章 377: [73.1] A Heart Starting to Heal

I followed Asmonious down the bottom of the hill, chasing him as I shouted, "What?! What is it?!"

"Blood! I smell blood! A lot of it!!!"

I felt something malicious slam into the barrier and shivered. It felt like a deliberate attack, but luckily it didn't create a breakage.

He's right. Something is going on!

I grabbed him and pulled him up onto the ice chunk to travel faster. Once we got closer, I suddenly realized there was a woman covered in blood inside of my barrier while two were standing outside. She was lying face down barely breathing.

A man I had grown to hate with a passion was tapping the barrier. Orphelio pursed his lips, "Huh. There's something here."

A priestess was beside him trying to use her weapon to slash open the barrier, but it wasn't working. She glared at it, "I can't break it open."

I jumped off my ice chunk, "Asmonious! Stay inside and help her!"

I landed outside of the barrier and felt a burst of energy explode out of my body as I screamed at them, "GET LOST!"

Orphelio quickly jumped to the side, avoiding my attack, but the priestess wasn't as lucky. She burst into flames, screaming in pain as the flames turned to ice. He frowned as he stared at her frozen corpse, "Hey. That was the top-ranking priestess I spent years training. Now I'm going to have to find another Alora."

I clenched my fists, breathing out smoke while I glared at him. "Get. LOST!"

He smiled at me, his face lighting up in excitement as he soon forgot about the priestess, "No way! You actually live on this mountain!? I had no idea the rumors were true!!! Does that mean my darling pup is here too!?"

I felt the char on my skin crawling up on my arms as fire burst at my feet, "I said get lost!!!!"

I sent another wave of fire at him which he was able to avoid. He looked past me and tried to see through the barrier, however, the barrier masked Asmonious who was just standing behind it. A sadistic grin started to spread across his face, "My darling pup~ I know you're in there. Father is here, so come out and greet him, will you?"

Asmonious stared forward, his body trembling and his eyes wide.

I screamed out fueled by a blinding rage, "DON'T MAKE ME ASK AGAIN!!!"

Another burst of fire was thrown from my hands which he wasn't able to completely avoid. His arm was caught in the path of the fire and was completely obliterated. However, instead of screaming out in pain, he laughed hysterically instead.

"WOW! No wonder Vira told me to retreat if I ever come across you… You are strong! Like REALLY strong! HAHA!"

As he spoke, an arm started reforming from the open wound.

My eyes widened in shock.

Is he…

Is he like the Swordmaster!?

His smile turned sinister, "You would be SUPER fun to play with."

This is bad…

Really bad…

Why didn't the Swordmaster ever mention there was another person like her!?

I felt my heart racing and my palms burning. I growled as I tried to hide my fear, "Leave before I show you just how strong I am!"

He held up his hands with an innocent look, "Okay, okay! I'm going! I'm going! Don't get so angry. We are family, aren't we? You are the new mother to my son-"

"-BASTARD!"

He turned around and sprinted as I shot more fireballs and ice at him. However, I knew it wouldn't be smart to chase him down so I eventually grinded my teeth and entered the barrier. I could see Asmonious frozen in place, staring past the barrier in fear.

I ran over to the woman lying face down on the ground, her arms holding something. I shouted at Asmonious, "Help me push her over!"

He still stared forward, his eyes wide.

I shouted, "ASMONIOUS!"

He finally snapped out of it, "O-Oh! Right!"

He helped me push her over onto her back. Her face was covered in blood and her horns were both broken. She stared at me in a daze, tightly holding a bundle of blankets to her chest.

I placed my hand on her cheek, "Are you okay?"

Her eyes weakly fluttered, "Great… Fairy?"

I nodded, "Some… Some call me that."

A calm smile spread across her pale face, "I… I made it… I saved them…"

"Them?"

"Great Fairy… I beg you… Please take my babies… Their father died… And I'm… I'm not going to make it either… But they said you'll take in broken horned demons… So please…"

"Huh?! Babies!?"

Asmonious took the bundle in his arms from hers, "Master… Look."

He showed me two small babies that looked to be newly born. The babies were nearly identical, even down to the broken horn on their forehead. They both had coarse black hair with small fox ears and tails protruding from their head. The only difference between the two was that one was a boy and one was a girl.

Twins.

They were twins.

She held my hand with pleading eyes, "Please treat them like your own babies."

I gulped hard and shook my head, "I won't have to because you're going to live. Asmonious, hold them while I help her."

He nodded quickly and I summoned an ice chunk, pulling the woman onto it. We flew back up the mountain, and it was only then that I realized the horrible state of the woman. She was covered in injuries and was even missing a foot. There was clear evidence of torture and poison. It was amazing that she was still even alive.

How did she even manage to bring those two babies here while being chased in that state?

As I pondered this, I felt the woman's hand slip from my grip and looked at her in a panic. Her eyes were dull, staring at the sky without blinking. She wore a slight smile as if she was happy.

I quickly felt for a pulse, my gaze harshening as I waited.

Asmonious looked at me anxiously, "Master?"

I shook my head slowly, my expression grave, "Let's take her to the other side of the mountain… I don't want the children to see."

After we arrived, I lowered my ice chunk and gently pulled her off. I covered her body with my cloak, closing her eyes as I gave a silent prayer.

"Master… What are we going to do about the babies? Are we going to keep them here?"

I was too afraid to look at the babies in his arms while nausea began to churn my stomach. I stepped away from them covering my mouth in disgust, "No… I can't! I can't have babies around me! C-Children are already a big leap for me, b-but babies are impossible! I can't! I just can't!"

"Then what should we do, Master? Those villagers won't treat them well…."

"I-I don't know… I just… I just can't-"

Hearing a small giggle, I looked at the babies he was holding out to me. The twin boy had opened up his red jeweled eyes, reaching out to me as he giggled happily.

He had no idea about the horrors just before he woke up.

As I stared at those darling red eyes and small hands, I felt like I was suddenly thrown backward. I crashed into a wall behind me and sat up in surprise to find myself in a hospital bed. I looked around in confusion, "Where…"

I stood up, leaving the room to find an abandoned hallway.

Wait…

Isn't this from-

A ball rolled toward me, but I ignored it and turned left. As I walked, the sound of a baby crying grew louder until I finally reached the door.

I stared at it, mesmerized by the familiar sight and watched as the knob turned, opening on its own.

I took a deep breath, stepping into the room with the crib in the center.

I waited to hear a voice, enticing me to look, but all I could hear were the sounds of baby coos.

Last time…

Wasn't the baby crying?

I gulped and stepped closer, my heart racing with unease. As I slowly looked over the edge of the crib, my eyes shot open in surprise.

Two twins were inside, giggling and reaching out for me. Their fox ears and red jeweled eyes were so adorable. I felt tears rushing down my cheeks from their looks of love and adoration only a child could look at his mother with. I slowly reached out to them, picking them both up and bringing them both close to my chest.

I nuzzled my head against both of them, "My babies…"

"...Master?"

Asmonious was behind me, rubbing my back, "So will we keep them?"

I tried to stop my tears, but they continued to rush down my cheeks. The scenery of the hospital gradually faded away until I was back on the mountain, holding the babies while Asmonious stood with his hand on my back to comfort me.

I nodded slowly, "Yeah… We will keep them."

The babies grabbed at my hair and ears, nuzzling back as if it were natural.

Asmonious chuckled, "I think they like you, Master."

I smiled softly, feeling the cracks in my heart hurt a little less than before. "Come. Let's get them situated then come back to give their mother a proper burial."