CRIMSON LILY [To Be Published Under PAPERINK]

CHAPTER 27

MY FOOT TAPPED ON the ground as I looked around. The three of us were currently hiding inside the forest near Prince Cassius' villa in the capital.

Two days went by quickly and I was forced to move because of their selfish desires to come back to the mansion. Caspian was holding the bag that I gave to him where we placed the things he got on the market. While Solace acted as a lookout.

He was now part of our team. Caspian accidentally saw him in my room. He even punched Solace in the face when he didn't reveal his identity quickly.

Luckily, I was there that time and I quickly introduced them to each other. Now he was known as the letter sender that I met on the streets back then. What an upgrade.

Solace sat on top of the tree.

"Be ready," I whispered as I stood behind Caspian. I could feel the ominous energy gracing the area. "Ebony, hide our presence," I ordered.

"As you wish, master," he answered and used his shadow to hide our energies.

Caspian was used to Ebony and Pandora now and he's not getting surprised every time I call on them. We all waited as the dark entity completely made an appearance. It stood near the two-storey building, close to where the three of us were hiding.

"Throw it," I ordered, pushing Caspian forward.

His body flinched and he reflexively threw the bottles containing Solace's and my mana. It seemed like the dark spirit was caught off guard because of the loud gasp she made.

Crimson flames surrounded her as the bottles broke. Caspian looked annoyed because of what I did, while the dark spirit looked baffled inside of the crimson circle.

"It was for the adrenaline," I defended.

"What adrenaline? Tsk," he growled and clicked his tongue.

I only chuckled at him. The two of us stepped outside of the forest, revealing our presence to the dark spirit. Solace and Prince Cassius appeared beside us as well. The prince looked surprised when he saw us. But it wasn't time for a reunion yet.

"Tell me your name," I said as I stood in front of her.

The dark spirit only stared at me, shock still evident on her face. And then she broke out in a horrid laugh. "You! You're her child, are you not?"

I rolled my eyes at her and crossed my arms against my chest. "You're not the one asking questions here, dark spirit. Tell me your name," I commanded, glaring at her.

"I am not a spirit!" She screamed.

She stood properly, her human façade slowly dissolving as she showed her true form. A white dress tainted with black stains, long silver hair mixed with dark locks and a pair of dark purplish glowing eyes.

Her presence gave off a holy mist, yet she was emitting a dark energy. She looked more like a fallen goddess than a vengeful soul.

"I am nameless. I have forgotten my name for being alive for such a long time." There was a murderous intent painted on her wide smile.

"Did my brother send you?" Prince Cassius asked.

The dark spirit or dark entity laughed at the prince's question. "You're not wrong, Your Highness."

I sighed. We don't have enough time for this. The crimson fire will run out and this dark spirit will have her time to escape.

"I'm sorry. Let's cut to the chase now," I interrupted.

I snapped my fingers and a sealing circle appeared beneath her. The dark spirit tried to escape from the crimson fire, but it was burning her divine form.

"You can't! You can't do this to me!" She shrieked in pain.

"I banish you from this empire and seal your presence at the deepest part of hell," I chanted, raising both of my arms in front of her.

The dark spirit screamed in agony as she felt the chains of the seal imprinting her flesh.

"No! I will kill your sister if you won't stop this!" She was threatening Caspian. I quickly flicked my hand and a chain moved to cover her mouth.

Caspian held onto my arm. I glanced at him quickly and he was shaking his head.

Oh, my. Here we go.

"Is Eilisha alive?"

The dark spirit nodded at him. I wanted to drag her quickly back in hell, but my brother was asking me to do otherwise. With a snap of my fingers, she was freed from the seal's chains. Fortunately, the crimson flames were still alive.

"She's pretty much alive," she said as she panted heavily. "I have her soul locked within her. You will not be able to save your precious little sister if you drag me back to hell!" The dark spirit laughed.

"What do you want in return?" Caspian asked the dumbest question I have ever heard today.

"I want you to put out the flames and let me escape." I could already see the smirk on her face, knowing that Caspian would heed her request.

Ebony. Pandora. Is there another way to free Eilisha's locked soul? Instead of listening to them, I needed to hear another option.

"Yes," they answered in unison.

"I can trap her in a space I created then Ebony can break her from the inside," Pandora suggested.

"I'm already inside her," Ebony said.

That was fast.

"I sense this happening, master," he added.

Before Caspian could decide anything, I snapped my fingers, killing off the crimson flames.

Everyone seemed surprised with what I did, and the entity took this chance to escape. Or so she thought.

"Pandora, space manipulation," I ordered. Pandora appeared with his normal form and casted the spell I wanted. "Ebony, break her."

Somehow, the short conversation they had managed to pierce my heart. And I couldn't be angrier than I am right now. I'd love to torture this being until I crush her to pieces.

I walked closer to the prison enchantment that Pandora made and watched as Ebony ate the remaining life she had from the inside. Her glowing figure soon became paler, as if she was running out of life.

"You pissed me off so much," I whispered as I stood closer to her.

The dark entity appeared to be begging as she screamed inside the box. Unfortunately, no one would be able to hear her from there.

"Master, I've unlocked the soul. We can seal her back now," Ebony reported.

"Open the box, Pandora. Ebony will come out now," I said. Pandora did what I asked, but I guess doing it that way was wrong.

An unknown shard coming from the dark entity escaped along with Ebony, and to my luck, it hit me directly on my left eye.

"Elisse!" I could hear them calling my name, but I didn't look at them.

"Shit," I cursed under my breath as a warm and burning sensation wrapped around my left eye. It felt unlike any other wound because of how painful it was.

I left my injured eye closed and bleeding as I glared at the smirking entity in front of me. "This bitch. Let go of her Pandora."

Pandora released the entity, and I quickly casted the sealing spell for her. With the anger boiling in me, I summoned a bluish fire that burned her.

Her shrieking voice felt like music to my ears as I watched her get dragged back to hell by the dark chains I casted.

I chuckled softly as I fell on the ground. Blood stained my clothes. All my nerves ached, as if I've exhausted my body. And the last thing I saw before losing my consciousness was Caspian's pale face looking worriedly at me.

It was your fault for hesitating, Cas.