Chapter 416: The Forgotten Past - X

[Music recommendation: Ivan Torrent - Dandelion]

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Hera and Malakov stood frozen as the colossal winged serpent appeared out of thin air.

Hera had only ever heard stories about the giant beasts residing on the fifth level and how lethal they truly were. Ceri was the only high-level beast she had encountered so far, and while creatures like Ceri were intelligent and formidable, they were nowhere near this gigantic size. This was the first time she had ever laid eyes on one so monstrous.

Before she could process the danger, the serpent uncoiled and lunged straight toward Hera, opening its massive jaws in an attempt to swallow her whole.

Just as it closed in, a pair of strong arms wrapped around Hera’s waist, pulling her out of harm’s way.

Malakov had barely managed to draw her back when something else happened.

A massive black wolf with nine tails leapt in front of her, its jaws parting as it unleashed a brilliant blue energy blast. The attack struck the serpent squarely in the face, forcing the colossal beast to recoil.

The serpent screeched in agony and fury. The deafening sound drew others to rush outside to witness the unbelievable scene unfolding in the courtyard.

Both Hera and Malakov stared at the magnificent wolf in shock.

"What is that nine-tailed wolf doing here?" Malakov murmured.

Hera barely heard him. Her wide eyes took in the enormous beast, its midnight-black fur shimmering with ethereal blue light. Nine flowing tails glowed with starlike sparks, while intricate golden armour adorned with brilliant sapphires encased its powerful body.

But it was his glowing blue eyes that she recognised instantly.

"No..." she whispered.

Her heart hammered against her ribs as the serpent reared back to launch a searing red beam of energy directly at the wolf.

Tearing herself away from Malakov’s grip, Hera screamed, "Ceri!"

.....

Meanwhile, Gavriel arrived back on the Rios Palace grounds in Tartarus alongside Orin and the troop that had accompanied him on the fifth level.

His command came out immediately. "Alert every unit of a beast breach. Protect the realm’s citizens and report all magic fluctuations without delay."

"Right away, Your Highness," Orin replied, channeling the command through his crimson communication badge.

Gavriel’s eyes blazed a vivid crimson before he launched himself directly into the sky. Levitating midair, his dark powers bled outward, forming a circle around him that expanded wider and wider across the atmosphere.

"What is His Highness doing?" one of the soldiers whispered in awe.

Having finished passing the orders, Orin replied, "He is using his powers to search Tartarus for the beast himself."

The troop watched in silent reverence as their prince’s formidable power stretched across the sky, blanketing the realm.

Gavriel closed his eyes, straining to detect any magic fluctuations across Tartarus. It was no easy task given how vast the realm spanned, but he knew every wasted second gave the beast another chance to wreak havoc.

Suddenly, his brow furrowed as Bellarios stirred deep within his soul.

Gavriel’s heart gave a violent thud before felt his entire body beginning to burn. A sudden, scorching heat flooded his veins, causing his blood to race at a terrifying speed. He raised a hand, pressing it firmly over his heart as it hammered wildly against his ribs, as though he had sprinted a million miles.

’What is this feeling?’ Gavriel thought, a wave of shock washing over him.

An overwhelming magnetic pull unlike anything he had ever felt began to call to him from afar. His powers began to spiral out of control, forcing him to double over midair as beads of cold sweat formed on his brow from the searing heat surging through his skin.

Below, the watching soldiers panicked. "W-What is happening to His Highness?!"

Orin was equally stunned by his prince’s sudden distress. "Your Highness! Are you all right?"

Gavriel could not hear him over the thunderous roaring in his own blood. His fingers dug deeply into the fabric over his heart as he forced out a strained, breathless rasp. "Bellarios..."

Deep within him, Bellarios roared to life, ’It’s her.... I’ve found her!’

Gavriel’s eyes snapped open, his pupils narrowing into slits as recognition struck him.

"Your Highness!" his men shouted from below.

But before any of them could reach him, Gavriel’s dark powers pulsed with red aura before they engulfed him completely.

....

Moments before at Ravenor Mansion...

"Ceri!"

Hera’s scream pierced the air just as the serpent’s crimson beam struck the spot where Ceri stood. The collision unleashed a blinding burst of red light, shaking the ground as dust and debris erupted in every direction.

Tears filled Hera’s eyes. "No!"

She lunged toward Ceri, but another arm caught her. "Lady Hera, no! It’s too dangerous!"

She whipped around to find Belial holding her fast, his eyes burning red with concern.

Hera thrashed against his hold as she tried to free herself. "No! Let go of me! I need to get to Ceri!"

Belial’s brow furrowed in utter confusion. "Ceri?"

Before Hera could reply, the majestic wolf leapt out of the dust and let out a ferocious roar, pulling everyone’s attention toward him.

"Ceri!" Hera breathed in relief to see him alright, and that was when Belial realized who she had been talking about.

Meanwhile, Queen Lilith, having witnessed the appearance of the second beast, raised her hand and commanded her royal guards, "There is another beast! Take them down and protect the others!"

Hera’s blood ran cold upon seeing dozens of Archdemons belonging to the royal guard surrounding the two beasts.

"Take positions!" the guard commander yelled, pointing his magical staff as it began to glow with accumulated energy to prepare a combined attack on both beasts.

Just then the serpent screeched again before releasing another attack toward Ceri. The nine-tailed wolf sprang aside with astonishing agility, then soared into the air and retaliated with another blue energy blast from his jaws.

The attack struck the serpent’s scaly body, burning a patch of its hide, but the damage was far from enough to bring the colossal beast down.

Hera watched in growing horror Ceri in harm’s way from both the creature above and the guards below.

Right as a magical circle formed on the ground, the royal guards prepared to obliterate both beasts, Hera let out a piercing scream.

"STOP IT!"

And everything happened all at once.