Chapter 4: Thirst for Vengeance

Raja slowly vanished and returned to a red smoke. It then went back to my necklace, and all I was able to do was watch the last trace of him vanish in thin air.

‘Raja, are you there?’ I asked through our mind link, hoping that he’s just in the necklace and still could talk to me.

But his response didn’t come. Not even his usual growl when he doesn’t feel like answering my question or when I’m doing something stupid. All I hear was silence. Empty silence that made me feel so cold inside.

“Your annoying pet is now sealed, dear Ophelia. He can’t interfere my business anymore,” Ren said evilly.

With tears in my eyes, I tried to talk to Raja again, but there was no answer. He was really sealed into endless sleep and I don’t have the least bit idea how to awaken him. Even King Arthur and Queen Romina thought that there was no way to awaken David. They said that the seal can only be broken by the one who did it, but in this case, I doubt if Ren would do me such favor or I could force him to.

“You…” I looked at my smiling enemy with hot tears in my cheeks, my eyes blazing with wrath, and my body screaming for vengeance.

“Come on, don’t be too sentimental. He’s just a dragon. I was just trying to get even, anyway. He paralyzed my dear Toru, I can’t just sit back.”

“Ophe—”

I didn’t let Queen Romina finish and went to attack Ren. During the first two months of my marriage, I kept on enhancing my martial arts with the help of Demitri. Raja also helped me enhance my internal energy. I can fight Ren but I need to be careful so that he won’t be able to hit me.

The sounds of the colliding blades filled the hall. I made my moves as fast as I could, trying to at least injure Ren with all the power I’ve got.

“You can’t defeat me,” he managed to whisper in the midst of blocking my fiery sword with his.

“If you stop now, I still can forgive you. Think about it, Ophelia. We can rule the world together. If you want, I can be the father of your child.”

“You are talking nonsense,” I muttered in between gritting teeth. “You are evil. How can you be the father of my child? And the world doesn’t need a leader like you. You know where you should be? In hell.”

He laughed and shook his head. I was about to leap away and throw him a ball of fire energy when he smirked and moved so fast, the next thing I knew he was behind me. I tried to get away but before I could, I felt a pang of pain at my back, and I was thrown yards from him that I could barely stand.

“Ophelia!” I heard Queen Romina’s worried call.

I sucked on my breath. I wanted to tell her that I was fine, but my eyes widened when I felt a strong pain in my abdomen. My legs trembled and I felt some liquid gushing down my thighs.

No…

Oh please, no…

“Ophelia, are you…” Queen Romina stopped midway when she saw the reaction I had. From being worried, her expression changed to horror.

I froze and my mind went black when I realized what was happening.

“Forgive me if I was a little harsh. You can’t blame me. You were too aggressive I had to make some move,” Ren spoke so lightly as if he didn’t just kill an innocent life.

“You lost Demitri’s, but you can bear mine. I don’t think there’s much difference. It’s still a child nevertheless,” he added.

My mind was clouded with so much anger, I didn’t bother to think how I should kill him or anything else. All I know is that I should kill him, I should punish him so bad that he would shriek in so much pain. I want him to taste my wrath, to let him feel my overflowing thirst for vengeance.

I stood and uttered an oath of lividity. Glowing fire surrounded me. I closed my eyes and started to mutter the forbidden enchantment I’ve learned. I know that this power formation would consume a big amount of my energy and could kill me, but I don’t care anymore. I don’t care if this hall would be my graveyard as long as I drag Ren Lancaster in hell.

“Mea vita pro morte sua… Mea vita pro morte sua…” I uttered again and again, my hand parallel to each other, and on its center is the formed symbol of death on fire.

If this is what it takes to avenge my loss, I don’t mind giving my life.

“Ophelia! Don’t do that!” Queen Romina cried, but I only continued.

“Mea vita pro morte sua…”

My life for his death.

The moment I opened my eyes, I felt like I was reborn in new and more powerful body. I could feel the overflowing energy on my veins, the heat of fire around me, my soul aching for blood, and my every nerve screaming for death.

Ren Lancaster’s death.

“You really look so much more beautiful when you are all on fire. Maybe I should marry you soon. What do you think, my queen?”

I moved my hands in rhythm with the beating of my heart to form the phoenix attack.

“First, I’m not your queen. Second, I will never marry you,” I said firmly and sent him the huge blow of phoenix attack—fire that formed like a phoenix that could burn even a soul.

Although he was fast enough to dodge so he won’t have it bad, the blow was so powerful it still affected him. His left forearm up to his elbow was burned. I smirked. I knew he can dodge the attack, but I also knew there’s no way he won’t be injured.

His smile vanished. There was no time to waste, I didn’t give him time to recover. I sent him a rain of arrows blazing in blue flame. Even if he’s trying to block each, I know it’s just about time before he gets hit somewhere.

“I love your feisty attitude, Ophelia, but I don’t think I like this game anymore,” he said angrily and started his own attacks.

But with the fire shield protecting my body, none of his attacks could went through it. I’ve done the forbidden formation and achieved the highest level of my power.

“I’m not playing with you, and I don’t have plans to. You know what I’m trying to do?” I lifted a finger and ten blazing swords appeared in the air. “Make this place your graveyard.”

I pursed my lips tight and pointed my finger at him. The swords flew towards him at once.

“You want to kill me?” He wiped the blood on his cheek and blocked the swords with counterattacks. “If that’s the case, I will die together with everyone close to you.”

I gasped when the next moment, Queen Romina was slammed to the wall again when Ren fired her a smoking blade.

“Now Solterra has no ruler and completely ruined. I will die happily.”

“You, bastard!” I yelled and my hands shook. Without further ado, I sauntered towards him and gave him alluvion of fiery attacks.

He welcomed me with an arrogant smirk. He blocked and defended himself but this time I’m faster and more powerful than him. He was thrown away when he was hit. But I got more pissed when he still managed to laugh even when he was already coughing blood.

“I think I underestimated you. I didn’t know you are actually more powerful than I expected. You are really something.”

“Enough of your bullshits. I don’t need your compliments. Why don’t you let me hear your scream?”

I formed a fire dagger and threw it to his knee. It pierced at the perfect spot, enough to make him shriek for a moment. I smiled evilly.

“Let me give you a slow death, Lancaster.”

I threw another dagger to his other knee.

“You wench!”

I laughed. I think I’m already insane. I don’t care what happens after this anyway. All I want right now is to vent my anger and make my own justice.

He tried to stand but I don’t think he still have the power to do so. He attempted to give me a weak attack but I did nothing to block it, yet it did no harm to me.

“I guess you forgot who I am, you fool. I am the Mistress of Fire. You think you can outwit me? You think you can outpower me?” I shook my head once and stomped on his burnt hand.

He shrieked in so much pain. The kind of shriek that sounded so good in my ears. Like a melody I want to hear again and again.

“Hell, that is so good to hear. Keep on doing that,” I said and I didn’t care if I sounded evil myself.

To avenge my loss and give justice to the innocents, I don’t mind if I become evil.

“I will die but you know who’s more pitiful between us?” Ren laughed in the middle of pain. “It’s you, Princess. You lost your husband and child. You lost your family and future. Even if I die and you’d live, you will never be happy. You are alive but you will live in hell the rest of your life.”

My fist clenched.

“You are right. My life will never be the same after this. I will never be happy again. Killing you won’t make me happy as well. You know what would it give me?” I gave him my sweetest venomous smile as I said the last word he would hear from me. “Satisfaction.”

In this world were cruelty is rampant and justice has many faces, only evil can defeat evil.