The Damned Demon - Chapter 856

Ravina's chest rose and fell heavily, ragged breaths escaping her trembling lips.

Each shaky breath felt like fire burning through her tiny body. Her eyes, wide and desperate, stared defiantly at the looming figure of this big bad man, who continued his slow, sinister approach with that twisted, cruel smile plastered across his face.

She refused to give up. With trembling hands, she summoned another small fireball, the dark green flames flickering weakly between her palms, sputtering and shrinking even before it could fully manifest.

"Hahaha, how adorable!" Yurus laughed mockingly, his heavy armor clinking ominously with every slow step forward. His deep voice was dripping with contempt, eyes glinting with sick amusement as he watched her struggle, "You still believe these tiny sparks can hurt me, little princess? You'll need a far bigger fireball to even tickle me."

Ravina gritted her teeth, mustering every ounce of courage and anger bubbling within her heart. Her entire body shook violently, sweat trickling down her pale forehead, her little legs barely able to keep her standing.

But she refused to back down, refused to let this evil, bad man win.

Summoning every last drop of mana within her tiny, fragile body, Ravina desperately gathered the energy in her palms.

The flames flickered erratically, her vision blurring from the strain, as she prepared to release it.

"You pathetic little thing. You just never learn, do you?" Yurus growled, losing patience. His powerful legs tensed as he prepared to leap towards her, determined to seize her and end this tiresome game.

"YAAAA!!!" Ravina's small heart thundered fiercely inside her chest, terror and fury fueling her voice as she screamed out, throwing her feeble fireball toward him with every ounce of strength she could muster.

Yurus's sneer widened, his blade rising casually to snuff out her attack again. But then his confidence shattered, replaced by a sudden, gut-wrenching dread.

His eyes widened in shock and terror as an impossibly powerful aura burst forth from behind Ravina—a presence that shook the very fabric of reality itself.

Everything happened in a heartbeat. A long arm suddenly shot out over Ravina's small head, a large palm stretched forward. From that palm, a massive sphere of dark green flame exploded forth, merging with her small fireball instantly and surging toward the draconians in an unstoppable fury.

The world before Ravina was suddenly bathed in a mesmerizing yet eerie dark green glow.

The immense fireball crashed into Yurus and his men and then everywhere with terrifying speed and precision, their horrified screams silenced almost immediately.

The sheer magnitude of the attack surged forward, laying waste to the land ahead in a trail of destruction that stretched as far as Ravina's stunned eyes could see, leaving only a smoldering, charred wasteland behind.

The world seemed to slow to a standstill. Ravina stood frozen in shock, her tiny frame trembling uncontrollably, eyes wide and moist as she gazed blankly at the devastation unfolding before her. Her mind struggled to process the overwhelming sight she'd just witnessed.

A gentle, chilling breeze brushed softly against her hair, snapping her out of her trance. She felt a presence behind her—powerful yet strangely warm, like standing near an icy flame.

Slowly, her small body trembling, she turned around and kept tilting her head upward, her heart thundering in anticipation and inexplicable hope.

Her breath caught sharply in her throat, eyes widening even further as she gazed upward, her small mouth falling open in silent astonishment.

Standing tall before her was a man, impossibly majestic, his imposing figure wrapped in elegant, flowing black robes that fluttered softly in the eerie breeze.

His moon-white hair cascaded gracefully over broad shoulders, drifting gently like silver silk. His gaze, powerful and intense, pierced her very soul, his dark yellow eyes holding an overwhelming strength yet carrying an inexplicable sadness and warmth.

A powerful, strange sensation stirred deep within Ravina's heart.

Something about his eyes, the way they stared at her, tugged fiercely at her soul, resonating with a part of her she never fully understood.

Her tiny, trembling lips parted again, and without even realizing it, she uttered a fragile, tentative whisper, full of uncertain hope, "P-Papa?"

Asher, standing motionless, felt his very soul shudder violently at the small girl's voice.

Her dark golden eyes, shimmering with innocent hope and pain, resonated deeply within him—something primal and instinctual pulling at his heartstrings.

His brows knitted tightly, his cold expression wavering for the first time in what felt like forever. An unfamiliar ache blossomed within his chest.

He stepped closer, movements slow and deliberate, his eyes locked onto hers, an internal storm raging within him as he struggled to understand what was happening. The air itself seemed to hold its breath, waiting for his response.

Not just long ago, he spotted a little girl about to get attacked by these draconians, and he decided to make a quick stop to save her.

