Chapter 469: She Has Returned
Get a glimpse of "The Devil's Betrothed" Chapter 469: Chapter 469: She Has Returned"Arlan...," Orianaâs voice barely rose above a whisper as she closed... Continue the adventure now!
Chapter 469: She Has Returned"Arlan...," Orianaâs voice barely rose above a whisper as she closed her tear-filled eyes. She clutched her chest as a sharp pang coursing through her chest. An irreplaceable loss, she mourned the man she had loved.
Edna regarded Oriana with a sinister smile. "I ended him," she chuckled, reveling in Orianaâs pain. "Does it hurt terribly, my dear?"
Oriana remained on her knees, wordless, consumed by the ache that gripped her.
Amused, Edna continued, "Weep all you want. Itâs preferable, and I can seamlessly claim dominance over your existence."
Despite Ednaâs triumphant demeanor, an eerie hush fell upon Oriana and her surroundings. Not just her but the entire surrounding seemed to turn quiet as if time had stopped. The once strong wind ceased, leaving the lanterns suspended in stillness.
Confusion flickered across Ednaâs face at this sudden change in surrounding. That eeriness was unusllaly ominous, but Edna preferred to ignore it as it was the day which she had waited for the past two decades and she had to get done with it as soon as possible.
Undeterred, Edna declared, "It appears youâre prepared for me to take over your body. Very well. Anyways, what purpose does your life serve when the man who loved you sacrificed himself to protect you? Thereâs no reason for you to persist on living when the man had died. The poor prince loved the wrong womanâa woman who led him to an early grave."
Yorian arrived swiftly, calling out, "Oriana?"
Edna shot him a disdainful glare. "So, youâve an elf as an ally?"
Yorian clenched his teeth, burning with the desire to punish the malevolent witch. However, he grasped the severity of the situation when he discerned a blood curse at play, hearing Arlanâs plea for Edna to cease causing pain to Oriana.
Ignoring the witchâs provocation, Yorian approached Oriana, but...
Suddenly, Orianaâs body became engulfed in a dense, ominous darknessâsinister and formidable. This transformation extended beyond Oriana, altering the very nature of the once stealthy surroundings. Previously silent, the dark clouds now obscured the moonless sky, transforming the eerie stillness into a tempest in the blink of an eye.
Edna, taken aback, involuntarily retreated as an unsettling change emanated from Oriana.
"Oriana?" Yorian called out, though he was well aware of what was unfolding.
Oriana remained frozen in her kneeling position, seemingly oblivious to her surroundings. Her head hung low, tears carving paths down her cheeks, and her long red hair swirled in the rising wind. She looked like a lifeless statue that could feel or hear nothing.
Above her in the sky, the clouds churned in circular motion, accompanied by countless lightning strikes that reverberated through the atmosphere. A stormy, ominous vortex materialized in the darkened sky.
âWhatâs happening?â Edna gazed up at the sky, and the sudden shift in the surroundings carried a potent force that left her feeling uneasy, as though something momentous was on the verge of occurring. The whipping wind, the celestial display of lightning, everything exuded a formidable and ominous air, as if preparing to consume everything within its grasp.
At the heart of the dark, swirling vortex in the sky, a transformation unfolded. In the next instant, a potent darkness emanated from the vortexâs center, descending upon Oriana as if an asteroid had crashed upon the earth where she sat.
A resounding collision echoed through the air, sending Edna and Yorian flying like dried grass leaves. The darkness from the sky continued to cascade onto Oriana, seemingly burying her beneath its weight.
Zaria, who stood on the sidelines, found herself equally taken aback. âI didnât anticipate the Queen to possess such power. Itâs as if sheâs awakening something beyond being merely a Queen of Witches. Is it?â she pondered, questioning herself.
Yorian, regaining his composure, turned his attention to Oriana. âShe possesses more power than I could have imagined. She is far more than just a Queen of Witches.â
Edna, recovering from the shock, struggled to comprehend the unfolding events.
