Chapter 163: Buried in her heart

"Hey," she said to the boy. The room was dark, cold, shabby and did not look neat. It was clear that he is locked up and people do not stay with him. There were black burns on the wall, which mean he turns into his real form. But he did not look healthy.

The boy did not respond to her call. He only turned his head towards her. She realized that he cannot see. And he was only listening to the television, not watching them. The boy began to cry the moment he heard her. "Am sorry am weak," he cried. It broke Aqua's heart. He was blind, weak, cold, helpless, and about to die any day.

"No you are not, my child," she said and gave him a hug. A tear drop fell from her eyes and landed on his shoulders. It warmed him. He held on to her crying harder. She planted a kiss on his head and consoled him. "Don't cry," she noticed the legendary mark in his body. The Phoenix. Right in front of her. Crying helplessly. She could not believe what King Dylan is doing to this kid, separated from the family and torturing him for bringing him up, forcing him in many ways. He was abused, she could tell that. The scratches on his body, the hit marks, the marks of ropes tied around his body, the mouth often stuffed with clothes, giving him wounds. He did not look like a natural blind but hurt his eyes. She covered his eyes and cured the infection. She gave him an energy pill, and she made him open his eyes. He started crying loud. 

"What happened?" She asked, as he cried hugging her. The thin finger gripping tight around her wrist. She could feel the pain in her heart, his fear and his sadness. And his gratitude for helping him see.

"I can see now," he managed to say.

"No no it's alright, you were just sick, its cured, don't worry," she said.

"Thank you," he said. Few minutes later after he stopped crying, he looked at her. "Are you a goddess?" He asked in his baby voice. He wanted to know badly about the lady before him, helping him.

"Keep it a secret," she said and smiled at him. "I am a goddess," she winked when he looked at her with new excitement. It reminded her of the baby she lost forever. He would have been younger than the baby Phoenix though. The boy nodded his head strongly, agreeing with her.

"What's your name?" She asked him. 

"I don't know," he said. Aqua was shocked the way he was treated. 'How could he not know his name?" Didn't Ariana name him? Why?' Aqua could not digest it. The only Phoenix, a celestial being treated like trash. She hated it. She hid her emotions well before him, to not scare him. Though her thoughts were loud. She smiled at him and pinched his cheek. 

"How about calling you....." she thought for a while. "Luhan? Luhan yes, Luhan, here you will be called as Luhan, you should grow up well, be good, stay away from dangers, protect yourself, and do what you love okay?" 

"Luhan?" He asked. "That will be my name?" He was so cute and innocent. 

"Yes, Luhan," she said and gave him another pouch full of energy pills she always carried with her. "Have this when you feel extremely tired and weak next time, don't give it to anyone, don't show it to anybody, it's a magical thing, you understand?" she said. 

"Yes goddess," he said nodding his head. "I understand,"

"Good," she said smiling. 

Aqua stood up and let a few crystals of hers enter into his body, putting him to sleep and curing his golden core. The boy did not deserve to die. She saved him using her own blood that has healing powers. She did not want a life to perish all because of the game of thrones, she understood the clear intentions of King Dylan, trying to be the master of the Pheonix and take over the Celestial Palace with a puppet in his hands. Aqua watched the child sleeping in the couch and turned the television off. She cleaned the place, and prepared him some food and kept them in the hot box. She walked over to the couch and put on a bracelet in his left hand that would act as a protector for him, saving him from grave dangers and she left the house. She did not wish to stay any longer. She made sure that she sealed the powers and never let anyone travel towards him again. Aqua had tears in her eyes. The journey was meaningful, she felt content, but turned out that it was for nothing when it came to taking Tai down.

Everything now depends on her. The expectations she has to meet soon and let them all down. Her own family. She was stressed and confused. She had an idea what to do but it worried her to put everyone at a stake. She wanted good things to happen. But that will need the boy who has not grown up, who needs time to take the throne. She was glad that she atleast cured the golden core of his even though she lost her blood. The precious crystals. She did not want the child to suffer any longer but let him have a peaceful human life, where it would not involve war and death at such a tender age.

Aqua made up her mind and she left. Back to heaven, back home, back to the people waiting for her, filled with questions.

And she had only one answer. A very clear one, a clever one, and she strongly held on to it. 

She apparated and stood before the entrance. The collapsed entrance to the Realm. And there lied few number people down the bridge long way inside the deep holes, unable to climb up, trapped. The members of the heavenly war troops. Aqua understood it. She crossed them. She did not help them. She did not mend the bridge either. She walked away. She did not wish to rescue them until it was time. Aqua activated her water crystals. It charged her body. Aqua also withdrew her crystals sword and held them on her left hand. 

She saw another bunch of people wounded and hanging down the trees. Most were unconscious. She saved none again though her heart battled with her. After walking a few more, Aqua saw a little larger crowd of troops defeated by the water woods creature. Aqua smirked. She understood how her sister had set it up all and worked it out well. "Well done baby girl," she whispered and crossed them. 

She could see that there is no sign of Tai yet. She reached the palace road that would take to Water Palace. There were masses, on horse back or on their legs, carrying heavy weapons, canon balls and archers along. There was also this one minister she was very familiar with, sho looked like leading the way. He used to be the great alley Water Kingdom who appeared to have changed his decision after the staged extermination of water royals. Little did she know that he was forced to do this. She lost her love for all the people who used to good to their house.

The fight was going strong. She saw her father, her mother, her uncle, Aiden and Milan doing their best, guarding the gates. She saw Huo in disguise using his powers to drive the people away. But the troop was stronger with the large number. 

Suddenly she noticed Empress Lihua standing next to Huo. Her heart thumped loud. 'Empress mother, what is she doing here?' She wondered. 'Why is she here?' She walked forward. And then she saw somebody else, fighting her. The purple sword attacking the Empress, Huo noticed that and ran towards his mother. 

She looked wild and possessed. "Volca," Aqua shouted. Volca turned towards Aqua with an evil smile on her face. Her horrible black eyes suddenly turned normal. She dropped her weapons instantly and turned towards Aqua, tears in her eyes. But she knelt down again, burying her head in her hands. And she was back to the evilness again, it looked like her heart could not control whatever was happening to her. 

Aqua began to cross the troops fighting and slashing people's body, and she moved towards them. King Aenon looked like he was struggling, fighting his best friend trying not to hurt him. Aqua managed her emotions somehow and kept fighting. 'Relax, just relax,' she kept telling her. 'Don't lose it,' she was afraid that she might go out of control. 

Aqua kept koving forward fighting the soldiers. She couldn't understand why everyone looked possessed by something evil. She caught one of the soldiers and observed him. Just like Volca but not as powerful as her. Someone controlling them. 'No wonder Tai is not yet inside the picture,' she understood. 'The slave seed,' she said.

"The slave seed," she shouted out for others near her to hear her. "Tai is using the slave seed," she said again. "They are possessed, and not themselves, try not to kill these people, just put them to sleep," she instructed everyone. But something horrible happened by that time. 

"Mother," a loud scream was heard.