Chapter 36: Betrayal and Bloodlines
Melissa’s POV
The relic pulsed with energy, its jagged fissures flashing like molten fire, and the ground beneath me shook. As Damon’s words replayed in my head, my heart raced.
With a triumphant tone, he had declared, “Your blood is the key.”
I was no longer able to deny it. It was no accident that I felt a connection to the relic. It was a part of who I was, ingrained in my blood. I was troubled by the truth, but I didn’t have time to think about it.
Kane’s voice interrupted my train of thought. “Hey, Melissa! Return!
As I whirled around, I saw him racing forward, his sword ruthlessly slicing through Damon’s infected followers. Even though his face was pale from fatigue and his clothes were smeared with blood, his determination remained unwavering.
“You’re hurt, Kane!” With a quivering voice, I yelled.
He grunted and struck down another adversary, saying, “I’ll be fine.” “You pay attention to Damon. We must prevent him from completing the ceremony!
Damon chanted in a language I couldn’t understand while standing close to the item with his arms lifted. Around him, dark energy tendrils whirled, flowing into the device and enhancing its luminosity.
I clenched my hands, feeling a mixture of fear and rage. “Damon, you won’t prevail!” In spite of the confusion, I shouted in a steady voice.
He glanced at me while grinning. “Melissa, do you still not understand? Winning or losing is not the point of this. It has to do with fate. And the core of it all is your ancestry.
“What are you discussing?” I moved closer and commanded.
With his eyes glimmering with a perverse mixture of pride and rage, Damon lowered his hands. “You, Melissa, are infused with the blood of the deity. It serves as your link to the artefact. It is the source of your power. And that’s why the ceremony can only be performed by you.
His words sliced through me like a dagger, and I froze. I responded, “You’re lying,” but my voice trailed off.
“Am I?” he scoffed. “Consider it. If not, why would you find resonance in the artefact? If not, why would you sense its strength pulsing through your body?
I tried to refute it by shaking my head, but I knew in my heart that he was correct.
I was brought back to reality by Kane’s voice. “Don’t listen to him, Melissa! You are more than your ancestry. You’re more powerful than that!
With tears in my eyes, I turned to face him. “Kane, what if he’s right? What if I am the cause of this whole situation?
He firmly answered, “Then we’ll stop it together,” and moved to stand next to me. “Melissa, you’re not alone in this.”
I was strengthened by his comments, yet the situation’s weight was too much to bear.
I felt a slight pull at the back of my mind as Damon started his chant again-a recognizable presence that gave me a start.
My kid.
Through the confusion, I managed to feel their energy, brittle yet unwavering. They seemed to be calling to me through the storm with their small voice.
“Mom…”
I felt a fresh feeling of purpose as the word reverberated in my heart. I closed my eyes and concentrated on our relationship.
“Kane,” I replied steadily, “I have to make Damon less able to hold the artefact. Is it possible to keep them at bay for a bit longer?
His eyes gleamed with determination as he nodded. “I’ll take any necessary action.”
I focused my energies inward, looking for the bond with my child as he turned to face the approaching wave of foes.
I said, tears running down my cheeks, “I’m here.” “I will not allow him to harm you.”
We became closer, and I felt a rush of strength that was unlike anything I had ever known.
Damon’s eyes narrowed as he became aware of the change in energy, and his chanting stuttered. His voice was a little panicked as he shouted, “What are you doing?”
I opened my eyes and fixed him with a determined look. “I’m reclaiming what is rightfully mine.”
As my light started to penetrate, the dark tendrils enveloping the artefact weakened and the energy around it flickered. Damon growled, losing control.
In the meantime, Kane and the pack put up a brave fight, holding Damon’s soldiers at bay with their strength. Kane’s actions were ferocious and accurate despite his injuries, which demonstrated his unwavering dedication.
“We support you, Melissa!” His voice pierced the clamour of combat as he yelled.
I felt strengthened by their encouragement, but I realized that the battle was far from done. Damon was not one to give up easily.
As the energy inside the item started to destabilize, its glow became unpredictable, and its cracks widened. Damon’s face contorted in rage.
“You believe you’ve triumphed?” He spat. Melissa, you’re a fool. You can no longer control the ritual!
A roar filled the air as the ground underneath us shook fiercely as if to demonstrate his point.
There was a rip in the fabric of reality, a dark vortex that seemed to drag at everything in its path. A chilly wind blew through the lair as the air became heavy.
Damon’s eyes shone with pride. “You see, Melissa? The ceremony will go on even if you destroy the relic. And now everything will be consumed by the Shadow Realm!
As I gazed at the doorway, its energy threatening to overwhelm us all, my heart raced. The moment’s weight weighed on me like a crashing wave, and the stakes had never been higher.
“Kane!” Panic beginning to seep into my voice, I yelled. “Everything will be destroyed by the portal!”
His face was terrible as he struggled toward me. Then we put an end to it. Together.
I gave a nod, bracing myself for what lay ahead. “My idea is risky, but I have it.”
With a firm voice, he declared, “We’ll confront it head-on, whatever it is.”
I became more determined as the portal expanded and its energy erupted out of control. This was my battle, my opportunity to put things right.
However, Damon’s piercing, scary voice interrupted me as I was about to act.
He hissed, “You think you can stop this?” “Melissa, you have no idea how much your power costs. And it’s too late now.
Damon lifted his hands toward me as the portal screamed, its attraction intensifying. “Deity, your fate will be sealed by your blood. There will be a sacrifice for the Shadow Realm!