Chapter 851: Returning old memories
The second family was very welcoming to both Nate and Cia, despite their sudden arrival at such a late hour. It was quite clear they were outsiders, yet they were still greeted with waves and smiles. As they were being escorted through the inner castle area more and more eyes from those living within fell on them.
"This is great." Nate grinned as he waved back. He felt less like a chaperone who had tagged along and more like a hero who had just slain a big monster threatening the populace.
"Urgh! You’re so predictable! You know being desperate isn’t going to help you get a girlfriend. We girls can sense that kind of thing. You being extra nice just makes you seem clingy and wrong." Cia commented on his behaviour.
However, Nate was currently too happy to let Cia’s words bring his mood down. The grin on his face continued to grow. Several girls had already come up to him, handed him flowers and some had even pecked him on his cheek.
If anything they were a little too welcoming, not that Nate was complaining. In fact, he was already looking forward to boasting about it to his friends once they returned.
The two of them were aware that Quinn had made some type of deal with the second family leader. Based on their current treatment, they could only suspect that it would be to vote for her in the upcoming election.
While looking around and passing through, Cia began to notice some things. Perhaps it was because she was actively ignoring the fool beside her, although he was actually the one who indirectly provided her with the hint.
Nate’s appearance was a stark contrast to the vampires. The inner castle area housed a large number of females as they could see, yet they appeared to lack any men. Cia only saw male children, none older than twelve.
’Layla said the second leader was nice to her, so I guess I’m just overthinking things.’ Cia tried to reason. ’Perhaps the men are all just inside?’
Eventually they had been escorted to just outside the doors of the leaders throne room. A knock announced their arrival and soon after the doors were opened up to reveal a beautiful woman wearing her usually large black dress.
"You must be Cia from the tenth family, right? It appears that the boy failed to mention he would be sending me such a cutie like you." Cindy complimented her guest. The girl’s cheeks immediately became a few shades redder, but before she could hide, Cindy grabbed both her hands together as if she had just received a gift.
"It’s... it’s nice to meet you." Cia, quickly bowed.
"Come in, come in. Please sit down, while I get you a drink ready. I’d like to talk with you for a bit, before we’ll try to help you in any way I can."
Cia was a bit overwhelmed by Cindy’s openness, but seeing as this might be her only change to recover her memories, she walked through the large double doors.
Nate was just about to follow behind her, when he was suddenly stopped by a single finger on his forehead.
"I’m sorry, but this pertains to my ability which is a bit special. You should understand that I wouldn’t want others to know too much about me. Besides, I’m sure your lady friend would also want some things to remain private." Cindy stated. Although her tone was nice, Nate felt that this wasn’t a suggestion but more of a command.
"I know the boy has asked you to be her bodyguard, but I will take good care of her. Feel free to wait outside or ask some of my family members to entertain you. "
Usually, Nate would have complied with such a beautiful ladies order, but the way she had looked at him just seconds ago, he could feel a strange shiver through his body.
"I’m sorry, but Quinn told me that I have to look after Cia at all times and that’s what I’ve come here to do. Either I go in there with her or we will both leave!" Nate stood his ground.
The finger on his forehead turned into a flick and he was sent flying across the room, skidding across the floor. Eventually he regained his footing, and started to rub his head as he felt blood trickling down.
’All that from a flick, these leaders are no joke.’ Nate thought.
"Now, don’t you go making the girl’s decision for her. You should let her decide, right?" Cindy berated him, looking back in Cia’s direction who was already inside the room.
Cia looked towards Nate as if his eyes were telling her to disagree and come towards her, urging her to leave this place together, but Cia kept thinking about her memories. She had done so much to try to get them back and now she was so close to achieving her goal.
She couldn’t just turn back now.
"I’m sorry Nate, but I need to know!"
The last thing Nate saw was Cindy closing the door with a smirk on her face as Cia continued to walk further into the throne room.
’Should I call Quinn? No, I’ll stay here and keep my shadow active. I’ll give her the benefit of the doubt and will try to enter again in half an hour. If they don’t reply or come out then I’ll act.’ Nate decided, as he stood with his back facing against the wall, hoping to hear whatever was happening inside.
The second family’s throne room was unique, as they had plenty of beds placed on each side, and the throne was at the very back. It looked more like a hospital than anything else. Cia was asked to lie down on one of the beds at the very back next to the throne, while Cindy had remained standing.
"The boy told me that your memories have been wiped, and that you wish to get them back. Now I would like to hear your version of that. Is what he said true?" Cindy asked.
"Yes, although... he was the one who wiped them. I just want to know who I was, before... before I met them." Cia answered in a soft voice.
"Interesting, I didn’t take him for the type to bully young girls. I have to say I’m quite intrigued what made him wipe your memories now. But first there are a few questions I need to ask you..."
Cindy went on asking about how old she was, when her memories had been removed and what she could remember if anything from before the incident. With all that information she could see about whether or not she was able to help or not. At the same time she decided to record what was happening, on a small electronic device the size of a finger.
"So, can you help me?" Cia asked, her eyes filled with water. She looked at Cindy as if this didn’t work, then she had decided that she would no longer attempt to get her memories back. From then on she would just live her current life and forget about the past.
"I can help you." Cindy answered as she handed the poor girl a handkerchief.
Having expected bad news the tears in her eyes started to really fall.
"You really mean it? I will really remember who I was?!" Tears had already started to flow from her cheeks, as she felt like her journey would be over.
"However, there is a catch. The reason why I can bring your memories back, is because I will reverse your mind to the time before they were taken. You will revert to you from around a day before losing your memories. In other words, everything that has happened to you after that will be gone. One day before they were removed. Putting it more bluntly it wouldn’t be too wrong to say that the current you will cease to exist. You won’t even remember who I am, so are you absolutely sure you want to go through with this?"
When asked the question, Cia started to think if there were any memories worth keeping, and the only ones she could think of was her time spent with Layla, but it was so short. All her memories only added up to a year. In her mind, getting her old memories back was worth forgetting that one year.
Seeing this, Cindy brought up the video recording she had made.
"I just recorded everything you said earlier, that you told me about yourself. Once you come back, i’ll play it to you."
"I’ll do it, I have to." Cia nodded, learning of that information.
Cindy got straight to work, and placed both of her hands on Cia’s head. A few seconds later and energy was seeping through the palm of her hands and Cia’s eyes started to white out as her mind was being reversed.
There was no pain, and the process only took a few seconds.
Finally, when Cindy’s hands left Cia’s head she could see clearly once again, but she had no clue who the person in front of her was.
"Relax, darling, I’m not trying to hurt you. You must be very confused right now, so here you have a little drink to calm your nerves." Cindy offered her a cup with some dark red liquid. "First of all, you should know that your memories are dated. Someone removed your memories a year ago and I was asked by a person important to you to try my best to return them. Unfortunately, I’m not all powerful, while I managed to fulfill your wish of returning your memories, everything that happened after you lost them is gone now. I’m sorry but it’s the best I could do!"
Cia looked around the room trying to make out where she was. The last place she remembered being at was the inter tournament, where she had been asked to look out for Layla, and that Quinn and the others were a danger to her..
However, at the moment she was holding the top of her head, and squinting badly, she was suffering from a major headache.
"What’s wrong, are you in pain? My ability shouldn’t affect or hurt the person it’s being used on."
"No, it’s not that..." Cia groaned. "Just now, I saw a vision! I don’t know who you are yet, but for some reason I saw you in that vision. I saw Quinn killing you." She blurted out, not really considering the situation.
Cindy dropped the cup she had offered Cia.
’The banshee’s prediction saw the boy killing me?’
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