Chapter 429: The Forgotten Past - XXIII

[Music recommendation: RIOPY - Nocturne]

While catastrophe unfolded at Rios Palace, chaos continued to engulf Las Noches as King Raizel’s powers tore through the realm.

Another devastating blow struck the impenetrable black tornado now surrounding most of the palace, hurling the princes backwards.

"This is impossible," Azrial, the third prince, huffed. Turning towards the guards, he demanded, "Where is Prince Gavriel? Have we received any word?"

"The messenger from Rios Palace has yet to return, Your Highness."

Prince Zereph stared at the raging storm. "What in seven Hells could have driven Father to this?"

Prince Sorenn glanced towards the Grand Oracle. "She must know. Why else would she be here?"

The Oracle met their questioning gazes but remained silent.

Before they could press her for answers, a thunderous roar reverberated through the skies.

A colossal black dragon approached Las Noches. Even before they saw him clearly, they felt the suffocating presence of Gavriel’s power.

Azrial exhaled in relief. "He’s here."

However, as they observed more closely, they saw only the magnificent dragon, with no sign of Gavriel.

Right then, the black beast dragon pulled back, his massive jaws opened as a terrifying heat built inside his throat.

Seeing this, Zereph shouted. "Erect your barriers!"

The princes and guards channelled their powers into a protective shield as Bellarios’s flames struck with devastating force. Shockwaves rippled through the air, tearing open a massive breach. Before the barrier could seal itself, Bellarios dissolved into thick black smoke and slipped through.

Right as Bellarios reached the quiet eye of the storm, he finally saw the horrific truth.

King Raizel sat on his knees staring blankly at the sky, his eyes completely black as tears streamed down his face. Dark roots of corruption spread across half his face, while Lilith’s limp, purple-glowing form lay cradled in his arms.

Seeing her unmoving body, Bellarios’s gaze dropped to the pool of blood on the floor, as well as Raizel’s hands and chest and something in him snapped.

Pure, unbridled rage roared within him as he lunged at the King, slamming him against the wall and tightening his clawed hand around his throat.

"What did you do to her?!"

To Bellarios, Queen Lilith had been a loving, gentle mother, and he cherished her as deeply as Gavriel did. To see her lifeless body and her blood coating the King’s hands ignited an all-consuming bloodlust to slay the man responsible for this tragedy.

However, being forcibly separated from Lilith snapped Raizel into a frenzy.

A violent burst of dark powers erupted from the King, giving physical shape to his own soul beast... a massive Winged Lion with the terrifying tail of a scorpion.

Rhaegor, the King’s soul beast, lashed out, shoving Bellarios away with his heavy, spiked tail.

"Stay away from my mate, Bellarios!" Rhaegor roared furiously, shielding Raizel’s side.

Blinded by grief and rage, Bellarios refused to back down, retaliating with vicious force. "You killed her! You murdered your own mate and my mother!"

Neither beast listened to reason.

With grief and rage consuming them, they collided in a violent clash that spilled into the skies above Las Noches.

Outside, the princes and guards stared in horror.

They had hoped Bellarios’s arrival would help bring the King under control. Instead, the two beasts were tearing through the sky, their battle threatening to unleash even greater destruction upon the already-crippled Underworld.

Then a familiar voice rang out. "Stop right now!"

Both beasts halted at the command, their blazing red eyes lowering towards the source of the voice.

.....

Back at Rios Palace...

As Hera remained trapped in her unconscious state, she felt caught in a dreamless void where an invisible force of anxiety tightened its grip on her chest. Yet whenever she tried to move or wake up, her body refused to obey.

At first, worry choked her.... frantic worry for her husband, for Bellarios, for the King and Queen, and for the precious unborn child resting within her stomach. She wanted to protect them all, wanted them safe.

Then, slowly, a burning heat began to consume her body, a familiar sensation brought on by the full moon. It was the raw, instinctual longing she felt for her mate, the only man she loved more than anyone in this world.

’Gavriel...’ she called insistently in her mind, yet she couldn’t reach him through their bond, as though something were blocking her from reaching him.

Suddenly, a sharp, tearing pain struck her heart.

’Wait... who is this?’ she wondered, reaching out towards the faint blue thread.

’Blue...’

’Ceri!’ she called.

She could feel it... Ceri was in unbearable pain, and the soul bond they shared was beginning to fray.

She fought with everything she had to move, but the crushing weight of the paralysis continued to tear her heart apart.

She knew something was horribly wrong. Something terrible had happened to Ceri, yet she felt powerless to stir.

’Why can’t I move?!’ She screamed in her head until... the blue thread snapped completely, leaving a cold, hollow ache in its wake.

She could no longer remain calm. She struggled to break free of the unconscious state, desperate to reach the people she loved, her family... her everything.

Then she felt it... a physical touch.

Hands were moving across her body, which was already burning with the full moon’s heat for her mate.

Lips pressed against hers, and the sensation slowly dragged her back toward consciousness.

’Gavriel... is that you? Are you back, my love?’

When the lips left hers, they trailed down to her neck, where a firm bite against the sensitive skin forced a soft hiss from her lips.

Her mouth finally parted, and she whispered weakly, "Gav...riel..."

"Yes... it is me... my Hera," the man whispered back into her skin.

"Y...you’re back," she managed to breathe out.

"I’m back, and I’m going to make love to you. Let me take care of your heat... let me mark you again," he murmured against her neck.

Hera’s brows furrowed in confusion, because this did not sound like her husband’s voice.

Slowly, the heavy weight of the body hovering over her registered in her mind, followed by a dark, unfamiliar scent.

A deep, nauseating terror settled in her gut as alarm bells rang violently through her mind.

All at once, her eyes snapped open to pitch darkness, illuminated only by the faint moonlight filtering through the windows. Her heart pounded wildly against her ribs in sheer dread as she lowered her gaze, catching sight of dark purple hair resting against her shoulder.

"No!" she whispered in horror as sharp fangs grazed the bare skin of her neck.

Her body trembled violently as she fought to regain control of her unmoving limbs, letting out a panicked shriek. "NO!"

She slammed her hands against the man’s chest, trying with everything she had to push him away, but he was far too strong for her weakened, poisoned state.

"Let go of me!!!" Hera screamed.

Before she could break free, a sharp, searing pain burst from her neck right where her original mate mark resided, and a bloodcurdling scream tore from her lips, echoed in the chamber.