Chapter 172: Attack 13

From the beginning, Xavi's goal wasn't survival or aiming to kill Kil. Xavi knew he couldn't win against that monster, so Xavi at least wanted to chip as much power as possible away from Kil. The last power orb Xavi drilled into Kil's body made sure that Xavi's life force was at constant war with Kil's.

If Kil didn't purge Xavi's lifeforce, sooner or later, Kil wouldn't be able to use his power and eventually die. What Xavi aimed for was to make Kil as weak as possible, so that the others could kill him.

Kil felt the desperate lifeforce of Xavi's inside him swirling around. Blood ran down the sides of Kil's mouth and he had to steady himself, "Not bad, little boy…" Kil coughed, "I give you credit for victory…"

Kil looked down at Xavi, the bloody and gaping hole inside of that little boy's fragile body that almost severed his upper half from the rest of his body, and was sure the young boy couldn't hear him anymore.

Kil folded his hands together, "It was a good fight, you did what you could… rest in peace," then he left the lonely, small figure of Xavi amidst the ruins, amidst his own pool of blood behind.

Xavi couldn't register anything anymore. His eyes slowly lost their glint barley stared at the grey sky. At least Xavi had hoped he would die with the last of sunshine hitting him.

Yet Xavi didn't want to die. Not like this. Not all alone. Lonely. Forgotten. Abandoned.

Millions of negative emotions kept his dying body alive. He didn't want to die. He could feel his body screaming in anguish, begging for help, for anyone, someone to come and save him.

It desperately pumped more and more blood to compensate for the blood loss but it all poured out of the vicious hole again. Relentlessly healing fibre by fibre, veins by veins, muscle by muscle but Kil's life force lingering around the wound interfered.

Not being able to move at all, Xavi's eyelids got heavier but he couldn't close them. His breathing became more staggered.

Lily, Lia, anyone, please come save me. After all, I don't want to die.

The last of his strength was used to shed the tears he held in for so long.

Regret. Burning regret set the whole surrounding ablaze.

Xavi didn't regret what he didn't want to regret. What he regretted was the fact they didn't come up with another way. How could Xavi regret the happy times he spent with everyone? Even if it inevitably led to his death.

The A family passed from generation to generation, its memories down, built on past glory and fame of the Immortal King of 1000 or 10000s years back in the past.

Xavi has never understood why his family took so much pride in history that should be long forgotten.

Since the day he was born, Xavi had seen the past, he had trained to become the Elder that would be the right hand of the Immortal King. Because soon the new Immortal King was to grace this world.

Yet Xavi didn't want to understand. Was the Immortal King so important that his parents chose their fates over their own child? Not even watching him growing up? Leaving with this curse of his damned body?

Xavi never wanted to understand. There was no way he could forgive the fact that he had to be born as the A family's heir. But one day, Elder M came and Xavi knew, despite still being a child, he now was the Elder of the A family and had to take on this position.

Xavi had to start to prepare for what he was born into.

Dreadful, hateful, cursed days. Days upon days.

No escaping. Only enduring, enduring, enduring.

Before finally, a single light gave him hope.

Elder M was afraid that Xavi would be in danger despite the guards in the A family and gave Xavi a personal bodyguard- Lily.

Her care, her stubbornness and her genuineness made Xavi's days brighter. She became his real family. A love he had never thought to experience. His ray of sunshine that helped these hated days to become lighter and enjoyable.

When Min became the Ghost King, Xavi finally had to get serious and Lily was there for him, with him at every step. Xavi slowly learnt to open up and show his emotions.

Lily.

Xavi hoped she wouldn't cry, and wouldn't be devastated over his death.

Lily.

Xavi hoped she could live a long and fulfilling life. Happy and healthy. There was no amount of gratitude that could describe what Xavi felt towards Lily.

Then the day came, Xavi met the future Immortal King. The dreaded encounter he had hoped he never needed to experience. Years long of suffering he endured yet couldn't compare to that cold façade of what used to be a budding person. Lia went against his expectations.

Despite her initial vigilance, Xavi felt something else for the first time. It was fun. It was the thrill of adventure and excitement.

Good. He was the Immortal King's right hand. Trained his whole life, abandoned, picked up and loved to live the life he wanted.

Even though many parts were scary, haunting and painful, they were all part of the experience. And Lia grew and grew more on Xavi. A person Xavi gladly supported, that made him feel for the first time grateful, that it was a blessing he belonged to the A family.

Xavi hoped with his contribution, with his sacrifice he aided Lia at least a little bit. He hoped that Lia would become happy, become the Immortal King he envisioned her to be. He hoped that all the others he became friends with would share his sentiment and were grateful to have had each other.

He knew this moment would come after a long time. Was it wishful thinking hoping to avoid it even though he had already prepared for it?

The sky gradually darkened into a pitch-black for Xavi. A last melody, requiem for him, was sung by the howling wind, crashing against the ruins, creating a full-bloomed orchestra just for him.

Just to set him free and make his way to have peace. Slowly, finally, with the last breath he took, all light faded from Xavi's eyes.

What he has done here, this was the last feat and act, Xavi could do and give before he died. Wanting to smile but denied doing so.

****

After Kil left the ruins, he violently spat more blood. That little boy did more damage than he thought. Kil stumbled and leaned against a wall. He had to rest a few seconds before continuing.

If only there were ghosts here Kil could eat and heal himself with. He knew he wouldn't die so easily but he felt his strength draining as the power got more intense. Kil closed his eyes but before he knew it, it was already night.

He dreadfully made his way towards the first layer. He couldn't let any of the other hidden families get to Min. He swore to protect Min. But the pain didn't subdue, instead, it seemed to grow faster and stronger.

He headed to first find Maria to heal himself or get some ghosts. As he blindly made his way through the second layer stumbling, he didn't notice the fights going on around him until he made it to the first layer.

Yet there were four people who noticed the battered, bloodied and staggering figure slowly making his way through the streets.

And once they saw him, the same thought ran through all of their heads.

Xavi was dead. Susa's prophecy has come true. Which meant it was inevitable.

Despite knowing that Xavi was no longer in this world, they were still shocked and their hearts hung heavy in their chests.

So, it had truly begun. They weren't just imagining things, they weren't able to change what fate had in store.

They steadied their hearts but the hope they held meant that they were sure, Lia would be able to stop Min in the future.

But there was another person who knew what Kil stumbling towards the first layer meant.

Leo's initial plan was to have Noel help him purge the plaza, that was why for a while they've been silently walking around. Leo determined while Noel slightly confused.

Yet with Kil's appearance, everything's changed. Leo knew from Kil's personality and from how beaten up he was that he was A, going to find Maria and B, would go after Lia if he saw her near the palace.

Leo had to prevent this. This unknown variable of Kil appearing was too great to disregard. Even if Kil was hurt, he was a force to be reckoned with. There was no way Leo could stand idly by and let this monster heal himself again.