SPELLBOUND

Everyone was silent as they watched Gideon hug Vera. His body was trembling hard as he held her tight against him. However, it seemed as though Gideon was not even aware of his own body's reactions. He was still blank and emotionless as he clung tightly onto Vera even though she was already out of danger.

Beatrice teared up silently as she watched the heartbreaking scenario of her eldest and his mate. She was so glad Vera could be saved. That she did not leave Gideon again.

The fear Beatrice felt when she saw Vera's lifeless body was so intense that it had shaken her entire being. Even now that Vera was saved, Beatrice could still feel the lingering chill in her and she was sure that it would take some time to dissipate. She was terrified of what would happen to Gideon if he ended up losing his love once again.

So, seeing Vera opening her eyes, alive, and not leaving them again, had Beatrice crying hard in silence. She just buried her head into her husband's chest while Belial held her, caressing her back so gently. He completely understood why his wife was behaving this way. Those tears were ones of relief and thankfulness. Not of fear nor worry. As he continued rubbing his hand up and down Beatrice's back, he also softly whispered into her ears, words of understanding and comfort.

"Gid... Gideon..." Vera uttered as she looked up at her husband's disheveled and ravaged face. Droplets of tears were falling as rain from his eyes.

Vera could see the utter grief and agony melting and turning into torrents of tears coursing down his cheeks. It broke her heart, seeing her beloved cry like this. He was such a powerful and proud prince. For him to break down and cry like this in public...

Vera knew that she was the reason why he was bleeding in pain. She knew she had scared him to death. She had broken his heart and soul into pieces.

Unable to bear the sight of him shedding tears anymore, Vera reached out and caressed his face.

"I'm here now, Gideon, my mate... please don't cry... I'm here now..." she consoled him gently and Gideon only bent over and held her tightly in his arms again, burying his head in her hair.

But Vera soon pulled away from Gideon as she finally began to wonder how she was brought back to life.

'Azure...' she muttered to herself as she looked around, searching for him.

The great dragon's body was on the ground, and Evie and Onyx were next to him, their heads lowered in grief.

Vera instantly felt her throat constrict and throbbed in pain. Giving Gideon's hands a reassuring squeeze, she stood up with trembling knees and approached the dragon. Her dragon. Every step she took closer to Azure was heavy. So heavy as though they were filled with lead.

Slowly dropping to her knees beside Azure's head, Vera's trembling hands reached out to touch her dragon's snout, caressing it lovingly as her eyes locked onto his eyes. Hoping against all odds that he would blink and communicate with her as he used to do.

But she broke down in tears as she looked at Azure's still opened but dead eyes. Hugging the great dragon's snout, Vera cried out with heartrending sobs.

Everyone stayed very still with their heads bowed low, while the ice dragons all around the battlefield started to make a keening sound, as if they too were mourning and crying along with Vera for the passing of a mighty dragon.

The army beyond the now dissolving wall of darkness immediately felt gooseflesh crawling down their skin as they looked ahead towards the source of that sound. They all thought that the Light Queen's army had won the war when they saw that the wall of darkness started to dissolve. But now, upon hearing those strange sounds, they started to feel doubt and fear. What had happened? Had they won or not?

Just as the duke - that King Belial had assigned to take the command - had entered the wall and was about to give the command for the army to move, a messenger arrived, stopping them, telling them that the battle had ended.

...

The King's army began to emerge from the wall of darkness that now just looked like a faint cloud of dark smoke.

They had with them many injured soldiers. The dragons had also suffered major injuries.

And following them, countless dead bodies were being carried out. Sadly, there were also dragons among them.

The sight of the lives that were lost was enough to tell everyone just how intense the battle they had gone through within that wall. But there was no one who dared look at the survivors as well as the dead, with pity in their eyes.

The soldiers lifted their heads high up as a salute to the heroes that had sacrificed their life to fight for this hard won peace. And they began singing their song of victory.

All the soldiers who were too weak and were looking withered, lifted their heads. The sound that welcomed them seemed to have awakened them, making them realize that the battle had indeed ended and they had... won.

The soldiers who initially had their heads hung low, now lifted their arms and then they too, began to cry out.

The King and Queen, the Light Queen and everyone who were the last to emerge stilled at the song of victory being sung as it were being carried on the winds, melodious yet full of passion and zeal.

Evie swept her gaze over all the soldiers celebrating their victory. Right... they had won. They had seen it themselves that the heart of the abyss, that strange well, was now sealed. And not a single monster had been left alive. Yes, they had won this war.

Looking up, Evie allowed her eyes to slowly close. At long last... it was done. The war had finally ended. A smile filled with gratitude and relief tugged at the corners of her lips. But at the same time, a lone tear escaped from the corner of her eyes.

She brushed it away immediately, steeling herself, and continued marching forward with her head held up.

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