"But that blood oath has already been activated, and it is bound to end whether you want it or not," Zaria said. "If you won’t kill , then the one you want to protect will die anyway. Do not think just because he is a dragon, he won’t die. Blood oaths do not follow these rules."
Oriana quickly looked at Arlan, as if soone had just squeezed her heart out of her chest. She could fight and kill the entire world just to protect this one man. Only he mattered, even if it ant destroying everything else.
Arlan simply looked at her — a silent gaze exchange, and no words.
"So sad that I have to see my student widowed at such a young age," Zaria shook her head and let out a sigh. "But do not worry, you can co to and we will rule this world together. We strong won do not need n. They are nothing but hurdles in our life. Together we will find our true worth. No witch t a good end after falling for a man. Look at Evanthe. She is a lost cause due to her blind love for a man."
Oriana got back to her senses and looked at Zaria. Her gaze and tone were resolute. "Nothing can harm him as long as I am alive."
Zaria smiled. "Then go ahead and kill . Here I am."
Zaria looked utterly fearless, as if nothing could ever scare her — not even death.
Oriana finally turned to Evanthe, her last hope. "There must be a way to get out of it without hurting anyone. There’s always a way. That’s what you say."
Evanthe shook her head, her gaze sad. "There are so things that can’t be helped, and a blood oath is one of them."
Oriana let out a shaky breath, utterly lost. Everything she did was to protect Arlan, but she didn’t want Zaria to die either. To others, Zaria must be a villain, but as her master, she had always helped and protected Oriana in her own way — strict and bitter, but she always ant well for her.
"My dear, let make it easier for you since you are hesitating so much," Zaria said, and sothing appeared over her hand that shimred like divine gold. "This is the divine weapon I forged from the divine blood." A sharp short sword appeared floating on her hand, carved out of that divine golden shine.
And without a mont’s delay, Zaria flew toward Arlan with that short sword.
"Zaria!" Evanthe called along with her, and Draven used their powers to stop Zaria from reaching Arlan, who didn’t bother to move even when death ca in his way. He left it for his mate to decide.
But at the sa ti, even before Evanthe or Draven’s power could reach her, a sword had already pierced Zaria’s heart — as Oriana stood between her and Arlan like a wall.
Oriana’s sword, Soulreaver, had pierced Zaria’s heart, and there was no going back from the result — a destruction of soul, to be never born again.
Everything went silent in a mont as if ti had frozen.
The two figures, a master and a student, stood in place, steady, looking at each other as various emotions flashed across their faces.
"Didn’t I say I would make it easier for you?" Zaria said as a light smile painted her lips, suppressing the hellish pain Soulreaver was causing as it destroyed her soul.
Oriana’s hand on the sword handle shook. Her expression was shocked, a mix of various emotions erging inside her. It was sothing she never wanted to do — she never wanted to kill her own master.
Saving Arlan was her innate instinct, and nothing could co in its way. Her body reacted even before her mind could.
Oriana gripped the sword handle, ready to pull the sword out as if it would save her master, but Zaria held her hand and shook her head. "If you pull out the sword... you won’t get to hear my last lesson..."
With her moist eyes, she looked at Zaria and loosened her grip on the sword.
Others didn’t know what to make of it, as this didn’t feel like a victory anymore. If only the past could have been forgotten and they could have stayed together like before.
Zaria inhaled deeply before she spoke. "As a supernatural, never make any oath or promise without knowing their depth and consequences... Never trust the one who helps you in exchange for sothing from you... The exchange will never be easy... Don’t fall for your desperation, but take ti and think, because there is always another way...."
Oriana understood the aning of every word her master said. Back then, when she went to Zaria, it was out of her utter desperation, and she ended up falling into this oath. This exchange was truly not easy — but heart-breaking in the worst way.
From this mont onwards, she was the killer of her own master. No supernatural ever wanted to be branded that way.
"...Don’t disappoint ..." Zaria said, her energy vanishing.
Oriana’s sword disappeared, and Zaria’s body lost support. Oriana quickly held her and guided her to the ground below, helping her sit half leaning. The illusion of the war zone that Zaria had created vanished as well, returning them to the throne hall.
Evanthe went to her and knelt next to her. "All of this just so you could die. You could have simply not activate the blood oath and we could have lived without causing any trouble."
It was not a question but a conclusion Evanthe had already drawn.
"One day it had to be activated, or it had its own consequences — you know it well. Evanthe... It would have hard my student," Zaria offered her a weak smile. "And I was tired of this long life... aren’t you as well? But you have your family to keep going on..."
"Idiot," Evanthe said. "You truly had to do it? Didn’t think about your student."
"What can I do when she is the one holding the weapon that can destroy my soul entirely?" Zaria said. "And I have no will to be reborn again. If I had asked her to kill straight, she would have never done it."
Oriana could only shed tears while holding Zaria. No word ca out of her mouth. All those monts she spent with Zaria during her training flashed in front of her eyes. Though it felt annoying back then and she hated her teacher, now they felt like precious mories.
Zaria looked at Draven. "You promised a while ago... if I give up... you will allow my people to stay in this kingdom and restore the black witch clan... you have to keep your promise... those who want to stay, protect them..."
"I give you my word," Draven assured her.
She looked at Morpheus. "You can continue to hate for what I did with your sister... I have no regret about what I did... But I have left so life in her so you can et her for the last ti..."
Morpheus didn’t reply, as he had no sad feelings that this black witch was dying.
She turned to Arlan, "You better treasure my student. I am leaving her to you."
Arlan simply offered a light nod to show a respect to her words. If the situation was different, he would have retorted with saying- Who was she to leave his own mate for him. Oriana always belonged to him.
Zaria looked back at Evanthe. "I don’t trust my student yet to be a perfect queen of witches. You have to guide her well and also be fair to the black witches. I will leave my people to you, as you are the queen as well..."
"I will take care of them," Evanthe assured as she held Zaria’s hand.
Zaria lastly looked at Oriana. "...Don’t cry over it... you did the most precious favour to ... freed my soul... You are my most precious student... the best one I ever had..."
Oriana wiped her tears, but they wouldn’t stop.
"Goodbye," Zaria said in her last words, a light smile on her lips. "It’s ti."
Her body started to disappear in the form of dark and gold particles that vanished into the air in no ti.
Oriana looked at her empty hands that were losing the warmth from the body she was supporting just a mont ago.
All of a sudden, everything had finally gone silent and peaceful, but that peace ca with hurt.
Arlan knelt next to Oriana and held her closer. She buried her face against his chest and continued to shed silent tears.
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