Chapter 101: I Despise The Cold (Ethel POV)
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"*gasp*."
I gasped for air upon opening my eyes.
I was covered in sweat, and snow had piled up to my waist while I was still in the fetal position.
"HUFF HUFF HUFF… Let's go back," I mutter after calming down just a bit.
…
"Oh my god! I'm glad you're safe!" Auntie shouts as she hugs me tightly.
"Mhm… I think I'm gonna lay down a bit,"
"Please, I'll also make you some coffee… Or maybe do you want hot chocolate?"
"Coffee is fine," I mutter before laying down on the beanbag, warming my hands with the fireplace.
"A-are you okay?" Nuala asks as she crouches down next to me.
"Yeah,"
"Maybe… *sigh*... Auntie, can I go back to a warm place,"
"Try this for a couple more days, and if you can't stand it, I'll take you back,"
"No, I have to leave now,"
"No, you will stay for a couple more days,"
"*sigh*... Fine… A couple more days.
…
And thus, a couple more days passed.
I didn't get punished during the sparring sessions when I stopped fighting Auntie.
I didn't even have to hold the push-up position; I just fought Auntie for a couple more minutes.
It got so bad that I even began to have recurring nightmares that I would wake up in a cold sweat from.
"I can't… I can't," I mutter over and over until Auntie walks over to me, seeing my dark and gray eyebags.
"Just a few more days, okay?"
Seriously… How cruel can one woman be…
"No,"
"Just try-"
"No!"
So many emotions had been pent up over the last week, but I was at my limit, and Auntie's push caused me to snap.
Tears flowed from my eyes, and everybody looked at me in silence.
Staying just made my heart wrench even more.
"*sigh*... Okay. Pack your stuff. We're leaving tonight,"
"Thank you," I reply before shifting my eyes towards the cruel woman in front of me.
Why do you look disappointed?
Have you been through what I've been through?
I don't care if you compare me to Lucy. She's creepy and a sociopath; she'll never understand what I've been through.
At least her mother's death wasn't her fault…
Does she even know the feeling of being crushed by guilt every day?
"Hey, stop making that face," Lucy says as she covers my face with her left hand.
…
"P-please don't leave," Nuala and Electra beg as they cling to my stomach, tears running down their face.
"I'm sorry… I can't stay here anymore,"
"T-then we'll come with you," Electra says, slight determination appearing on her face.
"No, you have to stay here and get strong. I'll maybe start a clothing line as I've always wanted to… reel back from being a dungeon runner…"
"Are you sure you want this?" Auntie says, dressed in a long black trench coat.
"Of course," I reply as the other girls drag my two cousins away.
"Okay… Girls, if anything goes wrong, Lucy will call me. So just inform Lucy if you need something from me," Auntie says before the snow begins to spiral around us.
Strangely, it was warm before Auntie wrapped her arm around my right shoulder.
We appeared on a hill next to the massive intercontinental teleporter.
The city was bustling with people as usual, and it was nowhere near as cold as that lonely wooden cabin.
"Why do you live there?" I ask Auntie as we make our way down the hill towards a concrete road that melted any snow that came in contact with it.
"It's peaceful…."
"I see…"
"You know, you can talk to me about it if you want,"
"About what?"
"Don't try and act dumb… I know you got some sorta trauma up in that little mind of yours,"
"Hey, I'm pretty smart. My mind isn't little,"
"You sound like my lover… or mother,"
"Want me to be your mother?"
"Nah, I don't want Lucy as my sister,"
Auntie chuckled a bit.
"Is it because of how she was able to get over her trauma, but you can't?"
"Shut up,"
This grandma doesn't have an ounce of sympathy.
And a few hours had passed.
We were in the middle of a long line leading to the teleporter, and Auntie suddenly got a call.
She picked it up immediately, and her eyes widened as if she had just seen a ghost… or maybe a dragon? No… A titan? I don't know…
"We're going back," Auntie says, and before I could say anything, a gust of wind followed by snow circled around us.
When the snow dissipated, I noticed we were back at the log cabin.
"W-why?! I said I wanted to leave-"
"Ethel!"
Electra lunged into my arms.
Blood was flowing from a cut on her forehead, and it seemed one of her fingers was either sprained or broken.
I couldn't tell as it was extremely swollen and bruised.
"We need to get medical attention-"
As I looked up, I choked on my words.
All the girls were injured severely, some to the point that they looked as if they would faint.
