What am I supposed to do? Jessica screamed endlessly, tears streaming down her face as she was forced to part with her beloved sister.
"Help me!"
Without a second thought, I swung my right hand, the one that was severed, at the man who had captured Jessica. He and three others behind him were thrown backwards, crashing to the ground. Pain shot through me; my hand was bleeding again from the blow.
But this wasn't the time to hesitate. We had to flee. I grabbed Jessica's hand, leading her away to the quieter side of the city. Our journey through the shadowy alleys felt haunting under the night sky. Soon enough, the dark clouds that had loomed above finally unleashed their rain.
A storm of thunder and fierce winds descended upon the city. The torches carried by Lennin and his gang were extinguished by the downpour. Thanks to the sudden change in weather, we managed to escape the pursuers.
"Where are we going?" I asked Kwanita.
"I don't know. But with weather like this, we should find shelter quickly. After that, we can head out of the city through the forest near the mountains."
I agreed with her plan. About fifty meters away was a stable that would serve as a temporary refuge. We sprinted toward one of the empty stalls. A pile of hay awaited us, providing a makeshift seat. We huddled there, drying ourselves until the storm subsided.
My teeth chattered from the cold. I searched for a cloth to bandage my bleeding hand, the rain making it worse.
"Let me tend to your wound," Kwanita said, producing a dry towel from seemingly nowhere. She wrapped it around my hand, replacing the previous bandage.
My hand felt clean, though the bleeding hadn't completely stopped. But the pain had diminished.
"Thank you." I said to her.
Kwanita sighed and replied, "Don't mention it. You sacrificed your hand to save my sister. I should be the one thanking you."
"We need to stay here until the rain lets up. Hopefully, no one knows we're here."
Jessica trembled, unable to contain the chill from the rain-soaked air. Kwanita quickly wrapped her arms around her little sister, trying to warm her up.
I attempted to shift their focus and asked, "Kwanita, what's between you and the mayor? Why is he so obsessed with you?"
"I don't know. He's proposed to me many times, even though he already has three wives. His behavior makes me uncomfortable. But what can I do? I'm not one to refuse someone with power like the mayor."
"You know, today when you were at the town hall, an old man came looking for you."
"Really? What did he want?"
"I'm not sure. But he warned me to leave the city as soon as possible and never come back. He said this place isn't safe. Ever since you invited me to your home, he claimed I've made all the men here irritable."
"Nonsense! I've never had any involvement with the men here. Why would they be upset just because I invited you over? You saved my life after all."
I scratched my head, wondering if Kwanita was feigning ignorance or truly didn't understand the chaos surrounding her in this city.
Jessica then leaned closer, whispering in my ear, "Forgive my sister; she's so innocent. She doesn't realize how beautiful she is, driving all the men mad. I don't think she even understands the reason why the mayor is obsessed with her."
"Is that so? I guess Kwanita has a pure heart."
"What are you two whispering about? Are you hiding something from me?" Kwanita asked from behind, feeling left out.
"Nothing important," I replied casually.
Jessica had stopped shivering. She seemed to adapt better to the chilly air. Then she asked me, "Do you really not remember who you are?"
"No, I met your sister in the mountains earlier today. Somehow, I found myself inside the tree up there. That's when I saw Kwanita, crying as she hid from Lennin, who was trying to rob her."
"Thank you for helping us. You're truly a good person."
"We can't relax just yet. We're still not free from Lennin's grip, and the mayor is on their side. If I recall correctly, the old man said your troubles began after Kwanita rejected the mayor's proposal. Is that true?"
Kwanita and Jessica exchanged glances. The older sister shook her head and said, "That doesn't seem right. We've been living in poverty for a long time. The incident with my rejecting the mayor's proposal happened only a year ago. The real trouble began when I borrowed money from Lennin. If I had chosen to borrow from the bank instead, perhaps all of this could have been avoided."
"But did you borrow from Lennin willingly?"
