Married To Darkness
Chapter 277: Ending The Psychotic Witches

Chapter 277: Ending The Psychotic Witches

"They’re hunting them by smell," Lucius observed grimly, his red eyes flashing as he stepped forward, only to stop himself. "They can hear the blood in their veins."

The group watched in horrified silence as one wizard tried to crawl away, only to be dragged back by the first beast. It tore into him with such ferocity that even the hardened Lucius flinched.

"They weren’t prepared for this," Jaefel muttered, his jaw clenched. "Whatever they thought they were summoning, it wasn’t supposed to be this."

The second beast, covered in glistening black slime, let out a guttural growl as it turned its attention to the remaining witches.

One of them raised a trembling hand and attempted to conjure a spell, her voice cracking as she chanted. But the magic was weak, and the beast swatted her aside like a rag doll.

Her body hit the ground with a sickening thud.

"This is insanity," Emma whispered, clutching her cloak tightly.

Her golden eyes darted to Lucius, who stood as still as a statue, his expression unreadable. "We can’t just stand here."

"We can, and we will," Lucius replied sharply, his voice low but firm. "This isn’t our fight. Let them destroy each other. Then we’ll deal with what’s left."

The witches’ screams filled the air, their pleas for mercy falling on deaf ears.

The beasts seemed unstoppable, their rage consuming everything in their path.

The fires roared higher, their unnatural flames casting long shadows across the ritual ground.

Jean swallowed hard. "Do you think they’ll come after us when they’re done?"

"They might," Lucius admitted, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. "But I won’t let them."

Jean shivered, her gaze fixed on the carnage below. "What has this kingdom become? How did it come to this?"

"Where Salviana and Alaric?!"

No one had an answer. They could only watch as the beasts continued their slaughter, the ritual ground becoming a scene of pure devastation.

The witches and wizards, so full of arrogance and dark ambition, were now nothing more than prey.

And above it all, the portal continued to swirl, its ominous presence a reminder that the nightmare was far from over.

The group exchanged uneasy glances, their breaths visible in the cold night air. "Where are Salviana and Alaric?" Emma asked, her voice tight with worry.

She gripped the hilt of her blade, her knuckles white. "They’re alone out there... this could be dangerous."

Lucius narrowed his crimson eyes, scanning the darkness around them. "We should go find them," he said, his tone laced with urgency. "If they’ve run into trouble—"

Before he could finish, a distant roar echoed through the forest, followed by the crackling sounds of witchcraft and chilling screams.

The group turned their heads toward the source, tension thick in the air.

"They’re here," Jaefel muttered, already drawing his weapon.

Meanwhile, Salviana and Alaric were sprinting through the dense woods.

The screams and flashes of light grew louder with every step. Salviana’s breath came in short bursts, but she kept pace with her husband, her trust in him fueling her determination.

"Stay close," Alaric said, glancing back at her. His eyes, dark as the shadows around them, were focused and unyielding.

"I’m not leaving you," she replied, her voice firm despite the fear gnawing at her.

When they reached the clearing, a grotesque scene unfolded before them.

Dozens of witches and wizards lay dead, their bodies contorted unnaturally.

The air was thick with the acrid smell of blood and vomit, mingling with the remnants of magical fire that flickered faintly in the night.

In the center of the carnage, two enormous beasts stood, their slimy black skin glistening under the moonlight. Red eyes, glowing with primal fury, scanned the area.

Their razor-sharp claws dripped with the blood of their victims, and their guttural growls sent chills down Salviana’s spine.

Alaric’s jaw tightened. "It’s the same kind of beast we encountered the night we woke Lucius," he said grimly.

He unsheathed his blade—a long, elegant sword with intricate runes etched along its surface.

It shimmered faintly, enchanted to combat dark forces.

"They’ve killed them all," Salviana whispered, her voice barely audible. "But why?"

Before Alaric could respond, Lucius and Jaefel emerged from the opposite side of the clearing, weapons drawn. Emma and Jean followed, their faces pale as they took in the horrific sight.

"Alaric!" Lucius called, relief flickering across his stern features. "Good timing."

Alaric nodded but didn’t take his eyes off the beasts. "We may have to fight them," he said, his tone grim. "They don’t belong here."

The beasts turned their attention to the group, their glowing red eyes narrowing.

Salviana clutched Alaric’s arm, her heart pounding. But then, to everyone’s astonishment, the creatures lowered their massive heads and bowed.

As the beasts disappeared back into the swirling portal, the ritual ground fell eerily silent.

The flames died down, leaving only the charred remains of the witches and wizards scattered across the bloodied earth.

The group stood frozen, their wide-eyed gazes fixed on the now-empty space where the beasts had stood moments ago.

Salviana clung to Alaric’s arm, her breaths coming in short gasps as she tried to process what she had just witnessed. "What... what just happened?" she whispered, her voice trembling.

"They didn’t attack us," Jaefel muttered, still gripping his sword tightly. His sharp eyes scanned the surroundings, as if expecting the beasts to return at any moment. "They just... left."

"They were controlled," Lucius said, his deep voice calm but cold. "Something stronger than them called them back."

"They were controlled," Alaric said, his voice heavy with certainty. "Someone—or something—summoned them and then sent them back."

Lucius turned his crimson gaze to Alaric and Salviana. "You two finally decided to join the party."

Alaric gave a short nod, his dark eyes scanning the grotesque scene before them. "We were delayed," he said grimly. "Richard’s dead. Whatever ritual he was trying to complete won’t happen."

"Richard?" Emma gasped, stepping forward. "He was behind all this?"