𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 15. 𝕴𝖓 𝖂𝖍𝖎𝖈𝖍 𝕵𝖊𝖟𝖊𝖇𝖊𝖑 𝕾𝖆𝖈𝖗𝖎𝖋𝖎𝖈𝖊𝖘 𝕳𝖊𝖗𝖘𝖊𝖑𝖋 𝕱𝖔𝖗 𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝕾𝖆𝖐𝖊 𝕺𝖋 𝕷𝖔𝖞𝖆𝖑𝖙𝖞

(𝚆𝚊𝚛𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐 : 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚕𝚕𝚘𝚠𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚝𝚊𝚒𝚗𝚜 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎 𝚖𝚊𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚎 𝚜𝚝𝚞𝚏𝚏 𝚜𝚞𝚌𝚑 𝚊𝚜 𝚟𝚒𝚘𝚕𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚍𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚑. 𝙰𝚜 𝚞𝚜𝚞𝚊𝚕, 𝙸'𝚟𝚎 𝚝𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚍 𝚔𝚎𝚎𝚙𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚒𝚝 𝚖𝚒𝚗𝚒𝚖𝚞𝚖... 𝙱𝚞𝚝, 𝚒𝚝'𝚜 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚊𝚍𝚟𝚒𝚜𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚋𝚢 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚠𝚑𝚘 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚒𝚜𝚜𝚞𝚎𝚜 𝚍𝚎𝚊𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚜𝚎 𝚝𝚘𝚙𝚒𝚌𝚜.)

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"If you're connected to Gods, why can't you help Rhys?" Blaze asked Mephistopheles, who he had come to accept as an ally.

"I've my limitations here, in this form. I just came here to collect the souls for my master. Lorelei have to complete her share of contract in twenty years of given time. Luna's offer seems a better and quicker way to end this deal. Besides, it won't be fair to disturb this world with my powers." Mephistopheles answered.

"Alright, how are we going to get her take that magic back?" Blaze asked Luna.

"I haven't thought of that, yet. She's not someone who'll do it if you try opening her eyes or something like that. She's just simply cruel." Luna answered, somewhat, deep in thought.

"Coming without a plan... Looks like you still don't understand the line which divides geniuses from fools." Lorelei stepped inside the chamber.

"Do I need to learn definitions from you? I guess I've better days to witness." Luna smirked in her direction.

She knew Lorelei can not kill her. She doesn't have the power to. She, after all, is a mere human with nothing more than thirst of power. People who want power but, aren't ready to take responsibilities accompanying those powers are pathetically weak. And Lorelei was no exception between them...

"We'll see where your confidence stands after five days..." Lorelei snapped in a calm posture.

"Don't you dare bring Rhys into this... If one of us isn't going to make it out, at least, give me answers." Sylvie stood up, looking directly in her eyes.

"I'm not obliged to any of your questions. Getting Mephistopheles on your side won't let you get victorious."

"And what makes you think that?" Sylvie questioned with her eyes fixed on Lorelei, someone who can do anything for power.

"Think...? I don't think kid, I charge and win. You seriously think you've power to win against me. Mephistopheles won't interfere even if I kill you right here. He is nothing, but, a servant."

Even before Lorelei could breathe after finishing that, Mephistopheles stood in front of her, without giving any time or chance.

"And you? You think you can stand there talking so low of me while I do nothing, than to watch. Perhaps you're forgetting your place and mine." Mephistopheles glared at her.

"What can you do to me? You're just a servant serving your tenure." Lorelei took a few steps back. Such close proximity towards a demon as powerful as him, made her insides clench.

"Fools, like you, who laugh on Earth must weep in Hell!" Mephistopheles took a step closer towards her. At the same time, Lorelei took a step back.

Mephistopheles is a powerful demon who possesses a variety of supernatural abilities and magical spells. Whenever, someone decides to call on the devil for further knowledge and magic powers with which they want to indulge all the pleasure and knowledge of the world. In response, the devil's representative Mephistopheles appears. He makes a bargain with them: Mephistopheles will serve them with his magic powers for a term of years, but at the end of the term, the devil will claim someone's soul and that person will be eternally damned. The term usually stipulated in the is twenty years. He wasn't someone to be taken lightly.

