Renee's gaze stayed locked on Asa's back as two reapers in black coats led her down the dimly lit hallway, holding her hands tightly. Renee couldn't help but picture the once cheerful and lively Asa running through the bright halls of the palace. But now, everything has changed for them all, thanks to one mistake.
"What punishment will be given to her?" As they slowly disappeared into the darkness, Renee and Leon stood next to each other while watching their departure.
"If the girl hadn't killed anyone, she would have been forgiven by the underworld. Then, she would return to her immortal body and continue living the life as before." Leon explained, " However, since murder is considered the ultimate crime, the repercussions for it are severe, possibly even worse than death itself."
Renee turned to Leon with a question. "But if she's immortal, shouldn't you be unable to collect her soul?"
She tried to remember Dmitri's incident, where he mistakenly took Asa's soul instead of someone else's. However, the girl had no ties to the world of vampires and had never made any deals with Leon, so this accident was a pure coincidence, unfortunately it cost Asa's life. If only she had crossed paths with Asa earlier, the outcome may have been different.
"That girl is immortal but falls under the Soulbound category, ranking lower than true immortals," Leon stated, his gaze fixed ahead. "They can live for centuries or even thousands of years, but their souls are not completely off-limits to vampires."
"What about me?"
Renee, hearing this for the first time, grew hopeful and anxious. Which category did she belong to? Judging from her past interactions with Asa, it seemed like she was ranked above the girl. Did that mean she was a true immortal and would remain an immortal soul forever?
Leon turned to Renee this time and looked into her eyes, which appeared to be filled with fear. The girl's expression confirmed that she was not happy about being an immortal, especially if it meant she could potentially live forever. This further validated Renee's desire to end her life and seek death itself.
"I'm still unsure," Leon finally replied. "This is the first time I've encountered someone like you."
"How about I investigate?" a voice interjected, capturing their attention.
Three figures had disappeared down the hallway, to be replaced by a young man dressed sharply in black, he was making his way towards Leon and Renee. She recognized him as the leader of the overseers who had punished Dmitri for taking the wrong souls. Renee furrowed her brow, trying to recall his name from the previous conversation with Wayne before.
The man stood in front of them, his gaze first landing on Leon before turning to face Renee. "I'm Aaron," he introduced himself in a monotone voice, fitting for someone who worked in the underworld.
"I'm Renee."
She answered with an equally flat expression. But inside, the girl's lungs felt tight and she struggled to breathe. As their eyes met, Renee could sense a dark and powerful aura seeping into her very being.
"What were the results of your investigation?" Leon interrupted, trying to start the conversation.
Aaron turned towards Leon, giving Renee a brief moment to catch her breath. But it seemed that Leon was used to being around the underworlders. Because they appeared to have a close relationship from Renee's observation.
"I don't know," Aaron answered curtly.
"Have you finished interviewing all the staff at this hotel?"
With a single nod, Aaron responded to Leon's question, just like that was all the answer he needed. Surprisingly, Leon didn't seem bothered by this brief response. Perhaps he was used to it or simply didn't want to cause any trouble.
Just when Renee thought that Aaron had nothing more to say, his voice cut through the tension on the spot. His deadly gaze shifted from Leon to her again, causing Renee's body to shudder involuntarily.
"But there is still one more person I need to interview."
Although Aaron didn't mention the name directly, both Renee and Leon knew exactly who he meant with just a glance. Before she could even speak, Leon interrupted with his own voice.
"Aside from her and the wandering soul's past relationship, I don't think Dmitri's mistake has anything to do with Renee." Leon shifted his position, from beside the girl to standing in front of her.
Renee instinctively took a step back and hid behind him. Although she couldn't help but still feel a sense of danger around Leon, the man was an ultimately harmless person. However, Aaron Vesperian, emanating a negative sense of danger that made people want to avoid him at all costs, was somewhat different from Leon.
"That's the point," Aaron replied coolly, locking eyes with Leon. "This is the first case of its kind in this hotel's history, it's likely that the cause comes from the staff here."
Doubt flickered across Leon's face, but he knew deep down that Aaron was right. After all, as someone who regulated the supernatural world and made sure creatures like vampires followed the rules, Aaron had a sharp detective instinct and an air of cold authority about him.
"What do you want to check on her for?" Leon asked defensively, not liking when someone tried to interfere in his affairs. "Even if you can see her past, it doesn't matter anymore because the wanderer's soul is gone."
"Aren't you curious about her too?" Aaron countered.
