AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“It’s done,” the god replied in a voice I didn’t recognize.
Cedric looked up, and his eyes narrowed, but his lips curled with a triumphant grin. His chin cracked from his bottom lip down his face, like a glass doll, and he held his hand out and was given something I couldn’t see.
“Would you look at that,” Cedric whispered.
He held a needle before my face, and inside, I saw a red mist. It looked like chaos.
What was he planning to do with it?
“I went through so much trouble to make this.” Cedric sighed as he examined the needle's content, and then he stood.
I was pulled to my feet by an invisible force and dragged behind him, following him to the edge of the balcony. When I saw what lay below, I started yelling Natalie's name, calling out to her through our mate bond, but my connection was still blocked.
I needed to warn her.
There was a mass gathering of gods—all Dextura, from the looks of it—but there were souls and native creatures too. They were all infected, with crimson eyes looking up to gaze with wonder at Cedric.
Beneath the shadow of the red sky, it looked like I was in hell.
“Cedric,” I struggled to say. “Don’t do this. These souls don’t deserve this. This realm was the only place of peace they had.”
“It shouldn’t have been the only place.” His hand fell to his side, the needle dangling from his fingers. “The gods ignore suffering on Earth—as if they think coming to this realm is enough of a consolation after being put through so much pain. How many souls pour into this realm each time there is a war on earth? And the gods do nothing to stop it.”
He turned to face me. “There's no going back now, son, only forward. I'm going to break each realm. I'll destroy them one by one, starting with this one and the Mortal Realm. Then I’ll rebuild and build the realms the way they should have been. And you'll be by my side when I do it.”
He moved faster than I could follow, and I winced when I felt the pinch of the needle sinking into my neck.
"Stop," I growled, still unable to move. “Cedric, stop!”
Cedric smiled. "You'll thank me for this, Rumir. One day you will." He pressed down on the needle, and I could no longer see in color—everything was red. My dragon roared, strangled by the virus working its way through my veins.
I couldn’t fight it, the seductive sensation of rage and power. Flames erupted inside me, the most glorious burn I'd ever felt.
“Now,” Cedric said, and I felt a tug on my soul, a pull to hang onto his words, to await his command. "Go and fetch your mate."
* * *
Natalie
The Goddess and I teleported to the entrance that would take us back to the God Realm. When we arrived, three demons—massive, hideous, armored things—watched us walk through, likely making sure we didn’t come back.
They didn’t have to worry. I was more than ready to leave the underworld, but a part of me didn't want to let go of the power clinging to me. It was like a soothing, gentle wind on a hot day, granting indescribable relief. But as great as this power felt, I only needed to look around to know it wasn't the kind of power I wanted.
After meeting Cyrus and Skye, I now knew that not everyone in the Demon Realm was a horrifying soulless thing. But even so, I never intended to return to this place.
After stepping through the portal, the Goddess and I were greeted by the world serpent that was in a frenzy. She was hissing violently, her body destroying the few remaining pillars and walls of the old white tower.
“Goddess!” someone called out. “Natalie!” A god came running toward us and dodged the snake’s tail. “Thank goodness you’re back.”
It was Nathos, I realized, the god who had taken me and the others here when we'd wanted help entering the City of Souls during the first attack. Before the Goddess or I could speak, there was an explosion over our heads, and the world serpent roared with rage.
"Calm," the Goddess whispered to the beast, and its head lowered to her. “Nathos, what’s going on?”
“Infected souls, gods, and animals,” he answered hastily. “They’re attacking again—thousands of them—and the same is being reported in other cities. The sky’s turned blood red, Goddess.”
“It would seem that Cedric made his move while we were away,” the Goddess grumbled, as another explosion rattled us.
I felt a surge of panic. “We’re too late.”
