1 Betrayal

A flash of lightning followed by thunder illuminated the bloody surrounding.

A masculine figure of a middle aged man was glaring at the robed woman standing before him.

"W-why…?" he spat out those words along with blood. He was slowly crumbling as blood was becoming a pool beneath him.

The woman didn't answer him, she only looked at him with emotionless eyes for five seconds before turning her back to him.

"M-Me–rsh!" He was struggling but he wanted answers. He was so confused about the sudden betrayal of his best friend.

How could she?

There was no prior indication that she would do this… or did he just miss it? Was he so engrossed with the peace that he didn't see this coming?

He tried his best to remain on his feet, but he was slowly losing strength.

"Pathetic."

He heard Mersh utter as a new emotion finally emerged in her face. It was disgust, which confused the man.

"You're right! I can't believe this is how the strongest human alive will fall! Aster, Aster! Hahaha!"

Aster, who was already at death's door, didn't have to look for the voice to recognize him. It was Zenith, his true nemesis. He thought he had silenced the man after signing the Peace Treaty. A true viper he was.

"Please, spare my family." He knew there was no more chance for him to survive. Mersh's spell had penetrated deep inside his heart and brain. But he was hoping he could still save those people dear to him.

Zenith was right. He was pathetic to beg his enemies. But he couldn't take his ego in the afterlife.

Aster's eyes slightly squinted before going back to her emotionless expression.

"Pathetic! HAHAHA!"

"M-Mersh… w-why…"

He tried his best to look at Mersh's face, hoping to find the answer that had been eluding him. But slowly, the luster in his eyes was taken away. In just a matter of some seconds, he heard his final heartbeat as he descended to peaceful death.