Chapter 11: Aria's Destiny

The darkness of the night enveloped the Sterling household, obscuring the light from the now-dead lamps. Clara Sterling, with a pale face and labored breath, carried her terrified daughter, Aria, in her arms. Amidst the chaos, Clara ran through the corridors of the house, the bodies of her family lying scattered around. Despite the overwhelming pain and sorrow, Clara pushed forward.

From a distance, Clara could hear the screams and footsteps of the approaching enemies. The toxic gas deployed by Victor’s forces had spread, eliminating any hope of resistance. Clara knew their time was running out.

“Aria, dear, we have to hurry!” Clara whispered with a trembling voice, trying to muster strength in front of her nine-year-old daughter.

Aria, with wide, fearful eyes, clung tightly to her mother. Clara moved quickly, her heart shattered but her determination unshaken. They reached the back door of the house, where Clara had promised to escape with her daughter.

As Clara opened the back door, the cold night greeted them. Clara felt the chill of the night freezing her bones. She knew that escaping this disaster was their only hope.

“Go, quickly!” Clara gently patted Aria’s shoulder, giving her one last push before closing the door behind them. Just as she was about to run, heavy footsteps approached.

From the opposite direction, Victor’s troops emerged swiftly, blocking their escape route. Clara realized that their time was truly up. She had to make a difficult decision.

“Aria, listen to me.” Amidst the encirclement of Victor’s troops, Clara finally steeled herself. The poison had made it difficult to use her powers, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t use magic at all. “I’ll get you out of here. After that, you must run without looking back. Do you understand?”

At nine years old, Aria sensed this might be their final moment together, just as her father had already sacrificed his life.

Though Aria didn’t want to leave her mother, Clara insisted she go. With graceful movements, Clara moved like a dancer. As Clara moved, the direction of the wind began to change, and a small vortex of wind started to form.

“She’s using magic! Shoot her!”

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Dust began to rise from the fierce wind. Aria shut her eyes, but strangely, her body seemed to ride the wind.

Struggling with the pain from forcing herself to use magic, Clara watched as Aria was carried away. “Goodbye, dear. I love you.”

After sending Aria off, Clara stood tall, ending her magic. It was her last effort, and now she was ready to fight to the death.

“Look at this woman. She sent her child away with that old arrow. You’ve really angered me,” said a man with a bandaged left eye, a wound he had received while fighting Alan.

“You will never get that arrow,” Clara said.

Victor’s men grinned. “Kill her.”

As Victor’s forces closed in, Clara faced them with the last of her courage. She knew that this sacrifice was the only way to ensure her daughter’s safety.

In an instant, Clara plunged into the battle, fighting with pure strength and fury. She fought bravely, but the superior numbers and strength of Victor’s forces overwhelmed her.

After a fierce struggle, Clara fell to the ground, her body riddled with bullet wounds.

“Any last requests?” asked one of Victor’s men.

With her last breath, Clara raised her middle finger. “See you in hell.”

Bang!

***

Aria didn’t know how far she had gone. The night was late, and her body was nearly at its limit. Until now, Aria had always been with her parents, but this time, she had no one to rely on.

Clutching the Arrow of Eternal Light, Aria continued to move her legs until she collapsed in front of a house door.

“I can’t go on, Mom,” Aria said.

“It’s okay, dear. You can rest now.”

The voice sounded so gentle in Aria’s ears. It also reminded her of her mother. It couldn’t be her mother here with her.

In the darkness, Aria cried from a strong premonition. The premonition that her parents were gone. Now, Aria didn’t know who she could rely on. Where should she go, and what should she do?

In confusion, sorrow, and anger, Aria finally fell asleep, clutching the Arrow of Eternal Light.

***