Two Millennia

Liana looked at her hellhounds.

"Ti suq!"

The hellhounds stepped back, looked at her, and disappeared. Her eyes flitted over the two men. She walked over to them and squatted down next to Preston.

"I told you long ago that I'd end you someday."

She looked past him towards her twin.

"I'm sorry, Vander."

"Liana, why?"

"Here, I was dead for two years. But when I died, I went to Hell. There, it was two millennia."

"What?"

"I suffered through various tortures for two millennia. I've been broken, torn apart, and remolded so many times over. Do you think I wanted to kill those in the Gathering? No, but they were going to kill me, and I don't want to return to the horrors I escaped from. Death spat me back out because I fought to live again. The only reason I reincarnated was because I managed to escape Hell itself. That was a long, arduous, painful task in and of itself."

Vander stared at her, shocked. She sighed and used her powers to heal his wounds and Preston's. Her veins turned black, and her body shook with pain. But she ignored it. When she was done healing them, she nearly collapsed.

"Don't ever get on my bad side ever again."

Then, she turned to face King Erik and Crown Prince Leo.

"I'm sorry for any damages I may have caused. I promise to pay them back in full."

"Liana-"

She held up a hand to cut him off.

"I know what I've done in my life, er, lives. I know I can never make up for what I've done. I know that the blood on my hands will never wash off. I know I'm a monster and that that's what I'll always be. I have tried to be better this time around, but my past haunts me. It will never let me forget my wrongdoings. So to anyone I may have offended or hurt, I'm terribly sorry."

Then, before anyone else could say anything, she teleported out of the palace. She reappeared in Helissus and commandeered a small sloop. Lowering the sails, she pulled out of the dock and headed for the Phrygian Sea. Liana sailed to Sonic where she swapped out the sloop for her galleon, the White Wave. Then, she sailed away.

She spent weeks on the high seas. Having cut all communications, she was completely alone on this endeavor. As she was steering towards the edge of the known world, a dark figure appeared on her main deck.

"Who are you?" she asked.

The figures hissed back at her. Fear crept along her spine.

"What do you want with me?"

"You have a priccce to pay. Liliana of Ssssalenccccia."

She murmured in horror, "No, no. It can't be."

"I have come for you, Princcccesss. You have evaded the Masssterssss long enough. Hell welccccomessss you back with open armssss."

"No, no, no. Ahh!"

She woke up from her nightmare. Shaking terribly, she knew she had to stay far away from people. Or else they would be dragged down with her. Liana panted from the adrenaline that coursed through her veins.

"They know. They've sent their shadow creatures after me. Now, I'm royally damned."

"Liana, please, if you can hear this, I want you to know that your father and mother are terribly worried about you. Vander told them that you said about being in Hell. King Russell has sent out a search party for you."

She summoned the conch and still shaking, brought it up to her ear.

"Leo, I can't ever go back. I'm sorry, but I can't endanger you all."

"Liana what you are talking about?"

"I can't tell you. I'm sorry, but know that this is for the best."

Then, she crushed the conch in her hand, and it crumbled to dust. Liana sobbed in bed. Pulling her knees up, she wrapped her arms around them.

I have brought this upon myself. There's no use trying to undo what has been done."

She sighed.

"I've been damned from the start."