Shortly afterward, an image flashed within the stormy cloud vortex, as if the sky itself bore the mark of a Celtic witchâs knot.
Edna grasped something. She shifted her gaze from the sky to where the darkness continued to envelop Oriana.
âQueen? Is she the Queen?â
She reached a conclusion, yet disbelief lingered in her expression.
Simultaneously, a myriad of figures materialized at the mountainâs peakâthe formidable members of the witch clan hailing from various corners of the continent. The Queen of Witches had awakened, prompting the entire witch clan to be on high alert in acknowledgment of their newfound leader.
Powerful individuals teleported to witness the emergence of their queen, a gathering that included not only the former Queen Evanthe but also Cornelia Grim, the current head of the witch clan from Agartha, and several other leaders from different factions. The powerful black witches in service to Zaria also arrived, drawn by the unfolding spectacle.
Evanthe, the former queen of witches, a captivating, divine figure, gazed at the turbulent sky, emanating an overwhelming source of power. She muttered, "Finally, it is happening."
Beside her, Cornelia, the current leader of the witch clan, positioned just after the queen, remarked, "The new Queenâfinally, we have found her."
The black witches aligned with Zaria immediately approached her, bowing in unison. "Sister Zaria, at last, we have our Queen."
Zaria nodded in acknowledgment, but as her gaze fixed upon the potent storm, a sense of puzzlement and surprise crept over her. What kind of power did their queen truly possess?
In addition to the witches, the King of Megaris Drayce Ivanov who was warlock himself, appeared there as well. He was included as powerful member of witch clan and him being alarmed of the Queenâs presence was natural. He was aware of Oriana being a Queen, but as a warlock he had to be here too at the awakening of their Queen- the Queen of Witch clan.
Zaria displayed no surprise at Evantheâs arrival, alongside other witches from Agartha. It was only natural for influential members of the witch clan to gather at the Queenâs awakening.
Drayce spotted his mother and approached her, with Yorian joining by her side. While Drayce recognized Zariaâs presence, his focus remained on the pressing matter at hand.
"Evanthe," Yorian called out, concern etched on his face as he looked at the beautiful woman. "What you tried to prevent has finally come to pass."
Evantheâs captivating caramel eyes, previously fixed on the vortex of power before her, shifted to Yorian. "Destinies may be delayed, but they cannot be averted. She is the queen; this was inevitable."
Turning his attention to the unfolding chaos, Drayce inquired of Yorian, "Where is Arlan?"
Yorian shook his head, gesturing towards the tumultuous scene ahead, where Arlanâs presence was obscured by the surging powers enveloping Oriana. He recounted the actions of Edna, detailing the unsettling events that had transpired.
Drayce narrowed his eyes, intent on reaching his friend, but Evanthe restrained him with a firm grip. "You should not go there."
"Mother, I have to bring Arlan back."
"He was stabbed with a divine weapon. You cannot save him. What befalls him is his destiny. For now, you mustnât disrupt this powerful phenomenon. The Queen is awakening, and interference could lead to dire consequences."
Drayce held himself back as his mother knew more than he could. The thought of losing his friend was hurtful but he had to keep his human emotions away and had to follow what his mother said. If they could do anything for Arlan, Evanthe would have been the first person to go and save him. Drayce knew his motherâs kind heart.
Just then the third woman next to them who was covered in hooded robe from head to toe, hiding her face even, uttered in disbelief, "Esmerray. She has returned."
Evanthe, perplexed, turned to her. "Sierra, who is Esmerray?"
"Your new Queen," Sierra replied, her shock apparent.
Confused, Cornelia inquired, "What do you mean, Lady Sierra?" The others awaited her explanation.
"She is not just your Queen, but someone far more potent. I never anticipated seeing her here as the Queen of Witches," Sierra murmured, still grappling with disbelief.
"Who is she?" Evanthe pressed once more.