Chapter 147: ¹⁴⁷Elara’s Light

?Elara had no idea how she ended up there.

?A moment ago, she was standing in the doorway. Now, her bare feet stepped on something soft and warm. It wasn’t the wooden floorboards. It wasn’t the grass.

?She opened her eyes, even though there was nothing she could see. Yet, strangely, this place felt bright.

?A boundless white expanse stretched out before her. The sky was a pristine white, yet it didn’t blind her. There was no wind. No sound.

?Elara turned around, trying to find her bearings. There was no direction. Just white on all sides. Oddly enough, she didn’t feel panicked.

?Save for one thing.

?Someone was standing a few paces in front of her.

?Elara couldn’t see them. But she could feel them. The figure radiated warmth, like a room recently occupied by a kind soul.

?"Who’s there?" Elara asked, her voice small.

?"My name is Gabriel."

?The voice was gentle. It wasn’t a command. It wasn’t a threat.

?"I am one of the Septem Seraphim."

?Elara fell silent. The words were completely foreign to her.

?But deep within her chest, something throbbed softly. Something that had been slumbering for a very long time.

?The figure stepped closer without a sound, then crouched down to her eye level. Beyond the golden light, Elara could only make out vague outlines: broad shoulders, shoulder-length hair, and a faint smile.

?"I cannot stay for long," Gabriel said.

?Elara wanted to ask so many things. About her body that always felt stiff and cold. About the thing that had been throbbing in her chest for so long. But her tongue felt tied.

?She opened her mouth, but no words came out.

?Gabriel reached out a hand. The tips of his fingers brushed against Elara’s forehead with the utmost gentleness.

?Something flowed into her. Not hot, not cold. Warm and weightless, like water seeping into parched earth. The light filled the cracks within her soul that she never even realized were empty.

?"This is not a command," Gabriel whispered. "Merely a gift entrusted to you."

?Elara clutched the hem of her nightgown.

?"It is up to you to decide what to do with it."

?The light continued to pour in. Unforcing. Undemanding. Simply present.

?Elara took a deep breath. She didn’t understand what had just happened.

?But she knew one thing for certain: she was no longer afraid.

?Gabriel withdrew his hand and stood up. His form began to fade, dissolving into the white sky.

?"Thank you," Elara whispered.

?Gabriel smiled one last time. And then, he vanished.

?Elara opened her eyes.

?The stench of blood. The smell of smoke. The sound of splintering wood.

?She was still standing at the threshold of the Valen estate. The night breeze swept across her face. The cold grass tickled her bare feet.

?But something was different.

?A golden-white glow seeped from her pores. Soft. Warm. Like a breath.

?Her body, which usually felt heavy and sluggish, now felt weightless. It was as if the mana inside her, which had always been blocked, was now flowing freely.

?The grass beneath her feet shifted. Tiny shoots sprouted from the dead earth. Withered wildflowers bloomed once more one by one, unfurling their petals toward the blind girl.

?In the courtyard, Celion turned his head. His body was riddled with wounds from his battle against Lilith. His red eyes widened. In the distance, Valera and Kaelia stared at Elara as if they had just seen a ghost.

?"What are you?" he whispered.

?Elara stepped forward. One step. Two steps. The earth beneath her feet shifted from a dead brown to a vibrant green.

?"You’re hurting them," Elara said. Her voice trembled, yet she didn’t take a single step back.

?Celion took another step back. He didn’t even realize he was doing it.

?"What are you?" he repeated.

?Elara didn’t answer. She didn’t know the answer herself.

?She raised her right hand. The glowing light condensed in her palm, forming a small, softly pulsing orb.

?Celion growled. His fear morphed into fury.

?"I am a Crimson Moon!" he roared. "I refuse to lose to a blind girl!"

?He threw both his hands up. The blood scattered across the entire courtyard rose into the air, forming a crimson wall around him.

?"[Blood Moon’s Requiem]."

