Chapter 5

Anastasia's POV

            My life was never peaceful nor was it a life of happiness. At five years old, I already started working small jobs like helping Uncle Ben with his vegetable business. At eight, I, unfortunately, picked up pickpocketing from other kids in the village. I lost all innocence and childishness at ten years old when surviving became my only goal. I was forced to grow out of my childish desires and face reality at such an early age.

            I do not have the time and liberty to help and care for others - I was not given the freedom to. No matter how my grandmother, Uncle Ben, and Uncle Teddy tried to fill the void left by my parents and silence the roars and chaos of reality, the truth about the world’s ugliness was bound to seep out. I am already at rock bottom – I didn’t know I could go lower.

            I looked at my father who is now smiling maniacally at me. I do not have any expectations of him. Heck! He was never even part of any event, significant or not, in my life.

            Even still, after my grandmother told me that he is looking for me might have ignited some irrelevant hope within me.

            ‘What if he is just misunderstood’ or ‘What if he already changed’ or ‘What if he just wishes to really bond with me’ or ‘What if he wants to fulfill his duty as my father now’ These dumb thoughts might be the reason why this shitty tears won’t stop falling.

            “Are you crying? What – did you seriously hope for me to come looking after you, loving you or something?” This bastard looked very confused as he saw me weeping. “You are weaker than I taught – how disappointing…”

            Yes, I am weak but I am forced to act strong. I need to be strong so I won’t worry my grandmother. I need to be strong so I won’t fall prey to others. I need to be strong to survive. But I guess a lamb wearing a wolf’s clothing is bound to be found out.

            “Whatever! Strong, weak, doesn’t matter. You just need to die anyway”

            I cackled. I might look crazy laughing hysterically while having tears continuously roll down my cheeks but I can’t help but laugh at my situation. I mean! Just earlier this day, I claimed that surviving is one of my strong qualities yet here I am now with death creeping right behind me.

           “We might need another sacrifice. The goddess might not be satisfied if we offer a crazy girl” I heard my father say to his subordinate.

           As I calm down, I saw them push a cart with different knives, towels, and some weird-colored liquids, toward my location.

           I just nodded, accepting my defeat. This might be what my grandmother meant when she said that my fate is terrible.

           ‘My grandmother is dead anyway. I have no more reason or will to survive. Following her right now might not be too bad. I-I don't want to live this kind of life anymore'

           ‘But I still want to survive. I still haven’t felt real happiness. I haven’t even gone to a beach or shop some expensive stuff or live my life the way I want to. It is terrible to die now’

           ‘I can’t survive though’

           ‘I might be able to! I can free my hands, subdue my father with the dagger in my thigh, and – and well… we will see what happens with the subordinates after I already killed my father’

           ‘The chances are close to none. There are already eight people inside the temple and tens outside guarding it. I don’t even know if I can stand without wobbling right now’

           'Why exactly is this happening to me?! I tried to live virtuously. Yes, I am nowhere near what to be considered a law-abiding citizen but I did not do anything to warrant these sh*tty happenings?!

           ‘It is night now! I can hide better! Also, trying would still be better than nothing no? It can’t end here! I don’t want to!’

           As my mind continue to work tirelessly, we heard pained grunts and shouts coming from outside the temple.

           “What the heck is happening?” my father shouted

           The subordinates then formed a circle with my father in the middle. They hurriedly pulled out every weapon they had with them and went into a combat stance.

           While the chaos happened outside and the panicky breaths and murmurs can be heard inside the temple, I just continued blankly scanning the situation and took the opportunity to free my hands from the ropes binding it.

           ‘Whatever happened, might it be a traitor or the justice league, doesn’t matter. I just know that it would be better than dying as a sacrifice’

           Then it happened

           The shouts outside suddenly stopped

           Silence enveloped everyone

           “It has not even been 10 minutes,” a subordinate mumbled.

           As the people within the temple looked at each other in an attempt to gauze the situation, the door opened and came three bloodied people.

           Blood from their hands dripped and stained the clean white marble. Their footsteps left behind a grotesque blood trail as they confidently looked around the place.

           “Are we interrupting?” the guy at the left asked.

           “This is our territory though. You might want to move somewhere” the guy at right uttered.

           I can’t really see clearly what they look like from my current place but their voices sound innocent. Like them killing and dripping blood from their victims is something that is normal for them.

           “Stop b*llshitting you two and end it now”

           I shivered.

           That deep, emotionless, and raspy voice sent shivers down my spine and made me unconsciously lower my head.

           It might be because of the silence but that voice resonated all throughout this place. It is scary, authoritative, and fierce.

           And I don’t know where I got the courage but I looked up…

           And there I met the glowing eyes of the man in the middle. The same eyes I saw in my dream.