Chapter 236 – A Dream

Chapter 236 – A Dream


Liora

The ground craked open and then stopped shaking.

For a minute, everything stopped.

The trees, the wind, even my heart.

Then the earth beneath the curse sign split open.

And then he rose from the ground.

Lucian.

His body was the same. As if nothing happened. Same broad shoulders, same jaw I trace even in darkness.

But wjat worried me was something feels wrong about him.

Even the air around him changed. It was darker. My heart was beating fast.

He opened his eyes slowly.

And when I saw it I gasped.

Because they weren’t silver anymore.

They were blood red. The color changed turning them hollow... like glass reflecting nothing but the void.

Eira stepped back, trembling. Her voice broke. “Oh dear goddess …, this can't be possible.”

But I ignored her. My heart was too loud for my liking.

I was happy and scared.

My legs gave out and I dropped to my knees, crawling toward him.

“Lucian,” I whispered, trying to touch him with my shaly hands. “You’re back… I did it. I brought you back.”

My fingers brushed his skin it was cold. And there wasn't any pulse left.

What's happening?

Hot tears blurred my eyes. “It’s me. Liora. Your mate.”

He turned slowly, his head tilting to look at me.

"Liora… finally you found me.”

My tears fell freely then. My lips trembled. “I told you I would.”

"That's not him." Keal yelled.

"But the Devil. Lucifer!"

What?

“Liora…” he murmured, the words rough and broken.

For a moment...just one small, fragile moment think I saw him. The real him.

The Lucian I knew. The love that had once burned behind his eyes.

I smiled through tears. “it’s me. Liora.”

Then everything changed.

His body start shaking. His pale body fade to darkness.

He let out a laugh. His voice rough, distorted, scraping against the silence like thunder cracking the sky.

“Tou think This was that man. No. You DONT KNOW who you called?”

The words made my stomach turned. My smile turning into a frown.

What have I awaken?

The devil? Seriously?

Eira broke the ice with her spells and grab my hand, pulling me back. “Liora, listen to me!” she warned.

"You didn’t bring Lucian back. This is a Devil. You bound Lucian's soul to. He’s trapped in his body!”

I yelled, shaking my head, trying to fight her. “No, you’re wrong! He’s Lucian! He’s breathing...he’s alive!” I trailed nit wanting to accept defeat.

Eira was frustrated. “That’s not Lucian! FOR GODDESS SAKE!!” she yelled.

Lucian’s turned, walking toward us.

Snowfall whispered “She’s right, he smells wrong. Too cold. Too empty.”

I couldn’t just accept it. My heart paining. “Lucian,” I yelled. “It’s me… it’s your Liora.”

He shifted and he was standing next to me.

I gasped. Taking a step back. Eira tried pulling me but he pushed her and she went flying because of the force.

“You shouldn’t have called me if you want him.” His words trembled.

Making the wind blew violently.

Eira screamed, “Liora, run away from him!”

But I couldn’t. His grib on my neck was tight. Suffocating.

I tried to unwrap his fingers. “Lucian, please, let me go. It Liora. I know you're in there.”

He flinched a bit then spoke. “You shouldn’t have defied the moon.”

He let go of me. Pushing me.

Snowfall growled. “Come back to your senses. He’s not our mate. That’s not him!”

“Lucian!” I shouted, tears streaming. “Fight it! Please, come back to me, I know you can!”

He leaned closer, then yelled “Lucian is gone. Amd soon you would too.”

I froze. The world seemed to stop moving.

“No… it the devil.”

Eira. “Yes. That’s not Lucian, Liora. That’s Lucifer... the spirit bound by to him by blood. You’ve brought the devil.”

My mind stopped for a minute process it all. I shook my head, sobbing. “No, it’s not true. He’s can't be. I followed all the process. I heard him. He’s... he ...”

Lucian...or whatever possessed his body lifted his hand. Dark shadows rippled from his palm, wanting to strike me

But Keal was faster he shield me. “Get behind me!”

Aurelie and Eira’s trying to form a spell“He’s going to kill her, let be fast!”

The air tensed.

