From Hell – Chapter 17&18

FROM HELL 

From Hell – Chapter 17&18

→ Craving•The•Unhinged ←

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No part of this publication may be reproduced, copied, or reposted in any form, or by any means without a BOLDLY written permission from ME.

Copyright © 2026

Naomi Cindy B.

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★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★

 

“Ares… please…” Her voice broke. Tears pooled in her eyes very fast. “Ares!!!” She screamed when he stopped moving. His eyes went shut.

Her panic and waterworks didn’t move the Emperor. Didn’t even make his laughter pause a beat.

It’s as though her pain gave wings to his happiness to fly.

“How come you manage to make me grow more and more fond of you each time I see you?” He faced Lucia who gave him a slow bow.

“I was made to serve you. Of course I’ll please you with my whole life.” She muttered without blinking, gripping the cold metal of the musket in her hand tighter.

She didn’t look at Ares on the ground.

She didn’t even turn.

Bones laughter erupted again.

A vein crossed the middle of his forehead, adding to his font of absolute cruelty.

He lifted his hand to Lucia’s hair, touching the locks possessively as his laughter finally seized.

His eyes locked on hers.

Their gazes froze together.

By now, the Palace physicians are already carrying Ares away, and Princess Ina is just standing from where she sat on the ground.

Her robe is stained with Ares’s blood, and her hands.

Seeing her father’s hand in Lucia’s hair and the way he’s gazing obsessively at her only made her anger replicate more.

“This Empire will crumble right in front of you if you continue to be like this!! It’s going to fall!!” She yelled, kicking her robe skirt as she stalked ragingly to the two of them.

Bones lowered his hand from Lucia’s hair, facing his advancing daughter.

Lucia saw that Ares’s spot on the ground is empty. Only his blood is there, meaning he has been taken away. She looked relieved for a second before her stoic look took over her beautiful face again.

“How dare you fire at my husband? He’s practically the future devoted Emperor of this Empire when I later become the Empress!! How dare you take blood from him!!” She yelled, pulling a musket out of her robe too.

Every member of the royal family owns one. They get one after their coming-of-age ceremony.

Guards are available for protection, but Bones trusts no one. Self-protection is his favorite mode of operation, so everyone gets a musket.

But as Ina aimed her musket at Lucia, Bones snatched the musket that’s with Lucia and aimed at Ina too.

Ina’s eyes widened.

“I am your daughter!! Your heiress!!!”

“Lower the gun, Ina!” Bones commanded, arm straight.

“No I refuse! I’m going to kill that wench beside you today, and we’re going to hell together!”

Bones raised the gun to the sky, firing to the dark clouds.

Kai and Edwin gasped on the ground. Lucia looked up at the sky, witnessing the scattering venom which looked like big fireflies at night.

Bones aimed at Ina again, and her arms dropped immediately.

Obviously, the shoot at the sky was a warning to her, and she got it.

The musket sinks venom into anyone it’s shot at. Any victim of it has a low chance of survival if not quickly given the antidote, but even with the antidote, the pain from the venom will not subside for days.

It’s too much—enough to run people mad for those three days.

The pain…it’s cruel.

So…. Princess Ina understood her father’s message.

“I hate you!!!!” She screamed, throwing the gun away before raising her chin at Lucia again.

“I promise you…your woe hasn’t even started! Father might be after what’s between your legs, but I have nothing to desire in you! I’ll make you pay for daring to touch my husband! I’ll be a bone in your eyes!!” She yelled, turning around with a swing.

She walked away, her robe dragging the bloody ground.

“Throw Edwin in the imperial prison! No visitation! No treatment of his bodily wounds! Let him smell, rot! Let houseflies infest his cell and cover him! No one has the right to appeal, till I decide!” Bones roared, the order rolling around the Palace like a mist of poison.

Edwin was grabbed from the bench he lay on, but he couldn’t even plead cos of the no appeal order.

He was dragged away by the guards, and two minutes was all it took for them to disappear into the prison.

The drizzle has stopped now, so Lucia folded the umbrella.

“Kai,” Bones threw his neck back with groan before facing the man on the ground. “I’m still pumped with the fullness of your wife’s hole juices, and that’s why you’re here and not imprisoned with your nephew!” He ranted, pointing the musket at him.

