Chapter 097As Lucia stood before the altar, her hands shook as she arranged the sacred runes, and the ancient chamber's air was heavy.She shivered as faint murmurs reverberated through the stone walls. This ritual was their last defense against Eldrin's curse. Its darkness was pressing against her chest, encroaching. Alessandro came in, his expression tight. "The energy is strange, but we're almost ready." Lucia felt a jolt in her heart. "What do you mean?" He paused, looking into the darkness. "I'm not sure. Something is retaliating as if it understands what we're doing. Her fists clenched. "Eldrin has powerful magic. We were aware that it would be difficult. With a worried expression, Isabella joined them. "The issue we face is more serious. The barriers of protection are eroding. They were tampered with by someone. "What?" Panic rising, Lucia's voice was sharp. "Who would act in that way?" Alessandro's eyes grew gloomy. "Someone who is not interested in our success.
Chapter 098The air in the chamber was heavy and cold. It was difficult for Lucia to breathe because of the weight on her chest.The old inscriptions etched on the stone walls appeared to throb, muttering cautions she was too desperate to ignore.She traced the forbidden rune on the ground, her hands shaking as its glow flickered dangerously, She was aware of the danger.It was for a reason that the ritual was prohibited. She had no other option, though. Standing next to her, Isabella had a determined yet pale face. "Do you think this is true?" Lucia's tone faltered. "No." But there is no other option. Alessandro joined them, jaws clenched. "There won't be any going back if we take this action." Lucia's eyes were fierce as she met his. "There is no way to go back anyhow. As long as everything is gone, Eldrin won't stop. He must be fought, even at the expense of everything we own. Isabella turned her head away and trembled. "However, the reaction... If we lose control..." L
Chapter 099Standing atop the hill, Eldrin's eyes blazed with rage. The smell of ash and smoke filled the air around him, and it crackled with power.Lucia and her pitiful group of supporters were assembling below, their faces tensed with resolve. They believed they could resist him stupid people. The darkness swirled around him as he clenched his fists. The magic was pulsing through his veins more intensely than before. Breaking the curse set him free and revealed his true power. And he would hold them accountable. Eldrin sneered, his voice brimming with disdain, "They look so... hopeful." "It's almost adorable." Beside him, a dark figure materialized, its face contorted in a ruthless grin. They still think they can prevail. People are really obstinate. Eldrin's gaze grew strained. "Hope weakens them. It prevents them from seeing the reality. The figure chuckled icily. Then, reveal the truth to them. Shatter their hopes. Eldrin's mouth twisted into a sly smile. "Oh, I int
Chapter 100Lucia struggled to stand, her body trembling. Like a dying flame, her golden light was fading. Eldrin's power was oppressive, and he felt cold and hungry as the darkness whirled around him. She could feel the stone-like weight of his magic bearing down on her. Alessandro's voice broke the commotion. "Lucia! Wake up! She made herself turn to face him. He had blood on his face and terrified eyes. Isabella lay sprawled on the ground behind him, still. She hardly moved her chest. Lucia's heart fell. She was to blame for this. She lacked sufficient strength. The battlefield reverberated with Eldrin's icy laughter. "Observe yourself. Feeble. Powerless. You believed you could defeat me? Burning cold, his shadows slithered closer, encircling her legs. Her body ached, and she winced. When Alessandro attempted to run to her, Eldrin's magic struck back, knocking him back. He groaned in agony as he struck the ground hard. "Stop it!" Lucia's voice broke as she yelled. "G
Chapter 101Nero knelt beside Lucia, his heart pounding in his chest. The battlefield around them was eerily silent, the aftermath of the fierce battle evident in the scorched earth and fallen debris.Lucia's once radiant glow had dimmed, her breathing shallow and labored. He gently touched her cold cheek, whispering, "Lucia, please wake up."Alessandro, standing nearby, his face smeared with dirt and sweat, rushed to her other side. His eyes were wide with panic as he shook her shoulders gently. "Lucia! You promised you'd stay with us!"But Lucia remained still, her energy fading with each passing moment.Nero felt a surge of fear, unlike anything he'd ever known. He pressed his fingers to her neck, finding a weak, thready pulse. "She's slipping away," he muttered, his voice trembling.Alessandro's eyes filled with tears. "Do something, Nero! We can't lose her!"Determined, Nero summoned his dark magic, shadows swirling around his arms. As his power touched Lucia, searing pain shot t
Chapter 102Lucia stood on the balcony of the grand palace, the sun setting behind the jagged peaks of the Alps.The mild painted the sky in sunglasses of orange and red a stark evaluation of the dark, lingering tensions in her coronary heart.It had been months because of Eldrin's defeat; however, the weight of the battles they had fought and the lives they had lost nevertheless hung heavy in the air.They had gained, but the street to real peace changed a long way from being clean.Behind her, the corridor was a flurry of motion. Servants rushed backward and forward, ensuring everything was in place for the summit, a summit that would either pave the way for peace or reignite the conflicts that had ravaged their world for hundreds of years.Lucia ought to sense the pull of her obligations weighing on her shoulders. The focus had shifted from just defeating Eldrin to reconstructing the shattered world. The stakes escalated with each passing minute."Lucia." Nero's voice interrupted h
