Chapter 80 Killing him means killing her
Her body was getting empty, her debilitated hands were trying to bring him back, as long as he breathed again Esperanza was sacrificing her vigor to treat her predator.
"Stop... Esperanza...," Orion had felt the surge of energy coming. He finally realized the truth: she was the Golden Dragon. He was frozen, captivated by a power he had only ever imagined.
She closed her eyes as the surplus of her vitality restored his eyes to their state of clarity.
"Esperanza, stop this..." Ezra muttered, wrapping a cloth around his chest. His eyes were hazy and heavy, barely able to stay open.
Esperanza heard him but all her mind was urging her to save Orion's life.
Esperanza,......Ahhhh...., he let out a painful hiss and pressed his hand on his heart.
Esperanza stumbled when she heard his painful hiss. Her legs were weak, and she almost fell, but she forced herself to turn around. Her eyes were still glistening with the last of her golden power as she looked toward Ezra.
Es.... Esperanza.....no, Orion let out, however, she was his prey but still his love was incomprehensible in his heart, he never wanted her to die, and doing this would take part in her vitality.
Ezra slowly moved closer to Esperanza. His legs were shaking, but he didn't stop until he was standing right beside her. He reached out and gently placed his hand on her shoulder. His touch was warm, and she could feel herself losing it.
He could feel her trembling under his hand. She was so tired from giving away her power. Esperanza looked up at him, her chest heaving as she tried to catch her breath.
"'Please... let me,' Esperanza whimpered. She pulled away from Ezra's hand, her voice small and trembling. Even though she was exhausted, she couldn't stop. She turned back toward Orion, her heart breaking as she looked at him.
Her eyes, which had just started to return to their normal state, began to glow with a faint, golden light once more. She was ready to give him the last of her strength, even if it meant she had nothing left for herself
"'Stop this... you’ll die!' Ezra cried out. He grabbed her arm and tried to pull her away, but she wouldn't budge. She stood firm, her body filled with the dragon's power. As the energy reached its peak, Ezra watched in awe as her face and arms began to turn golden. A bright light shone from underneath her skin, and tiny, golden scales started to appear on her arms.
Ezra knows what she was turning into, but that was not the time, her powers were immature and fragile.
Orion felt the cold numbness finally break. A spark of life returned to his eyes, and for the first time in what felt like forever, he could actually move them.
He blinked, testing the weight of his lids as his vision began to clear. Nearby, Ezra stood like a statue, his gaze fixed on Orion with a ferocity that bordered on lethality.
To anyone else, Ezra looked ready to strike, but beneath that hard, protective stare, his thoughts were spiraling. His mind kept drifting away from the man in front of him, filled instead with a gnawing, silent ache of worry for Esperanza.
As the last of the light faded from her hands, Esperanza’s strength finally gave out. She had poured everything into him, reviving the life in his eyes at the expense of her own. Her senses began to slip away; the sounds of the room muffled into a dull hum, and the world went dark at the edges of her vision.
Her body went completely limp, sliding from her upright position. She collapsed right where she sat, her muscles unable to hold her up any longer.
As she fell into unconsciousness, Orion remained still, his head coming to rest heavily in her lap. He was awake and restored, but the woman who had saved him now lay silent and broken beneath him.
Ezra saw her fainting and took her into his arms, and dragged her away from Orion.
"My King, let me kill him again," Raymond hissed, the metal of his sword screeching as he drew it from its sheath. The blade caught the dim light, aimed straight for the man Esperanza had just nearly died to save.
But before Raymond could take a single step, Ezra’s hand shot out, catching his commander's wrist with a grip like iron. Ezra didn't even look at him; his eyes were pinned on Esperanza’s pale, unconscious face.
"Stay your hand, Raymond," Ezra commanded, his voice low and dangerous. "If she gave her life to bring his sight back, I will not let you waste her sacrifice while she still breathes."
"She exerted all her immature powers to treat him, killing him means killing her," Ezra let out Orion had regained his state but not his powers after a profound fight he was weakened, his skin started to transform, and he fainted.
"Keep him shackled, don't let him move a bit, and wrap his eyes as well," Ezra commanded.