Zela had died.
"AAAH!" Claus screamed in pain, breaking down as he stroked her hair.
***
"You lost, Celea," the devil mocked.
"I won this war."
"Maybe I should have a little more fun," he added, glancing toward where Dereus's children stood.
"How can you be this selfish?" Celea whispered, staring at Dereus's lifeless body. "You asked me to be happy… after dying in my arms twice?"
She gently laid him down and stood.
The Celea laughed.
"Bwahaha!"
"Why are you laughing?" he asked.
Celea ran her fingers through her blood-soaked hair and looked straight into his eyes—as if staring through his soul- thats precisely what she was doing, she was looking at his darkest secrets.
Everyone felt it.
The air around her changed. It grew heavier. Darker. More powerful. Even the devil felt it.
"What are you talking about, 'father'?"
"What do you mean?"
Celea's golden eyes burned bright, surrounded by red instead of white from the tears she'd shed. She looked unhinged.
"I've finally lost it," she whispered. "I've finally lost my mind."
"Celea…" Draco said softly. In all his sixteen years, he had never once seen her cry. Watching her break like this tore him apart. Why didn't I try to learn more about her past? he thought. Maybe I could have helped…
Azar and Kai thought the same.
They were too late.
Everyone was—except for Dereus.
"Wow, Father," Celea said quietly. "You're truly pitiful—getting your heart broken like that." she saw it all
"SHUT UP!" the devil roared. "HOW DARE YOU CALL ME PITIFUL? YOU ARE THE MOST PITIFUL OF THEM ALL!"
Giggle.
"I am, aren't I?" Celea said softly, her eyes empty. "Then how about we end this pityness of ours today?"
She removed her cape, revealing just how much blood she had lost.
"What the—she fought in that condition?" Deon whispered in shock.
"What a monster…" the vampire muttered, fear in his eyes.
Then—
It happened.
Everyone froze in disbelief.
Celea's wings fully emerged. Unlike her father's black wings, hers were silver-gray—a perfect blend of darkness and light, likely inherited from both parents.
She picked up her swords and attacked.
Their fight was impossible to follow. All anyone could see was a golden streak, like a falling star tearing through the battlefield.
"They're insane…" Salma murmured.
The war became solely between Celea and her father as everyone else could only watch.
Draco gently lifted Dereus's body, knowing how much Celea cared for him.
At the very least, he thought, he deserves a funeral.
****
Boom.
A deafening explosion echoed from where the devil and Celea had fallen. The impact made the ground quake violently, cracks spreading across the earth.
Celea had the upper hand in the fight—but the devil wasn't going to give up that easily. His gaze flicked toward Azar. Instinctively, Celea lowered her guard to make sure he was still alive.
He was safe.
That single moment of hesitation was all the devil needed.
He moved fast—too fast—and drove his sword into her.
"CELEA!" her troublemakers screamed.
Celea raised her palm, signaling them to stay back. Even as blood spilled, she thrust her blade into him as well.
"That won't work on me, dear," the devil sneered.
Celea smiled.
"Did you really think I wouldn't have an ace up my sleeve, Devil?"
Thunder cracked.
Heavy rain began to fall, the full moon glowing in all its splendor above them.
Celea placed her fingertips on both sides of his head, her thumbs resting against his forehead.
"Let's end our misery, Father… shall we?"
Golden light burst from her eyes and mouth, so intense it shot straight into the sky. Moments later, the same light poured from the devil's eyes and mouth. The glow shifted—from gold to silvery white—first on Celea, then on him.
The light enveloped them completely.
When it faded, they were gone.
In their place stood a magnificent white tree, its branches shimmering as crystal leaves drifted gently to the ground. Silver grass spread across the once-dead valley, and clear water flowed from the cracks left behind by their battle.
The dead land was no more.
A dreamlike world had been born—from Celea's sacrifice.
"Ugh… my head…"
"KING DEREUS—YOU'RE ALIVE?!"
Not only him—those believed to be dead were awakening all around them.
The war ended not with screams, but with cheers.
All because of Celea.
Still, a small group wept quietly, mourning everything that had been lost—also because of her.
Claus watched as Zela slowly opened her eyes. Relief never came.
Instead, he felt suffocated—his breath stolen, his chest crushed as though an invisible hand were squeezing his heart.
"The bond…" he whispered.
He felt it shatter.
The connection between him and Celea was gone.
He couldn't feel her anymore.
"No… this can't be…"
Claus shifted into his lycan form and sprinted madly back toward the battlefield.