Without walking any further, he raised his hands in mid air. Dark clouds had formed, up above in the air and dramatic zigzags appeared across the sky. It was just like a thunderstorm scenery. But scarcely a drop of rain had fallen as the chamber suddenly felt too small to even stand in. Suddenly, a bolt of lightning fell towards Lorelei. It happened in such a short amount of time, like, she couldn't even blink.

Out of nowhere, she found herself being pushed by someone. Someone small and petite, as compared to herself. The lighting struck Jezebel's small frame and she cried in pain. As the lightning stroke then, exited her body, her hair and clothing started to singe and even caught a little fire, and she would possibly, even disintegrate.

The metal objects, like her crystal necklace, acted as a channel for the electric current which continued to sear her skin with third-degree burns. Lightning that exited her body through the feet literally knocked her shoes off. The explosive force of lightning caused blunt trauma resulting in fractures or soft-tissue injuries. It's also not uncommon for the blast to rupture the eardrums, possibly leading to hearing loss. Which happened in Jezebel's case. She couldn't hear a single thing Lorelei was saying. Lorelei had long crawled towards her limped body and was shouting for her to wake up.

Jezebel's condition got worsened with each passing second. What's more, blood vessels in her body burst due to the electric discharge, and the heat created a scarring pattern called a Lichtenberg figure on her skin. These scars branched out across her body like the limbs of a tree, tracing the path the electricity took as it traveled.

(That's how Lichtenberg figures looks like... I know it's pretty cruel looking)

Lightning carries between 1 to 10 billion joules of energy - enough to power a 100-watt bulb for at least three months. When that amount of electricity enters someone's body, it short-circuits the small electrical signals that keep theirr heart, lungs, and nervous system running. That disruption in one's heart's electrical rhythm can result in cardiac arrest. And Jezebel wasn't far from that stage. The shock also caused seizures. It made it difficult to breathe for her. The electric current had already entered her skull, it had the potential to literally, cook her brain; resulting in brain damage or coma. The lightning strike had already started to cause permanent paralysis as well. Suddenly, Jezebel's body jerked... Her body went into cardiac arrest.

With slow pace, Jezebel tried extending her hands to touch Lorelei's face. But, Lorelei was too afraid to touch her. Of course, she didn't want Jezebel to die so early in life but, she didn't want the electricity remains to touch and effect her.

"Why? Why'd you do that...?" Lorelei questioned in a screaming voice.

"I... a.. am..Lo...y.. loya... L..." Jezebel cracked voice was echoing in 'The Sanctuary'. Her hands limped down and fell lifelessly on ground.

"I'm taking her soul." Luna could just nod at Mephistopheles's words. Witnessing something like this did affect her. It reopened the stitched wounds of past. She knew Jezebel was no saint. Still...

Jezebel, though, looked just like a tool in Lorelei's hand but, she had a sinister side in herself. The tattoo like circle on her back was a contract she made with dark energies of deceased to Grant her the powers of controlling chains. The chains were made of all the pain and grief those souls endured in their entire lifetime. Jezebel continuously killed people to maintain her powers. Those crystals which she wore were power reserves made from the exact same thing. She had them in case, her powers run out while hunting and killing someone.

(Cursed jewelery which Jezebel used)

(Jezebel's tattoo like mark)

"You won't take her soul to hell with you." Lorelei, all but, shouted at Mephistopheles.

"You'll stop me from doing that?" His voice held authorization. He was beyond raged, at this point of time.

"Yes I will." Lorelei stood up from the ground and extended her hands towards him. Suddenly, Sylvie cried in pain from behind... Her body slumped on ground.

