Chapter 220: When The Light Meet The Dark
Edward swallowed hard, "That....that’s Evelyn, isn’t it?"
Damien looked back at the massive sphere rising steadily into the sky and whispered, "Yes....looks like she finally found the answers she was searching for."
On one side, it was as though a sun were rising, while on the other, where darkness still cloaked the night sky, every vampire present suddenly heard it.
A faint heartbeat.
Alex, Caleb, Cece, Amara and every vampire who heard it had their head snapped toward the thick, black smoke swirling at the heart of the dark sphere.
Their crimson eyes widened, breath catching in their throats, and they thought if they had imagined it and for a suspended second, nothing moved.
Then
Ba-dump.
Another heartbeat, louder this time, echoes in their ears, sharp ears. Cece’s lips parted in a trembling gasp as hope bloomed in her chest again.
Then, before they knew it, the heartbeat began to quicken....thudding louder and louder, as though answering to what was happening on the other side of the castle.
"He’s alive..." Cece whispered, her voice trembling as she lifted her shaky hands to cover her mouth. Tears streamed down her crimson eyes in overwhelming relief. And she wasn’t the only one. Alex’s eyes shone with emotion, finally able to breathe knowing his prince still lived. Caleb, unable to contain himself, let his tears fall openly at the sheer miracle of Ivan’s heartbeat returning.
The tornado that had been suspended moments ago suddenly roared back to life. It spun faster, wilder, more rabid than before. Lightning struck in a relentless barrage, setting fire to the trees it hit. Flames erupted, crackling and spreading, painting the world in an infernal glow.
Within moments, the land transformed into a vision of burning hell....raging darkness swirling with fire, devouring everything it touched. And with the dead soldiers still crawling across the ground, it felt less like a battlefield and more like the summoning of a demon lord rising straight from the depths of the abyss.
With the brilliant golden light on one side and burning darkness on the other, it looked as though heaven and hell had collided at once, leaving the onlookers frozen to their very bones, as if the heavens themselves were in fury.
As the minutes dragged on and the chaos only escalated, a new dread began to settle in the hearts of those watching.
The massive golden sphere... was expanding rapidly and exponentially.
"It’s expanding too much! We need to move! Now!" Septimus shouted, his voice cutting through the thunder.
Lucian, who had been watching the phenomenon with sharp, calculating eyes, snapped into command. "Every lumen present, focus on conjuring a barrier!" he roared. "I fear it’s about to blow up! Everyone else, take cover behind the barriers! Now!"
Just then, the raging tornado began to expand as well, forcing everyone to scatter so they wouldn’t be caught in the blast.
Cece stared toward where Ivan was, and utter worry reflected in her eyes, "What about Ivan?!
"There is no time to think, Lady Cece! We must move now!" Dante shouted. He rushed to her, swept her into his arms, and leapt toward the others who were already taking cover inside the barrier.
Her crimson eyes brimmed with tears once more...and before anyone could fully grasp the horror of what was about to happen, the pitch-black tornado and the blinding golden sphere collided.
And the moment they touched...
Boom!
Another massive explosion erupted, making the entire structure tremble violently under the pressure. The force slammed into the barrier, pushing back everyone holding it with brutal strength. Some were thrown to the ground, while others, like Septimus, Solan, Oliver and Lucian, managed to withstand the impact and hold their ground.
The soldiers conjured by Viva’s dark sorcery disintegrated into ash the moment the explosion touched them, while Viva herself was hurled far into the distance, her own barrier barely saving her from annihilation.
A thick cloud of dust rolled across the area, cloaking everything in a murky haze.
Slowly.... A shape began to emerge.
Through the settling dust, a soft, luminous silhouette stepped forward. A man’s figure, outlined in gentle, shimmering light, stood before those still braced behind the barrier.
Zevran’s voice drifted out, filled with reverence, "So....she is finally awakened."
Their eyes snapped toward him, and Lucian demanded, "Who is awakened? And..." he observed his translucent form, "...who...are you?"
