Ascension of the Dark Seraph-Chapter 305: End of the Act

In order to secure the path for Ravenna and Bakar, Nerissa and Mirel worked together.

Nerissa slowed down the falling rock, and when Ravenna and Bakar were out of the destruction range, Mirel quickly carried her and sprinted away to avoid the impact. Both of them kept doing that, as the purple dungeon was relentless.

Surprisingly, the two succeeded flawlessly.

Mirel was confident in his speed, so running out of the impact range wasn’t a problem.

But what surprised him was that Nerissa’s hymn was working perfectly.

He knew that Nerissa was a Siren Hybrid with a named Supernatural Ego—belonging to the Queen of the Siren. Her talent is incredibly high, but he never knew that she had it in her. Utilizing the scream of pain across the city to boost her power, it was something that she wouldn’t dare to do.

Not because she couldn’t, but she doesn’t have the heart to do it.

Nerissa changed.

Now, she was brave enough to do anything.

As Mirel sprinted across the street, heading to where the others were, he couldn’t help but ask.

"What you said to me earlier…"

"Which one?"

"You said Lucivar helped you be like this… how?"

Upon hearing this, Nerissa paused, not knowing whether she should tell Mirel about Shadow or not.

It was quite personal for her, and Mirel doesn’t have the same air as Lucivar.

He wouldn’t understand.

Nerissa hated lying.

Even more, she hated the silence that stretched when she didn’t know how to tell the truth to Mirel.

"I’ve been holding back," She finally uttered.

Her lips curved, but it wasn’t quite a smile—it was something between gratitude and guilt. "I was afraid that I’d lose control if I heeded what my bloodline wants. Lucivar… he reminded me that I don’t need to be afraid. He told me that he’ll catch me if I fall. Until I become as strong as I want, he’ll always be right behind me."

Mirel was quiet.

He kept sprinting through the street while listening to what she had to say.

But Nerissa could feel the flicker of concern beneath his calm.

She quickly pushed through before he could ask too much.

"Knowing that someone is going to be there made me brave. I am going to start trying harder, without being afraid," Nerissa added—her eyes gazing ahead profoundly. "So, I can finally be useful. So, I can stop being the weak link."

Mirel raised a brow, "You’ve never been the weak link."

"Maybe…" Nerissa exhaled, a soft sound like breezing air. "But I’m now ready to prove it."

She smiled inwardly.

It’s miraculous what a change of heart feels like, and she owed it all to Lucivar.

’As long as he’s around, I’m sure I can reach where I want. As long as he’s around…’

…

Caldaros, tattered and beaten, suddenly felt a surge of power that came out of nowhere.

Then, a voice rang inside his mind loudly.

’Kill him! Use everything to kill him right now!!’

Blinking, he realized that it was Aurel’s voice; she came back and infused her own energy into him.

At the sight of Lucivar coughing up blood weakly, disoriented for a brief second, Caldaros sprang to his feet, the power within him surging forth. His eyes ignited with blinding sunlight, so fierce that the moment Lucivar turned to look, his vision seared in agony.

"Arghk!"

Lucivar staggered as blood drizzled down from his closed eyelids.

Seeing this, Caldaros dashed.

His entire body was screaming in exhaustion, but he forced it to move, not wasting a single second.

At his second step, a sword made purely of sunlight formed in his hand.

It hummed with power, one that exceeded even Caldaros’ power when he was at his peak condition.

An incredible sword that could kill any mortal with one strike.

’I can only use this once, even with Aurel’s help. But once is plenty enough to kill him!’

Swoosh!

As soon as Lucivar forced his eyes to open, Caldaros was already within striking range.

Grinning mischievously, he thrust the sword forward with all he had, aiming for Lucivar’s heart.

"I win!"

Splash!

At the last possible moment, a figure lunged into the path as the radiant sword drove deep into flesh.

Blood splattered onto Caldaros’ face.

He looked up, shock could be seen clearly on his face, and saw that a woman had gotten in the way.

Just as he wanted, his sword, his very last attack, stabbed through the heart, but it wasn’t Lucivar’s heart.

"NERISSA!"

Mirel, standing around the corner of the street, screamed in horror when he saw this.

His eyes went completely round when the blade pierced through her chest.

Both of them arrived seconds ago when, without hesitation, Nerissa shoved him aside and rushed ahead with everything she had. The moment she saw Lucivar was about to be stabbed, she moved—swift and utterly resolute.

Almost like it was her instinct to save Lucivar from danger.

And she succeeded in taking the blow.

"Heurgh…"

Blood trickled from Nerissa’s lips, fresh and slow, as if her very soul was draining away.

Her face twisted with a pain that she had never felt before.

Automatically, her body shuddered violently as her head dipped forward.

Pale blonde strands slipped over her face like a curtain—hiding the horror etched in her expression, but not the blood soaking through her chest, blooming like a crimson flower, where the blade had pierced her heart.

