The Devil's Warrior Queen
Chapter 384: Corpse Of a Lover

Chapter 384: Corpse Of a Lover

But as her eyes grazed through the countless corpses, it abruptly fell on one man. The one man that she could wholeheartedly recognize with just a glance.

Her eyes subconsciously zoomed in to his bloodied figure laying on the grass floor, his dark brown hair sprawled on the ground. His body, numb and unmoving just lay there, with dried blood stuck to his clothes.

The world around her halted and her head felt more dizzy than ever as she moved toward him. Her legs wobbled weakly beneath her skirt with each daunting slow step she took.

And as she finally hovered above him, taking in his features from up close, her raspy breath clogged at the back of her throat and for that despairing moment as she stared at his lifeless form, she found it hard to breathe and her heart split open with a gushing wound carved deeply into it.

Her legs could no longer hold her weight and Zoya fell on her knees beside the lifeless form of her lover, Aldric, her heart heavy with grief and despair. His once vibrant blue eyes were now closed forever, his strong hands now cold and lifeless as they lay limp at his sides.

With trembling hands, Zoya reached out to touch Aldric’s face, feeling the chill of death that had settled upon his skin like a shroud. Tears welled up in her eyes as she traced the lines of his features, committing them to memory with a sense of desperation born of loss.

"P-Please, Aldric," she whispered, her voice barely more than a hoarse whisper as she fought to hold back her sobs. "Please, come back to me. I cannot bear to lose you."

But Aldric did not stir, his silence a cruel reminder of the finality of death. With a cry of anguish, Zoya buried her face in her hands, her tears flowing freely as she mourned the loss of her beloved.

For what felt like an eternity, Zoya knelt beside Aldric’s lifeless form, her grief consuming her whole as she struggled to come to terms with the enormity of her loss. Memories of their time together flashed through her mind like shards of broken glass, each one a painful reminder of what could have been.

She remembered the warmth of Aldric’s embrace, the sound of his laughter echoing through her ears. She remembered the tender words he had whispered in her ear, the promises of love and devotion that had once filled her heart with joy.

But now, all that remained was emptiness, a gaping void where once there had been love and happiness. And as Zoya knelt beside Aldric’s lifeless form, she felt as though a part of her had died with him, leaving behind nothing but pain and despair in its wake.

With a heavy heart, Zoya leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss to Aldric’s cold forehead, her lips lingering against his skin as if to hold onto the memory of his warmth for just a little while longer. But even as she did, she knew that it was futile, that no amount of love or longing could bring him back from the brink of death.

As she pulled away, Zoya’s gaze fell upon Aldric’s face once more, her heart aching with a pain that seemed to consume her whole. In his eyes, she saw the reflection of her own despair, the knowledge that they would never again share another moment together.

But even as she mourned the loss of her beloved, a spark of determination flickered to life within Zoya’s heart. She knew that Aldric would not want her to give up hope, that he would want her to continue fighting for the things they had believed in together, but he was no longer there with her, so their beliefs were dead, so now, the only thing she would be fighting for, would be revenge.

With a deep breath, Zoya rose to her feet, her eyes shining with a newfound resolve as she looked out into the forest beyond. In the distance, she could see the first light of dawn beginning to break through the trees, casting long shadows across the forest floor.

And as she stood there, bathed in the soft light of the morning sun, Zoya knew that she could not let Aldric’s death be in vain. With his memory as her guide, she vowed to continue fighting for his revenge, to honor his legacy and ensure that his sacrifice would never be forgotten.

With a final, lingering glance at Aldric’s lifeless form, Zoya turned and walked away, her heart heavy with sorrow but her spirit unbowed.

She was leaving East Ravka for now, but soon, she would come back and avenge his death. And her wrath would be poured on them like never before.

She was well aware she wasn’t strong enough to wield the insurmountable amount of power she possessed from the flaming crystal, at least not enough to destroy an entire kingdom without getting drained and if she fell unconscious in the middle of pouring her wrath on them, they would undoubtedly have easy access in killing her.

So Zoya planned to train and wield the power within her, no matter how long it took, she would harness the powers surging within her and when the time was right, she would claim her retribution.

She was never the enemy to them, but they chose to turn her into one, they chose to strip her of the happiness that she never thought she would get, they chose to tear her apart and shred off her skin, only to create a new monster.

After crying her eyes out, leaving it swollen and red, she finally proceeded to bury his body while leaving the soldiers to rot for the animals to feed on their carcasses, he was the only one who deserved a proper burial, the rest could burn in hell.

Tears streamed down her cheeks while she dug his grave, the earth was cold and unforgiving against her fingertips as she smoothened the sand over his grave.

She knelt beside the freshly dug grave of Aldric, tears pouring out of her eyes like a gentle stream. The earth beneath her knees was soft and damp, a tangible reminder of the life that had been taken from her too soon. With trembling hands, Zoya gently lowered Aldric’s lifeless body into the ground, her heart heavy with grief and despair.

As she covered his body with earth, Zoya felt tears welling up in her eyes, blurring her vision as she fought to hold back her sobs. The sound of dirt hitting wood echoed through the forest, a somber melody that seemed to resonate with the ache in her soul.

But even as she mourned the loss of her beloved, a spark of determination flickered to life within Zoya’s heart. She wouldn’t let Aldric’s death be in vain, that his sacrifice would not go unanswered. With a solemn vow, she swore vengeance upon those who had taken him from her, promising to hunt them down and make them pay for their crimes.

With her oath hanging heavy in the air, Zoya reached out to touch the cold earth that now covered Aldric’s grave, feeling the weight of her grief pressing down upon her like a leaden weight. But even as she did, she felt a sense of peace settle over her, knowing that she had honored his memory in the best way she knew how.

For what felt like an eternity, Zoya remained kneeling beside Aldric’s grave, her thoughts consumed by memories of their time together. She remembered the warmth of his embrace, the sound of his laughter ringing in her ears. She remembered the tender words he had whispered in her ear, the promises of love and devotion that had once filled her heart with joy.

But now, all that remained was emptiness, a gaping void where once there had been love and happiness. And as Zoya lingered by Aldric’s grave, she knew that she could not stay in this place of sorrow forever. With a heavy heart, she rose to her feet and turned to leave, her footsteps echoing through the forest as she made her way back into the world beyond.

As she walked away, Zoya could feel the weight of her grief pressing down upon her like a burden too heavy to bear. But even as tears streamed down her cheeks and her heart ached with the pain of loss, she knew that she could not let Aldric’s death be in vain.

With each step she took, Zoya felt a renewed sense of determination coursing through her veins, a burning desire to seek justice for the man she had loved and lost. And as she disappeared into the depths of the forest, she knew that she would stop at nothing to ensure that Aldric’s memory lived on, a guiding light in the darkness that threatened to consume her whole.

She swiftly climbed on her horse, getting ready to go back to Voltaire’s empire. After all, he was a detour in her mission, but a significant detour that she was willing to risk everything for.