Dozens of blue butterfly started coming out of her body and they swarmed her entire body. The emerald crystal given by Luna shone, emitting greenish blue light. Luna crouched towards her body but she couldn't touch those butterflies. These butterflies were slowly devouring Sylvie. The amulet given by Algyva had fed on Sylvie's 'Cerulean Conflagration' for more than sixteen years. And, even after Luna destroyed the amulet, the powers it collected over those years was still somewhere inside Sylvie.

(The blue butterflies emerging from Sylvie's body)

The butterflies started moving towards Luna... In a flash, all the butterflies turned golden and covered her whole body. Luna could feel all her energy being sucked out of her. She shouted for Rhys just as her eyes betrayed her and shut themselves. Rhys, panicked for his wife and children ran towards them, but, was held back by Blaze. Blaze didn't want to risk his friend and loose him in the wave of flame carrying butterflies.

(Golden butterflies sucking on Luna's powers)

The powers coming from both of them stormed towards Lorelei and collapsed to her chest. The area shone bright red and Lorelei's entire frame lifted itself up, overflowing with powers. She was trying to control something which wasn't her own. She had yet to understand that powers come with a price. What she didn't know was that, whenever those flames were being used, Sylvie or Luna could feel pain of being burned. Small or large, they were being burned from inside, just not from outside.

Luna tried stretching her hands towards Lorelei to tell her to leave that power but, her powers getting extracted with such brute force didn't give her any upper hand. Instead, it made her weaker. Not to forget, having Valerie inside herself had already, in a way, weakened her.

Rhys and Blaze tried to stabilize them. But, to no avail. Luna was already unconscious. And, Sylvie's whole body was covered in scars, her breathing was uneven and her heart was beating very slow. It was as if, Lorelei hadn't taken their powers but, their lives from them.

Lorelei raised her hands towards Mephistopheles and launched her energy in a single sweep. She wanted to finish him, even if it costed her own life. In return, Mephistopheles diverted his attention from Luna and others towards Lorelei. The red beam had dozens of dark winged butterflies around itself. The butterflies stopped midway and flew towards ceiling forming a strange seal like pattern. While, the beams directed themselves towards Mephistopheles, Lorelei cried in pain. The power was breaking her physical body little by little. Cracks started appearing on her body's exposed parts. Blood oozing out of them. Before Mephistopheles could stop those powers, everything stilled there. And, Lorelei's figure fell to the ground. All the butterflies vanished and not even a sparkle was left upon death.

(Black butterflies emerging from the dark powers)

(The weird pattern forming in atmosphere)

A sacred golden tree started emerging from ground. The tree itself contained loads of butterflies, all white with a tinge of yellowish hue in them. The earth cracked beneath them and lava like materials started flowing out. Some molten lava started forming one upon other, and a Goddess like figure soon came into view. Mephistopheles, upon realizing, who has come bowed down to show his respect.

(Lava forming shape of a goddess)

"You shouldn't use your powers on weak humans Mephistopheles." The goddess came to sit between the tree trunk.

(Goddess Hestia)

"My apologies, goddess Hestia. But, this human tried overstepping boundaries set by heavenly bodies." Mephistopheles remarked with utmost calmness.

Goddess Hestia was goddess of the hearth. She was the daughter of Cronus and Rhea, and one of the 12 Olympian deities. Hestia was usually pictured as a modest woman wearing a veil and holding a flowered branch. She was a gentle and kind god who didn't get involved with the politics and rivalries of the other Olympian gods. Hestia maintained the hearth fire of both Mount Olympus and the homes of the Greeks. This fire was important because it was used for cooking and for keeping the home warm. Hestia also helped to keep peace in the family and taught people how to build their homes. It was her, who gave Sylvie's ancestors the power of "Cerulean Conflagration".

"Why? Why would you go so far for the sake of power?" Hestia questioned Lorelei, who laid almost dead on ground. The powers were too much for her to handle.

"Is she going to die?" Rhys dared to ask Goddess Hestia.

"Most probably. I'm not someone who can play with souls." Hestia answered with calmness and serenity.

