Chapter 224: THE BEAST OF VLADIMIR

~DAHLIA

The vines took me to a place of total darkness.

Everywhere I turned was dark. There was nothing around me— at least nothing I could see nor hear.

The silence was as void as the darkness. There were no screeching cries from wraiths. Nothing at all.

Was this another illusion to try and stop me from reaching Vladimir?

“It has to be an illusion,” I concluded to myself as I slowly lowered myself to the ground.

Maybe, if I stayed focused enough, I could find the exit, just like I did with Orion’s.

But as I sat scanning the darkness, I couldn't help but wonder just how powerful Azarel truly was…

How could he hold so many cells and illusions in his head?

And all the while he was still quite active in the real world right now… how?

He was truly powerful… because how else could I even explain all these—

My thoughts suddenly stopped as my eyes caught something.

A flicker in the darkness.

Instantly, I jumped to my feet and started towards it. Whatever it was— had to lead somewhere.

And eventually it did.

Because as I got closer, the flicker also expanded until I realised what it was.

A burning court.

“Help! No!” Echoes of screams filled the space.

Adrenaline pumped through me as I picked up pace and ran straight towards where the sound came from.

I followed the flickers of fire as it licked through the building.

“Prince Vladimir! He has gone mad! Save yourselves!” The people screamed as they ran helter-skelter.

At the sound of his name, my body froze.

I felt fear and excitement rush through me as my pace resumed. But this time, I was more careful.

And the image got even closer.

It was indeed a burning court with people running and screaming for their lives as the fire consumed them.

It was almost like a volcano had erupted in the room as the fire moved like it had a mind of its own.

It chased after the people, burning whomever stood in its path.

“Don't go in there!” Someone suddenly crashed into me. Their eyes were wide with terror as they held me.

“What's going on?” I asked and they started shaking their heads like they could see whatever chased them through my eyes.

“Anyone who goes into the burning court meets their end! Run for your life!” He roared before running into the darkness that was now behind me.

Cold air knocked through me as I stood there. But I did the exact opposite of what the man said...

I went right into the burning court with my heart in my stomach.

But the moment I stepped in, everything vanished!

The moving fire, the screaming people… everything was gone.

All that was left was the golden throne in front of me and an eerie silence that covered the place like a blanket.

“Hello?” I called, swallowing down my fear.

I took one step forward and like that was another cue, the golden throne lit up in flames.

My legs halted.

“Vladimir?” I dared call.

The flames around the throne room blazed even stronger as if my voice… or my presence affected it.

Confused, I took bold steps closer. All the while ignoring the fact that each of my steps made the fire grow even larger.

“What is this…” I wondered as I stared at the burning throne closely.

My insides stirred and I felt a pull. Almost like my bond— my mate’s bond was calling to me…

Like one of my mates was here! Vladimir was here!

My mouth opened to call for him when suddenly a blurry movement passed before my eyes.

I staggered back in shock, my heart almost leaving my chest.

“Who is there?” I squeaked, turning around me.

But the room was as empty as before.

Confused, I turned back to the burning throne and as if something was calling to me— I looked deeper… and I saw it.

A beast standing in the fire, watching me with blazing gaze that could only signify hostility.

Everything inside of me screamed in the terror I was seeing. And my first instinct was to run.

And as the beast let out a roar, I didn't wait for a second one— I ran.

My heart almost exploded when heavy footsteps filled the room. It was clear that the beast was coming after me.

Whatever cry it made wasn't a warning for me to stay away… it didn't want me alive!

I pushed more energy through my limbs as I wondered if this was another guardian placed by Azarel!

Just how many were they in this prison?

That monster, Azarel, he kept getting more creative!

I pushed through the court room, searching every corner as I moved, hoping by chance I would see Vladimir.

But he wasn't there!

Why then was this beast chasing me if Vladimir wasn't anywhere close— it didn't make any sense!

I was getting lost in my search and broke pace— and this almost cost me my life.

Because the second I paused to look properly, the beast caught up with me.

In a blink, it grabbed my legs and I crashed to the floor.

“No!” I screamed.

But it didn't even give me time to recover. Because in the next second, it flipped me over and I was face to face with it.

Fear hit me so hard, I was certain this was death looking straight at me…

Or was it?

My eyes suddenly narrowed as I caught something in those glowing eyes the beast possessed.

They flickered between darkness and red… and then Vladimir's eyes flashed before me!

All thoughts of dying vanished and energy I didn't even know I still had flooded my insides.

Instantly I moved my hands around me wildly and the first thing I found, I didn't wait to see what it was.

I just hit him with it, hard!

The second he broke focus, I crawled far away from him.

Gods!

That was him! It was Vladimir! He was in that beast!

“Ahhh!” The beast roared, more irritated than before.

My heart pounded heavily as I tried to squeeze myself as far from his reach as possible while my brain tried to find a way to reach him.

How could I pull Vladimir out of this madness?

How could I— just as fast as everything started, I felt it too.

The solution.

I had no idea if it would work, but I wasn't about to doubt my instincts. So without overthinking it, I stopped running.

I pulled myself out of my hiding place and faced the beast of Vladimir.

As he saw me, he let out another terrifying roar and started approaching me slowly.

Fear thundered through me. But I stood my ground.

“Vladimir,” I called in a shaky voice. “You need to snap out of this.”

Almost like he couldn’t hear me, a dagger suddenly appeared in his hand and he glared into my eyes as he came for me.

The air shifted between us and I could smell death.

But I also understood his prison. I understood why it was a court room with a burning throne…

This was Vladimir’s dream. To lead. To protect… without being vulnerable...

“Vladimir… I know that this is the only way you know how to get through pain… but you need to stop being a coward…” my voice grew heavy and I could feel the tears.

Yet I didn't stop.

“…You need to face your problems without anger… No matter the outcome of things… you can't control everything!”

As the words left my mouth and echoed around the walls, Vladimir's beast suddenly stopped.

He let out a warning cry… almost as if refusing to believe what I was saying…

“You didn't choose this yourself… you can end it…”

He resumed moving, slower… almost painfully… and I felt my heart crack.

It felt like death was in front of me, yet somehow I was its shield.

When he got close enough, my trembling hand dared to reach for his cheeks and he let out a weak growl.

Almost like defeat was crashing through him all over again.

Tears broke through my eyelids and I let both my hands hold him.

“I am scared, Vladimir…” I whimpered. “But— But I know that you are scared too… there is no shame in admitting that… even gods cry, why not you?”

The tense air between us froze and it felt like we had spent years doing this… and kept failing.

But somehow, this time, Vladimir dropped to his knees before me.

And right before my eyes his body started morphing back to his human form.

Tremors rocked through his shoulders like violent waves on an ocean.

But when it stopped, he held my legs and cried.

Not the loud ones that echoed, his cries were soft. Yet they felt like knives that went deep through my heart with every sniffle.

“They all called me a monster, Dahlia… maybe I deserve it…” he sobbed and my chest cracked.

“…because that’s all I have ever been and rage is the only way I know how to protect them…”

Unable to see him breaking like this, I dropped to my knees and held him.

“Vladimir, you need to let go of the rage…” I whispered.

His tear stained eyes met my gaze and I felt even more broken.

“Please, Vladimir… let it go.”

“But it's the only way I know… if I let it go, it will hurt so much…”

His words were filled with so much pain that I couldn't take them. I wrapped him in my arms and pulled him into a tight hug.

“It's all over now, Vladimir… I’m here now… I will make sure it never hurts again…” I said, yet struggling not to break apart.

“But it won't stop…” he sobbed.

“It will, all you have to do is wake up from this nightmare… wake up, Vladimir…”