Tangled By Fate

477 OUT OF OPTIONS

“Won’t you abandon me?” Veronica asked.

Saint Ava raised an eyebrow. “Should I not abandon you?”

Veronica lowered her head. “I’m sorry for everything.”

Seeing her sorry state, infuriated Saint Ava even more.

She said, “That’s a sudden change of heart. I wonder what’s the reason. You are a stubborn fool who keeps making wrong choices.

“I know it’s because you grew up not being able to make any decisions in your life and you are delusional.

“With all those responsibilities. I thought you could change for a better person but I was wrong.”

Veronica lowered her head even more. The guilt she felt at that time, she wanted to bury herself in it.

She gathered some courage and said, “I know you must be disappointed in me but I’m ready to face him and tell him I won’t look for my freedom anymore. Please give me a chance to live.”

.....

“Face him?” Saint Ava frowned. “Who is he? Do you have a lover now? Did you throw away your responsibility because of a man?”

Veronica immediately replied, “No, I didn’t escape my responsibility as a blessed child because of a man.

“I’ve become a blessed child because I wanted to save the man I love. Without him, I’d be nothing.”

“What on earth…” Saint Ava paused for a moment and then took a deep breath.

Then, she mentioned, “So, this is the reason why you released your energy. For a man. And now, you are poisoned and dying.”

“Yes, and I want to know how I can wake up healthy. What can I do? Please, Saint Ava, help me,” Veronica begged her.

Her heart tightened and it was painful to even breathe when she thought about Arthur.

Although she wanted to roam around the world, she never thought of leaving him permanently.

It’s after she was at death’s door she realized how much he meant to her.

Just thinking about not being able to see him again and him suffering from losing her made her breathless.

She realized that her affection for him was much stronger than her dream.

She regretfully realized it just now and she wanted nothing more than to go back to his side.

Saint Ava shook her head.

“It’s impossible even for me,” she answered. “I don’t know where your body is. You have no idea what happened to you.

“Your soul came here when I was praying. There is nothing wrong with your soul.

Even if I try to heal your soul, it won’t work because your soul is detached from your body.”

Veronica panicked when she heard it.

“What should I do? There must be something I can do. Please, Saint Ava, do something.”

A sigh escaped Saint Ava’s lips. “Listen, no matter how much you plead to me, it won’t work. I already told you why I can’t do anything.

“I’m not Almighty, Veronica. There are certain times when I’m powerless.

“If only you did your part as a blessed child, you could become more powerful and knowledgeable than me.

“Sadly, you chose a path that deprived you of wisdom. Now, you can only pray to our beloved Goddess.

“If She thinks you still have some tasks to do in mortal life, she will revive you.”

Veronica gulped. “I’ve done nothing but run away from my duties. What reason does Goddess have to save me?”

Saint Ava replied, “I’m glad you know how useless you are. But it’s not yours to judge who has parts in the mortal realm. Let our Goddess do her judgment.

“Now come, kneel beside me and pray with me. Let Goddess hear your prayers.”

—————-

Magic Tower

“Still no change?” Zinnia asked Ovior with a worried expression.

Ovior slowly shook his head. His solemn expression already gave zinnia the answer she was seeking.

Her heart dropped. She stared at the sleeping beauty mournfully.

“It’s been three days and there is no cure,” she said. “Her heart is barely beating. At this rate, she might die.”

“Shut it!” Ovior snapped at her. “Do you want Arthur to hear this? You might even prepare for your death.”

“Zinnia, please control your mouth,” Felix requested. “There’s enough bloodshed inside the tower now.

“Arthur is still suppressing himself in the hope Veronica will get better soon.

“If he finds out we still haven’t found any cure, do you think anyone will stay alive?”

“It’s not that I don’t know,” Zinnia stated calmly. “We have looked for all the healers we know of. Now the only thing left is going to Utahill.

“They have a saint named Ava. She lives in the temple where Veronica went last time. If we can go to her…”

“It’ll put Veronica’s life at risk,” Felix carefully said. “Think about the snowstorm and cold temperature.

“We can’t use magic there to keep her warm. Plus, we have no clue where that place is.

“Her body is already so cold. She’ll freeze before we find that place.

“But this may be our only option,” Zinnia tried to convince him.

“If you guys have time to argue, why not find something useful for me?” Ovior spoke.

He was dead tired. He didn’t sleep a wink in three days.

His face was pale and dark circles were deep under his eyes.

He looked so exhausted that if the wind blew toward him, he might fall.

“Have you got any news about Merlin?” he asked.

“I’ve sent him four urgent letters already,” Felix answered. “Unfortunately, there’s no answer.”

“After he left, the communication was suddenly cut off. However, we don’t have time to worry about his situation,” Zinnia mentioned.

Ovior’s face darkened. “When danger comes, it comes from everywhere,” he murmured.

With Merlin’s knowledge of ancient healing magic, he thought they had a chance to save Veronica.

However, after he left, there was no news from him.

At first, they let it go thinking about his mission but now it was an emergency.

Until now, Ovior tried to keep Veronica alive for three days with the minimum ideas stored in his head.

However, he was running out of options and she still hadn’t woken up.

In fact, her situation didn’t get better at all.

On the other hand, life was slipping away from her little by little.

“Then, we should find that Saint Ava,” Ovior declared.

He was going to say more when the door burst open.

Darius came inside while panting.

“Guys, you won’t believe this,” he said. “A couple of men came and stood outside the gate of the tower. They want to meet Veronica.”

Ovior frowned. “A couple of men? Who?”