Way of the Knights

Chapter 821: Distressed

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"…let's just make a public announcement. Have some people go in there to test the limits and then make a set of rules they can follow."

"And this Dream Blossom Mother Tree? Should we let the Heavenly Phantom Great World keep custody of it?" 

"We can have them guard the tree since it resides near to them anyways. I don't think they'll mind. We'll offer something to sweeten up the deal. Besides, we were the ones who discovered it so I don't think they'll be upset with this." Anne replied. 

"Alright. I'll come up with a draft. I'll pass it on to you later. If there's anything you want me to revise, you know where my office is." Laughing Dragon nodded. 

"Thanks. I'll look forward to it." 

After their brief meeting, Anne exited the hall and planned on returning to her office. 

Her and Ellen just returned from their trip. They weren't exhausted but there were things that weighed somewhat heavy in their mind. Ellen's probably seeking comfort from her husband right now and honestly, Anne might just do the same. 

"Oh! Hi, Anne. How's your trip?" 

Anne looked up and saw Luna in front of her. Apparently, she got too absorbed in her own thoughts that she didn't notice her presence at all. Anne gave her a thin smile and replied:

"Good. Short and simple, yet also very enlightening. Quite depressing as well." 

"Oh." Luna was startled for a bit. She then approached Anne and held her hand. Worry flashed across Luna's eyes as she asked: "Do you want to talk about it?" 

"It's not a big deal." Anne had a sad smile. "It shouldn't be a big deal. But I guess it's better if I say this anyways. Can't keep bottling things to myself since that'd be unhealthy." 

"…so, hearing that there's that kind of opportunity, it's normal that we were excited right? I mean, that was a great opportunity to pass-up, a chance to see how great your chances at on becoming a Divine Knight? Of course anybody would try to get their hands on it." 

"So, just like any other cultivators would do had they been in our position. We tested our luck." Anne stated, "Raven – well, Raven's Avatar, told us how to use the Dream Blossom Mother Tree. So there we were, resting our backs against the tree and dreaming as soon as we consumed the leaves."

"Personally, I was anxious. I did my best to calm down and I managed to do so. I took sometime but I eventually got into the most optimal state for a breakthrough within that Dream Space. Once I felt that the time was right, I began my breakthrough."

Anne took a deep breath and snuggled closer to her husband's arms. 

"Failed." She said. 

Anne could feel Mark and Luna's expression harden even without her looking. 

"Like…it shouldn't be anything serious. Really, that's just a simulation. It is not real. It isn't but…" 

Anne couldn't bring herself to continue her words. And even if she didn't, her husband and Luna knows what she's implying. 

A failure to breakthrough fro Empyrean Knight to Divine Knight that could make Anne this depressed could only mean one thing. 

Although she said that the it shouldn't be a big deal, her mind makes it so. She can't help but recall the sensation. 

She was so afraid. She didn't want to die. There's so much more she wanted to do. She wasn't ready to leave. She badly wanted to spend more time with her family. 

The simulation felt so damn real. 

Don't get her wrong. Anne has been through a lot of simulations before. She's experience a plethora of things under those forged realities but could even compete with this one. 

It felt so damn real that it greatly affected her. 

"Anne. You're this shaken up. Stop saying that it isn't a big deal." Luna admonished. "Nobody could blame you for this. Nobody would judge you for being afraid of death. You have reasons to feel that way and that's valid. At the end of the day, who isn't afraid to die? Only those people who are in denial could say those things out loud." 

"She's right. Mark said while rubbing her back, pulling her closer to his embrace while she buried her face on his neck. "You're strong, whatever you're feeling right now. It'll pass eventually."

"Plus, we can always take our time." Mark added, "At very least, it's all just a simulation. What you experienced was lesson. Accumulate more and this wouldn't become a problem in the future." 

"I know." Anne replied, "Stay with me for a while yeah?" 

"I already plan on doing that even if you didn't tell me." Mark nodded. 

"Annie, pass me the seed. I'll go plant it in the Divine Land." Luna urged. Anne looked at her wanted to argue but Luna's expression was stern. "Don't fight me on this. You need rest. This isn't hard."

In the end, Anne could only nod. She took out a jade case from her spatial ring and passed it to her. Luna received it and kept it. She then stood up and walked out of the room. She gave Mark a look which the latter received and understood. 

Mark isn't going anywhere. Not when her wife needs him the most. He didn't need Luna to remind him of that but the gesture was appreciated. 

Truthfully, he too was a little bit apprehensive when he heard the story. He was with Paul when Ellen arrived and she didn't hesitate to dive on to her husband's arms, not minding Mark's presence at all. Just from one look on her face, Mark understood something happened so he didn't waste time and immediately searched for Anne. 

Hearing the story now, Mark understood that Ellen mostly likely failed as well. Ellen looked like she was about to have an emotional breakdown right before he left. 

Luna already left the room. At this point, Mark could feel his shirt wet from Anne's tears. She was silently crying on his embrace. 

At this point it's too obvious that what happened really weighed down on her. It was a big deal. 

"Shh. You're safe. I'm here. I'm not leaving you, we're not leaving you. You're not leaving us. You're here, okay?" Mark pulled her closer and now, Anne couldn't suppress the heaviness on her heart. 

"Gosh, this is so silly." Anne whimpered. "I got so scared. Every time I close my eyes, I could still see it. I know it's just a stupid simulation but I can't help it."

Mark remained silent, he just allowed Anne to release all her frustrations by crying. He absolutely didn't mind get his shirt soaked for this. 

"The worst part is that I saw Jeanne's face before I…you know." Anne released a shaky whɨnė, "I saw her face. I remembered everything from her birth all the way until we left her behind."

"It hurts to be reminded that the memory we shared together in person, she was crying and begging us not to leave and take her with us instead. That's the most painful part." Anne cried even harder. 

"I miss her so bad." 

Mark bit his lips and felt the corner of his eyes stinging from unshed tears. 

Ever since they left the kids at home, Anne and Mark tried their best to not talk too much about their child since it hurts. Knowing that they can't stay by her side, watching her grow-up like any normal parent would, would never fail to hurt them. 

Getting swamped with work was one way to keep them occupied, so there's that. But the longing for their child's company never disappeared, if anything it just felt even stronger. 

This experience was bound to leave scar on Anne's heart. That's for certain. She's never been afraid of death before but it is only now that she truly felt the weight and the consequences of her dying. 

"I'll be fine." Anne stated. 

This time, she didn't sound scared. If anything, she sounded brave and determined. 

"I'll get over this." She added, "We're sticking to the plan. I don't want to be exempted from this. I won't give-in. Not now, not ever." 

"I believe you." Mark nodded, planting a kiss on her forehead. "I'll always be by your side. We'll get through this and we will be triumphant. We'll return to her." 

Anne nodded eagerly. She pulled Mark closer, so close that she almost seem to want their bodies to meld together. 

"We'll be fine. I can endure being away from our daughter just a bit more." Anne said as if reminding herself. "We're doing this for them and if it's painful for me, I can't imagine how painful it is for both Luna and Raven."

"They need us and we will stay. We will finish this together." Anne declared. 

"Yes." Mark nodded. "Yes, we will."

"But for now, bath. You stink."

Mark earned himself a few pinches in the arm for that.