Chapter 80: Chapter 80

“Please Barbas, there must be some way to cure him,” Delphyne pleaded to the man who was staring at Zachary’s unconscious figure hopelessly.

After the fierce combat that took place in the Theo Dynasty, Calix wasted no time and took Zachary back to their home, Binnazun Dynasty. It was because apart from Barbas no one had the power nor the skills to cure Zachary.

Diana, Jasmine, and Rose also accompanied him. Zagan was taken to a separate room for treatment while the royal family except for Jasmine who was with Zagan was assembled in the King’s room.

Barbas gulped the lump that formed in his throat after hearing Delphyne’s pleas. He opened his mouth to speak only to choke on air.

There’s nothing he could do now.

Barbas along with his cohort was trying his best to treat Zachary but the wound was too deep. Zachary’s life was hanging on a thread as he had lost a good amount of blood. Barbas left no stone unturned but Zachary showed no signs of improvement. Delphyne was losing her mind as she watched his only son lying on the bed like a corpse. She continued nudging Barbas, requesting him to do something but things have now gone out of his hands.

But Barbas knew that there was no point in hiding the truth anymore. He doesn’t want to give her false hopes. So, taking a deep breath and mustering up some courage he finally decided to be honest with her.

“The weapon with which Theodore attacked the King was not only lethal but it’s the final stroke, one which can end someone’s life. The Princess of darkness had built this weapon especially to end her enemies. She had used all her powers and abilities in designing it. There isn’t any spell that can nullify the impact of its attack. And Queen, as Kiora made it then only, she knew its theriac. As she is no more in this world then I highly doubt that any demon would be able to revoke this spell. I tried to make use of all my powers, my experiences, and my knowledge but all I received was a failure. I won’t beat around the bush anymore. Forgive me, my Highness, but it’s almost impossible to save the King now.” He spoke ruefully and lowered his head. Hearing her whimper, he fisted the bedsheet and squeezed his eyes shut, releasing a tear that trickled down his left cheek.

His words stilled everyone present in the room. Diana who was sitting beside Zachary while holding his hand burst into loud sobs. Barbas’ words not only crushed her hopes but her heart too.

Shaking her head in denial, she looked at him and yelled, “NO!! THIS CAN’T HAPPEN! P-Please Barbas, do something and save my h-husband. There has to be some way. You can’t just give up.” She started whining like a child.

Barbas who was earlier grieving for his King, immediately snapped his head in her direction and shot her a stink eye.

“Don’t you dare take my name from your filthy mouth, bloody lowlife. It’s all because of you. Neither you would have seduced our King nor he had married you. Why are you lamenting, shouldn’t you be celebrating? After all, that’s what you had planned with your beloved?” He snarled.

Calix who was standing near the foot of the bed turned red in anger after watching him offend Diana so brutally. He marched towards him and grabbed his collar before pulling him away from Zachary.

“HOW DARE YOU TALK TO OUR QUEEN THIS WAY? THANK YOUR STARS THAT ZAC ISN’T CONSCIOUS OR YOU WOULD HAVE BEEN SIX FEET UNDER BY NOW!!”

Calix growled in his raspy voice but he was startled as Barbas stood unfazed. He wasn’t a bit intimated rather he matched his gaze head-on and scoffed.

“How many demons are King and his faithful friend gonna wipe away, huh? The entire empire is devasted by the condition of our King. He is our only savior and the reason why we are still alive, and are living our lives without any fear. Just think Calix, what would happen when people would come to know that their warrior’s life is in danger only because of this Angel? No one would spare her even when she is the Queen of Hell. Don’t forget we had sealed our mouths only because we didn’t want to anger our King, you and I both know that the demons had still not accepted her wholeheartedly.”

Calix froze in his spot. He quickly looked at Diana who was staring at Barbas with wide eyes. Tears slid down her cheeks but she did not make any effort to wipe them off.

Calix gritted his teeth and charged his fist at Barbas but was stopped by Orkus who grabbed his arm from behind.

“Leave him this instant Cal,” Orkus spoke sternly.

Calix was taken aback, “But King, he disrespected our Queen and you are telling me to leave him.” He raised his voice, enraged by the fact that Orkus stopped him from attacking the man who dare to bad mouth his daughter-in-law.

Orkus narrowed his eyes at him, “What good that’s gonna bring to you? Don’t you realize the gravity of the situation? My son is fighting between life and death and here you’re debating over petty issues.” He chided both of them. Calix dropped his gaze to the floor and left Barbas with a jerk.

