bianca had done to him.
Bianca pushed him to his death.
"W- Why...?" A question escaped his mouth, he was disappointed and scarred.
Upon hearing this—Bianca bit her lower lip, her shoulders kept heaving up and down, as she was still crying profusely, "I'm still twenty years old..." She began—her voice light, and meek. "I still have hope to become a Hybrid, so it's you who was fit to be a sacrifice. I appreciate all your help for me and my family but I don't want to die, Lucivar..."
Like a sharp blade, her words sliced through his heart and tore it to shreds.
He could see his Mother betraying him, but Bianca? Lucivar would never seen it coming.
As soon as he took a step forward—he coughed blood as an iron fist punched him in his gut.
Lucivar sprawled on the ground, clutching his stomach in pain.
Giving no more time for their emotional talk—the titan guards pulled Lucivar, who had turned dull and powerless, into the castle. All Lucivar could see, as he was being dragged away was Bianca crying, shedding crocodile tears.
Before long, the door closed shut, swallowing him in darkness.