"I guess that was why you were brought here. To save them."
Alicia heard a voice. Once again, she was back in this dimension. There was nothing in the space except emptiness. Just like when she first communicated with Anne.
"Amber?" Alicia called in surprise. She was used to seeing Anne, but never Amber. It was the first.
"We finally meet," Amber spoke to her in a gentle voice.
Yes. They finally met.
But then...
"Why... am I here?" Alicia asked quietly before the memory began to come to her.
There was a battle. She had felt a surge of a strange power, which she harnessed and created a barrier to protect the people behind her. However, she had greatly underestimated what it meant to use magic. Magic was spiritual; therefore, it worked with the soul. It felt like the barrier was sucking out her soul and every ounce of energy was leaving her.
The worst part was that the people were moving slowly. Some had to support others who had collapsed from fear or relief, but then there were others making it difficult for her.
They refused to leave until their relatives, who were still out there, left with them, which meant they wanted the barrier down. After all, the royal guards were more than enough to take down the rogues.
"I DO NOT THINK I CAN HOLD THIS FOR LONG. THE BARRIER IS WEAKENING; YOU SHOULD ESCAPE!" She shouted to Harvey, who was trying to keep some wild rogues from getting to her.
The rogues were losing the battle, and they didn't want to go down without her. She had deceived them. She had shamelessly sworn with her life, only to go against her words dishonourably.
As for their former master, Tyra had fled. Which was the reason why Lance, Williams, and Alvin were nowhere in sight. They all chased after her. However, only Alvin had a horse, so the two had to quickly find wandering horses around the area while also angrily killing off any rogues in their path.
An exhausted Harvey tried to keep them from getting to Alicia while the rest of the warriors dealt with the others. Some guards tried to help other people, like Sir Rager, to their feet, but with the barrier up, they could not do much.
Which was the dilemma Alicia was facing coupled with the effect it was having on her.
From within the barrier, some people refused to leave, even crying to Alicia to stop it so their families would join them, including Harvey's mother and sister.
"I WILL NOT FORGIVE YOU IF ANYTHING HAPPENS TO MY BROTHER AND FATHER!" Benedicta cried helplessly beside her mother, who was begging Harvey to stop and find a way inside.
"GO AWAY!" A livid Harvey turned to yell at his mother and sister. Unfortunately, the distraction caused him to miss dodging a sword, which went deep into his gut.
"HARVEY!" Looking behind her, Alicia yelled at the same time as Benedicta and his mother, who screamed in fear.
From where Lord Richard was busy fighting desperately with cuts all over his body, he turned to look at his son with wide eyes, and was also an unfortunate victim of getting slashed in the arm since he was distracted too.
Harvey fell on one knee as blood gushed out of his wounds, and when the rogue who had stabbed Harvey tried to go in for the second strike, Alicia screamed in fear and let go of the barrier, throwing herself in front of Harvey.
"No!" Harvey cried out weakly just as the sword pierced Alicia on the left side of her chest.
Alicia's eyes widened, and her jaw fell, leaving her mouth open.
All eyes watched; some yelled out, and some could only watch in horror with their eyes and mouths wide open.
When the excited rogue pulled out the sword, she suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood and fell back into Harvey, who let go of his sword and quickly caught her.
"Don't... do this," Harvey said in a tight voice as he held her closely, shaking her. "D-Don't..." His voice was broken, and a startled sob escaped his lips.
"Hahahaah!" The rogue laughed in triumph and tried to go for the final blow when he was stabbed in the back, the sword ripping through his stomach.
His blood splattered on both Harvey and Alicia and when the sword was drawn back, the man fell to the ground, revealing the one who had stabbed him.
It was Sir Richard.
Sir Richard had only a flash of confusion when he saw how Harvey held Princess Amber before he knelt on one knee to look at his son.
"Let's take her inside."
The barrier finally dissipated, letting Harvey's weeping mother and daughter rush beside him.
That was as far as Alicia could remember.
"I... died," Alicia whispered in fear.
"I... don't think so," Amber answered. "None of us would be here now if my body was dead."
Did that mean she survived that? Even though this was her soul, remembering that scene made her feel an intense pain in her heart, and she placed a hand there as she tried to steady her breathing.
"Thank you," Amber said quietly.
Alicia's teary eyes looked at her, wondering why. "For... what?"
"For protecting Harvey," Amber answered with a faint smile on her face, her eyes misty with tears. "I was partly there with you. Your magic drew me in. I could sense it."
"You... do not need to thank me for that."
"I was surprised. You didn't seem like the type to ignore everyone else for just one person." Amber pointed it out.
"There are a lot of things I wouldn't have believed I'd be able to do until I got here," Alicia responded in a heavy voice as the memory of her ordering for the rogues to be slain flashed through her head. "I guess it's difficult for someone to be free from selfishness. We'd always protect the things and people we hold dear to our hearts."
"Do you regret it? What you did. Repeatedly putting your life in danger for others." Amber asked her softly.
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