"Then, do you allow me to take her soul back to Hell?" Mephistopheles raised his head to ask that question.

"Is she only one you'll take?" She asked.

"No." Mephistopheles glanced at Jezebel's dead body.

"What about him? He doesn't radiate much life either." Hestia questioned with curiosity.

"That girl had performed 'Kalia Masan' on him. I can't interfere with that. He'll die when time comes." Mephistopheles answered.

"And you can't undo the magic because of Earthly restrictions?" He just gave her a nod as an answer.

"Very fine. Take the souls away... But, those are my children too. I can't let them live in agony of loosing a loved one." Hestia pointed towards Sylvie and Luna, who were already unconscious.

"What do you want me to do? Please state your orders." Mephistopheles bowed again.

"I'll take the magic back. In return, offer me something." Hestia directed her question towards Rhys.

"I don't care what happens to me. But, please take away those flames from them. They don't wish for it." Rhys answered. He knew Luna would never want supernatural powers like these. And Sylvie had already suffered much because of these flames. He didn't want more damage to them.

"Why? Controlling flames is good... Right?" Hestia tested Rhys's intentions. Though, she knew he was sincere with his feelings.

"It isn't. Every power comes with a price. I don't know what price they pay, but, I'm sure they don't appreciate it willingly." Rhys stated, slowly resting Luna's head in his lap.

"Very well. I'll take the flames away from your family and, your pain with it." Hestia said. A butterfly from her tree moved towards Rhys and slowly, colour retained in his face. His amber eyes were back to normal and his nails healed.

"Take those souls. I hope they find their way towards heaven, one day..." With that being said, Hestia vanished in thin air, without leaving any trails. Light glitter was the only thing left behind.

Mephistopheles raised his hands and something smoke like left both their bodies at the same time. Those smoke like things came to reside in his hands.

"I'm taking my leave now. I hope you take good care of them. Even when their powers are gone, those crystals will protect them with their fire. They are true relics passed down to her by her father." He pointed towards Luna's pendant, who's crystals were distributed between Rhys, Mavis and now, Sylvie.

Rhys and Blaze nodded their heads towards him.
________________________

(Rhys's house)

A car parked itself in front of Rhys's house. Mavis came rushing towards the door once, she heard the doorbell ringing. When she opened the gate, Rhys and Blaze stood there, supporting a conscious but weak, Luna and Sylvie on their shoulders. Mavis tearfully opened the gate further to let them in.

𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒉𝒂𝒅 𝒔𝒖𝒄𝒄𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒇𝒖𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒆𝒔𝒄𝒂𝒑𝒆𝒅 '𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑺𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒕𝒖𝒂𝒓𝒚'... 𝑭𝒐𝒓 𝒏𝒐𝒘.

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Number of words :- 2496 (Excluding Author's note at the end)
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Author's Note :-

What can I say... It's finally over. The book that is...

Alright, now, it's officially over. My first book on Wattpad to get the title "Complete". I don't know how to express these thoughts. So, I'll update another chapter with Epilogue and Author's Note sometime later. (If I do get time tomorrow, I'll do it tomorrow only)

I'm not gonna write much. But let me tell you a few things about lightning just in case, you wanted to know seeing Jezebel suffer so much in the hands of it.

• What is Lightning?

Lightning is a bright flash of electricity produced by a thunderstorm. All thunderstorms produce lightning and are very dangerous. If you hear the sound of thunder, then you are in danger from lightning. Lightning kills and injures more people each year than hurricanes or tornadoes; between 75 to 100 people.

• What causes lightning?

It's not sure how this originates but, there are possible theories. I'm just gonna state one of them. Lightning is an electric current. Within a thundercloud way up in the sky, many small bits of ice (frozen raindrops) bump into each other as they move around in the air. All of those collisions create an electric charge. After a while, the whole cloud fills up with electrical charges. The positive charges or protons form at the top of the cloud and the negative charges or electrons form at the bottom of the cloud. Since opposites attract, that causes a positive charge to build up on the ground beneath the cloud. The grounds electrical charge concentrates around anything that sticks up, such as mountains, people, or single trees. The charge coming up from these points eventually connects with a charge reaching down from the clouds and - zap - lightning strikes!

