REDEMPTION

18. BACK, HOME?

As Audrey watched Achlysa's final moments, she could feel all her emotions. Pain, anger, fear, loss, despair and regret. The way she died was unprecedented and unfair. She was not sure if at all Achlysa had died. However, she did feel something leave Achlysa's body. And after it did, she flopped to the ground, leaving only one survivor as she had promised. 

She was immediately trusted back to reality. Her head ached as she struggled to open her eyes. It was still dark, night was yet to pass. Audrey looked around and spotted the clock, she reached out to get it but realized she could not move. Her body felt like someone or something had been set on top of her to crush her. Her breaths became shorter and shorter each time she inhaled. 

Lifting her head slowly, she tried to figure out what was on top of her. Her mismatched eyes met with two large green ones. She took in air but it got caught in her throat. Her heart thumped loudly trying to get away from all this commotion and shock. She shut her eyes and felt the warm breath of whoever those eyes belonged to reach her face. Something within her dared her to take one more look. 

Audrey lifted her head once more and looked straight into the eyes. Her memory alerted her that she had come across them somewhere. But where? She could not recall. She decided to look at other features. First she spotted something fluffy on top of its head and reached out to grab it. Her hand landed on something warm, she stroked it. They were ears. She looked again and recognized those eyes. 

“Midnight.” The words flew out of her mouth without any restraint at all. Her heart was glad that she had the chance to meet him again. After the dream she had had, she was sure that what transpired all those years ago was connected to why she only had a few of her childhood memories. If she was right, she was the reincarnation of Achlys. Well, she had not died entirely, but, her mind and part of her soul did. 

Millim was a part of her soul that left her that day due to the spell she had activated before she left the pit of nothingness. She knew it had a half success rate but tried it anyway. Half of her abilities were stripped from her body forcefully leaving the other half in pain and without balance her heart stopped. Nevertheless, death was not going to accept her so easily. Since her regenerative abilities were top notch, her body tried to fill up what was lost but this only injured her further causing her memories and personality to disperse. 

When she woke up, her body had reverted back to that of a three year old. She could not remember who she was and why the people before her kept away from her. After all this time it made sense. This was why Shawn always kept his distance yet Ralph was friendly. She did not think this day would come so soon. Her attention was brought back when the weight on her suddenly increased. This was because Midnight wagged his tail out of joy of being called again. 

“Your squeezing me to death!” she exclaimed. 

Midnight immediately got off. As Audrey took in air, she only had two thuds and not four landing on her bedroom flour. She lifted her exhausted body from her bed and look in the direction Midnight had jumped to. Audrey saw someone had knelt and was bowing to her. She was about to ask who it was when something moved on the person’s head. 

Audrey asked him to rise, the person lifted his head to reveal a pale handsome face. He had green eyes that contradicted with his pale hair and fluffy ears. She called out Midnights name again just to confirm it was him. He looked different from his wolf form. His whole appearance was grey while in his wolf form, his fur was black. Was it because he was a trigger? Or was there something more to it? And how did her survive this long? 

Midnight waged his tail as his dead green eyes seemed to light up momentarily. Her heart welled up and she kicked off her covers immediately ready to run into his arms. Immediately her feet landed on the floor, she leaned forward as her body’s fatigue refused to let her have her wish. 

On seeing this, Midnight rushed and held his master in his arms. Without any effort at all, he lifted her and placed her back on her bed. Her eyes tried to stay awake but she seemed unable to. A line tear left the premises of her eyes and took a detour down her temple. He wiped it away and patted her head gently. A smiled creeped its way to his lips exposing his fangs. It had been centuries since he had last smiled. The feeling was now too strange and foreign that it scared the hell out of him. 

His smile froze for a moment before disappearing. His master might have been alive but this did not guarantee that she would come back but even if she didn’t, he was willing to always look out for her. As the one who saved him back then, he would do anything for her now and forever. As he thought if this, he drew her covers over her. Placing a gentle kiss on top of her head like all those years ago, he wished her a great night’s sleep. 

He gently, placed his forehead over hers and something lit up. A soft growl escaped his throat. He felt disappointed that he had to leave so soon to protect her identity. He knew he would not be far but it still stung to be far away from her. He was happy that she had called his name though. His heart had made a flip flop inside his chest. 

Midnight, took one last glance at his master. His emotions twisted inside him. He wanted to leave with her but he was not sure if the other generals were as loyal as he was. After the war, all the generals went their separate ways. They did not contact each other or try to rebuild the kingdom. They all just went up and left. However, after a few decades, one of the generals came back but his memories, were in pieces. He could not remember his abilities and or who he was to the master. 

After his appearance, the rest followed suite, however, the oracle had warned him that one of them would betray the trigger king. He did not know who he was but he was not going to risk his master’s life again. He held himself accountable for what happened all those years ago. And he swore never to make the same mistake again. She might not be safest in this mansion but she was safer than if he took her back to her castle. 

As he was about to leave, he felt his clothes being pulled. He turned and saw that Audrey had clutched onto his fabric very firmly and did not intent to let go. Even if her body was tired, she was not ready to lose Midnight again. The smile creeped back to Midnight’s face and this time, he did not stop himself from smiling. A warm feeling embraced his heart. The burden he had been carrying felt lighter. 

Since he could not stay, he gently removed her hand from his clothes. He made sure she was well covered and turned to leave. 

“Don’t go,” she begged, her voice drowsy. 

Midnight halted, tempted to return to her side. He turned and looked at her intensely before blowing something from his hand. Whatever it was sparkled it’s way to Audrey and she soon fell into slumber. 

“Till we meet again.”