Veil of Rivalry

Prologue

Blood covered all over my clothes and on the ground beside me. It felt strange, to the point that I felt like I had fallen into a nightmare. My head was spinning, and I was unable to fully understand what just happened.

Pain then ran through my body, it was severe and heavy, making it difficult for me to concentrate on anything else. The world around me appeared to blur as time passed. The tree was swinging, the earth moved, and everything became distorted.

I tried blinking several times to clear my vision, but it didn't work. The pain was awful, blinding my senses.

Every second felt like I was losing control. I could barely stand, and my breathing was heavy. The metallic scent of blood entered my nostrils, mixing with the sharp smell of gunpowder and sweat.

The air was thick and heavy, making breathing difficult in my situation.

The darkness soon came around the borders of my vision, and I tried to remain conscious, but I failed as it was useless. My body ached with every breath I took. I wanted to scream, but my throat felt tight, like if someone was choking me.

"Get it together, Anne," I said softly to myself. My voice was so soft that I could hardly hear it.

Through the thick fog of pain and suffering, I heard her voice. It was harsh, cold, and mocking. I couldn't see her properly because of the blood and sweat flowing into my eyes, but her voice was unmistakable.

"Tired already, honey? "She sneered. Even though her face was a blur, I knew she was smiling. She definitely enjoys seeing me like this, weak, fragile, and defeated.

I gritted my teeth on that thought and was forced to make a faked grin, despite my body's protest. I would not give her the satisfaction of seeing me break. No matter how much pain I was in at this moment, I had to endure. I had to stay strong. My legs shook beneath me, barely able to hold me up, but I wouldn't fall.

Her cruel laughter echoed in the quiet forest. The sound sent chills down my spine, but I kept my head up. I couldn't afford to show any weakness just now.

Not ever.

Before she could finish speaking, a loud and sudden gunshot ran through the air. A gunshot flew through her skull, and she collapsed to the ground without speaking. The scene was terrible, yet I also felt a strange sort of satisfaction. It was over.

But I did not have time to think about it. My body was exhausted, and I could feel my power fading with every passing second. I was too tired to care.

Tears filled up in my eyes, but I couldn't tell if they were from physical pain or the emotional thoughts of what had just happened. My legs trembled severely, and I collapsed against a nearby tree for support.

My whole body shook as waves of relief, fear, and exhaustion crashed over me. It was too much to handle all at once.

Her body lay motionless on the ground, her eyes wide in shock. She hadn't seen it coming. I forgot about my own pain and tiredness as I glanced at her unmoving form. It was an unexpected, strange scene.

As the truth of what had just happened began to sink in, many different kinds of emotions flooded my head. I felt fear, rage, relief, and something else that I couldn't put into words. I felt like I was about to break down entirely.

Everything I'd been through up to this point hit me at once, like a heavy weight crushing down on my chest.

I couldn't hold the emotions any longer.

The sobs came hard and fast, shaking my whole body to the point that it was uncontrollable. I cried, unable to stop the flood of emotions that had been building up inside me for so long. But then I saw him.

His figure appeared towards me, emerging from the shadows of the woods. My heart slowed down and my tears dried up as a wave of horror rushed over me. His presence frightened me with cold fear, which crashed deep in my bones and caused my body to freeze in place.

No. It couldn't have been him.

He was the most dangerous person I feared. The person who had deceived me in ways I had never imagined imaginable. I had trusted him with everything, and he destroyed that trust, leaving nothing but suffering behind.

"She talked too much," he muttered coldly, staring at the body of the person he had just shot; his voice resonated through the air like the sound of thunder. "It was getting annoying."

His eyes were cold, and I couldn't read them, which made me worried. Simply being around him haunts me, sending shivers down my spine. I shivered with horror; I was unable to move or speak, and every muscle in my body stiffened as I faced the man who had betrayed me more deeply than anyone else ever could.

His betrayal was more than just physical but also emotional. I had trusted him with most of anything, but he had turned that trust into something awful and unpleasant.

My mind kept on replaying with memories of our time together, the days we spent enjoying each other's company, every smile, and every pleasant word. All of his promises. Everything had been a lie.

"I'll give you 30 seconds to run," he said in a straightforward, emotionless tone, as if he were merely discussing something basic. "If you don't, I'll shoot."

But something inside me broke.

The panic that had previously taken over me had now been replaced with a cold feeling.

My sobbing has stopped, and my breathing is now calm.

I'd had enough of feeling scared and weak in front of him.

I wasn't going to run now.

He opened his lips to answer, but I denied him the opportunity to do such a thing. I pulled the trigger, and bullets echoed through the trees once more.

His body fell to the ground, and shock remained obvious on his face.

"Oops," I whispered softly, my voice full of bitter satisfaction. "I don't care what you had to say."

This fight was not fair, but that didn't matter.

Fairness does not exist in this universe. It was all about survival. Those who were strong survived. It was all about survival. Those who were strong survived. Those who were weak perished. It was that simple.

And I hadn't finished battling yet.

The trees around me went silent, the tension gradually fading. I took a deep breath before looking at the path ahead. I know that there would be more conflicts in the near future.

This was only the beginning.

In this world, survival was the most important thing. And I was prepared for what occurred next.

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Hi, readers! Just a brief note: the author made up all of the names, places, and events in this narrative. Any resemblance to actual individuals or events is entirely coincidental. Happy reading!