Chapter 247: Chapter 247 Caught in between
The witches from both sides lunged at us. A witch in front was flung back by a defector, and vice versa.
The battlefield turned into pure madness. Fireballs burst against the ground and the trees went up in flames that reached for the sky. Dark tendrils ripped through the earth and twisted like snakes as they tried to drag each other down.
The air was heavy with ashes and the metallic smell of blood, and every sound was either a scream or an explosion.
I staggered back, choking on the thick air, my eyes burning as sparks flew past my face. The barrier around us shook violently like it was going to shatter at any second.
"Stay close!" Damon’s voice was rough and commanding. His claws were out and his shoulders were braced as though he alone could hold back the storm. His eyes glowed with that furious silver glint and every muscle in him looked ready to tear apart anyone who came near.
Rhydian was on one knee now, forcing his hand through the air again. The portal was opening, but it wasn’t holding up.
A fractured line had split into the circle, and unstable light flickered and sparked from its edges. Every spark that touched the ground left a black mark on the soil.
"The barrier is resisting me!" Rhydian hissed, his jaw tight, his face strained with effort. Sweat rolled down his temple, and his wings unfolded against it, but it twitched with each wave of pressure hitting him.
"Then push through it!" Damon barked, his voice was like a growl. He shoved his shoulder against the barrier as though his body could strengthen it, and the ward shook under the impact of more incoming spells.
Damon snarled again, "If you fail, we’re all dead!"
Rhydian shot him a glare, his voice strained. "Do you think I don’t know that? The barrier is fighting, and disrupting my magic!"
Theo shouted over the roar of colliding spells, his tone cracking. "Then what do we do, Rhydian? We can’t stay here!"
Alaric wiped blood from his mouth, his face twisted with rage. "We hold until the opening stabilizes. That’s all we can do."
"That’s suicide!" Damon snapped, baring his teeth.
I staggered closer, my throat tight. "Stop fighting! Just... just get us out of here!"
I could hardly breathe. Spells ripped through the air and collided with each other, sending shockwaves that rattled my bones.
Corrupted witches clawed across the dirt with blackened fingers and hungry eyes, while the witches stood their ground with shields of light, chanting in unison.
The clash of their voices made my head ache and every second we stayed here felt like we were one heartbeat away from being obliterated.
’We can’t fight our way through and we can’t use the portal. This is doom knocking on our door.’
Golden pressed against me, its tiny body trembling with urgency. Its wings buzzed like they were burning, and light spilled so hot it seared through my clothes.
"Princess... take me home. Now," Golden whispered, with an urgent and pleading voice.
The light pulsed from its body in waves, and the orb in the Bone Witch’s hand glowed. The golden orb glow flickered brighter and brighter, like the two of them were calling to each other.
My stomach turned. ’I was right. The orb really is Golden’s home.’
The Bone Witch stopped mid-step. Her head turned slowly toward me, her dead eyes locking onto the glow coming from my chest. The fight around her became nothing as her gaze fixated on me.
A smile crept across her face, slow and cruel. "So that is where you were hiding." Her voice slid through the noise like a blade, and every hair on my arms stood on end.
The orb flared in her palm, and she lifted it higher. It was no longer just a weapon. It was a lure, and she knew exactly what it meant to me.
Fear dug into my ribs, and I felt frozen where I stood. My instincts screamed for me to run, yet something heavier than chains kept me rooted. It was as if the pull of the orb had reached into my bones and tied me to this spot.
Damon’s head snapped toward Alaric and Theo, his voice sharp as a whip. "Get her out of here, now!"
Alaric’s eyes widened. "Through that unstable portal? You’ll get us all killed!"
"Better than leaving her here," Damon snarled, jerking his chin toward the Bone Witch.
Theo caught my arm, his grip unsteady yet determined. "Aeris, move!" he pleaded, but my feet felt like they were nailed to the ground.
"Aeris!" Alaric’s voice cut through the chaos. He was bruised and bloodied, but he was still standing beside Theo. Theo had his arm stretched out toward me, desperation plain in his face. "We need to go, right now!"
Rhydian strained, the portal sparking violently behind him. Damon was prowling behind Rhydian, protecting him from any attack. They were fighting for escape, but the ground shook harder each time the witches’ chants rose.
Golden’s light flared again, stronger, almost burning me. "Take me home!"
The words tore into me.
My legs wanted to run straight for the portal, but my hand burned with the urge to reach for the orb. My heart pounded until I thought it would burst, and my mind split in two.
The Bone Witch raised her crooked staff. Black smoke wrapped around it, swirling and pulsing with power.
I realized with a jolt that she was not aiming at my friends or the barrier. She was aiming straight at me.
My breath caught in my throat. The world blurred for a second, and I could not tell if it was from fear or from the heat of the orb calling me.
I had seconds to choose.
Escape into the portal that was tearing apart at its edges, or lunge toward the Bone Witch and the glowing orb that could very well kill me.