Chapter 601
In the afternoon, everyone gathered in the common hall, who were supposed to be involved in the plan to bring down Ophelia forever.
“Amelie and I discussed whether one of us shall become the bait to invite Ophelia into our trap,” Gabriel began. “And we have finally decided that it should be me p>
“But you’re the strongest fighter we have, and you’re the one supposed to wield the sword,” Casaio remarked, shaking his head. “As Carlos could sense the energy the blade possessed, Ophelia will sense the same. If you carry that weapon toward her, she’ll smell the threat from miles away and vanish into the shadows before you’re even close p>
“I will be the one wielding that sword,” Amelie stated, her voice surprisingly steady for someone suggesting such a dangerous feat.
The room went silent. Gabriel looked at his wife with pride.
“Yes,” Gabriel continued, addressing the group’s silent shock. “She will not appear until Ophelia is trapped. Carlos and Mona will perform the binding magic on Ophelia to pin her soul. Once the binding is complete, the window will be short. Either you, or Dominick will use the teleportation markers to bring Amelie to that exact location p>
“You’re making yourself the target while she carries the only thing that can kill the witch,” Dominick mused, leaning against a pillar. “It’s risky. If the teleportation is delayed even by a second, Ophelia will tear you apart, Gabriel p>
“Which is why we cannot afford a single second of delay,” Gabriel replied, his gaze shifting to Carlos. “Can the binding hold her long enough for Amelie to strike p>
“Gabriel, we are talking about a dark witch,” Carlos warned, his expression etched with a rare severity. “Mona and I can bind her, but the magic I’ll be using has limits. We can hold her for exactly sixty seconds. In that minute, you two must ensure the sword slashes her. If the binding breaks before the strike, she will be a cornered predator with enough power to level this clearing p>
Gabriel didn’t blink. He knew the cost of failure wasn’t just his life, but the future of the entire lineage.
“If I go in front of Ophelia, she will do anything to kill me first. She will use every trick, every illusion, and every ounce of pain she can muster to distract you,” Gabriel said, turning to look directly into Amelie’s eyes. “None of you can flinch at her threats, especially not you, Amelie. You cannot let her voice get inside your head. When the moment comes, you must pierce the blade straight through her heart. Can you do it p>
Amelie furrowed her brows together. She looked at Gabriel, remembering the horror of her past life. She remembered the way Ophelia had trapped Gabriel to hurt both of them. The witch thrived on the bonds between people, twisting love into a leash.
Her fingers curled instinctively. She knew that if she hesitated for even a second out of fear for Gabriel’s safety, they were both dead. And not them, but others too. This time, she wouldn’t be the victim of a prophecy; she would be the one to end it.
“I won’t give her a single chance,” Amelie said, a confident glare appearing in her eyes.
“Are you sure, Amelie?” Dominick asked with a pragmatism that bordered on coldness. “We’re betting everything on a sixty-second window. We need a backup plan. If Amelie’s resolve wavers or if she’s blocked, someone else has to be ready to finish it p>
Gabriel didn’t take offense at the suggestion; he knew the stakes were too high for ego.
“Then you or Cas will be the secondary strikers,” he suggested, his gaze shifting between his brothers. “You two will already be at the location for the teleportation. You’ll be the closest to the circle once the binding is set p>
He leaned over the map spread across the table, pointing to the perimeter. “Karmen will be there too, positioned as a sharpshooter, but she’ll stay at a distance to avoid Ophelia’s immediate sensory range. The goal is simple: whoever sees the opening, whoever has the clear path, kill her. Don’t wait for a signal p>
Gabriel looked back at Amelie. “But initially, Amelie will be the one wielding the sword. She has the strongest connection to the blade’s intent p>
“I’m good at shooting too, so I’ll assist Karmen,” Zilia volunteered. “We can pin Ophelia down using long-range weapons while the binding is active. Since the stakes are so high, we need layers of defense. If one trap fails, the next one must be ready to trigger immediately p>
Gabriel nodded. “Your precision will be vital. Keep her distracted and limit her movement p>
“Can’t I be a part of this?” Katelyn asked.
“No,” the three brothers said at the same time before Gabriel continued,
“You’re not fully healed yet, Katel. I won’t let you set foot in that arena. I know you’re stronger than any of us, but your body has limits. If you take another hit while you’re still recovering, the damage could be permanent p>
Katelyn opened her mouth to argue, but Gabriel held up a hand. “I need you here with Sage, guarding the palace and Noah. If anything goes wrong out there, you are the last line of defense. That is just as important as the hunting the witch itself p>
Katelyn slumped back slightly, but she finally gave a reluctant nod. She understood the weight of the task, even if she hated being away from the heat of the battle. She wanted to tear apart that bloody witch for hurting her.
“So, is it all set?” Gabriel asked, his eyes sweeping across the determined faces in the hall.
“No,” Casaio interrupted, leaning over the tactical map. “We need to establish a perimeter of warrior wolves. Even with her dark magic, Ophelia cannot fight an entire army at once; the large numbers will force her to expend her energy faster. We use them to hem her in p>
He paused, his expression turning even more serious. “Most importantly, we are going to rehearse this entire sequence tonight. We must account for the fact that Ophelia can, and likely will, sever the mental and telepathic links between you and Amelie. If you can’t communicate, the timing of the teleportation becomes a guessing game. We need to be so synchronized that we move by instinct, not by voice p>
He looked back and forth between Gabriel and Amelie.
“Basically, we need to prepare from every possible angle,” Gabriel stated. “We have exactly one chance to bring an end to Ophelia. If we miss that one minute window, there won’t be a second attempt p>