Zevran didn’t look at him. His gaze remained fixed ahead, as though he was seeing something far beyond what any of them could. "The Divine One. Daughter of Light herself. The former protector of this realm."
"What do you mean?! Who is that?" Lucian pressed, confusion etched across his face.
Solan, in his voice low and strained, asked, "Who are you?"
Alex stepped closer to others and answered for him. "He’s the final remnant of the first King of Dartmouth....King Zevran Kaine."
A chorus of shocked gasps rippled through the gathered crowd as they stared at the ancient king’s apparition.
Only then did Zevran turn, his wise, penetrating eyes locking directly with Solan’s. "You were blessed to have her as your daughter," he said quietly, "but I can see it in your eyes...you have failed her."
Solan’s temper spiked at his words, and he snapped, "What do you mean?! What do you even know about us?!"
Zevran turned his gaze back toward the settling dust. He continued in his calm voice, "Regardless....you cannot stop destiny from taking its course."
The quiet finality in his tone left Solan speechless.
Alex and Caleb, who already knew the truth, felt the weight of Zevran’s words settle heavily in their chests.
They all looked ahead from behind the barrier as the dust began to dissipate. When the haze finally cleared, their eyes widened at the unbelievable sight before them.
The vast, wild tornado of darkness was gone.
Cece, Alex, and Caleb held their breath as they strained their eyes, trying to see further, to the place where Ivan had been.
And then they saw him.
Under the heaving dark clouds, with thunder and lightning writhing above and fire raging below, a lone figure hung suspended in mid-air. His upper body was bare, one side shimmering with molten gold dust, the other tainted grey, where thick black veins pulsed like serpents beneath his skin. His eyes were shut, as though unconscious, yet every muscle in his body strained, rigid with unbearable torment. His hair whipped wildly in the rising winds, and his heartbeat thundered through the air relentlessly like a man waging war within himself.
"Your Highness..." Alex breathed, dread curling tight in his stomach at the sight of Ivan’s form.....half blessed in golden light and half consumed by.....corruption.
Cece’s tears, which had momentarily paused, began to fall again in silence. "Oh, Ivan...what has she done to you..." she whispered, her voice trembling with disbelief.
The members of the High Council who were present there had their expressions turn grim as they took in every detail of Ivan’s condition.
It was then that Lucian spoke. "I see the corruption has spread to half of his body. I’m afraid that even if he survives whatever is happening to him... he will not be spared by the High Council."
As he said that, Cece’s head snapped toward him, and she spat angrily, "Don’t you dare touch my brother! He has been nothing but a victim in all of this! You saw with your own eyes what that vile woman did!"
"Whatever she did does not change the fact that Prince Ivan has fallen to the dark side and has now become the highest level of threat to everyone, especially considering how powerful he is." It was Solan who replied, his face utterly emotionless.
Cece’s eyes flared bright red. "Was? He still is! And don’t you dare touch him while I’m still alive! I won’t let the likes of you go near him, not after everything he’s been through! It was the Council’s failure to notice what was happening in this ominous palace in the first place!"
Her bright crimson gaze snapped to Elara as she added, "You should investigate their family first! Wasn’t that vile woman Queen Elara’s cousin? Who knows, perhaps she knew exactly what was going on!"
Cece’s sharp words struck Solan and Elara right where it hurt.
Elara, hearing the woman hurl accusations at her, couldn’t remain silent. "How dare you accuse me like that? I had no idea what was happening here! And let me remind you, your so-called cousin is now a corrupt vampire! No sane person in this world would allow such an abomination to exist! He’ll get what every creature like him deserves! Death!"
"Say that again!" Cece hissed, trembling with fury at her venomous words.
"We will protect our prince until our dying breath," Alex added, just as enraged, stepping behind Cece. Caleb moved with him, the same fierce determination blazing in his eyes.
"Me too! I will stand to protect the prince," Oliver stepped forward, and soon both professors echoed the same pledge, followed by several students, those who were loyal to the crown prince and those who simply respected the man he was.