"Yes, I am curious," Leon admitted firmly. "But not in a way that's trying to involve Renee in this problem."
The girl in the middle could sense the intense rivalry between the two men. On one side, Renee was intrigued by her forgotten past and believed that Aaron could help uncover it. On the other hand, she longed to end her life and escape this world.
"What kind of memories are you offering to show me?" Renee finally mustered up the courage to speak.
Leon immediately recognized that voice as Aaron's victory in persuading the girl who stood behind him. When he turned around, the man noticed a complete change in Renee's expression, no longer fearful but determined. This realization filled Leon with disappointment, what if Renee was willing to make another deal with Aaron?
"Your most cherished memories," Aaron replied, glancing back at Renee over Leon's shoulder. "And your most painful ones too."
In the end, they both agreed to do a past life regression reading. Leon, who acted as the third party in this situation, suggested that they conduct the reading in his office. Now, Aaron and Renee sat across from each other with one of their hands placed open on the table between them.
"Take my hand," Aaron instructed Renee.
The girl's face showed clear doubt, but her curiosity eclipsed it. Who was she? Who was the King? Why did Asa claim that Renee lived happily as a queen, yet she felt a sense of sadness?
Hesitantly, Renee reached out and took Aaron's hand. "But what if I can't wake up?"
Aaron's icy touch sent shivers down Renee's spine. "It means you'll be stuck in the past forever." Her hand instinctively pulled back, but Aaron's grip tightened like a vice, refusing to let her go.
"Don't worry." Leon, who had been leaning against the door behind Aaron, spoke up with his hands held in front of his chest, trying to soothe the girl's fears. "I'm here, I won't let that happen."
Renee felt a wave of relief wash over her when she looked into Leon's eyes. It annoyed Aaron slightly that he seemed like a third wheel between the two, but he couldn't help feeling surprised by the protective tone in Leon's voice. In all the hundreds of years Aaron had known the man, he had never seen Leon show such concern for anyone.
"Let's get started," Aaron said, breaking the moment between the man and Renee. "Close your eyes and try to relax."
She followed Aaron's instructions and closed her eyes, trying to focus on regulating her breathing. The process was quick and before Renee knew it, she was transported into another world, her own past memories. However, this time unlike Asa's memories which were set in the royal palace, Renee found herself on a battlefield.
***
"Kill those Vampires!" The shout echoed loudly in her ears, urging the soldiers to fight on. "Leave none alive!"
Chaos reigned around Renee when she looked at the people fighting with swords in their hands, relentlessly killing vampires. The number of soldiers on the side of the royals far outnumbered the vampires, making it clear that they would emerge victorious. Despite the supernatural abilities of the vampires, she could see their primal instincts controlling them, leading to a lack of strategy in the fight.
As predicted by Renee, the scene suddenly shifted to after the battle was won. She now stood on a cliff, gazing down at the burnt bodies of the defeated vampires below. The afternoon sun illuminated everyone present, including two young men in war attire standing beside her.
"You should aim higher next time, Aaron," said the man standing on Renee's left, his mocking smile directed towards the man he was talking to. "Otherwise, you'll become their meal."
"And you should aim more accurately, Leon," retorted the man on Renee's right, refusing to accept the criticism from his fellow fighter. "Otherwise, you'll end up as the vampires' meal."
Renee, not bothered by the bickering between the two men, had her attention focused on something else, a dark gemstone in her hand. "You two can continue your argument, I'm headed home."
She flashed a wide smile, revealing a face stained with dirt from the earlier fight. The girl's long black hair was braided back but slightly disheveled and her iron robe now bore dried blood stains. "Thank you both for your efforts today. I'll hold onto this black diamond until you retrieve the red beryl for me."
The girl turned away from the spot, a smile playing on her lips as she hummed a soft tune to herself. However, before Renee could take another step, Leon's voice echoed behind her, causing her to freeze in place. Aaron quickly responded to Leon's words, making Renee turn back towards the two best friends.
"What will happen if we actually manage to retrieve the red beryl stone?" Leon asked hopefully, his hands clasped in front of him.
"The red beryl is not something easily obtained." Aaron interjected, slinging an arm around his companion's neck. "So our reward should be commensurate with our efforts." The two shared a brief look before grinning mischievously.
"Agreed." Renee chimed in, understanding their intentions. "Whoever manages to acquire the red beryl will receive...."
But from the background, the girl's words could no longer be heard, but the expressions on the two men's faces turned to surprise. It was clear that Renee's promised reward had caught their attention. The real question was whether this tragic history would repeat itself?
***