“Your Majesty!” Minister Kai quickly bowed in revere till his forehead touched the ground.

“You’re the oldest Minister in Court, and you were a good ally to my late father, that’s the only reason you’re still alive till now. But I’ll only spare you this once, I won’t do this again.”

Kai kept his head down, and Bones lowered the musket, facing Lucia.

“Your cruelty is one of the reasons I like you this much. If you keep this up, I might marry you faster than I promised.” He smiled sinisterly and spread his palm.

A guard placed a small purse of money on it.

Bones threw the purse on the ground, and Lucia took it from the ground.

“That should be enough to buy yourself some foodstuffs for the coming month. Consider it a gift of your ruthlessness tonight.”

Lucia took a deep bow.

“I won’t take it for granted, Your Majesty.”

Bones imagined how hoarse her voice would turn when he finally buries himself in her c+nt.

They say the toughest women has the sweetest cores. Soon, he’ll confirm that theory for himself.

“Send word to the imperial hospital. Any doctor who’s in charge of Ares’s health should make sure he lives. If that bastard is going to die, he’ll die by my hands. His death isn’t now, he still has so much to do.” He ordered.

“Yes!” Two guards echoed and rushed out of the Palace to do that.

Lucia made her way out of the Palace immediately, and as she walked, she opened the little money purse.

It has one large string of copper coins. Blankly, she returned it to her robe pocket and slipped out.

Minister Kai remained there.

He remained bowing, forehead on the ground.

—

[Palace of Darkness – Hospital]

When words arrived from the Emperor that Ares must live, the doctors panicked.

Initially, they knew he had to live cos he’s Princess Ina’s husband anyways, but now that Bones wants him alive too, it’s worse cos Bones might just execute everyone of this goes bad.

So, they switched hands, making sure everyone participated in the treatment. They stripped Ares’s robe first. They washed the wound which is right on top of his mark.

Then, they proceeded to administering the anti-venom on the wound. By now, Princess Ina joined them, and she took the medicine bowl. She fed him the anti-venom too, wiping the droplets on his lips before she dropped the empty bowl.

“What’s next?” She stood, facing the doctors anxiously.

“He has left the critical stage, but the real problem will be when he wakes up.” They explained.

“What do you mean? Make it clear!” Ina drew closer.

“Your Highness,” the oldest doctor said carefully. “You know how the musket venom works. Even with the anti-venom, it won’t flush off entirely. There’ll still be residues in his system, and when he wakes, it’s normal for the insane pains to nearly make him mad. But I believe he’s strong enough to endure it.” He explained.

Ina turned around to look at Ares in bed, looking hurt as she walked back to him, sitting and taking his hand.

“You’ll endure the pain when you wake, right? You won’t let it take over you and run you mad, right? You don’t die and leave your wife. You know how much I love you,” She sobbed silently.

“Ina?” Empress Sally entered the room, and the doctors bowed.

“Your Majesty!”

Ignoring them, she moved to the bed, and her eyes widened when she saw the state Ares is in.

And the tears on Ina’s face.

Ina stood, holding her mother’s arms desperately. “Mother, please promise me my husband will be fine. I can’t bear to lose him and you know it. I love this man it’s killing me to see him laying down like this!”

“I only just heard about it from my maids, and I decided to come check. I didn’t expect it to be this worse. And it’s even on top of his weakness wound? Lucia is the bî+ch they call her. How could a woman be a whore and heartless as a time?”

“Wait…the musket venom being on top of his weakness wound is…bad?” Ina sniffled.

“Of course,” Sally responded with a blink. “This weakness wound itself is poison, plus the venom of the musket. If he doesn’t die from the madness, then I’d say he’s lucky.”

“But I don’t want to lose him!!” Princess Ina cried harder, tears running. “I don’t want to..lose Ares.”

“I’m too busy with Fadey and her slutty mother. I can’t get involved in your husband’s matter, Ina. Besides, there’s nothing I can do. We can only wait for his luck.” Sally said.

Ina dropped back beside Ares’s bed, placing her head on top of his belly as her tears ran down.

“Please…you have to survive….”

Empress Sally sighed, and one of her maids entered to deliver a note to her. She took it and left the hospital.

She opened the note when she arrived at the outer hall.

★ We’ll arrive at the dessert in three more days.

