Dianna's POV**
"That was eerie. Shall we go have dinner?" Ivan said.
"I can't believe you're thinking of food after what just happened!" Eric snapped.
"What happened?" Ivan shrugged.
"I'm sure you heard what the Guardian said. You're not deaf, are you?" Gia shot back.
Ivan's jaw ticked. "Speak to me like that again and I'll make sure it's the last time you ever speak. And in case you've gone blind, I'm not Eric. I don't tolerate rudeness."
I sighed and stepped between them.
"Ivan is right. Let's go have dinner."
We walked back inside, ordered food, and ate in silence.
Eric finally spoke. "The Guardian was bluffing…. right?"
"She didn't sound like she was bluffing," Gia muttered.
"She said we shall get what we wish for, but we shall want it no more," I reminded them.
Then I turned to Ivan. "So what do you wish for?"
"Death," he replied without hesitation.
"She gave us death," Gia whispered. "She said we'll die in a year."
"Why are you all taking the fake Guardian's curse seriously?" Ivan scoffed. "She was rambling. And even if it's true, death is something we've wished for, for centuries. This savage life isn't worth living forever. If the curse is real, then it's salvation. And I'll embrace it happily."
"Indeed," I said quietly. "We've tried to kill ourselves countless times. If the Guardian's words are true, I'll embrace death joyfully too. I've lived too much of this abominable life. If fate wants me gone, so be it. What about you two?"
"I have nothing to live for," Gia said softly.
"I think we've all lived long enough," Eric added.
"Good. Then there is no problem. Whenever death comes, if it comes, we embrace it. No one speaks of the Guardian or the curse anymore."
They nodded.
…
In a year's time, the Ravenson name shall exist no more…
A cold, silent voice ripped through my head.
I jolted awake, heart pounding.
…
I dragged myself downstairs.
"You look like you just woke up from hell," Gia observed.
"Is the Guardian's curse manifesting already? Are you dying, Dianna?" Eric asked.
"I think I caught a fever. A bloody headache too. Thanks for the concern but no, I won't be dying today," I muttered and walked to the kitchen for an ice bag.
From the kitchen, I heard Ivan.
"Did someone say one of us is dying?"
"It's sister. But she's not dying, she just has a fever," Gia replied.
"Ooh. Weird. But anyway, let's watch. Who knows, maybe death begins with a fever," Ivan said casually.
My anger flared. I marched out and threw the ice bag at his chest.
"Ouch! What was that for?" he yelped.
"Do you all wish I would die so badly?!"
"You said you had no problem with dying yesterday," Eric reminded.
"Yes! But that doesn't mean you should rub it in my face!"
"Dear sister," Ivan said, placing his gloved hand on my shoulder.
"Touch me again and I'll cut that hand off," I warned coldly.
"Relax, sis," he smirked. "All I'm saying is, if you're really dying, then we might die too. I'm quite eager, honestly. Your situation is like a case study. We'll watch and see how you die so we can prepare properly for our own death."
"Get out," I said through clenched teeth.
"Get out, all of you!"
"Come on...." Gia began.
"Fine! I'll get out if you won't. Your sights irritates me!"
"Just let her be," Ivan said behind me. "Mood swings are probably symptoms of impending death too. We'll see them when it's our turn."
I stormed out.
…
I sat on a bench by the roadside, watching the people of Arcane City go on with their short, fleeting lives, rushing somewhere, doing something that mattered to them.
I didn't blame them. Humans barely got a century.
I've lived ten times that.
Seen births, deaths, barren lands becoming cities, empires rising and falling.
I lived longer than I ever bargained for.
I wasn't afraid of death. Like Ivan said, it was salvation.
If I was truly dying…. so be it.
The sun beat down on me. My head throbbed, but I'd endured worse.
I finally stood to go home, but the world blurred.
My legs gave out, and I found myself falling to the ground.
Voices buzzed around me.
"Hey!"
"Are you okay, ma'am?"
"Someone call an ambulance!"
I couldn't speak. Couldn't move.
My eyes were closing and nothing could stop it.
Is this it? Has death finally come for me?
Ivan's POV
"Turn down the TV volume, Ivan. I'm trying to read," Eric said.
I raised the volume even higher.
"What's the point of reading when you're about to die?"
Gia groaned. "You two make me wish death would come sooner."
"That's the spirit, little sister, if we wish for it hard enough, maybe it will come for us faster." I grinned.
"Look, it's on the news," Eric said.
We leaned forward.
The journalist talked about the exploded theater and how the police were searching for answers.
"I hope they find us," I sighed. "I'd like to kill a few cops before dying."
The journalist suddenly switched from the theater explosion news to announcing a breaking news of a lady that was found unconscious on the street and rushed to the hospital. She had no belongings on her so they are unable to identify her nor contact her family.
"Is that not sister?!" Gia pointed at the screen.
"They're looking for her family," Eric whispered.
"Did she die? Was the Guardian right?" Gia panicked.
"Shut up. Let's go," I said, already standing.
The car ride to the hospital was silent. Heavy.
My thoughts ran wild.
Is Dianna dead?
Is she the first?
Am I next?
We reached the hospital and rushed in.
"Dianna Ravenson. Is she dead?!" I asked the receptionist bluntly.
"What? Who are you?" she blinked.
Gia stepped forward.
"We're her siblings. The woman who collapsed on the streets and was brought in earlier, that's our sister."
"She's still unconscious," the receptionist said.
"Can we see her?" Eric asked.
"Room 5, ICU."
We hurried there.
Dianna lay on the bed, still and pale.
"Is she really dead?" Eric whispered.
I examined her hand.
The needle piercing her skin was melting.
Her skin was healing, closing over it.
"She's not dead," I said. "She's still immortal."
Suddenly Dianna gasped and shot upright.
"Sister!" Gia rushed to hug her.
"What happened to me?" Dianna asked.
"Same thing we want to ask," I said. "We thought you died."
The doctor walked in smiling.
"Ah, you're awake!"
"What did you do to me? What happened to me?" Dianna demanded.
"I didn't do anything. What happened is completely natural, especially with your condition" the doctor said.
"What condition?" she asked sharply.
"You passed out because of excessive stress, which is not good for your condition."
"What condition?" she repeated.
He smiled wider.
"You're pregnant, ma'am."
"What?!!!"
We shouted together.