My Beloved Has Risen from Death’s Embrace

After an unknown amount of time, as the fire grew closer and the smoke thicker, he stopped struggling and slowly, despairingly lowered his head.

It hurt, it hurt so much, it hurt to the point of death, just a bit more pain and he might seel his gentle mother telling him stories and his father playing ball with him again, right?

"Little kitty, don't run away!"

"Come on, don't be scared. Let's play together!!

By the riverside on the outskirts of town, Xanthea held a Swiss Army knife, gleefully chasing a little black cat.

Oliver, following behind, was panting and supporting his legs.

"Xan, Xan, stop running!"

"That knife in your hand is too sharp. You might hurt yourself. Give it to e now!

"Uncle, you're not as fast as Samuel. You can't even catch me," Xanthea taunted, sticking her tongue out at him. "Nyah nyah nyah! Catch me, then the knife is yours!"

"You little rascal. You are only four, how can you run so fast?" Oliver muttered, catching his breath. But she was already dozens of meters ahead.

"Meow!"

"Meow-"

The sleek little black cat, frightened by her chase, darted into an abandoned buildin Xanthea followed, just as the second floor burst into flames.

"Little kitty, come o out!"

"Kitty, it's dangerous!"

She called out several times from outside but didn't see the black cat, so she anxiously ran inside.

But as she reached the second floor, she saw a horrifying sight: a young boy was trapped in the roaring flames. His hands and feet were bound to a concrete pillar, his body covered in wounds, and his left cheek burned by falling sparks, showing a horrifying red.

"Ab-"

Her scream in fright.

Hearing the soft, sweet voice, the semi-conscious Orion slowly lifted his head.

Beyond the reckless flames stood a little girl as delicate as a porcelain doll. She wore a

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sweet lace princess dress with puffed sleeves, her hair in lively heart-shaped pigtails. Her fair, delicate skin was flawless, and she looked just like an angel from a storybook.

Was she an angel?

Had he died and met an angel?.

Xanthea, startled by his dark, lifeless eyes, stopped her scream in shock.

He wasn't dead?

The next moment, she charged into the inferno with her knife drawn.

Outside the building, the sight of Xanthea rushing in and the sudden blaze sent Oliver's heart into his throat. He dashed inside after her.

"Xan! Xan!"

"Xan, come out! It's dangerous-"

Xanthea sprinted through the thick smoke and fierce flames, drawing her Swiss Army knife to cut through the chains binding his limbs.

"Don't be afraid, I'm here to save you."

"Just hang on a little longer, you'll be okay!"

The Swiss Army knife in her hand was made of pure carbon steel, extremely hard and sharp, but her strength was too slight.

Her small hands gripped the knife tightly, using all her might, yet barely making against the rapidly spreading flames that threatened to engulf them at any mon

"Why won't it cut? What's wrong?"

I

"Don't worry, I can do this, I definitely can!"

little face flush She was almost in tears from anxiety but still comforted him, her fair li red from the scorching flames.

Orion, listening to her voice so close by, looked into her angelic face. He realized she wasn't an illusion; she was real.

Why was she trying to save him?

After his mom had passed away, his dad didn't like him, his grandfather and the housekeeper had left.

Everyone had abandoned him, everyone hated him.

Why then, was she trying so hard to save him?