Once Betrayed Never Forgotten

Chapter 128: Verde’s Liberation

I stand before the glowing bars of Verde’s prison, my heart pounding in my chest. The faint light they emit casts eerie shadows on the walls, illuminating the room in a soft, ethereal glow. The air is thick with the remnants of dark magic, but I can feel the oppressive energy dissipating, replaced by a sense of hope and anticipation.

Verde, the guardian angel of the Earth Realm, sits chained within the care, her once beautiful green wings now tattered and torn, stained with blood. Her eyes and mouth are still sewn shut, a cruel testament to Tatiana’s cruelty and her dark magic. As I nach out to touch the bars, a surge of power flows through me, and the bars shimmer and dissolve, freeing the angel within.

Verde’s eyes hatter open as the enchanted stitches that once bound them dissolve into nothingness. Her mouth follows, the dark threads unraveling and disappearing into the air like wisps of black smoke. She gasps, drawing her first free beeath in what must have felt like an eternity. Her eyes, now free of their bindings, are a vibrant green, glowing with an inner emerald light..

Thank you,” she whispers, her voice soft and melodic, like the rustle of leaves in a gentle breeze. “I knew you’d find me. I never lost hope.”

I hand her the sword we retrieved, its blade gleaming with a greenish hoe. As she takes it, her strengths seems to return, her wings mending and her posture straightening. She stands tall and regal, her presence radiating power and grace. I’ve never seen anyone, or anything so majestic, so supernaturally beautiful and perfect. She takes my breath away, and it’s a struggle to even form coherent sentences in the presence of such disine perfection.

“Verde,” I say, my voice trembling with emotion. “How did Tatiana expuse you? What was her plant © 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

Verde sighs, her eyes filled with sorrow. “Tatiana’s ambition knew no bounds. She sought to control the Earth realm by weakening its guardian. She used dark magic to ambush and imprison me, sewing my eyes and mouth shut to prevent me from seeing or speaking my spells. Her ultimate goal was to overthrow her uncle Dmitri and seize control of the Fontain clan. With me out of the way, she believed she could dominate the Earth realm and extend her influenge across all realms. The Earth realm is, and always has been, the key to all the others. She knew this well, and she sought to use that knowledge to her advantage.”

Her words send a chill down my spine. “Is the battle truly over now that Tatiana is gone?”

Verde shakes her head. “No, the Void Waiths are still a therat. They were summoned by Tatiana’s dark magic, but they have a will of their own. We must defeat them to ensure the safety of all realms. Now that they have lost their mistress, they are roaming free on the battlefield, unleashed, like wild animals, creatures of mindless destruction and evil. We must extermate every last one. Only then will the seven realm be truly safe.”

Determination surges through me, hot and quick like molten metal that encases my heart, steeling me against the coming battle. Then let’s finish this.”

We leave the castle together, the air thick with the sounds of battle. The clash of steel, the cries of warriors, and the unearthly wails of the Void Wraiths fill the air. The sky is a swirling mass of grey, lit by flashes of magical energy and the dery glow of the hattleground below.

Verde strides forward, her presence commanding and formidable. With a single glance, she takes out multiple Void Wraiths, their forms disintegrating into wisps of smoke with each shot of green magic light emanating from her beautiful enchanted eyes. Her power is awe–inspiring, and I can see the tide of the battle beginning to tum in our favor.

I fight alongside my friends, our movements a coordinated dance of destruction. Aleksandr fights with a lethal grace, his sword flashing in the dim light as he cuts down Wraith after Wraith Pyra unleashes torrents of fre, her flames roaring like a living beast Bloodbane fights with a fierce intensity, his crimson blade a blurs he carves through our enemies.

The wolves, led by Luka, are a whirlwind of fur and fangs, their movements swift and deadly. I fight with everything 1 have, my blood magic surging through me, my attacks precise and powerful. Each strike is a testament to our determination, our refusal to let the darkness win.

The battle rages on, the air thick with the smell of blood and magic. I can feel the energy of the Void Wraiths weakening, their numbers dwindling. Finally, we are down to the last few Void Wraiths, and the battle is won. Members of six armies dispatch the remaining wraiths, quelling the last few pockets of resistance. But then, in the midst of the chaos, I see Luka fall, a Wraith’s dark blade striking him down, Luka stumbles forward and disembowels the Void Wraith before falling to the ground. My heart stops, a scream tearing from my throat as I rush to his side

pours from a nasty y wound in his chest where the Void Wraith’s short sword is lodged, his silver eyes filled

“Luka!” I cry, dropping to my knees beside him. Blood por with pain and fear.

Damn it! What am I meant to do? What do people say about these situations- do you leave the thing stabbing the person in, er remove it, and risk them bleeding out? I don’t know what to do

“Arianna, listen closely… I need you to to tell Mircea that he begins, his voice already weak and trembling, but I grab his hand, sobbing, shaking my head.

“No!” I say, wiping

gaway tears. “You tell her yourself. Don’t you

you dare die on me.”

Luka just smiles weakly, closing his silver eyes as his head falls back. I feel his hand go limp in mine.

Kacam

his name, my throat raw from sobbing.

Chapter 128 Verdes Liberation

OH MY GOD. Is he is he dead? No, no, no,

Aleksande appears beside me then, his expression grave as he surveys the scene. His eyes are full of pain as he summises the situation, and then he pulls me back, wrapping me up in a tight embrace,

“I am sorry, my love,” he whispers. “Don’t look”

At that moment, as if summoned by my scicans, Verde appears beside me, bet expression calm and focused. She kneels down and places her hands over Luka’s wound, a seft green light emanating from her palms. It’s not too late for him. Come back to me, stay with me, Luka, my beloved child of the moon, she murmurs, her voice soothing and filled with power. “It is not your time yet.”

I watch in awe as the enterald light intensifies, seeping into Luka’s chest like living twining tendrils of a luminous green vine, the wound beginning to close. The skin kits together and reforms, not even leaving so much as a sear. Luka’s leathing steadies, the color returning to his cheeks. Relief floods through me, tears streaming down my face as 1 realize he will be okay.

Thank you.” I whisper, my voice choked with emotion.

Verde smiles gently, her green eyes filled with warmth. There is no need to thank me, my child, I was simply not his time.”

Luka sits up, his eyes wide with amazement. I thought I was a goner,” he says, his voice trembling. “Did I… did I die back there?”

“Sent of, I think,” I whimper, still fighting back tears as I kneel down and bag him tight,

As the last of the Void Wraiths fall the battlefield falls silent. The air is filled with a sense of victory, the oppressive darkness lifting. We stand together, our bodies bruised and battered, but our spirits unbroken. The battle is won, and the realms are safe.

But we’re not quite done yet.