2nd Day (1) | Crimson Nightmare

Anastasia opened her eyes... and what she saw was a complete void of darkness.

She slowly shifted her gaze around, turning her head to the sides, trying to find any source of light, but... there was none. She stood still in this complete darkness... all by herself.

"Martha...? Bella...?" she called, her voice trembling as she sought her two aides—her loyal servants who had willingly accompanied her to hell.

But... they did not heed her call. She could not find any of them... not even a trace of life in this abyss.

She tried to venture through this void—trying to find a way out of the darkness. But... after walking through what felt like an eternity to her, she could not find any end to it.

Her heart was beating faster with each passing second—the feeling of dread slowly crawling into it...!

Her steps became frantic! She tried to run through this plain of nothingness, but no matter how far she ran... she could not find any end to this void—!

"Is that...?!"

But there it was... a source of light on the horizon.

A bright light that eased her heart, which was almost consumed by dread.

She stopped for a moment, catching her breath. She gazed at the light once more, a feeling of relief filling her heart.

Anastasia then stepped forward—approaching this seemingly warm light. With each step she took toward it, she could feel the hope that had been lost in her heart returning to her.

But then... she saw something within that light.

A person—a man.

A blonde man stood in the light, his back turned toward her.

However, she knew the back of this man quite well...

"P-Prince Rowan...?!"

The figure of the crown prince of Florentia, Rowan Alder Florenshire.

Anastasia had known this man... for almost her entire life. He was her destined one, the man she was fated to be with for the rest of her life... her one true love.

Seeing him brought the greatest relief to her... as if he had come to save her from this darkness.

"M-My prince...!"

She stepped closer... and closer to the dashing figure of her beloved, reaching out her hand to him—!

But then, all of a sudden, the prince turned around... and revealed his visage to her...!

"...!?!"

She gasped at the sight of the prince... or what should have been the "prince"!

The figure of the man she knew and loved was covered in blood, dripping from head to toe...! Every orifice on his face had been replaced with empty voids, constantly pouring blood from them...!

But the most prominent feature was what protruded from his chest.

A knife was embedded—stabbed—right where his heart would be.

"You... killed... me..." The "prince" rasped, his voice low and guttural, as he inched closer to the frightened Anastasia.

"No... no... this was a mistake...!" Anastasia stammered, stepping back in horror from the blood-drenched figure.

The once warm, bright light that had guided her here was slowly turning red—dark, ominous crimson red that suffocated her...! The dread she thought she had escaped began to consume her once again...!

"You... killed... me...!"

She reeled back, trembling violently as she staggered away from the horror in front of her.

"No... no...! You are not supposed to die...!" she cried out, her voice cracking under the weight of her dread.

The "prince" took another step forward, his blood-soaked form inching closer with each heavy, unearthly step.

"You... killed me..."

"No! I-I didn't...!" Anastasia's denial came in frantic gasps as she shook her head, tears welling in her eyes. "I didn't mean to kill you...! You're not the one that should have died there...! It should've been HER...!!!"

She stepped back again... then again... until her trembling legs could no longer support her. Her balance faltered, and she turned around, desperate to flee.

Her feet pounded against the endless ground of nothingness, her breath growing ragged as panic consumed her.

But no matter how far she ran... the figure of the "prince" loomed closer and closer... as did the dreadful crimson light that grew brighter...!

"N-no... no, please...! Forgive me...! I... I—!"

Her footing faltered.

She tripped!

Falling hard onto the ground, she winced, her arms scraping against the void's non-existent surface...! With a sharp intake of breath, she turned her head, dread clawing at her chest...

The "prince" was there.

His bloodied hand, pale and drenched in crimson, reached out toward her. His voice... guttural and warped... spoke once more:

"You... killed... me..."

"No... no...!" she whimpered, frozen in terror as the crimson light slowly enveloped her, drowning her in despair...!

She shut her eyes tightly, bracing for the end she could feel creeping toward her.

"...!"

But then... a fleeting thought crossed her mind as her eyes flew open in sudden realization.

A man.

The image of a certain man—his face, his unwavering presence—flashed through her mind.

Her lips moved instinctively as her trembling voice called out:

"Sebas...!"

"Lady Ana!"

A mysterious, dashing figure clad in black appeared before her, embracing her trembling form in a protective hold...!

And then... a brilliant, radiant light burst forth, spreading across the void, consuming the darkness entirely!

The light's brilliance grew ever stronger, washing away the crimson hue of despair. It eradicated the overwhelming dread, leaving nothing but its comforting warmth behind...!

The intensity of the light blinded her, enveloping everything in its brilliance...!

"Lady Ana!"

< | X | >

"Lady Ana!"

Her eyes fluttered open, and the first thing she saw was the face of the enigmatic butler... Sebas...!

He was kneeling by her side, his face etched with concern as his gloved hand hovered near her trembling shoulder.

"Are you all right, my lady?" he asked, his tone steady but laced with worry.

Anastasia blinked, her breathing ragged as the remnants of the nightmare clung to her mind. She stared at him, her heart still racing, as if she could still feel the crimson light's suffocating grip.

"You... you came..." she whispered, her voice faint, as though she was still unsure if he was truly there.

Sebas nodded, giving her a small smile of reassurance.

"Of course, my lady... You did call me, after all."