Chapter 4: Blood Still Fresh
4831words
"The lady has no breath!" a maid cried out in panic. The detector in her hand showed that life signs had disappeared, its glow fading from bright blue to dim gray.
Elena crawled to her mother's side, her fingers unconsciously releasing red energy that resembled tiny lightning bolts, attempting to inject life force into her mother's body. "Mother! Mother!" she called out desperately, but her mother's soul had already departed its physical vessel.
Elena watched as her mother died, then saw Isabella rising to her feet. Recalling the content of the Book of Fate, she murmured: "Margaret died wrongfully by hitting the pillar, Isabella in desperation slapped Alexander... If the bloodstains congeal, fate will be cast..."
She looked up at the words of the Book of Fate appearing in midair and at Isabella who was walking toward Alexander, suddenly realizing something. The blood-colored text flowed slowly in the air, as if alive, each character emitting a faint red glow.
"If the bloodstains congeal, fate will be cast. But what if the bloodstains haven't dried yet? If I slap Alexander now, could the outcome be changed?" Elena pondered, a bold idea forming in her mind.
She suddenly stood up, weak red energy wrapping around her palm, dancing like flames and reflecting the anger and determination in her heart. She rushed toward Alexander and, before everyone's shocked eyes, slapped him hard across the face. At the moment of impact, sparks of energy scattered like brilliant fireworks.
The banquet hall fell silent, everyone stunned by Elena's action. Alexander's face bore a red mark from the slap, his eyes flashing with golden light—a mixture of surprise and fury in that glow.
At that moment, a miracle happened. Lady Margaret suddenly coughed, a faint aura of life appearing around her body like spring sprouts—representing the revival of life.
"She's awake, the lady is awake!" the maid cried with joy, the detector showing life signs again, its light changing from gray back to bright blue.
"My lady!" The Count exclaimed in surprise, his scepter falling to the ground with a clear sound due to his emotional fluctuation.
Elena turned around in surprise, her palms still bearing traces of red energy that danced like tiny lightning across her skin. "Mother—mother," she said in disbelief, her eyes filled with wonder and confusion.
"I'm fine," Lady Margaret said weakly, the aura around her body gradually stabilizing, indicating her life force was recovering.
Alexander's face bore a red mark from being slapped, his expression grim. His eyes flickered with dangerous golden light, as if suppressing some kind of power. That golden light was as dazzling as the sun, yet carried a cold majesty.
"Guards, take General Dumont and Lady Margaret away," Alexander commanded, waving his hand to make chains appear out of thin air, ready to restrain the prisoners.
Isabella immediately stepped forward and knelt down. In her hands, she gathered gentle white energy—a manifestation of her elven bloodline, capable of calming conflicts and alleviating pain.
"My lord, my stepmother was merely confused for a moment. She has already recognized her mistake. I beg you—" Isabella pleaded, as the white light extended toward Alexander, attempting to influence his emotions.
Elena interrupted Isabella, using her own energy to dispel the white light. Elena's red energy formed a stark contrast with Isabella's white energy, the two forces briefly clashing in the air before dissipating.
"Be quiet! My mother is innocent to begin with. She doesn't need you begging for mercy on her behalf. Today, no one is taking my mother away," Elena said firmly, her eyes flashing red—a display of her determination.
Alexander waved his hand, and the knights stepped forward. The runes on their armor began to glow as they prepared to carry out his orders.
"Kill anyone who dares to block us," Alexander said coldly, his voice carrying an intimidating pressure that made the surrounding air slightly distort.
The Count stepped forward at this moment, picking up the scepter again. The scepter reestablished its connection with him, emitting a faint glow.
"Lord Alexander, I hope you will investigate this matter quickly. I am waiting for you to give the Wester family an explanation," the Count said sternly, his scepter emitting threatening light, showing his determination.
Lady Margaret rose to her feet, supported by knights. Her amulet was forcibly removed, leaving her without protection.
"No, Mother!" Elena cried out, trying to release energy, but it was suppressed by Alexander and couldn't take effect.
"Don't do this! Please, no!" Lady Margaret said, struggling. During her struggle, the remaining energy inside her body fluctuated, forming a weak protective barrier, but it was quickly suppressed by the Black Hawk Guards' chains.
