My Wonderful Second Life

Chapter 74- Quest to find Cedric

I followed the screams and the chaos, passing through the dark and uneven corridor that lead to the outside, to the Empress territory. The exit was bright, open by the destruction caused by Wolff. I walked on piles of wrecked stairs, to find myself out through a cellar door now discarded, broken into pieces, in the dirt.

In front of me was a square circled by white pillars, tainted by blood, limbs, and bodies. My head, secluded by the rubbles, protected me from unseen eyes while I tried to look out for anyone who could catch me. But there was no one. Everyone was dead there, and the screams were far away, deep in the palace.

I pushed myself out and walked through the empty square, making sure I did not look too much at what had happened there. If I did, I was not sure I had the strength to go on. My steps were quiet, and I tried to blend in. The sun was scorching and the light unavoidable, but even with so much chaos I could walk unbothered in the Empress palace.

Full of riches, of silver and gold. Greenhouses, lakes and outside gardens. Buildings that never ended. Beautiful and now hauntingly dead.

On my way to find Wolff, knowing it would lead me to Cedric, I got scared at a strange light reflecting on my face. I pushed my pistol and aimed, only to find a maid, skinny and scared, with trembling eyes and hair in shambles.

Me.

It was a mirror, beautiful with a golden frame and flowers running from each of its corners, sitting near a pond. On its side was a table with two chairs, discarded, almost abandoned.

The oddity of it broke my determined spirit and brought to me to the reflection of a scared little child.

And what had scared me? The light reflected from my bracelet.

I had already forgotten about it. It had been with me for so long that it was already a part of me. Even if this version was now a fake one.

It hung heavy on my wrist, just like when I saw those portraits at Aerabitina. I looked at the mirror, saw my terror, saw the mirror, beautiful beyond measure, shining like a sun. And I shoot it.

Because that was no mirror, and that unnatural light was causing panic in my heart. It was doing something to my mind. Bringing my fears to the surface.

This was a magical object.

A powerful one.

So I shot it. It cracked in the middle. The light disappeared, and a rotten smell cropped up as the flowers withered and died, their petals falling into the dirt like an ominous rain. From inside, a dark red smoke levitated into the sky, until the sun burned it into nothing.

There was something very wrong happening in this place.

I ran, following again the screams and the growls. To where Wolff was. It did not take long to find him, surrounded by soldiers, some bearing the crest of the royal family, some dressed as Templars.

Some men were trying to attack Wolff's neck with spears while others aimed at his feet with long swords. I saw blood coming through open wounds from his legs and torso. Unable to take it, I tried to help him. From nearby bushes that gave me cover, I shot a bullet of pain on two soldiers closest to me, rendering them lifeless.

I took another shot, this time at a Templar with a spear dangerously close to Wolff's fluffy neck. However, this time, the soldier got the bullet with his glowing hand, crushing the magic under his fingers.

But it didn't matter. He got distracted with me and his head got caught under Wolff's claws.

And just like this, more lives were lost.

More soldiers were coming and yet Wolff showed no signs of stopping. I could not keep myself there and needed to leave him to find Cedric. Hoping soon help would come. That Francis would stop this madness.

Hidden by the several bushes around the square, I crawled my way to where Wolff wanted to go, to where Cedric certainly was. A path that led to the main building, the main quarters of the Empress's palace.

I closed my eyes and attempted to muffle the surrounding noises, telling myself that I would deal with the nightmares after. That they could haunt me later, claw my brain and make me despair. But only after, now I would have to save my friends.

Far off, I heard a laugh, inhuman, that brought death and despair with it. I felt the cruelty reverberating through the walls, and fear propelled me to move faster. All the time wondering what in the goddess's name was happening in the Empress's palace.

I found the surrounding area of the main building empty. Like the Emperor's palace, the Empress had her own throne room. Although it was a smaller version of it. Its back led to the Empress' living quarters, while its front had an open corridor secured by marble columns that seemed to have never seen dirt before.

I followed the path to the golden door, partially open. The door was as tall as the building and ended in an arch. It had a carved image of the Goddess. However, I could only see the left side where she secured her sword. Brandishing it as a warning to those uninvited.

There were many things I feared, but the image of the goddess was not one of them. And why would, when these horrible people did not get scared of heavenly punishment? When they walked and lived their lives as if there were no children in a dungeon close by dying. So I proceeded carefully and approached the door. Inside, there was only darkness and silence. From the opening, I could not see much and I knew it to be a trap.

But I also knew Cedric was there, and I knew I could buy time.

Hiding my musket behind my back, I entered, my eyes adjusting to the darkness. A soft light emanated from the torches stuck in the walls. Each for each statue of a hooded figure. They were several, going from the beginning of the room until the darkness swallowed them by its edge.

The space seemed bare, way too empty for a throne room. I was not sure if it was a trick due to the lack of light or the striking reality. What I knew was what my eyes could see, and in the middle of the place was a pillar of strong and dark wood. In it, there were chains, golden and its ends holding Cedric's wrists. His hands were above his head making sure he would not fall to the ground.

I took cover in the darkness, watching as a person descended a group of stairs across the opposite side of the room. The person had its feet bare and as it approached; I knew it to be the Empress, with her nightgown as a dress, her blond hair free and on her fair hands.... a huge syringe that sparkled just like Lady Beatrice's cane once did.

She continued her walk to Cedric, and in my mind, I could only see the boys with milky eyes. Without waiting, I took a shot.

Into the Empress's head.

I am back!!

Sorry, I was on vacation and procrastinating quite a bit. I think I will upload some pictures in my Instagram if you follow me. :)

Anyway, we are back to Lulu's POV and her way to find Cedric. Hope this while tense was fun for you to read.

And what comes next in this chaos??

I will try to have the chapter soon for you guys :)

Thank you all for the support. Almost 300K that is amazing !

Now up for my breakfast because I had upload this first XD