Chapter 294: Chapter 294 Born to Die
I watched mindlessly as Damon fell on his knees. "NOOOO! DON’T TAKE HER FROM ME... PLEASE!" Nothing remained except their clothes.
Then the golden tree brightened, shining like a burning star. Damon and I shielded our eyes. The view was blinding.
"The golden tree has been restored? By blood?" He uttered in disbelief.
Then the trees that had lost their lives came back to life. Their green lives bloomed beautifully.
The earth that had been scarred black, returned to its normal colour. Everything that was death returned to life... except the people.
Damon’s expression turned cold and his eyes were blank as if nothing mattered anymore.
The golden tree, then disintegrated into golden embers, drifting away in the air in spiralling motion.
Damon knelt where Emelia’s body had once lain, he didn’t know how long he was there for. But his eyes moved to the rising sun. It was beautiful and serene with its golden rays, the birds flew freely in the sky, singing and chirping happily.
But it looked dead to him.
The crying sound of the baby was the only thing that snapped his senses to reality. As he was about to carry the baby, he caught something from the corner of his eye. It was Emelia’s locket.
He shakily reached for it and brought it to his chest. The guilt of failing his mate ate his soul up.
Then, his eyes fell on his still baby, and tears streamed down his face. "I’m sorry child. I couldn’t protect you or your mother."
Everything continued playing, but his voice became muted.
Princess Anastasia walked closer to me. "This is the reason why you are here," she said calmly beside me.
My eyes hardened, and I scoffed. "To compensate for your wrong."
"No," she shook her head. "That was what I thought... but you can see that there was no seed in the tree. It disintegrated into flakes of embers... however, the seed was among them." She paused, her eyes wavering as if she was battling with herself to tell me a secret or not.
"The embers drifted all over the realm... when you were born as the human Jasmine, you were stillborn..."
I turned abruptly to her... my eyes round with surprise. My parents had told me how it was a miracle for me to be alive... I was born dead and when everyone thought it was over, I suddenly began to cry.
How did she know about that?
"... a part of the seed formed your soul." She stared at me.
"You mean I’m not real and I’m nothing but a seed." My eyes welled up.
Princess Anastasia looked away. "The other part was the golden butterfly... it was unable to recognize you because your powers were sealed." she swallowed before continuing. "This body is the body the seed should dwell in but it mistakenly went to the human world... that is why you died and your soul came back to this body."
I scoffed, tears streaming down my jaw. "Then what happened to Ember... the real Ember?"
"She died in the dungeon... it was time for you to come back into her body." Her voice was a little distant.
"So she was also a pawn in your game?" I nodded bitterly.
She walked closer to me. "This is not a game... as heartless as the events may be, it is to pave a way for the future."
"So if I’m the seed..." My lips stretch downward into a cry. "Does that mean I’ll become the Sacred tree? And I won’t be able to live anymore? I’ll be with Damon no more?"
She looked away from me again, wiping her eyes. "The seed must die in order to give life."
I stumbled back as she confirmed my greatest fear. "So I was only alive to die? What about what you promised Damon, I also happen to be his mate... Is he going to watch me die again? What kind of compensation is this?!" My shoulder trembled as the wave of emotions rushed through me.
"You were not supposed to be both! I didn’t know this would be the curse." She lowered her head.
I let out a bitter laugh. "So I’m really going to die... then there is no point in letting him love me."
"Aeris..."
I stretched out my hands, silencing her, my voice trembling no matter how much I tried to make them steady. "Enough, there is nothing you are going to say that will change that fact. It was better for him not to have a second mate if you knew it wouldn’t last."
She walked closer to me, her blue eyes shimmering with regret and guilt. "The things I have done have eaten me up for a century... I could not even rest since I died. I showed you this, so you will know what it really is to be a Chosen."
Then her eyes hardened as she grabbed my shoulder. "The tree’s essence is dying, you saw it with your own eyes... You must revive it before it is too late." she paused.
"You have split your heart in two, your body is weak. You have to embrace your fate... and you have to do it soon... not more than 30 days." Her voice lowered dangerously. "Else everyone, including your parents in the human world, everyone you care about will die."
Her words sent shivers down my spine, and my heart hammered in my ears. ’So the reason I came was not because of a second chance to live... it was to die for the world.’
"Remember you have the power of the universe... and with Damon by your side you’ll be saved from the reaches of the evil ones."
I remained silent... I was speechless, my knees trembling, and my gaze blurred with tears.
"When the time comes, you’ll know what to do." Her voice distorted slowly.
I knew the session was coming to an end, so I turned to my side, Damon held a baby in his hands, staring at the horizon. The golden rays of the sunrise fell on him, his shoulders slumped with grief and guilt.
Then the world distorted, shattering into a million glasses, each holding a memory of the past.
Slowly I came to consciousness, my cheeks were wet with tears, but they widened when Damon hovered in front of me, his warm palms pressing my cheeks... "You look so cute... Master."