Chapter 103The darkness enveloped Kalyndria, providing her with comfort and sustenance. Her body still ached from the battles she'd lost, from the weaknesses she'd suffered at the hands of Lucia and Nero.But I didn't remember it it anymore. The shadows had been hers to command now, and she could push upward again with them.She has been compelled into hiding, licking her wounds for some distance too long. But now, with the power she drew from the dark magic, she felt a compassion growing inside her.It turned into a time for payback. It was time to spoil the entirety that Lucia and Nero had worked so hard to construct.The remnants of Kalyndria's power are now not fleeting. The forbidden spells she'd as soon as tampered with now surged through her veins, every incantation tightening her grip on the arena.She could experience the whispers of the shadows, their presence at the rims of her thoughts, urging her to act.It became a simple pleasure. The worry. The uncertainty. It changed
Chapter 104Alessandro stood on the balcony, searching out over the town, the wind ruffling his dark hair. A familiar stress began to build inside him, akin to a storm that threatened to disrupt his day.His arms tightened across the railing as he watched the early morning light flicker off the remote buildings. An experience of urgency gnawed at him, making his stomach twist.His mind was filled with dark, swirling thoughts. Kalyndria’s presence was like a shadow hanging over all of them. Even now, he should feel the tendrils of her dark impact creeping through the city, poisoning everything.He had seen the symptoms and heard the whispers. The peace they had worked so hard to establish was in jeopardy, on the verge of collapse.He became far from the view and walked back into the struggle; Nero had already been there, huddled over a table, their faces grim.The weight of their ass becomes clear on their expressions, and Alessandro should experience it, too.Lucia glanced up while he
Chapter 151The sky above the Celestial Nexus churned, deep indigo streaked with silver mild. Nero stood in the center, the burden of the universe pressing in opposition to his chest. His frame radiated power, a force he hadn’t yet fully discovered to control. Nyxario.That name rang in his head like a bell, a steady reminder that he turned into not just Nero Orsini. He became something greater. Something divine.But is turning into divinity a blessing or a curse?He closed his eyes, letting the whispers of the gods slither throughugh his mind. They called to him, demanding obedience, urging him to sever all mortal ties. To allow the passage of Lucia.Lucia.His hands clenched into fists. He had fought through hell to attain her, defied fate itself. And now, simply while she wanted him most, he was being requested to shrink back?A presence stirred at the back of him. He didn't want to show to realize who it had become.“You’re hesitating.”The voice changed into calm, but there has b
Chapter 150The moon appeared low above the Celestial Nexus and its pale light created extended shadows on the jagged alien rocks surrounding the large glowing pool at the center. An unsettling silence filled the air while the faint wind whispered in a timeless language.Lucia positioned herself at the periphery of the glowing pool which emitted an eerie yet gentle luminescence.The Heart of Lunaria emitted a soft glow beside her while its crystalline body throbbed like a faint heartbeat. It was waiting, just like she was. A few steps from Lucia Nero watched her back with his gaze while his face remained tense. The burden of their pending decision loomed above them like an ominous storm cloud.His voice reached only a whisper as if louder words might destroy their delicate instant. “Are you sure about this?” She didn’t answer right away. The words refused to leave her throat because her soul itself seemed to be resisting speech. How could she be sure? There were too many unknowns. T
Chapter 149A blanket of stars sparkled above the ancient mountain as the night sky shimmered. Lucia and Nero observed from the cliff edge as unnatural energy surged throughout their surroundings. A dense energy filled the air while the world waited for an imminent monumental event. The celestial event was only moments away. The pressure of the air shifted around Lucia which made her heart race while her senses intensified. She whispered "Something feels wrong here" but her words disappeared into the wind's fierce roar. “Nero, do you feel that?” Nero nodded, his expression grim. “It’s him. Eldrin. He’s going to do something… something huge.” The celestial bodies above started moving while their normal brightness faded momentarily before exploding into vibrant chaotic patterns. The heavens themselves seemed to be rearranging. The earth beneath them quivered gently as though holding its breath in anticipation for a massive release.A solitary beam of light shot from the darkened sky
