Chapter 65: Return
Nely opened her eyes slowly, her senses gradually returning to her. Pain radiated from her shoulders, sharp and insistent. She found herself buried under a pile of fallen wood and rocks. As she shifted, trying to free herself, she realized the house around her was still in fire, the flames licking hungrily at the remnants of her home.
With a surge of adrenaline, Nely pushed the debris off her and scrambled to her feet, the heat of the fire pressing against her back as she fled the collapsing structure.
The cool night air hit her like a wave, and she paused, catching her breath and taking in the scene of devastation. Her home was almost entirely consumed by the inferno.
As she left house she saw it, her mother's lifeless body lying a short distance away, her throat cruelly slashed. The sight of crows pecking at the remains made Nely's stomach churn, and she stumbled forward, a cry of anguish escaping her lips.
Hours passed, the fire eventually dying down, leaving behind only smoldering ruins and a haunting silence. With a heavy heart and trembling hands, Nely made a shovel.
She worked tirelessly, digging a grave for her family in the soft earth. Tears streamed down her face, mixing with the soot and ash that clung to her skin.
"I will get my revenge mom..." she whispered, her voice thick with grief and rage. "I'll find them... the gods and their apostles... I'll kill them all..."
The vow was as much a promise to herself as it was to her mother. Determination flared in her heart, fierce and unyielding. She gritted her teeth, standing tall despite the pain and sorrow that threatened to overwhelm her.
With a swift motion, green Neba started to burn Nely, new clothes materialized around her, black and red attire same as one from the trials, with a cape and a hood that obscured her face. Her beautiful black hair caught in the wind, flowing behind her.
As Nely walked away from her mother's grave, her thoughts drifted to Dune. Memories of battle rushed back like a tidal wave.
She was, reathing, alive. And it was because of Dune. Because he had thrown everything away to save her, almost disregarding his own life in the process. Her heart pounded against her chest, a rhythm she couldn't control.