Wicked Reincarnation

A while before Susa's death. Just before Lia and Leo escaped Timo.

The moment Lia put the grenade inside Timo's clothes, he instantly recognised it. It was one of the weapons in the headquarters. With this Timo figured out that Lia knew of the ghosts in the headquarters that Min was trying to breed and evolve.

As Lia jumped away from Timo, the latter quickly pulled the grenade out but not even a second later, it exploded in his hand. Half of his body was blown into bits. The fleshy outline of his figure barely stood its ground but Timo was unbothered by it.

After all, the grenades unlike the knives and swords were not infused with Min's life force, so they couldn't kill an immortal. Timo regenerated fast and when the smoke cleared, Lia and Leo had already left.

Even though Timo's healing abilities were fast, it was still a painful process and not speedy enough. Timo's eyes gradually got used to his surroundings and he saw an approaching figure who instantly warmed his heart and brought a gentle smile on his face. He walked to her and his tender voice was completely unlike him, "What are you doing here? It's dangerous."

Timo raised his finger to caress the soft cheek of Maria but she turned away, not wanting to acknowledge his badly wounded form.

She could see his fibres, nerves and veins regenerating and connecting with each other yet disregarding himself he cared more about her well-being. She was obviously healthy and fine.

Maria bit her lips but refused to look at Timo or let him touch her. She still had no concrete idea of why Timo was infatuated with her. Getting along and being in love were two completely different matters.

"Kil called me but he was obviously fine, so I didn't bother with him," more like Maria didn't want to help him, "I heard a loud explosion and rushed here to find… you."

Maria briefly paused and saw the hopeful glint in Timo's eyes before proceeding to completely exterminate it, "I'm not going to heal you."

"There's no need to," the softness in his voice made her slightly guilty, "Go back to the palace and stay safe."contemporary romance

Timo wanted to usher Maria towards the palace but she remained on the spot. This whole war was a complete mistake and Maria was in the middle of it, torn.

At one end, she desperately wanted to help Lia, Xavi, Noel and the others but on the other hand, her cover couldn't be uncovered. She couldn't pick a side and had to remain as neutral as possible.

"Maria, what's wrong?" Timo's worried face nailed Maria's conscience on a stake to burn her alive.

"I'm disappointed," Maria evaded another attempt of Timo, this time to brush her hair back, and stared him in the eyes, "In you."

Slight confusion clouded Timo's face before it made way for a visible painful expression and his hand lowered. Timo knew Maria hated violence and fights, especially when someone died. Timo also knew, despite Maria putting up an act to support Min, that in truth she disagreed with Min's goal and his methods. Although Timo knew why Maria said it, he still asked, "What did I do wrong?"

"It doesn't matter if you've already done it," Maria didn't want to be so cold to Timo but her heart hurt thinking about those that have died. In the beginning, Maria hated having to be a spy because of her father and she swore not to get involved and only do her mission, but in the process more and more certain people grew on her.

And before she knew it, she already formed her own hopes and wishes. In the end, it was inevitable. No one could refrain from having their own opinions and choosing a side, even if they didn't admit it. Why did Maria think she was better than anyone else?

"Maria please," Timo quickly grabbed Maria's hand before she could leave. His fingers interlocked with the soft and slender ones of hers. The comforting feeling washed away all the suffocating and negative thoughts in Timo's mind. Even if he didn't say it, killing others so easily was also wearing him down.

Like any other person, he sought comfort and if Maria left him alone stranded on this dark, tiny island, there was really no way for him to ever get out again. He has been there for so long but Maria has gradually started to build a bridge for him to cross and return back to the normal land.

Maira didn't have the heart to swat Timo's hand away, so she squeezed back before letting go and rushing away. Yet it was enough for Timo. A small, happy smile formed on his face as he stared at his hand. He'd leave Leo and Lia alone but there was no way for him to avoid notifying Min. Timo made his way back to the palace while Maria headed to the second layer to her family's house.

