Cassandra was going through one of the most horrible times of her life.
Days ago, she had been kidnapped by some entity that was far more powerful than her.
She didn't know where she was. She didn't even know if Aran was alive, as they had been taken together. And she didn't even know what the f*ck the motive of the culprit was, unless he just got off on watching them suffer.
During the brief time of respite that she got between the ordeals that tested her mind and body to their limit, she would often wonder this, and shout out her questers at the bare stone walls of the room she was trapped in.
Of course, there was always only a single answer, given in an emotionless voice that did not belong to anyone she knew.
"Reach the end of the Road if you wish to leave."
Oh yes, the Road.
Room after room of pure hell, where even a moment of not giving her all would have taken her life.
She had crossed vats of boiling lava that would fall on her if she were even a second slower in crossing a wide area full of traps. She had gone past poisonous arrows that she had had to deflect with all her might using every magical trick she knew unless she wanted to die by being hit by one. And she had even had to, at one point, pletely deplete her Mageroot while defending against a boulder that had been about to crush her.
Each time, she would think that that was it. That it was all over, and that all the goals she had worked toward in her life would never be reachable.
Yet, somehow, she would pass that stage by pulling out power that even she didn't know she had.
Each time, it would also feel like she was reaching closer and closer to something, but that there was just one last barrier that was stopping her from reaching it.
After every ordeal, a spell would put her to sleep and when she woke up, she would find food waiting for her.
Of course, she didn't waste a single morsel, as she still had hope of getting the f*ck out of here.
Today had started like any other. She had been through an ordeal and rested for an unknown amount of time, and she had woken up and eaten the food.
When she was teleported to the next room, though…it was empty.
She had waited for some threat to appear. But there were really no signs whatsoever of the typical traps that would always be there.
After a few seconds, a yellow smoke entered the room, and she instantly went on guard.
Making two fireballs appear over her palms, Cassandra carefully looked around, waiting for the threats to appear so that she could overe them.
However, all she heard was…laughter.
Laughter from three people, who were very, very familiar to her.
"Cassie dear, how have you been?"
NO!
Cassandra immediately began to back away from where she stood.
The fireballs had disappeared, and she looked just like a helpless woman who had no means to defend herself.
She kept backing up more and more until she hit the wall, and even then, she tried to keep moving but stopped as there was nowhere to go.
The yellow mist began to fade, and because it had been clouding her vision till now, this resulted in her being able to see what was in front of her much more clearly.
A woman wearing a green cardigan, holding a little boy in her hands who was dressed neatly with his hair bed carefully to the side.
And a thick-set man with broad shoulders who had his hand on the woman's shoulder, while he looked at her with a small smile on his face.
All three of them were smiling at her, and it was the woman who had spoken.
"Sis, you really did bee a Mage! So cool!"
This was from the little kid, and her father spoke next.
"Cassie, why are you scared? Don't worry, we are but remnants who were invoked by a spell. You never forgot us. And you never let go of your guilt. The one behind this was able to use that to make this happen."
Saying so, the man patted the woman's shoulder, who walked forward slowly with her hand stretched out.
The little boy came, too, but he showed much less caution.
He immediately ran up to his sister and hugged her legs tight, and this finally opened the floodgates.
Sobbing, Cassandra hugged him back, and she could feel his skin as if he really was present in front of her.
Her mom soon reached her, and she was pulled into the hug, too, while Cassandra bawled just like she had all those years ago, when she had been left alone with three motionless bodies.
Her father also walked forward and joined the little family, and as he did so, Cassandra felt plete.
For years, she had been holding the guilt close to her heart while moving through life, endeavoring to never show anyone that she was broken inside.
The truth, though…was that she was very much a wreck, and that revenge had been the only thing holding her together.
Now, however, when she felt the warmth of her family again, she realized that it hadn't been just revenge.
No, it was grief, too, and the fact that she couldn't let go of them.
Cassandra wished that this moment would stretch on forever. She really did. Yet, a sound interrupted them.
"No wele for us, little girl? Did you miss us?"
A voice that made rage fill Cassandra's mind was heard from near her, making her immediately move forward and shield her family behind a barrier that she instantly conjured.
2 men were standing in front of her. Both wore black clothes with a few grey spots here and there, and they wore masks on their faces.
Their voices, though…were unmistakeable.
"It's not just your family whom you didn't let go of. You killed us with a tiny break knife, but you still remember us with hate every damn day. It's all useless, though. You don't believe me? Then just try and stop us while we do the same thing one more time. And just like last time…you won't be able to do a damn thing."
…
In a room nearby, both Faxul and Kellor had their eyes fixed on Cassandra, who had just shuddered where she lay on the ground.
"It's begun
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