The Devil's Warrior Queen
Chapter 217: The Surprise

Chapter 217: The Surprise

Rama watched with eagerness in her eyes as the hectic fight took place. Shadows swirled and danced as they moved with the grace of darkness, their clothes floating behind them like dark foggy clouds.

But then, as the dark sorceress moved, she abruptly halted a few inches away from Draco. Her eyes, glinted with malevolent power, reflecting the stolen essence of the ancestral souls of the powerful sorcerers mixed with the countless souls she had devoured to fuel her insatiable hunger for dominance.

As she sought to wield the amassed might in her, a cacophony of forbidden magic surged within her, fueled by the imprisoned souls writhing within her being. The air crackled with an ominous energy, and the ground trembled beneath her feet. Shock sparked in her eyes as she gasped heavily while touching her face where webs of dark veins had slowly transversed over her pale skin.

"Noo..." The words flowed out of her lips in a shaky tone, fear visible in it as the realization of what was occurring hit her.

Draco snorted out a laughter with a sarcastic remark "Well, I guess it’s time to say goodbye Thallasa."

"No! What have you done to me!" She shrieked hysterically, her body trembling with clouds of darkness oozing out of her skin.

"I didn’t do anything love, you did." He said with a tepid countenance as he shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly and turned around to walk away.

The moment he veered around, Thallasa growled and lunged at him for an attack, but the moment she took one step closer to him, the ancestral energies surged within her, an uncontainable torrent that surpassed her mortal limits.

She staggered backward as her body convulsed frenetically, the forbidden powers tearing through her being within out, a twisted fusion of darkness and desperation to merge as one with her mortal form, but it could only hold so much.

Rama watched in stupefaction and mouth hanging low as the dark sorceress met her phenomenal end.

Tendrils of black smoke snaked out of her mouth and every hole in her body, making her eyes roll viciously and her body contort with an otherworldly force as she levitated a few meters away from the ground, her head jerked backward while the dark essences writhed out of her body.

Lightning crackled with a guttural thunder across the dark clouds as if acknowledging the display of the force of nature mixed with the rhythmic tempo of the supernatural.

In a cataclysmic crescendo, a burst of searing light erupted from her form splintering her into a chaotic whirlwind of scarlet mist and shattered fragments.

She exploded like a water balloon been popped with a needle, Blood-red shards of her being scattered across the chamber, painting the walls with a macabre tapestry of her downfall and streaming the floor with blood and pieces of her all over.

Bits of her flesh and her blood splattered all over the entire room like a bomb had been set off inside of her, not an inch of the place was safe, not even Rama, as she was drenched in her blood with bits of flesh trailing down her blood soaked hair and face.

She could taste the blood dripping from her face on her lips, but she could taste and smell the essence of death cramming the air like heavy perfume.

Her trembling hands touched her bloody face, reeling from shock and confusion about what had just happened as she darted her eyes to Draco who was equally drenched in blood, but rather than shock, he had that sadistic glint in his eyes as he looked around with a satisfied grin curling his lips up.

The air crackled with residual energy, the remnants of her insatiable ambition dissolving into the ethereal void and from her remains, dark tendrils rose and snaked their way into the dark halls as the essence of the ancestral sorcerers returned back into the vessel, waiting patiently for it’s next power hungry victim, as with every mortal being it consumes, the essence grows ever stronger.

"What happened? How..Why did she die?" Rama asked, frozen in position while he approached her.

"She’s mortal and the power she consumed was beyond what a mere mortal could hold but nonetheless, she was too greedy to see that, so she fell prey. Nothing more than just another power hungry mortal." Draco remarked as he wiped the blood off her face with a kerchief, but it did little to clean the blood stains.

"Can we leave now?" She said with a disgusted face as she peeled a bit of the sorceress’s flesh from her hand. It was a disgusting sight indeed, it made her stomach churn.

"Sure love, it’s all over now." He said with a soothing smile playing on his lips.

As soon as they emerged out of the room, they bumped face to face with Zamiel who was going towards the direction they were coming out from.

"I’ll keep the vessel in the castle, so it doesn’t fall in the wrong hands, especially in the hands of an immortal, it would be chaos." Zamiel implied with a straight face and without waiting for a reply, he left.

They went back to the castle afterwards, it was a long night. Preparing a hot bath, they both cleaned up, turning the clean water red.

Feeling clean, she prepared for bed as she cuddled up in his warm embrace.

