Bloodbound to the Beastly King

She was alive

The infant cried harder against her chest, tiny fingers curling weakly against her clothes.

Relief hit Adina so hard she nearly collapsed.

Another scream erupted nearby, and she snapped her head up. One of the beasts had pinned a warrior to the ground. The chaos was wild, blood shed from every corner.

"Adina!" Thessara yelled from behind her.

Adina hurried toward her instantly, carefully placing Virelle into her arms. "Take her!" she said quickly. "Don't let her out of your sight!"

Thessara nodded immediately, wrapping the infant securely beneath her cloak. "I'll protect her with my life," she vowed.

A beast roared behind them, Adina turned only to freeze. The heat beneath her skin exploded again. This time worse, much worse than before.

Her entire body burned violently, and her vision blurred for a second.

The beast lunged at her, and her instinct took over. The power she'd thought she'd lost burst out violently from her.

The force slammed into the creature so hard it flew backward through multiple trees, crashing with a horrifying sound.

Adina stared at her own hands in shock. Her skin tingled painfully now.

"Adina!" Kora shouted, cornered by a beast. Adina didn't have time to dwell on her feelings. Adina snapped out of it quickly and joined the fight again.

The clearing became a massacre, and yet the witches managed to chant, doing their best to awaken Khaos. Alma stood as a protective shield for them, her hands spread wide as she summoned a protective spell, casting a shield over herself and the other witches.

The witches hurled dark spells through the air. The fire at the center of the circle sparked wildly.

"We can't penetrate their midst," a warrior yelled as he tried striking them only to be thrown backward from Alma's powers.

"Carter!" Thorne growled as he slicked through two beasts, their blood splashing across his face.

"Thessara! You have to break the witches' spell. We have to—" Caelum is cut off.

"No!" Adina said, shaking her head. Thessara was protecting Virelle. She was never going to risk her daughter's life once again.

"I'll do it," she said with determination, eyes on the five witches in the shield.

"Adina!" Thorne called, but there was no time to debate it.

"Cover me," she yelled as she ran towards the shield. The others having to fight the beasts rushing towards her.

Adina stood right in front of the shield, locking gaze with Alma, who still had her hands held up.

She too raised her hand, shut her eyes, and for the first time since the incident. She connected with her energy source.

The moment Adina connected to her energy source, the world around her disappeared. Adina's eyes flew open instantly.

Power burst violently from her body.

The ground beneath her feet cracked apart as a blinding wave of silver energy slammed directly into Alma's shield.

The witches screamed, and the shield trembled violently.

Alma staggered backward, eyes widening in shock. "Impossible—"

Adina screamed again, pushing harder. Cracks appeared instantly, and in a moment, the shield shattered.

An explosion burst outward, throwing witches across the clearing. Their chanting broke instantly, and the fire at the center flickered rapidly—Then died.

The core in Carter's hand dimmed at once.

The entire forest went silent, and Carter's army of beasts dropped to the ground like dead flies.

Adina's chest heaved heavily as she lowered her shaking hands.

It was over. It was actually over, and for one brief second…Hope returned.

"No…" Alma whispered from the ground, staring at the darkened core in horror.

Carter was frozen, shocked to his core.

Thorne stepped forward slowly, blood dripping from his claws, his breathing rough.

"It's done," he said coldly.

The warriors couldn't believe it. They actually stopped the ascension. They did it.

Caelum pointed his sword forward. "Seize them all!"

Warriors rushed toward the fallen witches instantly.

Carter staggered backward slightly, staring at the dead core in disbelief.

"No…" he muttered. "No, it can't be."

Thorne approached him slowly now, murder clear in his eyes. "There's nowhere left to run," he said darkly. "No Khaos. No ascension. No escape."

"You're a dead man, Carter." For the first time in a long time, fear crossed Carter's face.

Suddenly. The dead core pulsed red. Everyone froze at the sight.

A horrible sound echoed through the clearing. Like thousands of screams trapped beneath the earth.

Then suddenly, A massive red light exploded from the core, shooting directly into the sky, connecting with the full moon.

The force alone threw warriors backward.

The forest shook violently, and Trees bent unnaturally.

The full moon above turned blood red instantly. Cold wind tore through the clearing like death itself had descended.

Adina gasped sharply, clutching her chest again. The heat returned, This time it was unbearable.

"No…" Thessara whispered, horror flooding her face. "No, it's happening."

The witches suddenly dropped to their knees. Every single one of them, Including Alma, Including Carter.

Their heads bowed low as they began chanting desperately. "All hail the ruler of all…"

"All hail the dark lord…"

"The great Khaos has awakened…"

The fire that had died moments ago suddenly reignited on its own.

Except now, The flames were black.

Thorne's expression changed instantly the moment it dawned on him. They hadn't stopped the ascension. They were too late.

"Everyone move!" he roared. "Get out of this clearing, NOW!!!"

Panic erupted. The warriors scrambled immediately. Even the beasts began retreating like terrified animals.

But Adina couldn't move, Her entire body trembled violently, Pain tore through her chest. Almost Like something inside her was waking up too.

"Move, Adina!" Kora screamed at her, but she couldn't… no matter how much she wanted to.

Adina staggered backward suddenly, an ear-piercing scream ripped through her throat.

She collapsed onto her knees, clawing at her chest as darkness spread under her skin like veins.

Thorne turned around at the sound, hundreds of warriors rushing past him, yet his eyes found Adina.

"Adina!" He growled, immediately rushing to her. "Adina!" He called, grabbing her shoulders. "Look at me!"

She kept trembling, Her eyes squeezed shut painfully.

"Adina, talk to me!" The panic was clear in his voice. The sky had turned red, like a volcano had erupted from the clouds itself.

"Adina!"

She stopped moving, her body stilled, and for a second, he thought she'd regained her mind.

But then, her eyes opened, and he froze, her eyes were pitch black. no white, no pupils. Nothing human left inside them.

She wasn't looking at him. She was staring past him. At the black fire, At whatever stood within it.

Her lips parted slowly. And when she spoke,

Her voice did not sound like her own.

"…Father."