But Delphyne wasn’t pleased with her husband’s move. She stood up from the bed and screamed, “HE ISN’T LYING EITHER KING IF THAT’S WHAT YOU’RE TRYING TO IMPLY!! THIS GIRL, SHE IS THE SOLE REASON FOR OUR SUFFERINGS!!”

Diana stifled her sob and lowered her head. Rose who was quiet for a long time ran to her and hugged her tightly while she silently cried in her embrace.

Rose then shifted her eyes to Delphyne and sneered, “It was your son who forcibly made Diana a part of his life. Don’t forget he was the one who approached her in the first place not the other way around.” She spoke in her defense, tired of her insults.

Delphyne turned furious at her audacity. She opened her mouth to retaliate but was cut by Orkus.

“ENOUGH!!!”

Everyone jumped on their spot at his raging growl. Delphyne gulped and retracted her steps after noticing his bloodshot eyes.

“KEEP YOUR CATFIGHT ASIDE AND LET ME DO SOMETHING FOR MY SON!! AND YOU ALL BETTER COOPERATE IF YOU HAVE AN OUNCE OF LOVE FOR HIM!!”

He yelled in annoyance but the next moment all the eyes were pinned on him, staring at him in shock, surprise, and hope.

His words brought immense relief to Delphyne who jumped in excitement. She ran to him but stalled when Diana approached Orkus faster than her and blocked her way.

Her expression immediately turned sour as she glared at Diana who was holding Orkus’ hands while shedding tears of joy.

“I-Is that true Father? Can you save my Zac?”

Orkus was moved by the way Diana conveyed those words so innocently. He could see the pure love in her eyes. She was genuinely concerned for Zac. Still, he moved back and yanked his hands off her hold. His actions wiped the sweet smile off her face. Diana looked at him only to find him staring at her coldly.

“It’s not me but you.”

Barbas jolted as his words were no less than a slap to him.

“What are you saying, Your Highness? I have been your family’s doctor for decades and today you’re doubting my abilities. You are trusting her, a fucking angel over me.” He spoke gruffly.

But his words only irked Orkus as he closed his eyes and clenched his fists.

“Calix, take him away before I shove my sword down his throat.”

He grated out. Barbas broke into cold sweats. He shook his head vigorously but Calix quickly grabbed him by his collar and dragged him out of the room. Delphyne tried to stop Calix but he paid no heed and exited the room. Scowling, she turned to Orkus but her heart stopped as his gaze was already fixated on her.

“You also leave and take Rose along with you. I need to talk to Diana, alone.” He emphasized the last word and hardened his glare after noticing the defiance in her eyes.

Huffing, Delphyne stormed out of the room. Rose looked at Diana in worry. She was scared for her friend but eventually left after earning a subtle nod from Diana.

Once everyone left, Orkus clicked his fingers and the door got closed with a thud.

That’s when her resolve break. Diana started shivering in fear. She was still not much comfortable around Zachary’s parents as they both shared bitter feelings. But for the sake of Zachary, she cast aside her worries as her priority was to find a cure.

Silence fell between the two. The only sound that could be heard was the loud thumpings of her heart and her erratic breathing. Orkus turned to Diana who immediately lowered her gaze. His eyes then dropped to her hands that were holding the hem of her skirt tightly.

He keenly analyzed her state. She was scared shitless.

“How will you be able to treat him when you’re this much frightened?”

Diana’s head snapped in his direction with the speed of light, “I-I can treat him? But you know that this is a demonic weapon?” She was flabbergasted.

Orkus nodded, “Indeed it is. The attack was deadly and the weapon was made by infernal powers but Diana there’s a much stronger power that can overshadow everything and can defeat all the demons and witches of this Hell. No one would be able to defeat that invincible warrior who is currently inside your womb.”

Diana looked at him with wide eyes. Slowly raising her hand, she placed her palm on her stomach and gently caressed it.

“But I just conceived it. You can’t even call him a fetus right now.” She muttered under her breath, her motherly mode instantly got switched on.

Orkus let out a chuckle, “You can’t compare him with other babies. That child is the future heir of the Golden throne, the rightful owner of the Universe.” He found her act adorable but for that was a bit amusing for Diana. Instead, she was peeved.

‘Again, that chant.’

Diana looked at him with a scowl, “Can you all just stop this? He or she is no owner of the Universe. Stop procrastinating about my baby’s future and building your castle of expectations. I will decide his or her future and no one else. I don’t care about that stupid prophecy. Stop staking your claims on my child, I am tired of this. Your wife doesn’t like me, your people hate me. Fine then, I will leave everyone and build my own home with my husband and my child. Just come straight to the point and tell me what should I do to save my Zac so that I can reunite my family.” She finally snapped at him.

