Distressing Dominance | Owl House x Reader

Chapter 22

With a thunderous roar that seemed to shake the very foundations of the palace, the Titan threw its head back and unleashed a blast of pure, unfiltered light that collided with Belos's shadowy form. The impact sent the Emperor reeling, his grip on the creature's soul slipping as the crystal at his side shattered into a thousand pieces. The room was momentarily blinded by the brilliant display, and when the light faded, the Titan stood tall, free from the corruption that had held it for so long.

Its eyes met mine, and I could see the understanding dawn within them. It knew we were its allies, that we had come to save it from the Emperor's tyranny. The creature's form began to shrink, the raw power it had displayed moments ago now under its control. It took a tentative step forward, its massive frame now that of a creature more akin to the gentle giants of human lore than the beast of destruction it had been moments ago.

The air in the chamber grew still, the echoes of our battle fading into silence. The Titan knelt before us, its great head bowing in what I could only interpret as gratitude. The weight of what we had just accomplished settled heavily upon my shoulders, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of awe and responsibility. We had not only freed a world from the grasp of a madman but also given a being of unimaginable power the choice to decide its own fate.

"Thank you," the Titan's voice boomed, the sound resonating through the chamber and into my very soul. "You have restored to me the freedom that I had thought lost." Its eyes, now a soft, warm glow, searched each of our faces before it spoke again. "But the price of this freedom is steep. The balance between our worlds has been disrupted, and I must now set things right."

With a heavy heart, I nodded. We had not anticipated the consequences of our actions. The Titan's freedom meant that the barrier between the Boiling Isles and the human realm would need to be repaired. "What must we do?" I asked, steeling myself for whatever task lay ahead.

The Titan's gaze fell upon the three of us, its expression inscrutable. "The time has come for you to choose your paths," it intoned. "Amity, your heart is torn between two worlds. You must decide where you truly belong. Odalia, your thirst for knowledge has led you here, but will it be enough to sustain you?"

Odalia took a deep breath, her eyes reflecting the turmoil within. "I've seen enough of this world's corruption," she said, her voice firm. "I will help restore the balance, even if it means leaving behind what I know."

But as the Titan spoke, a sudden, unexpected movement caught the corner of my eye. A figure emerged from the shadows, a twisted smile on his face. It was Hunter, the very same witcher who had tried to capture me when I first arrived in the Boiling Isles. He had been watching us, biding his time, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. And in that moment of vulnerability, he had found it.

Odalia was the first to react, her eyes widening in horror as she saw the danger approaching. She threw up a shield, but it was too late. A dark spell shot through the air, and before I could even process what was happening, a gaping hole appeared in her chest, her body falling to the ground with a thud. The room grew cold, the air heavy with the stench of death as Hunter stood there, still holding on to the injury that we gave him earlier.

"No!" I screamed, fury and grief surging through me. I didn't know if I had the power to defeat him, but I knew I had to try. I lunged at him, my wand trembling in my hand. He was fast, much faster than I had anticipated, and his smile grew wider as he dodged my clumsy attack. "This isn't over," he hissed, his eyes alight with a malicious glee. "The Emperor must be avenged!"

Amity stepped forward, her wand crackling with a fiery light. "Why can't you just fucking die already?!" she asked, her voice steady. Her anger was a beacon in the dark, giving me the strength to stand firm.

Hunter's smile grew colder. "The cycle of vengeance never ends," he said, "not until one side is completely eradicated."

But before he could strike again, Amity's wand shot forth a bolt of pure, white-hot fire. It connected with the already injured Hunter, and his form was instantly engulfed in flames. He screamed in agony, his body convulsing as the fire consumed him. I watched in horror as the figure I had feared for so long crumpled to the ground, dead.

The room grew silent, the only sound the fading crackles of the dying fire. Amity's hand trembled, and she looked down at her wand as if she had never seen it before. The Titan's gaze was solemn as it took in the scene before us. "The cycle of vengeance ends here," I murmured, more to myself than to anyone else.

As we looked back at where the Emperor's body was, we saw that it was gone. In its place lay only his staff, a grim reminder of the power we had faced. The Titan's eyes narrowed, and it spoke again. "The Emperor's spirit has not been vanquished," it warned. "He will seek a new vessel, one that is not as weak as I was. It seems as if Hunter served him one last time by distracting us and thereby helping the Emperor escape."

A wave of dread washed over me, and I knew that our battle was far from over. "We have to find him," I said, determination in my voice. "We can't let him find a new host."

The Titan nodded solemnly. "Indeed, young human. The fate of both our worlds hangs in the balance. We must act swiftly and decisively." It stood, its towering form casting a long shadow across the floor. "But first, we must tend to your friend."

Odalia laid motionless on the ground, her eyes closed, a pool of dark magic seeping from her wound. I walked over to her side, feeling the cold emptiness of her lifeless body. Tears blurred my vision, and a fierce anger grew in my chest. "Can she be saved?" I choked out, hope clinging to every syllable.

The Titan's expression was one of profound sadness as it looked down at Odalia. It shook its massive head. "Her soul is beyond our reach now," it said solemnly. "The Emperor's corruption has claimed her." Its eyes met mine, and I saw a glimmer of something I hadn't noticed before - regret. "The price of freedom is often paid in blood," it whispered, the weight of its words like a heavy shroud.

I grew more frustrated, the helplessness gnawing at me like a ravenous beast. How could we have come so far only to lose another one of our own? Amity was beside me, her hand on my shoulder, her eyes filled with the same anger and despair that I felt. "There's no reason to keep on fighting... we'll just meet the same fate as Odalia...and Willow...and Gus..." I said through gritted teeth, my voice low and venomous.