Chapter 128: Chapter 128

MILLER

Never in my life did I think I’d witness something like this—a scene straight out of a legend. Standing before me were humans from the shadow hunter ranks, werewolves, lycans, dragons, and even jeverics, creatures that had been at odds for as long as anyone could remember. And yet, here they were, side by side, united by a single purpose: finding Jonea before it was too late.

The sky was gloomy that day, heavy gray clouds mirroring the tension hanging over us. From the hilltop, I watched the valley below where thousands of figures had gathered, awaiting final orders before the search began.

“All of this… it’s for Jonea,” I murmured to myself.

Arabel stood beside me, her sharp eyes scanning the crowd with her usual vigilance. “They understand what’s at stake, Miller,” she said firmly, her voice calm but resolute. “If Jonea falls into the wrong hands, it’s not just her life that’s at risk. The whole world is.”

I nodded, swallowing the fear creeping into my chest.

On the human side, the remaining shadow hunters stood ready. Their weapons, glowing with ancient magic, were prepped for anything—even the legendary red dragons.

“Listen up!” I shouted, my voice echoing through the valley. “We’re not just searching for Jonea. We’re fighting to protect our future. If she falls into Luke Draken’s hands, there’ll be no hope left for any of us!”

A roar of agreement rose from the crowd.

“We’ll search every corner of this world—leave no stone unturned!”

On the other side of the valley, Daran Carver’s lycan troops stood in formation, their massive bodies radiating intimidation. But this time, their energy wasn’t aimed at an enemy. They were here to support this joint mission. Daran himself was like a walking storm, his anger and determination palpable even from afar.

I glanced at him. His fiery red eyes betrayed more than rage; there was guilt and a longing that ran deep.

“He won’t stop until he finds her,” I muttered.

On another front, Aland Hamilton led his blue dragon kin. They stood poised and majestic, their strength as immovable as mountains. Aland looked cold and calculated, but I knew behind his calm exterior, a storm raged.

“We need to prepare for the worst,” he’d told me hours earlier. “If Luke Draken shows up, his red dragons will be with him. And if that happens, war is inevitable.”

I nodded, even as I silently wished for another way.

“Aland,” I called as he turned to leave, “don’t let your emotions take over. We’re here to save Jonea, not destroy each other.”

He fixed me with a sharp stare, then gave a faint smile. “I know, Miller. But if saving her means taking down Luke, that’s a price I’m willing to pay.”

The troops received their orders and dispersed, vanishing into forests, valleys, and mountains, searching for any sign of Jonea.

I stayed behind at the command post with Arabel. A massive map lay on the table before us, dotted with markers showing the search areas.

“No updates from the main team yet,” Arabel reported.

I nodded, trying to steady myself. “They’ll find something,” I said, more to reassure myself than her.

But time wasn’t on our side. The red moon would rise in just one day. If Jonea wasn’t found by then, all our efforts would be in vain.

Daran’s forces pushed past the boundaries of the human world, even managing to convince the jeveric clans to join—a near-impossible feat given their long history of enmity.

“Why are you helping us?” Daran asked the jeveric leader, a fur-covered figure with piercing eyes.

“We might despise creatures like you, Daran,” he rasped, “but we love Jonea. If only she’d chosen to side with us instead of you, none of this would’ve happened.”

Countdown to the Red Moon

As night fell, reports started pouring in. Some teams found traces of magic leading to the dark forest at the valley’s edge, while others noted unusual shadow creature activity near the red dragon border.

Aland quickly led his dragons to the border, while Daran took his forces into the dark forest.

Arabel and I stayed at the command post, coordinating the search and ensuring smooth communication between teams.

“I still can’t believe we’re all here,” Arabel murmured. “Humans, lycans, dragons, even jeverics—all united for one girl.”

I glanced at her and offered a faint smile. “Jonea isn’t just any girl. She’s the center of all this. If we don’t save her, everything falls apart.”

She nodded, her eyes blazing with determination. “We can’t fail.”

But deep down, I knew that success wouldn’t just hinge on our efforts—it also depended on time. And time was slipping away.

As the night deepened, we received an urgent message from one of my hunter teams. They’d found something near some ancient ruins in the middle of the forest.

“What is it?” I asked through the magical link.

“We’re not sure yet,” the voice replied. “But there’s strong magic here. We think it might be where Luke Draken is hiding.”

My heart pounded.

“Send me the exact location,” I ordered.

Once I had the coordinates, I issued commands for all teams to converge there.

“This might be our last chance,” I told Arabel.

She nodded, her expression steely. “We have to save her, Miller. No matter what.”

And so, we prepared for the final battle.

*

HUNTER

The night air was heavy. The wind blowing from the valley carried the scent of death and blood, a chilling reminder of what would happen if Luke succeeded with his plan. I stood on the cliff’s edge, overlooking the Sapphire Blue Palace—the heart of the red dragons’ power—clenching my fists.

“Luke,” I growled under my breath, seething with hatred. “This time, you’ve gone too far.”

I’d just received word that Jonea was in Luke’s hands and being moved to their lair. The red moon’s peak was drawing closer. If the ritual succeeded, Luke would gain unmatched power—enough to destroy this world.

As an Abraham, a family once honored as leaders of the Sapphire Blue realm, it was humiliating to infiltrate the red dragons’ forces. I’d become Luke’s pawn, following his orders and enduring endless humiliation.

But I had no choice. How else could I uncover their weaknesses? How else could I destroy them from within?

“Hunter,” a whisper came from behind me.