Fate II

CCXXV

Masrur stood there in the sky, his long, wild white hair resembling that of a lion's mane billowing lightly in the breeze. His chest heaved up and down as he panted for breath, his golden eyes still wary of their surroundings as they looked around. In his silver-white and golden decorated armor, he looked every bit like a God of War

Tomoyo widened her eyes as tears fell one by one upon seeing that  unmistakable pale golden hair that shimmered like fairy dust.  "Lucy-sama!" she yelled.

"Lucy..." Wu Kong furrowed his brows in  anguish and pain, the tears threatening to fall as he finally felt he  could breathe again.

Seeing her safe in Masrur's arms, Sinbad  clenched his teeth and gulped back the torrent of emotions that consumed  his body. His chest tightened up and breathed, his lips trembling as  his amber eyes glowed softly with utter happiness and relief. He  lamented his own uselessness and found himself utterly hopeless for not  being able to help but seeing her alive and safe, the tears rolled down  his face as the cold exterior he had built melted away, leaving nothing  but a man who was hopelessly in love with the girl who was his whole  world.

"Thank god," he breathed, crouching down and burrowing  his face in his hands, the tears falling one by one. "Thank god she's  okay."

This was the third time.

The first time he had sworn  to protect her and the second time he vowed to find the culprit behind  it all but, in the end, he was unable to do either, and instead, his  uselessness lead to the third time. He gritted his teeth, hating it all  and hating the world who wished to rid of her. But, most of all, he  despised himself for not being able to do anything for her and instead,  always leaving it to her Retainers. No matter how strong he got or how much he tried, it was as if fate was intent on interfering with her life and his life which he had tied to hers

The fated calamity...

He gritted his teeth and clenched his hands into fists. He was well aware that Kouen was Lucy's fated calamity, hence why he had been so eager to get her out of the Imperial Palace and away from him. He loved her. He loved her to the point where he'd rather let the world end instead of letting her die. But, fate was not so easy to change. For the very reason that Kouen was her calamity, he was also the very person who could be said to be her fated one. The two's fates had been predetermined from the very beginning and just the idea of the two being fated to be together, he could feel the bloodlust rising.

Glaring down at the despicable and heinous with loathing and disgust, Kougyoku's face went white with fear as she felt the immense bloodlust that consumed her in an instance, her already feeble body collapsing and trembling from the immense pressure.

"The Imperial Ren bloodline..." Sinbad walked to her with a dark, maddened expression. "You siblings really are one and the same."

Kougyoku coughed and choked as she gasped for air, unable to handle the concentrated magoi in the air. She could feel her airways closing in on her and her lungs compressing as he wished nothing more than to get rid of her. The tears welled up in her eyes out of fear and despair. She saw the looks those present gave her, she bit her lower lip in anger and frustration as the tears streamed down her face.

Why...?! Why do you look at me like that?! she collapsed under Sinbad's overwhelming and dominating aura. I did nothing wrong! I only wanted to be happy! I only wanted to take back what was mine! It's all her fau-!"

But, before she could lash out any more thoughts that held not a single ounce of regret or shame, she saw her own reflection in the broken mirror that had been collateral from the collapse of the Soleil Palace. Collapsed there on the ground, she saw her own disheveled look and most of all, the ugly being whom she had become. Her eyes widened in shock and her lips trembled as she saw herself, unwilling to believe that the woman she saw in the mirror was her. But, it was undeniably her. The tears began to well up in her eyes as her mind cleared up, realizing just how revolting she had become — just like the women of the Imperial Harem she swore she would never become.