Chapter 52: Tethered to a balance

Chase leaned forward, questions running through his head. His eyes darted from one to another and then settled on Alexa. “What do you mean by that?”

She cleared her throat. “The healers are basically the peacekeepers between the different kinds of creatures. We’re not just healers.”

“We were chosen by the moon goddess herself,” Deidre cut in. “Everyone born a healer is tethered to the natural balance of the world. We regulate the harmony between species, especially against the undead.”

“The vampires,” Chase said, to which both Deidre and Alexa responded by nodding their heads.

Alexa leaned forward. “You see, the vampires are inherently negative. They are undead. They are the creatures of corruption and negativity, and it takes a lot for a vampire to overcome the sheer need to be a menace to society.”

Chase’s eyes darted to Dali.

Could she be regarded as one of those vampires that won against the natural desire they feel? Or was she just a menace waiting to happen?

Or could it be the betrayal he compelled her to do was what Alexa was talking about?

“Centuries ago, the vampires first tasted unchecked power, almost like what happened now. This was before the moon goddess chose the healers. Their freedom led to many deaths, they killed, drank fresh blood, and soon almost destroyed the whole race,” Alexa continued. “The moon goddess had no choice but to come down and sort it out herself.”

“And she did this by making healers the carriers of the pact. The vampires feared extinction, and so they agreed to this pact — that they would not hurt anyone else,” Deidre chipped in. “And as such, the vampires never touched the healers — they couldn’t. More than the pact agreed on, now, if a vampire ever attacks a healer, their kind would be extinct that very moment.”

“In other words,” Dali’s voice came like a chill in the night, staring at Chase as she continued, “You were nothing but a pawn in this game. Seeing as you were so easily manipulated, they used you to achieve all they wanted to. And like a dog, you obeyed.”

She chuckled, running her fingers through her hair. “You fell for their tricks and followed along as they told you where next to go. The world came to what it is now all thanks to you.”

She was not wrong. She was far from being wrong.

Chase watched her ridicule him just like she had done two years ago, and just like before, he was unable to really defend himself — because she was right.

He had been nothing but a pawn. Pushed around, used to achieve something bigger. He thought he was doing good. He thought he was getting rid of the witches and the healers, but all he was doing was bringing the world closer to its end.

Now the alphas were dead. The werewolves either killed or had become the food for the vampires. And really, that was all thanks to him.

“I recall what you told me, Marisol,” Dali continued, not even glancing at Marisol. Her eyes were fixated on Chase. “The vampires now only attacked because of the ill-treatment they suffered from the Rakmoon pack. For long, the Koneraks have been nothing but stupid men making stupid decisions. It’s quite appalling how generations after generations they made a collective decision to just be nothing but stupid.”

She chuckled. “Tell me, Chase, was it like a pact? A promise? Is it something that flows in your blood?”

Chase swallowed. “What is?”

“Stupidity?”

Alexa stifled a laugh. Marisol turned away, and Deidre smiled to herself.

Chase only nodded his head slowly, as if affirming what Dali suspected. Moreover, it came to his knowledge only recently of the activities of his generation. They did treat the vampires poorly — and not just the vampires, they treated the witches and their fellow werewolves poorly.

They were strong, politically powerful, they had warriors, they had territories, they were everything — even had the alliance of the healers. Why wouldn’t they dominate the world the way they did?

Like slow-minded people, or from Dali’s words, stupid people, they chose to use violence. They used violence in everything they did.

That wasn’t really their brightest choice.

Chase smiled at her. “You’re not wrong, Dali,” he said. “Just like my predecessors, I could’ve done better, but I fell down the path they did too.”

Dali scoffed. “And all of a sudden you know what being remorseful is?”

“How can I not?” he asked. “I stood face to face with my best friend as he voiced out what his pack suffered, what my people did to the lesser ones just because they could do it.”

Dali shook her head. “That’s not the only reason, Konerak.”

Once again, she was right. Yes, he did feel guilty and blamed his people for what happened, but his sudden remorse had nothing to do with them — but the fact that he had killed many healers, he had brought pain to so many people, her included, just because he was stupid.

That was where his remorse thrived from. He regretted what happened, and he only regretted it because the world was bearing its end.

It was quite probable that if there wasn’t a really great repercussion from killing the healers, he certainly wouldn’t regret it. He only regrets it now because he has come into this knowledge.

And Dali knew this.

It was quite funny how she knew him — in and out. She knew his thought process. Even after two years, she was well aware of the person he was. Even if he did change slightly, she would know. But he didn’t change. He only drowned in alcohol, but everything else remained the same.

Only at this moment was he overwhelmed with an earth-shattering guilt.

However, he knew nothing about her. After two years, she had changed so much, and he could not predict her next actions or her next words.

It was like he was staring at a stranger and not a woman that lived with him for months.

Chase swallowed. “You’re right.” He dropped his head in shame. “I only feel remorseful after hearing of this. I only feel remorseful because the death of the healers would lead to the end of the world, and I was the one who brought that on the world.”

He destroyed the world all on his own. Unprovoked.

Dali smiled and leaned into her seat. “If you want to save the world, you can go ahead,” she said. “None of us will stop you, but you cannot have us join you in fixing all that you broke.”

Chase’s head shot up. “What do you mean by that?”

She shrugged. “Exactly what I mean, Chase. You have to find a way to fix what you did wrong.”

Chase was even more confused. He turned to Alexa for a befitting explanation.

Alexa cleared her throat. “You will be fixing what you broke, Chase. And that means you have to gather your forces. You have to get your warriors. You have to rescue your people. And when you do, you and your warriors will attack the vampires. No healers will join you.”

Chase’s eyes widened. His head snapped to Dali. “How do you expect me to do that?”

Dali’s lips stretched into a smile. “You’re Chase Konerak, the alpha of the proud Rakmoon pack. What can you not do?”

Then suddenly, the door was pushed open. Celyn stood there, wrapped around her was the knitted blanket. Her eyes bloodshot with tears.

“Mom! Marisol! Kiara, she’s awake!”