Have you ever rubbed your feet across carpet and then touched a metal door handle? If so, then you know that you can get shocked! Lightning works in the same way.

• How hot is lightning?

Lightning is approximately 54,000 degrees Fahrenheit. That is six times hotter than the surface of the sun!

• What causes thunder?

Thunder is caused by lightning. When a lightning bolt travels from the cloud to the ground it actually opens up a little hole in the air, called a channel. Once then light is gone the air collapses back in and creates a sound wave that we hear as thunder. The reason we see lightning before we hear thunder is because light travels faster than sound! (Though I'm sure many of you already know that.)

• What color is lightning?

Lightning seems to be clear or a white-yellow color, but it really depends on the background.

• How far away can you see lightning and hear thunder?

Within those distant thunderstorms, the lightning bolts can be seen as much as 100 miles from us, depending on the height of the bolt, the clarity of the air, and our elevation. Thunder, in comparison, has a much shorter range of detection - usually less than 15 miles in a quiet rural setting and under 5 miles in a noisy city environment.

• What is cloud-to-ground lightning?

All lightning is dangerous, but cloud-to-ground lightning is the most dangerous type of lightning. Most cloud-to-ground lightning strikes come from the negatively charged bottom of the cloud traveling to the positively charged ground below.

Cloud-to-ground lightning bolts strike the tall objects, like trees and buildings. These lightning strikes can cause fire and property damage. If you're the tallest object, then lighting can strike you. Lightning is the second weather related killed.

• Why are you less likely to see static electricity in the summer?

In the summer, our dew points are much higher due to warm and humid air coming from the Gulf of Mexico and that is why we have humid weather. In the winter, our dew points are much lower due to cold and direr air coming from Canada. The lower the dew point the better it is to create static electricity, so that's why you see it more in the winter.

• What is intracloud lightning?

Intracloud lightning is the most common type of lightning. This occurs when there are both positive and negative charges within the same cloud. Usually, the process takes place within the cloud and looks like a bright flash of light which flickers.

• What is intercloud lightning?

Intercloud lightning is less common. It's when a lightning strike occurs when there are positive and negative charges within different clouds and the strike travels in the air between them.

• What is forked lightning?

Forked lighting appears as jagged lines of light. They can have several branches. Forked lightning can be seen shooting from the clouds to the ground, from one cloud to another cloud, or from a cloud out into the air. This lightning can strike up to 10 miles away from a thunderstorm.

• What is sheet lightning?

Sheet lightning appears as flashes of light that seem to light up or illuminate entire clouds.

• What is heat lightning?

Heat lightning is a term used to describe lightning flashes that are too far away from you to hear the thunder. The reason that it is called heat lightning is that it appears most often on a hot summer day when the sky is clear overhead.

• What is high-altitude lightning?

High-altitude lightning has been given other names such as "red sprites," "green elves," and "blue jets." This form of lightning appears as brightly colored flashes, high above thunderstorms. You can't see these types of lightning from the ground.

• What is ribbon lightning?

Ribbon lightning is when a bolt of lightning separates due to wind and appears as parallel lightning streaks.

• What is chain or bead lightning?

Chain or bead lightning is when a lightning bolt is broken into dotted lines while fading.

• What is ball lightning?

Ball lightning is a rare form of lightning. It usually appears as a reddish, luminous ball, but can come in any color. Ball lightning is usually spherical in shape and about one foot in diameter. Hissing noises originate from such balls and they sometimes make a loud noise when they explode.
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That's all I know of it.

If you want to know more or the source of this, you can check this site :-

"https://www.weatherwizkids.com/weather-lightning.htm"

Till next time, take care of yourself and those around you. Do let me know about your thoughts on this last chapter and characters present here.

And yes, I'm thankful to every single person who decided to check this book out. Thank you and I love you...