The Lost Story

Chapter 7

Run! Faster! Faster! I must run faster. Run faster, please, legs. I must run faster. My chest burned, tears ran down my face, and I pushed myself harder. “Get her!” someone roared, causing me to push myself harder. Run! Run! “Renata, it's time to wake up.” his deep voice jolted me awake from another nightmare. “Huh, what?” I mumbled, glancing around. His worried face was just inches from mine. “You were crying in your sleep. Are you okay? Do you want to talk about it?” he asked, gently wiping my cheeks with the back of his fingers. “No, no, I’m fine. Thank you.” I got to my feet and adjusted my gown. “It was a pleasure to meet you, Durare,” I said before turning to head back down the same way I came. I could hear him calling after me as I started back down, but I was already gone for too long and knew questions would be raised.

“Look who finally decided to grace us with their presence,” Jixy said as I made my way back to my seat. “My apologies,” I said, keeping my reply short as I was not in the right headspace to deal with her. Bowing to everyone seated. I took my seat beside Sanxi. What I adored about Sanxi was that she didn’t ask a lot of questions, she never hovered, and she always showed up whenever I needed her the most. "At last, we can start," Zyarni declared as we observed the five elders entering the room, heading for the main stage. “I hear Jirndi is among the selection," Astia said to Xyephire. I could see the excitement between them as they discussed Jirndi. As the first son of Jixy and Jiryis, he is expected to be the number one pick to become the next Rey. Over the past nine years, I have encountered Jirndi only five times, and he has consistently sought my attention on each occasion. While Astia and Xyephire hung on his every word, I tried to steer clear of him. According to Sanxi, he enjoyed the fact that I tried my best to avoid him. So whenever I learned that he would be at a meeting or nearby, I made it a point to leave. As soon as his name was summoned, he finally appeared. The room erupted in cheers upon seeing him. An arrogant smile spread across his face as he waved to the roaring crowd. While everyone screamed and cheered him on, my eyes locked on the man following him. The moment our eyes met, that smile from earlier spread across his face as he headed to his seat on stage. He looked even better in the light.

“Attention,” the high elder commanded, bringing silence to the room. I couldn't look away as he walked to his seat. I’m not sure if he sensed my gaze, but the instant he settled down, he winked at me. Rolling my eyes, I redirected my focus to the elder. I watched as the elders reviewed the selection process for the next Rey. After tonight, each member was able to select one candidate out of the 15 present to participate in the trial. In addition to the selection process, the five elders, Sanxi, as the oracle, will also have the opportunity to choose someone. The current ruling monarch will also have this opportunity. Therefore, there should be a total of nine potential candidates for the title of Rey. In the following minutes, the elders presented the candidates, giving each a chance to share their speeches, backgrounds, and skills. I realized I had completely misjudged Durare entirely. He is a son of man, and his untainted bloodline was quite unusual. When he first took the stage, I could see Astia showed immediate interest, but once he revealed his lineage, she, like most in the room, quickly dismissed him. I felt a bit guilty seeing most of the room ignore him, but what surprised me was that he maintained a smile on his face, almost as if he were enjoying the moment. He was different. Another individual who caught my attention was Danzi. As Jirndi's relative and the nephew of Sanxi and Jixy, he had a strong likelihood of being selected. His chances were solidified the moment he began to speak; it became evident why he had been chosen, as his presence filled the room with joy and laughter. While Danzi's aura was warm and welcoming, Jirndi's was the exact opposite. Jirndi exuded an intensity that was both demanding and suffocating. To make matters worse, he kept his gaze locked on me throughout his speech. Initially, I questioned if I was imagining it, but soon realized everyone else was glancing back and forth between us. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Xyephire giving me the death glare.

After the elders concluded their speech and the candidates were introduced, we were free to act as we pleased. This time allowed the candidates to promote themselves and win favor. “I think I am going to go find my father,” I whispered to Sanxi, seeing Jirndi's eyes zero in on me. She glanced in his direction and started to laugh. "You'd better hurry up! He's pushing through the crowd right now." I turned to see him, and just as she had mentioned, he was sidestepping, shoving people aside while making his way directly toward me. “Renata!” he shouted, as if he knew I was about to run from him. “Jirndi!” I heard Astia and Xyephire call to him. Thank the stars! At this moment, I appreciate their obsession with him more than ever. I saw them block his path and draw his focus toward them. "You better make a run for it," Sanix laughed. She did not have to tell me twice. I was already heading toward the crowd of people, hoping to disappear. didn’t even bother looking at him. I just tried my best to ignore him.