Chapter 56 The End of the Monster
The creature reared back, its monstrous wings smashing against the broken stone, its body flickering violently as if its very existence were unraveling.
Every trapped soul inside its chest screamed—an agonizing chorus of the consumed.
Lina stepped toward it, silver-white flames spiraling around her like living auroras.
She looked ethereal.
Untouchable.
Ancient.
Kael watched her with awe and terror mixed, kneeling on one knee as he struggled to regain his breath.
The shadows had torn into him—deeply—but his eyes never left her.
“Lina…” he whispered.
“You’re… glowing…”
She didn’t look back, but her voice softened for him:
“Stay with me, Kael.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” he breathed.
Cassian crawled closer, leaning heavily on a stone.
His voice cracked as he stared at the sphere forming between Lina’s hands:
“That’s not just Valerius power…
That’s the Heart.”
Aric nodded, trembling.
“It hasn’t awakened in centuries. Only the first bloodline queen ever held that ability. If Lina fully releases it—”
He didn’t finish.
They all knew.
It could destroy the creature.
Or consume her with it.
THE CREATURE’S LAST MOVE
The creature snarled, shadows ripping off its form in jagged shreds.
“WITCH.
YOU WILL BREAK.
YOU ARE NOT READY.”
It hurled a massive blast of condensed darkness—
A core of pure soul-devouring energy.
Straight at Lina.
Kael roared and tried to leap in front of her—
But Lina lifted one hand, palm open.
The darkness hit her.
And dissolved.
Like smoke against sunlight.
The creature froze.
Its wings faltered.
“IMPOSSIBLE—”
Lina’s voice cut through its roar.
“You should have left my soul alone.”
She raised both hands.
The sphere of silver-white fire bloomed—
larger, brighter—
its power shaking the ruins.
Kael forced himself to his feet, staggering toward her.
“Lina—wait—let me stand with you—”
She looked at him over her shoulder.
A soft smile touched her lips.
“You already are.”
He moved to her side, one arm wrapping around her waist to steady her.
Their magical auras fused instantly—white-gold pouring into silver-white.
The sphere erupted—
filling the sky with blinding radiance.
Cassian shielded his eyes.
Yara dropped to her knees.
Riven screamed, “WE’RE ALL GOING TO DIE, AREN’T WE?!”
Aric shouted, “NO—LOOK—THEIR MAGIC IS SYNCHRONIZING—THIS IS THE BOND!”
Because the sphere wasn’t wild anymore.
It shifted—
shaped itself—
responded to both Lina and Kael.
A perfect union of Alpha and Valerius magic.
The Eternal Bond’s true form.
The creature staggered backward, sensing its end.
“NO—NO—NOOOO—”
Its wings beat frantically, trying to escape.
But Kael’s voice thundered across the ruins:
“Lina—now.”
She nodded—
And together, they thrust their hands forward.
LIGHT DEVOURS SHADOW
The explosion wasn’t a sound.
It was a force.
Pure, radiant light erupted from Lina and Kael, a tidal wave of energy sweeping through the ruins.
It struck the creature dead center—
BOOM—
A shockwave blasted outward, tearing up roots, stone, and shadow.
The creature’s chest cracked open, the soul-furnace shattering into shards of white flame.
Its scream was not one voice—
but hundreds.
The voices of those it consumed.
They spilled out like a flood, swirling upward toward the sky, free for the first time in centuries.
The creature staggered, its body unraveling—
“I AM ETERNAL—
I AM—”
Lina raised her hand one final time.
Her voice was soft.
Deadly.
“You’re done.”
Silver-white fire shot from her palm—
And the creature exploded into nothing.
Shadow gone.
Wings gone.
Soul-furnace extinguished.
Silence.
The battlefield went still.
Ash drifted down like black snow.
The monster was no more.
THE COST
Lina swayed instantly.
Her knees buckled—
and Kael caught her before she hit the ground.
“Lina—Lina—look at me—”
His voice shook as he cradled her against his chest.
Her eyes fluttered, unfocused.
“Kael… did we…?”
“You destroyed it,” he whispered, brushing hair from her cheek.
“You saved us. You saved everyone.”
She smiled faintly.
“We saved each other.”
Then her body slackened.
Her head fell against his shoulder.
“LINA!” Kael shouted, panic ripping through him.
Cassian rushed over.
Aric skidded beside them, immediately checking her pulse.
Yara and Riven hovered anxiously.
Aric pressed his hands over her heart, runes glowing.
Minutes felt like hours.
Then Aric exhaled shakily.
“She’s alive.”
Kael’s entire body sagged.
“But she’s… extremely weak. The Heart took most of her energy. She needs rest. Real rest.”
Kael pulled her tighter to his chest, tears of relief burning in his eyes.
“I’ve got you, sweetheart,” he whispered against her hair.
“You rest now. I’ll protect you.”
Cassian smiled tiredly.
Riven sniffled dramatically.
“Well, if she can survive exploding a demon-god, she can probably survive my cooking.”
Yara elbowed him. “Shut up.”
Kael stood, scooping Lina into his arms bridal-style.
Her silver glow flickered softly against his chest.
The storm was over.
The creature was gone.
And Lina was alive.
For the first time in centuries, the ruins were quiet.
Aric looked at the sky where the freed souls had vanished.
whispered, “The bond awakened the Heart. She’s more powerful than any Valerius heir recorded…”
Cassian wiped blood from his mouth.
“And Kael… he reached Ascended Alpha. Together… they’re unstoppable.”
Kael didn’t listen.
He looked only at Lina.
Then whispered:
“Let’s go home.”
And he carried her out of the ruins.