The sky once again revealed several lines of golden characters, and Elena raised her head, silently reciting them. These words were made of blood, slowly flowing, as if they possessed life.
"Margaret was wrongly accused and crashed into a pillar but didn't die, Elena slapped Alexander in desperation. What is this exactly? Could it be that everything written here is what will happen?" Elena pondered in her heart, beginning to understand the essence of the Book of Fate.
Elena rushed forward, weak energy gathering in her hand, attempting to stop the Black Hawk Guards from taking away her mother.
"Sir, don't stop me! Let me through!" Elena pleaded, the energy becoming unstable with her emotional fluctuations, forming tiny energy vortices in the air.
A few days later, Elena arrived at the Black Hawk Tower with her maid. The Black Hawk Tower was a special prison in the kingdom, specifically for detaining prisoners involved in royal secrets. The tower was surrounded by protective barriers, its walls carved with ancient runes that could suppress the abilities of prisoners inside while preventing external interference.
"What right do you have to block our lady!" the maid said angrily, the short staff in her hand emitting threatening light. This kind of short staff was standard equipment for noble maids, capable of releasing simple protective and offensive spells.
"This old woman—" the guard said disdainfully, his spear emitting an even stronger light, showing that his ability far surpassed the maid's.
"Who are you calling old? My lady is only eighteen, and I'm her personal attendant!" the maid said irritably, her short staff releasing a small spark, but this bit of energy was like an ant trying to shake a giant tree against the Black Hawk Tower's protective barrier.
At this moment, blood-colored text appeared again in the sky, and Elena looked up to read it. The text flowed slowly in the air, as if alive, presaging what was about to happen.
"Isabella brings Alexander honey cake, asking Alexander to take care of Margaret. The cake contains healing energy..." Elena read silently, then saw Isabella approaching from a distance, carrying a basket.
The basket was covered with a faint white glow—the characteristic of Isabella's elven bloodline. This energy was renowned for its healing and nourishing abilities, capable of accelerating wound healing, relieving pain, and even extending the freshness of food.
Isabella came before Alexander and handed him the basket. The cake in the basket emitted the fragrance of herbs—a mixture of "Moonlight Grass" and "Star Flower," both known for their powerful healing properties.
"It's cold in the tower, my lord. I hope you'll take care of my stepmother. Isabella has no way to repay you, only this homemade honey cake as a gift. I've added some family traditional healing herbs to it," Isabella said respectfully. The basket glowed with a faint white light, indicating the active energy within.
Alexander accepted the basket with a nod. Elena looked surprised; she hadn't expected Alexander would accept Isabella's gift. The energy from the basket briefly merged with Alexander's aura, showing that his power could harmoniously coexist with Isabella's energy—something extremely rare among nobles.
"How could someone so cruel accept something from her? That energy in the cake... is it truly healing energy?" Elena pondered, her expression changing from surprise to confusion.
"Why? Could it be that he really feels something...toward Isabella?" Elena felt a complex emotion rising in her heart. She was unwilling to admit it, but it was indeed jealousy.
After returning to her chamber, Elena sat before her dressing table, looking up at the golden characters floating in the air. The light orbs in the room flickered with her emotions, some even changing color due to unstable energy, from warm yellow to cold blue.
"Miss, please don't worry too much, there must still be a way—" the maid consoled, holding a comb to brush Elena's long hair. This comb, made from elven wood, kept hair glossy and smooth.
"There's a line of text here, can you see it?" Elena asked, pointing to the blood-colored words in the air. Those words were clearly visible to her, but invisible to ordinary people.
"Miss, please don't frighten me. I don't see anything," the maid answered in confusion. Her perception was far inferior to Elena's, unable to detect the presence of the Book of Fate.
"It's nothing. You may go," Elena waved her hand, dismissing the maid.
After the maid withdrew, Elena reached out and took a book from the air. This book was the Book of Fate, surrounded by blood-colored energy that seemed to resist her touch. The Book of Fate was no ordinary book; it was created by some ancient and powerful entity, possessing its own consciousness and will.
"The Book of Fate? Didn't I burn it to ashes?" Elena wondered inwardly.
Elena turned the pages of the book and saw "The twilight thrush perches on the blood oak throne, the arrow of divine judgment shatters illusions, the heart of beauty coils like a poisonous snake, doomed to die a violent death in the wilderness." These words were formed of blood, flowing slowly as if alive. They were not merely words, but prophecies—trajectories of fate.
