The shatter of glass spraying across the floor and the orange flames engulfing the dark towers of the palace was the first signal for Castrin to run.

The palace broke out into chaos, the screams of servants, maids, guards, and those who had nowhere else to go piercing through the walls and shaking the dead atmosphere awake. Castrin went around, signaling for them to follow him to the nearest escape room. His lungs burned with the desire for air, his mind spinning into a foggy haze.

The escape rooms were portals that stood grounded in limbo, trapped between different worlds and the afterworld. It wasn't a permanent solution to their problem but Castrin knew that it was the safest place for everyone else to be as he tried to hold his and their sanity together.

Spells spun in his head as he used them to unlock the portals, pushing as many beings as he could into the portals. Screams still drowned out his voice as he commanded them to follow his lead, but they soon died down as the doors soon closed and he was the only soul left standing in the hallway.

Another ball of fire crashed through the glass ceiling and caught the drapes in its deadly grip, the thick material waving in the air with a fiery trailblazing through the material. Castrin ran to tear the material down, stomping on the flames until little embers remained. Once he was done, he backed up to the staircase, his shaky breath loud in the empty hallway.

He waited, his heart beating through his chest as he listened for any more threats. His hand gripped the iron banister, his eyes searching for a threat. A little whisper of the breeze fluttered past the windows followed by whisperings.

What was that?

He turned around towards the other windows facing him to see the silhouette of a fire trail heading towards him. A tremendous force of power shook the palace, shaking loose pieces of glass unto the floor. The snarl of a dragon's roar echoed through the air followed by a flash of light before pools of fire flooded through the open glass. Castrin turned around and sprinted up the stairs, trying his best to avoid the trail of fire that followed him. A burst of light from the fire flung his way. With a huff, Castrin threw himself at the foot of a door, his eyes watering with tears as the streak of light shattered against the wall.

Without hesitating, he fumbled with the lock on the door until he was inside and safe from the chaos that was insinuating outside. Inside the room that was lit only by a single strand of moonlight, he could outline the body of Azura lying down on the bed, unconscious and bruised,

Alesandria sat in the corner, laughing maniacally to herself. "It's so satisfying watching this place burn to the ground after everything the Inner Circle has inflicted upon us," she said, looking out the window with a smile. "Don't you agree, Castrin?"

"Heather, you've got everything you wanted! Leave Alesandria alone!" Castrin pleaded, throwing himself to her feet. "Please! Alesandria doesn't deserve this! She's trying to find herself in this world and you manipulating her will not better the situation!"

Alesandria groaned, rolling her eyes. "My mission is not to use Alesandria as a toy Castrin. At least not all my mission" Heather explained through Alesandria. "Face it Castrin. Your precious Alesandria could never and would never stand up to the immense power and legacy that is Onyx. They may be partly related but Onyx embodies Asxairo and Crojesian through her blood. She is a rare birth, a blessing and a curse to both mortal and immortal realms. Onyx would always outshine Alesandria no matter what you and the others try to tell yourself. You would be perfectly fine without Alesandria."

"So, what is your point?" Castrin asked through locked teeth.

"Alesandria is a weak mind that can easily be bent. After this whole catastrophe is over and I can finally unlink myself from her wretched mind, she will be broken with guilt and misery. It will drive her to insanity and to join our side. From there on, she will no longer be an ally. She will serve as a sacrifice."

"Sacrifice?! Alesandria can't die!" Castrin exclaimed. "What has she done to you to deserve this!"

"You didn't think we would stop at just taking Raebar's body now, did you? We truly meant it when we said that we were going to tear this world apart and I fully intend to follow through with that threat! Now silence yourself!"

Heather casted a spell using Alesandria's powers. The red orb of magic jumped from her hand and headed towards him. "Inrita!" Castrin chanted the first spell that popped into his head. A whirl of black smoke spewed from his hand, creating a cloud that swallowed the red orb of light.

Alesandria snarled, stalking towards him. "Don't even think about turning your back on us now. We had a deal and if you break it, your pretty girlfriend suffers the consequences!" Before Castrin could reply, a commotion disturbed his train of thoughts. Footsteps pounded on the floor, familiar voices shouting through the palace.

Alesandria pressed a finger to her lip, a wicked gleaming in her wide eyes. "Just play along Castrin. I promise it will be fun in the end." The end of her words rasped around each other, a throaty gasp escaping her lips. Before Castrin could respond, Heather unhinged herself from Alesandria's mind, causing her body to tense and collapse.

Castrin moved and caught Alesandria in her arms, her cold skin stinging his warm touch. "Ales, wake up!" Castrin screamed, shaking her violently. She didn't budge, her limbs falling flat to her sides. "Damn you Heather!" he screamed, stroking her black hair from her alabaster complexion.

The door started to shake, and a collision of voices shouted from the other side. Castrin backed himself and Alesandria's body into a dark corner, watching with frightened eyes as the door began to splinter and shatter. A vibrant sword of gold light shattered through the knob and broke through the door, dark shadows shrouding the room.

"Castrin? Alesandria? Are you here? We sensed your magic!" A familiar voice called out to him through the darkness.

"Yongui? Falcon?" he asked, stepping out of his spot. Indigo eyes darted over to him, followed by a wish of silver hair and pale arms embracing him in a tight hug. "Thank god you are okay!" she breathed, stepping back to examine him.

"Where is everyone else?" Falcon asked, examining the room. He had a golden light sword in his hand, using it to illuminate the darkroom. "I tried to signal to Azura but she wasn't responding through the mating bond."

"Most of the staff are in the portal. I tried to get as many as possible but..but...." His words trailed off as he gestured towards Alesandria and Azura. "I couldn't save them. I don't know what to do."

