Chapter 345: The Witch & The King (1)
Roxanna realized there were still so many things she didn’t know about Zeir. His past, his true strength, even the secrets he carried, everything about him felt like a mystery.
After all, this was the first time she had ever seen him control the power of ice, and the way he spoke made it sound like he knew far more about the prophecy than anyone else.
Roxanna still couldn’t grasp the bigger picture, but since she knew that both her own mother and Azul’s mother could see the future, she couldn’t help but suspect that they were somehow connected to each other—and to Zeir as well.
Still, this wasn’t the time to dwell on it because there was something far more important standing right in front of her.
"Sybill," Azul said at last, his voice calm but firm, "I was willing to forgive you... if you had admitted your mistakes and tried to make things right."
Sybill let out a mocking laugh. "I didn’t do anything wrong—"
"But those words only applied before you harmed my family," Azul interrupted, his eyes turning cold. "The moment you tried to drown one of my family members, every bit of mercy I had for you disappeared."
Roxanna blinked several times when she heard his words because it seemed he was talking about Calen.
To Azul, the family he spoke of had never been the royal family of Aquillian. It was the family he had found in the Vixeria Settlement.
"And when you tried to kill my wife by turning her own husbands against her..." Azul’s eyes narrowed as his jaw tightened. "That was the moment I truly wanted to kill you."
Sybill’s eye twitched at the corner, not expecting him to acknowledge Zeir and Calen as his family as well.
"You should be thanking me for trying to drown that dog," Sybill scoffed. "Why would you be sad when your rival is the one drowning? That doesn’t make any sense."
"There is no rival in my relationship," Azul said calmly. "We’re family. That’s all I’ve ever known."
Sybill’s smile slowly faded. "So be it."
The black pearl in her hand pulsed over and over again. A wave of dark magic burst from her body, swallowing the seawater around her. The once-clear ocean turned murky as black mist spread in every direction. The water itself seemed to lose its warmth, becoming cold and lifeless.
Roxanna’s eyes widened the moment the shadows beneath the ocean floor suddenly began to move.
"We need to get farther away from here," Zeir said. He immediately grabbed Roxanna’s hand and pulled her farther into the sea.
Meanwhile, Calen quickly took the capsule containing Azura, which had become visible in Roxanna’s hands, making sure she remained safe.
"Swim faster!" Calen shouted.
Orion and the others behind them quickly followed. Even the remaining Devourers on the battlefield threw away their weapons and fled as fast as they could.
For some reason, everyone knew this battle would be so dangerous that they might not be able to find a place truly safe enough to hide.
Soon after, giant black hands began rising from the darkness one after another. They twisted into terrifying creatures with hollow faces and glowing crimson eyes. They had no real bodies, only shifting shadows wrapped in black smoke.
Their chilling screams echoed throughout the sea.
"They’re Dark Entities..." Maristella whispered, her face turning pale. "Creatures born from black magic."
The shadow creatures charged straight toward Azul without hesitation, but he didn’t move.
His glowing blue eyes calmly watched the approaching army before he slowly raised his spear, and the ocean answered his call.
A massive current burst outward from his body, crashing into the black mist like a raging tide. The sea roared as if it had come alive, forcing the darkness back little by little.
"Come," Azul said softly. His voice spread through the sea like a command no creature could refuse.
Moments later, deafening roars echoed from every direction as more Demon Sea Beasts answered their king’s summons.
One by one, enormous figures emerged from the depths of the ocean. Giant serpents, armored sharks, colossal octopus-like monsters, and ancient sea creatures surrounded the battlefield. Their glowing eyes were fixed on Azul, waiting for his command.
Roxanna couldn’t help holding her breath. There were far more Demon Sea Beasts than she had ever imagined.
Azul pointed his spear at Sybill. "Kill the witch," he ordered. "And protect my family."
The Demon Sea Beasts answered with loud roars.
Without a trace of fear, they charged across the battlefield like an unstoppable tide. Giant sharks ripped through the water with terrifying speed, ancient sea serpents coiled around the Dark Entities, and the colossal octopus-like beasts lashed out with massive tentacles that shattered the shadows into countless pieces.
Meanwhile, Mr. Kraken swam toward Roxanna and the others.
Its enormous body cast a shadow over them as it quickly spread its massive tentacles in every direction. Within seconds, the tentacles intertwined, forming a sturdy dome around them and shielding everyone inside.
The moment the barrier was complete, several shockwaves from the battle slammed into it.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The dome trembled violently, but Mr. Kraken held his ground. Its tentacles tightened, absorbing the impact and preventing the attacks from reaching those inside.
Roxanna instinctively wrapped her arms around Zeir, holding him a little tighter as she sought comfort in his presence. At the same time, she reached for Calen’s arm and gently pulled him closer to her side.
Neither of them said a word.
Zeir silently slipped an arm around her shoulders, letting her lean against him while keeping his eyes on the battle outside.
Calen moved closer without any complaint. His jaw was clenched so tightly that the muscles along his face twitched.
Outside the dome, the ocean was no longer calm. Violent currents collided with waves of black magic, creating explosions that echoed through the ocean.
Demon Sea Beasts roared as they fought the endless swarm of Dark Entities, while the battlefield grew darker.