Orkus was stunned by her response. He had never confronted a mad Diana before.

But Diana was at the end of her rope. She continued lashing out at him, “I am fed up with people seeing me as a prized possession. Theodore wanted me as a trophy and his parents wanted me to give them the heir. RIGHTFUL OWNER OF HEAVEN, THE REVENGE, THE MYSTERY, JUST STOP THIS!! It’s not my fault that I was born with such a sordid fate. But also, there’s no such rule that I have to spend my life according to your norms. You blame me for everything then why had you sealed your mouth when your son married me and brought me to your house, made me a part of this life, and introduced me as the queen of Hell? I never asked him to do that. I never begged him to marry me. And now when I had accepted him with all his flaws and we both decided to start our lives, you all are still hellbent on separating us. I don’t care if you accept me but you have no right to question my love for him. Because of that recalcitrant, whimsical Theodore, you are implicating me when you know very well that I was never a part of his machination.” She gritted with clenched teeth.

Orkus turned to her and glared at her with his red-rimmed eyes, “Yes, you weren’t directly involved in his machination but you also can’t turn your back on the truth. You and I both are cognizant of the fact that only if you hadn’t left for Heaven, this would have been avoided. MY SON WOULD HAVE BEEN FINE IF YOU HADN’T BEEN SO RECKLESS!!!” He screamed in her face.

Diana looked at him in disbelief, “IT’S NOT MY FAULT. I DIDN’T KNOW THEODORE WAS USING ME TO GET JASMINE!! AND IT WAS YOUR WIFE WHO CONNIVED ALONG WITH CAL AND KIORA TO KILL MY CHILD AND DESIGNED THIS VENOMOUS BLADE! WAS THAT RIGHT IN YOUR EYES??”

Her words clammed his mouth. She was right though. It was all Delphyne’s fault in the first place. No one has to be blamed for the situation except Delphyne and to some extent, Calix and Kiora who abetted her.

Orkus heaved a frustrated sigh. He was too mad at his wife but what’s the use of crying over spilled milk?

Shifting his eyes back to Diana, he found her looking at him with a heartbroken expression. His heart thawed. The girl was unnecessarily dragged into this mess. That’s why he had always been against this marriage. It was impossible to deal with his fractious son.

Orkus was well aware that once this garb of true love transpires, Diana would see his true colors. She won’t be able to deal with his controlling, bad countenance. And even if she tries hard to keep this relationship alive, she would only be at the receiving end, being everyone’s punching sack.

Her words forced him to keep quiet and ponder for a while.

What’s done has been done. But still, he has the bridle in his hands. To change the situation for the best. There’s high time he takes an epochal decision that would benefit not only Zachary but Diana as well.

Diana was sniffing and wiping her tears when she felt a palm on her crown. Lifting her head, she looked at Orkus who this time had soft eyes.

“Listen child, I know you were never at fault but being a father, I also can’t leave my son to die. I know you might hate me for what I will advise you but that’s the only choice I have. The only choice we all have to save Zac,” He spoke in a heavy voice.

Diana threw him a confused look, “But what is it?”

Orkus looked at her for a minute before speaking in his deep voice, “The child in your womb is the gift of the Universe. Even if he hasn’t been born yet, he has supreme powers. Since he is your child, so he has some extraordinary healing powers which he gained from his mother. He can grant someone life, cure the most fatal disease and heal permanent scars. And having a Demon’s blood, that child also has the power to take someone’s life without even touching him.”

Diana turned jittery at his words. “W-Why are you bringing him up again and again? Just tell me the cure.” She spoke anxiously.

Diana had a hunch about what he was gonna advise her but she continued denying it. Or rather say, not ready to accept it.

Unbeknownst to her, her hands automatically shielded her stomach. Her little act didn’t go unnoticed by Orkus.

Orkus saw how her face slowly started losing colors. The trembling of her body ramped up and it was all because of what he had said to her. Rather she knew what he would tell her next would leave her devastated.

But now he can’t take his steps back. This has to be done, one way or the other.

Inhaling sharply, he gazed her down and finally uttered the next words.

“A life for a life.”

Diana jolted in horror. She looked at him but her heart sank after witnessing his serious expression, “W-What?”

Tears rushed down her eyes but Orkus kept a stoic face and finally dropped the bomb on her.

“Exchange your child’s life with my son. That’s the only option to save Zachary.”

*****