WARNING: This chapter contains disturbing events and will trigger traumas that contain violence and abuse. Kindly skip some parts.

Chapter 19- Peony flowers

The first thing Elise felt after opening her eyes in a dark dungeon was nostalgia. Bwi made sure that Elise can feel the warmth from the spiritual power while in the dungeon for Elise to subside her fear.

 

Elise finch after the stone stairs appeared in front of her. At the end of the stairs was a gate. Bwi told her that was the entrance. After some time, Elise bravely walks to it.

 

Elise walked to the entrance and her body started to tremble. The familiar scenes flashes in Elise's mind like a film of memory.

 

 

**

 

Elise opened her eyes and found herself in a cell prison. She already forgot the identity of the person that held her captive. It was cold in a prison cell and there was no sunlight or a fire that could comfort her from freezing.

 

 

The cries from the other orphans seem to be a daily lullaby for Elise and the melody was full of sorrow and grief. She was hungry. When was the last time she had eaten? She remembers the hot milk and soft bread she ate every morning. She misses it now.

 

 

 

A sudden tud from the big door startled Elise. She was located at the end of the prison cell. That's why she can tell that someone is coming for them.

 

 

 “I need a child.”

A cold voice from the man echoed in the alley of the underground prison.

 

 

A man walks and gets a child in a prison across Elise and the small fire from magic lights the room.

 

 

“N-no….. P-please…. I-I’m sorry…..”

A cried crying kneel and beg for mercy.

“You bitch!”

A smack sound from a hit surprised Elise. She can see the blood from the child’s face who was slapped by the man.

 

 

“Dilon, made sure she will remain quiet.”

A voice that was much crueler reached Elise's ears.

 

“But I like it when they beg. It makes me excited torturing them.”

Dilon replied like a lunatic.

 

 

“No. Control yourself and I need her blood.”

 

 

After a minute, a crack sound of the bones was heard at the corners of the dungeon.

 

 

“Fuck! This child was weaker than the one I used yesterday!”

Dilon cursed after hearing the bones cracked and stopped using magic.

 

 

“Agghhhhhhhhhhhhh…. Huhuhu”

A sound of painful cries from the child.

 

 

Elise trembled and put her both hands in her ears to cover it from the terrifying sound.

 

 

“You bitch! You are useless!!!! I haven’t even applied all of my spells to you!”

 

 

“P-please s-to-p.. huhuhu”

 

“This is not the right blood too. It was too weak.”

The man with Dilon said it without any remorse.

 

 

“Should I break more bones?”

Dilon suggests like a lunatic.

 

 

“Hmmm, I don’t care anymore. This child was useless.”

 

“Hahahahahahahaha!!! I wanna have fun! I will torture more kids tonight!”

Dilon made a statement that Elise choked in her breath.

 

 

After a few minutes of cries from the child Dilon entered her cell.

 

 

Elise's brown eyes become darker and her body trembles after seeing Dilon at her. The other man with him was gone and just ignored them walking uninterested.

 

 

The first thing Elise experienced was the severe pain from the whipped touches to her bare skin. The wounds appeared in the fragile body of Elise. She was hit once, then twice more and she lost in counting. The blood spread to her cell after being whipped for more times. Elise's mind was hazy from the pain. The face of the man hurting her could no longer be seen because of the sweat and blood mixing in her face.

 

 

She did not plead and just quietly accepting the torture. Dilon angrily whipped Elise's small body because he didn’t get the reaction Dilon put more force on hitting Elise.

 

Her consciousness was fading. She never felt this kind of physical pain in her life and the book she read because of her cousin. Elise started to cry, the warm tears dripped in Elise's face but it won’t help her pain instead it made feel more miserable.

 

 

“Elise!”

 

 

“Elise!”

 

 

“Unusual soul!!!!!!!!!!!”

 

 

 

“cough.. cough…”

Elise opens her eyes and continues to breathe heavily.

 

 

She saw Bwi worriedly waking her up. His round big golden eyes staring at her face. Elise gasps and looks around. She was no longer in the dungeon. She was in a field full of flowers and butterflies.

 

The sun is set brightly and the endless different kinds of flowers surround Elise. She slowly gets up while her eyes and body start to feel warm. White butterflies surrounding Elise give her a familiar feeling.

 

 

“How?”

 

 

“You are already in the exit when you collapse. I really have a hard time waking you up.”

Bwi explains to Elise how she reaches the spirit garden.

 

“Peony flowers are planted near that tree.”

Bwi points out the direction of a big tree.

 

 

 

Elise strangely feels lighter and all of the pain and negative feelings are gone like some miracle happened to her. Elise stood up and started to walk to the big tree.

 

 

The big tree Bwi pointed out to Elise was massive and beautiful and there’s a familiar energy coming from it.

“You don’t need to touch that tree like you did-“

 

Elise ignored Bwi babbling and walked near the tree and touched its body.

 

 

 

“H-hey!”

 

 

Unlike the blinding light before, the big tree only has pure clear energy. A bubbles clear light appears and as expected a spiritual guardian shows up.

 

 

“Welcome Elise!”

A cat with white color and golden eyes appeared before Elise.

 

“…..”

 

 

“His name is Rin, a spirit guardian of this place.”

 

 

“Hey! don’t introduce me to Elise one sided! I want to-“

 

 

“Shut up!”

 

 

Elise and Rin flinched after Bwi shouted. He was mad but Elise didn’t understand why.

 

Elise awkwardly smiles at Rin.

 

“Hi, my name is Elise. I’m sorry for suddenly going to this place.”

 

 

 

“Hmmm. It’s okay though. I am happy. Hehe”

 

 

“Thank you. But I’m here because of the Peony flowers.”

 

 

“Then I will give it to you.”

Rin smiles at Elise and his golden eyes are shining brightly.

“Eh? Really?”

 

 

 

“Of course! It’s all yours.”

 

 

“Thank you so much Rin.”

Elise sincerely thank him

 

 

“I can see that you formed a contract with Bwi.”

Elise smiles in acknowledgement.

 

 

“I can’t get out of here for now, because I’m still guarding the place but I can visit you from time to time. Is that okay Elise?”

Rin's golden eyes are beautiful staring at Elise.

 

 

 

“I will look forward to that.”

Elise nodded to Rin

 

“Bwi…”

 

 

Elise looks at Bwi after Rin called for him but Bwi ignored him.

 

 

 

“Don’t overdo it.”

 

Elise was puzzled after Rin's last message to Bwi.

 

 

--

After a moment, The peony flower changes into liquid. Elise requested it with the help of Bwi for it to look more like a medicine. Elise happily gets back to the cave to see Rj and Rio.

 

 

Bwi uses his power and teleports Elise to the cave. Elise after feeling dizzy approaches Rj and Rio who are frowning at them.

 

 

Elise realized that she forgot to tell Rj about the spiritual garden but Bwi told her that he already informed them of her whereabouts, Elise sighed in relief.

 

 

“Sir Rj! Sir Rio!”

Elise happily walked and slowly approached them.

 

 

“tuk”

 

The cold metallic smell invades Elise's nose, a red liquid dripped from her nose. She’s having a nose bleed. Elise's sight becomes blurry….

 

 

“tug!”

 

 

Elise lost consciousness.

 

END OF CHAPTER 19…