"No, at first I was confused about where to get a loan. I hadn't considered the bank, since the amount I needed was relatively small. It was someone's suggestion that led me to borrow from Lennin."
"Whose suggestion?"
"The mayor's."
Kwanita, Jessica, and I felt as though the pieces of a puzzle were falling into place. The thread connecting all their troubles began to unravel.
Jessica then added, "If I'm not mistaken, I got my job based on the mayor's recommendation as well. The place I work is one of his company's branches. Does that mean I'm being accused of stealing valuable stuff because of him?"
"Oh no, I'll try to convey this as gently as I can, but it seems the old man was right. Because Kwanita rejected the mayor's proposal, he's ensnared you all in misery for years. When you reach a dead end, he will swoop in, offering help and portraying himself as your savior. Just like he tried to do at your house earlier. But his plan faltered because you, Kwanita, steadfastly refused to accept his proposal."
"For heaven's sake! It seems you're right. Everything you say makes sense. So all this time, Jessica and I have been dancing on his strings for years. I'm sure Lennin is his pawn too, making my debts pile up until I can't pay. All of that just to make me his wife?"
"That's right!" a man's voice shouted from the front gate. It was the mayor!
I quickly stood in front of the sisters, shielding them from the monster that sought to end their lives. The suffering that Kwanita and Jessica had endured was all the work of this bastard.
"How did you find us?" I shouted.
"Easy enough; I can hear the heartbeat of my beloved lady. No matter where she goes, I will always find her."
"What? That's impossible!"
"Kwanita, if only you would accept my proposal and become my wife, none of this would have happened. Why are you so stubborn?"
"You're a monster!" Kwanita cried, tears streaming down her face. "All this time, we've been living in the web of your vile schemes. How cruel! I will never forgive you!"
"You treat me and this white-haired man so differently! Why are you so kind to him? Inviting him to your home, while I need a thousand reasons just to sit in your rickety chair. It's not fair! You've broken my heart!"
"Screw your heart! This man has saved me; it's only right that I treat him better. I'm just repaying a debt."
"Nonsense. Hey, white-haired man, you must have influenced Kwanita with your poisonous words, haven't you? You're planning to steal her from me!"
"Watch your mouth, you disrespectful mayor! I can't even remember anything since I arrived in this city. But one thing is certain: if I were to live as one of your citizens, I would already have led a revolution to overthrow your tyranny!"
"How dare you speak to me like that! You are nothing but an outsider! A strange being who has no right to be in my city. You think you can just waltz in and ruin all my plans? You want to play the hero in front of Kwanita; that's what you want, isn't it?"
"If being a hero means saving them both from a monster like you, then I will!"
Mayor Sambra fell silent, hiding his expression behind his hair.
"How bold! Truly bold of you, young man. Never in my career as mayor has anyone dared to speak to me like that. You will feel my wrath. You will regret provoking my anger."
Suddenly, a fierce wind swept through the area. The ground shook, sending all the animals into a panic. Birds, horses, chickens, ducks, and cows jumped around in terror.
The thunder roared louder than ever before. Flickering white lights flashed in rapid succession, turning the sky into a dark disco ball. A green aura erupted from Sambra's body as he clenched his fists, veins bulging like they might burst.
I stepped back, trying to protect the sisters behind me. The stable that had sheltered us was lifted away by the wind. Sambra raised his hand high into the air, and suddenly a mini-tornado appeared behind us, wreaking havoc on everything nearby. In an instant, we stood in an open field, unprotected. Hay and cloth flew around us, consumed by the storm. Only we remained.
I was awestruck by the incredible power of this man. I then asked, "You're not an ordinary human. Where does this power come from?"
"I hail from the Bropa race, my power is a gift from the God of Trendava. Now you will feel the consequences of troubling the descendants of a god like me."
He snapped his fingers. In an instant, the storm, thunder, and rain vanished. The sky remained dark with clouds, but all the chaos caused by nature faded away. This man possessed unimaginable power. He could control the weather. How could we escape this bastard's grasp?
