Free Web NovelChapter 372: Godly Figures
[Music recommendation: Josh Makazo - half of my heart]
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Many who were unaware of Ivan’s true capabilities asked in disbelief, "How? Was that not where we were... just fighting?"
But those who knew about Ivan’s powers said nothing.
Or perhaps, they simply could not.
Worry clouded their minds as they watched thick lava and towering plumes erupt from the volcano, and a quiet dread began to settle in their hearts.
Because neither Eve nor Ivan was in sight.
Iskara, Solan, Septimus, Damien, Cece, Edward, and Oliver scanned the crowd, searching desperately through the sea of people for any sign of Ivan and Eve, but to their growing dread, neither of them was anywhere to be seen.
Alex hurried to Iskara’s side, his voice laced with worry. "Your Majesty, we cannot find His Highness or Her Highness anywhere!"
Their expressions darkened, and almost in unison, their gazes shifted back towards the erupting volcano. Their hearts pounded violently in their chests as unwelcome thoughts began to creep into their minds.
Iskara forced those grim thoughts away and said firmly, "Let us wait... I am certain they are alright."
Solan and Septimus shared the same fear, yet, like Iskara, they chose to hold onto that fragile reassurance.
"Yes... I am sure both of them are fine," Solan added, supporting Iskara for the first time, which caused a few surprised glances to turn his way at the unexpected show of agreement.
But those consumed with worry for Eve and Ivan paid little attention to it.
Their silent prayers remained fixed on only one hope.
That the two of them were safe.
As minutes passed, there was no sign of movement around the volcano, which continued to spew lava like a gargantuan fountain.
Cece grabbed Edward’s hand in a crushing grip as her eyes began to water. "Edward... why aren’t they coming out?" she whispered in a quivering voice.
Edward could not find the words to reply. He simply wrapped his arm around her in a silent show of support.
Damien, meanwhile, ran a hand through his hair, his voice a strained whisper. "Come on, you two... enough playing around."
Ruth, standing beside him, remained quiet. She shifted her gaze from the worried man to the explosion, which showed no signs of stopping.
A troubling thought weighed on her: what about the Demon Prince? Had he truly died, or had he somehow survived? Most of all, she feared that the Prince and Princess might have been consumed by that massive destruction.
Just as the silence began to weigh heavily upon them, a sudden shift in the air caused several of them to snap to attention.
The eruption had not settled. Instead, it had grown. The sky above the peak churned violently, thick plumes of smoke twisting unnaturally as if something within refused to be contained. The molten lava that had burst forth began to part, for a blinding light tore through the chaos.
Septimus, who was scanning the horizon for any sign of Eve or Ivan, finally saw the couple. They had reverted to their original forms and stood close together, their backs toward the city.
As he watched, Septimus realised they were looking toward two figures standing before them.
He was gobsmacked when he saw exactly who was there.
One was a tall, sturdy man with long black hair and molten orange eyes. His features were striking and, shockingly, a perfect match for those of Prince Ivan. The man was surrounded by such a powerful aura that the fire around him seemed to bow, as if the element itself recognised its creator.
A shudder ran down his spine as the realisation of who they must be took hold. When his silver eyes shifted from the striking man toward the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, who stood before Evelyn, he was breathless.
She possessed the same golden eyes as Eve, but her hair was long and silver, with a pure white gown flowing around her. Septimus felt his knees give out as he recognised that she was the living image of the Goddess’s statue from the temple.
His knees touched the ground in reverence, a whisper escaping his lips. "Oh... Goddess."
Solan and the others were equally shocked to see the two godly figures before the couple. They watched as the figures’ lips moved in a fond smile toward Eve and Ivan, before their forms began to glow and dissolve into golden dust.
As they vanished into thin air, the sun finally began to peek over the horizon. Eve and Ivan were engulfed in fire once more, and seconds later, a swirl of flames appeared on the ground in the city square. Their figures were revealed before everyone who had been waiting for them with bated breath.
Silence settled for a few seconds before Ivan finally spoke. "The battle is finally over. Azrath is dead." He spoke nonchalantly, as if he were merely reporting the weather to them.