?A storm of blood erupted from his body. A thick, crimson wave crashed toward Elara from all sides.

?"Lady Elara!" Valera screamed from the ground.

?Elara didn’t dodge. She didn’t know how.

?Valera couldn’t do a single thing to help. That was what hurt the most.

?The light radiating from her body expanded, forming a thin membrane that enveloped her. The blood storm slammed into the barrier, only to evaporate like water hitting hot coals.

?Sssshhh...

?Valera stared with her jaw dropped. She had seen people fight in countless ways. But this light was different. There was absolutely no malice in it.

?Celion stumbled three steps back. "Impossible..."

?Elara marched forward. The orb of light in her hand grew larger, burning brighter.

?Celion forced out every last drop of his strength. The blood from his own wounds was sucked into the air, forming a massive spear right above his head.

?"Die!"

?The spear shot straight toward Elara.

?Kaelia squeezed her eyes shut. She couldn’t bear to watch.

?Elara raised both her hands. She didn’t think. She simply allowed the light to break free.

?The glow across her body erupted into a blinding golden-white shockwave that swept across the courtyard.

?BOOOM!

?The shockwave slammed into the blood spear, shattering it into a million pieces. It tore forward, crashing directly into Celion.

?Celion shrieked. Inside his mind, the Queen’s voice whispered once more. You failed.

?His gaunt frame was blasted backward, slamming into a pine tree with enough force to snap the trunk in half. Black blood sprayed from his mouth and chest. His pale skin blackened, scorched by the pure light.

?The light washed over the entire courtyard. The surviving lesser vampires were instantly vaporized into ash. Young vines and shoots sprouted from the cracks in the fractured stone walls of the Valen estate.

?And then, the light faded.

?Elara stood in the center of the courtyard. Her body trembled violently, cold sweat drenching her pale face.

?Celion lay sprawled on the ground. His eyes were still open, but the blazing red glow in them was gone.

?"I don’t understand..." his voice was raspy, barely a whisper. "How is this possible...?"

?Elara faced his direction. Even though she couldn’t see, she knew Celion was dying.

?"I don’t understand either," she answered honestly.

?Celion chuckled weakly. The laugh quickly devolved into coughing up blood.

?"You... are going to be a massive problem... for my Queen."

?His body went rigid. Then, it slowly disintegrated, like sand blown away by the wind. The breeze carried the black granules toward the forest. Nothing remained but a scorch mark on the earth.

?Elara stared blankly at the spot. Her legs wobbled.

?Then, she gagged. Fresh blood splattered onto the dirt in front of her.

?Her chest flared in agony. It felt like something was being ruthlessly wrung out from the inside.

?Her body collapsed forward. Her knees slammed into the dirt. Both her hands barely propped up her fragile frame.

?Valera forced herself up.

?Her entire body screamed in pain, but she dragged herself toward the girl. Kaelia followed, her face deathly pale. Her flames were completely extinguished.

?"Elara!" Kaelia cried out.

?Elara wretched again. More blood. So much more.

?"I’m... fine," she whispered. Her voice was barely audible.

?Then, her body tipped sideways. Her head slumped. The radiant glow on her skin completely died out.

?Valera caught her falling body. She was far too light. Her breathing was dangerously shallow.

?"Get her inside!"

?Lilith scrambled to her feet. Her body was covered in gashes, but she was still conscious. She placed a palm over Elara’s chest and went completely still.

?"Something feels wrong," she muttered.

?"Save it for later!" Kaelia snapped, grabbing Elara’s legs. "Bring her inside. Now!"

?Valera hoisted Elara’s limp body with one arm. The girl was incredibly light—even lighter than her Zweihander. She carried Elara into the half-ruined manor, closely followed by the limping Kaelia and Lilith. She laid Elara down gently on the wooden floorboards of the main hall.

?"Asrof!" Valera roared.

