Ascension Of The Villain

Around when the last vestiges of life seemed to slip away, a sudden searing heat erupted from deep inside, spreading like wildfire through her veins.

It wasn't a physical warmth but an overwhelming surge of divine power, as if every ounce of her being was suddenly infused with a boundless, untapped energy.

Her heart, moments ago weak and faltering, now pounded with the strength of a war drum, and the darkness that was covering her vision was gone like it never existed.

Her mind cleared, and with it, an acute awareness of everything around her.

She could sense the heartbeat of the earth beneath her, the slow and harsh breaths of the demon in front of her, the whisper of the wind, the very essence of life itself.

This newfound strength was intangible yet undeniable. It was like a force that bolstered her spirit, making her give up on everything she just thought or moments ago.

Her injured shoulder, which had been throbbing with pain and dragging her down, suddenly felt warm.

The warmth intensified. It knitted her muscle and sinew, mending bone and skin. In moments, the pain was gone, replaced by a powerful sense of wholeness.

Her body that was once on the brink of collapse, now was refueled with her awakened strength.

There was no mistaking this surge of renewed power. It was her Aura Awakening.

As Iyana was reborn with her newfound strength, she became sharply aware of the vice-like grip around her neck.

Azazel snarled, his claws tightening, intent on snuffing out her life. But now, something was different. The aura within her surged, a beast of raw and divine power. So, he wasn't able to drain her life force anymore.

With a fierce cry, Iyana grasped Azazel's wrist, her fingers digging in with an iron grip. The demon's eyes widened in shock as he felt the immense force radiating from her.

With a powerful shove with her right hand, she pushed him off, sending him staggering backward.

"What is this?! How are you using your right hand?" Azazel roared, his voice a mix of rage and fear.

"This is the end," Iyana repeated the same thing he had told her, her voice just as cruel as him, "for you."

Her eyes locked onto her sword, lying just a few feet away, its blade gleaming in the dim light.

In one fluid motion, she lunged forward, her hand closing around the hilt. The sword now felt like an extension of herself, perfectly balanced and pulsing with the same energy that now coursed through her veins.

Azazel recovered quickly, his fury evident in his glowering eyes. He charged at her, but Iyana was ready.

She moved with a speed and agility she had never known, parrying his vicious strikes with ease.

Each clash of her divine sword with his makeshift shadow sword sent sparks flying, but Iyana's recovered right shoulder gave her the upper hand this time.

"You think this changes anything, mortal?" Azazel sneered as their blades locked.

"Trust me. It changes everything," Iyana whispered, pushing him away with a powerful thrust.

With a speed that Azazel could barely see with, Iyana sliced through all his shadows with lethal precision, leaving him defenseless.

The demon stumbled back, a look of disbelief crossing his face.

Iyana did not hesitate for a moment. She spun around, her sword about to cut his body in half when he let out a guttural scream, "No!" and disappeared into black smoke.

The remnants of his presence dissipated into the air, leaving Iyana standing victorious, her aura blazing with triumphant light.

However, she couldn't help but feel a twinge of disappointment as he slipped through her fingers with a simple teleportation.

At least Azazel and his master would think a hundred times before attacking her again.

She took a deep breath, letting the weight of the battle lift from her shoulders.

Her eyes fell to her hands, feeling the divine power of Aura coursing through her body. It was an honor to be blessed with such a rare gift.

But why now, of all times, when she felt so powerless? She had tried to awaken it in so many other ways before, but it never worked. Why—

Just then, she recalled a conversation she had had with the Commander of Order of Phoenix, as in the House Ashstone's knight commander, Sir Theodore Jacques.

"So, Sir Jacques, what is it like to have Aura?" Iyana asked curiously, while sparring with him at the break of dawn, both dressed in their training gears.

"Huh. It's something that is hard to describe," Theodore responded, blocking her strike. "It's such an immensely undefeatable power."

A smile crept onto her face. "I wish I could achieve that. Then, nobody would dare to look down on me because I am a woman."

"It is not something that is easy to gain, you know?" he said, almost sounding amused with her probably run-of-the-mill dream.

"Why don't you tell me how to do it and we shall see if I can?" she quipped.

He chuckled softly and gave her a strong strike, making her stagger back slightly. "There is no easy way to say this, but… you have to die for it."

"What?" she laughed. "Please don't pull my leg. It's okay if you don't want to share your secret."

"While I am at it, I will tell you this thing I read in an old book once," he mentioned.

"Is this going to be another joke?" she asked, almost wanting to roll her eyes.

"When life's thread frays to its final strand and surrender whispers sweetly with serene contentment, therein lies the birth of a power surpassing mortal ken."

"Pardon? I don't understand it." Iyana was baffled, and taking advantage of her shock, Theodore shoved her to the ground with the strength of his sword.

"You will only understand it the moment you achieve it," Theodore laughed, the sound like a low hum.

As Iyana lay on the ground that day, she hadn't understood his words. Now, standing in the devastated medical ward, she finally did, crystal clear.

It meant: the moment you give up on your life on the verge of death and accept it with contentment, that is when Aura—a power that surpasses a human's natural capacity—awakens.

A gasp escaped her as the realization hit her like a bolt of lightning. She had truly awakened Aura. One of her lifelong dreams had come true!

Her chest felt like it could burst with happiness. She wanted to dance around with joy, if only there were someone to celebrate with—

As if on cue, a voice interrupted her moment of bliss, amplifying her joy.

"What the hell happened in here?" Vyan's voice rang out, utterly shocked.

His astonished, wide-eyed gaze met hers. "Iyana, what happened? Was there a cyclone? Did it blow away Joseph and Michael? Why aren't they at the door—"

Before he could bombard her with more questions, Iyana ran to him without a second thought and threw herself into his arms, hugging him tightly.

The sudden impact nearly knocked the air out of Vyan, making him stumble back against the wall. He instinctively wrapped his arms around her, still as bewildered as when he had first arrived.

"Hey, what's wrong—" he began, but then he noticed her right hand gripping him firmly. "Should you be hugging me like that with that hand of yours?"

"It's fine, it's fixed now," she murmured against his chest, eyes closed and ear pressed over his heart.

"Um, okay?" he let out, completely flabbergasted. "How did that happen?"

For a moment, she simply basked in his presence, savoring the fact that she had the chance to continue being in his life.

Then, she pulled away and beamed up at him, her smile stretching from ear to ear. "Do you know what I achieved today?"

Vyan almost let out a sarcastic quip, but he swallowed it back and innocently shook his head. "What did you achieve?"

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"Aura!" she exclaimed, shaking him by his elbows. "I awakened Aura, Vyan!"

For a moment, Vyan went blank, letting the information sink in. Then he screamed, "Shit, really?!"

She nodded fervently, and a wide grin spread across his face as well.

"Oh my God, that is so great! I am so happy for you!" he exclaimed, pulling her into a hug.

She threw her arms around his neck as he lifted her off her feet, tightly embracing her.

In that moment, Iyana was overwhelmed with gratitude for her new life. If she had died, she would have missed out on this moment of pure joy. She was thankful for this chance at happiness.

She wanted to keep having these moments of happiness with Vyan.

I wish I could spend the rest of my life with you—

A sudden wave of sadness washed over her, dimming the light in her eyes.

Oh, right, I am going to marry Prince Easton. I cannot be with Vyan.

As the sad reality crept in, she tightened her arms around Vyan, savoring this rare moment where they were alone and it almost felt like she belonged in his arms—the only place she was meant to be.