Heaven: A Maiden's Curse

23 - Vlad's Final Strike

We lay there, side by side, our bodies shattered, our breaths shallow. The weight of our struggle had taken its toll, and in that moment, I accepted our fate. Freya's hand clasped mine weakly, her fingers trembling, but the grip was firm, as though saying one final goodbye. We had done everything we could. It was the end.

I closed my eyes, feeling the tremors of Hyacinth's power surge around us, the weight of it pressing down like a crushing wave. The dark thunderbolt crackled, a deafening roar that threatened to tear the very fabric of the earth apart.

I felt it-the explosion of energy, the collapse of the chamber, the earth splitting open, the overwhelming force of her power consuming everything in its path. My mind shut down as if to protect me, accepting the inevitable.

But then, something-someone-intervened.

I thought we were gone, our bodies already consumed by the blast. But as I slowly opened my eyes, everything was different. The ground trembled beneath me, yet we were unharmed.

Before us, a figure stood, her back to us, glowing with a brilliant light. Her form radiated power, an aura of purity and strength, like a celestial being. I didn't recognize her at first, but there was something unmistakable about her presence.

And then, she turned. A smile spread across her face, a knowing expression, and I froze.

"Heaven?"

Her eyes met mine, calm and unreadable, and for a moment, I couldn't comprehend what was happening. How was she here? How had she survived?

"How?" I whispered, my voice barely audible.

But Heaven didn't answer. Instead, she raised her hands, her aura flaring to life as she turned her focus to Hyacinth.

Hyacinth, clearly furious, let out a growl. "How? How did you escape?" Her voice was dripping with disbelief. "I chained you. I drained all of your power. It's impossible for you to be here!"

Heaven stood tall, her face calm as ever. "I never needed to be chained."

"Then... how did you escape?" Hyacinth's voice cracked, confusion and rage mixing together.

Before Heaven could respond, a low voice interrupted.

"Because she never intended to stay your prisoner."

We turned our heads, and my heart stopped. There, standing in the shadows, was the man-the mysterious figure who had witnessed our every move, who had been watching from the very beginning. He was there, standing tall, his presence exuding cold superiority.

Hyacinth's eyes widened in recognition. "Y-you?"

The man said nothing, his face unreadable as he stood still, radiating power. He didn't even glance at us, his focus entirely on Hyacinth, who now seemed rattled.

Freya stirred beside me, groaning as she opened her eyes. Her confusion mirrored my own. "Who is he? What does he want?"

I didn't have the answers, but it was clear that he wasn't here to help us-he was here for something much bigger.

Heaven's stance shifted slightly, her power flaring again as she struggled to maintain control against Hyacinth's overwhelming force. "I can't hold her back much longer," she said, her voice tinged with strain.

I pushed myself to sit up, my body protesting, but I couldn't let her fight alone. I tried to stand, but my legs wouldn't cooperate. It felt as though every inch of my body was made of lead.

Hyacinth's fury reached its peak. "You're all so foolish!" she yelled, her body crackling with dark energy. "I will end this now!"

With a twisted laugh, Hyacinth began to unleash her ultimate power. The sky above us darkened, filled with violent clouds as a monstrous thunderbolt crackled in her hands. The power swirled around her, growing exponentially, ready to wipe everything from existence.

"This is it!" she screamed. "The end of everything-your world, your pathetic existence! None of you will survive!"

She raised her arms, the energy coiling around her, her body swelling with raw power. The thunderbolt above her was monstrous, filling the sky with a blinding light. I could feel the energy building, the world around us warping under its weight.

Then, just as the moment of destruction seemed inevitable, the mysterious man stepped forward, his presence steady and unmoving.

He raised his hand, and the shadows that had always clung to him suddenly took form.

Three shadow warriors, each carrying a massive scythe, appeared before him, followed by three archers, their bows drawn. They stood in perfect formation, waiting for their orders.

Hyacinth froze, her expression twisted with disbelief. "What is this?!" she hissed.

Before she could react, the archers released their arrows, shooting with deadly precision at the storm Hyacinth had conjured. Their arrows broke through the lightning, slicing through the air with pinpoint accuracy, striking at the power Hyacinth had summoned.

Simultaneously, the shadow warriors advanced, their scythes slashing at Hyacinth with brutal speed. They struck her back, her arms, her body, each blow landing with a sickening thud. But Hyacinth-her laughter grew louder, mocking.

"Is this all you've got?!" she sneered. "These pathetic shadows mean nothing to me!"

She let them hit her, her body regenerating with every strike. Blood dripped from her wounds, but it didn't stop her. She was too strong, too fast.

Then, something caught her attention-her chest. The Moon Fragment, the object that had healed her, was gone.

Her eyes widened. "What-what's happened?"

The mysterious man smirked, his eyes glinting in the dim light. He held the Moon Fragment in his hand, the source of Hyacinth's regeneration.

"I took it," he said coolly, his tone as cold as ever.

Hyacinth's face contorted with rage. "How?!" she snarled, her voice filled with panic. "How did you steal it?!"

But Heaven's voice answered before the man could speak. "You didn't feel that I stole it from your chest. You were too busy torturing me. And he said he'd set me free from the chain in exchange for giving him the Moon Fragment."

Hyacinth recoiled, disbelief and fury twisting her features. "You... betrayed me?!" she hissed, her voice breaking.

"I never betrayed you," Heaven answered, her voice steady, even in the face of Hyacinth's rage. "I won't let you treat me as a slave for the rest of my life."

Hyacinth trembled, her body swelling with cursed power, ready to explode. "You think you've won?" she sneered. "This is the end of you all-your world will burn with me!"

We were frozen, unable to move, as Hyacinth's body began to bloat, the thunderbolt above her growing larger and larger. The sky darkened even more, swirling with violent energy. We could feel the weight of the impending explosion. She was going to take us all down with her.

I could barely move, my body too drained, too damaged. Freya, lying beside me, could do nothing. Heaven's form flickered as she struggled to keep control. We were all at her mercy.

Then, before the explosion could unleash, a shadow moved faster than lightning itself.

In the blink of an eye, a powerful, dark strike pierced through the air, and Hyacinth's head was severed clean from her body. Her blood splattered across the ground, her body standing for a brief moment before collapsing.

We didn't even see it happen. One moment she was a force of destruction, the next, she was nothing.

The mysterious man stood beside her, his scythe dripping with her blood, his stance unwavering. The weapon was a dark, twisted thing, glowing with a faint red hue-a scythe forged in shadow, bloodied and deadly.

He didn't even look at us. He just stood there, silently, as Hyacinth's body crumpled to the ground.

And with that, it was over.