Chapter 24

Ophelia kept her eyes at the Duchess.

"Yes, Ophelia...You."

"But, there is something odd about you, haven't you noticed?"

The duchess peered down at her irises.

"They say you are Sun princess' decent, indeed so. But you are not of light, I'd say, you are rather in between." The duchess explained the detail to Ophelia once again, she wanted to eat her already but she didn't want her to die ignorant, she wanted to make it at very least, meaningful.

"You were adopted to keep the balance, and Roselia still grew old and died. And you became the new light. But as I said, you were in between. You didn't lessen the dark force, you ended up cultivating it. Unknowingly creating a curse as the dark bead slept inside you. Give it to me!"

"Give what to you!" As Ophelia shrieked in response to the duchess' demands, she couldn't help but think-

'I can't believe it, I'm Kala's descendant.'

This would mean that she was no ordinary mage. If it was true that she had become the new host of the dark bead that must be why the Duke, or rather Vincent couldn't find the bead's whereabouts. It must have merged with her unknowingly as its presence lingered within the Mansion and the duchess. Being chosen by the dark bead meant that Ophelia had to become a Black mage, but she was unaware of her capabilities since her blood was mainly of light.

(Haha) Katerina laughed maniacally and licked her lips making them redder.

"~I am so entertained by you, but I have to eat you now before you take everything from me" She laughed in tears.

-

"Ophelia....Open your eyes!" A man's voice called out. She didn't know who it was, all she could see was a tall dark figure.

"It's just a dream, Ophelia…you're safe now"

The voice echoed into her mind as if it were to enter the nightmare she was having right now. It was a soothing voice that belonged to a man. But there was something so soothing and familiar, that it comforted Ophelia.

Still, the duchess hadn't disappeared, in fact she seemed closer to Ophelia now. Closing her teary eyes in fear, she had no escape but to accept the ill-fated destiny. It was funny how she came back from the past only to be eaten alive by the duchess. But this was it, the duchess' mouth were watering at her prey. Her lips opened wide enough to eat Ophelia's face whole. For Ophelia, it was mind-torturing to be in such a position. But the odd feeling was that she felt calm and collected, as if something that belonged to her had returned to make her whole. And it seemed that things were about to make sense as she was swallowed whole into the darkness. An endless pit where the sun can't reach. As she closed her eyes, nearing her end, a bottomless crack appeared, creating a hole. And there, the light shined brightly through the cracks, allowing Ophelia to wake up from a long slumber.