Chapter 159: The end of the abyss king

Chapter 159: The end of the abyss king
~Third POV~

The abyss realm was dying and everyone could feel it.

The moment the crystal orb shattered somewhere deep inside the palace, the entire palace began to collapse.

In quick succession, Hades' concubines and whoever he brought into the realm were the first to die as they couldn't run because they were locked up by Hades’ powers to their rooms.

No one came to rescue or even thought of them. Why would anyone when the realm itself was rejecting its own existence, tearing itself apart from the inside out since what was holding it as being taken away.

Kaeldran was still fighting Hades when the first wave hit them in the air.

They jumped downward but even the ground beneath their feet ripped open into pieces of soil bubbles and the sky above began shattering.

The abyss lands that had resisted Ragel's team on the way in were now suddenly turning against Hades himself, rejecting his authority, refusing to obey him anymore as he tries to control but is unable to.

"The crystal orb," Kaeldran said calmly. She didn't sound surprised but rather amused and relieved. "It's broken. You should be happy."

Hades' form began to flickered because he had tied all his power to that orb believing no one could destroy it.

His confidence wavered for the third time and fear filled him as he refused to accept the thought that something like that could happen.

"No. That's impossible. No one could…"

"Well, your blood moon born could," Kaeldran replied sarcastically. "She did what you brought her here to do. And now your realm is ending. Isn't that fun to watch?"

Behind them, Garius who was still in his bull form, bleeding from wounds that covered his upper and lower body, still fought the sudden coils that were coming from under the ground.

Darius, on the other hand, was barely conscious, supported entirely by Seraffim who was crying as she held him up.

Sarai's fire was still burning though it was lower now, her voice was exhausted from all the screaming and fighting.

The shadow creatures were also dissolving around them, returning to nothing as the power that sustained them faded away.

"I think we need to run," Liam shouted. His armor was dented and his sword was chipped, the metal on him was slowly melting but he was standing. " My Lords, we must go to the gates. We have to reach the gates before it closes."

They all obeyed and started leaping supporting each other, helping the wounded.

Seraffim was almost carrying Darius. Sarai had her arm around Garius even though her fire was barely holding to swing the stones that were falling towards them.

The personal guards, Liam, Ian and Nanlon formed a protective circle around them all.

Chunks of crystal the size of houses began raining down from above. " We must run!" Liam shouted.

They tried to use their magic to sustain themselves but they couldn't. All of a sudden, they realized, their magic shouldn't have been working during the blood moon.

They shouldn't even have been able to shift but they have done it however their powers were suddenly fluctuating.

They tried once again, looking at each other wondering if they were going to die here.

Seraffim didn't give up as she dragged Darius with the strength of Kitsune. He couldn't move fast enough but she wasn't leaving him behind.

His shoulder was torn apart even his bones were peeking out and blood was running down his side.

Still, she pulled him forward anyway, her fluctuating powers overriding everything else. ‘Protect the bond mate. Get him to safety.’

Her notebook safely tucked inside her torn pants. Garius, shifted between beast and man which can be very dangerous but Sarai refused to let go.

When he was stable in his beast form again, he roared as a falling stone caught his already injured ribs.

His beast form was too large, and an easy target for the collapsing debris. He tried to shift back to human but the pain was too much and he couldn't even if he wanted to.

He stayed in his beast shape and Sarai stayed with him, her flames creating a shield that caught the larger pieces.

"Keep moving!" Theron called, he was holding the divine barriers steady from his position at the gates. "I can't hold the gates open forever!"

They ran and limped through corridors that were melting. The walls were turning to liquid which dripped as rain but was very dangerous to the skin like the puppet creatures of Hades touching you and causing a rot.

The ground beneath their feet became unstable, changing constantly. Multiple times people fell and tried not to touch the melting walls and multiple times they were pulled back up by those still standing.

Sarai's fire was the only thing keeping them moving forward in the darkness. It was the only light in a realm that was rejecting any living.

"There!" One of the guards pointed ahead.

It was the gates. Theron stood with his hands raised, holding the passage open with power that was visibly burning him out for it took different gods to solidify the gates.

His form was waving with blood running from his nose. But he held on still.

Kaeldran appeared at the gates beside Theron. She didn't help hold them open. She didn't need to, for the reason why she had been called, she had done it and she couldn't push further less she would be punished by Siofra.

They pushed forward by themselves. Darius was barely conscious now but they were almost there.

Garius was limping badly but still moving. Sarai's fire was almost out but she kept it burning for them.

The guards were bloodied and exhausted but they were running and no lives were lost.

They reached the gates, but Hades appeared.

He was still in his white Stag form, and his power was unstable now too. Even his form was flickering between shapes.

The realm's death was pulling him apart even though he was a god.

"No," he said simply. "You will not leave. You will all die here if I so wished."

Meanwhile at the entrance of the palace, Lyra was still being pulled away by Hades guards.

She was suddenly too weak and hopeless to fight. She kept wondering and asking herself one question, why me?

She couldn't get the answer as she lost all her hopes, Ragel from nowhere jumps forward with Lyra still not noticing and stabs the three guards that held.

“ Ragel! You are alive!” She cries, tears slipping down her face. Both she and her child cried.

Ragel pulled them in his arms, reassuring them. “ I am here. I can't die so easily, I am the king beast. Come now, we must leave but I will using my powers to take us out of here.”

Lyra nods, unable to trust her voice. Ragel his hand in the air drawing a circle form and swirling water like form swelled gently.

“ Come now, my love.” Ragel took her hands and they stepped into the circle.

And they appeared at that moment, Hades was roaring he wouldn't let them go, he ran through the palace gates with Lyra and Arianna.

The moment he showed forth into the gates. Hades looked at them with anger, pain and tears.

For a long time, Hades doesn't say anything, all he does is look at them, unwilling to let go.

He had truly wanted to keep them, and changed for the better but once again that had been snapped from him.

The realm was still collapsing around them. The abyss was calling its owner back to the void.

But Hades just kept looking at them, wondering if he should still risk it all but from the corner of his eyes, he saw Kaeldran, he knew he couldn't beat her in that state.

Theron stepped forward seeing his indecisiveness.

"Divine law, Hades," he says. His voice was calm but the threat underneath was obvious. "The orb is broken. The seal is broken. Your claim is broken. Release them, it's not like you can still fight or even survive in the first place. You still have time to shut yourself in the abyss where you belong.”

For a moment, Hades resisted angered by the reminder that he had lost once again

But divine law was stronger than his desires. So he stepped aside. Ragel pulled Lyra through.

Garius helped Darius. Sarai moved with Seraffim. They crossed the threshold together.

The moment their feet touched the other side, the moment they crossed from the abyss realm into reality, the gates shut closed.

Theron was holding them open as long as he could, but they were sealing behind them.

And at the other side was Salvatore with real light and ground that wasn't shaken with air that didn't feel alive.

With a loud groan the gates sealed forever not even Hades could ever awaken or any blood moon child.

As they all stood there gasping, trying to feel alive, Lyra saw something that made her freeze.

Cael was standing at the edge of the clearing, his orange eyes shining faintly. He was supposed to be dead. She had watched the backlash consume him. She had watched him dissolve.

But he was there. He looked at her and smiled. It was a sad smile but one of someone who had finally found peace.

"Now I know why Theron likes the lower realm. Thank you, Lyra" he said. His voice was barely audible. "For setting me free. I owe you and repay this debt as a god, I promise you this."

And then he faded completely, dissolving back into the shadow.