“Why don't you fear me?” Lucian asked his voice deepene. “I told you its not him. But still... You wanted to bring him.”

“Because I know Lucian is still in there, please,” I whispered, reaching for him from Keal’s back. “He's my mate. Let him go...”

He roared, the sound echoed through the forest.

The air moved woth force split the Trees, leaves fell tore from their branches. We fell on the floor, my arm bleeding.

Snowfall howled in pain. “The curse feeds on you, Liora! Stay away before it takes your soul too!”

Lucian...or Lucifer...lifted his hand. “You’ve paid the price for your sins,” he thundered. “I do you a favour and unite you with him. In the afterlife that is.”

I crawled to him.“Yes take me to Lucian! Please!”

He struggling to strike me as if someone eas stopping him.

As his own hands trembled. “It hurts,” he whispered, his voice softer now. More human. “Why did you bring me back Liora?”

“Because I love you,” I sobbed.

He smiled faintly, broken, empty. “Then now you’ll have to pay the price. Die with me.”

Keal stepped between us, yelling, “Stay away from her!” he strike him.

Lucian let a sound, and before I could move, darkcmist burst from his hand, hitting Keal and then Aurelie.

They screamed. The mist burning them.

“No!” I screamed, crawling toward them. “Keal! Aurelie!”

There were still buring, my heart burning with them. “No, You said you'll take me. Why hurt them, no…”

Eira grabbed my shoulders, shaking me. “Liora, look at me! Run before! He kill us all!”

Lucian’s turn aiming at me and Eira.

Snowfall snarled. “Run. Before he kills us too.”

But I couldn’t. My knees refused to move. “I can’t leave them here.”

But Eira dragged me. I saw Keal’s mouth moving as he said his last words.

“Run.” he gulped. "Run for your life."

Lucian steike but Eira use counterspells protecting me.

“You're next.. Liora…”

And the he strike again this time he didn’t miss.



I gasped, jolting up with shout. "No... don't killed them." I mumbled, my breath coming fast and shallow.

My whole body was covered in sweat, and my whole body was shaking.

“Liora!” A voice called.

It was Aurelie’s voice as she entered the room.

Runing to me, with a pale face worried. She hugged me mumbling. “Why did you leave in the middle of the night? We’ve been searching everywhere! Don't scare us like that.” she finished sobbing on my chest.

I blinked, confused, looking around. I was in my room laying on my bed. The Soul Reviver was on the bedside table.

So it was a dream.

"It was just a dream." I whispered.

“It felt so real,” I added as tears slide doen my eyes, voice trembling. “He was there. But it wasn’t him. It was scary. I saw You and Keal... dead.”

Aurelie shook her head quickly, tears sliding down her cheeks. “No one’s dead, Liora. It was a dream. You’ve been sleeping all day. Eira said you fainted after the ritual attempt in mother’s cave. You’ve been dreaming but we couldn't wake you up.”

I clutched my chest It was racing so fast that make it hard to breathe.

Snowfall murmured, weak and tired. “You saw the truth the moon wanted you to see. Its a warning.”

“A warning?” I repeated.

“Yes,” she said quietly. “The curse never gives back what it takes.”

I wiped my tears with trembling hands. “Then I won't use it ever again. I won’t. No matter how much I missed him.”

Snowfall nodded “That is how you save him, by letting him rest.”

My heart clenched, but I nodded slowly. For the first time in months, I whispered the words I was too afraid to say.

“I’ll let him go.”

There was dead silence. But it was peaceful.

Aurelie’s voice brought me back form my thoughts. “Come with me. There’s something I have to show you.”

I looked up at her. “What is it?” I asked confused.

She smiled weakly, “Come, I promise you'll like it. Trust me.”

I nodded, and took her hand. She want to distract me.

But I was curious..

We walked out of my room, I take one look at the Soul Reviver that was lying on the table.

I have to throw it away.

But I now, I followed Aurelie.

What would she show me?

Deep inside me I wished it was Lucian.

That maybe the moon goddess has answered me.

But I pushed the thought. For the first time in a long time...

I accept it.

But it doesn't kill to hope. To believe...