It’s from the guards she secretly sent to Aloof to see how Fadey and his mother are doing.

Sally threw the note in a water can, letting it soak away.

—

[Zura Armies Camp]

“General, are we going to die?”

“General Sir, please my mother is too old to live alone.”

“General, can we really survive the front lines?”

Questions arose from the 500 youths who’re currently lined up neatly in front of Lothar and his comrades.

The rest of the trained armies are already asleep in their tents, but Lothar needed to talk to the newbies after their night trainings.

“I, Lothar Draven…I pledge with my life that all 500 of you will return. In here, we don’t waste lives—we guard them. Every life means a lot, and we uphold that for life. Take your trainings serious, listen to your senior comrades, and all will workout.” Lothar addressed.

Though, his chest is sinking with unsure feelings about the upcoming war, but it’s his job to give them assurance, so he did just that.

He said all of that with a father-like smile on his face.

“Yes, Sir!!!” They chorused, raising their fists in the air. “We’ll obey!!!”

Lothar smiled wider, and the comrades behind him grinned, reducing the tension in the air.

Their night trainings resumed. It won’t end till midnight.

Lothar returned to his tent, took off his armour and sat in his clothes only. He took out the one earring and placed it on his palm like a treasure.

He was so engrossed with checking it out he didn’t know when his comrades entered the tent.

“General Sir, are you finally taking interest in a woman?” The comrade teased playfully.

Lothar quickly wrapped his palm around the earring and looked up. “What are you doing here?”

Before that one could reply, another comrade entered, running.

“General Sir, news from the Palace says Minister Ares got shot with the royal musket!” He reported.

“What!” The other comrade shouted. “Did you just say royal musket? That madness venom gun?”

“Make it clear so I can understand,” Lothar stood slowly, eyes thinning. “Who got shot?”

“Your best friend, Sir. The female Minister shot him.”

“Lucia?” Lothar gasped. “Lucia shot Ares? Lucia?” He repeated.

“The news was as clear as that, Sir.” The comrade nodded.

“Prepare my horse!” Lothar ordered, rushing out of the tent.

—

[Lotus Inn]

Meng and Qui decided to take shelter here tonight as they’re homeless.

Not like they’re not funded enough to buy a house, but they’re both used to moving from one place to another as they were refugees before Ares found them, so they rent places to sleep nightly and move the next morning.

But only Meng is in tonight.

She’s not even inside the inn exactly. She’s on top of the roof, sitting and staring at the wide colourful nation of Zura from there.

She leaned back on the roof with her elbows rested on the surface and one leg propped up high on the other.

Thinking about Limon’s earlier insolence made her cuss him inwardly, wishing his pillow turns to stone in the middle of the night.

But her cussing was interrupted when the roof received another person. Qui jumped up.

“Finally decided to return from your silly night-walk?” Meng rolled eyes.

Given Qui’s lively personality, she should respond immediately, but she didn’t, and that made Meng suspicious. She stood.

“What’s going on?”

“I heard tidbits that My Lord got shot by Horror—with the royal musket.” Qui broke the news. “Her alliance with My Lord was nearly found out by the Void Emperor, so she shot him to kill suspicions.”

“Lucia …” Meng gripped her arrow, gritting. “I knew I didn’t feel good about her from the start!”

And with that, she jumped down the roof with a twist.

“Meng!” Qui sounded, following her.

—

[Duan Residence]

“What!” Odessa got up from Enya’s side when the news got to her.

It was Dakota who brought the news to the household.

“Lord Edwin has been thrown into the imperial cold prison.” Dakota continued.

“I don’t care about Edwin!” Odessa gnarled with hostility.

“Lord Kai is still in front of the third hall, bowing. Appeal is not allowed, so he thinks his bow would somehow make His Majesty change his mind.”

“His bow? Make His Majesty change his mind?” Odessa frowned. “Is Kai thinking at all? His Majesty does whatever he wants and not even the life of his daughter or wife means anything, and he’s thinking his bow would do it? Kai is funny.”

“And why would he even be willing to bow that long cos of Edwin’s life when his daughter is laying here with one hand!!” She pointed at Enya in bed. “Kai would kill me with disappointment at this rate!”

“I know what you’re thinking, Madame. Don’t do it.” Dakota said.