Chapter 148The dim light inside the cavern revealed Sophia's followers while ancient unnatural tension filled the air. Carved twisted symbols decorated the stone around the ritual site and emitted a faint pulse of dark energy.The walls of the room appeared to come alive as shadows danced in the corners beneath the flickering torchlight.At the entrance Lucia stood with fast breathing while she examined the surroundings. Her pulse thundered in her ears.She experienced the compelling force of magic all around her. The resurrection ritual was close to completion. Failing to act at this moment would result in the loss of their hard-fought goals.Asher spoke in a tense whisper that bordered on a growl when he said she had gotten too close. "We can’t let her rise again." Lucia gave a quick nod while she firmly grasped the blade in her hand. "We’ll stop it. We have to." Beside her, Sindre’s eyes glinted with determination. Sindre observed that the barriers presented an unprecedented lev
Chapter 147The old cathedral's shadows held Alessandro as his amber eyes remained fixed on candlelight streaming through broken windows. Damp stone mingled with broken promises made the air thick and oppressive. He held onto the silver cross at his neck which he had lost faith in but did not dare to remove.Kalyndria entered the room through her presence before her physical form appeared. The air trapped the mingling fragrances of lavender and death which served as her signature entrance.Her heels struck the marble floor with a sharp sound as Alessandro's jaw tightened."You came." Her voice was silk wrapped around thorns. "I didn't come for you." He watched from the window as the moon fought to shine through the dense clouds. "I came for what was promised." Kalyndria's lips curved. "And what was promised? Power? Revenge? Do you seek liberation from Lucia's controlling grip or something else?Alessandro felt his heart pounding yet he managed to conceal the reaction. He refused to
Chapter 146Valeria ran her fingers over the cracked edges of the ancient tome as it lay upon the marble altar. A dense aroma of smoldering herbs mixed with moisture from the stone filled the sanctuary's atmosphere.Moonlight seeped through the high-arched windows creating shadows on the faded murals that depicted forgotten deities. Each inhalation she made seemed burdened by the circulating whispers inside her head.They were getting louder. She closed her eyes tight to muffle the voices that were clawing at her thoughts. But the visions wouldn't stop. Her eyelids became a screen for visions of city fires and rivers stained black while she saw a shadowy figure standing at the center of it all.Eldrin. Her heart pounded against her ribs while the name reverberated through her mind. The prophecy had haunted her visions for weeks until this moment when everything began to connect.Footsteps echoed along the stone corridor. Valeria’s eyes snapped open, her pulse quickening. Valeria spu
Chapter 145The cold steel of his blade's hilt became familiar as Dante's fingers wrapped around it. The pressure he applied to his grip caused his knuckles to ache but he remained determined to maintain his composure. The looming decision tormented him with its weight.He stood at the brink of darkness before and fought to pull himself away from its pull. Today everything made him feel like the darkness was nearer than it had ever been before."Are you okay?" Lucia’s voice pierced his thoughts with a soft but sharply concerned tone.Dante didn't look up. He couldn’t. He wasn't sure if he was okay. Could he ever be?He muttered "Fine" but his voice lacked the confidence he desired. He wasn’t fine. Not at all. Every mission and threat he faced brought his internal darkness back to life.Lucia remained next to him providing a firm presence that showed her unwavering belief in him. But she didn’t know everything.The monster that once took the form of Lupero and reveled in chaos and dest
Chapter 144Tension filled the council room making the air feel dense. At the table’s head Lucia sat while her fingers nervously tapped the smooth surface beneath them. The fragile peace between the factions had always hung by a thin thread that could break suddenly.But today, something was different. Kalyndria stepped into the room through the creaking door while her focused eyes quickly scanned her surroundings.Lucia’s heart sank. Her body was alert to the truth that this meeting held more importance than usual.Kalyndria surveyed the assembled group with a voice that carried both chill and restraint. “Let’s get this over with.” Lucia gave a small nod and fought to maintain a blank expression. She couldn’t show weakness, not now. Her eyes flicked to the leaders seated around the table: The table included Elena who represented the witches’ faction alongside Morten from the vampire group and Blake who led the werewolves.The council members had all consented to join the meeting bec
Chapter 143The wind screamed through the stone fissures while the temple maintained a haunting silence within. As Lucia advanced across the temple floor her boots made a ringing noise against the ancient stone.The ancient symbols carved into the walls emitted a faint glow which made them appear alive with ancient magic.The ancient temple seemed to hold countless secrets within its shadows while centuries of history created a heavy burden that pressed upon her.Isabella Marini stepped silently next to her while she examined everything in the room. Isabella Marini also detected the magical presence in the atmosphere.This location exhibited an unusual quality which pulled visitors in with its allure yet pushed them away with its menace.The prophecy of the Blood Moon draped itself over them like a dark shadow which they could only interpret by examining the ancient past.Lucia paused briefly as her fingers traced the chilly surface of the stone wall. "I can feel it," she murmured. "T