Yongui darted her gaze towards Alesandria, a gasp coming from her lips. Her slim fingers went to feel a pulse around her neck, outlining the bulging veins that painted her skin. "She's alive, barely."

Falcon turned his attention towards the bed, lowering his sword when he leaned in and examined the bruised face of his mate. "Azura, what happened?" he asked, dropping his sword and cradling her face in his large hands. "I can't feel her pulse! Castrin, what happened!"

"I-I don't know. One minute we were talking to Alesandria and the next minute, she was flung across the room. She must have hit the ground pretty hard because she hasn't awoken since." Falcon looked up with angry, wild eyes, his kind eyes burning with the rage of a forest fire.

"And you just let her lie here and die!" His voice echoed in the empty room, hot tears streaking his face as looked down at Azura, brushing her hair out of her face. "Azura, my heart. Please wake up" he whispered, bringing her fingers to his lips, kissing them lightly to spark any reaction.

She didn't budge.

"Falcon, we can't stay here for long. The others need our help" Yongui whispered. Just as she spoke, an ear-splitting sound shattered through the halls, followed by a melody of screams echoing through the halls. He looked and snarled, passing a hard look over to Castrin. "We need to relocate them. Take Azura with you down to the dungeons. Castrin, follow her closely."

He cradled Azura in his arms and passed her off to Yongui who grasped on to her gently, nodding. "Please. Be careful with her" he whispered, his voice cracking. Yongui nodded, holding her friend close to her chest. "I promise."

With a nod, Castrin followed Yongui out the door and down the dark hallway, away from the destruction of the war. He followed her down a dark path, only looking back to see Falcon walk out of the room, golden light sword in hand, his hands glowing red with power and a determined look settling in his eyes. His powerful form stormed down the hallway towards the main fight, his heavy footsteps shaking the castle.

Yongui fiddled with the door of the dungeon until it creaked open. Together, they creaked down the stairs until she spotted the first empty cell. She slid it open and took off her cloak with one hand. She laid it down on the floor before setting Azura down on the ground. She took a glance at her unconscious friend, pushing back her corkscrew curls.

"Be quiet" she whispered, glancing over at Castrin who had Alesandria pressed against his chest. "I'll be back."

Without another word, she walked out of the cell towards Rheynoak's cell. He was barely the man he once was, his hollowing thin frame still bounded by chains. He grunted as she broke the lock on his cell and walked in, a mucus cough spitting from his mouth. "Come to torture me I see," he asked, his eyes sizing her.

"Do you see a whip with me?" she retorted, approaching him. Her eyes traced his lanky frame, his hollow chest heaving up and down as he coughed up blood. "What do you want?"

"Nothing. Your father's body is in the possession of the Desert tribe leaders, Elsavior is being torn apart at the seams, and they'll probably be coming after you to resurrect his soul and restore it to his body." She looked him up and down, a scowl on her face. "Although you look like shit."

"Appreciate the compliment and I am not touching that body. My father was a great leader, but he was a barbarian and towards the end of his life, he became the bane of my existent. He's better off dead or with no soul."

"You are his heir" Yongui replied.

"I'm his bastard" he replied. "I'm not touching him."

Yongui sighed and casted her gaze up to the ceiling where the crumbling stones fell at the sound of the fight raging on. "I can't believe I'm asking you this but what should we do? All our efforts to stop the war have not worked and everything is going to shit. This place has been my home for so long. I can't move out. Not now. Not with everything I have."

Rheynoak sighed, his eyes darting over to Yongui. "I'm guessing this is also about Azner and Estel," he whispered, meeting her eyes. Yongui nodded, running her fingers through her hair. "I made a promise to my brother to protect them at all costs. I've done a pretty good job so far. I can't fuck it up now. If it came between me and them, I would let them live and me die."

"I know how much they mean to you," he said, nodding. "There is nothing you can do about anything now. They have his body and there are other ways to restore his soul without the use of a hell siphon. I'm sorry to say but the Inner Circle is fucked. You must let it happen. It's inevitable."

"What about putting up a fight? Standing up for ourselves?" Yongui hissed.

"How has that worked out for you?" he asked, shaking his head. "Listen, I applaud you for your efforts. I truly do, but they have always been one step ahead. I thought you guys would have caught on to their tactics, but you have been so blinded by your problems and helping Onyx that you failed to realize what was under your nose this entire time."

Yongui frowned, fiddling with her fingers. "Trust me, this is better" he replied.

The castle shook and rumbled above their heads, stones crashing to the floor as the last roar of the war was drowned out in cries and tears. The vacuum of silence settled after, the hymns of the angels of death singing through the kingdom as they collected the souls of the fallen.

Yongui sighed, tears running down her face. "Inevitable you say?"

He nodded, breaking eye contact with her. His gaze moved towards the barred windows, the black night sky stretched for miles. "Completely and irrevocably inevitable."

A/N: And that is the end of Chapter Forty!

The second semester has been kicking my ass but I have a lot of time on my hands so I can start updating again! 

We are nearing the end of the book and I am excited to continue the series and to finish the novellas as well as start some new projects as well!

But I have finished the book in my drafts and I am releasing chapters one by one!

So tell me what you guys thought of this chapter.

How are you liking The Septic Curse and how do you feel about the book ending soon? Let me know in the comments below!

Are you guys enjoying the books and series so far? I want to hear your honest opinion!

Any NEW Ships you like?

Any specific scenes you liked! Any conspiracies? I would love to hear them!

Love you guys!

Thank you guys for all your constant support. It means so much to me that you enjoy this book. I enjoy writing it and to hear your feedback always makes my day!

So tell me what your thoughts are on this chapter and don't forget to comment down below and vote if you liked it.

Until next time Lovelies!

With love, May