Anaga's POV:

I have no more tears left to cry. My face is a stony mask that doesn't show any emotions anymore.

All I can do now is stare at this black, lonely gravestone with a name "Quilliana" on it. I put her body here myself, after that crazy bastard Alexander 'accidentally' killed her with that mana-infused shield. I wish I was the one who died and she survived - it was my duty to protect her after all! And... I failed. And that damn weird mage just said 'Sorry, my mistake' and simply left. What kind of person does that!? What the heck I wrong with his brain?!!

If he wasn't so insanely strong, I could at least dream of revenge. But I know it doesn't make sense since I see a 0% chance of me winning a fight with the guy. I mean just the amount of mana he casually poured into his defensive spell could easily kill someone! And he wasn't even attacking!!

There is no hope or dream left for me. Is there any worth in living with an empty soul? No purpose, no family I could take care of... I'm the only one left...

I feel no strength in my legs and I just fall to the ground, my body weak like a newborn baby's. My Quiliana, my only sun in this gray world, is no more. There will be no rare - but how precious in our terrible lives - smiles of hers that for a short time could make me happy as well. I'll never hear someone call me 'Aunty' ever again...

What's the point in living anymore...?

The next moment I blink, unsure if what I see is real. Am I hallucinating from stress and strong emotions? ...that must be it. Otherwise, there is no way to explain what my mind showed me right now.

In the clear blue sky, I suddenly see a dark horizontal line, one that becomes longer and thicker by the second. Then, it cracks open like a huge, black eye and I see a dark figure rushing out of it. Right behind it, I see a huge cloud of an explosion and I gape at the unreal scene before me. There is no wind or heat from the fire but for a moment I feel a slight, distant feeling of pressure coming from... basically everywhere, like this world is showing its disapproval at someone. And that certain 'someone' seems to be the young adult in front of me, who safely lands on the ground from a few meters in the sky. Right after that, the black 'eye' disappears with a cracking sound and everything becomes calm again.

...what just happened? Magical teleportation rituals were never this flashy before! And it's the first time it was accompanied by that dangerous pressure... like the strongest existence in the whole world got angry and wanted to show it to the one responsible for its rage...

I got chills all over my body and finally focused on the person who appeared out of nowhere. He slowly raised his rather handsome face and... it turned out it was Alex! The very person who murdered my niece for no apparent reason and just left quickly afterward! HOW. DARE. HE. COME. HERE?!

Wait. If this is a hallucination, then it shouldn't be real. Why would my mind choose to show me this person right now? This hateful bastard!?

Right at this moment, the black-haired man said in a very serious tone of voice:

-I've come to take you to where your niece is.

!!!

He... He came to kill me?!! Or maybe I'm already dead... I certainly don't feel alive at this moment... Does that mean...?

-Are you an Angel of Death, sent to take me to the afterlife? - I asked with a hoarse from the long crying voice.

The guy made a really surprised face and muttered:

-Is this family all made of suicidal people? First Q, now her aunt from a different time continuum wants to die as well... Something must be wrong with their heads and it's strong enough that it affects many other possible realities...

Hearing him talk about some time continuum and possible realities, I understood this guy wasn't just a normal person or the real Alexander, just a person shaped like him. I immediately lowered my head deeply, putting my forehead on the ground beneath me as a show of respect and asked politely:

-May I ask the sacred angel where will he take this poor soul? Is it Heaven? Or Hell?

-...

There was no answer for a long time, I waited in the same lowered position but I heard nothing. ...is he gone?

I looked up and saw a deeply flustered face of the Messenger of Gods before me. He looked like he was uncertain how to answer me, he would open his mouth one moment and then close it the next. He also scratched the back of his head in a helpless gesture, as if he was in a dilemma.

Is he unsure if I'm qualified for any of the 2 places? Was I equally good and evil in my whole life? In that case...

-This lowly soul asks the Death Angel to take me to where my niece is, whether in Heaven or Hell. I guarantee I will not complain in either case.

-...Quilliana is in neither of the places you mentioned, Anaga. - came the reply.

Whaaaaat? Then is her soul wandering about as a ghost somewhere?! In that case... I cannot die yet! I have to find her!!!

I suddenly find my weakened body full of energy again and I stand up with determination. I will not leave this world if she won't! We must always be together! That's what I promised her!

-Thank you for your kind words, oh, Messenger. I shall head to look for my little niece now, I hope your journey will continue without me. Farewell then.

I turned around and started walking ahead. Even if I have to go to the ends of the Earth, I will find her!

...

...

-Where are you going? - 'Alexander' hesitantly asked me with a clearly confused expression on his face. He started to follow me! Will he not let me go? But I need to leave, now!

-I'm going to reunite with my sweet cookie. Please don't stop me.

I heard a faint muttering behind me but couldn't understand it well because it wasn't too loud:

-Stop you? Why would I? This was my goal all along.

After that he started talking normally:

-Are you trying to get to her by foot?

-Yes. I will buy a horse soon though. - was he trying to trick me into coming with him, now that I decided not to go to the afterlife?

-That's impossible. You won't find her like that. You should...

-Don't tell me what to do!! - I suddenly snapped at him. How dare he try to stop me from my meeting with Quilliana?!!

He visibly shivered and stepped back from my words. Did I scare him? Me, frightening an Angel of Death? That's quite funny.

He finally stopped following me. Good.

...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Anaga wasn't aware of a little device that Alex took out of his pocket a moment later. He lacked any understanding of how this conversation came to be and how someone could just rudely assume another person is a Death Angel for no apparent reason. He had no other choice. He strongly pressed the red button...

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