Seeing him smile, Zosia couldn't help but ntion their mother to him and her current state.
"Mom has been waiting for you to co back. After father's death, mom refused to continue to treat her injuries.
She keeps saying that she want to leave but she would only do so when you co back and her husband is properly buried." Zosia said softly as she watched Zaphir facial expression turn grim.
"So what do we do?" Zaphir asked.
"Mom's injury isn't serious and can be fully treated but mom refuses. Her will to go with Dad is very strong." There was sothing Zosia did not add.
She had seen it—the fragile mortal thread that tied their mother's soul to the world. It was almost gone. Even if they healed her body, her heart had already begun to let go. If her will remained the sa, she would leave them soon.
"So far, I haven't been able to get anything about Dad's corpse." Zosia added, her expression downcast.
"I am with Dad's corpse. After Dad died that rainy night, I had them bury him in a casket which I transported to Bezhou.
I bought a house and buried him there, planning to return back to the battlefield and protect our armies at least, but I was ambushed and since then I was on the run.
During that period, I t the Demanies daughter where she was about to be defiled by the bandits.
I rescued her but I ended up taking a poisoned arrow to the leg. To which... Now... ." He paused, his gaze landing on his shriveled leg.
Zosia wasn't too good at comforting and didn't know what to say.
"It's good you are alive. Soon, the leg won't be an issue.
After you are completely set back onto your feet and your cultivation returns, I will hand the family back to you."
"You...." It would be a lie to say he wasn't surprised by his sister's words.
If it were other families, it surely wouldn't be this simple.
Zaphir was very aware that he was nothing but a child from a concubine by virtue of the old cooth that calls herself their grandmother. Even him being called a black star, was from her that he found out.
His childhood was almost ruined by her, but he was lucky to have the kind of parents and sister he has.
He never felt like he was a curse when with them. He was always free and happy.
Now that he has returned, his sister didn't hesitate to pass the helm of leadership to him.
"Sister, what if I can't do well?" He said.
"Don't worry about that. I am behind you." Zosia answered.
Having used analyze on him, she was willing to give the helm of leadership to him.
"Isn't that sothing I am suppose to say." Zaphir said with a laugh, his eyes smiling as he looked at his younger sister.
Zosia smiled as well. "Brother, after you get healed, I still want to eat your food." Zosia changed the topic.
The original host had always been a picky eater and it only got better as they grew older.
During her younger days, it was her brother who did the cooking since she detested eating the chef's food. Only the food done by her brother would she eat with gusto.
Zaphir smiled. "I can even do the food for you before my legs are completely treated."
They continued talking and before they knew it, they were back to the house.
----------------
While Zosia was undergoing her task, the soul world was in turmoil.
Lady Elara was arrested by the soul world police and was thrown into prison where she had to wait for trial, that is if there would be any.
The evidence had against her was sothing provided by the sa people she calls allies.
Lady Elara was quickly arrested and brought to the inspection bureau. Her butt was not even yet warm in the inspection bureau and she was transferred once again the the soul chanqing station that dealt with high level criminals.
She stayed there for so days until the trial arrived.
Elara thought she could plead and wiggle away out of the heavy sentence, but when she realized that none of her allies were responding to her, a sinster expression appeared on her face.
"Since that's how they want to do it. They should not bla for my response." She said coldly, her gloomy eyes reflecting the room she was currently in.
She thought about all the people she could threaten and call to help but none of them responded to her.
As the trial approached, she beca more anxious.
She was very aware that her sentencing would be worst than life imprisonnt, considering the deeds she has done and the people she has offended.
Suddenly a light bulb went on in her head, "That's right. I still have those brothers." She muttered, her gaze frantic.
Elara quickly got to work and tried to contact any of the brother's especially Lucien, who was the only person she had sothing against.
Her effort didn't bear any fruit and the day fi the Trial ca.
Seeing the guards approach her prison cell, she realized that was done for and there was no way to overturn things.
