The Devil's Betrothed novel Chapter 29

Chapter 29: Lord And A Black Witch

While Arlan and Oriana were busy solving ordinary troubles of their lives, unknown troubles were brewing in a distant land outside the Kingdom of Griven to shake their lives.

Two hooded figures in long dark robes were walking through a stone passage that held vestiges of a time long forgotten. One was a handsome man with pale, gloomy features, while the other a stunning woman with ebony black hair, both holding long staffs made of strange wood with a black orb on top.

Only the sounds of their footsteps and the ends of their staff colliding with the floor could be heard echoing in the ancient stone passage.

The man was leading the way, and with each step of his, the torches on the wall would light up on their own.

"Zaria, are you determined?" the man’s voice echoed in that dark deserted pathway. "With your recent failures, I am afraid the Lord would not let you leave this place alive."

"I am aware of the dangers, Norean," the woman replied, her tone light. "There is no gain without risks."

The man said no more; afterall, the woman walking by his side was no naive woman but one of the oldest and most powerful witches alive.

At the end of the stone tunnel, there was nothing but a stone wall. It was a dead end. Norean moved his hand which emitted a dark magic power, causing that stone wall to tremble before parting to the side, allowing them passage.

On the other side of the wall, there was pitch black darkness, and even with their eyesight, nothing could be seen.

The man reached out and the torches inside all lit up, revealing an extremely large grand hall with stone obelisks lining both sides of the hall, stretched out into the distance. The flickering lights and shadows evoked a mysterious atmosphere.

At the end of the hall, there was a raised platform, and behind it were black curtains made of an unknown fabric that gave off an otherworldly aura.

The two walked towards the platform with solemn expressions, climbing the steps until they reached what seemed to be an altar covered in obscured runes. They fell on their knees to the entity hidden by the dark curtains.

"This lowly wizard has brought Zaria Lynx, as per your summons, my Lord."

"Your incompetent servant heeds your call, my Lord."

The next moment, those dark curtains moved as if a tornado appeared out of nowhere. A dark fog billowed from behind the curtains, eventually taking the appearance of a shadowy humanoid figure.

"We welcome the arrival of the Lord!" they called out humbly with their heads lowered.

A low, sinister voice, a sound straight out from the deepest pits of hell, thundered through their ears.

"Have you found her?"

It was but a single ordinary question, but the entire hall shook from the power contained in that shadow’s voice.

"Apologies, my Lord," Zaria replied as she could not dare raise her head in front of the lord.

"Apologies?" came that angry sonorous voice again.

An unfathomably heavy pressure weighed her body, causing her limbs to let out the sounds of cracking bones. Blood escaped her lips and dribbled down her chin.

The shadowy figure continued, "You have failed me yet again, witch. Do not forget: since I can give you that power then I can take that power away as well."

"I do not dare forget your grace, my Lord. I am trying my best to search for her."

"Hundreds of years with no results," the voice sneered. "You deserve death!"

The heavy pressure multiplied along with those words, and black mist seemed to seep out of Zaria’s body. Magic and vitality were quickly leaving her body, and in less than a breath’s time, only a husk of once a beautiful woman would probably be left, a suitable punishment for her failure to execute the Lord’s will.

"My Lord, please don’t kill her yet!" Norian called out, his manner humble. Though the force suppressing her stopped, the magic and vitality she lost did not return, and she slumped on the stone floor in a heap.