Chapter 120

Third Person’s POV.

"Chase them!" Cyrilla’s army quickly ran, accompanied by the five teens.

"There are so many of them!" they heard one of the guards shout from atop a tree.

As twilight fell, the enemies attacked them. They could clearly see the full moon, as if it was illuminating the battlefield and waiting for the bloodshed. Hazona noticed that her companions had changed their forms.

"Samael!" she called out to her younger brother.

With a cold and distant gaze, Samael casted a glance in her direction, but his expression was devoid of warmth or kindness. Hazona swallowed her own saliva and looked at the four orbs fixated on her.

"Let’s move!" Cyrilla commanded. "The escape route is to the east. Hazona, Enna, lead the way."

The two nodded in response. "Come on, let’s hurry!" they shouted, while guiding the children who were also part of their group.

From the sky, they witnessed a barrage of arrows hurtling towards the forest where they were. With each arrow hitting the trees, the surroundings burst into flames. Some unfortunate souls were hit and burned due to the metal-tipped flames.

Phoenix uttered quiet curses in his mind, while Hazona felt a deep sense of foreboding. From the depths of her eyes, she could see and feel the impending doom that loomed over them.

The Dark Crescent moon shone even brighter. Cyrilla too sensed the tension in the air, her memories transporting her back to the first encounter she had with her sister Selene, the Moon Goddess. It had been decades since that fateful day when Musa perished, and now, she could feel that their paths would cross once again after this very night.

Her heart ached as she recalled the loss of the young man. His death was part of the plan, but why did a significant piece of her identity disappear when it happened?

Why did she feel such a void when his life was snuff out?

She was burning with fury and disdain for her father who had never truly loved her mother and had disowned her.

On the other side, more than half of the one hundred and fifty reached the end of the forest, their weary eyes glimpsing a wooden bridge stretching out before them. Underneath the bridge was a treacherous ravine with rushing water and jagged rocks. Enna could hear the cries and howls of wolves and people, each with their own motives.

"Cross!" Count’s telepathic command resounded in their minds upon hearing the approaching footsteps.

What chance did they have against thousands of people?

The teens were the first to cross. With the speed of their wolf-like bodies, they thought they would succeed in crossing, but a tragedy occurred.

From behind them, the cunning general and his soldiers blew up the part where the bridge was attached, causing half of their group to plummet into the gaping ravine, the deluge of rushing water stained red with their spilled blood.

Meanwhile, on the other side, Hazona leapt forward, teeth bared, intercepting a soldier who was about to attack Samael. The sound of clashing weapons and explosions could be heard from that area, blending with the haunting cries of wolves in battle.

The moon bore witness to the gruesome and tragic fate that befell Cyrilla’s army. The war slowly waged on.

As Enna, Phoenix, Samael, and Count saw their groups dwindling, their hearts brimmed with even more hatred towards the Moon Goddess.

Cyrilla stood up and launched herself at the general, ready to take him down, but she was caught off guard when she noticed the glint of a dagger in his hand. In an instant, the general struck, causing Cyrilla to fall to the ground, blood seeping from her body. She could feel the heat from her wound.

The general grinned. "It’s the end for all of you," he taunted, believing victory was within his grasp.

Cyrilla, though weakened, summoned a defiant smile. "I refuse to let this be the end."

She waited for the general to approach before she seized the opportunity and lunged at him, biting his neck. It resulted in a loud scream filled with pain from the general. Using every ounce of strength she had left, she threw him, leaving him lifeless on the ground.

Hazona’s eyes widened in horror as she saw Phoenix and Count fall due to the attacks from behind. Under the merciless blows of sharp swords, they were cut down.

"No, Count!" Enna cried out in tears upon seeing her brother’s life slowly slipping away.

"We will meet again…" were the last words she heard from her twin.

Enna was about to run towards Count’s location when a swift arrow pierced him, causing him to groan and drop to the ground. Within seconds, Enna realized the poison was spreading through his body, draining her brother’s remaining strength and breath.

Hazona directed her fury towards Samael. Without mercy, Samael ruthlessly decapitated the soldiers in his path. Hazona seemed to lose her own strength, while Cyrilla slowly transformed back into her human form, weakened.