"Mom… they attacked us… They were waiting…." Lucy says as she holds her broken arm.
There was blood on her legs and face, but no cuts could be seen.
"Where's Nuala?" Auntie asks, ignoring Lucy's statement.
Everybody gulped down a drop of saliva, and a terrible feeling set in my stomach.
"Where is she?!" I shout.
"S-she fell down there," Amanda says, pointing to the large fissure that had split below where the log cabin used to be.
'Big sis? Let's play hide and seek,'
'Big sis? I want to make a snowman!'
'Big sis? I think you might be sick? We should see a doctor,'
'Big sis?'
'Big sis,'
'Big sis,'
'Big sis?'
"HUFF HUFF HUFF HUFF,"
"Are you okay?" Electra asks.
"N-no… N-no. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. This can't-"
I threw up before dropping to my knees.
Tears flowed from my eyes as a wave of pain rushed through my head.
'Big sis? Can we play checkers?'
My breathing was so heavy; I felt my ċhėst throb.
My pupils vibrated.
I felt like throwing up once again.
'Big sis. You really need to learn how to control that power stone of yours. You keep destroying the training room by accident!'
The girls around me who tried to ask what was wrong just sounded like a ringing in my ear.
I began to hyperventilate so much that I instantly got lightheaded.
'Big sis… I want your burger. I don't like mine.
The world around was painted in a slight light blue tinge.
'Big sis, I love you!'
I felt like… I was dying.
FWOOSH
A gust of wind suddenly swirled around me, followed by a sparkling trail of ice.
"It's okay… I'll get her,"
Strangely, out of all the ringing in my ears, I heard Aunty's warm voice.
Please report us if you find any errors so we can fix it asap!
"*gasp*."
I gasped for air upon opening my eyes.
I was covered in sweat, and snow had piled up to my waist while I was still in the fetal position.
"HUFF HUFF HUFF… Let's go back," I mutter after calming down just a bit.
…
"Oh my god! I'm glad you're safe!" Auntie shouts as she hugs me tightly.
"Mhm… I think I'm gonna lay down a bit,"
"Please, I'll also make you some coffee… Or maybe do you want hot chocolate?"
"Coffee is fine," I mutter before laying down on the beanbag, warming my hands with the fireplace.
"A-are you okay?" Nuala asks as she crouches down next to me.
"Yeah,"
"Maybe… *sigh*... Auntie, can I go back to a warm place,"
"Try this for a couple more days, and if you can't stand it, I'll take you back,"
"No, I have to leave now,"
"No, you will stay for a couple more days,"
"*sigh*... Fine… A couple more days.
…
And thus, a couple more days passed.
I didn't get punished during the sparring sessions when I stopped fighting Auntie.
I didn't even have to hold the push-up position; I just fought Auntie for a couple more minutes.
It got so bad that I even began to have recurring nightmares that I would wake up in a cold sweat from.
"I can't… I can't," I mutter over and over until Auntie walks over to me, seeing my dark and gray eyebags.
"Just a few more days, okay?"
Seriously… How cruel can one woman be…
"No,"
"Just try-"
"No!"
So many emotions had been pent up over the last week, but I was at my limit, and Auntie's push caused me to snap.
Tears flowed from my eyes, and everybody looked at me in silence.
Staying just made my heart wrench even more.
"*sigh*... Okay. Pack your stuff. We're leaving tonight,"
"Thank you," I reply before shifting my eyes towards the cruel woman in front of me.
Why do you look disappointed?
Have you been through what I've been through?
I don't care if you compare me to Lucy. She's creepy and a sociopath; she'll never understand what I've been through.
At least her mother's death wasn't her fault…
Does she even know the feeling of being crushed by guilt every day?
"Hey, stop making that face," Lucy says as she covers my face with her left hand.
…
"P-please don't leave," Nuala and Electra beg as they cling to my stomach, tears running down their face.
"I'm sorry… I can't stay here anymore,"
"T-then we'll come with you," Electra says, slight determination appearing on her face.
"No, you have to stay here and get strong. I'll maybe start a clothing line as I've always wanted to… reel back from being a dungeon runner…"
"Are you sure you want this?" Auntie says, dressed in a long black trench coat.
"Of course," I reply as the other girls drag my two cousins away.
"Okay… Girls, if anything goes wrong, Lucy will call me. So just inform Lucy if you need something from me," Auntie says before the snow begins to spiral around us.
Strangely, it was warm before Auntie wrapped her arm around my right shoulder.
