Chapter 28 Death and Liberation

The sweat on my cold palms glistened like glitter as I traced the path of my lifeline with my weary eyes.

A crinkled newspaper on the stand beside me was outdated and torn, as if someone had brutally thrown it aside during a monetary loss of the calm tide. A mind is a powerful tool when it is exploited to think about situations out of the ordinary.

I have never felt this weak and as if I was dying. I wondered what death feels like, lying in a dark room, feeling cold, with no one around.

I have never felt this alone. Where is everyone? I tried calling and coughed out blood, "Mia, I need you," I whispered.

In the next room, Mia was lying; her body was cold, and her heart was beating fast.

She had a fever. Her eyes were barely open, and her lips were drying. Next to her sat Maka and Jia. They had explained why she had to drink the water, and as anyone would do, they would choose the family.

Jia burst into tears pleading with her to willingly drink the water. Mia asks them to give her time. Time was not on her side with Kai's condition deteriorating.

Jia promised her that her family would live if she drank the water, but even with a lie, the water wouldn't help unless Mia understood her family would die.

Jia tried persuading her by telling her that it was not her family. The portrait and the dreams made sense; they sacrificed her for strength and killed her biological mother.

Mia thought momentarily, then drank the water; nothing was happening.

They ran to my room. I was barely breathing. Maka, without hesitation, slit her wrist, holding it over my mouth.

The blood ran out like an open tap. At first, I didn't want to swallow her blood, but I started choking on it, coughed, and digested some. I slowly started feeling better as I regained my stretch.

The yellow stone was sitting on a two percent life capacity, which has now pushed up to eighty percent. Maka has given me more than two liters of blood.

I sat up and realized Mia was not around, "where is Mia?"

"In the next room."

When I arrived there, Jia was giving her blood from the fridge.

Mia sat up and felt better. She ran up to me and hugged me right. I was still confused about what had happened. Everything was overwhelming. Jia sat on the bed and looked up at me, "where is Maka?"

"She is in my room."

Jia stood up and walked over to my room.

Maka sat on the bed; she was in tears. Jia wrapped her arms around Maka. She was afraid of losing me.

"Is Mia awake?" Maka whispered.

"Yes, she is, thanks to you," Maka smiled.

Mr. Chan fell to his knees, "they killed my son, turned him to bloody ashes," he looked over at his daughter, who wore a black cloak with a cap attached to it.

Her eyes were red, and she had blonde hair. She was twenty years old. She walked to the end of the cave, looking up at the sky, opening her hand, and trying to inflict pain on those who had killed her brother.

The once salmon and lavender sky transformed into a vast expanse of jet-black, and the night laid down a blanket of darkness as lightning shot across the sky into a nearby tree, causing it to burn.

Huan was determined to get revenge on those who had harmed her twin brother. She walked back slowly as the two men followed behind her like stray dogs seeking their owner. She looked at her dad, "this is your fault."

Mr. Chan felt guilt. It was his fault had he not been so cocky around them and challenging them, "it's your arrogance and pride," she showed no remorse towards her father.

"Huan, you are upset. You speak without thinking."

"Once again, your arrogance killed someone I care for, first mom, now Bai. You are causing more harm with your arrogance and pride, dad. Will you ever stop?"

"Watch your tongue, young lady." He screamed, pointing at her, "I told your brother to stay. I knew what we were up against."

"No, dad, you made him feel guilty every time he backed down," Huan's eyes grew dark.

Mr. Chan had never seen his daughter's eyes become black, "you will pay the price for killing my brother."

"Are you threatening me?"

Her back was facing him at the time. She never replied.

"Throw her in the pit and teach her a lesson."

Huan turned around and nodded, looking at his army, he looked around, and they had all grabbed him like a bunch of lions jumping on an elephant, biting its prey until it was lifeless.

Blood splattered all over the cave. Huan placed her hand in her cloak, making her hands not visible. As she walked to the end of the cage, five guys followed behind her like stray dogs, seeking its owner.

"Wei," she said.

A tall slim man mid-twenties came stepping forward, "yes, master."

"You will have this army trained up, and at sunset, three days from now, we will set and attack those who had killed my brother."

He bowed, and as he turned around, over a thousand men stood in line awaiting their orders, "tonight, you will start your training by attacking and killing anything that comes your way.

We will be taking over a town called Staggering with a population of eight hundred people, so after midnight, I want eight hundred heads in front of me."

They all stamped their feet and started running out of the cave.

Huan stood there with her arms in the sleeve of her coat and looked out on the misty field. The clouds had covered the moon. Wei stood beside her, "we will get revenge on those who have harmed your family, my master."

She nodded, "dismissed."

"My family is still alive," Mia felt disappointed since they had wanted her dead.

They stood outside the window. Ling had not known Mia survived what had happened.

He expected her to die, barge into the house, and kill Jia and Maka. Lei stood by the door with his arms folded, Jia had explained to me Ling's intentions, and it made all sense.

However, since Mr. Chan was building an army, I couldn't risk them knowing I knew her intentions.

When I opened the door and stepped out with Mia walking behind me, Ling was surprised.

The wolves stepped back as Jing stepped forward. He hugged her, even though I could smell the betrayal through his veins; he is everything I hate, but right after this war, I will kill them individually.

I walked out and pretended we never knew anything. Jia refused to associate herself with these liars.

She stayed inside with Maka.

Maka and I were casual. She saved my life twice. It was evident she liked me, but she wouldn't show it. I felt I owed her and went back inside. As I walked up the staircase, I found her sitting in the dark room, "are you okay?"

She smiled, "if you are asking if I'm happy you made it, yes, I am."

"That's not what I am asking. I asked whether you were okay."

Maka nodded, "just glad you are alive," well, this much I owe.

I moved closer when she asked, "What will you do today?"

I never answered. I tilted my head to the side, and before I could say go ahead, she grabbed me, sinking her teeth in my neck and sucking my blood.

As she tightened her grip on my chest, her eyes glowed red as she ran her nails over my stomach, scratching into my skin. I felt a burning sensation with an adrenaline rush.

"Maka, let go," as she stared up at me.

She used her hand and gently turned my face in her direction and smiled. I could see life in her eyes. She pulled me forward and kissed me, closing her eyes.

She opened her eyes, staring, breathing above my lips. The second time she moved in slowly and kissed me. I felt an awakening, a sense of aliveness, like its prey who had a narrow escape. She ran her fingers up and down my back, then looked at the open door.

It was Lei standing in the doorway. He clenched his fist as she smirked at him. He looked at me and looked to the downstairs passage, "Mia is coming."

I quickly stood up as Maka sat with blood on her lips and a white sheet.

Mia entered the room and noticed the blood on Maka's lips and my shirt. She walked up to me from behind and touched the wound. She looked at Maka and smiled, "you got what you want."

I turned around, and Mia stood there; her eyes were watery.

I was not expecting this. She looked over Lei, then down.

"What? You were just a guest," Maka responded, using her index finger to wipe the blood off her lips and licked her finger