The Veil of Darkness
Chapter 309: Midnight Wrath

Chapter 309: Midnight Wrath

Annalise’s heart raced as she rushed to the living room, her mind clouded with worry. The words Sera had spoken, the moment she emerged out of her quarters after getting ready, left her feeling uneasy.

As she stepped into the room, the sight that greeted her was somber and grave. Valerius, with his commanding presence, stood in a huddle with Damien, Kenric, and Elijah. Their furrowed brows and clenched jaws betrayed their concern. Nearby, Ezra and Marley exchanged a glance before turning their attention to the unfolding conversation. Leela was also there, but the woman was too silent to be herself.

Whatever it was that’s going on at that moment, it was something really grave.

"What’s going on?" She asked, pulling everyone’s attention toward her as she stood near the staircase, not feeling confident enough to walk the remaining distance.

Leela was immediately by her side. Her hands wrapped around Annalise’s and she gave the latter a sad look.

Before Annalise could have repeated her question, Valerius spoke, his voice low but firm - "There’s been a series of attacks across realms, all occurring precisely at midnight. The Mortal Realm, Seelie Empire, and even the border areas of Midnight Realm, all have been targeted."

Annalise’s eyes widened, her breath hitching in shock and also at the gravity of the situation. "Attacks? What kind of attacks?" Her heart pounded crazily in her chest as she waited for an answer and a part of her already knew it.

Kenric sighed heavily. "Dark energy, Little Bird. It’s left devastation in its wake. Many are injured, homes destroyed, and lives lost."

Elijah’s gaze met hers, a mixture of determination and worry evident in his eyes. "We can’t stand by. We have to help."

Annalise just nodded her head in agreement, not finding herself in a good enough state to speak at all. She felt Leela’s warm hands squeezing hers tightly and only then did she realize that her body had turned cold. She needed to pull herself together. What they all needed was a supportive partner and not someone causing them more troubles.

She watched as Valerius nodded at Ezra’s statement, his jaw set. "We’ve organized groups. Each of us will go to a different area to provide aid."

Marley spoke up, his voice laced with determination. "Ezra and I will head back to the Sky Castle to assist the Dragon shifters. They’ll need our support."

Leela also chimed in as she left Annalise in Kenric’s care and moved to stand with others - "I’ll pay a visit to the Mer Clan. They might have been affected too."

Damien’s fingers drummed on his leg as he spoke. "Kenric, Elijah, and I will go to the Mortal Realm. It’s been hit the hardest."

Annalise couldn’t sit idly by either. Her heart ached for her people, for the suffering they were enduring. "I want to help too."

Valerius turned to her, his expression softening. "You’ll come with me, Annalise. We’ll be helping here in the Seelie Empire."

Annalise opened her mouth but the words caught in her mouth, refusing to come out. She dreaded the answer and it was only making her crumble more from inside.

She felt Kenric’s hold tightening around her waist as if he was trying to reassure her. Then, she felt his warm breath against her ear as he whispered for only her to hear - "Your family is safe. The Capital City wasn’t attacked."

Annalise let out the breath that she didn’t even realize that she had been holding for a while. Her legs suddenly felt too weak but, at least, Kenric was there to hold her up. He pulled her into his arms and hugged her tightly to comfort her and help her calm down.

In the meantime, the others started hurrying around to prepare for their journey and what lay ahead.

Once Annalise calmed down enough to think, she immediately recalled another piece of information that she just got and asked Kenric - "What about the Midnight Realm? Shouldn’t one of you going there too?"

Kenric patted her back softly before he told her - "Don’t worry, Little Bird. There’s next to no casualties in our realm. The dark energy only attacked the southeast zone but couldn’t penetrate the ward, so it only destroyed some of the forest area and the wild beasts living there. Mother has already sent a team to help out. So, we will be helping out the other places."

Annalise nodded her head, feeling grateful that at least one place in the world was safe from the dark energy.

After a couple of moments later, the two of them also went to prepare for the journey ahead.

Sera helped Annalise in getting dressed in warm clothes with minimum jewelry before packing up some more clothes and essentials.

Annalise was on her way to find Valerius when she saw a shadowy figure following her. She stopped in her tracks and turned to face the woman.

Pristine approached her before handing her a satchel. "Take these. They might provide aid in times of need."

"What’s this?" Annalise asked.

"The elixirs you have worked hard to brew. I have also put some other charms and potions in there. Make good use of these." Pristine explained with a warm smile.

With a grateful nod, Annalise accepted the satchel. "Thank you, Pristine."

* * *

As the group dispersed, each heading toward their respective destinations, Annalise found herself walking beside Valerius. His hand found hers, offering comfort in the face of uncertainty.

Over the next two weeks, Annalise and Valerius worked tirelessly. They provided healing and comfort to the victims of the attacks, distributing elixirs and offering a shoulder to lean on. The Light powers of hers intertwined with Annalise’s efforts, and the elixirs seemed to work wonders.

One evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon, Annalise stood with Valerius overlooking the now-restored village. The air was heavy with a mix of sorrow and hope.

"We did what we could," Valerius said softly, his arm around her shoulders.

Annalise nodded, a bittersweet smile touching her lips. "We did, but there’s still much to be done."

Together, they turned and walked back toward their castle, their steps filled with a renewed sense of purpose. Their enemy had brought darkness, but they had fought back with unity, compassion, and the unwavering light of their realm.

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