Trapped In Hisstory

Sherin took a step back from Alec. The female aide was not usually like this, she was not the type to become weak nor lose control over her emotions. The Fera before and the Sherin now were different, she was no longer the meek child of Summa Octo.

Although she has changed drastically, she felt her knees went weak as Alec stared at him coldly. She was dumbfounded by the things she has only heard now. To think that someone like him is right in front of her, she does not know how she would react or what she would say.

She looked up at him, feeling small like she returned to Phoneutria Fera.

"You...you said you are a lynx?" Sherin asked, and could not believe what she just heard. She thought that it was impossible since she saw how the royal army and Aranea annihilated the clans of Animalia Tribe.

Sherin remembered how her father, Phoneutria Bahiensis, killed the senior lyncas. Sherin put her hand on her mouth, 'Did he see..?' she thought.

"I do not blame you for not remembering me, since you never had the chance to ask for my name." Alec said.

She found it difficult to process it all in her mind, all these years, he was alive. The lynx she promised to meet and play with on the day of her birthday, he did not die. She does not know if she will feel glad because he survived or feel sad that he was the only one left.

She lowered her gaze, "You knew me from the time we met..?'

"That time where we dueled." 

~~~~~

He noticed the cut in the scabbard going deeper, he had no choice but to draw his sword. Or else it will surely be cut into half.

He pulled out the sword from the scabbard with his right hand, replacing the scabbard with his sword of blocking Sherin's blade before the scabbard became sliced in two.

Having more strength of using his sword, he slowly stood up from the bend by pushing Sherin's sword upwards until both of them were standing, staring at each other. The two swords were inseparable, none would give up or back away.

Alec pushed her away by putting force on his sword, he grabbed his scabbard while Sherin was being pushed away and swung it to hit Sherin's back.

Niro jerked from his spot when he saw Alec hit Sherin, he gritted his teeth but he kept still as he knew that Sherin would get mad if he interfered.

Sherin felt the pain from her lower back, it did not look like Alec put much strength but it was actually a strong hit. She ignored it and did not react so that they would not notice. "Tch." 

Alec raised his sword and looked at the female knight, "You made me draw my sword." he stated.

Sherin turned and there was a fierce look in her eyes, "Congratulations to me then." she said in return.

They both kicked the ground and dashed towards each other at the same time and the clashing of swords began again. They kept attacking each other after so long but they were still not tired and none of them gave up unless one would admit defeat.

While in the midst of the duel, based on Alec's continuous observations, he noticed something from her skills. "A spider?" he uttered and dashed backwards to make a gap between them, "You are a spider?" he asked again.

Sherin's usual calm face changed as annoyance started to appear on her face, "Why does it matter?" she asked.

"I am afraid I have to stop this duel."

Louis, Tristan, Niro and even Sherin turned to him, perplexed by the sudden ending of the duel, "Ridiculous, you dare stop in the middle of a duel?" she stated with a bit of disgust in her tone.

It was not his will to stop but he had to, "I do not wish to fight with an Aranean, forgive me for this." he responded.

"Why?"

"Personal reasons."

~~~~~

All this time she was the only one who did not notice. She spent her day in the punishment circle and would never forget the promise she made. But that does not mean that he would still remember his face.

All these years she thought he was already dead. How would she explain to him? What does she need to say so she could prove that she has no knowledge of her father's scheme? 'Why do I have to prove something to him?' she thought.

She should not act like this, but it was not easy to remove the feeling of guilt deep within her heart.

Alec looked at her and his gaze gave an icy feeling to Sherin, making her uncomfortable and even more guilty. "When all of the people of the tribe, all clans, were wiped out, and you stood there. You stood together with your family and you…"

"You laughed."

Sherin's eyes widened, it was not like that, she thought. There was a misunderstanding, "Listen, that time when my clan was with the royal family, I had no-" Her words were cut off as she stared at Alec. The look on his face was enough for her to know that no matter what she said, he would never forgive her. He would never forgive her clan, the summa octo and even her who was also fooled.

"Although I did not give you my name, I do hope you remember the one I was with." Alec said to her.

Sherin glanced at him, trying to remember who he was talking about and the perplexed expression on Sherin's face made Alec irritated. He slammed his hand on the wall, making Sherin lean back in surprise.

Alec let out a snort as he looked her in the eye, "To think that you do not remember the person who reached out his hand to befriend you." he said, all of the emotions Alec kept within him was slowly seeping out. "He was the one who told me that he wants to become friends with you, he was the one who called the others to play with you!"

Sherin's eyes slightly widened as she got in a daze from Alec's sudden raise of his voice. "Aloy..?" she muttered. She remembered the boy who everyone got along with. How could she forget?

Aloy gathered kids to play with her and yet she could not even come. How disappointed he must be.

"That is right, Aloy, my best friend." Alec responded in a low voice.

"He was always with you, so he must be fine. Where is he staying now? How is-

Sherin could not continue her words when she sensed a bad air around Alec. She should not have asked, judging from his expression, she could already guess what happened.

"He is gone." he said in a whisper. Alec turned to her with a tear running down his cheek but his eyes were full of hate, "Aloy died that day. That day when your clan betrayed the tribe!" 

Sherin froze in her spot, this was exactly what she was hoping not to hear. She knew full well of what her clan had done, it was something that can never be forgiven even if they die. She stayed silent as there would be no response that would lessen his hatred.

"He must be fine because he was with me?" Alec repeated Sherin's words and let out a snort, "That is exactly why I hate it. He was with me and yet I could not protect him." he said and clenched his fists.

Sherin could see all of his pain through his eyes and she could not bear to look at it. The first time she met him in Canopus, she thought that the two of them were similar. They both know how to handle their emotions so most of the time their faces are always blank. But as days passed by, everytime she looked at him, she realized that he was not trying to hide his emotions like she does, but it was because he had lost it.

And now those emotions came back, bringing the suffering he had those years to this moment.

Sherin reached out his hand and Alec was surprised to find himself being embraced by the female aide, "I know you hate us. I know that feeling would not change." she said. "But I am glad that you are alive."

Alec did not respond and Sherin pulled away from the embrace. "How did you get into the palace of Antares? Even more so, a Commander of the knights." she asked.

"Because of a person who helped me," he answered and turned to her, "The Crown Prince of Antares."

Sherin was curious as to what happened between the Crown Prince and Alec in the past. To think that he would accept help from a member of the royal family he despised, but Sherin was not surprised since she understands how great Prince Charles was for his eyes.

Even herself, who was an aide to a prince of Canopus, tried to protect a prince from Antares, even to the point of using the ability she turned her back on.

"If it was not for him, I would be dead in the wild, losing the will to survive." Alec said. If it was not for the prince coming to see him often and stay by his side, he doubts that he could continue his goal to get revenge. "It was when I went with him to the palace that I vowed to protect the Crown Prince with all my life."

He remembered how Aloy died in his arms without him being able to do anything.

"I will never make the same mistake again."