Chapter 429 Let it Go

Chapter 429 Let it Go
Ryker threw himself between them, hurling a massive wall of fire that forced the beast to rear back, roaring in fury. “Not her!” he shouted. “You must go through me first!”

The Oracle chanted rapidly, creating a temporary barrier of light that bought them precious seconds.

Audrey stepped forward, heart breaking with every movement. This creature was her beloved. The man who had held their twins so gently. The man who had made love to her with such passion just days ago.

“Darius,” she called, voice trembling but growing stronger. “Fight it. Come back to me. To Am. To Tia.”

The wolf paused for a heartbeat, head tilting. A flicker of something human crossed its monstrous features. Then the darkness surged again, and it charged with renewed rage.
Audrey raised her hands. Golden-white light erupted from her palms, clashing against the wolf’s darkness. The force of the collision sent shockwaves across the valley. Stones levitated. The air crackled with raw power.

Ryker continued his assault, throwing fireball after fireball to keep the wolf’s attention divided. Sweat poured down his face, his gloves smoldering. One swipe caught him across the chest, sending him flying into a boulder. He groaned but forced himself up, fire still dancing in his hands.

The Oracle poured the last of her strength into protective runes around Audrey. “You can do this, my queen!"

The battle raged. The wolf’s roars shook the mountains. Its massive tail swept across the battlefield, forcing knights to scatter. Audrey poured more power into the light, stepping closer despite the danger. Tears streamed down her face as she confronted the beast that wore her husband’s soul.

“Darius, I love you,” she cried. “Come back. Please.”

The necklace around her neck flared blindingly bright. The goddess’s power surged stronger than ever before. The wolf howled, a sound filled with agony and rage and lunged one final time.

The wolf lunged with terrifying speed for a creature of its size. Its massive jaws opened wide, darkness dripping from fangs longer than swords. The ground quaked beneath its charge, sending cracks slivering outward like lightning across stone.

Audrey stood her ground, white dress whipping wildly in the chaotic wind created by the beast’s movement. Her cloak billowed behind her like wings. The silver crescent moon necklace burned fiercely against her chest, its heat spreading through her body like liquid fire from the goddess herself.

“Stay back!” she shouted to Ryker and the Oracle, raising both hands.

Golden-white light exploded from her palms, forming a brilliant shield that met the wolf’s charge head-on. The impact threw sparks and shadows in every direction. The force pushed Audrey backward, her boots sliding through dirt and gravel, but she did not fall. Tears streamed down her face as she looked into those glowing red eyes.

“Darius!” she cried, voice raw with pain and love.

The wolf roared in response, a sound filled with torment. For a brief moment, the red in its eyes flickered, revealing a flash of familiar dark onyx, Darius’s true gaze. Then the darkness surged stronger, and the beast swiped at her with a paw the size of a horse cart.

Ryker threw himself forward again. “Not today!” He hurled a barrage of fireballs, each one larger than the last, striking the wolf’s side and neck. The flames licked across its shadowy fur, drawing its fury away from Audrey for precious seconds.

The beast turned on him with a deafening snarl. It swiped again, catching Ryker’s shoulder and sending him tumbling across the rocky ground. He rolled and came up on one knee, cloak singed, blood trickling from a deep gash. Still, he summoned more fire, his gloved hands shaking with effort.

The Oracle chanted desperately, her voice hoarse. “Now, my queen! The light must touch its heart! Do not hold back!”

Audrey stepped closer, the golden light from her hands growing brighter, pushing back the crimson mist surrounding the wolf. Every step hurt. This monster had held her gently. This monster had kissed her, made love to her, fathered her children.

“I know you’re in there,” she whispered, voice breaking. “You promised you would come back to us"

The wolf staggered, shaking its massive head as if fighting an invisible battle. Its roar turned into something closer to a pained howl. It stomped again, but this time the earth only cracked instead of collapsing completely.

Audrey seized the moment. She poured everything she had into the light, her love, her fear, her determination. The crescent moon necklace flared so brightly it lit up the entire valley like daylight. A beam of pure golden energy shot forward and struck the wolf directly in the chest.

The beast reared back, howling in agony.

Darkness poured from the wound like black smoke, twisting and screaming as it burned away in the goddess’s light. The wolf thrashed wildly, its tail sweeping across the battlefield and forcing the remaining knights to dive for cover.

Ryker struggled to his feet, one arm hanging limply. “Keep going, Audrey! It’s working!”
The Oracle fell to her knees, exhausted but still chanting, lending what little strength she had left to support Audrey’s power.

Audrey walked forward, hands outstretched, tears falling freely. “Come back to me”

The wolf’s movements grew slower, more erratic. Its red eyes locked onto hers, and for several heartbeats, the rage dimmed. Recognition flooded those eyes, pain, love, desperation. The massive beast dropped to its front knees, lowering its enormous head until it was level with Audrey.

She reached out with trembling hands and pressed her palms against its snout. The fur felt like burning shadows, but she did not pull away. “I love you,” she whispered. “Let it go”