Chapter 173: The Dark Magic’s Bargain And The Possession!
Neve watched as Zyreth vanished with Jereth into the forest, heading toward where Cael and Aldric were being held captive. The two of them almost looked so excited to find whoever this intruder was and tear them apart. They were grinning so hard that Neve could see it on their cheeks from behind.
But Neve still could not move an inch.
The system notification in front of him was preventing him from moving. The warning about early labor was keeping him paralyzed with fear. He did not want to go into labor. Not when Cael and Aldric were in danger. Not when his mates needed him.
And if he did nothing, they would die. Zyreth would execute them and Neve would lose two of his bonded mates. He didn’t want that.
He shut his eyes and tried to breathe.
Breathe in. Breath out.
He tried to control his racing heart. He placed his hand on his chest and could feel how fast it was beating. The rhythm was frantic and uncontrolled.
Damn. He could really feel how fast it was beating. He was scared. No, he was terrified. Everything about Zyreth terrified him. The snake king was brutal and unpredictable. Zyreth would not show mercy to Cael and Aldric and Neve knew it.
Neve could imagine how violent Zyreth would be with them. He could imagine the suffering. He could imagine the blood. He could imagine how Zyreth was going to tear them from limb from limb.
He shook his head slowly, trying to get the thoughts out of his mind. But the thoughts kept coming back. His heart began to beat even faster. His breathing became more rapid. He could afford another warning from the system. What if this time he really goes to labor?
His hand slid slowly from his chest down to his stomach. He rubbed it gently, trying to calm both himself and the cubs growing inside him.
"I have to protect you baby," he whispered to his unborn cubs. "And also, your father. I have to protect Cael. I fucking have to protect him, but how do I do that even i can’t move a fucking inch?!"
Neve gritted his teeth so hard as he slowly tried to stand up on his feet. But his body would not cooperate. He was still unable to move properly. The warning from the system was still flashing in front of him.
Then Skarr’s voice echoed in his head.
"Can you just let me handle it?" Skarr spoke, his voice carrying dark amusement.
Neve flinched hearing the voice. He bit his lower lip, turning his head away from the system notification.
"What are you going to do?" Neve asked, even though he suspected the answer.
"What else?" Skarr replied coldly. "Kill him and take over his body. That’s the deal we made. I need a new body. Zyreth’s body is powerful. It’s perfect for me."
Neve wanted to complain. He wanted to say no to Skarr or ignore him like always. He wanted to refuse. But what could he do? He was paralyzed. He was helpless. He was running out of time.
If he refused Skarr’s help, Cael and Aldric would die. Two of his bonded mates would be executed by Zyreth.
But if he accepted Skarr’s help, Zyreth would die. He would lose one mate but save two.
The math was simple. The choice was clear.
"Fine," Neve muttered, his voice defeated. "Fine. Fine. FINE!!!"
He yelled that last word, lifting his head in frustration. The unshed tears that had been hanging in his eyes finally rolled down his cheek.
"Do it. Kill him. Take his body. I don’t care anymore."
"Thought you’d never ask," Skarr said mockingly in Neve’s head. There was satisfaction in his voice, more like dark amusement. Finally, he was going to be free from the prison of Neve’s body.
Suddenly, Neve felt his consciousness pull away. He lost control of his body completely. His limbs were no longer his to command. His voice was no longer his to use.
It was like he was floating right inside his own head, able to see everything Skarr could see but he could not touch anything. He could not move. He could not interact with the physical world.
He felt like a ghost. A prisoner in his own body.
This was what Skarr had been going through. This was what the dark magic user had experienced for so long. Being trapped. Being helpless. Watching the world through someone else’s eyes but unable to control anything.
Skarr’s consciousness now dominated Neve’s body. Neve’s consciousness was pushed to the background like he was trapped and observing.
Neve watched helplessly as Skarr stood up, cracking his hands and rolling his shoulders. The movements were different from how Neve usually moved. They were more aggressive and predatory.
"Well, let’s get this ritual started," Skarr said out loud, his voice sounding wrong coming from Neve’s small mouth. The voice was darker. More menacing. More dangerous.
Neve tried to speak from his trapped position in his own mind.
"You have to kill Zyreth first," Neve said internally, even though Skarr could hear his thoughts. "And for someone as powerful as him, you’ll need help from someone else. You’ll need to find an ally. You can’t do this alone."
"No one," Skarr interrupted Neve immediately, his dark voice filled with absolute certainty. "I don’t need help from anyone. I have dark magic. I have the power of elimination. That is all I need to kill Zyreth."
He walked toward the entrance of the hut where Maren’s mother was still sleeping peacefully, unaware of the possession that had just occurred.
Neve blinked confused from his position trapped in his own consciousness.
Skarr was going to handle Zyreth alone? In Neve’s pregnant body? This was insane. This was suicide. Zyreth was one of the most powerful beastmen in the outcast territory. He had magic. He had strength. He had years of combat experience.
And Skarr wanted to fight him while inhabiting the small, fragile, pregnant body of a red panda?
This could only end in disaster.