Chapter 579: Goodbye~ ... Live Well In My Stead
(Myra’s POV)
"GOO~ ... DIE~ .... BURN~ ...." I heard Aamon screaming manically. My body trembled; my heart lurched when he threw me back without an ounce of restraint. I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing for the thunderous impact.
I heard the anguished wails of the four brothers~ ... screaming, panicking, calling my name, followed by the guttural sounds of their wolves. Then all went completely blank. No sound~ ... no noise~ .... no howling~ .... absolutely nothing. A sense of utter calm washed over me. The faces of the ones I love flashed before my very eyes, one after another.
Mom says when someone is nearing their death, they have a flashback of their entire life’s journey at once. I guess this is how I am finally going to meet my end. ’It is kind of bittersweet,’ I chuckled, not knowing what else to do.
All that running, all that hiding, all that struggle to survive; still, I am dying so young, without achieving anything. But at least that had secured my family’s future. ’Mom, Dad, Wendy~ .... I love you all so much. Please stay healthy and happy in my stead and~ .... don’t mourn my passing for too long. Live your life well. I will be watching over you from the sky,’ I prayed.
’Nora, Yelena, Fabian~ ... your presence in my short, insignificant life was like a gift from heaven. So, please take good care of yourselves. I don’t want you guys to be sad after I die. Whenever you think about me~ .... just smile for me. It would be enough,’ my eyes stung as I thought this. The happy moments that I have collected throughout my twenty one years of life made me deeply nostalgic and emotional.
Then the radiant faces of the Everests brothers swam around my vision. Vivid and clear.
The cute one, Elio~ .... sharing my first kiss with him in his bedroom was magical. It was everything I was hoping for. The playful one, Dion, holding me steady in his arms when I sprained my ankle in the woods. The gentle one, Brave, embracing me warmly~ ... calling my name~ .... in his classic husky, comforting tone. And the stubborn one, Alaric, bickering with me every chance he got, yet whenever I was in danger, he was nearby, looking after me. Them calling me their mate~ .... them kissing me~ .... them caring for me. Each and every memory, whether good or bad, was crystal clear in my mind, burning my vision.
Even the slightest thought of them getting hurt was disheartening for me.
I felt tears welling up at the corner of my eyes as my inner monologue continued, ’I never hated any of you, I swear. Not you, nor your wolf forms. Even if I said I did, deep down, I never meant a word. I was just overwhelmed, too scared of the circumstances. Too scared of the reality. Our worlds, it has always been way too wide apart. But now I wish we had more time with each other~ .... I want to know everything about you, how you and your wolves truly are. But~ .... I think~ .... I can’t do that anymore, at least not in this lifetime.’
Drawing a long and exhausting breath, I continued, ’Ahhh~ if there is anyone who is listening to my prayers .... this suffering, this cursed ending~ .... Let it end with me and only me. Let the brothers remain unharmed. And~ .... make them forget about my existence. Goodbye~ ....’
With this final thought, I felt my mind slipping away as my body felt lighter and lighter, as if my soul was getting detached from my body.
__________________________
’What is this sound?’ I muttered internally, as a soft, steady hum of gentle lapping tingled at my earlobes. It sounded like sea waves rising and falling slowly, like taking a deep, calming breath. The smooth blend was music to my ears.
Languidly, I opened my eyes. The first thing I saw was something white, something shiny, hanging from the ceiling. Confused, I blinked, then my eyes darted, and the crystal gemstones were all over my head, light passing through them, illuminating them beautifully.
’Where am I?’ Propping myself up, I tilted my head, glancing around the unfamiliar space. Not just the ceiling, the entire surroundings were incandescent. ’What is this place?’
The walls were embedded with white pearls of different sizes. The tall pillars radiated because of the star like crystals. And the floor, it was completely transparent. I could see the dark bluish black, something close to outer space, underneath me.
’Wait, outer space? Where the heck am I?’ Alarm bell flared in my mind. Then a memory hit me. Memory of Aamon throwing me away like a wretched ball, memory of the Lycan brothers’ heartbreaking shouts~ ... memory of my last moments. ’So I~ .... am really dead. Is this heaven then or somewhere else? Are Brave, Alaric, Dion and Elio all safe? Did they make it alright?’ My eyes traced every corner of the place as my mind raced with questions one by one.
There was no sign of anyone else, so I guess they did make it. Thank goodness~ .... I didn’t want any of them to sacrifice their lives, not for me, not for anyone else.
"MY DEAR CHILD~ ..." A voice as serene as anything boomed, interrupting my thoughts. "FOLLOW THE PATH AND COME TO ME."
My brows knitted as the glowing crystals hanging above illuminated the floor ahead of me. At first, I was wary, but then realized I was already dead, so I decided to follow quietly. ’What more could happen to me now?’
With slow yet determined steps, I moved forward. As I neared the destination, the shimmering crystals jiggled as if dancing in joy, making me brim with even more curiosity about this place.
I soon hit a barrier as a long flowing curtain, descending like waterfall, was up ahead of me. I took a step forward to draw it back~ ... and what happened shocked me. It wasn’t a curtain but actual, literal water.
Then a soothing, calming voice spoke again, "COME INSIDE, MY CHILD, MYRA. I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU."
Almost on instinct, I obliged and touched the water once again. It parted for me. I, at once, stepped inside, and what I saw next was just something unbelievable.
To Be Continued . . . . . . . .