002 Tragic Reincarnation
1370 Words
Alaric Starfire let out a sinister laugh, his face twisted with malice as he lunged forward. Since she was already dying, he figured he might as well take advantage one last time.
Soon, horrific screams filled the cave, echoing with gut-wrenching agony that chilled the bones. The echoes of her cries seemed to linger in the air, a haunting reminder of the brutality she had endured.
"Lyria, you will die a miserable death! A miserable death!" The screams gradually weakened and faded away, like the dying embers of a once-raging fire.
After a while, Alaric withdrew, looking down with disgust at the withered corpse beneath him. Lyria Ravenwood was dead. Her storage bracelet and storage ring had become ownerless, and Alaric easily removed the spiritual imprints from them, his eyes glinting with greed.
His eyes gleamed with greed, but after a thorough search, his expression turned dark.
"How can it be missing?" he muttered under his breath, frustration evident in his voice.
Alaric glanced again at the withered corpse, his gaze filled with venomous hatred. Well, even without the codex, her accumulated treasures over the years were a decent haul. Killing the sorceress was worth it.
Her discerning eye had ensured that her storage items contained only valuable treasures like rare elixirs, spiritual herbs, and even materials for crafting artifacts. These were treasures that could elevate a mage's power to new heights, treasures that Alaric coveted deeply.
Alaric greedily claimed Lyria's storage bracelet and ring. Then, conjuring a fireball, he incinerated her body and their love nest of many years, leaving without a trace of sentiment.
The flames roared, consuming everything in their path, erasing all evidence of their time together.
A jet-black light was concealed by the flames, unnoticed by anyone. It flickered briefly before vanishing into the darkness.
...
"Alaric!" The searing hatred seemed to merge with Lyria's very soul. She screamed in agony, feeling as if her entire body was being pierced by needles. The pain was so intense that it felt like her very essence was being torn apart.
"Am I... not dead?" Lyria opened her eyes, staring at the unfamiliar surroundings. The blood-red in her eyes slowly faded away, replaced by confusion and bewilderment. She should have died when that beast Alaric drained her...
Knowing Alaric's character after a thousand years of intimacy, she understood he wouldn't have left her as a potential threat, given her vengeful nature. Thus, the only certainty was that she couldn't have survived.
But here she was, alive and in pain, a paradox that she couldn't comprehend.
Suddenly, a sharp pain attacked her, feeling like her head would explode from the influx of information. Memories flooded her mind, overwhelming her senses. As Lyria slowly adapted to the flood of memories, she was stunned by the revelations.
She had indeed died, drained by Alaric.
Now, she was in the body of another Lyria Ravenwood, the eldest daughter of House Ravenwood of the Celestria Kingdom. Her father, Grand Duke Ravenwood, was a respected advisor to the crown. Her mother, Lady Evelina Valeria, had left behind a son and daughter before her untimely death.
Her stepmother was her biological aunt, Lady Evelina's younger sister, who appeared gentle and kind, treating her and her brother as her own.
Looking around at the dilapidated room, the moldy bedding, and the creaky bed, Lyria understood what "treating her as her own" truly meant. The room was a far cry from the luxury she once knew, filled with the stench of neglect and decay.
But that wasn't the worst of it. The worst part was discovering that she was a powerless failure, unable to harness any magical energy. The realization struck her like a blow, adding to the torment she already felt.
Reincarnated in the body of a failure, it seemed like a tragic beginning. Lyria turned over, feeling the pain in her body. Before she could think further, the door was kicked open with a bang. A nobleman in blue stormed in, his face twisted with anger, grabbed her from the bed without a word, ignoring her injuries.
"Lyria, you little beast!"
"Ah!" Lyria cried out in pain as he threw her to the ground. Instinctively, she protected her head, cursing internally: Damn it! Who is this bastard? And why does this body have no strength?
"You little beast! I don't blame you for being talentless. It's your fate to be born lowly. But causing a scene at the crown prince's estate after hearing about your broken engagement? And insulting your sister? Let me tell you, the marriage was the emperor's decree, and I've agreed to it. Your sister will be the crown princess, and you, a failure, have no right!" His words were laced with venom, each one a dagger aimed at her heart.
"How dare you!" Lyria's fury ignited. Despite her notorious reputation in the arcane world, no one had ever dared insult her to her face like this!
Bastard, she would remember this!
"How dare you? You think you're not a failure? You're still a disgrace!" The man kicked her again, his anger unabated.
Lyria's weakened body couldn't react in time. She took the blow and was thrown like a leaf, crashing into a rickety table that collapsed, leaving her dizzy. The pain was excruciating, every nerve in her body screaming in agony.
Her miserable state did not evoke any sympathy. The man grabbed her again and threw her to the ground once more, his actions merciless and unrelenting.
The repeated actions reminded Lyria of her previous life, of the man she loved and hated deeply, Alaric Starfire. Her eyes filled with a demonic red, glaring at the man with a venomous stare like a viper ready to strike.
The man hesitated, taking a step back instinctively, but his mouth remained defiant.
"You little beast! I don't care what tricks you're playing. You better behave, or don't blame me for being ruthless!" His voice was filled with contempt, his eyes cold and unfeeling.
The voice wasn't Alaric's. As her sanity returned, Lyria recognized the man before her from the original body's memories: her father, Grand Duke Ravenwood, a man who had shown her nothing but cruelty.
"Father..." Lyria whispered, the word foreign to her, though it was a deep wound for the original owner. The word tasted bitter on her tongue, a reminder of the betrayal and neglect she had suffered.
Remembering the neglect and unfair treatment from her father, her stepmother, and her half-siblings, Lyria's use of "Father" was laced with sarcasm. The memories of their cruelty were like a poison, seeping into her soul.
"Hmph! You still recognize me as your father? You little beast! If you consider me your father, then behave yourself and marry Prince Alex in ten days! As a failure, you dared to confront the crown prince? If not for your sister pleading for you, you'd be dead by his order! A failure, bringing shame to House Ravenwood!" His words were harsh, each one a blow to her already fragile spirit.
Hearing Lyria call him "Father" bolstered Grand Duke Ravenwood's confidence. He failed to notice the mockery in her tone and continued to berate her viciously.
"Prince Alex?" Lyria ignored his ranting, focusing on "marry Prince Alex in ten days," her mind momentarily blank.
"You think you're fooling anyone, you little failure? Apart from Prince Alex, whose magical core is also destroyed, who else would marry you? Even a beggar with minimal talent wouldn't want a failure like you!" His words were cutting, meant to wound her deeply.
Assuming Lyria was playing dumb, Grand Duke Ravenwood's words grew harsher.
"A destroyed magical core, reduced to a failure?" Memories flooded in. Lyria murmured instinctively.
Her engagement to the crown prince, the heir of the kingdom, was arranged while she was still in the womb. Her mother and the empress were close friends, frequently visiting each other. Moreover, the Valeria family was influential, and the Ravenwoods were rising in power.
Thus, Emperor Celestria had pointed to her mother's belly and declared, "If she bears a daughter, she shall be the crown princess."
His words would have had sealed her fate long before she was born.
- Writer
