Chapter 116:
Explosions echoed through the darkening city as buildings crumbled one by one. The clash between light and darkness had reached its peak.Elbanius, armed with light bombs, had managed to hold off the vampires spawned by Darian. But after an unexpected explosion, he was thrown backward, crashing to the cracked ground. A wave of that blast disintegrated him along with a dozen bloodthirsty creatures, despite using a metal door as a shield.His sacrifice left a void, and his final words, "Fight until the end," lingered in the air like an echo of resistance.
Meanwhile, flames continued devouring the remains of the city as an acidic rain fell, hissing against the ground. Around him, Lionel—wounded, his clothes soaked in blood—breathed with difficulty. The fierce glint in his eyes had not dimmed despite the pain tearing through his body.Dimitri Snova blocked his path, his expression unshakable.—No more mistakes, Lionel. That's no longer allowed.The vampire smirked, wiping blood from his split lip.—If you want to stop me, you'll have to kill me... in Skiller Snova's shadow.Before Dimitri could answer, a shadow moved between the ruins. Falco emerged with his crossbow loaded, his eyes cold and calculating.—I didn't expect to find you here so soon, Lionel. I thought you had more sense.
Lionel barely managed to dodge as the bolt hissed through the air. He threw himself aside, feeling its tip graze his ribs. As he hit the ground, Falco was already on top of him, slamming down with his crossbow.The fight turned into a chaotic blur of movement and fury. Lionel used his vampiric speed to dodge nimbly, searching for a chance to counter. But Falco was relentless—each shot forced Lionel back, each strike pushing him closer to his limit.
A burning pain exploded in his side.Falco's slider had embedded itself into Lionel's flesh, severing any chance of regeneration. Lionel staggered, his breath shredding in his lungs as his vision blurred into shadows and fire.—You've always been a nuisance, Lionel —Falco spat, approaching with a dagger in hand, his face hardened with resolve.Without hesitation, he plunged the steel into Lionel's chest.
The world stopped.Lionel felt the cold of the blade like a sentence. Blood spilled from his mouth in a ragged breath.—Aisha… protect her…His body collapsed, heavy, silent.The acid rain welcomed him with a hiss, and his blood, upon touching the earth, burned as if his rage still lingered.
Elsewhere, the wind carried the scent of death and ashes as Steven emerged from the rubble, his gaze fixed on the only figure still standing before him.—The doctor goes nowhere —Steven growled, raising his sword with precision.Björn growled back, baring his fangs.—If you want to reach him, you'll have to go through me.Steven didn't smile. He advanced—determined.Björn struck first, a frenzy of claws slashing the air. But Steven spun with surgical accuracy, dodging by mere inches. His sword traced a perfect arc, slicing through the werewolf's arm in one stroke.
Björn howled in pain, but didn't stop.—I'm not like the others, Björn. You should know that by now.Björn lunged again, but Steven was faster this time. His blade pierced the wolf's defense, sinking into his torso. Björn gasped, his golden eyes wide with surprise.Steven stepped in, driving the blade deeper.—You're strong. But not strong enough."Elliot was right… This isn't what we swore to protect…" Björn thought.
He looked up, and for a moment, Steven saw something unexpected in his eyes—surrender... or regret—just before delivering the final blow, severing his head.The werewolf's body fell with a heavy thud, hot blood splattering the ground.
Darian, paralyzed, could barely breathe as Steven turned to him.—Now, doctor… tell me how to stop the demon.Darian swallowed hard, fear pounding in his throat.—The medallion… Sanathiel's medallion… but… it requires a pure sacrifice!—And who's left that hasn't stained their soul in this war? —Steven replied, eyes steady, as if he already knew the answer.
The battle wasn't over.
From afar, Skiller heard the penultimate howl of the ebony wolf. Watching his de-transformation, he murmured with sorrow:—I'm sorry.Acid rain continued to fall mercilessly, burning the skin of survivors and consuming what remained of the ruined city. The battle had decimated the Nevri, and the demon's presence still darkened the sky, his laughter echoing through the wreckage like a hymn of despair.
Sanathiel stood firm in the chaos, the red moon medallion pressed to his chest. The jewel pulsed with silver light, cutting through the darkness like the last vestige of hope in a collapsing world.
Aisha staggered through the rubble, hands bloodied, body trembling.—Don't ask me to leave you… —she murmured, voice cracking with fear and helplessness.Sanathiel offered a melancholic smile. His eyes burned with everything he'd never said.—We promised to protect each other… but this time, I must protect you.
The medallion responded to his words, pulsing violently, absorbing Sanathiel's energy. His body tensed as the power consumed him, the veins in his neck and arms glowing silver.—Sanathiel, don't! —cried Salomon, trying to run to him, but a wall of light stopped him. He pounded against it. —Sanathiel! Stop!The demon roared, sensing the threat. His monstrous form twisted, claws reaching for Sanathiel—but it was too late.—This is my destiny… —Sanathiel whispered, eyes lifting to the moon, radiant above like an unreachable beacon.
With one final howl that tore through the heavens, the medallion released an explosion of pure energy.A wave of light spread in all directions, consuming shadows, disintegrating creatures, and staggering the demon.His roar turned into a shriek of agony as his form decomposed, weakening for the first time.Sanathiel's body began to fade, his light suspended in the sky, breaking into thousands of silver fragments—like pieces of a dream dissolving into the wind.
Aisha knelt among the wreckage, the extinguished medallion in her hands, her hair loose, covered in ash and blood.In the background, the demon still stood—deformed, partially disintegrated, cloaked in darkness dripping like ink.She reached out to him, but her fingers touched only the void he left behind.—Live, Aisha… —his voice whispered on the wind, circling her like a final breath.
The medallion fell at her feet, its glow slowly fading.And though its light vanished, it still felt warm.As if the soul of a wolf still waited… for the final howl.
The demon, wounded but not destroyed, roared again, shaking the earth.Aisha, clutching the medallion, rose among the debris.She looked into its eyes as the demon's dark flesh cracked open, revealing a core of corrupted energy writhing as if trying to rebuild itself before being erased.Her gaze reflected something new:
"You took my heart with that last breath…But you left me your light to burn everything else."
Determination.Pain.Fury.
—This can't be the end…Sanathiel's sacrifice would not be in vain.Behind her, in the ashes, a trail of glowing footprints faded into nothingness.
It was no longer about love.No longer about revenge.Now… it was for the world.
—This isn't Rasen… I don't want this anymore.