Resident Evilove (Lady Alcina Dimitrescu - Resident Evil)

Chapter 14 - Sincere Regrets

Am i dead ? Have I been freed from the weight of suffering? That's what Mathias thought as he felt himself leaving, as light as a feather and feeling absolutely nothing, not even the touch of his skin ... was that how his life ended? Die in the cold and the darkness, in a remote and mountainous region of Transylvania?

As he felt more and more light, flashes came back to him ... he relived happy moments of his childhood, when both his parents were still alive ... he saw the day when he could finally do edit his first novel and start his writing career ... but also, other darker images returned ...

Again, Mathias relives this ritual place at the top of the hill, surrounded by these medieval ruins ... the four pillars of the four houses, as well as the fifth central pillar with the dragon coat of arms... but this time, a new element was added to the decor. Around the place of pagan ceremony, among the ruins and forming a perfect square, were four large stone statues, about ten meters high each. These four statues, worn by time, represented four kings, seated on stone thrones, and all appearing to look towards the center of the ceremonial place with their stern and inanimate gazes. However, Mathias also noticed a fifth location, empty, as if a fifth statue was supposed to have been there but had disappeared ...

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The first thing Mathias felt, his eyes still closed, was the pleasant, invigorating warmth that had replaced the biting and howling wind, surrounding him and gently caressing his face. Beneath him he no longer felt the hard, cold snow at all, but comfortable silk sheets, and the back of his head rested on a large feather pillow. For a moment, he believed he had crossed the veil of death and arrived in Heaven after being deemed worthy to go.

Painfully opening his eyelids, Mathias moaned weakly as he awoke and gradually regained his sight. He was no longer in the forest, but in a modest-sized but nonetheless richly decorated room, with white walls adorned with gold patterns, blue curtains at the window, and a small chandelier hanging from the ceiling. He was lying in a single bed, protected by a scarlet blanket that warmed him. In a corner of the room, there was a small fireplace where a few logs were burning bringing this precious heat.

But as he regained his senses emerging with difficulty from his torpor, Mathias felt a still sharp pain in his shoulder. He looked under his white shirt, to see that he had a bandage on his injured shoulder. Then his gaze lifted, and he noticed that he was not alone in the room. Lady Alcina Dimitrescu was there, seated at the bedside, and showed a reassured expression to see the young man awake at last. Mathias' first reaction upon seeing the countess was to gasp in surprise and fear, receding into bed as much as possible. Seeing him panicking, Alcina got up and, as delicately as possible, came to take his hand and hold his head to prevent him from banging his head against the head of the bed or falling to the floor.

_ "Everything is fine, Mathias. Calm down, everything is fine. You are safe now, in the castle. Fortunately, the gods heard my prayer. For a moment, I thought I lost you." she said for the first time in a reassuring voice.

Mathias looked at her, still in shock, and having a hard time believing her at first.

Then, his memory too began to return little by little from limbo ... he remembered, she had surprised him in her quarters and in a fit of extreme rage, had almost wanted to kill him ... but then she saved him from those religious fanatics in the forest, when he had been hit by this arrow ...

Gradually managing to control his breathing and calm his still troubled mind, Mathias got back into bed, resting his head on the pillow, under the attentive gaze and benevolent astonishment of Alcina who readjusted the blanket to allow Mathias to not to be cold.

_ "L ... Lady Dimitrescu?" Mathias moaned, feeling his throat slightly dry. "What happened?"

_ "The arrow that hit you in the shoulder was coated with poison. But I was able to stop the progress in time. You have nothing to fear now." she replied, sitting down in her chair, staying by the bed to watch over the young man.