CHAPTER 331: CHAPTER 331 OBLITERATION CURSE

Midnight’s growl rumbled deep from his chest, vibrating through the broken silence of the corridor. The air around him was heavy, thick with the metallic scent of blood and a murderous aura. His fur was soaked with blood, his claws glistening wet. He moved closer, each step slow, deliberate, his breath hot against the cold air.

Seraphina froze where she knelt. Her body trembled, but not from fear, but from exhaustion, and disbelief. She could see the faint wounds that Gwen’s magic had made across his body, yet he looked unbothered by the pain, as though he no longer felt it.

"Midnight," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

He prowled nearer, lowering his head until his nose brushed against her arm. His growl deepened, rough and guttural, and for a moment, she thought he might attack her too. Her heart raced wildly in her chest.

Then, without warning, his tongue brushed across her bleeding hands.

Seraphina gasped, her entire body going still. The warmth of his touch startled her, soft against the sting of her open wounds. She should have recoiled, and should have felt disgusted but instead, her eyes burned with tears she didn’t understand.

He licked her wounds again, slower this time, his movements gentle, almost protective. Her breath hitched as a strange warmth spread through her chest.

"Why... why are you doing this?" she whispered shakily, her voice trembling. She blinked, a tear sliding down her cheek. "I thought you hated me."

She remembered the way Alaric had glared at her before, the anger in his eyes, the distance in his voice. But now, here he was, tending to her wounds with a tenderness that made her heart ache. The only person who had ever protected her before was the Queen. And now, Alaric, or rather, his wolf was doing the same.

"Thank you," she breathed, her words faint but sincere. Her fingers reached out hesitantly, brushing against the thick fur at his back. It was warm and coarse, sticky with blood. "It seems you’re more social than Alaric." A small, tired smile tugged at her lips. She knew Alaric could hear her, she wondered why he hadn’t come out to speak with her.

Was he still mad at her?

Midnight’s golden eyes flickered with something she couldn’t name. He huffed softly and leaned closer, his tongue brushing against her neck.

Seraphina froze again, her cheeks heating at the sudden contact. "Midnight..." she whispered, her tone somewhere between a warning and a plea.

He said nothing, of course. He stood there, silent and steady, his presence overwhelming yet oddly comforting.

"Can you... Take me back to the battle?" she asked softly. "Please. I need to see her."

Midnight stepped back, his gaze lingering on her. Then, after a moment, he turned around and stood before her, lowering his body slightly. His gesture was clear.

Seraphina stared at him, stunned for a moment, before she let out a small, shaky breath of relief.

Her eyes grew heavy with fatigue, her limbs weak. She pressed her palms against his back, wincing at the pull of her wounds. "Please," she whispered again, her voice barely a breath.

Midnight’s body tensed as if fighting against his instincts, but finally, he obliged. He lowered himself further, allowing her to climb on. Once she was secure, he rose in one smooth movement, his muscles rippling beneath her as he ran toward the exit.

The air outside was thick with chaos. Smoke curled into the sky, and the ground was cracked and scorched. The castle was now nothing more than a field of ruin. Lightning flashed overhead, illuminating the clash of two overwhelming forces.

The Queen and the Greater Evil.

Seraphina clutched Midnight’s fur, her heart pounding in her chest. The sheer power in the air was suffocating, making it hard to breathe. The Queen floated above the battlefield, her hair glowing whitish grey, her face calm but her body was trembling.

As if sensing Seraphina’s gaze, the Queen turned. Their eyes met across the chaos. A faint smile touched the Queen’s lips. It was soft... and final.

Seraphina’s stomach twisted. "Queen..." she whispered.

The Queen’s magic flickered, her strength waning. The Greater Evil laughed, their voice cutting through the storm. "Your death is inevitable!"

The Queen descended slowly, her feet touching the ground. A large circular diagram spread from beneath her, its symbols glowing bright and red.

"You are right, my death is inevitable... why not use it to do something more meaningful?" The Queen’s words were soft, almost like someone who had accepted their ill fate.

Seraphina’s breath caught. "No... no, she wouldn’t..."

All around her, witches gasped in horror, their voices trembling. Even the Greater Evil’s smirk faltered, her expression shifting to disbelief.

"The Obliteration Curse," the Greater Evil whispered, their voice dripping with fear.

Seraphina’s heart stopped. "No! Don’t do this!" she screamed.

The Queen looked up at her and smiled. "I would rather destroy myself than let the corrupted witches win."

The corrupted witches began to panic. Their laughter died, replaced by screams as they scrambled to flee. Some summoned their flying crooked sticks, rising into the air in terror.

But it was too late, the spell had already begun.

Before the spell completed, the Queen lifted her hand and threw something toward Seraphina. A burst of light struck her chest, vanishing into her body. She gasped, feeling warmth spread through her veins.

A large portal tore open behind them, its edges glowing violently.

"Go!" The Queen’s voice echoed through the field. Her sad eyes swept over her people. "Live. As long as you live, the coven lives."

Seraphina struggled to climb down from Midnight, but her body felt stuck to his back. Her eyes widened in horror, as she couldn’t move.

Midnight turned his head, his golden eyes meeting hers. Then he looked toward the Queen, who gave him a small nod.

"Take her away," the Queen pleaded softly.

Without hesitation, the witches began to flee toward the portal. One by one, they leapt through, whispering blessings and farewells through their tears. The remaining werewolves followed close behind.

Midnight gave one last glance at the Queen before leaping forward.

Seraphina’s scream broke through the roar of the collapsing magic. "No! Don’t...!"

But her words were drowned by the deafening sound of the spell.

As they soared through the portal, she turned her head, her tear-filled eyes locking onto the Queen one last time.

The dark wave consumed everything...trees, buildings, corpses, all reduced to dust and ash. The Queen’s body was already disintegrating, her form breaking apart into fragments of ashes.

The portal closed, disappearing into thin air before the dark wave of obliteration could reach them.