“No one tells me what to do! At the end of the day, Kai is my husband, and I’ll do anything to help!” Odessa glared and left the room.

—

[Valmont Residence]

Lucia can’t sleep.

Not like she sleeps on normal days. She has been suffering from insomnia since she can’t even remember, but tonight’s is different.

Her eyes are clearer that daylight, so she left her room.

Doja is already sound asleep in her room, and Phoebe is softly asleep too in her own room.

Lucia went down the short steps with her knife, stopping at the base of the plum trees where she began duelling alone at, flashing her knife around, stabbing the walls and trees and the ground, punching the air with the wicked blade.

Her toes moved fast, the slides of her shoes moved faster. Her black robe matched the perils of the night, and her eyes matched her freakiness.

She got a flashback of life at Blood Camp. The day steamed buns were poured in mud water for them after they’ve starved for days.

They had no choice but fight themselves for the muddy steamed buns, and they ended up killing each other just to get one to eat.

Lucia killed her opponent with her elbow stab, and she hungrily took the buns from the mud, stuffing her mouth with it despite the small stones inside. She ate.

The stones crunched, but she still chewed stubbornly.

Anything to fill her stomach.

The trainer crouched beside her, taking her elbow to check out.

“Void Emperor would be so proud of you. I’ve always known your elbow would be your most dangerous body part for fighting.” He said.

Lucia stopped moving with her knife, breathing hard as she stopped the flashback on her own.

Then, the sound of pounding of hoofs on the ground reached her ears, causing her to stop.

She turned to the small gate to see Lothar just arriving.

Lothar jumped down from his horse and pushed the gate open, bolting inside enraged, coming for her.

She stood her ground till he arrived and raised the back of his hand, wanting to slap her.

But he changed his mind, dropped his hand and grinded his jaws. “Tell me, what did he do to deserve that!”

“I hate explaining myself,” Lucia said snobbishly.

Lothar’s face squeezed, jaws ticking hard. “What did you say?”

Lucia sighed, staring at the distance. “I already shot him, what good would an explanation do?”

Lothar’s restrain snapped. His hand looped around her throat, and he slammed her back on a plum tree,

The plum flowers fell, and the tree itself shook violently.

“You have no right to do that and continue to act like the almighty! Let me tell you, I don’t play with Ares, at all! He’s not a plaything, and you know it! You know he’s darn crazy, but he’s allowing you to do all of this cos of whatever he wants from you!”

“You know he’s allowing me, and here you are, with your hand around my throat. Aren’t you going too far, Lothar?” Lucia gave him a smirk.

“Lucia, stop!” He spat.

“What? Do you regret speaking up for me in court?” She tilted her head.

From the roof of the next house, Meng and Qui are squatting, watching the scene.

Meng badly wants to just jump down and end Lucia, but Qui is holding her down, cautioning her.

“So if you go down there and fight to kill with Lothar around, who are you going to tell Lothar that we are?”

“I don’t care!” Meng blew her off.

“But My Lord cares. He told us to stay off his personal life for a reason! Leave Lucia. My Lord will take care of her when he wakes.” Qui said.

“Wakes with madness?” Meng faced her. “Don’t talk like you don’t know the damage that musket venom does to the mind!” Meng barked.

“Still, it’s his decision to make. We’re only his ladies in operations. Stay out of this city matter.” Qui said.

Meng hissed and rolled back, pulling an arrow from her quiver. She released it before Qui could stop her.

Below the plum tree, Lothar’s hand is still around Lucia’s throat, and Lucia’s head is still tilted.

But Lothar felt it—the coming force.

Serving in the army for years sharpened his senses so much he could even sense the tiniest blade.

He sensed danger coming, and he quickly covered Lucia to take it, but Lucia saw it coming too.

She got in front of him fast, taking the arrow on her chest.

Lothar’s eyes widened.

“Very good,” Meng hissed on the roof.

“You stubborn mule!” Qui pulled her, and they left together.

Lucia fell on a knee, holding her bleeding chest with the arrow.

“You wanted to take what was meant for me? That’s rude.” She looked up at Lothar, a dark smirk on her lips.

“You’re insane,” Lothar muttered, staring shockingly.

She spat out blood, then roughly removed the arrow from her chest.