"What nonsense!" Elena said angrily, a red light flashing in her eyes, the power of her ancient bloodline stirring within her.
Elena threw the book into the pond. The moment the book hit the water, unnaturally blood-red ripples spread across the surface before returning to normal. This phenomenon indicated that the Book of Fate was no ordinary item; its connection to this world was far deeper than it appeared on the surface.
The maid entered carrying pastries that glimmered with a faint light—a preservation and flavor-enhancing spell commonly used in noble household cooking.
"Miss, I know you've been feeling down these past few days, so I brought your favorite honey muffins. I added some calming herbs to them," the maid said caringly as she placed the pastry on the table. The dessert emitted a faint fragrance—the property of "Dream Grass," an herb known to soothe emotions and bring peaceful sleep.
"Take it away. I'm tired. You may leave now," Elena said absent-mindedly, her attention still focused on the mysteries of the Book of Fate.
After the maid left, Elena stared at the golden characters floating once again in the room. These were not ordinary letters, but projections from the Book of Fate, slowly flowing through the air as if alive, foretelling the direction of the future.
"When blood congeals, fate is forged. Today I heard you speak. Who exactly are you?" Elena demanded, gathering red energy in her hand—the power of the ancient bloodline within her.
There was no response, but the energy fluctuations in the air intensified, and the temperature in the room dropped several degrees. Suddenly, Elena felt dizzy, her vision began to distort, the surrounding scenery gradually disappeared, replaced by a strange and mysterious realm.
Elena was pulled by the Book of Fate into an illusory world, standing at the edge of a cliff. This was not the material world, but the "Realm of Fate"—a domain composed of pure energy. The surrounding scenery twisted and distorted, filled with energy fluctuations, the sky an unnatural blood-red color, as if the entire world was soaked in blood.
From the distance came verses from a bard, the voice seeming to come from all directions, echoing in this illusory world:
"Watch as he builds his tower high, watch as he feasts his guests with pride, watch as the tower falls and people die, the ancient bloodline awakens"
These verses were not ordinary poetry, but "Songs of Destiny"—an ancient form that could prophesy the future. Various voices echoed around, carrying resonance:
"Miss Elena is truly deserving of her status as the foremost noble lady of the kingdom, even the elven princess's talents cannot compare to hers."
"Even the elven princess is merely so-so, the bloodline flowing through her veins is far less ancient than Elena's."
Elena looked around but could see no one. Blood-colored energy permeated the air, forming complex runic patterns that constantly shifted, seemingly narrating some ancient story.
"Who's playing these tricks? What exactly are you? Why do you keep haunting me?" Elena demanded, gathering red energy in her hand, preparing to face any potential threats.
A blurry figure appeared, surrounding Elena. This figure was not an ordinary creature, but one made of blood, constantly changing shape, like a living mass of blood. It was the magic book, the creator of the Book of Fate, an ancient and mysterious existence.
"The twilight bird perches on the blood oak throne, the arrow of divine judgment shatters illusions, the heart of a beautiful woman entwines like a venomous snake, destined to meet a violent death in the wilderness." The magic book's voice carried an ancient resonance, as if coming from the depths of time.
"Is this prophecy for me? I remember you wrote that Isabella is kind-hearted, and the Duke's son falls in love with her at first sight. She will become the Duchess. What? Are you recording future events?" Elena questioned, her voice echoing in this illusory world.
"It is the past, present, and future of this story. My blood connects to the web of time," the magic book answered, its voice sounding like thousands speaking at once, both distant and near.
"Story?" Elena asked in confusion.
"That's right, the world you are in revolves around a protagonist named Isabella. She is the inheritor of light," the magic book explained, its form constantly changing—sometimes appearing human-like, sometimes beast-like, and sometimes transforming into a pure whirlpool of blood.
"Isabella is the protagonist? Then what am I?" Elena asked angrily, her eyes flashing with dangerous red light—a manifestation of the ancient bloodline power within her.
"Light needs darkness, good needs evil. She bears the blessing of the Holy Grail, while you are tainted with the curse of malevolence. Ancient blood flows through your veins, but you are destined to become her opposite," the magic book answered, its voice carrying the authority of fate.