Despite her condition, she felt somewhat free, more alive than ever.

Perhaps because she was able to do what she always wanted to do, to protect instead of being protected.

Swish!

Not going down without a fight, Nerissa cast her ability, summoning a body of water that moved like a snake, and shot straight at Caldaros’ chest. A painful wail escaped his lips as he was pushed back, but the water only grazed his heart.

It was hard to control it accurately with her life draining away, and now she knows it.

Before he could fall, a shadow appeared in front of him.

Caldaros gazed up with finality as Lucivar’s glowing emerald eyes stared into his.

"Your usefulness is over, Caldaros."

Viciously, Lucivar opened his hand and drove it into Caldaros’ chest.

Splash!

He held nothing back.

His hand tore through Caldaros’ chest with a sickening crack, bursting out the other side. freeweɓnovēl.coɱ

In it was a still-throbbing heart in his blood-soaked grasp.

"I win…"

As Lucivar whispered those final words into Caldaros’ face, he yanked his hand free, ripping away the last thread of life. Caldaros’ gaze lingered on Lucivar’s eyes, wide with disbelief, burning with anger, flickering with confusion… until finally, the fire dimmed.

Emotions drained like breath from his lungs.

It only left behind a glassy emptiness.

A hollow stare that saw nothing, felt nothing, and would never see again.

Lucivar stared ahead as Caldaros’ body buckled to his knees, then curled around his feet.

Death of the enemy is a delight for him.

He felt good, liberated, and powerful.

But the wind of triumph was still unfinished.

Lucivar pivoted around and looked down, meeting Nerissa’s weak eyes.

She was smiling sweetly at him despite the hole in her chest, and her blood pooling around her, wetting her frail body—and hair. From between her suffocating gasps, she forced out a question, "Did… Did I protect you?"

"Yes."

"I see… I’m glad."

Lucivar fully turned to face her and squinted his eyes.

"Did it make you feel good?"

"Yes…"

Before Lucivar could answer, Mirel was already upon her, tears streaming down his face.

He managed to get a grip and check on Nerissa.

"Nerissa! Why did you do that? Hey, look at me! Don’t you dare close your eyes!"

From the side, Bakar, Leandra, and even Ravenna came rushing.

All of them saw how Nerissa rushed to Lucivar’s aid and got stabbed through her chest.

Initially, they were watching from the sidelines, knowing that Lucivar had a plan, and it was hard to really believe what was going on. Lucivar might’ve been in trouble earlier as he was disoriented, but on the other side, he could’ve been faking it.

So, none of them came to help Lucivar.

But Nerissa didn’t care which one was the truth and helped him anyway.

Lucivar glanced at them mourning Nerissa, exhaled softly, and turned away in silence.

He stepped into the park again, scanned the entire place, and noticed Ciri sitting alone on the stage.

Splat!

Ciri was startled when something fell onto the stage, leaving behind a wet red trail.

She blinked her eyes, inspecting what this blob was, before she soon realized that it was an actual heart!

"He’s dead."

A voice came from the side.

Ciri glanced to the side and saw Lucivar standing motionlessly like a ghost.

Seeing him here meant Caldaros had fallen, but instead of being devastated, she exhaled in relief.

"I was dreading the talk I’d need to have with Caldaros if you die, but since you’re here—I’m relieved that I don’t have to go through that pain," Ciri mumbled, her gaze drifting aside, calmer than she should be. "Truly… I’m relieved."

Lucivar let out an incredulous breath and sat beside Ciri.

Considering what he did, he expected Ciri to keep a distance, but she didn’t even flinch.

Silence enveloped the two of them as the sky rumbled with more alien energy.

"You were right. Caldaros and the Goddess are exactly like you."

"Good to know. In case you haven’t noticed, I invested a lot to make you understand."

"Why did you even want me to understand?"

"If I want to lie, I’d say it’s fun to prove that you’re wrong. But in truth—Caldaros’ source of power is you. You are his sun, that’s undeniable, and making you happy is how he became stronger. I wouldn’t be able to beat him had you still sided with him."

Upon hearing this, Ciri huffed, the sound laced with derision.

"So, even all of the good memories I have with him were all fake. I can’t believe it."

"Will it be better if I didn’t say that?"

"No, it’s good that you said that. At least now I know the truth. No one is good in this wicked world."

Lucivar shook his head.

That was a misconception on her part.

"You’re wrong. There are good people in this world, but none of them are strong. That’s all."

"I see… You have solved the ancient riddle. Congratulations. Power doesn’t corrupt—It simply answers the call of those already rotting inside."

"Ouch, so I’m rotting inside? That’s rude."

Ciri chuckled, finding the moment to be surreal.

Then, she gazed ahead.

"What now…?"

"Before we think about what’s next, you should see this first."

"See what?"

Lucivar nudged his chin ahead at the entrance.

"Now that you know that those in power are evil, you should also see what caused them to be like that."