Chapter 358
TWO DAYS LATER.
Kaelos’ POV
“Here we are,” Althea muttered as we stepped through the portal she opened.
The black fur cloak I wore blew into the wind as the chill of the Canadian frost brushed through my skin, toppling my hair with snow.
My boots crunched on the snowy ground while my eyes scanned the perimeter until they landed on the mountain hundreds of meters in front of us.
Mount Logan.
“Ugh,” Janelle’s grunt behind me forced me to glance back just in time to see Althea’s portal seal up. “This place is chillier than the last.”
Our group consisted of me, Althea, and Janelle.
Alpha King Thorian was given charge of the main army.
Soldiers of Blood Oak, all the ally packs of North America, and the army Thorian carried along, all gathered and waited for the signal to jump through portals and charge.
As for their witch allies…
“The Luminari coven elders are on standby with the witches we were able to gather.” Althea turned around to face Janelle and me, her dark blue robe fluttering around her. “Approximately five hundred elite witches hand-picked from the most powerful covens on the continent.”
Five hundred.
It seemed like a small number, but the fact that they were all elite witches gave me some reassurance. We didn’t need too many casualties in this.
“Any word from Regina and Caroline yet?” Janelle whipped her head to me, wrapping her arms around her chest and adjusting her silver fur coat.
I parted my lips to speak when suddenly… The air stilled.
The wind stopped blowing. The snow stopped falling.
All that remained was a dead silence that stretched uncomfortably long, sending chills down my spine that definitely weren’t from the frost.
“Something’s wrong,” Althea stated the obvious, stretching out her arms in preparation.
I let my eyes linger on her back for a few seconds before stepping forward. My gaze narrowed on the mountain.
And then—
BOOM!
A powerful beam of pitch black energy shot out of the mountain’s peak, kissing the clouds first before splitting them out of existence.
Unfortunately, that wasn’t all the energy beam did.
“Take cover!” Althea shouted in a panic, but no sooner had her voice chirped than a shimmering blue force bubble surrounded us.
And barely a second after the force bubble flickered into existence, we were given a reason to be grateful for it.
BOOM!
A powerful shockwave from the blast crashed onto the force bubble with so much force that I was forced to close my eyes and place my arms in front of my face.
That went on for several seconds until the explosion after shock cleared. My eyes fluttered open immediately, peering through the semi-transparent force bubble, which soon disappeared.
“What in the moon’s name is that?” I craned my neck at the spectacle glowing like a beacon from the mountain.
The black energy beam was still active, spiralling with circles of dark, ring-like energy. And that wasn’t the only thing different now.
“That shouldn’t be normal.” Janelle pointed at the skies above the mountain, forcing me to follow her line of sight.
Not only had the energy beam split the clouds, but it had also left behind cracks. Yes. Cracks.
The sky spreading for several tens of meters was now covered in cracks, cutting deep into the very fabric of reality like a broken mirror. And they were spreading fast.
“This… This doesn’t make any sense.” Janelle whipped her head to me, the air picking up strands of her silver hair which blew over her face. “There are only three ways that energy beam could just rise into the sky like it’s a welcoming encore for us.”
My jaw tightened as she continued speaking, her voice clipped:
“Either it’s a regular occurrence here and we just happened to walk into one. Or, the blast is a retaliation from Ryker who might’ve discovered Regina and Caroline—”
“Regina and Caroline are alright.” Althea turned around to face us, her right arm flaring with a blue communication rune linked to Regina’s mind. “They weren’t discovered and they’re almost close to breaking through the secret entrance underneath the mountain.”
My fists clenched beside me, my nostrils flaring as the air around us became even chillier.
The black energy seemed to be pulsing in mockery of me. In mockery of this whole operation.
“Let me guess your third option, Luna Queen Janelle.” I took slow steps forward, tilting my head at the mountain. “The only other way that energy beam would be hurtling into the sky the second we arrived is… If we have a rat amongst us.”
The tension between the three of us was thick enough to make my chest heavy. That and the all-consuming rage pulsing through my veins thanks to Damon.
’We’ll fish out the traitor and kill them once this is all over.’ Damon growled menacingly. ’But our dear old brother’s heart is more important to rip out at the moment.’
“A rat?” Janelle repeated my words grimly. “Alpha king, if that’s the case, doesn’t that mean we’re walking right into a trap?”
I pressed my lips into a thin line as I stared at her, calm and unblinking. “It’s more like walking into his last-ditch effort. Whatever Ryker has planned must’ve been speed run after he discovered our plans.” Check latest chapters at ⓝovelFind.net
The Luna Queen didn’t seem too convinced, a heavy sigh leaving her lips.
Suddenly, Althea chimed. “They made it! Regina and Caroline have made it through the secret entrance.”
The high priestess turned to face me, nodding solemnly. “I’ll send the coordinates to the witches and King Thorian.”
She closed her eyes, murmuring a few words while my mind reeled.
This was it. The beginning of our last stand.
I slowly brought my eyes to my fingers just then, looking past my wedding ring. There on my index finger was a golden ring that seemed like it was forced into it.
Odessa’s protection ring.
“It was once able to help you find me.” She told me before we left. “I’m giving it to you for good luck. You’d better come back with it. Okay?”
My lips twitched into a faint smile, my fingers brushing across the ring tenderly.
I will not let you down, Odessa.
My thoughts were cut short when Althea fixed her sharp gaze on me yet again.
“They’ll be here any second.” She muttered, glancing at Janelle as well. “Do we wait for them or head in there now?”
Silence.
I slowly lowered my hands, staring at the energy beam still spiralling with more power. The cracks continued spreading through the skies, whooshing with ghostly howls that split through them.
Like a reminder that we didn’t have a lot of time for decisions.
Luckily, I already had one.
“We wait for King Thorian and the witches.” I cracked my knuckles, my voice firm. “Then we show Ryker the unity he’s been so bent on breaking.”
The sky rumbled as I let out those words.