The Reaper's Wicked Obsession
Chapter 43: Predictability Of One’s Future

Chapter 43: Predictability Of One’s Future

Just as Rav predicted, Nyssa came after a day of absence. He told her about Isadora’s condition despite being fixed.

Unknown to them, Isadora was upstairs hearing the conservation between the two, her fingers fidgeting together and her mind uneasy.

"Are you questioning my authority, Rav?" Nyssa said, irritably.

He was surely going out of his way to protect this stray with everything he got. She didn’t know which pissed off more despite losing the chance of tormenting Isadora.

"You mean our authority... and shouldn’t you be pleased? You always wanted her to fail," he replied.

Nyssa paused—folding her arms against her chest. "Yes I did but I wanted her to suffer a bit, it’s not fun if she caves so easily."

"You did that on purpose!" he snapped. "You humiliated her in front of everyone knowing she would fail."

She scoffed. "On purpose or not, everyone goes through the Spine, she’s just not cut out for it," she sighed. "Seemed like I got worked up for no reason. Logi was worried for nothing."

’Logi?’ Isadora thought, isn’t that the stranger’s name that caused her shame?

Her fist clenched hard—her nails dug into her palm. That must be the reason why he knew her name. Was this some game for them? A twisted competition to see who could humiliate her the most?

"It’s a new thing that Logi being worried about something didn’t turn out to be a problem." She walked to the door with a satisfying smirk. "If she can’t fight then she better be useful," her eyes lit up to an idea. "Oh, I know! The kitchen would love to have her."

The door slammed shut.

Rav sighed heavily and started to turn away, but his eyes caught a glimpse of golden blonde hair. He spotted Isadora standing by the railing.

He opened his mouth to say something, but she turned and left.

~♧~

Isadora paused at the foot of the steps. The thousand steps of endurance. Taking a deep breath before tying her hair up.

Then she began the long climb, hours passed before she finally reached the top.

Already gasping for breath when she reached the mountain’s peak, she found the training grounds empty. Torches flickered in the strong gust of wind.

She glanced around, hoping to spot someone, but the area was eerily empty.

A short distance away. Her eyes fell on the Spine—a dangerous construction that seemed to defy logic.

She walked toward it, her gaze fixed on the deadly design. Whoever built this was a master genius, and she’d love nothing more than to smack them for creating something so treacherous.

Just like the thousand steps of endurance, the Spine was also a challenge to prove once diligence to their cause. How many have died? How many have failed? Who could possibly rule this place with members that had suicidal thoughts? Being called ravenites was a perfect name for them.

"What are you doing here Isadora?" she said to herself.

She got what she wanted to not be a part of whatever she was dragged into. Rav went out of his way to protect her just like he promised—The thought alone caused her heart to beat faster.

Yet Nyssa’s words stirred a feeling within her. They expected her to fail.

When Dashwell laid his eyes on her, her future was already determined. She never got to decide how it would play out, it was always predictability by the hand of others.

She chewed the inside of her mouth, her fist clenched more, the sting causing her eyelid to twitch. The biting cold slipped into her bones but for once she didn’t feel it, just the tightening sensation in her chest.

Without hesitation, she climbed the ladder and stepped onto the wooden path.

The night wind was fierce, stripping away whatever balance the bridge once had. It swayed dangerously making the swinging pendulum seem like child’s play.

Her eyes fixed on the death sentence by her right and the easier way out by her left.

’Focus more on your left, that shouldn’t be too hard,’ she thought, taking a deep breath. Studying the swinging pendulum and gauging the right time to advance. The opportunity came and she did.

This time it wasn’t just the excretion from her legs after walking the steps but the dangerous sway of the bridge from the harsh wind.

She didn’t even reach the pendulum before the bridge threw her off balance. Gripping the ropes tightly, she steadied herself, her movements stalling. Her stern eyes locked on the swinging obstacle, determined to make it through.

Rooting her stance she charged ahead.

She paused momentarily, waiting for the log to swing past before attempting to move forward. But before she could advance, the log slammed into her side, sending her flying off the bridge.

She coughed painfully—clenching her side, judging by the intense pain shooting through her, there was a damaged rib.

"It’s no use, girl, you can’t even pass the simple one."

Gasping, she lifted her gaze and locked eyes with a green-eyed stranger.

Logi smirked, clearly amused as her expression shifted from pain to surprise, and then to seething anger.

Taking a slow, deliberate bite of his apple, he chewed loudly, his gaze never leaving hers.

"Hello Isadora, I missed you at the party."

"W-What are you doing here?" she voiced, ignoring her pain.

He chuckled. "This is my turf, I should be asking you that question," then he paused. "Why did you come back here?" he chewed the apple and with a mouthful he added. "Did you honestly think you can run the Spine?"

Her teeth clenched, his words annoyed her as much as her side was hurting. She wanted to move but she couldn’t, being on the ground was all she could do at the moment as he looked down on her.

"Need my advice?"

"The last time I listened to you I ended up half naked."

He broke into a pearl of laughter that reminded her of Kraven—finding amusement in the worst of situations.

"Don’t take it to heart too much, I paid my price," he raised an eyebrow, placing his hand close to his chest.

Isadora stared at his bandaged hand, confused.

"You’re pathetic, rather than die a pathetic death trying to accomplish something you can’t, I suggest you jump off the mountain. I’m sure the gods would rule that as an honorable death. At least it won’t be less pathetic," he ran his other hand through his hair. "That’s my advise."

"You don’t know me and yet you wish me to die?" she asked. She couldn’t understand their keenness to either watch her fail or die, it was getting on her nerves.

He waved a hand dismissively as he walked away.