She stood, threw her head sidewards and dragged her shoe.

“I’m not the only one who feels like killing you. Good to know.” Lothar muttered, still mad.

“What’s the use of explaining to you when you won’t understand anyways? I’d rather you continue seeing me as insane.” She said.

“Miss!” Doja shouted from the steps, rushing down to them.

She actually heard the noises from her sleep and woke to this.

“Oh my goodness! Miss!” She gasped again, seeing Lucia’s bloody chest, but before she could arrive at her side, she saw Lothar, and she stopped.

Her heart picked up race.

“Gen…eral? I’m the girl you saved from the mean guy at the marketplace!” She gushed.

Without replying, Lothar left the residence, getting on his horse.

He rode away.

Doja bit her lip, returning her attention to Lucia.

“Miss, why are you wounded? What’s with the arrow? And why was General Lothar here?”

“Get me a wet towel,” Lucia told her, ignoring her question.

She began returning inside.

“Oh…. sure!” Doja followed her.

—

[Void Palace – Third Hall]

Minister Kai was still on his knees in front of the hall, bowing with aching back when Odessa walked past him.

He raised his head.

Odessa is already going towards the third hall door.

“Odessa!” Kai called.

Odessa stoped, looking at him over her shoulder. “Don’t worry, Kai. What are couples for if we can’t help each other out? I’ll beg His Majesty with my body again, and the nephew you cherish so much would be released.”

“No…” Kai seethed.

Odessa didn’t provide more words. She continued her walk.

“No!” Kai repeated.

The door was opened for Odessa.

“Odessa!” He called out.

She entered, and the door closed behind her after she stripped.

From the opposite building, Empress Sally watched everything.

She stood in the bleakly lit garden, eyes settled on the third hall.

Her grip on the banister in front of her is so tight her nails broke.

Soon, Odessa’s moans started coming out of the third hall.

—

[Three Days Later, Aloof Dessert]

Fadey sat in front of the small building, sharpening metal bullets for his next hunting.

The faint sun was enough to make him sweat slightly on the brows, but he was so focused on what he’s doing.

He knew when his mother came out of the house, and he knew when she settled beside him.

“Thought you were asleep?” He asked without raising his face.

Devora watched him for one more second, admiring his perfection with a slow smile before speaking.

“Just thinking about what would have happened if I was the Empress instead of Sally, and if you were the Crown Prince. We wouldn’t be here, would we?” She nodded.

Fadey dropped the sharpener and looked up, nodding back.”You’ve started again? The self-blame?”

“I was just—”

“Empress Sally would never allow another Empress in that Palace, and you know that. She’s a villainess who’d go any length to protect her place. You should stop thinking about the Empire, mother. Even when we later get out of here, we’re going far away from Zura where father won’t find us.” Fadey explained.

Devora nodded. “I’ll keep that in mind.” She smiled. “But the water deliverer…”

“I lost him last time, but the next time he comes, I’m catching him, and he’ll lead us out of here. That’s why I’ve been staking out in the woods every night.” Fadey replied.

“I’ll go check the ribs on fire,” Devora suddenly got up, rushing inside.

“Cute,” Fadey grinned.

He was about to return to the sharpening of metals when he suddenly got a telltale sensation that something is currently watching him.

He looked up, stared around.

Nothing. No one.

He resumed sharpening.

Inside the woods behind the brown leaves and shrubs, Empress Sally’s special guards stood hidden, watching the house like hawks.

“Send a word to Her Majesty that Fadey and his mother are doing too well here.” Their leader said.

His followers prepared the pigeon immediately.

—

[Fenxi Empire – City Wall]

Emperor Ashes weekly visit to the wall is today, and he didn’t miss out on his usual time.

At the third hour of the morning, he’s already on the wall with his General and officials flanking him.

His Empress Teyana is beside him too, as well as Ruyi and Zaine.

From there, they watched the armies assembling and training.

“There’s no spy in the Post Station. Everyone’s clean.” The General reported respectfully.

“Then how would you explain the entry of Lucia—an enemy, into this Empire?” Emperor Ashes queried.

“We’re still working on finding out, Your Majesty. As far as we know, Lucia’s got tactics enough to sneak inside anywhere, coupled with her jumping skills.” The General answered.

