I SHOULD BE THE ONE DEAD

In the end…

We only regret the chances we didn't take, the relationships we were afraid to have, and the decision we waited too long to make.

-JayDeeMahs.com-

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"Members of Duvessa will not accept this," the doctor said worriedly. He glanced at Russel, but the president's hands were tied.

The president agreed with his wife, but on the other hand, he knew this was the wrong thing to do.

"I don't care what the members of Duvessa will do. She is dead, there is nothing else they can do to revive her, so what is the problem if she can help someone else's life? Isn't that the reason for her existence?" Claire argued fiercely. "The government has been supporting them. Can't they show some gratitude and help us?"

"Mr. President…" The doctor shifted his attention toward Russel. "What is your decision?"

Claire looked sharply at her husband as well, tears welled in her eyes, but she still looked fierce and determined with her own belief.

"Russel, I will never forgive you if you give up on our daughter," she said in a low voice, as she emphasized every syllable of her words and wiped away her tears. "The purpose of Kairi's existence is to save people. Now she has her last chance to do so."

Russel was torn. He knew what would come to him if he agreed to it and the problem wouldn't be solved for that kind of reason.

The Duvessa would make things worse than he could possibly imagine, but on the other hand, it was his daughter, his own flesh and blood…

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In front of Damon was the ninety-seven Kairi, standing tall and proud, as her whole body screamed dominance. She was furious and if eyes could kill, she would have killed Damon for failing his duty.

It was not a secret that the ninety-seven Kairi was fond of Xierra. She was her favorite, therefore her wrath was something predictable.

"You let her die?" she snarled at the young man, who was kneeling before her, while Raphael, her own protector, was standing beside her. "You let her die, knowing what the old fortune-teller told her about the solar eclipse?"

Yes, it was a mistake. Damon should admit it. He trusted Xierra's judgment more than anything, and even it clouded his own judgment about her safety. He followed her words without even thinking that she might be wrong.

Xierra indeed was wrong this time, but there wouldn't be another chance for him to tell her that. They needed to pay a hard blow for this stupidity and recklessness.

On the other hand, Raphael tried to calm her down. He put a jacket over her shoulder. The ninety-seven Kairi was not young anymore. She was almost seventy years old and didn't have a child on her own, thus she thought of Xierra as her own.

Therefore, the pain that she was feeling was the same as any parent who lost their dearest child.

"Xierra used the command spell to make them follow her words and they couldn't break it," Raphael tried to make Ariana, the ninety-seven Kairi, see from a different point of view. "Ariana, you know how strong Xierra was."

Yes, it was true. Xierra was the strongest Kairi that she had ever seen and the girl knew that too, but that knowledge backfired on her, she became too confident to walk into the enemies' trap. She became impulsive lately, as her obsession toward the eleven heirlooms of Kairi clouded her usually wise judgment…

"I don't care about that!" she snapped angrily, it seemed, even Raphael couldn't calm her down at this moment, therefore, he chose to back away and let the fate unfolded for Damon.

"You will be locked away until your judgment day, which will take place two weeks from now!" Ariana said her command and then walked away from the round hall.

Meanwhile, two of the protectors came to Damon and were about to take him away as per the ninety-seven Kairi's order, but one look from Damon, made them stop on their track.

"Please don't make things complicated," one of them said and he meant those words. He wouldn't want to fight the ex- personal protector, as they knew they were on different levels.

"Let him," Raphael said, as he walked toward Damon, who had already stood up and dusted his pants. "I will be the one who will guard him."

Raphael was the ninety-seven Kairi's personal protector and he was her fourth protector as the previous one had died to save her.

"Thank you, Raphael," said both of them, nodding their heads slightly to give him the respect that he deserved.

Raphael did the same and walked beside Damon.

Damon would be locked away in the north wings where not many people passed that place and he wasn't allowed to be visited. People would only come to give him food, but after that, he was completely exiled from the outside world.

"How are you feeling?" Raphael asked Damon, but then he realized when he didn't hear the answer for a long time, that question was not appropriate at a time like this. "I will try to make Ariana understand, and…"

"I don't care if she gives me the death sentence," Damon said. "She is right. I failed. The one that I am supposed to protect is dead and I, the one who should die, live."

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Tarsa was standing in the dark, alone, hugging her legs and resting her head on top of her knees, she knew she wouldn't make it when the last attack hit her.

Has she died now? Was death an endless empty dark place?

It was too dark until it didn't matter whether she closed her eyes or not. However, someone touched her arms lightly and from behind her back, she heard someone whisper lightly. A woman's voice.

'Keep alive and finish what I have started.'

After Tarsa heard that, a thousand lights hit her eyes, blinding her vision.