Rose stared at the scene, dumbfounded by the calamity Asher had inflicted on the raging nightmare—none other than Lamia. The realization that her little brother was now a magical being was shocking, but seeing Asher's severed arm lying motionless on the floor beside them was maddening.
"Asher! Asher! We have to get you to a hospital—your arm… it's still bleeding!"
Rose scampered toward Asher, but he didn't care about his condition. His priority was his friends.
Ava was still bound by the cursed roots, which took pleasure in continuously sucking her blood, leaving her powerless. Slyvia, on the other hand, was now unconscious, but the terrifying glass barrier continued to torture her, shocking her violently with high-voltage electricity.
Asher turned to his left, his eyes falling on Jeremy, who was gasping for breath. The scorpion poison was spreading too fast, defying human logic—no ordinary medicine could save him. Asher had to act quickly. Fortunately, the blast he had delivered to Lamia was enough to send the deadly demigod away for now.
Rose ran to Asher's side, breathing hard. Seeing him about to use his powers again, she became alarmed.
"Haven't you used too much of your power already? Won't it harm you if you draw in excess?" Rose tried to reason with Asher, clasping his hand in a silent plea. But Asher wasn't moved by her words.
"Rose, I am a divine being—the last child of light, the protector of the supernatural realm. This is my duty. If I am not here to save others, then why am I here at all? At least let me save my friends, especially those who fought to bring us back. Don't be selfish, Rose. You're better than this."
Asher reprimanded her and walked away.
Rose looked down, her emerald eyes meeting Jimmy's dying gaze. Seeing the boy she had been fawning over on the verge of death, she let out a scream.
"Jimmy! Are you okay?"
But that was a stupid question—she had seen him nearly devoured by the terrifying scorpions. Wasn't he supposed to be an Awakened? Why was he dying again?
"Asher, help! Please, Jimmy is dying!"
Asher, who was limping with his one good arm, turned sharply at her cry but remained still. He had already made up his mind—he would perform a spell to save all of his friends at once. He wasn't a master, nor even a pro, but his instincts told him he could pull it off. His only prayer was that his magic wouldn't fail him now, especially when he needed it the most.
Standing at a distance, Asher closed his eyes and raised his only arm. His other was as good as dead. He began to pray silently.
"I was chosen as a divine being—one meant to save others. So let it be done. Let my friends be saved. Please… don't fail me."
Asher's eyes turned a blinding white—one that even the sun couldn't compete with. Fire engulfed his body, consuming him completely. He let out a devastating scream that pierced through the heavens.
"HAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
Rose, watching in horror, was petrified.
"Asher, what's happening?! No! Asher!"
But before her eyes, something unexpected occurred—something she was sure she wouldn't live to explain.
The sky opened up. The once blinding red heavens, with the ominous moon looming over them, cleared in an instant. Sunlight flooded down, illuminating Asher with a divine spotlight. A shimmering light gathered around his head, crowning him instantly.
His body transformed, his skin becoming as radiant as pure ivory. He shone like a bright, beautiful diamond. His silver hair gleamed with an ethereal glow, making him look almost angelic.
Asher began weaving light as if it were thread. Moving his hands in a rhythmic motion, he created several shimmering ropes of pure divinity. The sight left Rose in stunned silence. The glowing threads rose into the sky, forming a massive pillar of fire that consumed every trace of darkness in its path.
As Asher twisted his hands, the pillar of light coiled into a deadly motion, scattering into countless threads of divine energy. The glowing strands spread throughout the school, overwhelming the entire area with their brilliance. Rose closed her eyes—the intensity was too much to bear.
When she opened them again, she was shocked beyond words.
The destruction Lamia had wrought upon Paradise High… was gone. Every trace of damage had vanished as if it had never been there. Students were waking up, moving around like nothing had happened.
The sky had returned to its normal state. The air was filled with an enticing, pure fragrance, as though the world had been cleansed.
And then, Rose's gaze shifted, scanning the area. She froze.
They were in a classroom.
What?
How did they end up in a classroom?
"Hi, sis. I see you're back from your daydreaming."
It was Asher. He was standing before her while she sat in her usual seat.
Rose's mind reeled. No. That wasn't possible. They had been in a moment of danger and death. How was she here? Had it all been… a dream?
Her eyes darted to Asher, studying him. His arm was back. His skin—flawless, almost like polished ivory. His silver hair shimmered like that of divine beings. His emerald eyes were even more captivating than before.
"Asher, if this is your doing, tell me now—I'm going insane! What's happening?! Weren't we just fighting for our lives? What happened? Oh! I remember now! You did something, Asher. You used magic. So… I'm not dreaming?" Rose's voice trembled, feeling proud of herself for piecing it together.
But Asher only frowned.
"What are you talking about? Nothing like that happened. We just got back from Zeke's party—which, by the way, was dramatic. Today is Halloween night, and we're supposed to go shopping. But instead, you've been sleeping your ass off all day."
Asher's tone was serious.
Rose's panic skyrocketed. Had she finally gone mad? No. That wasn't possible! But Asher had confirmed it—none of it had happened.
Then, suddenly, Asher grinned.
"Gotcha, Rose. But shhh… don't yell. I did use magic to restore everything. Except for Emily and Ezekiel—they're nowhere to be found. Remember, Emily was possessed by that witch, and Ezekiel was taken by that weird teacher, Ares. We still have to deal with that."
Asher's grin deepened, his dimples showing against his majestic face.
Rose let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding.
Just then, Jeremy, Slyvia, and Ava entered.
"Oh my gosh, Jimmy! You're okay! You're okay! I thought you were going to die!"
Rose jumped on Jimmy, causing several students in the class to turn and stare. Since when was she close to Jimmy, the "worthless but stunning" scholarship student?
Jeremy just smiled as he hugged her, but his eyes remained fixed on Asher, who stared back at him in silent pain.
Seeing Ava, Rose frowned.
"Hmm… one question, guys. How did you all get along? Don't get me wrong—she's a witch. Naturally. I'm surprised she didn't poison you."
Rose grinned, and Ava scowled.
Slyvia shot Rose a look and whispered, "Stop it, girl. She saved us. If not for her, I wouldn't have gotten the stone. And not only would we have faced calamity, but I wouldn't have been able to contact the Red Oak Tree."
At the far end of the classroom, Rowan sat with a guy who was speaking to him about something. But Rowan wasn't listening. His eyes were locked on Asher.
Why was he so suddenly… thrilled by him?
And how the hell had Asher changed so much?
Something flickered in Rowan's gaze—lust, anger, and possession.