We appeared on a hill next to the massive intercontinental teleporter.
The city was bustling with people as usual, and it was nowhere near as cold as that lonely wooden cabin.
"Why do you live there?" I ask Auntie as we make our way down the hill towards a concrete road that melted any snow that came in contact with it.
"It's peaceful…."
"I see…"
"You know, you can talk to me about it if you want,"
"About what?"
"Don't try and act dumb… I know you got some sorta trauma up in that little mind of yours,"
"Hey, I'm pretty smart. My mind isn't little,"
"You sound like my lover… or mother,"
"Want me to be your mother?"
"Nah, I don't want Lucy as my sister,"
Auntie chuckled a bit.
"Is it because of how she was able to get over her trauma, but you can't?"
"Shut up,"
This grandma doesn't have an ounce of sympathy.
And a few hours had passed.
We were in the middle of a long line leading to the teleporter, and Auntie suddenly got a call.
She picked it up immediately, and her eyes widened as if she had just seen a ghost… or maybe a dragon? No… A titan? I don't know…
"We're going back," Auntie says, and before I could say anything, a gust of wind followed by snow circled around us.
When the snow dissipated, I noticed we were back at the log cabin.
"W-why?! I said I wanted to leave-"
"Ethel!"
Electra lunged into my arms.
Blood was flowing from a cut on her forehead, and it seemed one of her fingers was either sprained or broken.
I couldn't tell as it was extremely swollen and bruised.
"We need to get medical attention-"
As I looked up, I choked on my words.
All the girls were injured severely, some to the point that they looked as if they would faint.
"Mom… they attacked us… They were waiting…." Lucy says as she holds her broken arm.
There was blood on her legs and face, but no cuts could be seen.
"Where's Nuala?" Auntie asks, ignoring Lucy's statement.
Everybody gulped down a drop of saliva, and a terrible feeling set in my stomach.
"Where is she?!" I shout.
"S-she fell down there," Amanda says, pointing to the large fissure that had split below where the log cabin used to be.
'Big sis? Let's play hide and seek,'
'Big sis? I want to make a snowman!'
'Big sis? I think you might be sick? We should see a doctor,'
'Big sis?'
'Big sis,'
'Big sis,'
'Big sis?'
"HUFF HUFF HUFF HUFF,"
"Are you okay?" Electra asks.
"N-no… N-no. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. This can't-"
I threw up before dropping to my knees.
Tears flowed from my eyes as a wave of pain rushed through my head.
'Big sis? Can we play checkers?'
My breathing was so heavy; I felt my ċhėst throb.
My pupils vibrated.
I felt like throwing up once again.
'Big sis. You really need to learn how to control that power stone of yours. You keep destroying the training room by accident!'
The girls around me who tried to ask what was wrong just sounded like a ringing in my ear.
I began to hyperventilate so much that I instantly got lightheaded.
'Big sis… I want your burger. I don't like mine.
The world around was painted in a slight light blue tinge.
'Big sis, I love you!'
I felt like… I was dying.
FWOOSH
A gust of wind suddenly swirled around me, followed by a sparkling trail of ice.
"It's okay… I'll get her,"
Strangely, out of all the ringing in my ears, I heard Aunty's warm voice.