Clutching her wounded chest, Cyrilla reached for a white cloth nearby and hastily wrapped it around her body. Despite her own pain, she scanned the surroundings, taking in the devastating loss of her comrades, the family she had come to cherish. The family she considered her own. Tears welled up in her eyes, mingling with the blood staining her face.

"Is this the price I must pay for my sins?" she sobbed.

She was hurt too. She had only sought revenge due to her father’s unfair treatment and his choice to favor Selene’s mother. Cyrilla only wanted love and acceptance.

As she wept, memories of Musa, the one person who had truly accepted and loved her, came flooding back. He had sacrificed everything, even his own life, for her happiness. In his selflessness, he had taken the blame for a sin that wasn’t his own. And now, she regretted it. She realized the depth of her wrongdoings.

Unbeknownst to Cyrilla, an arrow was heading towards her, swiftly finding its mark in her chest. Blood gushed from her wound, causing her to cough uncontrollably. Hazona, witnessing the scene, raced towards her without hesitation.

Using her furry paw, she caressed Cyrilla’s tear-stained face. She opened her eyes and smiled at Hazona. A smile that didn’t reach her eyes. Her eyes remained filled with regret and sorrow.

"Cyrilla…"

"Go, Hazona. I can feel the end approaching. I must pay for my mistakes," she whispered weakly before slowly closing her eyes and taking her last breath.

"Hazona!"

She turned to Samael, who jumped from behind and fell suddenly and hard. When she desperately tried to process what was happening, Hazona’s world came crashing down. Without warning, Samael had thrown himself in front of her and taken an arrow meant for her. The reality of the situation hit her like a ton of bricks, and she rushed to his side, feeling her heart sink.

Samael’s body slowly began to transform. Hazona could clearly see her brother’s bloodied wounds. It had struck him directly in the chest, near his heart. With no strength left, Hazona let out an anguished cry and transformed before her eyes.

"No! It can’t be!"

Her scream reverberated through the night. Hazona shook her head as she looked down at his face.

"Samael, please don’t leave me," she pleaded.

Her brother smiled, a mischievous smile as if he had something rather naughty planned.

"Please…" Hazona almost whispered, begging.

Enna was already gone, and now even Samael was being taken away from her too?

"Don’t close your eyes."

Samael forced his mouth open, despite the burning sensation in his throat.

"We will meet again, sister," he softly whispered.

Hazona shook her head vigorously. "No! We’re leaving. You will live."

"Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine as long as you are."

Hazona could only close her eyes as Samael’s life was fading from his eyes.

"Samael!"

With her scream, a brutal strike impaled her from behind. She gasped and turned to see a soldier. Despite the pain, she pulled out the knife and stabbed the soldier, who fell lifeless.

Hazona stumbled and darted her eyes on the full Dark Crescent moon hanging above her. She screamed and screamed, blood continuing to flow from her mouth, but the pain didn’t go away.

"Why?! Why did you forsaken us?" she exclaimed, her voice fragile. "What have we done wrong?"

She collapsed to the ground, her gaze remained fixed on the glowing moon. It shone brighter.

As she gradually closed her eyes, she caught sight of a woman in a white gown. The cold breeze brushed against her skin, so she knew she was alive, albeit slowly fading away.

"Who are you?" she managed to whisper.

The woman before her smiled faintly. "I am Thea. The mother of Selene, the Goddess of the moon."

Hazona let out a bitter chuckle. "Why isn’t she the one standing before me? Is she too ashamed because she abandoned us?" she accused, her words dripped with resentment.

Thea sighed. "Both of you have endured pain, and both of you have made mistakes."

Hazona stared into the woman’s eyes. "I don’t know her, and I can’t understand the pain or wrongs she’s caused. All I know is that she is the reason for the loss of my loved ones."

"Would you be willing to hear their story? And perhaps, in doing so, become the key to breaking the curse that my child has placed upon you?"

"Why me?" she hesitated.

Thea reached out to her. "Because you, Hazona, possess a pure heart. I will bestow upon you the blessings and power to end the curse. It may not happen now, but in due time," Thea explained, and as she spoke those words, a bright light enveloped Hazona.

And with her death, her destiny was once again carved.