Once she arrived, she brushed past her coward of a father. At least her family and Leo's family didn't send people to aid Min. Maria always had the feeling that Elder L knew the truth but never talked with him about it, because after all, he helped Min. Maybe if Maria had confided in the L family, things would've changed.

Maria's room was fairly large with the basic necessities almost void of personal belongings. Maria most of the time stayed in the palace. However, hidden in a box, behind a wall, Maria has stored the device Yano gave her. A way to contact the Mortal World. Unfortunately, it was only usable once a month, so this was Maria's only chance.

She needed to know how the situation in the Mortal World was. More than anything they needed Yano.

***

Meanwhile, Lia sat up on the bed, Leo put her in.

"You need to rest," Leo anxiously pushed her back but Lia shook her head, "I'm fine. We have to hurry."

Leo sighed but then nodded, "I'm afraid Timo isn't hurt at all."

Lia expected this but to hear it was still shocking. Timo really was a monster.

"Then you'll go to the palace?"

"Yea… you go save the boy, right?" Leo was reluctant to part from Lia. Now that she has come to save him from Timo, he never wanted to let her go again but there were more pressing matters right now.

"Don't worry, I'll be safe."

"Me too," with a last glance Leo walked out of the room leaving behind Lia looking at her wound that was slowly healing. She got off the bed and checked her weapons. She still had a grenade and a knife.

This should be enough. Lia wasn't sure if there were guards at the prison and forgot to ask Leo.

Either way, Lia left and rushed towards the forest behind the dorm. At the end was the prison. After the forest, were the outskirts.

In this barren land, the capital ended. In the far was the river that cut of this city from others and the bridge that was one of the only ways to leave. This kind of plain, earthy land, Lia has seen many times and she knew the prison was underground. But Lia seemed to have missed the entrance. Leo said it was right after the forest, so the entrance must be just when the forest ended.

Lia walked back and suspicion rose as she stared at the tall trees and bushes surrounding her. Could it be that it was another illusion? One of the Z family's again? It should've been obvious because one of the first things Min would do was to have a secret place to lock people up. Throwing them into an abyss like he did with Lia would be majorly inconvenient.

Lia looked around to see if there was anything out of the ordinary and indeed, further to her left, past several dense trees, there were two that stood further away, giving the illusion of being able to step through them and being teleported into another world.

After Lia put her leg between the trees, the image tore and like a water tipples on mirror parted to the sides. Lia's foot disappeared. Now completely stepping through Lia found herself in a dark place made out of stones. Dark blue, almost black were the walls and the stairs that led down.

One step down, Lia could already hear the shouts and menacing laughter of the prisoners. Just how many people were there? And for what purpose did Min lock them up? For harming immortals? Then did they have power? If they did, weren't they exorcists? Or were they simple immortals that dared to go against Min?

Or an even worse thought raced in Lia's mind. Could they be some of the loose prisoners from Mistand? Those insane cannibals?

The stone stairs came to an end and Lia was now standing at the entrance of a single large hall that was shaped like a circle. The mid was bare, surrounded by cells that were layered on top of each other. 10 cells on the ground and 10 on each 15 floors. The hall was not only wide but also incredibly high. Each cell had around 2 prisoners but some cells were empty, which meant there were not all filled.

All noises stopped when the prisoners became aware of Lia, instead, they all whistled and then banged on the steel bars keeping them from pushing Lia to the ground to have their way with her. Disgusted, Lia let her eyes wander around but she didn't see Zero.

Not wasting any time and not wanting to endure the lewd noises, Lia's loud voice tore through the other sounds and silenced the confused prisoners, "Zero!"

Zero's voice echoed in this stone prison before finally from the third floor fourth prison the angel-like appearance of Zero lurked out, "Teacher Kim?"

Lia's and Zero's eyes met and Lia smiled, saying, "Yes, I'm here to get you."

done.co