Knowing that things will beco harder for her daughter, she decided to use the last bit of connection she hadn't wanted to use.
"I want to make a call " Elara said to them.
They didn't agree but after convincing them, she was finally able to make the call.
"Please help take care of my daughter. As for the stuff, It will follow to my grave, not to be known by another person."
After she said this, the person at the other end was silent for a while before responding.
"I will. And I hope you fulfil your own end of the deal."
"Don't worry. I have no where to run to again, so you need not worry." She said with a wry smile.
She could no longer be oblivious to her situation which was beyond dire.
Despite having her assistant arrange everything for her daughter, she still felt insecure and the only thing left that she could do to suppress and destroy the insecurity she felt was to call this person and her daughter over to him.
She could only hope that she had made the right choice, since that person was her children father.
At least on the consideration of their children, she hopes he will take care of them.
She sat back against the cold wall, her face pale but calm.
The secrets, the sches—they were over. All that mattered now was her daughter's safety.
Even though she had in essence threatened him, considering their past relationship, she didn't want him to rescue her or help her but hoped he would protect their child.
The guards led Elara through the long stone corridors of the Soul Chanqing Station. Her chains clinked with every step, the heavy cuffs felt cold against her skin.
The trial hall lood ahead—tall and rciless, filled with the cold aura of judgnt.
Inside, the air was tense.
The judges sat high above on their seats, faces hidden behind ceremonial masks of truth.
Every movent echoed in the silent hall.
The mont Elara was brought forward, the evidence against her began to pour in.
Docunts. Spirit recordings. Blood-soaked scrolls. Witnesses who had once served under her, now speaking against her.
Everything was real.
Everything undeniable.
Not even Elara could find a crack in their claims.
Her cris—manipulation, betrayal, unlawful use of soul power, and attempted assassination—were laid bare for all to see.
The trial didn't take long.
The lead judge lifted the golden hamr of judgnt and brought it down.
"For cris against the Soul World and the living realm, Elara, you are hereby stripped of all power. Your title, your rank, your soul energy—gone. You are sentenced to be thrown into the Oblivion, where no light nor soul shall reach you again."
The sound of the hamr hitting stone echoed like thunder.
The hall stayed silent.
And then, Elara smiled.
It was a small, dry smile, one corner of her mouth lifting.
She didn't cry.
She didn't beg.
She didn't even flinch.
Her gaze swept across the room and landed on familiar faces.
Lucien. Aleron.
Both of them were there, standing behind the crowd, their expressions unreadable.
She t their eyes—and her dry smile twisted into sothing darker.
A sinister smile.
The kind that didn't belong on soone who had just lost everything.
They thought it was over.
They thought they had won.
But she had nothing left to lose—and that made her dangerous.
Her thoughts turned to the ssage her assistant had managed to pass to her on the way to the trial.
Her daughter… dead.
Killed two weeks ago during a monster attack. Torn apart before help could arrive. She was only a child.
If people of the mortal world knew that a 90 sothing year old lady is still considered a child, they wouldn't know how to react, since the teen age for anybody in the soul world began from 150 years.
The words had hit Elara like a blade to the chest, but she hadn't let the pain show. She kept it inside, like a fla waiting to burn.
She didn't know who had sent the monster.
But she had her suspicions.
Lucien.
After all, she had once sent a monster after Zosia. Maybe this was his way of returning the favor.
Her daughter for the girl. As for what their relationship was, she didn't know.
The thought festered inside her like poison.
At first, Elara had planned to let all the sches die with her. She wanted to vanish into the dark with silence and pride.
But now?
Now she wanted to leave them with sothing more. Sothing to think about. Sothing to fear.
Let them wonder. Let them whisper in corners.
Let them ask themselves—what else had she prepared?
As the guards dragged her away toward the gates of Oblivion, she didn't scream. She didn't curse.
She just kept smiling.
A crooked, broken, knowing smile.
Because even if she was gone, her shadow would remain.
And maybe her death wouldn't be the end of her ga.
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