"I'm malevolent? How am I malevolent?" Elena asked in confusion.
The scene suddenly changed, showing Elena punishing a maid. This was one of the abilities of the Book of Fate, which could display scenes from the past, present, and future. Dangerous red energy emanated from between Elena's fingers as the maid struggled in the water, suffering terribly.
"Sister, although Lucy is a maid, all lives are equally valuable regardless of status. How could you—" Isabella in the scene pleaded, white healing energy gathering in her hands as she tried to help the suffering maid.
"Let me go!" Lucy cried out as she struggled, the water surface forming ripples from her movements—a natural reaction of energy to life.
"Those who don't follow the rules must be punished. I'm already being merciful by sparing her life. Who do you think you are to argue with me?" Elena in the scene said coldly, red light flickering in her eyes, indicating that her power was being activated by negative emotions.
Elena looked at this scene, her expression complex. She noticed the red glow in her own eyes in the scene—the mark of the ancient bloodline within her, and also a manifestation of when she lost control of her emotions.
"Your cursed soul will eventually bow before the judgment seat of fate. Isabella is destined to be the ruler, and you are destined to be the slave—this is fate. The ancient bloodline within you, if not controlled, will only lead you to destruction," the magic book said solemnly, its form growing larger, almost filling the entire illusory space.
"A mere tattered book wants to decide my fate? My destiny is determined by me alone!" Elena shouted angrily, the red energy in her hand exploding, forming a shockwave that spread in all directions.
The voice of the magic book became grave, the blood-colored energy fluctuations intensified, forming a massive vortex that surrounded Elena.
"Chapter seventeen, Margaret perishes in a sea of flames. The ancient fire will devour everything," the magic book proclaimed, its voice like thunder, shaking the entire illusory world.
The scene changed again, showing Lady Margaret in a sea of fire. This was no ordinary flame, but the "Fire of Destiny"—an ancient energy capable of burning souls. The flames appeared unnaturally blood-red, seemingly alive, each tongue of fire like a greedy serpent, licking Lady Margaret's body.
"Save me, Elena, save me!" Lady Margaret cried out heart-rendingly, as the shield around her collapsed—her last line of defense.
"Mother, Mother—!" Elena tried to pass through the flames to save her mother, but the fire strongly resisted her energy, preventing her from getting close.
Elena jolted awake, sitting up from her dream. Her palm flickered with faint red energy—the power of the ancient bloodline within her responding to her emotions.
"Oh no!" Elena realized that the prophecy of the Book of Fate might come true, and she must act immediately to save her mother.
Elena arrived at the entrance of the Black Hawk Tower, pleading with the guard. The barrier surrounding the Black Hawk Tower flickered with blue light, capable of blocking most attacks and intrusions.
"Guard, I need to see my mother. Please help me," Elena begged, secretly holding a small charm in her hand—a charm that could briefly influence others' judgment, making them more receptive to suggestions.
"Hurry up," the guard said after hesitating, temporarily lowering his guard under the influence of the charm.
Elena entered the Black Hawk Tower, searching frantically. The walls inside the tower were carved with ancient runes that emitted a faint glow. These runes formed a complex array that suppressed the abilities of prisoners while preventing outside interference.
"Mother—Mother. Mother—Mother. Where are you?" Elena called out, the red energy on her palm helping her sense her mother's location—a natural response of their blood connection.
"Elena, is that you?" Lady Margaret's weak voice came through, seemingly transmitted through some kind of energy, penetrating the barriers of Black Hawk Tower.
"Mother—Mother!" Elena advanced following her sense, her energy resonating with her mother's life force, guiding her forward.
At this moment Alexander appeared, his eyes flickering with golden light, sensing Elena's energy. Alexander's golden energy formed a stark contrast with Elena's red energy, the two energies subtly interacting in the air, producing slight ripples.
"Who let you in?" Alexander asked coldly, his voice carrying an intimidating pressure that made the surrounding air slightly distort.
"Sir, I came to visit my mother," Elena replied, attempting to hide the energy in her hands, but under Alexander's perception, this was futile.
"Get out," Alexander commanded, waving his hand and releasing a force of expulsion—an energy capable of forcibly pushing the target away from the caster.