?The basement door flung open. Asrof emerged, his face ashen. Yuna and Berta peeked out from behind him. Berta covered her mouth with both hands, instantly breaking into soft sobs.

?Asrof froze at the sight of Elara lying motionless, blood staining her chin. He dropped to his knees, immediately draping his own coat over the young girl.

?"Lady Elara..." his voice broke. "I should have stopped you, My Lady. I was too late."

?"Save it," Valera cut in. "Call a healer. Quickly."

?"The nearest healer is in the next town over. It will take a full day to reach them."

?"I can stabilize her," Lilith interjected.

?Everyone turned to look at her.

?"I’m not a healer. But I can channel life energy."

?Valera stared at the Succubus. "Are you sure?"

?Lilith knelt down and placed both her hands over Elara’s chest.

?"Don’t!"

?Yuna stood at the basement threshold. Her face was streaked with tears, her hands trembling violently.

?"She’s a demon! You’re going to let her touch Lady Elara after all this?"

?"Yuna," Valera warned sharply.

?"I won’t allow it! Lady Elara is pure, she shouldn’t be touched by—" Yuna couldn’t finish her sentence.

?Lilith looked up at her, utterly devoid of emotion. "Do you want Elara to die?"

?Yuna froze.

?"Her life force is completely drained. If I don’t channel energy into her right now, she will die."

?Yuna opened her mouth, but no sound came out.

?"Yuna," Valera commanded softly. "Sit down."

?Yuna lowered her head. Her shoulders shook. Then, she slowly backed away with heavy, defeated steps, disappearing behind the basement door. From beyond it, muffled sobs echoed out.

?Lilith pressed both her hands firmly against Elara’s chest. A golden-red glow emanated from her palms, seeping directly into the girl’s body.

?Slowly, Elara’s ragged breathing began to steady.

?"She’s stable," Lilith whispered. "But she’s going to need time."

?"Are you okay yourself?" Kaelia asked.

?"I’m a demon. I don’t die from a few scratches." Despite her words, Lilith was still panting heavily.

?Valera slumped her back against the wall. Kaelia dropped down to sit on the floorboards. The three of them sat circling Elara in complete silence.

?Valera gazed at the small, fragile face. Fourteen years old. Three incredibly strong adults, and the one who saved them tonight was a blind child. She felt deeply ashamed.

?Then, the sound of creaking wood echoed from outside.

?Asrof stepped out into the courtyard and stared at the devastation. Uprooted trees. Fractured earth. And right in the center, nothing but a black scorch mark.

?"What on earth happened here?" he whispered.

?Valera followed him to the doorway.

?"We won."

?"But—"

?"We won," Valera repeated. Her tone was heavy. "And we were this close to losing."

?Asrof looked up at the sky. The village’s defensive barrier was completely shattered. There was no protection left. The night was beginning to fade, and dawn was fast approaching.

?Far from Valen Village, atop a jagged cliff just outside the defensive barrier of Zenithar Academy, a woman stood facing the towering stone spires.

?Her long black hair whipped wildly in the spring wind. Her skin was as pale as bone. Her pupilless crimson eyes blazed, and a black crescent moon was carved into her forehead.

?Her name was Carmilla. Another Crimson Moon.

?Behind her, dozens of lesser vampires waited in dead silence. Tattered black cloaks, stiff skin, and saliva mixed with blood dripping from their jaws. Not a single one dared to move a muscle.

?Far below, the lights of the academy still flickered in the dark. No one inside had any idea what was coming for them tonight.

?Carmilla lifted her chin, sniffing the wind. A faint smile curled on her lips.

?"The records are here," she whispered. "I can feel them."

?She stepped to the very edge of the precipice.

?"Move in."

?The dozens of lesser vampires launched themselves down the cliff. Barreling toward the barrier. Straight toward the academy.

?Carmilla watched them go. Then, her gaze shifted to the tallest tower.

?"Ethan Valen..." she murmured. "Are you in there?"

?She smiled.

?"We will meet soon."