Chapter 4

Anastasia's POV

            When I awoke, darkness welcomed me.

            I am blindfolded, gagged, and tied up. With my sight impaired, using my other working senses, I felt how we are currently walking in an uphill manner or rather, how I am being dragged in an uphill road or whatever sh*t we are walking on.

            I have no idea how long the walk have been before I woke up but what I am sure of is that I am extremely tired.

            ‘I don’t think my legs have any more strength to walk any longer’

            Unfortunately to my pained whims and grunts, I am continually getting dragged to who knows where they wish to put me – perhaps a prison or worse to where my tomb would be.

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            After a century of suffering, I felt my weak body flop down on the floor. My eyes quickly watered as I tried to adjust to the sudden brightness as my blindfold and gag were removed. The ropes continued to stay intact but perhaps because of the arduous walk, it became loose.

            I roamed my now adjusted eyes to where they put me at. This place reeks of holiness. The walls, ceiling, and beams were all painted white with touches of subtle gold. No dust could be seen and it is very much obvious that the place has been kept clean at all times.

            ‘The only dirt this place has might be me’

            But what truly captures one’s eyes is the gold statue of a woman holding what seems to be a wolf in the very middle of this place and a small stage-like altar right in front of it.

            “A temple?” I quietly mumbled

            “A temple indeed,” someone behind me answered

            I looked at the source of the voice and met a beautiful middle-aged man. Although it is the first time that I have met the person in front of me, I get this sense of extreme familiarity.

            ‘He looks like me’

            From the reddish-brown hair, thick eyebrows, pointed nose, pale complexion, and greyish eyes – everything is similar.

            “Father” I mumbled

            ‘My father’ smiled widely as he heard what I mumbled. He walks towards me and stood right in front of me. After a while of him observing me, he motioned to a subordinate to put me on what seemed like an altar. There, he gracefully sat down on a chair in front of me and mockingly stared at my appearance.

            “Ahh my precious daughter,” he jeeringly stated. “You are a pain to capture, you know?”

            “What do you want from me?”

            “Straight to the point eh”

            “We both do not wish to converse any longer no? Even breathing the same air that you breathe is enough to make me feel disgusted” I uttered, scornfully.

            “HAHAHAHA” The man laughed like he is truly amused by what I just said. “Quite sharp”

            I merely glared at him as he continued to suppress his laughter.

            “Anyway, you are here now because it is finally time for you to fulfill your purpose. Aren’t you excited?” he cheerfully said. I only looked at him, confused.

            “Haa where do I begin-” he said as his hands went up to his chin. “Well you probably already heard of the legend of the goddess of the moon. When humans and werewolves coexist and humans betrayed werewolves and the goddess sort of cursed us humans? That legend is popular, pretty sure you already know that, yes?” he looked at me with eyes full of certainty.

            “You see, my daughter, that legend is true and we are still facing the punishment of our ancestors’ actions. The flood last year that killed thousands of people, the frequent earthquakes, the massacres, drought, just everything you know. So〜 the people of power who are truly concerned for everyone’s well-being, I included, taught of offering a sacrifice”

            “I-I don’t think I understand,” I said as I try to process what I just heard

            “Ahh〜 simply put, you are to be sacrificed for the sake of every human in our nation – such an incredible honor, I know,” he said with a wide smile, nodding, sincerely thinking that what he said is something to be proud of.

            “But… I am your daughter” I unconsciously uttered

            The man’s expression immediately changed from a smiling one to an annoyed one as soon as he heard what I said. He stood up and towered over me with an expression clearly looking down on my very existence.

            “How foolish of you!” he shouted angrily as I felt a rush of pain in my right cheek and taste the rusty, disgusting blood drip out of my mouth. “Is that what your grandmother taught you? That after every rain there would be a rainbow? Pft HAHAHAHA”

            He laughed hysterically, paused a little, and harshly grabbed my hair to make me face him.

            “I am indeed your father – so what?” he nonchalantly state. “Why do you think the high and mighty me would woo your lowly maid mother? It is for this very moment! You are the sacrifice I prepared for long ago and there is nothing wrong with you fulfilling what you are intended to!”

            “I actually should have done this sooner if not only for that persistent old hag. How dare she blackmail me and threaten to put my REAL PRECIOUS one to be the sacrifice” he added, mumbling

            He continued yapping and slandering my caring grandmother and the mother whom I have no recollection of while I sat there emotionally lifeless.