Chapter 41: Betrayal

Airelina Frembell

This room feels so large that I’m now the only one left. I can get lively if I can, but I don’t feel like it. Amphere didn’t sleep on our inn last night. It sure feels lonely without him. He should’ve slept in the Chevalier Unit Office. I can’t contact Reina and Richard either. They must’ve known the truth from now on, and they will certainly switch sides.

I, the Crimson Dragonfly, was the most hated entity in the world. There will be a good chance that everyone is after me. Humans, dragonoids…I’m no longer safe with anyone but Estoff and Duchess Carousel. I have the option to hide under their beds and cower in fear, but that is not the time for that right now.

My highest priority is to look for Amphere. And to kill him.

Amphere knows everything from Arcadia. He knows all our intelligence networks, hideouts, and spies. He can become a whistleblower and talk for one hour which will lead to Arcadia’s total destruction in just a matter of days. I can’t let our years of hard work become dust in my own very eyes. I have to act fast.

Suddenly, there was a phone call! I was so excited to answer it but then I was disappointed.

“…Airelina…can you hear me?” It was Estoff’s voice. There’s a lot of static and random noises that it makes it hard to comprehend. “-got compromised… Listen to me…-base in the Ruined Cathedral is under attack…-Rudolf Azregon. Don’t worry about us…-escaped using a hijacked airship. Don’t…-“

Then the line was cut. It was really messy but I get the situation. Rudolf Azregon raided the Guardian’s Haven base. So I was right. It’s either Richard or Reina who sold us out. I can’t think of Amphere doing this to us. But I’m open for possibilities, at least. For now, I have to find Amphere-

Speak of the devil. Amphere just peeped the door and waved at me, as if he wasn’t angry in the first place. “Airi…” He said.

“Amphy-…Amphere…” My feelings…It was a mixture of happiness, love, doubt and fear.

“You have to come with me. We have to talk.” Amphere held his serious face.

Without any hesitation, I hopped to his side and nodded. This will be our only time together. This will be the last time. Because at the end of the day, I have to silence his mouth forever. I have to kill him.

There are no classes on this day because this is the day of celebration about the end of the First Dragonoid War that happened a hundred years ago. This is why we can roam in the streets without any trouble in mind. No, I’m completely in trouble. I wish Amphere is not troubled as I am…

I love him. That is not a lie. I don’t know if I can still fulfill my duty to kill him. Relax Airi. I have killed a thousand people. Amphere is just one. I can do it…I can. Totally.

Surprisingly, we stopped by to a café, as if we both are in the mood to relax. This is the first time Amphere has ever lead me to this place. Most of the time I will pester him to treat me a chocolate almond frappe. And now it’s him who wanted to sit back and chill.

“You know… Estoff and the others are totally on the run, right?” I tilted my head and frowned.

“What?” Amphere exclaimed. His reaction was genuine, and no stain of any acting. But then Amphere crossed his arm and indulge himself in deep thought. “I think Reina revealed it to General Leviticus. Rudolf and I have nothing to do with it. I promise.”

Then he grabbed my hand and pulled me inside the café. “Let’s go inside. Everyone’s eavesdropping.”

I can’t process Amphere’s logical way of thinking right now, but I know he’s up to something. I can tell it from his fast heartbeat. Thanks to the connection of the Vesryn Pulse, I can feel his heart.

There’s only two or three tables occupied in this café, making it totally safe to talk about terrorism and escape plans. As we wait for our orders, Amphere was silently daydreaming while staring in the windows, while I… I have this knife on my sleeve. Amphere is totally unarmed. He’s not good in handling surprise attacks either. I can end his life right now.

But I think it’s wise to hear him talk first.

“I forgot to warn Estoff.” Amphere murmured. “I should’ve grabbed Duchess Corasell earlier too.”

“Umm…what are you talking about?” I scratched my head in embarrassment.

“Listen Airi. Rudolf is right…about everything. We’ll be doing things on our way from now on. As long as we best friends arhe together, we are unstoppable. Not even you, or Estoff, or anyone else in Arcadia.”