“I love her more!” Zaine whispered behind. “Despite our tight security, she still breached and entered without help from inside? Now imagine if her partner Ares had followed her, they’d have caused disaster together. Ares is my role model, you should have seen the bodies of five illegal merchants he mangled last month at Zura border, the paintings were everywhere. I still see gruesome pictures of the bodies in my nightmare…he’s so crazy. I call him Death Fist, and Lucia is Death Elbow.” He continued idolizing.

But Ruyi said nothing.

He turned to her and saw her glaring angrily at him. He grinned again.

“She entered without any help?” Empress Teyana repeated.

“Exactly what it looks like, Your Majesty,” The General responded.

“Even the most powerful woman has a weakness.” Emperor Ashes said knowledgeably.

“I heard she doesn’t know the truth about the tragedy of her father, same with Ares!” Ruyi chirped in from behind. “What if I find out the truth behind it and trap her with it?”

“I told you to stay off the Empire’s business!” Empress Teyana snapped.

“But I’m a warrior Princess, and I’ll play my part!” Ruyi argued.

“Arguing with Ruyi is like arguing with a wall,” Zaine muttered.

“Do what you want to do,” Emperor Ashes gave in. “Find out the truth, and in the next war in three days, make it useful.”

“Your Majesty!” Empress Teyana declined with wide eyes.

“She wants to play a part, leave her be. She’s my daughter after all, better than the boy who wants nothing to do with wars.” Emperor Ashes said.

Zaine rolled eyes.

Ruyi smiled.

“I’m going to focus on finding a weakness on Zura General Lothar,” the General said. “In the next war, I can assure victory. It’s strategy over numbers.”

“For once, I’d like to see Bones cry. I was his late father’s ally, his late father’s mate, but that dunce Bones made an enemy of me. He should better get ready.” Emperor Ashes said, staring straight ahead.

—

[Zura – Imperial Hospital]

Lothar has been trying to get inside and just have a view of his best friend since three days ago, but his entry has been blocked repeatedly.

Princess Ina refused to let anyone enter except herself alone.

But Lothar didn’t stop trying. He kept coming between his shifts at the camp, standing in front of the hospital and trying his luck.

Ares isn’t awake yet. The doctors are still high on their toes, anticipating.

Princess Ina appeared again to feed him the anti-venom.

It has been continuous since three days ago, and it’s time again.

She met Lothar standing in front of the hospital again, and she walked past him, ignoring his presence.

“Your Highness, you do know that Ares is my best friend, and I have all the rights in the world to see her!” Lothar spat out.

Princess Ina stopped and turned on her shoulder, not smiling.

“If you do not learn how to keep your voice in your throat, you’ll die by my hands!” She glared.

Lothar’s eyes blazed, and Ina entered the hospital swiftly.

Shockingly, Ares was coughing when she got in, and the doctors are trying to stabilize his consciousness.

“Hubby!” She gasped, a large smile cracking on her face as she pushed the doctors away to get to him. “Ares! Ares are you ok? Can you see me?”

His eyes opened after the third cough, and they’re more bloodshot than coals in hell.

Immediately he saw Ina, his punch met her face, sending her flying across the room.

She crashed on the table of medicine bowls, and the porcelain shattered with the wood, sucking her in.

“Ahhh!!!” She cried out.

“Your Highness!!” The doctors screamed, and while half of them attended to her, the other half faced Ares who’s now standing from the bed, but when they saw the murderousness in his eyes..

The madness oozing off him…

The ferociousness.

His dark energy.

All of these were enough to warn them to stay back.

He left the room, his rough hair flowing after him ethereally.

“Follow him! Follow!!” Princess Ina shouted from the floor.

Guards followed him, but as they came closer, he attacked first, throwing his power fists around.

One blow equals coma.

One punch equals death.

He was unstoppable, his aura darker than anything existing.

He looks like a different man. Like Ares has been expelled from that body and a demon took over.

Teeth flew to the air, and blood splashed as he thrusted his blow into another face, killing that guard flat.

As he blew them, flashback of his days at Pain Camp hit his head.

The day they were made to walk on thin ropes to go go get eggs from the other side of a thin bridge after they’ve starved for days.

Ten kids climbed the rope, five fell off the rope and cracked their heads on the rocks below them.

Ares punched the other four away from the rope to save himself.