But seeing the flames she was using and her dark golden eyes made his soul tremble, and the way she addressed him plucked a string in his heart as his eyes shook.

"Who are you..." Asher asked softly, his voice carrying a note of profound confusion and emotion, something he hadn't felt for a while.

His eyes searched hers desperately, his powerful frame slightly trembling from the sudden whirlwind of feelings he couldn't quite grasp.

Ravina stood frozen, her small heart pounding like a frantic drum.

Her small chin trembled fiercely, tears swelling in her innocent, wide eyes before she burst into uncontrollable sobs.

She desperately lunged forward, her tiny arms wrapping tightly around Asher's leg, hugging him as if her very life depended on it.

"Papa!...Uwwww....Ravina was waiting... Ravina knew you would come..." she cried out with a fragile voice, her tiny body quivering against his leg as if afraid to let go even for a second.

Asher stood frozen, his entire being shaking in stunned disbelief. His dark yellow eyes quivered as an overwhelming wave of unfamiliar emotions crashed through him, making his heart feel heavier than he ever imagined possible.

The warmth and sheer desperation of this little girl's hug shattered the last of his defenses.

He was abruptly snapped from his daze when a calm, familiar voice echoed from behind him.

"She's your daughter and... Rowena's."

Asher turned around slowly, his heart thundering against his chest as Valeria emerged from the shadows.

Her crimson eyes, visible through the slit of her dark helmet, fixed calmly yet meaningfully onto his, her voice steady and emotionless as always, yet carrying the weight of truth he could not ignore.

"My... My daughter?" Asher murmured weakly, voice breaking with the sheer weight of the revelation. His trembling gaze shifted downward once again, falling upon Ravina, who still clung tightly to him, her small frame heaving with exhaustion as she sniffled quietly.

Her sobs slowly softened as she weakly lifted her head, managing a fragile, tender smile through her tears. Her eyes were now filled with a warmth that melted straight through Asher's heart as she mumbled softly, voice weakening with every word, "Mama was right...Ravina met Papa sooner than I thought..."

As those words left her tiny lips, Ravina's eyelids slowly fluttered shut, her exhausted body going limp.

Asher's eyes widened in panic, his reflexes immediate and instinctual, catching her tiny form gently in both hands before her frail frame could fall to the harsh ground.

"Ravina..." His voice trembled uncontrollably, staring helplessly at her unconscious face, so delicate yet now stained with streaks of dirt, tears, and blood. "How... How could this happen? How could I not know?..."

His words were barely a whisper, thick with overwhelming guilt, sorrow, and regret.

The realization pierced deep into his soul, a pain sharper than any blade he'd faced in his lifetime.

This little child...his daughter...had suffered and endured pain and terror, and he'd been completely unaware, blind, and helpless to protect her.

Valeria stepped forward calmly yet swiftly, her stoic voice breaking through his turbulent thoughts, "Master instructed me not to tell you until now. While you trained under him..." Valeria quickly explained everything that happened while he was away.

Asher's chin quivered fiercely, eyes glistening with uncontrollable emotion. He held Ravina's small body even closer, pressing her gently against his chest as if afraid she might slip away again.

His strong arms trembled as tears silently cascaded down his cheeks, his expression contorted in profound anguish.

"She was... pregnant... all this time?" Asher whispered hoarsely, his voice breaking. His heart twisted painfully at the thought of Rowena enduring everything alone.

The thought of Ravina being hunted and nearly taken from him forever stabbed deeply into his chest, fueling a profound and terrifying anger.

"He should have told me sooner...No matter what..." he murmured painfully, his voice barely audible as a torrent of regret and anger flooded him, "I should have been there... for Rowena... for Ravina..."

The haunting images of all he'd missed flashed vividly before his eyes—the birth of his daughter, her first smile, her first words, her first steps, and now, seeing her hurt and in danger because he had been absent.

Each thought was like a dagger twisting deeper into his heart.

Valeria stood silently, offering no words of comfort nor condemnation, simply allowing him this moment of emotional reckoning.

Slowly, Asher's eyes opened once again, his gaze now blazing with a dark, ominous intensity. A fierce, overwhelming fury replaced the pain, flooding his veins with raw, unfiltered rage.

His jaw clenched tightly, every muscle in his powerful body tensing, radiating a terrifying strength that even Valeria could sense clearly.

His voice came out cold, heavy, and menacing, dripping with venomous rage as he spoke the name that ignited the fire within him, "Drakar..."