Chapter 117 Chapter 117
“Maxwell,” she whimpered quietly with a raspy tone in her voice. Speaking cost great effort, but she fought the heavy weight that had settled on her and dragged her life away. She still had something important to tell him before she would leave. “Live on without… me. Please… promise me. I want… you to be… happy.”
“No, no, no. We are living together.” he said hastily and squeezed her deadly cold hand. “Together, do you hear me?”
Part of him was still in denial, and it pained her to see the tears burning in his deep red eyes. The desperation swirling through them was too much. Juliana had never seen him cry before, and she had never expected to be the reason for his tears either. The sight made her heart hurt painfully. She wanted him to be happy, wished to comfort him, and to embrace him like she always did when he didn’t feel well, but she was too weak, and her left hand had already turned to ash.
Juliana was numb; her injuries didn’t hurt anymore, but the coldness that replaced the agony was by no means better. It scared her to the core. She was afraid of death; she had always been. The sole thought of her life being snuffed out made her body tremble in fright.
She didn’t want to die. There were so many things in life she hadn’t experienced yet, so many places she hadn’t seen yet. Just when she had discovered Earth for the first time, seen its beauty, the shining sun in the sky, and the colorful flowers, she was forced to give it all up. The price of seeing it was her life.
In the end, her empathetic nature had been her downfall. With any other demon, the hunters’ plan would have failed, but she fell right into their trap. She had always been a gentle demon, one that did not take pleasure in killing and hurting others. She couldn’t hurt a fly and had often been mocked for it, but her soft heart never bothered Maxwell, who had been attracted to her since they first met.
Maxwell held on to her hand for dear life, clutching it like his touch alone would keep her alive. He didn’t hide his emotions, and when another tear rolled down his cheek, she teared up as well.
Juliana knew that he would be devastated if she left him behind. What if he ended up doing something stupid? What if something happened to him? She was aware of how impulsive he could be when his temper got the best of him, and right now it seemed like he wasn’t himself anymore.
Her helplessness and desperation drove her to do something she normally would have never even thought of, but the situation was dire, and so she had no other choice. Dull blue eyes stared up at the sky, spotting a few sparkling stars on its dark backdrop. Exhaling, she attempted to calm herself and collect her thoughts.
Maybe, just maybe, Heaven would show mercy, even if she was a demon.
I have a wish, and I’m begging you to grant it. After my life has reached its end and my body turned to ash, please don’t let him be alone. I love him with all my heart, and I truly want him to be happy. I don’t want him to be alone and bitter. It’s my last wish and the only thing I’ll ever ask of you; please have mercy.
She watched the stars and waited for a sign. Anything that would have told her that her wish was heard, but nothing happened. The sky stayed dark and gloomy, the stars shining just the same as before. An eerie silence had fallen over the clearing, and only the rustling of the wind in the treetops reached her ears. Her vision blurred, shapes became unrecognizable, and colors melted together.
She couldn’t see Maxwell clearly anymore, but she didn’t need to see him to know that he was still crying. The desperation within her became too much. Holding on to her hope, she prayed that her last wish would be granted, even if it was unlikely.
Knowing that her end came closer, she drew in one last breath. Ash particles covered her cheek, washed away by her tears.
“Juliana,” Maxwell stuttered, choking on his anguish. He clutched her hand for dear life and stared at her face pleadingly. “I love you.”
She never heard his words. Her hand went limp in his hold, and her eyes stared at the sky without seeing it, empty and void of life. The hollowness within them was painful to see; he could hardly take it.
Her soul was gone now, and within seconds, her entire body turned to ash that was scattered by the wind. Maxwell remained alone, staring at the spot where she had lain just moments before. The agony in his chest became unbearable, spread through his entire body until every fiber of him was hurting. He looked at his hand that had held hers, tears spilling from his eyes as he stared at the emptiness of his palm. His fingers trembled. He couldn’t believe it.
“Juliana, no.” he screamed hoarsely. Nothing remained of her—she was gone like she had never existed, as was the fate of any demon who died.
All of this was his fault. He was pitiful and weak and useless, a pathetic excuse for a demon. He couldn’t protect anyone; all he was capable of was destroying things, killing people. He was the one who ultimately ruined her—if he hadn’t brought her here, she would still be alive. He didn’t deserve to live on when she was dead, and he should have just died with her. His sorrow made him collapse, and he hit the ground with his fists.
“Come back. You can’t be gone.” he sobbed. He was drained, his will to live on fading the more his desperation grew. It rose higher and higher like a wave, and when it crashed over him, it crushed his resolve.
He raised his head towards Heaven, glaring at the endless starry sky in bitterness. “Are you happy now? You have taken it all, are you satisfied?” he screamed, but he didn’t receive an answer. There was only silence. All-encompassing. Mocking.
Maxwell slowly became numb. He kneeled on the ground and stared into space without seeing anything, without hearing anything. What was the point of his life now? Why was he still here?