Chapter 226: 226. THE FINAL PRISON

~DAHLIA

Darkness suddenly consumed Vladimir and I. I didn't try to break away.

I closed my eyes and held him close as he cried. And when the darkness eventually faded, we were back at the Wraiths’ cave.

Vladimir was no longer hanging against the vines. He was in my arms and we were hugging each other. Just like we were in that burning court.

Relief cascaded through me like a river and I felt my body shaking with excitement as I hugged him even tighter.

“Vladimir, you did it!” I whispered against his neck.

In response, he gently pulled back, a smile stretched as he held my face. “Yes, Dahlia… I did it.”

Butterflies fluttered inside of me at the intensity of his gaze… and the way he was holding my face…

It was a moment I never thought Vladimir and I could share. He wasn't one to show affection— no, he would rather punish me than show how much he loved me.

But this Vladimir, he wasn't ashamed to look into my eyes and smile…

“Oh Vladimir…” I whispered as a single tear trickled down my face.

And without a word, he pulled me closer and kissed me.

It wasn't a gentle one. It was a deep passionate kiss that defined everything he could never bring words to say.

When we finally broke apart, Lyon and Orion joined us.

As their gazes met, the air instantly held still and I felt my soul stiffen.

Vladimir and Lyon were never on good terms. And after everything that happened, I half expected Vladimir to lose his temper as usual.

But to my surprise he didn't.

He simply stared at him with a flicker in his eyes that could only mean understanding… not rage… not anger.

I was still struck in their direction when Orion suddenly burst through the picture.

He ran straight into Vladimir and hugged him!

Again, my heart skipped.

Usually, Vladimir would call him a coward and push him away— that was if Orion even had the audacity to go close to him.

But at that moment, Vladimir didn't push him away.

In fact, he hugged him back with almost equal similar emotions moving through their eyes.

Warmth trickled through me and I felt tears pool in my eyes again.

I never thought I could live to see the day that Vladimir and Orion ever got along…

Yet here I was…

And it was so… beautiful…

I was getting lost in the moment when Lyon cleared his throat, snapping us all back to focus.

“I’m sorry guys but—” his eyes moved to the entrance of the cave— and I heard the cries.

The wraiths were coming.

“—we need to leave.”

Once again, we followed him out of the cave using another path until we found ourselves in the heart of the withering forest again.

We were just about to catch our breaths having successfully escaped the wraiths when that familiar horrifying roar from before filled the air.

Lyon's eyes expanded and I felt my heart sink!

"That's far too close.” Orion mumbled just as the creatures glowing red eyes flashed before us!

“Run!” Lyon yelled, but it was too late.

The creature was upon.

A large beast with dark skin that cracked to show holes of fire swirling within.

It was almost like it possessed a volcano inside of it and a small touch from it could swallow you whole in the never ending pit of fire!

Even the dead forest instantly grew quiet. No mangled birds or shadows lingered…

Almost like they knew what could become of them when they came too close…

My heart was pounding so fast that I barely heard the move until I saw it— Vladimir!

He had stepped forward to face the beast!

“Vladimir, what are you doing?” I cried out.

“I don't know what this is… but I think this thing is guarding Cassius! We need to fight it!” he yelled back as he and the beast began to circle one another.

Lyon, taking the hint, also jumped in.

“He is right! You need to go on ahead— there is another cave not too far from here!”

My mouth opened to protest, to refuse this suicide but Orion’s voice filled the air instead.

“Go Dahlia! We’ll keep it busy! Go find Cassius!” He yelled as he, joined his brothers.

Tears splashed from my eyes as my pain sat in a lump in my throat. But I swallowed it down and nodded.

If they were all going to risk their lives out here, then the least I could do was find Cassius. And then come back for them as fast as possible!

With that, I ran in the direction Lyon had pointed out, pushing out the sound of the beast charging at them.

I could only pray that there was a god out there that could answer my prayers, even while I was buried in the darkest part of the devil's mind!

I continued moving past the withering trees and bloodied river when I finally saw what Lyon had described.

But unlike what he said, it wasn't a cave.

It was a sort of structure. Like an old abandoned temple with several openings.

A knot formed in my stomach as I slowed down and scanned the place for the usual signs— vines and Cassius' body.

But my eyes found none.

There were no vines. No extra guard.

Nothing but—

“Oh gods!” I cried out as I spotted Cassius!

He wasn't linked or wrapped in anything. He was simply sprawled on some type of altar… bleeding!

With a racing heart, I moved closer and confirmed that there were really no vines holding him in place.

Even his eyes weren't white— they were dark!

And the blood that flowed out of him created pathways. Three pathways.

My eyes followed the paths his blood created and the knot in my stomach tightened as I saw it.

They were flowing into the bloody rivers… into the trees… the caves…

Everywhere!

It was Cassius blood that practically fed the entire place—

“No!” I cried covering my mouth as my body shook.

What was going on? How was I going to—

My thoughts froze as my eyes landed on the pathways again. My instincts got to work and somehow, I got it.

I couldn't do this alone.

Cassius was the smartest of the brothers. Azarel must have used a stronger mechanism to keep him here… to use him like this…

Cassius' guilt was way too strong. If I was going to pull him out, then I might need his brothers.

As if on cue, the three brothers suddenly burst into the broken temple, hiding from the beast who kept howling angrily outside.

And they— my stomach dropped— they were battered badly.

Their bodies were filled with so much blood stains, I didn’t even want to imagine which part was actually wounded.

“It seems to be repelled by something in here,” Lyon breathed, checking the terrifying beast from behind one of the walls.

“Yeah, I think we are safe here,” Vladimir agreed.

I felt my instinctive ideas take shape immediately. And I turned to Lyon;

“I’m going to need you to stay alert, in case the beast changes its mind and decides to attack.”

He nodded but I could see the questions already forming in others. So I turned to them.

“I need you two to come with me. Cassius needs us all.”

Orion looked at Vladimir, and then they both nodded.

With confidence strides— despite their injuries— they joined me.

“Please stand on one side of the blood path,” I instructed.

We all took position on each blood pathway and then, we laid our hands on him.

The moment we made contact, the world instantly shifted.

And we were all forced into Cassius' prison!