"I agree with you, Mother," Chloe said, nodding lightly, her black curls bouncing with the motion.
Mother Lina gave her a measured look, her lips pressing into a thin line. "I know you do my child."
Chloe shifted comfortably. "When is the meeting with the councils, Mother?"
"In the next three hours," she replied, her voice heavy.
Then, almost as an afterthought, Chloe added, "Well, lest I forget, Lord Maximus demands your presence."
At this, Mother Lina's expression hardened slightly. She let out a long sigh, her gaze turning to the stained glass window depicting the four realms in uneasy harmony. "Get my horse ready," she said after a moment. Her voice was quiet, yet firm. "I would like to visit an old friend."
Chloe blinked in surprise. "A friend? But the meeting..."
"It can wait," Mother Lina cut in. "This is important."
"Very well," Chloe replied hesitantly. She gave a slight bow and turned to leave, pausing briefly at the door. "Mother, are you alright?"
Mother Lina didn't respond immediately. Instead, she murmured bitterly to herself, "Oh, Lucan... how I wish you were here." Her shoulders sagged under the weight of her thoughts. Chloe walked away when she didn't get any response from Mother Lina.
~~~~
Mother Lina climbed onto her horse and rode down the narrow, mist-laden path leading to the cemetery. The air was dense with sorrow, the heavy fog clinging to her as if trying to weigh her down further. She halted her horse at the gates, dismounted, and began walking, the crunch of gravel beneath her feet echoing in the stillness. The cemetery was eerie yet serene, the resting place of those who had given their lives for the heavenly realms.
As she moved further in, her gaze swept over the weathered gravestones, each marking a life lost to war, ambition, or tragedy. Her heart ached as she remembered the countless battles she had fought, the sacrifices made in the name of duty. But one loss still haunted her above all others.
She stopped before a pristine white grave, the name Lucien boldly engraved on the stone. For a moment, she stood frozen, her hand trembling as it reached out to touch the cold surface.
"It's been thirteen hundred years," she whispered, her voice breaking. She knelt, her hands trembling as she brushed away the leaves and dust that had gathered on the grave. Tears welled in her eyes, but she sniffed, trying to hold them back.
Wiping her face with her sleeve, she began to speak again. "I didn't visit for so long because I thought… maybe I could move on. But I can't. I couldn't." She paused, her voice thick with emotion. "You knew I loved you, didn't you? You must have. All those years, I stood by your side, your best friend. I trained with you, fought alongside you… even brought my brother Maximus to the team, just to make you see me. To make you notice me."
Her voice cracked as the tears she had fought to suppress began to fall. "But no, you didn't notice me. Not the way I wanted you to." She let out a bitter laugh, shaking her head. "You still chose her, over and over again. You chose a demon, knowing what it would cost. And now you're gone. You're gone, Lucien, and I'm left here, alone, to pick up the pieces of the mess you left behind."
Mother Lina's hands tightened into fists as she pressed them into her lap. "You left me to take care of your child," she continued, her tone shifting to one of quiet desperation. "Your only heir. Did you even think about what that would mean for me? Did you think about how much it would hurt, how much it would take from me?"
The sound of rustling leaves drew her attention, and she turned her head slightly, half-expecting someone to appear. But the cemetery remained silent, save for her voice. She sighed, shaking her head. "I tried, Lucien. I tried to protect her. Not just from the world, but from herself. She's strong, yes, but there's so much she doesn't know. So much she could become. And I…" Her voice faltered, and she wiped her face again. "I'm afraid I've let her down. She doesn't know how to unlock her powers now because of me, she believed in me, but I messed up and I don't know if I can keep her safe anymore. I feel it, Lucien. Something is coming. Something dark. And I don't know if I'm strong enough to stop it."
She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small bottle of gin. Her fingers played with the cap for a moment before she opened it. "I'm here today to ask you for one thing," she said, her tone softening. "If you ever felt anything for me, not just as a friend, but as someone you cared for, then help me. Help me protect her. Protect your daughter. She's all that's left of you, Lucien. She's all I have left of you."
Her voice broke entirely as she poured the gin over the grave, the liquid soaking into the earth. "Cheers to being separated forever," she said bitterly, wiping her nose with the hem of her dress.
As she stood to leave, the wind picked up, carrying with it a faint feeling, tears streamed down her face as she said. "I will..." she said, her voice steady now. "I'll protect her. No matter what it takes."
With one final glance at the grave, she turned and walked back toward her horse
~~~~
Balls of sweat broke down on Maze's forehead while in her sleep, it felt like she was battling with something but those feelings were soon replaced by quietness and calmness, she gently opened her eyes and saw a tall figure almost looking familiar but a lot younger. She quickly sat up and pulled the sheets over herself as she kept staring at him.
Finally breaking the silence she asked "who are you and what do you want?"