Asher took a deep breath.
The air was thick with blood-scent and curse energy, but none of it moved him. His eyes stayed calm, glowing faint crimson as he lifted his right hand above the girl's chest. His power—Sanguine Supreme—gathered there like a red sun.
The parasite stirred. Beneath Veyra's skin, the black veins writhed like snakes, trying to hide deeper. Her body shook as the corruption reacted violently to Asher's presence.
"You can feel it, can't you?" Asher said quietly. "You know what I am."
The blood around his hand began to glow brighter. Slowly, his power spread into the room. It wasn't wild or loud—it was controlled, heavy, unshakable. The kind of power that didn't ask for permission. It took what it wanted.
The Bloodthorn Vines on the walls began to shudder. But instead of attacking, they bent slightly—as if bowing.
A low hiss echoed from the girl's body. Not from her lips, but from the thing inside her. The Husk Thornmother was waking up, or at least reacting. The parasite could sense that something far more powerful had entered its domain.
"You've been hiding, feeding, growing inside her for years," Asher said. "But your luck ends here."
With a flick of his wrist, Sanguine Supreme flowed into Veyra's bloodstream.
The effect was instant.
The black veins that had been still now exploded with motion—twisting, tightening, trying to resist. Veyra gasped in her sleep, her back arching slightly as her body fought the battle raging inside her.
But Asher didn't stop.
His power dove straight into her bloodstream, searching for the core of the parasite—the part keeping it latched to her soul.
When he found it, he clenched his hand—and the red energy flared.
A scream—not from Veyra, but from the Husk Thornmother—ripped through the chamber, echoing like a shriek inside their minds. The creature's will tried to fight, to defend its territory.
But Asher was a Blood King, and this was his battlefield.
"You took her blood," he growled. "Now I take it back."
The glow from his body expanded until it filled the room. The vines all around shook violently, curling inward as if they were in pain. From Veyra's mouth, black-red mist poured out—thick, twisted, reeking of curse and rot.
The parasite was being dragged out.
One thread at a time.
Asher's expression didn't change, but his power grew stronger. A red circle formed beneath his feet, etched with ancient sigils—the symbol of the Crimson Dominion, his dominion.
With a final push, he reached into her soul space. There, deep within, he saw it—a cocoon of thorns, pulsing with life, wrapped tight around the remains of her soul.
He reached out and crushed it.
The cocoon shattered.
The parasite screamed one last time—and then vanished. Turned to dust in the red storm of his power.
The black veins faded from Veyra's body, melting away like ink in water. Her skin returned to a healthy color, her breathing steady. The bark-like corruption broke off in soft flakes, falling like dead leaves.
Asher let out a slow breath. His glow dimmed.
Then, from the corner of the room, a faint whisper came.
It was her voice—soft, weak, but real. Veyra Varnis was awake.
Asher smiled gently. "Rest. You're safe now."
Outside, the Bloodthorn vines on the estate walls began to bloom—deep crimson flowers opening for the first time in years.
And far above, in the highest tower, the Varnis Patriarch felt the shift.
"…That power…" he whispered. "Who did we invite into our house?"
Back in the small house
The change spread like a ripple through the estate.
And deep underground, the residual aura of the Husk Thornmother vanished completely, as if it had never existed.
Asher gently stepped back from Veyra's bedside. Her chest rose and fell evenly now. The corruption was gone, the parasite destroyed. Her soul, though damaged, was no longer under siege.
He looked down at her, then at the blood-soaked seals scattered around the bed. Most were cracked or faded—powerless now. They had been holding back the infection, but only just.
"She was seconds away from becoming something else," he murmured.
He turned, his coat brushing against the now-gentle vines. The Bloodthorn no longer flinched at his presence. In fact, they leaned toward him slightly, as if drawn to him.
The moment he stepped outside the sealed chamber, the guard who had brought him there was already waiting. The man's eyes widened as he took in Asher's calm expression and uninjured form.
"You… you're done already?" the guard asked, eyes wide.
Asher nodded. "She'll live."
"Are you saying… you healed the young miss?" the guard asked, stumbling over his words in disbelief. "She was suffering for a long time... many failed yet you say you healed her... Wait for me!" he added, rsuhing inside the small house and then came out as he said " Please come with me to meet the Lord he will reward you"
He looked at Asher like he was staring at a great benefactor.
"Were you close with the young miss?" Asher asked, watching him carefully as the guard paused mid-step.
The guard shook his head. "It's not that. She lived quietly… but everyone in the city knew her. She was kind. Gentle. She helped the poor, tended to the sick. So many came hoping to save her, even if just to protect that pure soul."
"Though none succeeded and we started calling from outside the city"
He looked back at Asher and bowed his head slightly.
"And finally you… you actually did. You saved her."
Asher gave a quiet nod.
Meanwhile, outside the gates of the estate, Valeris waited.
She had leaned against a smooth pillar, arms crossed, watching the line of hopefuls shrink slowly. The others still waited, unaware that the battle was already over.
She lifted her head slightly as the estate doors opened.
Asher stepped out. Read latest chapters at Novel~Fire. (n)et
Even in the faint red glow of the lanterns, he stood tall, his aura low but unmistakably heavy—like a sword sheathed, but still sharp.