Aelina's single, damning word hung in the air like a dense fog, the silence around it echoing with an oppressive weight. Her gaze was unwavering, cold as it swept over the injured, the weary, the survivors of the Battle Maiden Sect.
"Pathetic." She repeated, the word seeming to hold even more disdain than the first time.
Her voice held no trace of warmth or sympathy, only a harsh, brutal truth that was as cutting as the sharpest blade. The disciples couldn't help but look down in shame. Yet, a few looked up, staring directly at Aelina, their puffy eyes turning bloodshot.
Aelina's eyes lingered on each woman, her gaze piercing, as if she could see right through their souls. She took a step forward, her presence dominating the entire meadow. The air around her seemed to ripple with her Qi, an invisible pressure that weighed heavily on the survivors.
"Do you think your tears will bring back the dead?" She asked, her voice cold, cutting through the silence like a knife. "Why are you sitting around crying when the enemy is right there?!"
One of the disciples finally couldn't take Aelina's piercing words and screamed at her, "W-Why!? Why are you berating us like this when it's your fault so many of us died?!"
Aelina's lips twitched, threatening to curl, but she kept her expression cold. "Oh? How is it my fault that you failed to push back the enemy?"
The girl looked up at Aelina, tears running down her cheeks as she remembered the scene of swords ripping one of her friends apart. She didn't even have a chance to save her before part of the mountain collapsed, crushing her friend into a paste.
"Y-You…" She stuttered, forcing down the lump in her throat, "Y-You were clearly watching us… I-If you had acted sooner… M-My friend…. She wouldn't have died. None of them would have died!!"
Aelina hummed for a moment before she nodded, "You're right."
"...eh?"
The woman's mouth went agape as she stared at Aelina with wide eyes. She wasn't the only one, either.
"You're right. Perhaps if I had acted sooner, none of you would have died." Aelina circled the group and said with a neutral expression.
She didn't need to lie. After all, it was true. As one of the strongest people on the continent, there was very little she couldn't do, and saving one of her Branch Sects was well within her capabilities… Normally.
"However, why should I?" She stopped walking and asked without any emotion, as if their life and death meant nothing to her, "Why should I go out of MY way to save YOUR lives?"
The disciples were too shocked to say anything, not expecting the leader of the Battle Maiden Sect to be so cold and ruthless. Even the woman who had spoken up found it difficult to speak, as Aelina's words made it sound like they meant nothing to her.
"...A-Aren't you our Sect Master? D-Do you need a reason to save your disciples?" Her voice, trembling with desperation, echoed in the still air. The plea hung heavy between them, a silent cry for understanding. Her eyes, once vibrant and trusting, were now clouded with a dark shadow.
"What's your name, child?" Aelina suddenly stopped and asked.
"...Skye Sinclair."
"Skye, huh? Good name," Aelina muttered. Skye kept quiet, not reacting to her words, so Aelina continued, "Well, Skye, it seems there's a bit of a misunderstanding between us."
"A… misunderstanding?"
"Yes, a misunderstanding," Aelina responded, her voice unchangingly cold. "Tell me, Skye, in the wild, does the wolf mother protect her cubs forever? Or does she teach them to hunt, to fend for themselves?"
Skye was silent, her throat tightening as she struggled to find words.
"Exactly," Aelina continued, her gaze piercing into Skye like a shard of ice. "I am not here to coddle you or to shield you from every danger. I am here to make warriors out of you!"
She paused, her icy gaze sweeping over the gathering. "This is not a place for the weak. This is not a place for those who cannot stand on their own. If you cannot protect yourself, if you cannot fight for your survival, then you have no place here. The world is not as kind as you might want to believe. Your friends died, and your home was destroyed because you were weak, it's as simple as that."
Every word from Aelina felt like a blow, a brutal lesson they weren't prepared for. The disciples were silent, their heads bowed, their hearts aching. But Skye's heart was pounding, a wildfire of emotions raging within her. She blinked back the tears threatening to fall, refusing to show any more weakness in front of their leader.
"Aren't you a part of the world too, Master Aelina?" Skye finally managed to speak, her voice barely above a whisper.
Aelina's gaze returned to Skye. "Indeed, I am. And just like the world, I am not kind."
Skye's chest tightened, her heart pounding painfully against her ribcage. "If that's the case, why should we follow you? Why should we fight for you when you just abandoned so many others that aren't any different than us? Why should we put our trust in you again?"
Aelina's lips curled into a cold, predatory smile, "Because, Skye, in this world, the strong rule. You have two choices: you either become the predator, or you stay the prey. Trust? That's something only the weak need! If you wish to survive, to grow stronger and get revenge on those you actually wronged you, then follow me. If not, you are free to leave. However, you will not get this chance again."
The meadow was deathly silent. The disciples looked at each other, their faces pale and eyes wide with shock. Skye swallowed hard, her throat dry as she tried to process Aelina's words.
Aelina gave the group one last sweeping glance before she turned away, her figure gradually merging with the shadows until she disappeared. Her parting words, however, echoed in their minds, a stark reminder of the path they had chosen.
"Remember this, my disciples, the world owes you nothing. If you wish to carve out a place for yourself, you must fight for it. I can give you the opportunities to fulfill your dreams, but what happens afterward is all up to you."
A gust of wind blew across the meadow, stirring the grass and carrying away the remnants of their innocence. The disciples were left standing, their minds filled with Aelina's words and their hearts heavy with the weight of their choices.
