He slowly extended his hand so as not to startle her and gently touched her leg. Her body rocked with small sobs that escaped her. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

Xiran reached down and began to break the chains that had bound her ankles. The ugly red scars stared back at him and his blood boiled yet again.

He then reached back and threw open the shackles that held her wrists together, freeing her hands. The wrists were bruised and turning purple just like her ankles. There were so many bruises and scars on her body that he couldn’t even count.

Her hands instantly went to her ankles and she rubbed them before lifting her head and finally gazing up at his expectant eyes. Tears shimmered under the light and fell, with a shaking hand he reached out and brushed them away.

"Xiran," she hoarsely called out, her emotions choking her voice. She was shattered and ashamed.

"Shh! Come here," he extended his arms trying to collect her broken self into his comforting embrace. She finally stirred and he wrapped his steady arms around her, plastering her to his bare chest. His wings formed a protective barrier all around her, and she soaked in all the love all the comfort and all the solace he had to offer.

"I am so sorry, so very sorry. I couldn’t protect you. You are my lifeline and I can’t survive without you," the thought of what would have happened if he hadn’t been able to break those chains was haunting him. Although he didn’t understand the changes he and her went through in the past few hours, Xiran was certain the universe was in their favour now.

The solace of his embrace and warmth, made a profound serenity wash over her, dissolving the barriers that held back her emotions. Overwhelmed by the comfort he provided, the elven girl could no longer contain her feelings, and her tears flowed even more freely, descending on the ridges of his chest, bearing witness to the depth of her vulnerability.

"I got you, this was the last time someone has ever hurt what’s mine," he slowly pressed his face in her locks and tenderly kissed her. His hand delicately rubbed her bare back, easing her heart and his own as their rhythms combined and their beats became one.

"How did you get free?" she finally lifted her head to gaze at his handsome face. He was keenly watching her with tender affection gleaming in his eyes, a depth of love they held, reserved exclusively for her.

All the blackened veins had disappeared from his face and body. She lifted her hand and rested it against his right cheek and he caressed it down to her bruised wrist before saying;

"I don’t know, something has happened to my body," her gaze trekked down to his inked neck and torso, where silvery patterns adorned his once flawless skin and she was baffled. His shirt was open so she could easily see his body.

Aselia’s fingers trailed them as he softly watched, the visible part of his right arm had a similar design. Her fingertips left small sparks everywhere they grazed him and the beautiful design gleaned silver wherever she touched him, like some touch-sensitive lights. His skin tingled and illuminated under her fingertips.

Then her eyes fell on his wings, the ridges had a silver lining to them now which didn’t exist before. They were grazing and nudging her skin and she trailed them with her index and middle finger.

"Mesmerising!" she murmured as the tip of his wing wiped away the last of her tears that lingered on the edges of her long lashes.

"How did you survive that serum he injected in you? I saw your irises blacken and your veins ink, even the tips of your hair had started to blacken and then everything reversed. How?" his wings still caressed her injured cheeks.

"It’s a long story. I will tell you after we end your father," he nodded in confusion as he was still perplexed at the turn of events and changes that didn’t make sense to them. But the conviction that resonated in his heart told him the universe was aligning itself to conspire in their favour now.

Her eyes finally landed on the remains of the man that had wronged her and her breath hitched and she stole a look at Xiran.

"Is it wrong to say I don’t feel sorry that you killed him?" his hands instantly cupped her face, pinning her with his gaze he answered:

"No, he had this coming. He had the chance to walk away. He was no brother of mine," there was a hint of extreme sadness in his eyes and she didn’t miss it. But the most prominent emotion was the disappointment he felt for the man he considered his brother. He had the chance to walk the right path and he squashed it.

"I want to be the one to kill your father, will you help me end him?" She calmly asked as his thumbs grazed her cheeks before descending on her lower lip which had a nasty gnash. His thumb lingered over it so he wouldn’t hurt her.

"Yes, let’s get this done with so we can finally go home," Silver-haired vampire leaned in to claim her wounded lips, to take some of the pain away, but she turned her head away from him, the action alone jagged his heart and screamed in pain.

"I will decide when you can kiss me again," she removed his hands from her face and he let her go with a sigh, folding his wings. He knew she was angry for taking her memories and he was about to be punished for it. Her face said it all.

She awkwardly began rubbing her arm while chewing on her lower lip, Aselia eyed her torn-bloody shirt on the floor, and he knew she was uncomfortable with her nudity.

He instantly took off his shirt. "Turn around," he instructed. She quizzically gazed up at him and then at the shirt he was holding before quietly obeying. He helped her with it. She quietly wore it and turning her around he buttoned it up so she would feel less vulnerable. He left the top button open so the collar won’t hurt her bruised neck. His anger was surging again seeing the state of it.

"I will bandage your neck soon," Xiran lifted the hair from her neck which had been matted with her blood and was plastered there.

Walking to her back, he gathered her hair and finger-combed them. Her blood dyed his fingertips red and that intoxicating smell overwhelmed him almost making his fangs protrude. But he nipped the urges and just straightened her hair as much as he could.

Dividing them into three parts Xiran began to braid them. Aselia stood still, letting him do it. It had been almost two years since he braided them last. Once done and satisfied he said:

"All done. Let’s go," he offered her a small smile and his large hand and she placed hers in his, avoiding eye contact. They moved towards the door.

Xiran kicked it open and they exited it, heading to the top where his father was.

-------------

On an entirely different planet, an ethereal being woke up with a jerk as if a nightmare had unsettled him. His greyish orbs with freckles of lime green in them were wide as if his mind was replaying the dream he just had.

"It can’t be," he whispered to himself and stared down his naked torso where the same pattern had been inked in his flawless skin, the one which had appeared on Xiran a while ago. Tips of it were glowing silver, the pattern shifting as if trying to inform him of some long-hidden truth.

He left his comfy resting place and threw upon his sinewy body a long flowy diaphanous gown with intricate silver embroidery. He then braided his long silvery hair from both sides and let the back hair hang loose.

The angel-like being left his chamber and almost glided towards another one. His walk was so sophisticated and graceful that his feet didn’t even seem to touch the ground, even though he was in a hurry.

Reaching the chamber with a white door of some unknown material, he swiftly knocked. A feathery female voice sounded from inside:

"You may enter."

He opened the door and approached the white silken abode in which resided a delicately celestial lady. Her skin so smooth and soft as if dipped in milk.

"Kahuis (Good Morning) Ma!" he greeted her with a wide smile.

"Kahuis! My son. What brings you here so early?" she inquired a bit perplexed. Her son seemed a bit agitated even with that smile on his face.

"I felt something after all these years. The pathway lit up just now and woke me," he replied with a twinkle flashing in his mesmerising eyes. She sat up straight and her eyes dilated as her mouth flew open, revealing her astonishment.

"It can only mean that she found a mate and has a son who became of age. My precious girl could be alive," she sing-songed in excitement, clutching her son’s hand. Tears rolled down her fluffy red cheeks.

"There is only one way to find out. I am going there because now I have the location," he smiled back which brightened up his extremely handsome face and gently squeezed his mother’s hands.