Elena pretended to leave, but suddenly pulled out her silver hairpin and stabbed it toward Alexander. The pin flickered with red light—the attack energy she had infused into it. But her attack was easily stopped by Alexander, who locked her throat, his hand glowing with suppression runes that could temporarily seal the opponent's abilities.
"You're asking for death!" Alexander rebuked angrily, his eyes blazing with golden light, releasing powerful pressure.
Unexpectedly, Elena actually smiled, her eyes flashing with a hint of red light—a sign that her plan had succeeded.
"What are you smiling at?" Alexander asked in confusion.
"You just shattered the bracelet personally bestowed upon me by Her Majesty the Queen, which is a serious crime," Elena said triumphantly, pointing to the broken bracelet on the ground. The energy from the bracelet was dissipating, forming tiny vortices—typical of high-level items when damaged.
"Those who attempt to assassinate the Black Hawks shall be killed without mercy," Alexander said coldly, with blue flames flickering on his sword—the "Frost Flame," an ancient energy capable of freezing the souls of enemies.
"My lord, perhaps you'd like to see how I'm attempting to assassinate you," Elena said, then switched to pleading. "My lord didn't mean to break the bracelet. It's all a misunderstanding. Elena can pretend not to have seen this matter. As long as my lord can release my mother."
Alexander tightened his chokehold, the runes on his hand glowing stronger, releasing more powerful suppressive force.
"I determine the truth here," Alexander threatened, golden light flashing in his eyes, indicating his energy was accumulating.
Elena couldn't breathe, tears streaming down her face. Her tears were not ordinary tears, but "Magic Tears" containing faint energy, which created a slight reaction when they fell on Alexander's hand, forming tiny sparks.
"I beg you, my lord, spare my mother," Elena pleaded weakly.
Alexander saw her tears, his expression dazed as he fell into memories. His eyes flickered with golden light, as if struggling against some power—the ancient bloodline within him intertwining with memories of the past.
In the flashback, young Alexander watched as his mother was dragged away. His mother was no ordinary person, but a powerful ability user. The talismans on her body were forcibly removed—talismans that had been used to hide her true identity.
"Don't hurt my mother!" young Alexander shouted, a golden light flashing in his eyes—a sign of the first awakening of the ancient bloodline within him.
"Don't hurt my son!" Alexander's mother pleaded, her voice carrying a resonance that revealed her extraordinary ability.
As the memory ended, Alexander released Elena, who straightened her disheveled clothes while Alexander averted his gaze. The golden light in his eyes gradually diminished, indicating his emotions were calming down.
"He dares not look at me? His eyes... that golden light seems to hide some secret," Elena pondered, noticing Alexander's unusual behavior.
Elena suddenly unfastened the ties of her outer garment, the runes on her clothing glowing faintly. These runes were part of advanced protection, capable of activating automatically in moments of danger to protect the wearer.
"Lord Alexander, as long as you can spare my mother, I am willing to do whatever you want," Elena said, her voice carrying a subtle enchantment—a low-level influencing ability that could make the target more receptive to suggestions.
"You, a noble lady, willing to abandon your reputation?" Alexander asked, resisting the influence of the enchantment.
"What does reputation matter? As long as my lord is willing, I don't care what happens to me," Elena replied, her fingers lightly touching her neck, leaving a faint red mark—a manifestation of the ancient bloodline power within her.
Elena continued to undo her belt, the runes on the belt flickering. Alexander panicked, his eyes alternating between golden and red light, as if struggling with some force—the ancient bloodline within him interacting with Elena's blood power.
"Guards!" Alexander shouted, his voice carrying authority that made the air throughout the tower tremble.
Footsteps approached, accompanied by the glow of runes on armor—the insignia of the Black Hawk Guards, indicating the arrival of Alexander's subordinate.
"My lord?" the knight inquired.
Alexander quickly removed his cloak to cover Elena. The runes on the cloak automatically adjusted its size, completely wrapping around Elena—a feature of advanced fabric that could change shape and size as needed.
"Get out!" Elena commanded the knight, her voice carrying an authority typically only wielded by high-level ability users.
"Yes," the knight answered, affected, and immediately withdrew. This indicated that Elena's pressure had reached a considerably high level, capable of influencing even the trained Black Hawk Guards.