Soon, Lennin and a group of red-bandanaed men arrived at the field where we stood. Sambra, still floating in the air, surrounded by a green aura, descended to mingle with the others, becoming just another human.
"Take them all to the execution site," he commanded.
Lennin compiled. They quickly bound our hands and feet, dragging us to a clearing near the statue of the city's hero, like animals being led to slaughter. There, two sharp guillotines awaited us. Jessica screamed, crying hopelessly, unable to do anything.
Suddenly, my head throbbed intensely. It felt like I was receiving memories from an unknown source. This event seemed eerily familiar.
When we arrived at the execution site, a crowd had already gathered around. My head was placed in the execution area, and I realized I wasn't the only one sentenced to death—Jessica faced the same fate. Only Kwanita stood panicked, next to the mayor before us.
Kwanita cried out in a frenzy, "What is this? Are you going to behead my sister?"
Sambra approached us like a cruel villain. He stood between me and Jessica, ready for execution, and said, "I didn't want to do this either. If you, Kwanita Imara, hadn't hurt my heart, none of this would have happened. Now, you have two choices, Kwanita. Marry me, or your sister will lose her head. I'll give you ten seconds to decide. Ten, nine, eight."
Kwanita screamed, "Wait! If I marry you, will you release Jessica and this man?"
Sambra thought for a moment, pacing while looking at me with disdain. He shook his head and replied, "No, only your sister will be spared."
"What! Why not?"
"This man has disrespected me and must be taught a lesson. Besides, he doesn't belong in this city and shouldn't have been here in the first place."
"That's not true! He's human just like us. He's lost, searching for his identity. Please, if you let him go, I will marry you."
"Really? I'll release him, but not your sister. Do you agree?"
Kwanita fell silent, her face pale, tears streaming down her sweet cheeks. She looked back and forth at me and Jessica, desperation in her eyes. My own head was still aching. I struggled to endure the pain; it felt like my skull was being hammered.
Damn it! This isn't the time for a headache. I have to help this girl.
"Kwanita, don't worry about me. Just save your sister!"
Kwanita then cried out, "But you'll die!"
"That doesn't matter. Your life and Jessica's are far more important."
"No, I can't choose!"
Frustrated with the delay, Sambra raged, "Hurry, Kwanita! You're running out of time! Whose life will you save?"
Kwanita's sobs intensified, nearly choking her words. With a strained voice, she said, "I beg you, Mayor Sambra, I'm sorry for hurting your feelings. Release them both, and I will become your wife."
"No. My decision is final. If you don't give me your answer in three seconds, they will both die."
"What! No, wait! Please, wait!"
"Then answer quickly!"
Taking a heavy breath, Kwanita looked at me with guilt in her eyes, then turned away and said, "Alright, I will give you my answer."
"Too late, your time is up."
"What!"
Sambra pulled the lever next to the guillotine. In an instant, the sharp blade above Jessica's head fell swiftly, severing the girl's head from her body. In the blink of an eye, her little sister lost her life. The scene unfolded right before Kwanita's eyes, who now stared blankly, unable to comprehend what had just happened.
"No, Jessica? Are you really dead?" she cried, stumbling toward her sister's headless corpse. Realizing Jessica was lifeless, she unleashed her emotions, her wails echoing throughout the city. She howled like a madwoman.
My own head still throbbed, the pain escalating as I witnessed the horrific scene. I was certain I had seen something like this before.
"This is what happens when you defy me," Sambra said, standing before Kwanita as she wept, then turning to me, "Now, it's your turn to die, white-haired stranger. You want to play the hero? Then die like one!"
Sambra turned the lever. The blade above my head fell at incredible speed, ready to sever my neck. But as it touched my skin, the blade shattered into pieces.
Suddenly, the ground beneath me trembled violently. A radiant golden aura burst forth from my body, blinding everyone around me. Divine light from celestial power surged forth, leaving Sambra's eyes wide with disbelief.
With all my rage, I shouted, "Elysium Light Form: Phase One: Dawn's Awakening!"