Chapter 405: A Mother’s Final Blessing

[Music recommendation: Lana Del Rey - Taco Truck x VB]

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"But I am afraid our time has run out."

With those words, she raised her hand, causing the dark ashes to rise from her palm and swirl around Aliana like a delicate tempest.

"When you awaken, you will know where to find the remaining ashes," Lilith instructed softly. "They are closer to you than you think."

"Wait! What is happening?! I still have so many questions!" Aliana cried anxiously, watching the shimmering particles swirl around her.

Lilith smiled softly, her eyes filled with profound sorrow. "This is goodbye, Aliana. The answers you seek lie within your past. Stay strong, my child, and do not blame yourself for what happened."

Aliana’s eyes widened, and she reached out towards Lilith, but before her fingers could make contact, the ashes struck her skin.

A violent jolt of energy surged through her entire body, like a bolt of lightning. Aliana’s eyes blazed crimson as her head snapped backwards. Her skin felt as though it had been set ablaze, and her hair whipped wildly around her face as dark powers engulfed her.

A piercing scream tore from her throat before darkness swallowed her consciousness. The dark energy rapidly seeped into her body, and her limp form collapsed onto the flat stone where she had been sitting.

Just as Aliana fell unconscious, Lilith rose from her seat and gently caressed her hair.

"I wish fate had granted us more time..." she whispered.

Suddenly, power radiated from Lilith’s body. In the next instant, a brilliant purple light enveloped both her and the unconscious Aliana, and they vanished from the cave, reappearing where Gavriel lay bound by the Netherblooms.

Tears continued to stream down Lilith’s cheeks as she gently laid Aliana down onto the soft ground before turning toward her unconscious son.

’Mother...’ She remembered the absolute shock in his voice when he had called out to her just before losing consciousness.

Quietly, she approached Gavriel and gathered his limp form into her arms, holding him for one last time.

"Forgive me, my son... I wish I could have done more for you. You have suffered so much, and I pray that this will mark the end of your suffering. I love you beyond words..."

Leaning down, she pressed a soft, lingering kiss against his forehead. At her touch, soft purple light spread along his skin. The suffocating vines of Netherbloom loosened their grip, their sharp thorns receding as they dropped away. Magic continued to pour from Lilith into his body, closing his open wounds and knitting his broken skin back together until no trace of blood remained.

She brushed a gentle hand through his dark locks, her heart aching. "I feared I would never hold my boy in my arms again."

As she pulled back, she noticed his brows furrow slightly. "Mo...ther..." he murmured in his unconscious state.

Lilith smiled through her tears. "My Riel..." she spoke, using his affectionate childhood name. "Take care, my son. If fate permits, we shall meet again."

Her body began to glow brighter as she gently lowered Gavriel onto the grass.

Keeping her gaze fixed upon her son with a tenderness that words could never convey, her form slowly dissolved into a multitude of brilliant white orbs.

One orb glowed brighter than the others before drifting towards Gavriel and Aliana. It expanded, spreading around them until it formed a vast, luminous dome that enclosed them both like a protective barrier.

The remaining orbs floated upwards into the sky, growing fainter and fainter until they disappeared completely.

....

"Hello there... little one." A tender, melodious voice pulled Aliana from the depths of her unconscious mind.

"Do not be afraid," the voice murmured softly. "I won’t hurt you."

’Who is that?’ Aliana thought, her brows drawing together in confusion.

Slowly, she blinked against the hazy light before opening her eyes fully.

The moment she did, her gaze met a pair of striking crimson eyes, belonging to a woman hovering close to her face. Startled, Aliana scrambled backward in panic just as the woman reached out toward her.

"W-Who are you?!" The question tumbled from Aliana’s lips, but as the hand drew closer, she squeezed her eyes shut in fright.

"Ah, got you!" the woman gasped delightedly.

A soft little yip echoed through the air.

Aliana’s brows furrowed. ’Wait... what was that? Is she ignoring me?’

"Aww, you are so precious!" the woman cooed.

Aliana finally opened her eyes, only for them to widen at the sight of the tall, breathtakingly beautiful woman with long, midnight-black hair and deep red eyes. She was smiling warmly as she cradled a small, fluffy black pup with multiple tails and bright blue eyes.

"What is happening..." Aliana whispered while watching the woman continue to caress the restless creature, as it squirmed in her arms, struggling to escape her hold.

When her gaze drifted back to the woman’s face, she felt the air knocked clean out of her lungs as she finally took in her features. They were strikingly similar to her own.

There was hardly anything different about the woman’s appearance, save for her black hair and red eyes.

And then it struck Aliana.

She had seen herself looking exactly like that once before, in a dream.

Suddenly, the pup wriggled free from the woman’s arms and bolted toward the woods. "Hey! Wait, don’t run! I promise I won’t hurt you!" the woman called out, dashing after the fleeting creature.

Aliana’s heart began to pound as she scrambled to her feet and ran after them. As she followed the woman through the forest, she finally took in her surroundings.

A thick canopy of trees stretched beneath a shimmering night sky, while glowing plants and flowers she had never seen before illuminated the lush undergrowth.

Soon, the woman slowed near a small clearing, looking around before sighing in gentle disappointment. "Escaped already? What a clever little creature."

She resumed walking, more slowly this time, and Aliana followed close behind.

But the moment she stepped into the next clearing, her footsteps came to an abrupt halt.

"This place..."

Her heart skipped a beat, and her eyes widened.

"No way..." she whispered, staring at the familiar scene she had encountered several times in her dreams.

Before her lay a stretch of lush green grass dotted with tiny, softly glowing flowers. A crystal-clear stream flowed nearby, its waters shimmering with a faint blue light. And beside the stream stood a magnificent rose tree, its branches spreading in all their glory, covered in brilliant red blooms.

The night sky above sparkled with infinite stars.

Tears welled in Aliana’s eyes as she pressed a trembling hand over her lips. "Is this... the Underworld?"