Lamia's pupils darkened, his body trembling with rage as dark energy swirled violently around him. The air crackled with raw power as he summoned a force so immense it made the very ground beneath him shudder. He hurled the energy forward, a surge of black lightning cascading toward the bald-headed witch with deadly precision. But before it could strike, the attack was stopped—blocked with a mere flick of the wrist. Lamia's eyes bulged from their sockets in utter disbelief.
"That was the Death from the Book of Shadows." He gasped, his breath hitching in horror. His gaze darted across the battlefield, landing on the countless lines of dead witches encircling him. Their soulless eyes glowed with an eerie light, and at once, they lunged forward, attacking in unison.
The leader of the dead witches smirked darkly. "Hope you've said your goodbyes, Lamia, because you will never see your friends again. Even your sister has disappeared—the Leviathan in the seas will finish them off. So, have a nice day, Lamia." With that, the leader vanished into the shadows.
Lamia barely had a second to react before the witches unleashed another brutal assault. Waves of deathly energy crashed into him with relentless force, sending him hurtling through the sky before he crashed into the rocky ground below. Bones shattered upon impact, pain searing through his entire body, but he clenched his teeth. This was not the end.
He couldn't lose his sister—not after finding her again after all these years. And then a horrifying realization struck him like a dagger to the heart. He had been with his sister all this time… and he never realized it. How blind and foolish he had been!
"I'm sorry, Lucy. But I won't let you die again. I'm bringing you back home."
Determination surged through his veins. His sister needed him. His wife needed him. His beautiful children needed him. He would not fall here.
Lamia staggered to his feet, fists clenched, and let out a deafening scream. Swarms of darkness swirled around him like an infernal storm, consuming him completely. His once-vibrant red hair darkened to an abyssal black, shimmering like the endless void. His midnight-blue eyes vanished, swallowed by the sheer darkness taking over him. Slowly, his feet lifted off the ground, dark smoke curling around his form.
Then, with a flick of his hand, a deadly fire erupted from his palm—black flames that glowed with the sinister hue of sulfur. He fired the flames at the dead witches, their shrieks of agony filling the barren land as the darkness engulfed them. Their bodies disintegrated into nothingness as Lamia obliterated them one by one, his power shaking the very foundation of the Dark Trench. The earth trembled beneath his fury, and the sheer magnitude of his attack summoned all the creatures of the abyss.
From the depths of the darkness came terrifying entities—demonic beasts, behemoths with glowing crimson eyes, monstrous birds with talons that could tear through steel, and shadowy figures that reeked of death. They all came at him at once, but Lamia did not falter.
He tore through them like a savage, his strikes precise and merciless. Blood splattered, claws slashed, and roars echoed across the battlefield. Though his body was battered and riddled with wounds, the pain was nothing compared to the vengeance coursing through his soul. He was no longer himself—the dark power of his witch blood had fully taken over. Revenge, malice, and sheer hatred burned within him, unrelenting.
At a distance, the leader of the dead witches watched with a grim expression. "Just as I expected… he is powerful. But once Abigail kills off his children, his soul will shatter. And then… he will be ours to manipulate. Finally, it is time to move to the human world. Oh, Lamia… even Lucifer himself does not want you. If the King of Demons rejects you, what can you do? Pathetic love." The leader smirked and disappeared completely.
Meanwhile, Asher struggled against the raging currents, his limbs burning with exhaustion as he fought to stay afloat. Water filled his mouth, choking him, making his vision blur. But Rose was in even worse shape—her body was disoriented, her movements sluggish.
And then it came.
A massive shadow loomed beneath them. The Leviathan had arrived.
Asher's eyes widened in terror as the monstrous beast surged toward them. Without thinking, he grabbed Rose's shoulder, pulling her toward him as they fought desperately against the waves. Jeremy was right beside them, his strokes frantic, his breathing ragged. But the ocean was relentless, slowing them down, dragging them deeper into despair.
The force of the Leviathan's movements sent shockwaves through the water, making escape nearly impossible. The pressure was unbearable.
"Asher, we can't all make it! You two go! I'll distract them!" Rose's voice was strained, her eyes dancing with pain. Her legs were wounded, patches of torn flesh oozing blood into the water.
"No way! We're all getting out of here! No one is dying today!" Jeremy snapped, glaring at her. He turned to Asher, desperation clear in his expression. "Come on, let's move!"
Asher barely had time to react before a massive claw came crashing toward him. He screamed and yanked Rose away, his heart pounding in terror.
But then—
Three Leviathans.
Not one. Not two. But three.
And each one of them was fighting to devour them.
Asher swam harder, his body fueled by sheer panic. But then—a claw ripped through his torso.
A horrifying scream tore from his throat as blinding pain surged through his body. His vision swam, his strength failing. Blood clouded the water around him.
"No!" Jeremy cried, doubling back for him.
But before he could reach Asher, another claw seized Rose, dragging her away. She shrieked, her voice raw with terror, but the monster did not relent. With one swift motion, its claws slashed across her neck, tearing away a massive chunk of flesh.
And the other Leviathan pounced, devouring the piece greedily.
Blood stained the sea.
Asher watched in horror, rage igniting within him. But then, another nightmare unfolded before his eyes.
Jeremy.
A claw plunged deep into Jeremy's back, piercing through his flesh. And then—his intestines spilled into the water.
Jeremy choked on a strangled cry, his body floating lifelessly as the Leviathan feasted upon him. The agony in his eyes was unbearable.
"Please… help… someone… help!" Asher's voice broke as he screamed to the heavens.
"I don't want my friends to die! Somebody, please help!"
And then—
A voice.
The ancient, haunting voice of the Oak Tree.
"Dear Asher… if you want me to save your friends, you must swear an oath. You will stay behind with me. Forever. You are the last child of light. Nothing can happen to you."
Asher froze, his body trembling. The weight of the decision crushed him.
But there was no time.
Rose was dying. Jeremy was barely holding on. The Leviathans were closing in.
"Fine! I'll stay! I'll stay with you forever! Just save them!" Asher cried.
"Very well… your friends shall be taken care of."
And then—a blinding light erupted from the sky.
The Leviathans screeched, their monstrous bodies writhing as their flesh peeled away. Agonized howls filled the air as they exploded into masses of shredded remains.
Asher rushed to Rose, his heart shattering at the sight of her missing arm. Her bloodied body barely clung to life.
Tears blurred his vision as he pressed his trembling hands to her chest. A soft glow formed beneath his palms, and Rose let out a painful cry.
Her arm… it was regrowing.
Jeremy's wounds sealed.
And then, as the portal opened, they were whisked away from the dark seas—landing in a barren wasteland filled with skulls.
But Asher knew the truth.
This was it.
His time was up.
He was leaving the human world forever.
And it was time to say goodbye.