"*gasp*." I gasped for air upon opening my eyes. I was covered in sweat, and snow had piled up to my waist while I was still in the fetal position. "HUFF HUFF HUFF Let's go back," I mutter after calming down just a bit. "Oh my god! I'm glad you're safe!" Auntie shouts as she hugs me tightly. "Mhm I think I'm gonna lay down a bit," "Please, I'll also make you some coffee Or maybe do you want hot chocolate?" "Coffee is fine," I mutter before laying down on the beanbag, warming my hands with the fireplace. "A-are you okay?" Nuala asks as she crouches down next to me. "Yeah," "Maybe *sigh*... Auntie, can I go back to a warm place," "Try this for a couple more days, and if you can't stand it, I'll take you back," "No, I have to leave now," "No, you will stay for a couple more days," "*sigh*... Fine A couple more days. And thus, a couple more days passed. I didn't get punished during the sparring sessions when I stopped fighting Auntie. I didn't even have to hold the push-up position; I just fought Auntie for a couple more minutes. It got so bad that I even began to have recurring nightmares that I would wake up in a cold sweat from. "I can't I can't," I mutter over and over until Auntie walks over to me, seeing my dark and gray eyebags. "Just a few more days, okay?" Seriously How cruel can one woman be "No," "Just try-" "No!" So many emotions had been pent up over the last week, but I was at my limit, and Auntie's push caused me to snap. Tears flowed from my eyes, and everybody looked at me in silence. Staying just made my heart wrench even more. "*sigh*... Okay. Pack your stuff. We're leaving tonight," "Thank you," I reply before shifting my eyes towards the cruel woman in front of me. Why do you look disappointed? Have you been through what I've been through? I don't care if you compare me to Lucy. She's creepy and a sociopath; she'll never understand what I've been through. At least her mother's death wasn't her fault Does she even know the feeling of being crushed by guilt every day? "Hey, stop making that face," Lucy says as she covers my face with her left hand. "P-please don't leave," Nuala and Electra beg as they cling to my stomach, tears running down their face. "I'm sorry I can't stay here anymore," "T-then we'll come with you," Electra says, slight determination appearing on her face. "No, you have to stay here and get strong. I'll maybe start a clothing line as I've always wanted to reel back from being a dungeon runner" "Are you sure you want this?" Auntie says, dressed in a long black trench coat. "Of course," I reply as the other girls drag my two cousins away. "Okay Girls, if anything goes wrong, Lucy will call me. So just inform Lucy if you need something from me," Auntie says before the snow begins to spiral around us. Strangely, it was warm before Auntie wrapped her arm around my right shoulder. We appeared on a hill next to the massive intercontinental teleporter. The city was bustling with people as usual, and it was nowhere near as cold as that lonely wooden cabin. "Why do you live there?" I ask Auntie as we make our way down the hill towards a concrete road that melted any snow that came in contact with it. "It's peaceful." "I see" "You know, you can talk to me about it if you want," "About what?" "Don't try and act dumb I know you got some sorta trauma up in that little mind of yours," "Hey, I'm pretty smart. My mind isn't little," "You sound like my lover or mother," "Want me to be your mother?" "Nah, I don't want Lucy as my sister," Auntie chuckled a bit. "Is it because of how she was able to get over her trauma, but you can't?" "Shut up," This grandma doesn't have an ounce of sympathy. And a few hours had passed. We were in the middle of a long line leading to the teleporter, and Auntie suddenly got a call. She picked it up immediately, and her eyes widened as if she had just seen a ghost or maybe a dragon? No A titan? I don't know "We're going back," Auntie says, and before I could say anything, a gust of wind followed by snow circled around us. When the snow dissipated, I noticed we were back at the log cabin. "W-why?! I said I wanted to leave-" "Ethel!" Electra lunged into my arms. Blood was flowing from a cut on her forehead, and it seemed one of her fingers was either sprained or broken. I couldn't tell as it was extremely swollen and bruised. "We need to get medical attention-" As I looked up, I choked on my words. All the girls were injured severely, some to the point that they looked as if they would faint. "Mom they attacked us They were waiting." Lucy says as she holds her broken arm. There was blood on her legs and face, but no cuts could be seen. "Where's Nuala?" Auntie asks, ignoring Lucy's statement. Everybody gulped down a drop of saliva, and a terrible feeling set in my stomach. "Where is she?!" I shout. "S-she fell down there," Amanda says, pointing to the large fissure that had split below where the log cabin used to be. 'Big sis? Let's play hide and seek,' 'Big sis? I want to make a snowman!' 'Big sis? I think you might be sick? We should see a doctor,' 'Big sis?' 'Big sis,' 'Big sis,' 'Big sis?' "HUFF HUFF HUFF HUFF," "Are you okay?" Electra asks. "N-no N-no. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. This can't-" I threw up before dropping to my knees. Tears flowed from my eyes as a wave of pain rushed through my head. 'Big sis? Can we play checkers?' My breathing was so heavy; I felt my hst throb. My pupils vibrated. I felt like throwing up once again. 'Big sis. You really need to learn how to control that power stone of yours. You keep destroying the training room by accident!' The girls around me who tried to ask what was wrong just sounded like a ringing in my ear. I began to hyperventilate so much that I instantly got lightheaded. 'Big sis I want your burger. I don't like mine. The world around was painted in a slight light blue tinge. 'Big sis, I love you!' I felt like I was dying. FWOOSH A gust of wind suddenly swirled around me, followed by a sparkling trail of ice. "It's okay I'll get her," Strangely, out of all the ringing in my ears, I heard Aunty's warm voice.
