Chapter 674 - Nothing

On the ground, everyone could do nothing else but watch, open mouthed and pray to whatever gods there be to be on their side and help Zeres regain his sanity and stop this futile battle. The only thing that was making them from losing all hope was the sight of Alexander seemingly enjoying the fierce battle and fighting the demons like a madman. He was like a beast that had at long last being let loose from his cage and now he was enjoying the hunt.

He had tried to destroy Zeres' vortex by calling a very strong wind lance to slash at it, but the wind was swallowed by the blackhole. He tried to reach Zeres too, but Zeres' demons were hell bent in preventing him from coming anywhere close, much less touching their summoner.

At one point, Alexander looked down at where Zeke was standing. And as though there was a wordless communication between them, Alex stopped attacking Zeres and he concentrated on his fight against the demons.

...

Everything seemed to be pointing to and just going towards one thing alone. Madness. Everyone and everything are spiralling down the rabbit hole into lunacy. Friend fighting against friend. Good guy turned into a demonic rouge. Stable environment gone haywire and on its merry way to global destruction if nothing was done to stop it.

Those on the ground seem to feel the stirrings of helplessness and hopelessness as things continued on and no progress was made with Zeres, Alex or Ezekiel. Were they supposed to lie down and accept things as it comes? Were they expected to surrender their lives just because Zeres had decided on things on his own and they had no say in the matter at all? That is so unfair! However, absolute power triumphs over all and that was how the world works.

Watching the half dragon and demons literally shook the earth as they exchanged powerful blows in the sky, it all felt like a nightmare. Unfortunately, this nightmare had moved from an imaginary thing into the real world that they cannot avoid. It was as though the world had descended into madness together with Zeres.

Kyle and Lilith could not even begin to understand and process what their eyes were seeing. It was obvious they were telling themselves that this was probably a very, very bad dream. One that they would very soon wake up from and would be able to put it behind them with a laugh. They prayed and wished that it would be so.

Clenching a handful of her cloak as she looked up, Alicia felt a deep piercing pain blooming in her c.h.e.s.t. Her entire soul ached – no, it burned and seared – realizing that things had truly gone so messed up to an insane degree. What in the world happened? Why must this happen to her? To Zeres? To this world? She could only ask herself. Which God could she bring her complaints to? Even if she found one to state her case, would it make a difference? Would their fates be reversed?

She remembered how Zeres previously had confided her that he did not want to die a villain. But just look at him now. He looked even more sinister and even more dangerous than that cold-hearted Dinah. He had become the creature he did not want to become – a creature that he had hated to his core. It was so unfair. She could not understand why such a gentle being had to end up like this.

As she looked up at him in the air, laughing up there acting for all the world as if he were ready to burn the whole world with him, Alicia's lips trembled. She did not know if he had truly changed and really wanted this, or was he still putting on an act. If it was an act, it really was a damned good one.

The sound of flapping wings pulled her attention and her gaze fell on Ezekiel. He was still but his wings were spread out so elegantly behind him.

Staring at his back, Alicia did not know why but Ezekiel's voice suddenly echoed in her head. "Keep him going on the right path. Because if you fail, and he ends up turning into an enemy… I'll find a way to get him dead and stay dead the next time, too." These words from Ezekiel were so cryptic. Was he threatening her with Zeres' eventual death?

The memory of those words elicited a bitter smile and Alicia's eyes blurred. That was right, she had failed. No, she did not just fail to keep him from pursuing and continuing on the right path, she was probably the biggest reason why he chose to stray towards the wrong path too. Alicia's heart squeezed even tighter as she had to fight the tears from falling from her eyes.

"Ezekiel…" she called out weakly and she knew he had heard her. "When you said those words to me back then…" she paused and swallowed, choking on the pain in her throat to stop her voice from shaking, "did you already know that one day… this would happen?"

Silence reigned supreme between them for a while. Zeke did not volunteer to speak. But to Alicia, his silence was as good as him giving her his answer. And from what she knows of this vampire prince, his answer would most probably be 'yes'.

The thought that Ezekiel was truly going to kill Zeres pained her even more. What had Zeres done to warrant himself this kind of ending? Nothing. He did not do anything. All he did was sacrifice himself for someone else. All he wanted was to die so someone else would have the chance to live. He had never asked for anything on his own behalf. Everything he had asked for, was only … for someone else!

"Oh, Zeres…!!" Alicia gasped at the sharp lancing pain that sliced through her heart at that thought.

Numb with pain, Alicia opened her lips again. "Ezekiel," she called out his name again, "have you ever made a sacrifice for a woman?" she asked.

The world seemed to halt. The storm Alex had created from his wind controlling powers lingered heavily in the area and they were now under the eye of the storm.

Zeke remained silent. But as he spread his wings and prepared to fly off, he turned to Alicia, revealing to her his one eye that looked darker than the darkness itself.

"Never." He replied in a cold and emotionless voice and then he was gone.

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A\N: please check out <Spellbound> guys. If you didnt check it out yet. The story is inspired by the long lost tale arc so you might it. Thank you. ^^

Also, this volume is going to end soon.

P.s. update schedule for this book is every sunday and wednesday gmt+8 timezone