Chapter 535 THE OPTIONS
Family? The dead being?" the voice asked.
Veronica's heart shuddered.
"Yes…. I want to save my friend. Will you please save her?"
Her voice carried the tone of begging. She never begged anyone. However, today, she didn't mind begging to save her friend.
The calm voice stated, "But she is already dead. Why do you want to save her going against the Goddess and nature?"
Veronica clenched her fists and said, "Because I'm greedy. I know I'm a sinner to do something against nature but if there is any way I can save my one and only family, I want to take the risk."
"Interesting…" After a long pause, the voice said again, "But don't see any blood relation between you too. How can she be your family?"
Veronica replied, "To be someone's family, one doesn't have to be related by blood. They have to be with that person for better or worse, always reach out their hands when the other falls, go anywhere the other one would want without a question and always wish them well. "My friend, Cathy, sacrificed her entire future for me. She went to an unknown place with me without a question. She put up with me unconditionally. If it wasn't for me, she wouldn't have died."
She stopped there and waited for a reply. Nevertheless, she heard something she didn't expect.
"So what?" the voice asked.
Veronica's heart chilled.
"What?" She thought she had heard wrong.
The gentle voice nonchalantly said, "People die every day. It's not fair but that's the way the world is. They accept it and continue their lives without the dead people."
Veronica retorted, "They are forced to accept reality. But I know I have a choice. I know I can save her. So, why would I let it go? Why would I have to accept the sad reality?"
"What if I don't grant you the wish you desire?"
"Then I will turn the world upside down to find another way to save my friend. I will use the last drop of my healing power to bring her back to death."
Veronica's voice was resolute as though nothing could prevent her determination.
She calculated in her mind what else she could do to save Catherine. She had a few more options in her mind but she didn't want to venture those options first. She wanted to use the best way to bring her back.
However, if the better way was impossible, she would have no other choice rather to go for the other options.
She could always use her healing power. She was even ready to use the last remaining of it if that could save her one and only friend.
If the healing power wouldn't be enough, then she could use the dark magic…
Dark magic or Dark Arts wasn't something anyone could talk about lightly. Not just the use of dark magic was forbidden, just thinking about using it was a sin.
At that moment, she heard the voice chuckle.
"You are different. A better version that anybody could ask for. A child with the healing power is special. They are vulnerable. They cannot protect themselves. "Even more, they don't want to protect themselves. They just want to save mankind without asking for anything in return. Selflessness is their virtue. And here, to think you would want to use black magic…"
Veronica flinched when she heard it. 'Can this person read my mind?' she wondered.
Then, she heard, "I do read your mind."
'Oh no…'
Veronica felt her throat was dry. A moment later, she heard the voice, "Fear not. I won't harm you. I cannot harm you."
"…"
Veronica waited for her to finish because she had a feeling the voice was going to say more.
"I'm surprised…"
"…?"
With a question in her mind, Veronica stayed quiet.
And she heard the voice again, "…by how you have evolved. You… changed, very much so."
Veronica finally voiced out what she wanted to ask for a while, "By any chance, did we meet before?"
The voice said in reply, "No… that shouldn't have happened. But you… crossed a forbidden line. For the first time at that. I'm impressed and also… surprised. What made you think and go through with the impossible?"
"Forbidden… impossible… I don't know about that." Veronica shrugged. "I guess I became greedy. I became brave. The credit goes to my husband. I learned from him."
The voice paused before commenting, "Husband… You are married."
"…"
"You shouldn't have."
"I hear that often."
Veronica remembered what she was told before – about marriage, romance; and she remembered the pure hostility that was visible in Urulas' face.
The voice paused for some time and then said, "…Well, you are too unpredictable. I guess it's for the best. It was never a happy life for a selfless person in this selfish life."
'Did she want to say something else?' Veronica wondered. 'It doesn't matter right now. I need to save Cathy.'
She started, "About Cathy, my friend…"
"I understand. Your life… It seems fun."
There was nothing else that Veronica heard after that. The cave was filled with an intense blue light. She immediately averted her gaze. Closing her eyes wasn't enough; she had to cover her face with her hands as well.
A tremendous wind blasted around her, almost lifting her off the ground. She struggled to keep her balance against the powerful gust.
She scrabbled around and finally found a stone stuck near the lake. She gripped the stone so that she could support herself. The force of the wind whipped through her hair and stung her cheeks, making it difficult to concentrate on what was happening around her. The wind blew stronger every second. She clenched her teeth. Her grip on the stone tightened.
At that moment, she felt something warm touching the back of her palm. The next second, that warm thing circled around her wrist.
Scared out of her wits, Veronica opened her eyes despite the light being illuminated. "…?"
With squinting eyes, she tried to see what was holding her wrist. However, the light was right in front of her. It was blocking her vision.
Water spilled from her eyes as she forced herself to look. She saw nothing. She had to close her eyes again.
"Ver!"
The word made her eyes fly open. The strong light couldn't stop her from doing so.
While she did her best to keep her eyes open, someone shook her body as they held her arms.
"Ver!"
Someone blocked the source of the light and finally, Veronica could see that person.
At first, she felt weak on her knees. Her lips quivered when she muttered her friend's name. Tears streamed down her face.
"Ca…thy…"
She tightened her grip on the warm body that she never thought would get warm.
With her blurry vision, she saw a face that she had wanted to see for a long time.
She had so many things she wanted to say.
…I missed you…
…I'm sorry I made you go through so much pain…
…You are my only family…
…I have no one else to share my unspeakable thoughts other than you.
Nevertheless, the words didn't come out of her mouth. Her mouth was open, unable to talk.
A strong emotion shook her to the core. Her entire body was trembling.
"Ver…"
Catherine cried out. She folded her arms around the only human that existed in that cave.
The two girls held themselves close to each other and cried for a long time. They stopped only when their chests hurt from crying. As their crying stopped, the blue light gradually smothered. After that, they stared at each other.
Veronica cupped Catherine's tear-smudged face and gently wiped her tears.
"How… how are you feeling?" she asked. "Are you in pain anywhere?"
"No," Catherine sniffed. "How…did you do it? I mean, I was…"
"Don't mention it. It's a long story. I brought you to the Elven Realm and so many things happened."
Veronica was panting hard. She still had a hard time believing that her friend had come back to life.
"Elven Realm?" Catherine was surprised. She looked around and then stated, "How come it's so dark? Is the Elven Realm always this dark?"
"We are in a cave. Let's head out." Veronica held her hand and pulled her up while she stood up.
Catherine looked down at her clothes and her expression changed.
"What the hell am I wearing?" she complained. "Why is it dirty and wet?" She then sniffed on it and her face twisted in disgust. "Eww! It smells so bad. Was it wrapped with a rotten animal?"
Veronica paused. "…The only thing that was rotten was you. They only revived you from the dead, not your clothes. What do you expect?"
Catherine frowned. "They… who?"
Veronica also remembered the voice. She turned around and looked at the lake. It was as calm as before. It didn't look like anyone was there in the first place.
"What are you looking at?" Catherine asked when she saw her friend acting strangely.
"Cathy, did you see anyone when you opened your eyes?"
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