INCENSE

Chapter 40

"Rupert!" We chorused.

"What did you do to her?!" Cauis furiously asked.

"If I can't have her. I'll kill her."

Susunggaban na sana siya ni Cauis pero he stopped after Rupert threatened him.

"Kill me or she die."

Ha snap and automatically I move in place slowly going to the edge of the stage where a river of fire awaits me. Hindi ako makapagsalita. Pilit kong hindi humakbang pero wala akong kontrol sa katawan ko. My whole body is stiff. All I could to is shiver and cry. I was 2 meters away from the edge.   It was hot. Tumatagaktak ang pawis ko. I saw Dinara came flying towards us. I thought it was a relief that she will save us but before she could reach us a big metal net trapped her and she was pulled down on the ground. She was captured by the knights. No this can't be! She was struggling. I bite my lips. It was my fault that I drag them in this situation. What should I do? I saw in my peripheral view that Caius and Rupert are fighting to death. Only if Rupert die can I be saved?

Napagtanto ko na kahit anong gawin ko, death will always catching up to me. I had enough. I thought everything will be okay but for as long as I live, I suffer great. Cauis was cornered by Rupert with a sword. He's trying his best to pull it out from his neck.

"Adel!" Cauis shouted.

It was three steps before I could reach the end. I can't stop myself from moving. Maybe it's the end.

Cauis forcefully give his full power to pull out the sword in his neck pushing Rupert on the ground. When Rupert's sword was fall in the ground, Cauis quickly get it and slashed Rupert's head.

"Adel!!! Noo!!!"

All I've wanted is a peaceful life. Maybe if I could be more responsible and much stronger, maybe I wouldn't be gone to Edessa. Maybe if I have been more intelligent maybe I could supress uncle and help my father. Maybe if I could have been better, I can be useful for everyone. All I did was cry and be afraid. I am totally an idiot. I always made the same mistake again. Kahit anong gawin kong tama, mali pa rin. Everyone sacrifices their lives just to protect me. But I did nothing to repay it. I didn't deserve to live nor be with him because I always giving a burden onto his life. Maybe if I die, will the world become peaceful? I just wanted to live a happy life but maybe I can have it when in afterlife.

When Cauis look at my direction, it was too late. He runs as fast as he could to reach me but I already fall from the stage. In the last minute, I couldn't reached his hands. I close my eyes. I'm sorry. If I could have been strong enough to hold on I hope we could have a better ending.

Following Adel's descent from the fire pool. Lucas pulled Cauis back when he attempted to jump. The northern reinforcements arrived at that point and defeated the Rupertian knights who had been guarding and releasing the kidnapped dragons. They were all aware that their king had sailed alone in the Dante according to what Lucas had informed them, as well as the information Callisto had delivered. Aware of the reality, they To the event, they all took flight. It was a full scale war. It was chaotic. In Cauis time, it was moving slowly. He bowed his head. Crying in frustration and rage about failing to save his beloved. His pain was audible throughout the square. After some time, the rain started to pour heavily. Dinara, the dragon saw how sorrow the king was.

"Cauis, its not your fault." Lucas tried to comfort him but ot just gotten worst.

"There's no meaning in life if I can't be with her." Cauis said.

The dragon went in the direction of Cauis and threw up a stone in front of him. The dragon wishes to help the king, but the emperor was in the dark about everything else.

"What is this?" The king asked.

"Bring her back. Wish for her to comeback." The dragon suddenly speak to the king.

The king was taken aback by what happened. Dinara the dragon eventually starts to shine and then slowly fades away like a dandelion flower. She gives up her life to bring Adel back. Without a sacrifice, one cannot find salvation.

The dragon roared for the final time as she vanished without a trace, saying, "I don't want to have the same end this time; I hope you'll live happily till the very end. Tell Adel to be careful and take good care of herself and the dragons on my behalf."

The king didn't believe it to be true, but after being persuaded by the dragon and being desperate to bring his beloved back, the king got the stone and made the wish as the dragon had told.

"Please, Bring back Adel to me." The king pleaded unto the sky.

The stone suddenly lights and shatters in the air. After some while, the pouring rain gradually stopped, and the ominous skies started to shine. Everyone stops to start fighting as the light starts to strike down in the cloudy sky. When the king reached out to embrace his beloved, Adel's body was floating in a circle of light that had just started to form.

"Adel." The king called her.

The maiden slowly opened her eyes. He was like an innocent baby that just woke up in the world.

"What happened?" She asked.

The king hug her tightly.

"I thought I'm gonna lose you. I'm so happy that you came back."

She suddenly pats his head.

"Thank you for bringing me back."