"I don’t know if I’m being ungrateful but I wasn’t expecting it to be that easy, no one was hurt luckily and her powers have been contained." Rama muttered sleepily as she snuggled closer, resting her head on his firm chest.

Draco stroked her soft hair while listening to her "You don’t have to feel anything about it love, wars are never the same, you can never expect the same result. Life is a surprise itself."

She nodded and smiled, then kissed him softly on the lips before closing her eyes to sleep. She was grateful for the universe keeping them alive once again in another war, she was grateful for coming back to his arms, grateful for every breathing moment she spent with him.

As dawn broke, she smiled cheerily at him and he returned it, but his eyes seemed to be holding an unfathomable secret.

"Take your bath and let’s have breakfast, we have somewhere to go today." He announced with a charming grin, no mischievous glint in his eyes whatsoever as he spoke, it made her heart flutter with excitement.

"Where are we going?" She chirped happily as she scrambled out of bed, hugging his arms.

"You’ll see." He merely replied, without letting off a single hint.

She squinted her eyes at him, but just then she observed him. His tussled hair laid sprawled slightly messy all over his shoulders and he was in typical clothes, white shirt and pants over boots. He was already dressed up, but he seemed to have not gotten any help from the maids as he wanted to look ordinary.

Not saying a word, she hopped to the washroom while pondering on where they were heading to. She figured it could be the town square since he was dressed in ordinary clothes.

Filled with excitement, she took a quick shower, wore an ordinary outfit and then they ate breakfast together, but no matter how much she tried to make him spill, he was tight lipped about their destination. Her blood bubbled with suspense and intensifying excitement.

She hated surprises because she hated being taken unaware but oddly, she had a feeling she was going to love this one.

Grinning from ear to ear, they mounted a horse and fled into the forest. The journey begins at the castle’s imposing gates, flanked by stone guardians weathered by centuries of wind and rain.

The path unfolds like a whispered tale, leading away from the castle’s fortified walls, where lush foliage veils the world in emerald greenery. Shafts of sunlight pierce through the thick canopy above, dappling the way with ethereal illumination that dances upon the ground.

As the horse galloped past the route leading to the town square, her anticipation heightened with excitement, wondering where on earth he was taking her to but her excitement was unmatched.

As they ventured deeper, the forest grew denser, the air thick with the perfume of ancient trees and the faint whispers of woodland creatures. Giant oaks stretched their gnarled branches like protective sentinels, their canopy forming a natural archway overhead, cloaking the path in a gentle, arboreal embrace.

The air grew cooler as the ascent becomes steeper, guiding them toward an unknown scenery secluded amidst the wilderness. Mossy boulders, coated in velvet-green, line the way like resting giants, while wildflowers peek out from the forest floor, adding splashes of vibrant color to the verdant canvas.

Eventually, the path leads to a serene clearing atop the mountain, revealing the hidden cottage. Adorned with ivy-clad walls and a thatched roof, it stood as a harmonious blend of rustic beauty and nature’s embrace. The murmurs of a nearby stream weave a tranquil melody, complementing the chorus of rustling leaves and distant birdcalls.

As the horse came to a halt in front of the tranquil cottage, she took in the sight in front of her in both awe and confusion.

A charming stone cottage nestled within the lush, ancient forest, perched atop a serene mountain peak in a medieval realm. Its ivy-covered walls blend harmoniously with nature, adorned by vibrant flowers spilling from window boxes. The air carried the scent of pine and wildflowers, while sunlight dances through the emerald canopy, casting playful patterns on the mossy pathway leading to the cottage.

He took her hands and pulled her toward the inside of the cottage. Opening the medium sized door with a creak, they walked in and she gasped with a smile tearing through her lips.

Stepping inside, she finds a cozy haven, a warm fireplace crackling with life, casting a gentle glow upon the wooden beams and tapestries adorning the walls. The furniture, handcrafted from rich, polished wood, exudes rustic elegance and comfort.

But the heart of the cottage lies in its enchanting painting room. A haven for creativity, it’s filled with shelves displaying colorful jars of pigments, brushes resting in jars of water, and canvases waiting to capture the beauty of the surrounding landscape. Soft, natural light floods the room through large windows that offer breathtaking views of the majestic forest and distant valleys.

"Your wish was to experience the simplicity of life, away from kingdom duties and supernatural forces. I may not be able to give you this forever, but I want you to revel in it for as long as it lasts, lets make a new memory together Rama, a simple memory."