Hearing those words immediately made all my blood boil and reach to the top of my brain! So it’s true that he’s going to change sides! He’s just here to…He’s just here to say his last farewell to me! I know something’s fishy from the start! I immediately pulled the knife and pushed it to his chest!

“Y-YOU BASTARD!!!”

There was now a bloodstain on his white shirt. But it was so small. My knife only cut his skin and some veins, but I didn’t exert much effort for the blade to reach his heart. I can’t finish him instantly right now. Not with those fearless maroon eyes that glares inside my soul. He appears that he’s not even hurt.

“You can’t kill me Airi…Because I know…You love me…” He said calmly.

Tears started racing out from my pitiful crimson eyes without me knowing. My heart ached more than ever. I withdrew the bloody knife and dropped it on the floor. Then I reached the back of my head and untied the dark scarlet ribbon that I have kept as an ornament for my hair.

“Amphere…Do you remember me?” I presented the ribbon. “You gave this to me.”

“I’m sorry…I don’t remember you, nor that ribbon you’re wearing.” He sighed.

“I-I don’t care if you don’t remember me.” My voice are shaking as I continued to speak and cry at the same time. “All I know is that I love you. And I have to kill you. But I can’t. It’s silly for a murderer like me to pull my knife without delivering my target to his end… For the sole reason that I love you more than the reason I’ve been living for.…”

Amphere shut his mouth. It’s the same as my regular Amphy; bland, silent and boring. It was the very same person I fell in love with, not once or not twice, but over and over again. Every day I would force him to accept my feelings even though I always get a null answer. But I will never give up… Totally…

I stood up and reached my hand to him and released all my honest feelings for him; the very first time I confessed everything in my heart, in my mind and in my soul. All my tears went out non-stop as I formulate my words.

“Amphere…Take my hand… Let’s run away together. I’ll leave Arcadia. I’ll leave all my principles and sins behind. Let’s start a new life together…in a faraway village, or even in another nation. Let’s build a house…a small bungalow is the only thing I need. Let’s have a family…maybe two or three children will do. You have a background on business and have a high educational attainment so you will have no trouble looking for another job. And I will just stay on our house; taking care of you until our children grows old and marries. And we will stay together till the last of our breath.”

“No.” Amphere bowed. “I can’t do that. That’s not what you liked. That’s not your wish.”

“But Amphere-!!!”

I was immediately cut out when Amphere surged to me and tightly hugged me like a koala. This…This is the first time ever that he initiated a hug to me. I do feel loved even though my honest confession was just rejected. I can feel the warmth of his heart. I can feel that we’re still connected, even though our minds are in conflict.

“Airi. Trust me. You’ll get the justice that you deserve.” He whispered in my ear.

Suddenly, all the windows broke as several gas-masked man breached the place. They are all wearing a standard soldier armors such as bulletproof, and all of them are armed with assault rifles, if not long taser guns. I know their uniforms…they are the Black Ops by the military which was led by General Kyle Leviticus!

Amphere released me from embrace and pushed me to the most disgusting man in the universe.

General Kyle Leviticus himself.

I was about to resist and kick the lunatic’s throat, but then I got a taste of the taser gun on my spine. A bursting sensation made me paralyzed and helpless as I fall to the ground.

“I’m sorry, Mistress Massacre.” Kyle slowly clapped his hands. “Airelina Frembell, or more properly…Crimson Dragonfly… You are under arrest.”

Two soldiers carried me up and dragged me away to the exit of the café. And there, my dragon knight watches me disappear from his sight.

“W-What gives Amphere! W-What are you doing!?” I shouted out with all my might. But my words never entered his consciousness. His ears repelled all the sound waves that came from my mouth. All he gave to me is a genuine smile and a blazing set of eyes, full of determination.

This bizarre set of events left me unable to breathe as my vision blurred and finally blacked out.

Amphere…

Please tell me what’s going on…