Chapter 39 Christmas festivities; 🔥
In the main hall of the demon castle, Joe still lay in a deep trance; Eva, meanwhile, was in an unconscious state under the effect of the seal being etched into her body. Kael and Eva, who were fighting to protect them, were simultaneously trying to understand what was happening. Demons were seeping through at regular intervals from the very center of the rune on the ceiling, and their numbers were steadily increasing. First one, then two, then four…
Initially, Kael could easily tear them apart with his powerful alpha claws. However, as time passed, they noticed the demons were getting stronger. It was as if a higher-level demon was coming each time.
Eva muttered to herself:
"What is this? Are we leveling up with every demon we kill? They're literally coming stronger. What's going to come in the end? A boss demon?"
Kael looked at her with confused eyes from beneath his large wolf form.
"My love, you may have been reborn in this century, but I'm still your Kael whom you left behind in past centuries. Sometimes you speak in a way that I truly don't understand," he said.
Eva smiled to herself.
"You're right… It's normal that you don't understand. Just assume I'm talking to myself!" she said.
Just then, another demon slid down from around the rune. Kael immediately shielded Eva with his large paws. Eva, meanwhile, stood like a shield in front of Elly and Joe. The purple flames rising from her hands and the glowing purple halos in her eyes showed that battle mode was fully activated.
Kael lunged toward the demon shadow. He tore the shadow apart with his powerful claws. It was as if rifts of light were opening in the darkness, the shadow form trembling as it shattered. It was clear these beings didn't belong to this world, but Kael's claws were still affecting them.
However, as the intervals shortened and their numbers increased, the situation began to get serious. Thereupon, Eva took refuge in her ancient powers and created a protective barrier around Kael. She wanted to secure her mate against all possibilities.
After a while, Eva asked anxiously:
"How long do you think Joe and Elly's transformations will take to complete?"
Kael took a short breath.
"I have no idea, my love. I've never transformed into an alpha wolf carrying a phoenix light before, nor have I received a guardian seal. But you can look at the seal on Elly's arm... Maybe it'll give a clue about how much of it is completed," he said as he lunged at another seeping demon.
Eva immediately approached Elly and looked at her arm. The seal was almost complete. Only that mystical, protective symbol at the center was missing.
"I think it's completing," she said.
Kael frowned.
"But will the demon gate close directly once it's completed?" he asked.
Eva had gained some information from the images that passed through her mind when she had touched Elly's arm just moments ago. For an instant, she had seen glimpses from another time: a small girl and an old woman telling her this ancient story... Most likely they were people from the guardian lineage.
The woman's voice still echoed in her mind:
"We are the lock of the earth, my daughter. We are the ones who imprison the underground demons. That small seal on your arm will grow and strengthen when the time comes. That's when you'll have the power to imprison the demons again."
Eva had understood that this was a memory belonging to the seal acceptance and assumption ceremony.
She took a deep breath.
"Then when Elly completes the seal, this demon gate that opened due to her weakness will also close," she said.
Her voice was determined, but the shadow of the approaching storm still lingered in her eyes. Because they needed to hold on until that moment. Frankly, this scenario was a bit worrying for the last remaining Rose witch and a packless alpha.
Kael growled from behind his wolf form through his teeth.
"It better complete soon. I don't want to be late to my own wedding while babysitting demons here."
Eva watched him giggling.
"Ah... what a grumpy alpha I'm marrying," she said.
Kael turned his eyes to her. His amber eyes gleaming from among his thick reddish-brown fur fixed on Eva with a mocking expression.
"Just let this seal complete. Be sure, tonight you'll be the one getting grumpy, Eva Rose," he said.
Eva cast a flirtatious look.
"I hope so, sir," she said.
Apparently, these two lovers didn't neglect teasing and flirting with each other even in the middle of battle...
However, at this time, there were others following different traces. Hunter leader Boris reached Agness's house by following the scent of blood with his hounds. Right behind him was Red Shadow, his assistant, with his tall, heavily muscled build and the mask that allowed him to roam around like a ghost, anonymous.
Red Shadow entered the mountain house with his large frame, approached with heavy steps, and touched Agness's motionless body. The cold silence in the environment was like the harbinger of a new approaching storm.
He examined the surroundings; it didn't look like a trap or an assisted murder. Then he bent down and carefully examined Agness's wound. He was trying to understand the weapon used by lightly inserting his fingers into the knife cut. After a while, he noticed that familiar, serrated structure. The weapon used had practically torn apart the old woman's chest in a single strike.
"This was a sacrificial blade," he said. Then he smelled the blood on his fingers. "Probably witch-made. I don't smell sulfur or silver powder."
Then he slowly stood up, his expression hardening as he wiped the blood on his hand with a handkerchief he pulled from his pocket.
"Sacrificed..." he said in a calm but heavy tone.
Boris, meanwhile, muttered to himself through his teeth. "Well, guess who in this town has the courage to sacrifice a guardian when an ancient alpha has awakened and a Rose witch has gained her power," he asked.
Red Shadow crossed his arms on his chest with an indifferent attitude. "I told you that scum would bring trouble upon us. Let's pray there's a new guardian to take her place. Otherwise, the medieval demon hunting season will return again," he grumbled.
Boris gritted his teeth, "What are you up to again, Caleb?"
It seemed the Christmas festivities were approaching, and someone was walking into the fire...