Chapter 25
708words
The black crystal in Ariana's hand suddenly erupted with a blinding light.
It wasn't ordinary light. It was an ancient, evil curse energy.
"It's the Tear of Oblivion!" the leader cackled. "Once it shatters, everything for ten miles in every direction will be unmade!"
Black energy poured from the crystal like a tidal wave, instantly forming a massive vortex of destruction.
The air smelled of death.
Rocks began to melt in the face of this power.
Even the sky turned a grotesque blood-red.
"Sandra! Run!" Elias's desperate shout came from the distance.
But I knew it was too late.
The destructive energy was spreading too fast. Even if we ran at full speed, we couldn't escape the kill zone before it exploded.
I closed my eyes, summoning every ounce of my bloodline's power.
A silver light erupted from my body, trying to form a protective barrier.
"Hold!" I snarled through gritted teeth, pouring all my strength into the shield.
The power of the Ancestor's Bloodline crashed against the dark curse, creating a terrifying energy storm.
But the curse's power was too immense. Cracks began to appear in my barrier.
"It's not enough... not enough..." I felt my strength being rapidly devoured.
The dark energy broke through my defenses like a demon's tentacles, lunging toward me.
Just as the wave of energy was about to consume me—
A shadow moved, impossibly fast. A broken body threw itself in front of me.
"Sandra!"
Byron!
Somehow, he had broken free of the silver chains. He used his already decimated Alpha body to shield me, holding me tight.
"Are you insane?!" I stared at him in shock. "There's nothing left of you to block a curse like this!"
"I know," he looked at me, his golden eyes holding no fear, only a strange calm. "But this time, it's my turn to protect you."
The dark energy slammed into his back like a tsunami.
I could feel the evil power viciously tearing at his body.
His skin began to blacken and decay.
His blood turned dark.
His life force was draining away at a horrifying rate.
"Byron!" I tried to push him away. "Let me go! This is pointless!"
"It's not pointless," he said, his trembling hand caressing my cheek, leaving a trail of blood. "Because protecting you... is the only thing I have left to do."
"You fool!" Tears welled in my eyes. "Do you think dying makes you a martyr? Do you think this washes away the blood on your hands?"
"I'm not asking for forgiveness," he whispered, a broken smile on his bloody lips. "I forfeited that right long ago. I'm just... asking you to live."
His body began to turn translucent under the curse's corrosion.
I could see his bones, his organs, his fading soul.
"Why?" I choked out. "Why are you doing this?"
"Because..." he struggled to get the words out, his voice growing fainter. "Because loving you... was the only thing I ever did right."
His hand started to grow cold.
"Sandra... I want to tell you..." he said with great effort. "Those three years... the three years I had with you... were the best time of my life."
"Even if... even if you hate me now... I don't regret... loving you."
My tears fell like a broken dam.
"You bastard!" I sobbed, cursing him. "You're a complete and utter bastard!"
"Yes... I am," he nodded, his smile growing fainter. "But at least... this time... I protected you."
The force of the dark energy began to wane, but Byron's body had almost completely dissipated.
All I could see was his face, and those golden eyes that were still gazing at me with deep love.
His voice was a ghost in my mind.
"Live... my Queen."
One last look, his golden eyes filled with a universe of regret, of love, of letting go.
Then the light in them went out.
Forever.
He was completely gone.
As if he had never existed.
Leaving behind only a swirl of dancing ash, slowly scattering under the blood-red sky.
I knelt there, my arms empty.
Only the warmth he left behind still lingered on my skin.
"Byron..." I whispered his name. "Byron..."
But there was no one left to answer.