Silence followed for a full ten seconds before a deafening cheer rippled through the sky. Some cried, hugging each other, while others simply danced in the utter joy of being alive, having survived a night so horrific they would never be able to forget it.
Cece pulled away from Edward’s embrace and rushed toward Eve without a second thought. She threw her arms around her, dissolving into heavy sobs of relief at finally being able to hold the dear friend she thought she had lost forever.
"Oh, Eve!" Cece cried.
Eve’s own eyes watered as she hugged Cece back, tears streaming down her face as she felt the warmth of her friend’s embrace.
She knew there was a long list of people she needed to reach out to, for she understood how terrified they must have been when she had briefly died.
In that moment, she could feel a massive outpouring of love and gratitude for every single one of them.
When Cece parted to embrace Ivan next, Eve was immediately engulfed by the familiar, strong arms she had come to rely on. She and Damien had endured so much together that a special bond had formed between them, one that could never be tainted or broken. Seeing him alive and well, his strength returned, filled her with profound happiness.
None of them spoke. With emotions running high, all they could do was reassure one another with a simple touch, confirming that they were all truly okay and alive.
..... freeweɓnovēl.coɱ
A week later...
Inside Dracoria Palace, an unexpected group was gathered in King Iskara’s spacious office seating area. Iskara sat in a lone armchair, facing Solan on the opposite side of the table. To their right, Regulus sat on a sofa on Iskara’s side, sharing the space with Septimus, who sat nearer to Solan.
The tea on the coffee table in front of the two kings remained untouched, though Regulus and Septimus did not seem to mind sipping theirs while they waited in silence for the guests they had been expecting.
At that moment, a knock echoed on the door, prompting Iskara to call out, "Come in."
Iskara and the others rose quickly as two figures finally entered the room. Every man’s expression softened at the sight of Ivan and Evelyn walking in with their hands joined.
If one were to look closely, one would see that Eve was clutching Ivan’s hand in a death grip. The men were impressed that Ivan showed no discomfort, even though Eve’s knuckles were turning white from the force of her hold.
"Welcome back, Ivan and Evelyn. We have been eagerly waiting for you," Iskara said, taking the initiative to march over and give the couple a warm hug.
"Father, forgive us for the delay. Our... carriage broke down on our way back to the kingdom," Ivan replied evenly.
Iskara arched a brow at his son’s flimsy excuse. He shifted his attention to Eve, only to see her blushing to the roots of her hair, even though, to her credit, she maintained a straight face.
Biting back a smile, Iskara said, "Right... why don’t you two take a seat and tell us what happened at the High Council Headquarters?"
Ivan gave his father a small nod and gently tugged Evelyn’s hand, guiding her towards the seating area. It was then that Eve’s clear blue eyes met Regulus’s, who offered her a warm smile, followed by Septimus, who mirrored the same expression, before her gaze finally settled on Solan.
He, too, looked at her with an unexpected warmth... however, there were too many emotions swirling in his eyes for her to ignore, and it made her pause in her tracks, her fingers twitching slightly around Ivan’s hand.
Everyone noticed.
The two of them had yet to properly face each other, let alone speak, after everything that had unfolded in Zareth, which was still painfully fresh in all their minds.
Ivan caught the sudden spike in Eve’s heartbeat.
Leaning closer to her ear, he whispered softly, "It’s alright."
....
Author’s note: freēwēbηovel.c૦m
Hello, lovely readers!
The battle has officially come to an end, and I truly hope you enjoyed this final arc. I spent a great deal of time visualising every moment before putting it into words, hoping to bring you the best possible experience.
Although the main battle is over, there is still more to come. I want to give our characters a beautiful ending and offer you a glimpse into their future, and I hope you will enjoy that just as much.
As happy as I am to have brought this story to you, I also feel a sense of sadness knowing that Evelyn and Ivan’s journey is nearing its end. I sincerely hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
I will be announcing my new book soon, so please look forward to it. I hope you will give that story your love and support as well!
