Chapter 135: The Unreturnable Path

Chapter 135: The Unreturnable Path
Chapter 135: The Unreturnable Path

Melissa’s POV

Just inches from Kane's throat, the creature's jaws slammed shut. Watching its teeth sparkle in the faint light made my heart stop, but I threw my blade into the creature's side with all my strength before it could strike. It screamed in agony and stumbled back, its body writhing like a snake.

"Kane!" I ran to his side and yelled.

Kane was barely alive and wheezing. Weakly, his hand extended and his fingers touched mine. Melissa... I believed that you had arrived too late.

I drew him nearer to me by shaking my head. "I'm present. I'll be here forever. Something wasn't right, though, as I assisted him in sitting up. His breath was shallow, and his skin felt frigid to the touch. Something was odd, something... foreign, and there was a weird gloom in his eyes.

"What took place?" With a trembling voice, I whispered. "Talk to me, Kane."

He made a feeble attempt at a smile. "I'm all right. Just a little worn out.

I didn't believe him, though. Not for a moment. There was a difference in him that I couldn't describe.

Before I could ask him any more questions, the ground shook once more as the heavens above burst open, letting out a terrible surge of evil energy. Sensing the power increasing, the creature growled and drew away from us. There was no time for me to discover Kane's fate. I have to get him out of here first.

"Are you able to stand?" Despite the terror that was eating away at me, I asked in a firm voice.

He nodded and grasped my hand as he attempted to stand up. But when he stood, I noticed his eyes once again. They contained stuff that I didn't identify. It seemed as though a darkness that had not previously existed had taken root inside of him.

"Kane?" I repeated the question with greater urgency. "Are you certain you're alright?"

His lips formed a half-hearted smile as he glanced at me. "I'm all right, Melissa. Don't be concerned about me.

However, I was concerned. I was more than I had ever been. How had he been affected by the creature? Or did the dark god's influence seep into him through the might of the broken sky?

The ground beneath our feet groaned as though to warn us of something much worse on the horizon, and the air around us got heavier. I had a persistent sense that time was running out.

A deep voice, frigid and full of terrible power, reverberated through the air as the gap in the sky widened.

Melissa... You did a good job of surviving. However, more work has to be done. You can do more.

I knew the voice and froze, my heart pounding.

The dark deity was the one.

"No!" I yelled as I automatically held onto Kane's hand to protect him from the force that was mounting.

The voice of the black deity was suddenly all around us. "Don't you want to save him? Melissa, I can give you the ability to save him. to fully cure him. to purge him of the evil that is eating him up.

I tried to ignore his voice by shaking my head, but it was impossible. He was in my head, influencing and molding my thoughts.

"Don't you know the price?" His voice was like a whisper in my ear as he went on. "Power is the cost. The ability to exert control over reality itself. Melissa, I'll give it to you now. In exchange for your devotion and readiness to take control of your fate.

"No!" My voice trembled as I yelled out once more. "I refuse to believe your falsehoods. All of this was brought on by you. I refuse to be your pawn.

However, he continued to speak. They permeated my thoughts and reverberated in my head. "You don't have to work alone on this. You can save Kane if you take away my power. Everything is changeable. This universe is yours to own.

I tried to block out his comments by shaking my head and closing my eyes. I sensed the temptation, though, deep down. He was giving so much power, too much. It was alluring to consider that I might be strong enough to defend Kane and everyone I cared about.

Then I turned to face Kane. He was still holding my hand, but it was shaking. The gloom in his eyes was becoming more intense and perilous.

Kane said in a harsh voice, "Don't listen to him, Melissa." "He is deceiving you. You can't rely on him.

I squeezed his hand and whispered back, "I know," my heart aches. "I refuse to be controlled by him."

The voice of the dark god became icy. "Melissa, you will regret this. You'll be sorry you didn't accept the gift of power. You'll soon come to the realization that you're alone yourself. You are fighting alone.

I pushed his words into the shadows, where they belonged, and made my mind shut him out. I wouldn't let him fool me. I refused to allow him to use me as a weapon. Not for anyone, not even for Kane.

Meanwhile, Lydia and Zephyr were still working feverishly to find a method to come back. The old realm was moving, distorting about them as they looked for the portal that could lead them back to their planet.

Zephyr replied in a hurried tone, "Lydia, we don't have much time." "This must be done immediately."

Lydia's brow was wrinkled in concentration as she stared at the whirling energy before them. Zephyr, I understand. I am aware. However, the custom It's not simple. You have to make a sacrifice. To make sure the portal remains open, one of us must remain behind.

Zephyr's face was filled with incredulity as he looked at her. "No. I won't allow you to do that. We figure out another approach.

Lydia's voice was forceful but gentle, and her eyes softened. "Zephyr, there's no other option. It's me who is bound to this location. I should be the one.

Zephyr moved forward and took hold of her arms. "No, Lydia. We must battle this united or else we will fail.

Lydia shook her head, her eyes full of tears. Zephyr, I can't let you go. You can go, though, if I stay behind. You can assist them.

Zephyr's face contorted in agony, and he was momentarily at a loss for words. His expression was desperate as he glanced at Lydia. "I won't abandon you. Whatever happens, we are all in this together.

However, Lydia took a step back and shook her head. It's the sole option. Please be understanding.

She inhaled deeply before starting the ceremony, chanting the age-old phrases while her hands moved through the air. A portal started to form as the energy swirled around them. However, it was brittle, exploding with unadulterated strength, and could topple over at any time.

"Our time is limited," Lydia said. "You have to leave, Zephyr. Right now.

Zephyr's jaw clenched as he nodded after a brief pause. "I'll be back to get you. I promise.

Now when the gateway was sufficiently wide, Zephyr entered it without saying another word and vanished into the whirling abyss.

In order to ensure that the others could pass through, Lydia remained behind, keeping the portal open with her eyes closed. She was aware of the cost of this, too, and she could already feel the pressure.

Kane and I had just started to move toward safety in the destroyed world when the ground under us started to tremble once more. I knew deep down that it was time to go as the air shimmered. We would be stuck here indefinitely if we didn't pass through that gateway.

However, the sky above us abruptly split open again as we raced toward the unstable gap Lydia had created, and the sound of the dark god's laughing reverberated throughout the atmosphere.

"You believe you can get away?" All around us was his voice, full of humor and venom. “You can’t run from what’s coming. You never could.”

I took Kane's hand and dragged him in the direction of the gateway as there was no more time for an argument.

However, the ground trembled fiercely and the portal started to collapse in on itself just as we were ready to jump through.

"Now, Kane!" I let out a yell.

After we jumped forward and tumbled through the air, everything turned black.

I heard a low hum as I opened my eyes, the sound of wind rushing across a barren landscape. I attempted to stand, but my body felt confused and my legs felt weak. Beside me, Kane's eyes were wide with shock and his face was pale.

But my heart fell when I turned to look around.

Our world wasn't like this.

There were ruins all over the place, and the landscape was twisted and broken. It was a dark, strange tone of sky. The dark god's silhouette was visible to me in the distance; he was tall and exuded power.

"No." With my heart sinking into my stomach, I said.

The dark deity had already triumphed in the future where we had landed.