He arrived at the other side alone and met the eggs buried inside the ground. He had to dig the ground and get them, and despite the sand covering the already-peeled egg, he still ate, still chewed like a maniac.

The trainer jumped to the other side with him, pulling him up by his fist. He laughed loudly.

“See? Your fist is powerful. Void Emperor would be so impressed.” He said proudly.

Ares swung his punch again as the flashback stopped.

He killed the next guard with that blow, and by now, he’s standing in the middle of bodies of guards on the ground. Some are dead, some in coma, some unconscious.

His fists are bloody cos he uses left and right at a time.

In front of the hospital, Ina looks too terrified, too scared.

“Hold him down someone!!!! My husband is running mad!!! Hold him down!!!!” She yelled tearfully.

But what followed her words was Ares jumping over the fence.

“No!! No!!” Ina screamed, pointing. “Follow him!!”

Another batch of imperial guards want after him through the gate.

All these while, Lothar has left the Palace. He left after Ina entered the hospital earlier.

He’s just getting back to the camp, but to his surprise, he has a visitor.

Doja.

Doja stood with his comrades in front of his tent, looking anxious.

But she spranged up with a wide smile immediately she saw Lothar.

“She said she’s here for you, Sir.” The comrades reported.

Doja rushed down to him, and Lothar managed a tight smile.

“Sorry I was rude to you last night—”

“No no no!” She raised her hand. “I understand your best friend is sick, and you were worried, so I forgive you!”

“Thank you, so…why have you come to see me?” Lothar asked.

Doja revealed the food package she’s holding, and her smile widened.

“I brought you some food! Armies need as much food as they can!” She said cheerfully.

Lothar blinked. “What???”

—

[Valmont Residence]

Lucia received a strange letter telling her if she wants to know about the tragedy, she must come to a rendezvous, and though she doesn’t trust it, but she loves testing.

So… She got in the tub and had her bath, preparing to leave.

But the moment she came out of the bathroom in her bathrobe, she smelled another presence.

She pulled out her knife and twisted in the little space, plunging the knife back to her bedside.

There, Ares sat like a king.

The knife nearly got his throat, but he caught it with his palm, the wound on his chest swelling.

“Ares,” Lucia muttered, wanting to remove the knife from his palm, but he held so tight the cut deepened, and his blood stained the knife.

“Get your hands off!” She glared, pulling again.

He held tighter, and with the knife, he pulled her close, grabbing her hair in a fistful.

The knife fell, and she wielded her elbow back, but he countered with his punch. Both met, and they staggered, but he still didn’t let go of her hair as their eyes burned together viciously.

“No one has ever shot a gun at me before, not even when I was in Pain Camp. But you did it, and when that venom sank into me, do you know what I thought? It was the sweetest feeling ever!” He laughed.

“You’ve gone mad! You’re not in your right mind!” Lucia glared back.

His grip on her hair tightened, and she could have grabbed his hair too, but she choose not to.

“So tell me, why?” He laughed again, interestingly loud. “Why did you give me the venom!!”

“I did it to save your ass! If I didn’t make that move, Bones would have proceeded to measuring the wounds on Edwin’s body with my knife and your sword, and they’ll match! I might still be spared cos he wants to sleep with me, but you’ll be killed flatly on the spot!! Shooting the gun on top on your weakness wound was the only way to prove we’re still strangers!! I saved you and I know it was painful, but it’s still better than death!!” She yelled.

Ares bared his teeth, the venom messing further with his mind, telling him to kill her, to kill himself, and to end it all, but he instead wanted to smash his head on the wall.

Lucia quickly palmed his forehead, stopping him. “You’re not in your right mind! You’ll break your head in two!” She snapped with wide eyes.

He bared his teeth again, his grip on her hair tightening madly.

He needs something to vent on, else he loses control.

This time, she raised her right wrist—her weakness mark.

“Bite me!” She told him, and that was all he needed. 

His face went down, his mouth opened, and his teeth sank into her wrist, biting deep.

Her skin broke, and her blood coloured his teeth.

Lucia’s head snapped dastardly, intense pain zapping through her essence from his persistent bite.

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She eventually grabbed his hair too in a fistful, hardening her bones before groaning….

“Ahh!!….hh!”

TBC.