Quickly they took multiple steps back, especially since Zyren had beheaded the body yet it was currently moving.
The room echoed with a low, unsettling hum, the kind of sound that made even the bravest warriors falter. Everyone in the room held their breath, the tension so thick it was almost tangible.
But just when Zyren was expecting to see the body dart towards him after he released the hold of his shadows from him, only to watch as the head—which was still severed but now bigger and more monstrous—slowly began to laugh as it spoke.
"You’ll regret this!" he swore, even as he howled from where it was on the ground, even as its body continued to burn from the fire that still engulfed it.
The smell of burning flesh filled the air. The flames crackled and popped, eating through flesh that should have long since given up movement.
Zyren’s brows almost furrowed, even as he wondered what the dumb monster was screaming about, even as he willed his shadows to wrap around it so it couldn’t move, prepared to watch it burn completely into ash. The tendrils of shadow curled around the twitching limbs like serpents, hissing with deadly purpose, black as night and dense with ancient power.
But that very moment, the body suddenly lit up—especially the chest area—with a blazing red colour that made Zyren’s brows furrow. The light surged from deep within its ribcage, pulsing like a second heartbeat, unnatural and dangerous.
He opened his mouth to speak, only to look around, a sly glint popping up in his eyes as he clammed his mouth down, aware that there was no time, as he darted towards Aria, reaching for her to wrap himself around her. His speed blurred, a gust of wind and blood swirling in his wake.
But he had just gotten to her side when an explosion went off right from the body of the Zygon, even as the Zygon detonated the core of its body.
The explosion was immense, and what was more devastating was the fact that King Jared himself wasn’t aware of it, neither were the other werewolves and vampires caught in it.
It was massive, powerful enough to shake the walls of the hall they were all in, just short of actually tumbling the walls down. The marble cracked, the windows shattered, and chandeliers fell with a thunderous crash, metal and crystal raining down.
Blood sprayed to the walls, even as pieces of flesh smashed onto it. Black blood this time around, enough for anyone to tell that whatsoever or whosoever had owned the blood couldn’t have been even the slightest bit human. It hissed on contact with the stone, acidic and smoking, etching itself into the castle walls.
But worse than that was the collateral damage of such a thing, especially on the Vampires. Werewolves were missing limbs and grievously wounded, since they had been standing the closest to the Zygon—especially Jared.
But while they were bleeding and it seemed like they were already on their last life, Vampires seemed to have been just as injured. Their wounds were healing, but not fast enough for the damage to be fixed. It was clear that they would need blood. The hunger clung to them like fog, thick and oppressive.
Harriet had been flung and smashed against the wall, and it looked bad with blood pooling out of her mouth. Her limbs hung limp, her breathing barely visible. Yet out of all this mess, the one that seemed to be the most uninjured wasn’t Zyren, who seemed to have taken the brunt of it.
It was Aria who was under Zyren and had been shielded by him. Her eyes still rang, and her body trembled, even as she heard Zyren cough as he knelt on the ground on one knee. The sound of his labored breathing echoed too loud in the sudden silence.
Aria raised her gaze, only to gasp at the sight of Zyren’s back. Forget the silver she had tried to use to kill him, his bones were exposed in such a way that it was clear that it was a miracle his spine was still functioning. Blood trickled down in slow, thick rivulets, mixing with soot and ash.
Aria trembled, looking around at the devastation, even as she caught sight of the vampire guard who had been the farthest away from the mess get on his feet as he hurried out.
Aria was stunned, shocked that he hadn’t even spared a glance to Zyren, which made her heart pound. Yet her heart only thumped harder when she watched as Jared got up to his feet, his eyes blazing yellow. One of his hands was definitely broken and mangled for him not to be able to use it, but it didn’t seem to matter, as his gaze landed on Zyren who wasn’t moving.
He hadn’t fallen to the ground, but he was completely unmoving with his eyes closed, enough for Aria to know it was serious, as she pushed from under him, shocked to see him not even react, even as she scrambled to her feet. Her legs nearly gave out beneath her.
Her heart thumping, as Jared moved closer, aware of what he was going to do, since his eyes and aura practically screamed it. What better time than now could he ever get to kill Zyren than at that very moment? His growl vibrated in the broken silence.
Yet the fact that Zyren wouldn’t have been in that state in the first place if he hadn’t saved her life grated on her nerves. That brutal truth clung to her like chains.
’He killed my father and brother! He deserves worse than this!’ she swore to herself, trying to kill whatever pity had risen up in her soul, yet she couldn’t. The fact still remained that he had saved her. Considering Harriet’s state, if he hadn’t covered her and held onto her, she would have died.
’What would have happened to Liora then? What would have happened to my revenge?’ she thought, aware that even at that moment, Zyren could kill her and her sister if he wanted, without so much as lifting a finger.
Jared, on the other hand, didn’t hesitate as he morphed his right hand into claws—an ability anyone with enough control of their beast could easily do—as he moved closer to Zyren, intent on taking his head off, only to frown as he watched Aria step in front.