Cursed Guardian

Chapter 6: Cryptus

As I opened my eyes, a cold breeze from the open window greeted me. I saw the afterimage of a person who came from inside my room. They passed through the large open window. I immediately felt anxious about my thoughts.

Was someone trying to kill me? I slowly started to feel intense fear.

I looked again at the now motionless open window, unlike before when the wind almost blew it off. Who was that person? Were they part of Rico and Gigan, the people who chased me in the Lurca Division? Or maybe I was just being played by someone here in the castle?

My gaze then shifted to my wrist wound. I was surprised to see that the bandages were gone, leaving only a scar. It wasn't painful anymore, the same with my neck, no bandages and no pain. I tried to sit up, and I was thankful that I was okay. My fear gradually disappeared. I was then surprised when the door opened, and Miss Aurora hurried in with a tray in hand. She quickly placed the tray on the mini-table with food.

"What have you done to yourself, Kim!?" she exclaimed, clearly annoyed, "I told you to rest!" she approached me, "Wait! Why did you remove the bandages on your wrist---" she didn't finish her sentence when she saw only a scar there. I saw her cover her mouth in shock, "H-how did this happen, your wound was bleeding just a while ago?"

So, I only slept for a few hours, but I also didn't know how to answer her question. "I-I don't know, I just woke up, and my wound turned into a scar," I explained to her. The door opened again, and the three figures, Miss Violet, Mr. Klein, and Zero, walked in one after the other.

"Is there any problem here?" Mr. Klein asked.

"What happened here?" Miss Violet seconded sharply.

"Is she okay now?" Zero asked Miss Aurora, who didn't respond to his question. She just took a deep breath before speaking.

"Her wound, look!" Miss Aurora raised my wrist to show it to everyone. I saw their eyes widen as they looked at it.

"Why do you have an excessive ability those with royal blood only have one or two abilities, but why do you have three?" Miss Violet said with disbelief written on her face, and her question confused me.

"I don't understand," I furrowed my brow at Miss Violet.

"You are a user of one element and a sub-type element, it's the fire and the ice, but--how did you also gain a healing ability?" she asked.

"I don't have that, believe me," I exclaimed to her.

"You're just having a long-lost memory, but I won't give up until I make you remember those," she argued.

"Why can't you understand me?" I reasoned with her, while the three Ultrons Masters kept shifting their gazes between us.

"Oh! You shut up! You are the one who can't understand yourself, and you can't understand me because I know you very well, as you were one of my strong students in those days! You are Snow Flame Stanford!!" her voice raised, making me go silent and bow my head. I felt the tears welling up again.

Why does she seem to know me better than I know myself? Is that possible? Why can't they understand what I'm trying to convey to them, is it that difficult?

I just sobbed because when it came to emotions, I felt so weak. I felt Miss Aurora patting my back to calm me down.

"Violet, why are you forcing her to remember the things she forgot? Can't you see she's just in her physical recovery? Don't push her to remember those, even though I know it's painful to lose a student you treated as a true family, and I know you didn't mean for her to be captured by the Cryptus, as there were so many Cryptus blocking you back then," I heard Mr. Klein said to Miss Violet.

A silence fell after Mr. Klein's words. A minute passed before someone spoke.

"I'm very sorry I just can't help it, my mind must be too confused, I'll leave first," Miss Violet's voice calmed down, and I stopped sobbing. When I turned to her, I only saw the door closing. I wiped away my tears.

"Are you okay?" Zero asked, so I immediately looked at him and forced a smile.

"Forgive Violet because she probably has a lot on her mind, that's why she can't control herself, but don't worry, she won't be like that tomorrow," Mr. Klein encouraged me. I felt a bit lighter hearing that.

Maybe she was just emotional, that's why she acted that way. I also wanted to ask her about what happened to Snow Flame, why she almost shouted at me when I didn't admit that I was the Snow she was referring to, even though the truth was I wasn't really Snow Flame. Maybe we just had many similarities and looked alike. It was also impossible for me to have a twin. That was unlikely to happen, as I grew up on the streets, and as far as I can remember, my father passed away when I was seven years old.

The word Mr. Klein mentioned earlier suddenly came to my mind. "I have a question about what you mentioned, Cryptus. What does that mean?" I asked Mr. Klein.

He looked at me seriously, and what I heard next made me stop, "Cryptus are those who capture guardians to make them allies of darkness."