Jane's eyes welled up with tears the instant Taylor uttered those words. It felt like he'd already decided to kill her, and his sudden grip on his sword confirmed her worst fears. She stumbled backward, heart pounding in her chest.
"Jane, come on," Taylor said, his voice laced with a hint of amusement. "You should know me better than that. I'd never do anything like that for Mara." His words, coupled with a sigh of relief that escaped his lips, calmed her racing heart. She'd been so quick to jump to conclusions, forgetting the kind of person Taylor truly was.
Releasing a shaky breath, Jane stopped retreating. Taylor's reassurance had calmed her. "Oh, Taylor, you scared me," she admitted, placing a hand over her chest. The fear that had gripped her moments ago was still lingering, leaving her breathless and shaky.
A playful smile spread across Taylor's face as he approached her, still holding his sword. He gently placed a hand on her head, his gaze locked with hers. The closeness of their bodies, the intensity of his stare, sent a shiver down her spine. It was more than friendship, more than just a shared bond. They were lovers, deeply in love, and Jane's trust in him was absolute.
"I have said it and still going to say it again that there is nothing that will make me kill you for her, you know me so well and you know what I can do, I can't kill you for her but I can actually kill you for money" He said and the word sounded like a heavy bell in her head and just as she was trying to look at his hand he already stabbed her.
The sword pierced through her stomach and came through from the back.
And there was strangely immediate flow of blood that was pumping out of her stomach.
She couldn't believe it, she couldn't even shout or scream for help, she can't even get that strength since she had been stabbed, she was losing her energy with speed, she is already and the edge of dying.
What she did was to look at him in his face and blood was already pumping out of her mouth.
"I… I told you," his voice echoed in her mind, a cruel mockery of her final plea. "I told you to stay away, I'm not a nice person! you couldn't have trusted me in the first place, I warned you about that, to know your place. I can't kill you for her, but for money… well, money can buy anything."
His words, laced with a chilling indifference, were the last she heard before the darkness swallowed her whole. The door, closing with a soft click, was the final act in a tragedy orchestrated by greed and a heart devoid of love. He had taken her life, but he could never take her soul. It was a truth that would haunt him, a constant reminder of the price he had paid for his betrayal.
                   • New Day •
Obed, Jane's younger brother, finally arrived in the town, a place he'd only heard whispers about. He was a stranger to its secrets, its dangers, its allure. Jane had always warned him about the town, urging him to stay away from the daylight, a place where shadows held secrets and the odds were stacked against those who didn't know how to play the game.
He had spent his childhood with their grandmother, who had also known the town's darkness. She had tried to keep him away, to shield him from its dangers. His true identity, a secret even to himself, was a fragile thing, something that had to be protected at all costs.
Now, with his grandmother gone, there was no one to stop him. Grief weighed heavy on him, a leaden weight in his chest. He had come to tell Jane, to find solace in her presence, and to find a place to stay. At fifteen, he was too young to be alone, especially in a place like this.
As he stepped arrived at the town, the town's vibrant energy hit him like a wave. The bustling marketplace, the throngs of people, the constant hum of activity – it was a far cry from the quiet life he'd known. His face, pale and drawn, reflected the turmoil within. His grandmother's death, a loss that felt too immense to bear, shadowed every thought.
He wandered through the crowded streets, his small bag slung over his shoulder, a lone figure amidst the chaos. He was lost, both physically and emotionally. He had no map, no guide, only the faint hope of finding his sister and the comfort of her presence.
Everything seemed foreign, overwhelming. He has never spent a day in this town, so it's normal for him to feel like an outsider, a ghost drifting through a vibrant world he couldn't quite grasp.
His anger, a simmering pot of grief, was his constant companion. Lost in his thoughts, he bumped into a young woman, sending her basket of tomatoes tumbling to the ground.
"Excuse you! Are you blind?" she yelled, her voice sharp and accusing.
Obed, startled, stopped in his tracks. He hadn't even noticed he'd hit someone, his mind preoccupied with his own troubles. He turned, his gaze meeting hers, and saw the anger in her eyes.
"I'm so sorry," he said, his voice apologetic. "I didn't see you." He knelt down, helping her pick up the scattered tomatoes.
"Yeah, you didn't notice because you were too busy being blind!" she retorted, her voice still sharp.
Obed, despite her harsh words, continued to help her, gathering the fallen fruit and placing them back in her basket.
"I'm truly sorry," he said again. "My name is Obed."
"And I don't care," she said, her tone clipped. "Just watch where you're going next time." She snatched the basket from his hands and stormed off, leaving Obed standing there, feeling both foolish and a little bit smitten. He had admired her beauty for a fleeting moment, but his need to find his sister overshadowed everything else. He wanted to ask her for help, to find out if she knew his sister, but the anger in her eyes made him hesitate.
Obed knew that his sister, Jane, was well-known in the town as the beloved Princess Mara's maid. He felt a flicker of hope that anyone he approached would recognize her and help him find her. However, he was at a loss for how to begin; he didn’t know her address or where she lived. All he could do was ask random people, hoping someone would point him in the right direction.
After his encounter with the angry girl, he decided to keep searching for someone else to assist him. As he wandered through the bustling streets and finally located the golden castle which is where the king lives and his sister should be there also, he entered inside just like people were getting inside also, a sudden ringing of bells caught his attention. Confused, he paused to observe the commotion around him. People began to gather, their faces etched with concern and sorrow. Some were even shedding tears, and Obed felt a knot tighten in his stomach.
Curiosity piqued, he joined the crowd, eager to learn what was happening. As he pushed through the throng, he caught sight of Princess Mara herself. She stood on the second floor of the castle, elevated above the crowd, her presence commanding attention. It was clear she was about to make an important announcement, and the air was thick with anticipation.
Obed felt a surge of excitement as he saw Princess Mara. She was even more beautiful in person than he had imagined, her presence radiating warmth and grace. He had heard so many stories about her, and he had hoped to see his sister working alongside her. He couldn’t help but wonder if Jane was inside the castle, perhaps assisting the princess with this gathering.
As Princess Mara addressed the crowd, Obed scanned the faces around him, searching for any sign of his sister. His sister was supposed to be around the princess just like her brother, Peter was standing around her.
"People of Genesis!" Princess Mara began, her voice clear and strong. "I welcome you all to this gathering with a sorrowful heart. Some of you may have already heard the news – the devastating news that our hero, the greatest thing that has ever happened to us, the mightiest King Genesis, is dead! He has finally crossed over to the other side, where he will continue to watch over and protect us."
A wave of grief swept through the crowd. People began to weep openly, their faces etched with sorrow. They had loved their King, and they had believed he would be with them forever. But death, as Princess Mara had said, was inevitable.