Chapter 36
A powerful gust of wind suddenly burst through the dense trees, causing Airella’s long, platinum hair to flutter wildly in all directions, creating a mesmerizing dance in the air. Amidst the rustling leaves, a haunting howl echoed in the distance, sending a shiver down Airella’s spine. She realized Father was not alone in this secluded forest; it seemed he had an entire legion at his command.
From the dense foliage emerged a towering figure, a six-foot-tall wolf-like creature with an eerily humanoid appearance, followed by an array of other mystical beings.
Airella glanced around and saw her companions—Zol, Sirius, Jonathan, and Arii—forming a protective circle, weapons in hand and their backs pressed tightly together. Trapped in the heart of this chaotic scene, it felt as though escape was an impossible feat.
“Look there,” Jonathan’s urgent voice broke the tense silence, his gaze fixed on a shadowy figure advancing towards them.
“I offered you all a swift end. Airella, I even presented you with a chance to evade this fate,” Father’s voice boomed, its chilling resonance enveloping the group. “Yet it appears you persist in obstructing my designs. Thus, I must now bring about your demise with my own hands. Let us conclude this swiftly, shall we?”
“You can dream,” Jonathan retorted defiantly, his hand instinctively reaching for the hilt of Duran’s sword, a glint of determination in his eyes.
The ground below them turned dark, as if it had become a shadow itself. Without warning, it pulled the team in like quicksand. They all struggled to free themselves, but to no avail. It simply just made things even worse. In that moment, Airella knew they were all done for. The thought of failure had set in her mind. She supposed this was it.
Airella gave one more glance around to the others that she cared so deeply about, now waist-deep in the shadowy tendrils that pulled them in deeper.
“Arii!” Sirius grabbed hold of the boy. He clasped his and Jonathan’s hands. They would be the only mortals to face Father and survive. Sirius was helpless. He didn’t know what to do.
Meanwhile, Zol’s struggle against the oppressive shadows was intense. He summoned every ounce of his strength and focused his mind, channeling his inner energy to repel the darkness that enveloped him. With a fierce roar, he broke through the shadowy tendrils, forcing them to retreat with a burst of light. He turned to Airella with a face etched with determination.
The shadows’ cold, unyielding grip still trapped Airella, entwining her limbs. Zol didn’t hesitate; he lunged forward, his hands glowing with a brilliant light, and tore through the shadows binding her. Airella gasped for air as the darkness dissipated, her eyes widening with relief and gratitude.
But their moment of triumph was short-lived. As soon as they were free, a horde of miscreants descended upon them, their eyes gleaming with malevolent intent. Zol and Airella barely had time to brace themselves before the onslaught began. They fought valiantly, side by side, but the overwhelming numbers left them at a disadvantage.
Sirius, Jonathan, and Arii watched in horror as their comrades battled the swarm. They were helpless, unable to assist, and the looming presence of Father cast an even darker shadow over their predicament.
As the situation intensified, the shadows seemed to whisper ancient chants, adding an eerie atmosphere to the unfolding chaos. Airella’s heart raced as she realized the gravity of the impending confrontation with Father. Each member of the team felt the weight of the challenge ahead, unsure of what fate awaited them in the clutches of the malevolent forces closing in.
“Look at you. I never thought I’d have the delight of witnessing you so enraged,” Father sneered, lifting Sirius’s chin with a menacing glint in his eye. His voice dripped with malevolence. Sirius strained against the encroaching shadows. Every muscle tensed in futile resistance, but the darkness seemed almost alive, coiling tighter around him. “I want to savor this,” Father declared, his grip tightening as he seized Sirius by the throat, yanking him out from the engulfing abyss.
Fury contorted Sirius’s features into a mask of defiance as he locked eyes with his tormentor, yet the sinister hold left him powerless to retaliate without risking mortal injury. Anger flowed through him, and he felt his helplessness raw and palpable as Father paraded him like a trophy, using him as a pawn in his sadistic game. Airella and Zol, embroiled in their own desperate battles, were oblivious to his plight.
In that moment of harrowing vulnerability, Sirius found a fleeting connection to his humanity. Emotions surged within him, heightened by the distant, concerned glances of Airella and Zol. Tears welled in his eyes, his cheeks aflame with a mixture of searing pain and indignation. Father’s oppressive grip seemed to crush his very soul, the malicious intent palpable, leaving him gasping for air amidst the chaos. The stakes had never been higher, and the overwhelming dread that coursed through Sirius was almost paralyzing.
“Airella!” Sirius yelled, his voice echoing through the chaos surrounding them. He hesitated, torn between the desire to express his feelings and the knowledge that she might be safer without him. Memories of their dance at the ball in Eldaraya flooded his mind, intensifying his internal struggle.
As he extended his hand towards her, a sharp, crushing pain enveloped his head, intensifying with each passing moment. The eerie howls of the lycans, the bloodcurdling roars of the bloodsuckers, and the ominous presence of other malevolent beings seemed to converge, all seemingly in allegiance to Father, the force slowly consuming him.
With desperation, Airella’s eyes widened with fear and sorrow. Her heart ached as she watched Sirius struggle, the being she cared for slipping away. She could see the torment in his eyes, the battle he fought within himself, and it shattered her soul.
With a gasp, Sirius met Airella’s gaze, his eyes filled with a mixture of longing and resignation. Her expression mirrored the turmoil within him, her icy tears contrasting with the fierce grip on Dawnbreaker. The feelings they shared, the dreams they had, all seemed to crumble in that instant, like fragile glass shattering into countless pieces.
Sirius uttered, “I...” His voice was strained as the world around him slowly blurred before his eyes. Airella’s image wavered, fading into obscurity as he felt himself disintegrating into ethereal gold particles, each minuscule piece of him separating from the whole. The surreal transformation unfolded before Airella, leaving her stunned as she witnessed him dissipating further and further until he was no more.
Airella screamed, falling to her knees, her hands reaching out in vain to grasp at the shimmering remnants of Sirius. Her cries echoed through the desolation, a haunting lament that seemed to pierce the heavens. A gaping wound formed in her heart, tearing it apart and rendering it unable to heal.
His essence scattered into the unknown, leaving behind a faint trail of shimmering gold remnants that soon faded into nothingness. He was gone, leaving Airella alone in the cold, cruel reality, with only the memory of his touch and the sound of his voice to haunt her dreams.
The world seemed darker, emptier, and the weight of her loss was unbearable. She clutched Dawnbreaker and vowed to avenge him, even as her heart cried out for the love she had lost forever.