After the knight left, Elena suddenly knelt down. A faint prophetic aura appeared around her—another manifestation of the ancient bloodline within her, enabling her to glimpse fragments of the future briefly.
"My lord. This Black Hawk Tower is about to catch fire. I beg you, my mother will burn to death. Please hurry to save people, my lord I beg you!" Elena pleaded, the prophetic aura flickering, showing that her prophecy was forming.
"Rest assured, this Black Hawk Tower will not lack food for your mother," Alexander said disbelievingly, golden light flashing in his eyes, seemingly resisting the influence of the prophecy.
"What?" Elena asked confusedly.
The text of the Book of Fate appeared in the air again, blood-colored words flowing slowly in the air, foretelling what was about to happen.
"It's useless, he can't hear it. The power of the ancient bloodline has been sealed, and prophecies cannot affect him," the voice of the magic book echoed in Elena's mind with a hint of mockery.
Elena rose urgently, gathering red energy in her hands, preparing to forcibly rescue her mother.
"Mother—!" Elena shouted, but Alexander covered her mouth and took her outside. His hands glowed with suppression runes, temporarily sealing Elena's abilities.
Meanwhile, in the Prince's mansion, the Prince and Count Wester were in a private conversation. Sound-blocking barriers surrounded the room, with runes on the walls glowing faintly, preventing outsiders from eavesdropping. This type of barrier was high-level protection, typically only used by royal family members and high-ranking nobles.
"General Dumont and Lady Margaret have been imprisoned for days. What exactly is Alexander trying to do?" asked the Prince, the scepter in his hand emitting a faint glow, indicating his fluctuating emotions.
"Alexander doesn't have the authority to torture General Dumont. What I'm worried about now is my Margaret, who has witnessed my interactions with various officials. She is a fragile lady, and I fear she won't be able to withstand Alexander's methods for more than a few days," the Count said worriedly, weak energy flickering between his fingers—a natural response when he was nervous.
"We need to think of a way to rescue her as soon as possible," said the Prince, the glow of his scepter intensifying, showing his determination.
"Rest assured, Your Highness. I will not let her say what she shouldn't say," the Count promised, taking out a small bottle from his pocket, the liquid inside displaying an unnaturally dark green color. This was no ordinary potion, but "Water of Oblivion"—a deadly poison that could take life silently.
The Prince and the Count exchanged meaningful glances. The liquid in the bottle glowed faintly, emanating a dangerous aura.
In the evening, Black Hawk Tower suddenly caught fire, with flames appearing unnaturally blood-red, as if they had a life of their own. This was no ordinary fire, but one caused by the ancient "blood flame"—an energy that could burn souls and was almost impossible to extinguish. The barrier began to collapse, with runes extinguishing one after another, losing their protective function.
Margaret was trapped in the fire, with flames seemingly consciously approaching her, forming an ever-shrinking circle around her.
"Save me!" Margaret cried out in anguish, trying to protect herself with a weak shield, but her abilities were limited, and the shield would soon collapse.
Guards were running in all directions, some attempting to extinguish the fire with water abilities, but the flames seemed resistant to ordinary energy. Water streams evaporated immediately upon contact with the flames, forming eerie red vapor. Alexander arrived at the scene, his eyes blazing with golden light as he perceived the essence of the flames.
"There are still many people trapped inside. The fire is growing, and it might be dangerous to enter now. This fire... is not ordinary fire," the deputy reported, holding a crystal that displayed the situation inside the tower. This type of crystal was standard equipment for the Black Hawk Guards, capable of remotely monitoring specific areas.
"What caused the fire?" Alexander asked, gathering blue energy in his hand, preparing to deal with this crisis.
"We don't know yet. Miss Elena just rushed in. She seemed to... use some kind of energy to break through our defense line," the deputy answered, clearly surprised by Elena's abilities.
Alexander paused after hearing this, looking toward the Black Hawk Tower engulfed in raging flames. Within the flames, there seemed to be faces struggling in pain—one of the characteristics of "Blood Flame," able to manifest the suffering of those being burned.
From above, the Black Hawk Tower appeared engulfed in towering flames that formed the shape of a massive blood-red raven before dissipating into the night sky. This raven shape was not coincidental, but rather the symbol of the Book of Fate, signaling that a turning point in destiny had arrived.
